Why the hate on lower cost amps. Particularly Crate and Behringer?

[DWBass]

There's no shame in being broke, but don't expect to gain much respect for being cheap.

Be it intended or not, being cheap sends a message to others than you really don't take your craft seriously and that in turn translates to others not taking you seriously as a musician or artist.

Not true bruh! I played the NYC music scene for decades and there were plenty of cats playing Squier and other cheap guitars and basses into small cheap amps with skills that rivaled respected pros. No one ever questioned their gear. As long as it worked and sounded good. Were way more sound issues with guys using crappy or broken pedals. I only remember one guy playing an Ibanez guitar with a loose or broken jack that he would always be messing with before a show. I played with a guitarist recently who uses a Behringer guitar amp. Sounds good to me. He does use a crappy Boss pedal though.

 

[FFTT]

Yeah, the hottest player I know always had mutt guitars and low end gear and got by O.K..

But when he went into the studio, top grade stuff Hiwatt, vintage amps and a guitars set up to perfection.

 

[MegaSwing]

If you ever get to a place as a player where Crate or Behringer isn't good enough for you, then it will have served its purpose for you. The marketplace has spoken loudly on this. These manufacturers make and sell tons of products. They can't all be awful. Besides, you can always choose something else—and still be disappointed. There's only one guarantee: Can you play?

 

[Big Hoss]

Oh I admit I'm a terrible player at this point. Getting back into the groove quickly averaging 1.5 hours day practice.. keeping volume low for now.

 

[Big Hoss]

There's no shame in being broke, but don't expect to gain much respect for being cheap.

Be it intended or not, being cheap sends a message to others than you really don't take your craft seriously and that in turn translates to others not taking you seriously as a musician or artist.

Didn't Geezer Butler start out on crappie equipment? A true artist never blames the brush...

 

[skwee]

I think Crate is a great brand. My dad's acoustic guitar amp (wooden case) sounds great, and I've had a little 15w guitar amp for 15 years that sounds great, too.

 

[FFTT]

Selling The Dream is infinitely more profitable than chasing them.

 

[LiquidMidnight]

Didn't Geezer Butler start out on crappie equipment? A true artist never blames the brush...

Yeah, I believe he was actually playing through a guitar amp at first. And I think the bass tone on those first few Sabbath albums is horrible, horrible, horrible! Not taking anything away from Geez, but I will definitely blame the brush in this instance. Ward's drums sounded pretty bad too. His toms sounded slightly better than cardboard boxes.

They really didn't step up their production game until Sabbath Bloody Sabbath.

 

[danosix]

You can't single out Behringer in this category! There are a ton a companies that give false or misleading power ratings.

You're right, but he asked specifically about Behringer and in my experience they are among the quietest.

 

[TripleDouble]

I think those Sabbath records sound so very cool. Yes, agreed, kind of bad, but it's part of it, and i think Bill Ward is a great example of awesome musical performances not really needing the most high quality and high fidelity stuff. That is still undeniably some killer drumming, song writing, rocking.

 

[Big Hoss]

Yeah, I believe he was actually playing through a guitar amp at first. And I think the bass tone on those first few Sabbath albums is horrible, horrible, horrible! Not taking anything away from Geez, but I will definitely blame the brush in this instance. Ward's drums sounded pretty bad too. His toms sounded slightly better than cardboard boxes.

They really didn't step up their production game until Sabbath Bloody Sabbath.

Oddly enough some of my fave Sabbath bass is on Master of Reality...

 

[honestjohnny]

TL; DR:

Cheap stuff is great!

1) it's cheap, so I don't feel as precious about it. I can easily replace it.
2) they're great platforms for learning, applying modifications. Typically electronics like amps and pedals are just as good sounding, but speakers are heavy and not good, so it's easy to upgrade by changing speakers out or getting new cabs.

 

[bassrich]

My DI is behringer too

 

[Mr. Foxen]

Yeah, I believe he was actually playing through a guitar amp at first. .

It predated guitar amps having the low end gutted out to make them cheaper and easier to work. 100w amps with beefy Partridge iron are plenty for bass. The shagged guitar cab was more the tone issue.

 

[GKon]

My DI is behringer too

Which one? Happy with it? How long have you had it? (Sorry for the derail)

 

[Killer Of Giants]

Yeah, I believe he was actually playing through a guitar amp at first. And I think the bass tone on those first few Sabbath albums is horrible, horrible, horrible! Not taking anything away from Geez, but I will definitely blame the brush in this instance. Ward's drums sounded pretty bad too. His toms sounded slightly better than cardboard boxes.

They really didn't step up their production game until Sabbath Bloody Sabbath.

have to keep in mind that recording technology wasn't exactly pristine back in the day either

 

[bassrich]

BDI21

 

[bassrich]

With mods sounds great

 

[Killer Of Giants]

I run a Hartke Bass Attack pedal

 

[bassrich]

I run a Hartke Bass Attack pedal

Got mine beforehand but would have gotten the hartke if I knew I will have to try one out