Guitar Amps- CRATE VTX

How much can you get it for, and what else is in that price range?

Graeme

 

I don't know of many amps in that price range, sorry man. But there's a Vox amp that I remember being very good, with tonnes of easy to use effects. I'll see if I can find out the model. It was a good amp.

Graeme

 

It depends a lot on the tone your looking for. What kinda off sound are you going for? What guitar will you be playing? I've always liked good Blues/Rock tube combos, and in that price range you would have a hard time beating the Peavy Classic fifty or if you can find one, a Reverend Hell-hound. With guitar unless your playing Metal you should never need more then fifty watts. A fifty watt tube guitar combo puts out plenty of sound for most clubs. One tip, go for good solid tone, you can always add effects latter. A good effects system is no substitute for a cranking tube combo, and no emulator or modeler in the world will get that tone live.

 

I've recently picked up a Peavey Classic 50 212 for US$250 and I agree, it's a pretty good amp, especially for the price. (I got a fresh set of JJ's from Eurotubes for $65 counting shipping and that helped a lot).

 

The Crate V30 or V32 (actual model numer is V3112, the V32 is the blonde/tweed/gold for Guitar Center but otherwise the same amp) sounds pretty good for the price, but the reliability is suspect. I had one for two days, single coils are what it likes. Humbuckers it doesn't do so well with (and completely choked on my PRS 12 string...). The NIB V32 I had popped when going from gain to clean (both panel and footswitch) after being fully warmed up, loud enough to be an issue for playing out with it. The only other one they had was the floor demo, which had other issues (beyond cosmetic). With these going for US$550-600 new, there are much better options for just a little more (or take the time to find something nice used). There are some good (and some not so good...) guitar-specific forums on the net to help you find what is out there amp wise. The VTX series is the same amps as the V series with their DSP added in. The issue I mentioned above, which is one of several issues people have had with these amps, will be in the VTX series as well.

Don't be afriad to try things that don't fit the image of 'classic blues tone' amps. Most people would automatically shy away from anything that has the Mesa name on it for this, but I found a used Blue Angel that is a fantastic amp for not much more than that V32. It is not voiced like the Mesa stereotype sound, this 'out of production' model has a great blues and classic rock tone (and enough clean tone for Jazz work, though the Eq has a learning curve (not as simple as it looks)). So plug into everything and find something with tone you love, as was pointed out in a prior post effects can be added later if you need them. If you start with the right amp, you won't be looking to change up later and save money in the long run. You also have the chance to get better versions of the effects you do buy, rather than what happens to be built in. I used a '64 Vibrolux Reverb from 1978 to 1995 as my main amp (and now wish I hadn't sold it when I did), so the right one can be with you for a long while. If you want versatility, check out the Randall MTS system. Choices in rack mount, head and combos with tremendous versatility and great tone (though a bit on the pricey side).

Oops, I guess I just outed myself as a guitarist who always had a closet love of bass (and now plays both). Oh well, bound to happen eventually...

 

Sorry, I was thinking about the VFX (which are still a little different being AB rather than A). Most of the V line is combos, avoiding the head/cab worry though.

I formed my opinion on Crate a long time ago, which was that they were cheap and the cardboard boxes they came in would probably sound better than the amps. I overcame that when I bought that V32, at the checkout I kept thinking "I can't believe I'm buying a Crate...". It was when I had the chance to spend a few hours with it and my guitars that the shortcomings of the amp really jumped out, and the popping cinched its return to the store.

Finding the right amp (or amps, there are a lot of really nice ones out there) for you can take some time. Quality doesn't necessarily mean high price, but there is some correlation between the two. There is an old saying; "The bitterness of low quality will linger long after the sweetness of low price has faded.". The difference between inexpensive and cheap is lost on many, but worth noting.

Good luck on your amp quest!