Crate Amps

[The Snowman]

Hey, I was just wondering what the general opinion of Crate amps is here.


I've been using Crates ever since I started playing, and they're definitely my preferred brand. I've never been able to get a Marshall, Mesa, or Laney to sound as good as my VTX200.

Anybody else have them, or have any opinions?

 

[Wana_make_a_guitar]

I want a crate, but don't know hoe they sound because I haven't go the chance to play one. Have you played the V33H, How is it in High gain situations?

 

[cjpmmd]

I have 2 Crate "Vintage Club" 20-watt amps with one 10" speaker in each.  I've had them for about 15 years or so, and they have yet to cause me any trouble.  They're great for when you want (as Rory Gallagher once put it) a small amp really hopping off the chair instead of a big amp just ticking over.

 

[The Snowman]

Really the only Crates I've had experience with are the FW65 and the VTX.


But based on my experience with both of them, I'd stand by any Crate product before I would by one from a bigger company, like Vox or Marshall.

 

[Volitions Advocate]

http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?topic=6150.0

 

[stratplayer1]

Honestly im not a big crate fan, never played one i liked, i've only played like three though, i use a 1988 laney AOR 100 watt head, mm its that great 80's  sound

 

[shanejw]

I've never been a big Crate fan myself.  Couldn't ever really get one to do what I wanted it to do.  Too stale sounding with the typical brittle and harsh solid state sound, and the Blue VooDoo and Red VooDoo just didn't sound that good for me.  I used my dads VTX200SH at a gig Friday night and it picked up radio stations better than some radios I've heard.  That's with a noise gate at the end of my pedal chain.  Noise really bothers me, and radio stations are where I draw the line.  It was just unnacceptable to me.  I have a Carvin MTS stack that I've been pretty happy with for the last 10 years, and for the price I don't think they can be beat, but everyone has and is entitled to their own opinion.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

Good stories about Crates tend to be the exception and not the rule, IMO.

 

[jackthehack]

Some of the Crate all-tube amps are OK.

Technically, the BlackHeart amps are Crates, and they rock

 

[Wana_make_a_guitar]

Some of the Crate all-tube amps are OK.

Technically, the BlackHeart amps are Crates, and they rock

I went to try out The V33 I wanted to hear the other day, but ended up trying out the Little Giant Combo because the V33 was out of stock. The BH was Really awesome.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

Crate saturated the market with solid-state starter amps and bad bass amps.  They sounded okay but were famous for clipping and blowing speakers.  That being said, their good all-tube stuff already had a pre-conceived notion of being bad because players had a bad experience with the low end stuff.

 

[T.L.]

Crate sounds like Crate. I never cared for 'em.. There's a reason why almost no pros use them...

 

[The Snowman]

Well, some people are bound to like em, and some people just don't.

I prefer the sound I get from my Crate, and the versatility of the unit. Sparkling, glassy cleans, to harsh, cutting metal.

I figure that people should just make sure and try the good Crates before writing them off as crappy.

 

[tfarny]

What are you, a crate salesman? Is that the point of the thread? I had a couple old SS crates back in the late 80s and they were awful. Like Jack said, the blackhearts are made by Crate so I give them credit for that, I guess.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

Exactly.  If you like it, go for it.  Just don't convince yourself you like it.

 

[dogman]

I"ve had an American Crate V3112 for 6 months now - great classic rock, blues, even good jazz tone.
I dont really have an opinion about other Crates but the V series are excellent - Class A goodness...mmmm...

 

[DangerousR6]

Crate sounds like Crate. I never cared for 'em.. There's a reason why almost no pros use them...

If they're good enough for Sammy Hagar, then they're good enough for me....
I own 3 Crates and love every one of them, never had a single issue with any of them.

And I'd put the BV series tubes amps up against any other any day...

 

[NeilStryker]

What are you, a crate salesman? Is that the point of the thread?

yea, shenanigans on this thread.   booo.