Ok....I am a botique snob sometimes...i have owned over 300 guitars and over 150 amps (mostly high end on both accounts)This week, I was asked to jam with an excellent esoteric-classic rock/jam band...I had my guitar (an Anderson Hollow Classic) but plugged into the lead player's rig...he had a great pedalboard with: Keeley Comp > Mutron Phaser > Boss Blues Driver (Keeley mod) > 19 Sixty 3 boost (KILLER) > Boss DD3 Delay > CRATE POWERBLOCK driving a Mesa 212!!!!! KICK ASS!!!

Was it "Chimey, lush and 3-Dimensional?"

NOT AT ALL...

Did it sound thick and cut through a very loud band??

ABSOLUTELY!!!

This got me thinking about what we REALLY want in amps...Do we WANT slightly compressed, warm, rich tone that sounds wonderful when playing alone, but dies a slow death combating an 8x10 bass cab and a 7 piece DW kit with Paiste Signature Series cymbals??

As an analogy, go to a major Nashville studio that turns out beautiful (if somewhat sterile) recordings every day and solo the tracks. You will usually find that the guitars sound a bit thin a nasally, the bass a bit tight and low-midrange strong, and the vocals sound like they are being sent through a mid-booster pedal. Put all these ingredients together, however, and they complement each other beautifully.

Anyway, my point is that the Crate PowerBlock is the best 4-pound $150 solid state amp ever made for the gigging musician. Of course it's now discontinued.....

Sidebar: It's also the most affordable way I can think of to WET/DRY/WET your favorite amp. Just take the stereo effects out of your processor to the L/R inputs of the PB and speaker out to 2 cabs (or a stereo cab) and rock the "F" out!!!
Rock on,
Buddaman

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Buddaman,

+1 on this thing.

I have a powerblock. Awesome backup amp as well. And, you can use it as a bass amp too. Just an incredibly high quality, versatile piece of equipment that can get alot of use.