Crate Palomino V16

Voci 6 months now I have this tube amp, I can then file a notice with hindsight.

So it is therefore a 15W all-tube amp, after removal were 3 lamps Sovtek 12AX7 in preamble and 2 lamps Sovtek EL84 power, the speaker is a celestion 12 'seventy 80.

The présentration is very neat and classy with knobs of gold with a gemstone in place of black spot (well it's not real rocks !!!!), the look is very vintage, the front grille cloth is very vintage.
Brief look fabulous.

At the command level available to a channel, a classic 3-band equation, and that works very well, a knob for gain crunch, a volume level for a boost button is down médieum (top for the blues and presence), and finally a technique that uses reverb spring, very good but not abuse it (say after one-half of the volume pot is dirtier than anything else).

UTILIZATION

Usage is very simple, one branch is lit, it is expected that the heat lamps and Go!
We quickly found the sound you want, and there are not too many button, so it's far from a gas plant.
on the other hand like the blues junior, he did not stand by, apparently not so dangerous for low-power lamps!!

The manual is in English but easy to read, and all manner of little use if it is the wiring diagram and the lamps.

SOUNDS

So there!
The sound is amazing, it has a more than respectable clean but difficult to get the classic Fender clean, but I want to say that the speaker may be a celestion but far from being a luxury, and I can tell you that much flange sound of the amp! It's a very vintage amp therefore refrain metalheads. The extra crunch is really when it manages to appear the crunch, it's great.

I use a Fender Start with Texas Special microphone, an Ibanez TS9 for a Bluesbreaker to marshall and Zoom G2.
With this amp you play everything (except metal), you will warm blues and dirty, crunchy, rock, jazz clean, but also good funk, in short a very versatile amp.
I put 9 / 10 for the speaker

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for 6 months and I'm delighted for the apartment is mêmelimite too, to repeat, even with a drummer who clap, you hear this amp sends heavy, very powerful ...

I bought it at MusicStore for less than 330 €, so much tell you that the price / quality ratio is unbeatable, manufacturing is very good, the finish is top and tidy up small details like diam's on knobs ...

I tried the Fender Blues Junior, 30 of the classic peavey, but seeing the crate on the internet (youtube) I'm falling steeply to its crunchy very good. In addition the price also helps a lot to choose ... And then look what!

Well after 6 months I made some changes in speaker, so I change the seventy of 80 by a greenback celestion jensen C12N and I put in a closet to go. Ba you will understand that the original HP really flange capacity. the amp.
Next modif lamps.

The greenback is for me the best hp and give you the vintage sound of choice, for me better than Vintage30.
The jensen Deonna you the sound of vintage Fender Twin Reverb, Deluxe Reverb, etc. ...
For me nthe best clean sound ...

Wholesale max for 500 € with the HP and lamps, you'll fool the amp, with your desired sound and you keep 20 years ..

I put 10/10 for value for money.
But I recommend changing the HP to allow express this amp with incredible abilities.

<em>Edit: Lamps changed since this summer, 2 ECC83 JJ AX7 in V1 and V2 and V3 SOVTEK 1AX7 LPS for the preamp and 2 EL84 JJ TESLA in powers.
Result transcandant amp, very significant improvement especially in crunch, smoothness and power up admirable, excellent for blues

Value for money unbeatable, even with the improvements.</em>