Crate BV120HB

2 channels, four 6L6/5881s, four 12ax7 preamp tubes, switchable effects loop, and a built in reverb, not too many features just basic features

I use a Gibson LP Studio,Epiphone Nuclear Extreme LP Limitied Edition, and a PRS Tremonti SE, the amp pretty much suits my style perfectly, I play Metal,like Godsmack, Metallica, 40 Below Summer, In Flames, old Creed,Alice In chains, and so on. I desire great clean just as much as I do a great distortion, and let me tell you, the clean on this amp has great character, it is crisp clear, and it has balls!!! It is a clean channel with balls, nice twangy sound too, I'd take it over a fender twin anyday, I don't know about the Mesa Lonestar clean though since I've never played through it, but have heard it's great. The distortion is out of this world, just great all round distortion, nothin else to say about it, it's just brutal, and has a nice ballsy recto tone, love it.

Don't own it yet, but have played through it many times in the local guitar store, and I'm going to buy it within the next month or so. It feels like it's very well built but u never know.

I useta nown some crates but never dealt with the company, but they do make great amps

I been playin for a lil over 2 years, I practice literally 6 hrs a day so that adds up, so i know good tone when I hear it, I just live and breathe music, The only thing I dislike is there isnt a gain knob for the clean channel to get a pushed sound, I dislike it cuz that might suck for some people, but if u dont care for that sound then I cant see what you wouldnt like except for the 2 channels instead of three, but a new 3 channel BV150 just came out cost a few more bucks but it's even better, it has much better versatility

2 channel (clean and distorted) dual reverb controles, effects loop,
120W tube head. THis amp can get alot of tones, but i wouldn't mind another channel, a la TSL or Triple recto solo.

I plan an Ibanez SZ520QM and it sounds awsome. I have play numerous other guitars, from Rg570s to les Pauls, and they all get the same great metal/hard rock/punk tone i am looking for. THe possible gain is far more than anyone could need, thoiugh i have a few problems with sharp treble if the EQ isn't right. SO i set the EQ right. The distortion can sound a bit staticy, that could just be my sttings though.

the amp has never had a problem (though the handle is falling off) and i have retubed it once in a few years of owning it. STill sounds great. THe footswitch, on the other hand, is crap. Get a metal cased mashall one or something (unless they have changed since i bought mine) the plastic POS i got broke in less than a year.

Never delt with them

been playing 8 years (i think) this amp has been my main rig for most of my giging days, but i am looking at a triple recto for more grind/versitility. Great amp for straighforward setup or for your first stack/tube amp.

This amp doesn't really have a lot of features. It mainly has your basic settings that most amps have. Two channels - clean,distorted. low,mid,and high e.q. settings. presence. two reverb selections one for each channel. It just has your basic stuff, but thats all you need.

I two main guitars I play are a (Gibson Les Paul 55-77), and an (Ibanez rgt42) both with factory Humbuckers, Though I plan on replacing the Ibanez humbuckers with some emg's. I love the sound of this amp. the dirty channel has a great warm tone without being too bassy, and a great high tone that doesn't rip your eardrums out. The clean channel is crystal clear with a very very natural sound. (a bit on the raw side, but that's one of the things I like about it. I mostly play metal, and this amp is perfect for my style. I also like to dabble in a bit of country accented rock. It's great for all styles. I do have one complaint though. The feedback on this thing can get pretty bad when you crank the dirty channel up. At first i thought it was just my guitar, but then when I plugged into my buddy's fender combo, the only feedback I got was your typical Les Paul feedback. I haven't tried it yet, but I'm Hoping I can tame down the feedback with a mixer or a guitar e.q. pedal. All in All I think BV120hb produces a killer sound.

So Far so good.

Haven't delt with them yet. No reason to.

I've been playing guitar for around 5 years. I know (still wet behind the ears), But I know a good tone when I hear it. This Head has it. If it was stolen or lost I'de want to buy another one, but I'de probably buy something else just because I would have already owned it at one time. Im always up for change. When I bought this Amp I compared it to a marshall Half-stack, I don't remember Which one specifically, but I prefered the sound of the BV amp. It just has more of a modern sound. I give this amp a 9.

I bought this amp second hand, and it was perfect. The band I'm in plays hard rock/ metal, with alot of guitar work, and it's perfect. This amp can cover anything that's needed. Shame about it not having three channels, but it's easily made up for. Screw the mesa loving whinos who complain about this amp. Currently, this baby goes up against a dual rectifier, and she doesnt just keep up, she roars her way through to the front of the sound. This head has enough meat to feed the 5000, and more if need be. She's being gigged alot, to audiences ranging between 150 and 1000 people, in alot of different venues accorss the south east (uk), and hasn't faltered yet! Does exactly what it's meant to, just blows people away.

At the moment, I'm using jacksons (PS2's, one with the bog standard jacko pickups, another with an 85) and an epiphone les paul as a backup. Using it through a marshall 1960 cab, it sounds unbelieveable. I can only sing praises for this amp. The clean won't be distorted at higher volumes on a single coil, and the distortion? again, sod the mesa lovers, this will roar like a bear with its plums caught in a trap.

This amp, in all the time i've had it, has never broken down. I've serviced it every 4 months or so, and she works a beaut. I always carry a backup with me (not literally carry, as this alone weighs about 50 lbs!) and my backup is another crate, GX212, as that definately wont shag itself out on you. Still, it's never been needed.

I've emailed crate 3 or 4 times, and i've got a reply within 2 working days each time. Not needed a repair in all the time i've had it.

I have been playing guitar nigh on 5 years, plus about another 6 or 7 on drums and bass, and am studying at the sussex academy of music, so like to think i know a good amp when i hear one, for recording, or live sound. This will suit any player who gigs, plays in his/her front room, or just practices with a band. I would happily order another from america if I lost it, and am currently looking for a BV60 to use as a backup for this beast. I love everything about it, and hate the way it leaves so much headroom that just has to be filled every now and then. To compare it to a mesa would make the mesa lovers have a field day of retorts, so i wont. This is in a field of its own, for those who don't want to pay mesa prices, or marshall prices, but want an amp that'll kick arse. I prefer it (help me) to the dual rectifier. Just that damned rip in the tolex with the duct tape covering it... heh, always good!

2003 model. Two channels, effects loop, reverb. Has the ability to use the effects loop as a channel boost....a very nice feature! I use the amp to rehearse at our studio and to gig (usually small clubs and the fair circuit in the summer). We primarily play rock and metal and the Voodoo is perfect for that. I'm giving it an 8 because I'd like to see a third channel.

I'm so sick of hearing you morons knocking the flex wave circuit on this amp. Distortion comes from overdriving a circuit which causes clipping. Tube clipping is technically no different from solid state clipping. What makes an amp great is the fact that a tube driven power section adds additional gain to the circuit as well. That's why you have to crank a marshall or a boogie to get it to sound good (if you don't crank the power section there is no additional distortion from the power amp). If the pre-amp was so damn important to the sound then everyone would be using Marshall valvestate amps (valve states use tubes in the pre-amp sectionn and a solid state poweramp). You stilll get all of the fine characteristics of a good tube amp on the blue voodoo. DON"T LISTEN TO ALL THE TUBE/BOUTIQUE SNOBS OUT THERE!! I've been playing for about 20 years. I make good money and can afford any amp I want. Had a Boogie Mark III, sold it. Had a Boogie dual recto. Hated it (the features of the amp were phenomenal, but it sounded HORRID). Owned a VHT. Nice but VERY expensive. Owned a Marshall Dual Super Lead, nice in the feature department, but was weak on the gain. My point is, that everyone expects something different out of an amp. Don't be an idiot like I was and buy a Mesa because they are cool and "everyone" uses them. The blue voodoo sounds great to my ears and that's all that matters to me. Obviously it sounds good to the ears of Sammy Haggar, POD, Marty Friedman, BioHazard, Sepultura, and Blue Oyster Cult, because they all use them as well.

So far so good.

I hear their support is excellent. Haven't needed them, but it's nice to know it's there. Better than most "boutique" amp companies. As an example I tried to get support for a VHT that I owned. What a freaking joke!!!! Don't own a VHT unless you are good with a solder gun, because "authorized" VHT service centers are non existent and they (VHT) don't return your calls.

Been playing on and off for about 20 years. I still consider myself pretty much a hoobyist, but I do gig a couple of times a month. I can't imagine losing a half stack, but if it were stolen I'd probably consider another (maybe the new larger one). The only thing that could make this better is an additional effects loop, and a third channel.

Bought in a pawn shop in 2002 for $300! Have owned lots of amps, this one will kick your ass. This sucker weighs a ton! Use with Telecaster & 4 X 12 Fender cab. Sometimes will use POD 2 in effects loop. Way more power than you'll ever need unless you are playing in an outdoor stadium venue in front of 50,000 people. Definite overkill for club gigs and the like, but I keep it turned down.

Clean channel is very articulate and buttery fat sounding. I use only a pinch of reverb. Distortion channel is totally atomic, especially when cranked. Use with standard American Strat & Tele guitars

Not so hot, especially the one I got. Since it was used, I don't know this head's history or how many hours it was cranked. After owning it for a few months, it suddenly went dead...tubes would not light up. Needed work on power supply & a new tube. (Another $149). Now that its fixed, we'll see how long before it takes a crap again.

The folks at Crate were helpful in finding me an authorized local repair station.

Been playing 35 years, all sorts of guitars, basses, amps, too numerous to list them all. If lost or stolen, I'd be pretty upset, but have my eye on a Fender Pro Tube Series "Pro Reverb". I doubt I'd ever be able to replace this head at the bargain price I got.

2 chanell, tube driven effects loop, line out for recording. wish it had one more channell, but theres a new bv head with 3 chanell & every feature you could dream of. ill be buying one as soon as i get the cash.

sparckling clear to death metal & everything in between.i play mostly metal. great low end vintige tone with new metal sound. clean chanell is exceptionally clean with great warmth & can also be set to be bright as well with a few turns of the knobs.

had it for a year with no problems at all & it still has the same tubes. still sounds as good as the first time i played it.

dont know & it doesnt look like ill need much.

this amp can do anything you want it to. i would most like to say this amp has incredible tone & will let the tone of youre guitar & pickups shine through while still maintaining the incredible tone of this amp shine through. i love this amp & so far every friend that has played through it loves it to. they all want one now.

This amp has standard features, two channels reverb an such...Don't muss it up with alot of useless bells and whistles!!

The DeVry technical(go to a real school!!) guy should go back to school he's just trying to say something bad for the sake of saying it. I also studied (Long Beach State/Computer Science major)and I know that all amps have some transistors even marshalls. If you set your sounds up right and know what your doing you can get very good sound from this amp at all levels. As for his "tone deaf" students. I studied music at Duquense University(Music/sound recording major) and I don't believe a student or that "wanta be" has better ears than me!!
I'm buying this amp and using it for everything from Jazz to Metal and believe me it can handle it perfectly. By the way Groover Jackson was in on the designed of this amp(need I say more).

I have owned three Crate Amps. One of them fell off a bridge into water after a car accident that totaled my van. After letting it "dry out" it powered up and worked with no problems for many more years!

Warranty is great and support is there if needed but I'm telling you this amp will take a beating that most amps would die from and keep on going.

I have studied at two universities Duquesne University as a music\ sound recording major and at Cal State Long Beach as a computer science major. I changed majors after two years of music school and I now have a degree in computer science. I have been playing for over 20 years, worked as a sound engineer for 6 years and now for the last 3 years as computer programmer. I give this amp such great marks because it does just what you need and has a better range than any other amp out there!

2 Channels, reverb yadayada.

Great clean sound. I was really impressed given the sales pitch for this amp was along the lines of hard rock / metal. Distortion channel provides any kind of sound you want, provided you take the time to listen and turn some knobs. It can be harsh, but also mellow - like bluew rock.

Don't listen to the idiot below who goes on about the transistors in the distortion providing the sound. That'd be his good ol' DeVry POS degree talking. Take my advice buddy, get your money back and get a real degree. I have a BSEE from PSU, and have studied amplifier design. It's common in any circuit design to use transistor for a variety of reasons. Just because you see one on the circuit board doesn't mean it's being used for the overdrive channel. This thing uses 4 12Ax7 tubes for the preamp section. You can actually see them through the grill on the front of the head. This guy is a total moron.

This thing is a tank.

2 channel amp,clean and distortion, reverb.
sounds good you can play tool on it with a strate, since tool
uses marshall and gibson, fucking loud as hell. ive onley screwed around with it in shops but i plan to buy one for recording and to replace my 212.

sounds nice since most of crates exprience is in the solid state area
nasty ditortions. good cleane and dosent kill your sustaine.
suits my style just fine nice and clear and not pushing bass all over itself.

well lets put it this way you can beat the shit out of it and itl come back for more.

Been playing for 4 years,own a couple of custome fenders, stat,abd a tele with a SD humbucker bridge. Ibanez RG 470. Digitech RP2000. and 2 Crate GFX 212s (one is Borrowed) ,crates kick ass(no mesa boogie ass) but they kick afordeble ass.
I wish i had a mesa boogie triple recto and a PRS Ce 22.
Oh if any one has bad things to say about crate they can eat my ass.