Crate VTX65 112 Combo

Had this amp for three months now. Very happy with it so far. 65 watt solid state amp, three channels footswitchable (with included 3 button switch), built in effects as mentioned in other reviews. Single insert for effects (requires y cable), parell line out (allows combos' 12 inch to play along with exterior cab! definitely a plus). No headphone out, I don't need it anyway. Use it to practice at home, rehearse, write and for small to medium sized gigs (with 4 x 12 cab for medium venues).

Using an 2001 Epi LP Standard Reissue with Seymours, 2 great Tele copies (Carlson SG3 with stock PUPS and a Carlson IG20 with GFS Vintage Tele PUPS), a Davison ES 335 copy with EMGs, and 2 vintage Gibson LP Standards circa 1959 or '60. Play a lot of different types of music (funk, Zep era rock, Jeff Beck type fusion, jazz, some country. Amp handles everything just fine..seems to really shine on the humbucker equipped guitars. sound quality is wonderful. Still dialing in the different combos of effects. Only pedals are a TS7 tube screamer for extra kick on the solo channel and for some insane reason a Clapton Crossroads pedal so I can channel Eric, the amps built in effects combine with the 2 pedals to create some sweet and unusual sounds. Clean channel is tight up to 6(havent needed it any higher). Distortion is great, doesn't overdrive like a tube, but gives good Hendrix like distortion without clipping or going muddy.

So no reliability issues. Being a solidstate it doesn't require the upkeep i have to have done to my AC30 or my Fender "Frankenstein".
Gig without backup? no problemo.

Haven't neede them except for a question about running the pedals fast response from tech team.

Great amp ...at a great price..( i do wish I had spent another $100 and bought the VTX212B...55 more watts nd another 12", will probably buy it next month anyway Hell for $299!!!) I would definetly beat the living **** out of anyone who jacked or damaged my '65. Impressed by crate after the VTX@!@B I'll probably pick up the V50 tube or change brands and get the Bugera 6262 50 watt 2x12 tube(@$699 it's a helluva buy and it sounds ******* awesome, got a buddy that does a lot of session work who let me test drive one for two weeks, great sound, used a Vox Tonelab SE with it..but that's another story. if U can find one the VTX65 is a KEEPER!

This amp was made in china, it has three channels (Solo, Rhythm and Clean) The amps Shape Knob acts as an EQ and can really drive toward a Metallica sound or a sort of soft distortion. The amp as a built in standard tuner on top. It's effects are Reverb, Delay, and a multi effects knob with tons of settings and a single save button. The amp is vintage style with all the knobs on the top of the amp.

This amp is the best solid state amplifier since the Randall RG100 ES XP Series. This amplifier sounds great through even P-90's! I play with a Jackson Performer and a Fender Telecaster TC-90. The amplifier sounds even better through a Dime Cry Baby From Hell Wah pedal. The amp has crunch and balls too! The shape knob is like a built in EQ and with the right pickups (EMG-81) This amp is a poor mans mesa boogie!

This amp is extremely sturdy, i know because it went through a test at a gig when my bass player sat on it as a chair. he weighs 240lbs! And the amp didn't even creak. This amp is also light weight and is really easy to just carry for home use or to hook up to a 412 cab.

I haven't dealt with the company because this amp never needs anything but some love and a real beast on the other end of the guitar chord.

I have played guitar for 6 years and really enjoy it, and when i rip some pinch harmonics on this amp it just makes me feel good inside. The only thing i wish this amp had was another speaker to make a 212. The amp really couldn't sound better for the money. I compared it to the Line 6 spider III, the spider three sounds ok but even there 212 doesnt have the balls this one does. for the money and the quality, this amp beats almost all!

65 Watt SS-combo, vintage design, very nice, good size
3 channel x 2 effectsettings at a tip of the footswitch (included).
Effects, delays and reverb separately usable.
simple but effective guitar tuner included.
I'm missing a line-out or a headphone jack, that's all

I use my Starfield Ibanez guitars on it usually, the classics with S/S/S or S/S/H and the american customs with Semour Duncan '59 and Jeff Beck in bridge position.
Sounds on all 3 channels are really amazing on such a budget priced SS combo. Nice cleans and crunches for blues and rock'n roll. usable lead. I'm not in heavy metal.
It's a little bit noisy with the single coil only guitars, no noise reduction (as in the VOX AD series).
The amp can be really loud for it's 65 watts, even in the clean channel staying clean at highest volumes.
1 point off for the rattling TAP button and you cannot practice with low volumes like the power attenuator on the VOX AD 50VT.

Don't know, have it for a couple of days now.

Never had contact.

Overall it's a 10.
I have compared it with the "most wanted" budget amps
nowadays, including Line6 Spiders (although more presets and effects, they sound harsh and "plastic" in my ears), the VOX AD 50VT (presets at first amazing, but you won't want to use them in the end and tweaking them to your needs is a bit complicated), Fender DSP Dyna... ok. forget it, Peavey Bandit ( a little bit harder sounding, not that bad, but not as versatile as the Crate.
The Crate's look is real vintage, not as the VOX with its "block-aluminium" grill, it has a good size, you can sit on it in your
practiceroom, it's not too heavy, versatile and loud enough and damn good sounding for its price.

So what do you need more for 300 bucks? A headphone-out, ok.

I'm playing since 25 years, own about 20 guitars and several amps. I was looking for one of those modelling combos at about 50-80 watts, as I have a little one (Vox DA5) for garden parties, as an alternative to my tube combo (heavy, without effects). I've searched
and tried a lot, and here is where I ended, with the Crate VTX.

Three channels that allow two assignable effects parameters per channel -- clean (A,B), rhthym (A,B), and solo (A,B). It has a top mounted tuner for standard tuning only with no mute. I wish the EQ on Solo was an actual EQ. It uses the "shape" knob to scoop or add low-mid-high frequencies -- very ineffective at trying to get a musical sound -- see below. Nice effects arrangement -- delays and choruses are pleasant.

Horrible! The rhythm and solo channels are unusable for anyone with a decent ear. The distortion is raspy, buzzy, and lacks and any harmonic character. I am amazed that Crate continues with this Flexwave 5 preamp; it is incredibly bad sounding. There is nothing musical sounding about this amp, save the clean with chorus and delay. You might be able to use the clean channel with a Boss MT2 to get a decent sound, but I am not willing to keep an amp that has two channels you can't use. This means you have a one channel amp.

It looks solidly built, even though it is built in China. But solid construction cannot make up for lack of tone.

NA

I have been a transistor amp player for over 20 years. I have owned several Crates before this one but got away from them as soon as my ear got more discerning. I came back to this new series becuase of the hype on certain sites, so I tought that SLM changed the preamp and deveolped something more musical -- not a chance. Go with a different manufacturer. Peavey's Transtube line has some promising tones. I try to avoid tube because of maitinence and cost issues -- a good SS amp can produce if it has the right stuff for tweaking. Crate VTX isn't even on the radar for "right stuff" in an amp's tone. Steer clear of this one.

This is a brand new 65w solid-state open-backed combo with one Crate own-label 12" speaker.

This is the same combo as the GTX65 with retro styling (knobs on the top, not the front) and a built in chromatic tuner. And BTW, the GTX65 is the same as the GT65, but with added effects. Simple, huh?

So, you get 3 distinct channels - 1 clean, 1 rhythm, 1 solo. You get a host of built-in preset effects including chorus, flanger, phaser, vibrato, ocatver, wah and a truck load of different delays, plus a reverb which is independent. One neat trick is that you can program a given effect to a channel so as you flick back and forth between the channels, the selected effects change too.

The channel switching is a little annoying - a clean/rhythm switch and a rhythm/solo switch. It's not intuitive but you do get the hang of it. It would better to have "radio" style switches to access each channel independently. The included footswitch works the same way.

There's no headphone socket, but I don't mind 'coz I hate playing through headphones. There is also a pair of RCA sockets makes CD input, but I don't plan on using that if I can help it!

65 watts is plenty loud enough for home, rehearsal and small venue use. You're going to more limited by the lack of spread than by the lack of power, but there is a socket for an external cabinet which helps. If you need more than this, they do a 120w 2x12 version as well for a little more.

8 out of 10 'coz it ain't perfect. (Nothing gets a 10 in my book!)

Quite a wide range of tones are available from this combo. It's solid-state and does lack the warmth of tubes, which you'll notcie if you're used to them, but it sounds good for what it is.

The clean channel is crytal clear and is almost impossible to distort unless you hit the strings really hard. The EQ gives a nice range of tone, but it does seem a little flat and lifeless at times. Drop some chorus and a touch of reverb though, and it sounds nice.

The rhythm channel is my favourite. The gain allows a wide range of tone from mild OD (Strat through an old Marshall) to reasonable distortion (Les Paul through an MV). It doesn't get quite nasty enough for real heavy thrashy stuff, so if that's your bag - drop in a pedal or look elsewhere.

The solo channel sounds fine, and also works as well as a more distorted rhythm channel. The lack of full EQ hurts a little, but the shape control gives a real wide range of tones.

My rating of 7 is based on my experiences with other gear. This can't match the sounds of a full on Marshall or a Fender Twin, but what it is and for the money you pay, it does sound damn fine.

No problems yet. Looks pretty sturdy and the footswitch is metal so I imagine it can soak up some punishment. Also comes with a limited 5 year warranty which is refreshing to see these days.

Never called 'em. Hope I don't have to either.

Been playing for too long to count. Finally gave up the gigging scene and wanted something cheap and compact to use at home or in rehearsals.

The best thing about this box is that you need nothing else with it. Built-in effects and a built-in tuner mean you have the amp in one hand and guitar in the other - no bags of pedals, tuners, patch cables, power supplies, batteries, etc. Just one box. Nice and simple. Excellent for carrying around.

This combo sounds damn good for the money, and would ideally suit a serious begineer or retiring old fart like myself.

9 out of 10 'coz for $500 I'll doubt you'll do better.