All user reviews of 3/5 for the Crate G40C XL

Stereo twin speaker amp roundabout 85W, features two channels (Clean and driven)with Chorus effect and Reverb built in to the unit. Also features stereo (2 Jacks) direct amp line out (For mixer etc.) and stereo external speaker line out.

Optional footswitch for Reverb/Channels and optional footswitch for Chorus. Footswitch easily homemade!

Level, Bass, Mid and treble controls on clean channel.

Level, Gain and 'Shape' control on driven channel.

Some came with twin Celestian Speakers, some with 'Crate' Speakers I believe.

I play Rock, Blues and early Metal usually with twin humbuckers with the driven channel and neck single coil on the clean.

I got this amp from new as a replacement for a Fender Blues Switcher type amp, the name of which I forget around 21 years ago!

Price was circa £220/£250 UK.

To cut a long story short the Fender amp broke within a week and the shop replaced it with the Crate.

Channel Switching is handy. The amp is virtually indestructable and very heavy.

Never been happy with this amp from new. I think you either love it or hate it.
Impossible to get a tube like sound or even a slightly bluesy distorted sound.

If your after a punchy driven mid sound with muted bass and treble you won't get it.

With a lack of tonal controls on the driven channel, its either full on processed cheese or clean. With the gain on full, the shape control trys to roll off the fizz and emulate more of a marshall JCM type sound but fails pretty miserable. Turning up the shape control just saturates the tone with more processed fizz and it'll also start to hum like a jack lead is amiss.

To be honest I now use a zoom G1 with the clean channel only and that sounds less processed. Before I used a Graphics EQ.

The clean channel distorts and flaps the relatively small speakers above third volume with mid and treble up.

Reverb is OK but not as strong as some.



Indestructible.

If you like a sharp, biting processed ultra hairspray heavy metal sound or value distortion over tone - maybe hide your bum notes this amp is probably for you. Not really usable on clean at mid-high volumes due to horrid small speaker flap and distortion.

Not a rock or blues amp at all. You just won't ever find the depth of tone with the smaller speakers and the lack of tonal controls on theb driven channel simply confounds the matter.

Nice clean channel but its only really usable at halfway volume. I found the Fender Switcher amp could go more distance with richer, deeper more bodied and relaxed tonal qualities, but hey that broke after a week! The old Crate's still going 21 years later!

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com