Crate is one of the leading workhorse amps out there today. There are more styles, more models with more features than any other brand. With all these features, all these dials and knobs, comes more to learn. Whatever model you choose will have a different set of rules, but there are tips that can help navigate schematics and engineering that have made Crate amps so popular.
Read the Manual
This is the single best tip for owning a Crate. Read the manual, then set aside all the hookup, warranty and schematics, and turn to the back. Don’t try to navigate the sound without consulting the Crate pre-sets. There are too many options on high and low gain, channel switching and processor modes. There is a list of sounds like “politely gritty,” “down and dirty,” and “clean.” With each dedicated sound there is a diagram showing how all the dials and knobs should be set. Choose a sound, dial it in and start from there.
On-board Tuner
Some of the Crate models have an on-board guitar tuner. An on-board tuner is the single most useful device on a Crate. In the heat of the stage lights, you can just glance over at the tuner for a quick reassurance that all is well—or sort out a troubling guitar string by watching for red or green indicator lights. If other guitarists in the band are using Crate with on-board tuners, it’s easy to get into sync before you go on stage.
Foot Switch
Some Crates come with a foot switch, the second handiest device on a Crate. There are three buttons on a foot switch. The first is channel one, which is the low gain channel. Use this when accompanying other musicians. You will see a corresponding red light.
Stomp the second button and you get a lead burst, channel two. Use this when it’s your turn to shred or do lead work. It’s a yellow light.
If you stomp the first button again you get a green light, your third channel, the clean channel. Use for country or anytime you need straight guitar with no distortion. Your third button is blue; you have just added your processor.
Don’t get the black-and-white inputs turned around backward. Check them twice coming out of the foot switch, then plug them in the same way on the back of the amp. It won’t damage anything by getting them wrong, but you can spend hours looking for the problem.
Processor
Some Crates come with built-in computer processors. Get one that does if you don’t want to add expensive effects later. There are almost unlimited possibilities with a combination of old-school effects like wah wah and reverb.
Use the diagrams in the back of the manual to start your processor control, then fine-tune it by hand.