Your cream colored is the original series. The black ones came next. I've got a couple of the black VC50 heads.
They are great sounding amps but they kill EL84 power tubes because they tend to run at plate voltages in the 390 range. EL84s are designed to run around 300. Use 7189 or 7320 power tubes or something equivalent - like Russian 6P14P-EVs. Regular EL84s won't last long in there.
Heat buildup killed a lot of these amps. Run a fan behind it and you'll add years to its lifespan.
Wicked amps, I have 2 and they get more use then my Marshall JCM2000. These things are great and will do everything from Clapton to Alice In Chains. A few things that really make these shine is tube change, tung sol 12ax7's will smooth out the overdrive, Mullard NOS EL84's will make it sound thicker and heavier as they break up earlier and smoother. Also swap the original speakers out for some Celestion g12-65's, of all the speakers I've tried the Crate likes them the best.
i have one this is the second time its been messed up but im getting it fixed. i play country music and it sounds great. i think its the caps in it again.
I had a crate Vintage Club 5310. It was awesome. Super nice cleans, and a wicked crunch side. You are right, it had its own clean and crunch. I regret selling it!
Just bought this from a friend for 200. It is really nice, great clean and just barely overdriven tones. On this video you're hearing a lot of preamp overdrive. It is extremely loud and you may want a hot plate to get the power tubes overdriven.
Great video and a great amp. So much better than the Spider II I have been playing.
I have the same amp but with a 4x10 cabinet and a 2x12 cabinet stack. I bought it in the mid nineties. I would say sometime around '93 or '94 at a guitar store here outside Richmond VA. I haven't really kept up with the latest on Crate or other amps in quite a while but its good to see the good reviews for this amp. Sounds like Crate went downhill not too long after these models were made. Its time for me to re-tube mine and get it going again. Enjoyed the video.
@theworldsbestben3 At the moment I am not looking to sell them, but if that changes or I happen to find out about a Crate cab out there, I will let you know.
Very nice review. Good job. "mid is gay" rofl. Don't hate mid just b/c he's gay. I've read other places this is a mid heavy amp, so probably why you're feeling like turning it down. Anyway, I know these were made late 80's or early 90's. I remember trying one out in a store back in the day and liking the sound as good or better than my Marshall silver jubilee combo that now everyone pays ridiculous money for. I wouldn't be stuck on the crate cabinet, unless you just have to have em match.
I have a VC 30, Crate should have stuck with this line of amps, maybe improved a few things...I dont know what they were thinking when they moved everything overseas and discontinued these amps.
One question: I have that same amp. But I don't have the footswitch, and it's impossible to find one. Do you know if other footswitches, such as Marshall-switches can be used on this amp?
@roniiiii Hey, thanks dude, I appreciate it. You can use whatever footswitch you want, it doesn't really matter, if my BOSS pedal is dead I use some footswitch the amp came with, but i'm pretty sure it isn't a CRATE footswitch cause it has no logo.
@jroberto1994 Well if I were to crank the amp up anymore it would overdrive the mic on the camera I have, so you wouldn't be able to understand what I was playing.
Also the video was made at a late hour, so people would not have been too happy with me. But I see what you're saying, it's true the amp sounds better at a higher volume, but it still sounded pretty damn good for the volume it was at no?
Check out my boots on cover to hear a different sound from these amps.
brandonhale88 1 month ago
@jimigrunge can you put 12's in it. Cause I'm tired of my speakers and want to put something different in there but it's a 4x10 cab
brandonhale88 1 month ago
Can anyone tell me information on the cabinet? My local guitar store has one for sale at $200 and was wondering if it is worth buying.
bigjcinsky 1 month ago
Your cream colored is the original series. The black ones came next. I've got a couple of the black VC50 heads.
They are great sounding amps but they kill EL84 power tubes because they tend to run at plate voltages in the 390 range. EL84s are designed to run around 300. Use 7189 or 7320 power tubes or something equivalent - like Russian 6P14P-EVs. Regular EL84s won't last long in there.
Heat buildup killed a lot of these amps. Run a fan behind it and you'll add years to its lifespan.
SunnBurn 3 months ago
Killer amp man, I been thinking about getting one. Can you tell me where the reverb tank is located? Is it in the head or the speaker cabinet?
mbhudsonfish 4 months ago
Wicked amps, I have 2 and they get more use then my Marshall JCM2000. These things are great and will do everything from Clapton to Alice In Chains. A few things that really make these shine is tube change, tung sol 12ax7's will smooth out the overdrive, Mullard NOS EL84's will make it sound thicker and heavier as they break up earlier and smoother. Also swap the original speakers out for some Celestion g12-65's, of all the speakers I've tried the Crate likes them the best.
jimigrunge 5 months ago
i have one this is the second time its been messed up but im getting it fixed. i play country music and it sounds great. i think its the caps in it again.
brandonhale88 7 months ago
I had a crate Vintage Club 5310. It was awesome. Super nice cleans, and a wicked crunch side. You are right, it had its own clean and crunch. I regret selling it!
kdc300z 11 months ago
i have the same halfstack. it has 212 cab and the head. it sounds great!!! i got mine for 200.00 in good shape.
wolfgar926 1 year ago
"Mid's gay." Yeah, good luck cutting through your band, live, with no mids.
TheLivingDead111 1 year ago 2
Just bought this from a friend for 200. It is really nice, great clean and just barely overdriven tones. On this video you're hearing a lot of preamp overdrive. It is extremely loud and you may want a hot plate to get the power tubes overdriven.
Great video and a great amp. So much better than the Spider II I have been playing.
Dreamside91 1 year ago
I have the same amp but with a 4x10 cabinet and a 2x12 cabinet stack. I bought it in the mid nineties. I would say sometime around '93 or '94 at a guitar store here outside Richmond VA. I haven't really kept up with the latest on Crate or other amps in quite a while but its good to see the good reviews for this amp. Sounds like Crate went downhill not too long after these models were made. Its time for me to re-tube mine and get it going again. Enjoyed the video.
gaulaiel 1 year ago
@gaulaiel Thanks man :)
theworldsbestben3 1 year ago
@gaulaiel Would you be willing to sell one of your cabinets?
theworldsbestben3 1 year ago
@theworldsbestben3 At the moment I am not looking to sell them, but if that changes or I happen to find out about a Crate cab out there, I will let you know.
gaulaiel 1 year ago
@gaulaiel Thanks!
theworldsbestben3 1 year ago
Very nice review. Good job. "mid is gay" rofl. Don't hate mid just b/c he's gay. I've read other places this is a mid heavy amp, so probably why you're feeling like turning it down. Anyway, I know these were made late 80's or early 90's. I remember trying one out in a store back in the day and liking the sound as good or better than my Marshall silver jubilee combo that now everyone pays ridiculous money for. I wouldn't be stuck on the crate cabinet, unless you just have to have em match.
snakewheels 1 year ago
I have a VC 30, Crate should have stuck with this line of amps, maybe improved a few things...I dont know what they were thinking when they moved everything overseas and discontinued these amps.
Chicostrat 1 year ago
@Chicostrat I know dude, bad decision on Crates part. But oh well at least we were fortunate enough to get a hold of these babies huh?
theworldsbestben3 1 year ago
@theworldsbestben3 The parent company wanted the main amps to shine
SkeletinProductions 1 year ago
excellent vid bud... i've got a Crate VC3112 that i absolutely love!!!
diceman1000 1 year ago
@diceman1000 Thanks alot man! Aren't these amps freakin awesome?!?!? Keep it for a while, they'll be worth alot of money in the future
theworldsbestben3 1 year ago
@theworldsbestben3 yes they are!!!!
diceman1000 1 year ago
How crisp is the clean channel when you turn it up a little?
danielbak3r 1 year ago
@danielbak3r It's very crisp. And you'd have to turn it up pretty high to get even a little break up.
theworldsbestben3 1 year ago
What set of tubes did you install in it?
I have the 3x10 version.
I wish I had the head version though.
losf1969 1 year ago
@losf1969 Dude, the 3x10 is the next best thing, i'm telling you.
Isn't it an awesome amp?
But it has all SOVTEK tubes.
Sounds really good man.
theworldsbestben3 1 year ago
Hi man!
Nice review.
One question: I have that same amp. But I don't have the footswitch, and it's impossible to find one. Do you know if other footswitches, such as Marshall-switches can be used on this amp?
roniiiii 1 year ago
@roniiiii Hey, thanks dude, I appreciate it. You can use whatever footswitch you want, it doesn't really matter, if my BOSS pedal is dead I use some footswitch the amp came with, but i'm pretty sure it isn't a CRATE footswitch cause it has no logo.
theworldsbestben3 1 year ago
how can you show the distorted sound of a valve amplifier if I can hear your guitar strings ?
jroberto1994 1 year ago
@jroberto1994 Well if I were to crank the amp up anymore it would overdrive the mic on the camera I have, so you wouldn't be able to understand what I was playing.
Also the video was made at a late hour, so people would not have been too happy with me. But I see what you're saying, it's true the amp sounds better at a higher volume, but it still sounded pretty damn good for the volume it was at no?
theworldsbestben3 1 year ago