crate amp?

[a7x_rox_12]

the story begins when i decided to play the crappy lil crate mx15 solid state amp that my friend had left at my house. and i was pleasantly surprised. it was the best sounding solid state amp ive ever played! so i was thinkin that until i get endorsed by marshall, i might try to find this amp in a head, cuz itll prolly be really cheap. but they do not make crate mx series heads...

so would any of youz guys know which crate amp head would sound amazing like that? im pretty convinced that if the small practice amp version could sound good, im sure i can find a head like it. and if not, ill even try to rip out the preamp of the crate and put it with a louder power amp. but i dont know if i could do that, so could someone please tell me how feasible that idea would be?

haha.
thanks

 

[McLaughysSN]

Re: crate amp?

Really I would take a day trip down to a local shop my friend. No matter what crate solid state you play, just remember, you get what you pay for. Taking a trip to a shop with YOUR guitar and just playing amp after amp will really show you the tonal differences between the different amps.

Is is necessary to have a head? If you already have a cab, then more power to you, but if you have a choice, I would go for a better sounding combo, than a more powerful stack. They're easier to haul around and most of the time, PLENTY of power to get you through.

Any idea of a budget your working with?

 

[Robbyk]

Re: crate amp?

Really I would take a day trip down to a local shop my friend. No matter what crate solid state you play, just remember, you get what you pay for. Taking a trip to a shop with YOUR guitar and just playing amp after amp will really show you the tonal differences between the different amps.

Is is necessary to have a head? If you already have a cab, then more power to you, but if you have a choice, I would go for a better sounding combo, than a more powerful stack. They're easier to haul around and most of the time, PLENTY of power to get you through.

Any idea of a budget your working with?

/End Thread/

Everything needed to be said ,has been said.

 

[skyydogg01]

Re: crate amp?

the MX series was a musician's friend/guitar center exclusive series. the GT series is the same thing and I think they have discontinued that one also. anything with the Flexwave 5 pre-amp will get you that tone. yes, they are great sounding solid states.

 

[Yngwiestein]

Re: crate amp?

You would sound better playing an empty tin can with a rubber band around it than a Crate amp! :laugh2: At least get an MG! The only reason they make Crate amps is so Guitar Center can carry them! :laugh2:

EDIT: I sigged myself!

 

[DankStar]

Re: crate amp?

I've got a Crate practice amp I've kept around because it's cheap, light, and sounds pretty good. Good amp for the money. They're becoming a bit overshadowed with the modellers available. Most Crates to me sound very similar. They made some small SS heads, and some that are bigger than tube heads. Check ebay. I wouldn't tear apart what you've got - it won't be worth it.

If I had the choice of SS amps though, I'd definitely keep Carvin and Randall in mind.

Don't hate...appreciate!

 

[Kosh Naranek]

Re: crate amp?

a7x,
I think you're being realistic looking at another Crate at this point. Until you graduate and get a job where you can get a Marshall, or get in a band that gets noticed and endorsed (good luck!) a Crate is a good amp to spend your first years learning and playing through.

You're idea of tearing out the preamp is a little less realistic. I can see that becoing one of those projects that never gets finished and ends with the amp being ruined and thrown out.

I'm with skydogg. Check out the Crate Flexwave amps. And their older amps are still around, for sale used at any guitar shop. Check them out too.

I have a couple of nice tube heads and 3 speaker cabs (I've gradtuated, got a good job and upgraded my gear), but I also have an old early 80's Crate combo with 1-12" speaker that I found for $150. I keep it around cuz it's fine for practicing in the living room or keeping at my drummer's house for band rehearsals. It doesn't nail any classic tones, but it sounds decent.

 

[bungalowbill]

Re: crate amp?

You would sound better playing an empty tin can with a rubber band around it than a Crate amp! :laugh2: At least get an MG! The only reason they make Crate amps is so Guitar Center can carry them! :laugh2:

EDIT: I sigged myself!

I love blanket statements about gear. :smack:

Have you ever played through a Crate tube amp?

I use a V-32 and it gets great tone, at it's pricepoint...$400.00 out the door!
I gig with it and the clean channel it is very Voxish with a lot of sparkle. I don't use the OD channel much, but it is kind of Marshally sounding with a LOT of gain available.....I call it my poor mans Matchless. The build quality is not like a Mesa or boutique, but the 5 year warranty is very attractive.

I prefer it to a Peavey Classic 30 and I think the Peavey is a good amp.

 

[Yngwiestein]

Re: crate amp?

I love blanket statements about gear. :smack:

Have you ever played through a Crate tube amp?

I use a V-32 and it gets great tone, at it's pricepoint...$400.00 out the door!
I gig with it and the clean channel it is very Voxish with a lot of sparkle. I don't use the OD channel much, but it is kind of Marshally sounding with a LOT of gain available.....I call it my poor mans Matchless. The build quality is not like a Mesa or boutique, but the 5 year warranty is very attractive.

I prefer it to a Peavey Classic 30 and I think the Peavey is a good amp.

I think we all have. More like a dead mans Matchless :laugh2: A poor mans Matchless would be a Ceriatone! No seriously. I played several. If anything the Palominos are decent but I would prefer a Blues Jr. any day of the week. I was kind of joking with what I said. Crate are not too bad.

 

[bungalowbill]

Re: crate amp?

I think we all have. More like a dead mans Matchless :laugh2: A poor mans Matchless would be a Ceriatone! No seriously. I played several. If anything the Palominos are decent but I would prefer a Blues Jr. any day of the week. I was kind of joking with what I said. Crate are not too bad.

I play a modded JR for small venues and I do prefer it for those applications.

You need to try a V-32 with a G12H30 in it...a world of difference.

Good tone can be had on a budget and Crate is no exception.

I've said it before and I'm sure I will say it again....

A lot of good tone comes from knowing how to use what you have.

 

[sublimerules9604]

Re: crate amp?

I play a modded JR for small venues and I do prefer it for those applications.

You need to try a V-32 with a G12H30 in it...a world of difference.

Good tone can be had on a budget and Crate is no exception.

I've said it before and I'm sure I will say it again....

A lot of good tone comes from knowing how to use what you have.

I have to second the opinion of the crate v32 it is a great amp line. I have one of the made in America early version V3112's and play it through an Avatar 212 with a G12H30 and V30, and the tones I can get out of it are amazing.
My only complaint is the shared eq, but from what ive learned is that there are not of less than 30W amps that dont have a shared eq for less than a grand and especially not for the $275 I payed for the crate.

Back on post,
If you are looking at the crate heads definately check out the older V30 or V3112 they are plenty loud for anything up untill youll have a pa available to mic it.

 

[Kosh Naranek]

Re: crate amp?

Another satisfied V32 owner here. For what I paid for it, it's a great little head!

 

[millsart]

Re: crate amp?

I think we all have. More like a dead mans Matchless :laugh2: A poor mans Matchless would be a Ceriatone! No seriously. I played several. If anything the Palominos are decent but I would prefer a Blues Jr. any day of the week. I was kind of joking with what I said. Crate are not too bad.

You do know the original poster is only 15 years old don't you ?

When your not old enough to even have a regular job it really makes it tough to afford the gear you want.


I say thank god for brands like Crate and Peavey being around because they were the difference between me not having an amp at all or getting something that while maybe not a great sound, at least was loud enough for me to start jamming with people.


Doesn't matter if someones got over $10,000 worth of PRS guitars like you, or they've got some beater guitar and a Crate amp, its about getting out there and playing.

Doesn't matter whats in your backline, its about that you've stepped on the stage

 

[Yngwiestein]

Re: crate amp?

You do know the original poster is only 15 years old don't you ?

When your not old enough to even have a regular job it really makes it tough to afford the gear you want.


I say thank god for brands like Crate and Peavey being around because they were the difference between me not having an amp at all or getting something that while maybe not a great sound, at least was loud enough for me to start jamming with people.


Doesn't matter if someones got over $10,000 worth of PRS guitars like you, or they've got some beater guitar and a Crate amp, its about getting out there and playing.

Doesn't matter whats in your backline, its about that you've stepped on the stage

I see your point but there are a few other ways to think about this too. First off I was really kind of making jokes about it! And I did not notice that he was just a young sapling at the tender age of 15!

So obviously the cost of gear has nothing to do with playing. Thank you for bringing up my prestigeous collection however we could sum this up as being a difference of opinion. The story goes that when I was his exact age I bought my first Crate amp. It was junk but I bought another because I wanted to give my first brand a try. It too was junk and lasted 3 1/2 mo. Again I went bought a Palomino at Guitar Center and it crapped out on me a few days later. Luckily they have a great exchange policy. I left Crate never went back!

So would I give recommendation on Crate? The answer is no, never. He's better off buying seomething used on Ebay. That's my thought.

 

[thespricket]

Re: crate amp?

I own a Vintage Club 30, which i'm pretty sure is just the older version of the palomino. No complaints, a really great all around tube amp. I actually took the little crate name plate off of the front.

crate is no different from most other mass produced amp manufactures. They make a lot of solid state crap, and they make some really decent tube amps. fender, peavey, randall, marshall... the list goes on.

oh, and Billy Gibbons uses one.