rogonzab
402 posts
Nov 01, 2013
6:22 AM
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Hi,
I bought a Crate V5, is a 5w, 1x10 tube amp. This amps are cheap, somewhere between $60 and $80.
The amps sounds very thin, and when you turn up the volume it loses bass and start making this awful higher overtones. Whit an EQ pedal it sounds better, but still not very good.
If you run it clean is an OK sound, but my Fender Champ SF is a million times better for harp.
I guess that whit a better speaker and tubes the amp would be better, but I want this to play in the streets, so is not my priority to mod it.
(Bad playing alert!)
Mic: Universal 312 w/ Shure CM 99B86
Behringer EQ700
Harmonica: MB in A
Settings:
Volume in 3/10, 4/10 and 5/10
Tone always on 0/10
The amp is 100% stock
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TetonJohn
136 posts
Nov 01, 2013
7:29 AM
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Hey, the earlier version (VC 508) was my first amp -- based on Richard Hunter's website recommendation(remember that?) -- I never did like it though -- of course, being my first amp, my inexperience had at least something to do with it sounding bad! I replaced the tubes and even had a post-power tube line-out added, but still ended up giving it away to an old friend who was learning to play electric guitar. I thought the "drive" sounded like crap (it was digital if i recall correctly), and it was hard to dial in "just enough."
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rogonzab
405 posts
Nov 04, 2013
5:12 AM
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Hi TetonJohn!
The Crate VC 508 is the version whit vol and gain controls?
The las friday I use the Crate V5 whit a 12" Eminence Red, white and blue speaker. The difference in sound is huge. Whit that speaker is a good sound, much much better than whit the stock speaker, but still not close enough to that warm "chicago sound" that we all have in mind when we talk about amplified harp.
But, is good enough to play in the streets where the audience does not know Litle Walter, or James Cotton, or any other harp player. For many of them you are the first player in the history to play harp whit a mic into a guitar amp.
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TetonJohn
138 posts
Nov 04, 2013
8:31 AM
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Ah, I see the V5 is differnt from the old VC 508 -- I have not been keeping up! 508 (5 watt, 8" speaker)had an el84 AND a 12ax7. IIRC, the amp would not make a sound if the gain knob was all the way off, so I would (usually) dime the volume and nudge the gain to get some volume with the minimal amount of gain; also had an 8" speaker (they may have changed the model # to 58, don't know if it is even still around). Sounds like the price is right for the V5 for playing on the street -- glad the 12" speaker helps a lot. Drive that CM! Have fun!
Last Edited by TetonJohn on Nov 04, 2013 8:32 AM
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mattfolk327
13 posts
Nov 08, 2013
2:33 PM
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The playing is good it just needs more grit.
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KC69
337 posts
Nov 08, 2013
3:37 PM
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I've own one now for several years. Not my preference but I use it when the Masco goes in for tweaking. I have about the same results as the first post. Not nearly as warm as I would like.
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And I Thank You !!
KCz
Backwoodz
Bluz
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