Used amp, how'd I do?

[jmusser]

I picked up a used amp today for $100.00, and I think I made a pretty good deal, but I don't have much amp knowledge. It's a crate Tube Driver 70. It has a 12AX7 tube, which I believe is in the preamp section. I think it sounds decent, and even if it didn't, it would be worth it for the reverb in this thing alone. I believe it has something called "Spring Reverb", which I've heard mentioned before, but I know nothing about it.

[Paul Marossy]

Sounds like it might be a good buy. I have heard mostly good stuff about Peavey tube amps. You could also check out the User Review section at www.harmonycentral.com to see what other poeple think about it.

BTW, spring reverb uses a literal spring (several actually) to achieve the reverb effect.

[the_badcliff]

heres the test to find out if your amp has spring reverb...

Kick it!

OR

Amps with spring reverb have a spring tank, probably in the back under the speaker.  It would just be a long metal box.

I prefer the kicking method.  My amp ('64 Gibson Falcon RVT has spring reverb.  When I kick it it sounds like hitting about 5 cymbals at once.

[cd]

Sounds like it might be a good buy. I have heard mostly good stuff about Peavey tube amps.

So have I, but the amp he's talking about is a Crate

[Paul Marossy]

Doh!  :oops:
I was trying to work and lurk at the same time again...  

On that note, I have heard some good things about Crate tube amps, as well. But opinions on any topic can very widely...

[jmusser]

I'll tell you what I know. It has a metal box on the inside, side of the cabinet that is about 2 1/2 wide, and 9" long, that two audio cables going to it from the main chassis. If I thump on that, it sounds like springs in there. It says it's made by "Accutronics" on the bottom of that box. The amp was made by SLM Electronics out of St. Louis, and has a serial number of D70DCB0166. It has an 8 ohm auxilliary speaker jack in the back, and a 12" speaker that says "Crate Custom Design".

[jimbob]

The newer Peavey amps ROCK!

[PB Wilson]

I've got a Crate Vintage Club tube amp with EL-34s and it sounds great. Yeah it might not have the mojo or mystique of boutique or vintage amps, but it more than does the job. It always makes me wonder how people have such good things to say about new Ampeg amplifiers (which are now owned by the same company as Crate) but pass Crate amps off as junk. There's a local dealer of Ampeg amps and they sell a bunch of 'em. I've played a few different Crate models and thought the solid-state ones were just ok, but their real value is in their tube amps. Enjoy your new find!

[Paul Marossy]

From your description, it most definitely sounds like spring reverb - Accutronics makes spring reverb units. Probably a SS send and return circuit for the reverb. I personally like a tube driven spring reverb, like on my '74 Twin Reverb. They just sound really nice!

[ESPm2M]

Speaking of Crate, who I'm not all that familiar with, I may have the chance to snag a Blue Voodoo 60 half stack for $250! That has to be a good deal; an absolute steal for the 4x12 cab, let alone the head, or both!  The price raises suspicion though, as in it might be a rather large paper weight, or possibly stolen (just speculating here). Another problem is that I sure as hell don't need another amp!

What are these heads capable of? Does anyone here own one? Do you think it is worth partaking of the shady-ness to go check it out? Any good mods?

[Peter Snowberg]

http://www.accutronicsreverb.com/

[David]

I've got a Crate Vintage Club tube amp with EL-34s and it sounds great. Yeah it might not have the mojo or mystique of boutique or vintage amps, but it more than does the job. It always makes me wonder how people have such good things to say about new Ampeg amplifiers (which are now owned by the same company as Crate) but pass Crate amps off as junk. There's a local dealer of Ampeg amps and they sell a bunch of 'em. I've played a few different Crate models and thought the solid-state ones were just ok, but their real value is in their tube amps. Enjoy your new find!

Crate amps seemed to have a bad reputation about 20 or so years ago.  The buzz I'd heard is that they had bad quality control so the amps had squirrely things happen to them.  They got turned around big time, though.  I'd love to get my paws on that little 5W tube amp of theirs!

[jayp5150]

I had a 120W Crate head for a while.  It sounds similar to yours, it had 1 12AX7, and 2 12AU7 tubes for the pre, and a solid-state ouptut (like a Marshall Valvestate).  It was okay for my purposes at that time (I never did gig with it, just jam sessions).  It had a built-in chorus, too.

I bought a 5150 after that, and no other amp sounds good to me anymore (at least not for me to play through--not trying to be an amp snob or anything); except for a Soldano, but i'm not willing to sell my kidneys to buy an amp...  Anyway, I've never played a Soldano, but if Warren has one, it must be good.

[Peter Snow]

Anyone remember the original Crate amps?  They were built just like a shipping crate (hence the name?). I thought that was a really cool idea, although I believe the amps themselves were not that great.

Just tried Googling to see if I could find any pictures of the originals - nada.  Anyone ever seen the original packing crate models for sale in the used equipment stores?  Just curious.

Peter

[vanhansen]

Speaking of Crate, who I'm not all that familiar with, I may have the chance to snag a Blue Voodoo 60 half stack for $250! That has to be a good deal; an absolute steal for the 4x12 cab, let alone the head, or both!  The price raises suspicion though, as in it might be a rather large paper weight, or possibly stolen (just speculating here). Another problem is that I sure as hell don't need another amp!

What are these heads capable of? Does anyone here own one? Do you think it is worth partaking of the shady-ness to go check it out? Any good mods?

IMO, I wouldn't touch it.  I had a Blue Voodoo 120 head for about 3 months when they came out and got rid it.  It blew up on me 3 times, fried the circuit board.  Yeah, the OD channel sounded great except when I cranked it up about halfway, then I got feedback like crazy, plus the other guitar player I jammed with had a 50W Marshall and the BV 120 couldn't keep up with it.  They are VERY heavy compared to my Marshall 100W and heavier than the 5150 heads.  Find a good used Marshall or 5150.

[vanhansen]

Anyone remember the original Crate amps?  They were built just like a shipping crate (hence the name?). I thought that was a really cool idea, although I believe the amps themselves were not that great.

Just tried Googling to see if I could find any pictures of the originals - nada.  Anyone ever seen the original packing crate models for sale in the used equipment stores?  Just curious.

Peter

I remember those.  Yeah, they looked cool but were POS's when it came to quality.  I haven't seen one in a long time.

[jmusser]

I'll have to play around on it to know what it's really going to sound like, but I'm pleased with it for 100 bucks anyway. It looks like I got the spring reverb, and if nothing else, that sounds good. What little bit I messed with it, it did really well with the "Surf Sound", and it is LOUD!

[Peter Snow]

Just in case anyone is interested in what the old Crates looked like:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=38073&item=3748877493&rd=1

Not a really good example as the camera angles do not do it justice, but it gives the general idea.

Peter

[Hal]

I love crate's 5 year warrenty.  I blew my crate practice amp twice, and had it fixed for free both times.  And both times it was my fault :-D

All in all, Crate's a pretty good product, and they sound good to me.

And yes, I _Love_ my old peavey tube amp.  Not too old....Ultra 112 - I think it turned into the 5150.

[Lonestarjohnny]

I've got 1 old crate that's in the "packing crate" Peter, I'll be digging it out of a pile of amp's soon, I'll post a picture of it, I know it's S/S with 1X12" speaker.
Johnny