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Crate GT3500H


valdiorn

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My friend and bandmate is looking for a Solid State backup amp. We have been looking around the internet for some time and have narrowed it down to 3 amps, including the Crate GT3500H...

 

We are really interested in the GT3500, but only because I heard someone say that it is a recreation of the Ampeg VH140c !? Is this true or was this person just talking {censored}?? (someone on this forum said it, I think..)

The company that owns Ampeg now owns Crate as well, so this might be true, but can anyone tell me this for sure??

 

Does this amp sound good? I'm kinda sceptical... you know.. it's a Crate.. :p It's not sold here in Iceland so we can't try it out :(

Would you choose that amp over a Randall RH200 or a Peavey XXL ??

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I need to figure this out! :D

The Ampegs are becoming pretty rare these days, after people discovered that they weren't all bad even though Solid State :p Even if my friend doesn't buy it I might get one for myself this summer :)

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megadeth, both amps are basically the same. i believe the same person worked for both crate and ampeg and designed the heads alike.

 

the gx-130c doesnt have some of the boost switches and mid switches like the vh-140c has. i wish the gx-130c did have a boost button on the lead channel like it has on the clean but i got a eq pedal and i sound the way i want.

 

just need to cut out all the unwanted feedback and tighten my tone up.

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my brother's friend has the GT1200H (same thing, just less power, and cheaper looking)...his band and my brother's band were playing at a battle of the bands, and i was backstage tuning a guitar for my bro while his friend's band was soundchecking....i ran out and told him he needed to turn down his gain a bit....i was shocked to see he only had it on about 6! :eek: the other guitarist in that band had the GT series 2x12 combo, and they were one of the better-sounding bands that night, tone-wise.

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Originally posted by brutalmoe420

the re-issue of the vh-140c is the gt3500. the crate gx-130c and ampeg vh-140c r basically the same amp with some minor differences.

 

sweet....frightening as it is to admit, i may have to look into one of the GTs as a possible backup (is there any major difference between the GT1200H and the VH140C?)

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the gx130 and vh140 are close but not quite the same. I have both of them, im the only guitar player in my project now so i use a half stack with v30's on each side of the room. though its very subtle, the crate has a little more of that hollow/buzzier sound than the ampeg. the ampeg seems to have a little more low end too, but with a good eq in the loop, i use pq3's, you can get these sounding pretty damn close. If you like one youll like the other just as much. i recently bought a randall century 200II and it dosent even come close to these two heads in any category.

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Originally posted by raceu4her

the gx130 and vh140 are close but not quite the same. I have both of them, im the only guitar player in my project now so i use a half stack with v30's on each side of the room. though its very subtle, the crate has a little more of that hollow/buzzier sound than the ampeg. the ampeg seems to have a little more low end too, but with a good eq in the loop, i use pq3's, you can get these sounding pretty damn close. If you like one youll like the other just as much. i recently bought a randall century 200II and it dosent even come close to these two heads in any category.

 

 

So, you dont like the Century 200II as much?

 

Have you compared either to the Crate GLX amps?

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i emailed St. Lous Music last night, asking about the GT3500H's connection to the VH140C...apparently it's the VTX series that's the same:

 

Hello Ari,


The Crate VTX350 head and the VTX200S combo has the two channels of the Ampeg VH140C amp, there's an additional third channel (overdrive) as well. The chorus and other effects are produced using a DSP, all in stereo. Please drop me a line if you have any further questions. Thank you.


J. Hayes

St. Louis Music Inc.

Ampeg-Crate-Alvarez

www.stlouismusic.com

Product Support Manager

jhayes@slme.com

office: (001)314-569-0141 ext. 1403

fax: (001)314-567-7278

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Originally posted by FalseRevRG

my brother's friend has the GT1200H (same thing, just less power, and cheaper looking)...his band and my brother's band were playing at a battle of the bands, and i was backstage tuning a guitar for my bro while his friend's band was soundchecking....i ran out and told him he needed to turn down his gain a bit....i was shocked to see he only had it on about 6!
:eek:
the other guitarist in that band had the GT series 2x12 combo, and they were one of the better-sounding bands that night, tone-wise.

 

The GT1200h sounds like ass compared to the GT3500h. Huge difference. The GT3500h is a great amp, and it's not the ampeg 140C in a new chassis.

 

For an amp you can buy cheap, the G1500h is a great amp.

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Originally posted by Paragraph51



The GT1200h sounds like ass compared to the GT3500h. Huge difference. The GT3500h is a great amp, and it's not the ampeg 140C in a new chassis.


For an amp you can buy cheap, the G1500h is a great amp.

wow....if the 3500 sounds that much better....:eek:

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Originally posted by valdiorn



Does this amp sound good? I'm kinda sceptical... you know.. it's a Crate..
:p
It's not sold here in Iceland so we can't try it out
:(
Would you choose that amp over a Randall RH200 or a Peavey XXL ??

 

I have one of these, its my main amp right now. I dont know if its related to the Ampeg at all, but their tones are pretty similar.

 

 

Tonewise, i think its pretty {censored}ing rad. Its incredibly warm, the tone makes you think it must have some tube circutry to it. The bass is tight, and there is tons of low end to this head. The mids are substansial, not airy like most SS. Fat highs, this head isnt really a screamer, my only complaint, but its minor. Harmonics come out nice, and its super punchy, really cuts through. The clean is its best feature, you just cant beat solid state clean. The rythym side has a real warm classic rock feel to it, reminiscent of Marshall. The Lead channel is just brutal, metal up you arse ditortion. Tight gain.

 

And this sumbitch is loud as hell. I bury my band on 5, no {censored}, and these guys use a Crate BV halfstack and an Ampeg SVT + 810 for bass.

 

I like it so far, its tough as nails and it diddnt break the bank. It doesnt "kill" a 5150 or a JSX or a Mesa , but it could hang with them well enough i think. A good SS amp is a really useful tool to have around. Good for backup, great for recording, reliable, no maintenence. In my opinion its the best SS amp out there.

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Originally posted by killswitch_19

If the 3500 is the VH-140C then all those out there looking for the ampeg should just go get a brand new one with more power. lol. I'd like to try one out.

 

 

he new VTX is the Crae amp with the Ampeg circuit. Jut call crate and ask about the amp and then ask for a tech person and you'll get to talk to one of their amp designers usually and he'll tell you which amp he designed the GT3500 or VTX 350 preamp from, and he'll tell you that it's the VTX that is the amp with the Ampeg 140C preamp circuitry on two of it's three channels..

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