Crate Vintage Club 30

Power is great for home use and plenty for a club using the gain channel but might be a bit thin on headroom on clean channel in a club setting. The Gain channel will be plenty loud. The gain structure is nice but more on that later. The clean is CLEAN with a harmonic overtone that I like but some might not. The effects loop is screwy you need a stereo out to two mono plugs, but it works just fine and the plug I picked up from Best Buy cost me 3.99 (go figure). This is all tube with 4 preamp 12ax7's mine are Marshall tubes and 4 EL84's. The tone pots have great range. I have the trebles under 5, mids around 5 (this is a classic rock, mid heavy sounding amp), and the bass at 8. Gives me a rich beefy sound. It would be nice to have a mid control on the clean, but i don't miss it. The reverb is "off the charts" good.

I picked up one of those volume controls for $17 from Carl's Volume Pod. This allows me to run the amp hot and dial back the overall volume for home use. You will simply not believe the sound you can get at low to moderate volume! I ran pedals all of the time with my Fender Deluxe, but now i either run the gain or the clean channel and add subtle effects, (chorus, delay, phase) and I mean subtle. The rich sound of the amp and stock speaker is hard to believe. It has this great overdriven Marshall sound but at manageable volume. I also run an Ernie Ball volume pedal. This amp does Knopfler like Knopfler. The chime and the warmth are right there at your fingertips. I cannot believfe I am getting this from a small combo...and a Crate at that. These were made in St. Louis, MO and they sound like heaven. I paid $255 for a pretty beat up relic...and feel like I stole this amp.

So far so good. I will drive those little power tube so I'm sure they will need replacement within the year. I want to give a shout out to Music Go Round in Farmington, MI who sold me the amp. They had some minor service performed AT NO CHARGE and I wound up with a great amp. They made dependability a 10, but I've heard the factory is very good about things as well.

I've heard they are very supportive. Why did they stop making this little tone monster? The guy who designed the amp is a regular contributor gear pages user group site. They should only make this amp. It competes with rigs costing 10 times this price. My support comes from the sound coming out of my amp.

I'm 57 and I've been playing for 48 years. This is the sound I've always been looking for. I heard a real good player on YouTube playing A Salty Dog by Procol Harem on one of these. I was sold. I simply cannot believe I got this for $255. I will take this and my 61 Telecaster to my grave. I simply kills anything in its weight class. Can I give it a 20?

I bought this amp somewhere in the mid to late 90's - 30 watt with EL84's/12ax7's (4 each) Clean/Overdrive channel footswitchable channel switching, mono effects loop (single 1/4 stereo), seperate reverb controls for each channel - Spring reverb! Wish the effects loop had seperate in/out.

I play a mismosh of styles in my band, so this amp is asked to cover from Steppenwolf to Van Halen to STP - keeps up with EVERYTHING! Played with just about every guitar imaginable. Very quiet overall, can get hissy with the gain/volume up in the 8-10 range, but not objectionable - Its sweet sounding not unline a vox AC30 (figures - same configuration) but from the volume and gain, I would imaging the power transformer is pumping some voltage - this amp just screams, and mellows with a roll of the volume control - just like a good tube amp should

The only time this amp "failed" me is that the clean channel sounded like there was either a bad volume pot or a cracked board. Turns out to be the latching push type channel switch - plugging in a footswitch took care of it. THe switch is board mounted, so changing it looks like a hassle. Soon I will desolder it off the board and hard wire a SPDT switch in its place. I have heard that complaint about this amp before. Other then that trouble free for 15 years.

Never had to deal with Crate customer support....ever. The best customer support is not needing it.

Im in my late 40's and have been playing something or other since the late 60's - I have had old fenders, ancient Garnets and various peavey, GK and too many other types/configurations to mention. This amp just flat out levels them all for tone and value. I just bought my second one online, and hoping my bid goes through for my third - so i have a supply of these for the next 20 years or so. Crate!! if your listening - this was the best amp youve ever done!

I do not own the amp, but play through it, so I don't have the specifics as to years and dollars. This is the blonde combo version, maybe a mid-90's build. I have recorded another guitarist who uses this amp so I feel that my opinion may be useful to others on this site.

Most of the reviews for this amp go along the lines of "I can't believe a Crate could sound this good. I sold my Marshall and bought this!" I feel like the glowing nature of these reviews overshadow some issues which potention buyers may find useful. As far as features go, there seem to be some quirks.

The reverb trails are long; long enough to be considered more of an outright effect than a shade of tone. The trails last for 2 or 3 seconds, even when set low, which can muddy a tone rather than add subtle space to it. Don't get me wrong, the effect sounds good, but seems to be more suitable for a Pink Floyd stomp box setting, not an all purpose amp tone.

Bafflingly, the serial FX loop uses a single TRS stereo connection rather than two TS mono connections, meaning that most people will have to buy an adapter for their setup, to the detriment of sound quality. Using a TRS connector can be a useful space saving feature on a mixing board, but seems to be an inappropriate cost saving measure on an amp with plenty of "real estate".

Additionally, there is no 'mid' control on the clean channel, another odd decision.

The sound produced by the amp tends toward a very compressed 'vintage' tone at most settings. The amp is clearly designed for classic rock and blues enthusiasts, very heavy in midrange. The sound is very useful for cutting through a mix while rounding and polishing the tone, but my complaint is that all guitars sound 'samey' through the amp. Les Pauls and strats alike are given a high harmonic warmth, which, again, sounds good but makes for a less versitile setup. The bass and treble controls don't seem to significantly alter the midrange bell curve nature of the tone.

While playing through the 'clean' channel with a Les Paul (arguably the highest output of stock guitars) the tone was breaking up at around '4' and fully distorted like a DS-1 by about '7'. There is no master volume, only channel volume, so if you want a clean amp at high volumes this is not your baby. With another channel for distortion on board, more clean headroom would be nice.

We've had some minor trouble with the amp. The pots needed to be cleaned, which is not unheard of, but felt cheapish while I was cleaning them. There is an odd noise coming from the amp at higher volumes, which is probably related to the tubes and is probably fixable. I am not an amp tech, but my guess is that the tubes are run at a very high voltage, which is what gives the amp its vintage/compressed/midrange heavy tone but would lower the life of the tubes. This amp seems to need a retubing slightly more often than others.

Have not dealt with them.

I would really consider this review only as part of the larger set of reviews. I've focused more on the things that I didn't like but have to say that you get quite a lot of tone for the $200-$300 that people are taking these home for. The amp has a high enough wattage for any situation I can imagine, short of an outdoor show without PA, and it is hard to dial in a tone that sounds 'bad'. It really can be the ideal indie rock setup for the broke-but-tone-conscious crowd.

This amp is about fifteen years old in the black tolex.This is you run of the mill tube amp with two channels and an effects loop.All I can say about this amp is it screams.

The clean channel is silky smooth especially combined with a chorus and overdrive pedal.Running an EQ this thing barely sees three which is plenty for around the house.Turn it half to t6hree quarters of the way the sound cuts through you.I have had this amp over a year now and only replaced the tubes with the sovtek el84's and that cured the crackling when I aqcuired this amp from the pawn shop.I had perchased a 50 watt tube crate amp years ago and this one has much better tone.It's pretty much my primary amp that I play with a fat strat copy or a custon thinline tele with a humbucker on the neck and a hot railon the bridge.As for my style its pretty much whatever I feel like playing and whatever it may be it sounds good coming out of this amp.I play it mostly in my home studio and have no doubt it's loud enough for a bar or small club.

Like I said I purchased the amp for a hundred bucks and it cost another hundred to replace the tubes.Been playing on the tubes nine months and still sound great.I'm sure another tube job is on the horizon because this thing is played everyday at least an hour.These tubes already have more than the hours they say there supposed to last and they still sound crisp and clear.

never dealt withem got a great tech that fixes whatever I need fixed.

I have been playing fifteen years.I own too much stuff to list and if this was stolen I'd definitely replace even used you can find these online for about three hundred bucks.This thing blows more expensive amps out of the water.

I bought this Crate Vintage Club 30 from a pawn shop seven years ago. I bought a Randall RG80 amp back in the early 1980's when they first came out. I used this amp extensively while doing road work and sit-down gigs..this was one hell of a good amp, but it finally gave up the ghost, and I had to look for another amp. I didn't know anything about the club 30 when I found it in the pawn shop. My first thought was that this little Crate wouldn't have the "balls" a.k.a. power, tone, versatility, reliability, etc. WRONG! I plugged a cheap guitar from the shop into the Crate, cranked it up, ran a few riffs, paid the man 170 bucks and took it home. I use a Fat Strat, Tele, and an Oscar Schmidt Delta King 335 copy. I play blues, rock, and a whole lot of country (I live in Oklahoma) and I have found this amp to more than "just good enough" for the job. It is built like a tank and it shows when you have to pick it up, it weighs in at 50 pounds. It is covered in black tolex, has 2 channels, clean and overdrive, effects loop input, foot switch input, and one guitar input. I don't know what year it was manufactured, I figure sometime in the mid 90's. It is a class A, all tube amp, the clean channel pulls off the Fender, Randall RG80 sound with no problem. Crank up the clean volume to about 5 and the Tele to 8-10 and the thing will cut really well, with a gritty bite. I would like to have a mid range control on the clean side. The O.D. side and the Fat Strat will nail my buddie's Marshall amp's sound note for note, smooth sustain that never ends. Carry spare tubes with you if your band likes to play extremely loud for extended lengths of time, as the only thing I have done to this amp is replace a tube now and then. It is reliable and dependable, apparently built with the working musician in mind. The speaker is a Crate Vintage Club E12-8ohm which is plenty loud for most clubs or bars. Like I said, I was concerned about the power, tone, etc, I found this amp to be all the amp I need for the gigs I play.

When the volume and gain on the O.D. are turned up to 8-10, there is a hiss, but that same noise was in the old Fenders that I have used thru the years, I think it is a tube thing.

I have used this amp without a backup on numerous occasions, and so far, nearly seven years later, it has not let me down. I would recommend to anyone to replace the tubes on a regular basis, especially if you are working musician, for peace of mind if nothing else.

I cannot comment on this as I have never contacted a Crate service center.

I just turned 59 years old, yeah, next year I turn geezer, still playing and will tilidi. I started playing guitar about 1965, so I guess about 42 years now. Doesn't seem that long ago, I took up guitar because that's where the chicks were, and I really liked the music, from the Rolling Stones to Don Rich, the lead picker for Buck Owens, to B.B. King. If this amp were lost or stolen I would be really p***ed, as these little amps are getting harder to come by, but I would buy one again if it were available. I love the tones that I can get out of this one amp, there is nothing that I hate about amp, but a mid control on the clean side would be nice. If you are working musician, playing a variety of music, I think you would be hard pressed to find a better, all around amp.

mine is three yrs old,black tolex,efects loop.this amp is made for blues rock,country,classic even. 2 channels, fender clean(spanky) but the overdrive is great somewhat compressed.Set the gain on7 for solos and back off guitar volume for a nice gritty rhythm sound. This amp is plenty loud with the celestion,need more add another cabinet. I have always preferred el84 for output tubes,very warm and they break up at a much lower volume.

I have a strat ,tele ,paul .all sound great .I do classic rock,originals,blues. the amp is quiet and has a great clean soun for the ballads. the od channel can really soar. overall its is very musical.I have owned carvins,bedrocks,ampeg,marshall,fender all tube amps. this is the most versatile

has not broke yet.GT tubes are the way to go with this amp

they were very friendly.loud technologies congrats

I have been playing 30 yrs. I needed something lighter than my 70 lb marshall due to my backs and hips and this amp surprised me.It does not color the tone too much but it nails that fender tone with the midrange cut back

This review is for a 1994 Blonde Crate Vintage Club 30. I can't speak for the newer or non-blonde Vintage Club 30s, but this one knocked me out. I was looking for a lightweight combo amp and someone had this one for sale... I figured that for the price, I could try it out and sell it back if I didn't like it. Not the best choice for carrying around... it weighs a friggin ton, but once I tried it I didn't want to let go. The Clean channel sounds really good and does not colour the sound too much. I like the Treble-Mid-Bass flexibillity on the OverDrive channel; btw: the OD channel should be set to a crunch - don't over-do it. If you want distorsion, it really likes analog effect boxes. It's very powerful; so much so that I decided to remove 2 of the Quad EL84s to divide the output power in half.

I've got a GP-8 (from Roland) and I play Vintage Rock from Clapton to the Police, from Pink Floyd to Beatles & Stones... well all over the map. The amp sounds really good for all styles ! even more "modern" stuff. The clean channel breaks up really nicely at around 5 (output tubes), but it's also quite loud. I mainly play with a Strat (Lac Sensors) and a Tele, but I also use an Epiphone Dot with it's (exceptionally good) stock humbuckers. It definitely has more kick with the humbuckers, but I mainly use the singlecoils with great satisfaction. I didn't know Crate amps before trying this one, but now I've got a lot of respect for them !

So far, so good. I've owned it for a few months now, and it still didn't break down... well it looks OK for a 12 year-old amp.

The amp had dented top vent grids. It's previous owner probably sat on the amp... really... get a chair... anyhoo, I called Crate and ordered the parts. Shipping cost less than they quoted over the phone. You could say I was pleasantly surprised.

I've been playing for about 30 years now... how time flies... and my gear includes a Strat, a Tele, the Epi Dot, a few acoustics, two Hiwatt and a Marshall amps, a Roland GP-8, a home recording studio and a few keyboards. This amp really fits in my gear - not by name, but by sound. It's the kind of amp you buy with your ears, not by it' name; it's not a Fender... If it was stole, I'd probably go looking for another one. It' really inexpensive for what it 's worth. Great value !

This is the only amp i will use. the clean channel sounds like a high priced fender or a vox and the dirty cannel sounds like a marshall. reverb on individual channels plenty of gain i hardly get it passed 3 or 4 the best deal. a real working mans amp. just a tip check out a speaker called "hellatone" one of these in this amp will definately change your mind if you dont like these amps.

i have about 12 guitars and everyone sounds great with this amp. i have a 1989 gibson les paul goldtop a 1984 jap strat a newer telecaster custom a daphne blue 62 reissue (awsome guitar) a 96' gibson double cutaway with p-100's a epiphone lucille great guitar when i changed the pickups, a gibson flying v korina and a couple others. i play blues and blues rock and i love every minute with this amp.

never had a problem with this one but i did have a 50 watt 2 by 12 combo and it sounded great but the clean channel would cut out and i found out it waz the switch. it needed to be resoldered.

the best amp i have ever used

Hello, This review is for my Blonde Crate vc3112. I was the first amp made March 1994.I got it from Ebay. It still had hang tags and warranty cards and had never been sold. It was leftovers from a store owner.
Honestly...I can't see spending any more than I have for an amp...unless it's an older collectable amp. This amp is plenty loud for clubs and would probably record fucking great!
It is the 3rd or 4th I have owned. I had one that I Tone Tubbied and put QUALITY tubes into and it sang. This will get the same treatment!

I play an old Les Paul copy with Seymour Duncans...PAF 59 and Pearly Gates. Only effects I have at the time is a Germanium Boy Boost pedal.

This amp is an incredible blues rock amp. I suppose you could put a Proco Rat in the loop and play metal?

It does tend to make lots of Hendrix feedback if you crank up the "B" channel almost a little harto control.

These amps are SOLID. They do take a beating and keep working.

THUMBS UP!

Once you get over the "STIGMA" of playing a Crate you'll dig it the most......your Guitar buddies will go ooohhhh aaahhhhhh wwwooooahhhh CRATE? LOL

This amp is very versatile for country, blues, jazz, rock, and belive it or not, metal. Has two channels, separate tone control and reverb. It doesnt have a fx loop but i dont care bc i dont like them anyway. I use this amp to practice and do gigs. Has more than enuf power to do small clubs. oh, and its 100% tube.

Heres my setup, Epiphone Les Paul Custom w/Emg 81&85> MXR overdrive> Dunlop wah> Vintage Club 30. It suits me fine for any style i wanna play, especialy heavy tones. Ive read the other reviews that said it isnt good for hard rock or metal, but i cant say the same. Mine kicks ass for metal. I play a lot of stuff like Megadeth, Vai, 80s and 90s hard rock, to country and blues, Basicly anything that has good guitar in it. Oh and one of my favorite tones on this amp is when u crank the clean channel all the way up, very nice. Clean starts to distort at about 4 or 5. I wouldnt say the distortion is brutal, it isnt good for death metal. The heaviest sounds it can pull off is old metallica and it does it pretty damn good, the audeince wont tell the diff between this and the biggest baddest mesa or marshall. I have played many amps before this one, some of them being Mesa dual and triple rec. Marshall DSL, Randall RG100G2. I like the distortion on this as good as those amps, better than the Randall though. BTW im only 19 so dont take anything i say seriously. But i have been playing since i was 12.

built like a tank

dunno

To be only 30 watts, you cant beat it. Honestly. Its very basic, simple tones, you cant fuck this sound up. I would suggest this amp for anyone who as played transistor amps their whole life, like i use to. Oh yeah, the sustaine on this thing is great, just think spinal tap. Go grab a bite to eat, come back, and the things still singin.