OMG... Crate actually makes one very kick*ss amp!!!

[That90'sGuy]

No folks, I haven't lost it. Crate actually makes one amp that I've found to be very impressive. The V3112 (aka... the V32 Palomino).

It all started when I was on a search with my singer/guitar player Doug trying to find a good lower priced tube amp for him to invest in (he plays acoustic and has a pretty decent PA system). He's looking to get some good overdrive to match my Fargen setup. He has a Peavey Classic 30 that doesn't fit the bill, he was looking at a Peavey Valve King, but turned it down and was looking at a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe (although wasn't crazy about the overdrive). Enter the Crate.

4-EL84 tubes crank out 30w Class A tone. The cleans are full with some topend chime and the overdrive honestly bests the Marshalls and Mesas at GC (it was crunchy and thick and articulate all at the same time). I can't believe how freakin' good that thing sounded! It was tested with 3 guitars: my Tele Sonic and two guitars my singer/guitar player picked up: a Fender USA tele and a Fender Thinline Tele RI.

Honestly, that amp is the deal of a century at $600 or less. I played a Dr. Z Maz 18 a few minutes later and it couldn't touch it. It sounds far beyond that of a regular production, it definitely has some boutique type qualities to it. All the notes stay articulate, the sustain is there, it has that sweet tube amp sag and it actually responds to pick attacks (I can pick lightly for cleans or dig in for various levels of overdrive). I haven't heard many amps cover cleans or overdrive this good, nevermind in one housing. My Fargen is the ****, but if I had no way of ever getting one... I'd seriously consider buying one of those Crate V32 Palominos.

Damn, this thing is a Crate... yes, a Crate... and it is actually amazing.

 

[Xeromus]

Re: OMG... Crate actually makes one very kick*ss amp!!!

Finally you people are realizing this. lol. I've had my V-series for a few years now. I guess the secret's out.

 

[Hot _Grits]

Re: OMG... Crate actually makes one very kick*ss amp!!!

I was talking to a salesman I know at my local store, and he said he bought one of those for himself. He said it was the best thing in the shop below the Soldano I just put on lay-by.

 

[flank]

Re: OMG... Crate actually makes one very kick*ss amp!!!

is the volume adequate? clean headroom decent?

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: OMG... Crate actually makes one very kick*ss amp!!!

What Crate does is put together amps in the best way they can, using the cheapest parts possible. It's not surprising that they put together a great sounding amp, using tubes, and the right circuit. I'm not knocking the amp at all, because they're doing the best they can to meet a low price point. What you're not seeing is how it holds up over time. Eventually, the tiny capacitors and low wattage resistors will crumble, and the pots will be totally shot. The Fargen will be running strong 20 years from now. That's the difference, which you pay for. Again, I'm not knocking the Crate, because I've heard a bunch of them that sound really good, but it's not built for the long haul. That's the only thing to know, when saving money on the front end.

 

[Xeromus]

Re: OMG... Crate actually makes one very kick*ss amp!!!

What Crate does is put together amps in the best way they can, using the cheapest parts possible. It's not surprising that they put together a great sounding amp, using tubes, and the right circuit. I'm not knocking the amp at all, because they're doing the best they can to meet a low price point. What you're not seeing is how it holds up over time. Eventually, the tiny capacitors and low wattage resistors will crumble, and the pots will be totally shot. The Fargen will be running strong 20 years from now. That's the difference, which you pay for. Again, I'm not knocking the Crate, because I've heard a bunch of them that sound really good, but it's not built for the long haul. That's the only thing to know, when saving money on the front end.

I don't disagree with this. I'm going on 3 years with mine now though with no problems and with the same tubes. It sounds great. Can it be built better? I think so. Is it built badly though? Nope.

 

[flank]

Re: OMG... Crate actually makes one very kick*ss amp!!!

What Crate does is put together amps in the best way they can, using the cheapest parts possible. It's not surprising that they put together a great sounding amp, using tubes, and the right circuit. I'm not knocking the amp at all, because they're doing the best they can to meet a low price point. What you're not seeing is how it holds up over time. Eventually, the tiny capacitors and low wattage resistors will crumble, and the pots will be totally shot. The Fargen will be running strong 20 years from now. That's the difference, which you pay for. Again, I'm not knocking the Crate, because I've heard a bunch of them that sound really good, but it's not built for the long haul. That's the only thing to know, when saving money on the front end.

thats an interesting point, cause you are probably right.......but then again, don't we buy this stuff to have cool tone in the present? who's to say we will even be playing guitar that far down the line? or that the amp we buy will be what sound we want that far down the line? you could buy 3 of the Crates and keep the other 2 in perfect condition for when the first one dies (assuming that it would, maybe not though) and still come in under the price of the Fargen

edit: sorry Chris, for the theoretical stuff......GJ just PM if you want to discuss it

 

[CapoFirstFret]

Re: OMG... Crate actually makes one very kick*ss amp!!!

I've got one of the V5212 amps. 4 EL84's and man that thing is SWEET. 2x12 ....50 watts and a switchable channel with it's own EQ and Reverb control...GREAT control! I gigged with it for quite a while and the only problem I've had with it is a blown fuse once. It's a great sounding amp. It's one of my backups.

 

[ErikH]

Re: OMG... Crate actually makes one very kick*ss amp!!!

Try the V3112 with the Tone Tubby speaker. It will blow your mind, no joke. I couldn't believe what I was hearing when I tried one out a month or so ago. The tone was unreal.

 

[schecterplayer]

Re: OMG... Crate actually makes one very kick*ss amp!!!

I've said it once ive said it a hundred times. The Crate V-Series totally kick ass

 

[FretFire]

Re: OMG... Crate actually makes one very kick*ss amp!!!

Sounds like they are similar to my VHT Pitbull 45 when it's in Class A mode (which is a very, VERY good thing).

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: OMG... Crate actually makes one very kick*ss amp!!!

I'm not knocking the amp line at all. All companies come out with a quality product, and they're fighting fiercly to be the best at their price point. Crate and Peavey are two companies that have really improved in recent years. I remember the first Crates that were literally wooden crates with a chassis.....man, those things sucked compared to what they're coming out with now. Same with Peavey and Carvin. Those early Peaveys with the silver panels and the 'saturation' gain knob are a far cry from the Classics, 5150's, and JSX's. The Carvin 100B doesn't even compare to a Legacy. No matter what people say about affordable amps today, they're FAR better than the junk that came out just 20 years ago. We're almost spoiled with quality nowadays.

 

[joelap]

Re: OMG... Crate actually makes one very kick*ss amp!!!

Those early Peaveys with the silver panels and the 'saturation' gain knob are a far cry from the Classics, 5150's, and JSX's.

Dude! My first head/cab combo was a Peavey 212 and a Peavey Century head! Remember that one? One channel buzzy solid state with Pregain and "Saturation" knobs! LOL my old drummer told me my guitar sounded like a dying cat once! I almost forgot I owned one of those! I wanted a head and cab and it was the cheapest I could find used from daddy's junky music.

One day I'm going to rebuy those when I'm a millionaire (yeah right) just for ha-ha's. Sorry for the pointless post, just brought back some funny memories of my sophomore year of highschool.



I still have to try those crates... maybe I'll take a trip to GC in manchester sometime to try the crate and the AC30CC

 

[B Bent]

Re: OMG... Crate actually makes one very kick*ss amp!!!

I am officially coming out and saying this in this thread, but you guys probably remember the Crate V32 that I hyped for a while.....well......I took it back the weekend after I bought it. Don't get me wrong it sounded great, but the thing that made me take it back was that inner yearn in my soul for another Blackface(ish) amp. I was oh so very impressed with the amp's sound, but right out of the box I saw quality issues, especially after I took it apart. Not sure if you have noticed, but you have 14 screws to remove (and a chasis) just to get the power tubes out!! Not nesessarily a quality issue, but it bothered me. Mine also had pathetic tolex joints and a rattle. Second I bought mine brand new which I hardly ever buy gear new since most gear depreciates a good bit after you walk out the store with it. I will buy this amp again, but will wait a year or two and get a dirt cheap used one since Crates don't hold their value. Thanks to GJ and his recommendation I will be picking up a Fender Pro Reverb today. BTW GJ I found one that ended on eBay in my area so I'll be able to do a local!!! WOOHOO!

 

[joelap]

Re: OMG... Crate actually makes one very kick*ss amp!!!

in fact, here's an ebay of the model head I owned... lol cracks me up everytime I think about it

http://cgi.ebay.com/Peavey-The-Cent...ryZ38076QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

 

[Closed Eye]

Re: OMG... Crate actually makes one very kick*ss amp!!!

in fact, here's an ebay of the model head I owned... lol cracks me up everytime I think about it

http://cgi.ebay.com/Peavey-The-Cent...ryZ38076QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

and it's only $155! You don't need to be a millionaire to buy that!


seriously though, when I started looking for tube amps last year (and just pulled the trigger on a Traynor yesterday) I was considering the prospect of the Crate V-Series 15-watter. That thing was hot! The clean tones I had never heard before and the overdrive just knocked me outta my stool. I was impressed...and I still am...but I realized I needed a little more wattage and tad more gain. But yeah, great amps!

 

[Guitar Toad]

Re: OMG... Crate actually makes one very kick*ss amp!!!

Doesn't Billy Gibbons play Crates these days?

 

[schecterplayer]

Re: OMG... Crate actually makes one very kick*ss amp!!!

My V1512 had a rattley buzz at first but it disappeared in a week when the speaker started to break in. I think that they are great amps. For the money the only comparable amp to the V1512 is the Blues Junior and this thing blows it out of the water both in quality of construction and tone. Plus it has a much larger range of tones as it is much higher gain. Yes they really could use a set of nice tubes but heck, its got a Celestion Seventy 80 and I got mine new from a local shop for $380

 

[B Bent]

Re: OMG... Crate actually makes one very kick*ss amp!!!

My V1512 had a rattley buzz at first but it disappeared in a week when the speaker started to break in. I think that they are great amps. For the money the only comparable amp to the V1512 is the Blues Junior and this thing blows it out of the water both in quality of construction and tone. Plus it has a much larger range of tones as it is much higher gain. Yes they really could use a set of nice tubes but heck, its got a Celestion Seventy 80 and I got mine new from a local shop for $380

I agree that it sounds better than my old Blues Junior!! I disagree with the statement about build quality though. I gutted both the BJ and the V and the Fender's components smoke the Crate!!!

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: OMG... Crate actually makes one very kick*ss amp!!!

in fact, here's an ebay of the model head I owned... lol cracks me up everytime I think about it

http://cgi.ebay.com/Peavey-The-Cent...ryZ38076QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

What a piece of crap! :laugh2: I found a picture of my first amp too!
My first rig was a Peavey Studio Pro 40 with the rippin saturation tone! I had an MXR Distortion + running into it, trying to nail the VH and Iron Maiden tones with something that sounded like a Bee's Nest!

:laugh2: :laugh2: :laugh2: :beerchug: