Now I have never been a huge fan of combo amps at all. I have owned many, mainly because of the ease of transporting them as compared to a huge a** cabinet and head, and at first I was rather put off by the smallness of the amp (just 24'x 20 3/4" x 15 3/4") but I took a look and it had everything I like on an amp, eight-band eq that had frequencies I actually can use, a gain and master (why do so many companies not include this?,) a controlable line out, and even before the discount it was in an affordable price range. I was a little put off by the fact it was only 100 watts, as I normally use 200 or more, and it has a limiter as a standard feature (which at that time I really was not a fan of.) But, as they say, first impressions are worst impressions....

This indeed is an amazing little amplifier. Don't let the size fool you, it kicks the old Fender 200 watter I was using out into the street. The limiter, which I originally had hated,(MISTAKE NO.2) has actually allowed me the freedom to use an octaver in the low registers without sounding flat or distorted. The wattage? There was absolutely no problem, my first gig using the amp was in one of the bigger venues the group appears at and I never had to turn the master above four. The clarity across the full spectrum is, simply put, crystalline and bright. For the first time in my memory my little excursions, into the areas of the neck those small-minded guitarists wish me not to venture into, were there without having to kick my volume up. The famous Crate "Shape" feature I haven't had the chance to mess with yet, but I feel that it will allow me the freedom to set this amp up with the settings for two different basses, thus eliminating downtime between songs...

OK, I have eaten my crow here, humbled myself at the alter of the great Crate maker, even found myself singing its praises to another of "those guitarists" at the shop where I bought the amp. I can deal with it, I can deal with it and I can deal with having every note I play being heard,even if there are a few clams now and then because I now feel the freedom to move away from in front of my amp on stage and there are other band members in my way. I will even go as far to say that the band's overall sound was improved by that amp, but whatever you do, don't tell certain guitarists I said that! We wouldn't want to bust their bubbles, now would we? He he heh.