Whyy is everyone always Hacking on "Crate" Amplifiers?????????

LuredMaul · #1 11-13-2007, 02:21 PM

Why is it that everyone is always stomping on the Quality of Crate amps......
Have they spent time with one in the last 10 yrs????
Do they realize that for 7 yrs running Crate was the most sold amp in the World....not USA "WORLD".
I just don't get it............every model they make isn't GREAT but there has been some nice Crate STUFF over the yrs..

jb4674 · #2 11-13-2007, 02:38 PM

Crate amps are relatively inexpensive and most people that own them come to terms with what they are (budget amps). Personally, I got a crate back in '89 and i still have it to this day but it's not something I would brag about, other than the fact that my parents gave it to me as a present and that's the main reason why I still have it.

Jimmy

screamndemon69 · #3 11-13-2007, 03:40 PM

Like jb said, Crates are what they are, cheaper priced amps for beginner and such.

We (the guitar community) tend to be snobs about our gear to justify why we pay so much for the stuff we buy is one reason Crate gets bagged on so much. The other reason could be they make cheap amps that are fine for beginners practicing in their bedroom, not pros or tone freaks.

I've owned a couple and they were what they were - bad tone and shotty built amps. The only one I liked was the Club series tube amps they put out - although I wouldn't spend my money on one.

I tried a few of the other tube amps they put out, Blue Voodoo and whatever the other one was and IMHO I wouldn't spend my money on those if they were the last amps around. Just my opinion.

I don't mean to offend anyone, play what you want, they just don't do it for me.

southpaw_lefty · #4 11-13-2007, 03:54 PM

I've got a G1500 that I will never get rid of. It's still one of the better SS amps i've heard.

courtney2018 · #5 11-13-2007, 04:51 PM

I've got a Crate....2 actually. One is a Power Block which I don't really use at all. My main amp is a 2x12 combo that was bought back in '89 or '90. I remember vividly what the price was ~$1200. It's a limited edition 990, whatever that is. I knew nothing about amps back then. I plugged in at the music store and said, "That one!" I've used it ever since and still throws out some awesome sound. However, my tone comes from my GNX4 really. But the amp itself I would never part with. I've not tried any of the newer amps out today though. Perhaps mine is one of the better quality versions (?) I've tried to look online to get more details about the amp, but I've never been able to find anything else about it, any other users, nothing.

Racerx2k · #6 11-13-2007, 04:53 PM

I owned a Crate GX900H head for a couple years, and I had no qualms gigging with it, whatsoever. Ultimately, the only reason why I sold was because I was looking to get closer to a JCM800, hard rock-type tone. The metal tones I could get out of it were great.

Salamander In The Sun · #7 11-13-2007, 05:04 PM

For a short time, I owned a Blue Voodoo, and it was awful. Easily the worst sounding all valve amp in existence. Now, the Crate Stealth is an entirely different story, I played one once, and it was awesome.

Dino · #8 11-13-2007, 06:40 PM

They are good amps, they just don't cost a bunch. The power block is great if you use a POD or whatever... The beginner practice amps are just about the best for the money. My buddy has a blue voodoo and it sounds good. Can't beat it for $400 bucks!

spacestation · #9 11-13-2007, 06:41 PM

I use a Power Block (just as a power amp-bypass the preamp stage) in my rig 100% of the time. There is not a better sounding/louder power amp on the market that weighs in at less than 5lbs. and less than $100!!!

I wish they still made them or at least a rack mount version.

David McCarroll · #10 11-13-2007, 07:04 PM

................. Epiphone sell lots of guitars too...... that doesn't make them good though.

I really do believe that amps are where your buck will make the biggest bang for your tone - any guitar that intonates and stays roughly in tune will sound fantastic through a TriAxis/2:90 rig..... but a $10 000 PRS Private Stock will sound just like a 15 watt solid state amp if that's what you plug it into!

jemplayer55 · #11 11-13-2007, 07:48 PM

Any amp with a name that sounds like a old shipping container or an old beat up car..... well, kinda like this, "I have a old crate"!

It sure doesn't quite ring like saying "I have a old Plexi" or ."I have a old Twin".......

(Actually, I bought my son a Crate.... it does the job!)

David's got a good point.... unless you're using a modeling pedal, an amp is what will absolutely make or break your tone.

Davidmurry222 · #12 11-13-2007, 08:27 PM

crates are okay. thats about it. it's not worth putting down or praising really. if you think your crate is the best amp in the world you're probably lying to yourself, or you haven't played many other amps. I play a crate because I couldnt afford a mesa, and I liked it a lot better than other amps for $300-400. it's okay.

but I will say that I don't know what people are talking about they aren't relaible or tough.

Distantshore · #13 11-13-2007, 08:51 PM

I owned a Crate 1/2 stack back in the early nineties, and it was ok, actually was running a preamp through the clean channel, so it wasn't all Crate.

I will say though that Crate really stood behind their products. I called with a minor complaint, that I received my cab with the name plate cracked. Not only did they send me a new name plate, but a lot of other goodies (Stickers, Crate fanny pack, and Crate Neon sign)

Funny thing was, a year later I had pulled the name plate off, because I was embarrassed to be playing through a Crate.

waylay00 · #14 11-13-2007, 09:05 PM

I'm not a fan of Crate, except their Vintage Club series (not the ones currently at GC...the ones I'm referring to have been out of production for quite some time). Those amps are really good, and I'm a proud owner of a VC50H. The cleans are to die for (very shimmery, warm, and lush), and they blow many higher end amps' clean channels out of the water (just ask a few people on the Gear Page forums). The gain channel is pretty good, considering the money I paid for this halfstack ($400 used). After retubing it (some quality EL84s), it really shines. I'm saving for a Splawn Quickrod to use for my dirty stuff, and I'll use the Crate for cleans. Should make for a killer combo.

**elcid** · #15 11-13-2007, 09:15 PM

Everyone is probably hacking on them because they dont like them. That's usually how it works.

Step 1) people dont like a product
Step 2) they say bad things about said product to let others know their opinion of it.

I had a few crates when it was all I could afford, it was ok for what it was, but it was by no means a great amp.

Way, I dont think I would ever ask anyone anything on TGP. That has to be the worst board I have ever subscribed to, Im sure there are some smart people there, but I can only take so many Collings, John Mayer, Dxmble, and my boutique XXXX is better than everything threads.