Recently I was browsing in my favorite local Guitar Shop, Gearheadz on National Avenue in Milwaukee. It is owned by a very talented Blues Harpster and Guitarist by the name of Ben Rickun. Ben knows his stuff and has a very interesting and eclectic array of musical gear all priced affordably for the gigging musician...
Anyways, I saw a small amplifier and asked Ben about it. He said it was the Crate Profiler and was a totally unique concept in portable guitar amps. I was intrigued and took it for a "test drive" using first a custom telecaster and then an Epiphone Acoustic Electric guitar. This amp showed some real byte for a small package. It has modest power rated at 2.5 Watts and has outstanding tone considering the twin 4" speakers. There are 11 different types of amps modeled with built-in DSP effects that include delay, modulation and reverb as well as a VERY COOL octave setting that makes an Acoustic Electric sound like a 12-string.
Very tentatively, I asked Ben how much he was looking to get for this totally unique amp. When he answered $50 including the optional 9 volt AC power supply I almost broke my arm reaching for my wallet. This amp is a valued addition to my modest collection of amps but is singular in it's potential.
With 6 1.5 volt AA batteries you get totally portable power either for your guitar gig or for your PA needs. Using the two tabs at either side of the top of this surprisingly light amp you can add a simple guitar strap and become a strolling minstrel. However, you can get some wild sounds from this small package which will melt the faces of the crowd...
I highly recommend you try one if you can find one... I have spent hours checking out the various combinations of sounds the Crate has included in the advanced DSP electronics. It also sports an AUX in, headphone OUT and USB connection for direct connection to a computer...
Best $50 investment that I've ever made... I've already had thousands of dollars worth of fun with this interesting amplifier...
Yours in the blues,
Tichigan Blues
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