Crate BXH-220 Bass Amp Questions

[Floydian]

I recently found a Crate BXH-220 Bass Amp on craig's list that I am interested in purchasing. The price is a mere 50$ which after some research I realize is an almost too good to be true price. I really only need it for jamming in a friends basement for now. I was hoping that someone with experience with this head could let me know if it is worth it. My cab has 4 ohms of resistance and should be able to handle the full 220 watts as it is a 1x15 Peavey. Although I have never had a amp/cab so please let me know if I haven't considered something.

Could I get over a drummer, 2 guitarists, and a keyboardist?

Could I play gigs eventually with this set-up?

What can I expect tone wise?

Does the Gain LED's actually do what they claim to do?

Should I be worried about blowing my cab?

What should I look for as far as red flags when this mystery person is showing me the head? (50 is just too good to be true.)

Any other form of advice is obviously encouraged also.

 

[Floydian]

Nothing?

 

[jastacey]

Be sure to take a cabinet & guitar to make sure it works ...try to play for some time, to get the amp a little warmed-up, as a giging amp ... it depends on how loud you guys play at ...... tone .... O.K. for what it is .... if it works, and you've paid $50.00, then you got a good deal ... I've got a Crate BT-350 and that amp is a good sounding amp...IMHO

 

[ajb603]

I've had my bxh 220 for thirteen years! It was the best one I could afford back then and I have been using it ever since. Not to say that it's the perfect amp, but the quality for the price is amazing!

Could I get over a drummer, 2 guitarists, and a keyboardist?
Yes, I have gigged with this amp and it is loud enough.

Could I play gigs eventually with this set-up?
Yes, see above.

What can I expect tone wise?
You can get a lot of tones out of this amp, it has an 8 band eq. Also, just do a simple google search and you can download the pdf manual which has some settings in it.

Does the Gain LED's actually do what they claim to do?
Hmm... i do not remember ever seeing mine light up green when I bought it, and it definitely does not these days. It will light up yellow or red though. I would not worry too much about those, you should be able to hear if the gain is too much.

Should I be worried about blowing my cab?
It depends what the cab is rated at.

What should I look for as far as red flags when this mystery person is showing me the head? (50 is just too good to be true.)
The only problem besides the gain lights I have had with mine is the input jack seems to get loose over time. Test it out with your bass. Plug the cord in a few times to make sure it is not loose already, although it is not an expensive repair. I've seen these go for around $100 these days, so $50 is just you getting a good deal. In 1997 these were only like $350 or something brand new.

Hope this helps a little bit! Good luck