Secrets of the Crate Blue Voodoo...or is it BLUE DOODOO? You Decide!

[@1961jscofield]

My singer/2nd guitarist used the Blue Voodoo until it literally burst into flames playing the Halloween party for an AA group. They enjoyed that too!

[@artyomhunter310]

That’s must have looked so cool when it went up but also hurt a lot having to get a new amp.

[@WillyMcCoy50]

Halloween masked meetings in Seattle.

[@LetArtsLive]

LOL that's pretty funny. Although they enjoyed it Enjoy it I bet he didn't.

[@TheGuitologist]

Rock and fuckin' ROLL!

[@imaxeman69]

That's a great trick buy you can only do it once. I had that happen to a Sunn Model T head back in the '70s. It was just that the tolex was loose and laid against an output tube.

[@Jmdeclue]

Brad, I have a degree in Electronics Engineering and have decades of experience. Most engineers I know are dorks with degrees that like to show contempt for those that do not. You may not do everything by the “book” or explain things in a “proper” manner, whatever that counts for but you do get the job done and done well. Personally, I have a lot of respect for people like yourself that are self taught. Anyway, I really just wanted to tell you, Don’t ever take those idiots seriously. As long as you do not give dangerous advice, no engineer should give you any grief.

[@robertcalkjr.8325]

Are they educated dumbasses? lol!

[@Jmdeclue]

Wayne Turner This is how electronics have been repaired for 100 years. Most repair shops are run by people that can read a schematic and/or troubleshoot and most do not have degrees. They can warrantee there work but they don’t need insurance, if a part fails it fails. There is NO instance I can imagine where the device works as expected when it leaves the shop and then fails in some spectacular fashion that isn’t just another part failure or short, etc. a screw up that big would not pass a basic function test. There are certifications for certain High/Low V jobs depending on the State, I am not aware of any for basic repair. Usually certification requirements are for those wiring a house or building or doing line work, etc., places where a mistake will burn a house down or kill you. In the late 80’s, early 90’s we had a saying in the repair business, If it doesn’t kill you it won’t kill them. I apprenticed part time in a repair shop before I got my degree from 1986-89 and repaired stuff as a 16 yr old kid after school.

[@pskemster]

Well said!

[@MrDeaweber]

@@Jmdeclueim not goimg to take cheap shots or look for angles where i might get dig in because that stuff stinks of ego issues. I will be honest and tell you that the impression that your giving - not

[@triplesevensix291]

Is right Joel. Well said.

[@crilf5830]

Brad you are the Guitologist. Problem solving in a horrendous circuit such as the Crate is always a special learning experience. Thanks!

[@stephenhookings1985]

Confused - I tuned in to an Interior Design channel and an amp repair broke out!! Glad to see you back Brad. Keep well and keep having fun.

[@TheGuitologist]

Don't worry, Christopher Lowell and I plan on doing some collab vids soon! I'll see how many heads we can cram into a basement. :D

[@robertwilliams9848]

You help me solve a lot of problems thanks I have the 120 blue voodoo I used to work very good are you explaining a lot of things I think I can solve them thank you very much

[@killercurl1]

last night i caught a little buzz.... i wanted to jam,, so i got out my pedal board and fired up the 4-12's... i was wondering why my amp was so low and quite..... i checked the mixer and all the pedal cables... i fiddle'd with the amp and put everything on 11, it still only was slightly louder....... as just outside my house the clouds parted and star had aligned, as the twilight of the moon guided my hand to the input jack whilst still on 11. i bumped the jack and all 100 watts of fury echo'ed into the night,,,,,, car alarms down the street ringing out aloud....brinks home security called me about a burglary, it was quite amusing talking to them on the phone while clearing the shit out of my pants. i thought you would like this story........ stay safe brad ily

[@TheGuitologist]

That's pretty hilarious. I've had similar misfortunes happen with errant volume knobs as well. One fun trick to play on bandmates is to remove the volume knobs and replace them to make 3 or 4 or the volume actually be 10!.

[@monelfunkawitz3966]

Few weeks ago, everyone was asleep and I was not. Sneak in the basement, throw on headphones and jam along to some Damageplan and Pantera. Couldnt get the wireless to work, so I just mimed along for a while. I was halfway through the Floods solo when I see the wife, red eyed and PISSED. Wireless was working. Nieces were playing in the garage/my play room and plugged in every amp (Twin Reverb Ultra Linear, JCM800, Hiwatt DR201, Mesa Strategy 400 stereo and a Sunn 200s. Neighbors banged on garage door, called cops, woke up wife. Stuff was rattling in the neighbors house it was that loud. Everything was on 10 so it was loud and sounded like shit.

[@davidrussell8918]

Havent lived in town for so long I forget what it must be like. Im lucky I can open my garage door, crank my amp out to the forest, and I can heard the coyotes singing along.

[@Superjet113]

Yeah, I remember my first beer... :D

[@BuzzcutGtr]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@PunchboxRockers]

Great channel, man! I don't fix amps, but it's cool to watch you troubleshoot and jam! Cheers.

[@dez1989]

I've got many tube amps. My wife says too many. (There is no such thing as too many)! Fender's, Marshall's, Mesa's, Peavey's, Vox's, Randall, Music Man, Sunn and even a couple of Harmony's. I came across a well taken care of Crate Blue Voodoo 120 head on Craigslist. The gent wasn't asking for much. Actually, it was dirt cheap. I've never had one but I've heard a lot of good things about them, so I figured why not! Honestly, it was one of the best purchases I've made in a long while! This amp sounds fantastic! I took it out for my last gig we played. I brought a Marshall as a backup but never needed it. I ran it through a 4x12 loaded with Greenbacks. I had many compliments on my sound. I was so happy with it's performance and sound that I couldn't believe I never thought of getting one earlier! Crate did a great job with that amp. This is definitely one of those hidden jems that I was fortunate to have found. It's rare you get such a pleasant surprise such as this when purchasing an amp. Usually it's the complete opposite. You hear good things, you take a chance and it turns out to be a huge Sonic mistake! The only other amp that I got cheap and it was such a pleasant surprise was a Marshall Mode Four. I'm not into solid state amps except for my Roland JC-120 and my Orange CR-120. Those are 2 exceptional solid state amps. If you can find a Mode Four cheap enough, it's well worth it! There are people who love them or hate them. If you take the time to work with dialing it in, it is a fantastic high gain amp! I figured if Dime Bag Darryl could use solid state amps to such great effect, it's worth a try. So if you find a Blue Voodo head or a Mode Four head for a good price, ignore the nay sayers. Take a chance. You might be surprised by the tones you can achieve! Also, thank you Brad for your videos! Not many people would record themselves and put it out for public consumption for fear of looking like a real moron. You show yourself, mistakes and all. That is what makes me truly respect you! Anyone could record themselves and edit out their mistakes. That isn't a true representation of anyone, especially working with electronics. It's not easy. Actually it's very complicated. So thank you once again! God bless you!

[@chucktaivalkoski7240]

Brad, just wanna say please continue all of your posting. You're entraining, knowledgeable and a damn good guitarist. I hope and pray things work out for you and your family. Blessings, Always Chuck

[@TheGuitologist]

Thanks Chuck.

[@rockdaddy2168]

Glad to see a new video from you. I need my electronics fix. These are Crates entry into a real pro amp. Sammy Hager has been using Crate Voodoos for years covered in RED of course. I had played one of these with a JBL120 and later a V30. Great tone. So I found a Voodoo 300 full stack with 4 V30s in the top cab and 2 15" in the bottom about 5 years ago. The cabs are 7 ply birch built like the rest of the pros. Supposedly the 300 watt RMS power section is based on the Ampeg SVT. It does have alot of tubes. It's a monster. Glad to see you again, Brad. Great video.

[@what1864]

thing sounds killer , one of the best sounding amps i've ever herd you demo ....

[@voodootattoo9057]

I have had several of these and also the Vintage Clubs and ever since the first one, I have always had to go through the solder joints with a magnifying glass and either re-flow or re-solder tons of cold joints. Once that was done though they are rock solid for many years.

[@glennselwitz1377]

You and uncle Doug never give up until you figure it out and fix it..I think that is absolutely brilliant...I miss your old work bench...

[@TheGuitologist]

I miss the old bench too. Keep watching and I'll steadily improve things and make the new place seem more and more like home. It just takes time.

[@anthonysilva5312]

You know what I love? The fact that you never give up. The engineer in me loves that.

[@justinlast2lastharder749]

Never played one of these...but my Crate GFX 212 will always hold a special place in my heart. It's the piece of gear that taught me "the volume switch on your guitar does actually have a function".

[@musterionsurly]

it's your openness about all the details that makes the video so extra instructional to us beginners Brad, it is rare and valuable instruction, thanks.

[@jimseals8659]

With respect to your comment about busting out the amp, that is a large part of what I enjoy about your videos. I get to see inside way more equipment than I would otherwise. Great Job Brad, keep on doing what you do!

[@sydvitale4998]

I have one of these and you are SO right about the construction. Another piece of the “unserviceability” on this amp is that the pots were apparently a proprietary deal. They are an odd size. I have one that actually broke (the shafts are plastic) and the only way I can get a replacement is to get an old crate amp. I thought, well...If I am going to have to remove the board to replace it, I’m going to replace them all. Even if I had to direct wire them. WRONG! Another fun issue is the pots are what supports the board in the front! What a nightmare! It’s a shame-I liked this amp.

[@brythecracker]

This is a great video! I like how you talk through it, sometimes our first assumptions aren’t correct, sometimes they are and every time we discover an opportunity to learn something🙂

[@johnleonard5641]

The Combo has a different schematic than the heads. You have a schematic for the head which has a solid state drive reverb. The Combos have a tube driven reverb and there should be a 12AU7 in the V4 Position. They only marked it on the schematic but no where else. The schematics marked BV-60 or 120 are the combos, the heads are marked BV-60H or 120H on the schematic.

[@nickdevriese]

Crate... now that brings back memories. Keep on being you, Brad. You have helped a lot of us with your help and support. Let us repay you.

[@TheGuitologist]

Watching and sharing is payment enough, my man. I appreciate it very much.

[@jwhite1016aol]

As a long time sub'r to this channel, this video and the persistence you demonstrated really impressed me. This video is a textbook example of why so many of us fell in love with this channel and its presenter and for that thanks from us all.

[@ArziDerErste]

Dude, in my Opinion this Board ist nice to repair. Huge components, singel Side PCB , easy to follows traces , enouh space to solder , No SMD... Sounds Like a dream

[@glareswitch]

Thanks for taking on that Crate Brad, brings back a lot of memories. My first rig as a teen was a Crate CR-1 and a Bently Les Paul copy.

[@generalmaxim]

Jeah Brad! I just think you are a honest man who does his job as good as he can!

[@joeman5220]

I have a Crate Vintage Club 5212 from 2001 (60 watt, 2 - 12" speakers) and it has the same self-biasing circuit. It seems like a good design and super loud if cranked. I agree that these amps are still prone to possible issues from the difficult to maintain PCB design as you mentioned before. Their Vintage Club line has a great Crunch on the distortion channel and the tone can be adjusted nicely through the effects loop.

[@DeadKoby]

I had the VC50310... I liked the sound of it.

[@joeman5220]

​@@DeadKoby Yes I think the tube choice and the tunability of these amps give you good sound at a lower price point than boutique amps. I still play through my Vintage Club at home to this day since it really plays anything very well. The only thing I have had to do with it is repair the amp footswitch. Crate had mounted the footswitch button on a small pcb board in the footswitch housing and it wore out the solder pad conenctions in the first few years. I had to solder wire to the on/off connections between the switch and pcb to make sure the switch always worked since the pad connections were too weak to stay soldered after being used.

[@jari7018]

@@THUNDERWORX Yes the combany made horrible act to cheapen parts and the motherboard. Carte bluevoodoo and vintage club amp where designed really good, but combany want more profit and debase to orginal design. Thats why there is shitty motherboard and some parts. I have 90ties VC3112 with blacktolex(normallly tolex is cream color) and it really rock. I'm first owner. There is one of the best clean tone what I have heard. I have to change all big electrolytics and after that I only have to change tubes few times. Main issue is that it was biasing really hot. (Eat el84 tubes faster than rest of 30watt amp what I have tested.) Cooling bias will be only modification what I will do on orginal design. Thanks for one of the best amp repair channels in youtube.

[@AvnerRosenstein-ULTRA-LXV]

I can't believe you got one of these in....I had one back in 97 and I pawned it for some phat dough. I love your channel man!

[@richardmerkin69]

Watching you work on old amps is more calming than an episode of Little House on the Prairie.

[@TheGuitologist]

Good night John Boy.

[@delakota555]

@@TheGuitologist Call yourself an American? That was the Waltons! 🙄 (and I'm a Brit)

[@TheGuitologist]

@@delakota555 All the same to me. I never watched either show.

[@mikeyv311]

I used to own one of these little guys when I was in high school! Great little amp for the bedroom...Nice and simple, 2 Channels, with Reverb and a bright switch. I truly enjoyed watching you fix this thing. I am learning a lot from your videos! Keep up the great work!

[@nicwilson89]

Great to see the long amp videos back! I've sorely missed your expertise

[@TheGuitologist]

Thanks for coming back to watch!

[@NateThunder]

Crate made great amps. I owned a few. The Blue Voodoo were sworn by all their owners, but started to get abandoned when no one would fix them.

[@TheGuitologist]

I can see why there would be a lot of broken ones out there techs refuse to take in.

[@NateThunder]

@@TheGuitologist I definitely remember Ray Toro using one of these before he went to JCMs. I loved MCRs tone on those first 3 albums.

[@vorpalblades]

25 years and I'm still playing one.

[@gnashvillecat6654]

I swear by my Blue Voodoo

[@mattjohnson8623]

He's back! Fantastic vid Brad. Loved the sleuthing around the problem. Great work👍

[@TheGuitologist]

Glad you enjoyed it.

[@GlobalMiles]

We all come for your work, your exploration, your trials which often takes on a near philosophical element. However...hearing you play, naturally, fluidly, masterfully is something far greater, deeper, healing and touches the divine. Play brother play.

[@TheGuitologist]

No idea why the outro music got dislodged. 🙄

[@alanthompson3493]

Brad, those Blue VooDoo amps were popular. Sammy Hagar had a Sig version, called the Red VooDoo (of course). Good to see you getting back into amps. Hope u are doing all right.

[@shytweedabone2663]

ripple edit?

[@LetArtsLive]

I have had KZbin delete my own song and say it was somebody else's

[@LetArtsLive]

Crate is the only app that I had that just quit working. The Marshall modeling amp heat up and goes off but it comes back on I think it needs a heat sync or a fan. The Peavey backstage 50 the only thing I bought new and it's made in USA has worked since 1990. The electric in my house is screwed up and the Reverb makes a funny noise.

[@LetArtsLive]

The orange CR 35 amp needs a new speaker because it can't handle the power I think. It was one of the last cheap ones they made with a spring reverb it sounds good when you keep it on low volume

[@w.rustylane5650]

I have a Crate 150 Power Block amp and I love it! Solid state and with a gain control that makes most tube amps weak in comparison. My wife says that I use all 150 watts.

[@PrinceWesterburg]

I have a Radford STA-15 hifi amp from 1963 that uses EL34s and it's self-biasing without that complex circuit! Had amps with a boards as dirty as that one, don't be afraid to just put them in the sink with sugar soap which gets all the crap off, rinse thoroughly and leave outside to bake in the sun, then flush the pots and theyare like new. No chemicals that'll eat the board over thew years either. The finished amp sounds well Brain May!!! :D

[@jasonhoudyschell666]

You are the MAN! When it comes to fixing and repairing Amps! You’re Amazing bro. Rock on Guitologist.

[@contrabandjoe7974]

This amp and Brad's difficulty to repair it illustrate perfectly what I've been saying for 20 years about the electronics industry (tv, stereo, appliances, amps etc). The engineering MO is to build them cheaply and so difficult and expensive to repair, they are NOT worth repairing. In other words, just buy a new one.. A broken $299.99 flat screen tv will cost more to repair then just buying a new one. It's planned obsolescence and economics.....

[@TheGuitologist]

This is unfortunately true. The only saving grace is if we keep sharing knowledge and schematics and help each other understand the common failures. That might make it possible for some techs to specialize in certain models that would otherwise be thrown away.

[@wingracer1614]

All true but also keep in mind that 299.99 flat screen TV would cost 1,000 if it was built better and more serviceable. Sure it would last longer and be cheap to repair if it did have a problem but far fewer people could afford it in the first place. I'd rather have a cheaply built TV that works and will work for ten years before being trash than no TV at all.

[@contrabandjoe7974]

@@wingracer1614 What you described was always an option when electronic items were built to last, circa 1920-1975.. Quality electronics from companies such as Fender, Gibson, Craftsman, GE, Westinghouse etc were alongside "entry" level cheaper brands such as Kay, Danelectro, Silvertone, Black & Decker, Sears etc... the difference is ALL those brands were/are repairable even today.. The only 2020 industry IMO that offers high quality and low quality equivalents is the Amplifier world. You can purchase a $5k boutique amp or $200 crate such as this video.. The boutique models are built to last AND can be serviced for a decent cost. The rest of the electronics industry seems to be vanilla and very subpar to average.. is there any difference in a $1k flatscreen tv in quality and repair ability vs a $299 Walmart sold tv? Not to my knowledge.

[@jcd13able]

If only they didn't try to save .01 cents and instead buy some quality capacitors then the tv's would last longer. I fixed my computer monitor by replacing a cheap capacitor instead of throwing it into garbage. The fact with the tv's is also that many people buy new tv's because of new technology even if their old one works fine. I tend to keep stuff around unless I must have some new tech and most of the time I don't.

[@jcd13able]

@Old man I also want things to last and so I'm now voting with my dollars. Companies won't understand anything else but money.

[@travistalkington9297]

Forget the haters, you get the amps fixed don’t you? Love watching your videos. I’ve learned a lot about how my amps work from watching your videos.

[@TheGuitologist]

When they’re fixable.

[@jefferybradford5936]

I loved the blue voodoo heads they were amazing for metal tones

[@presmasterflash7555]

Mine is great sound great. It’s not a Marshall and it is what it is. And it sounds great.

[@larrygrandelf6205]

I have the 60w head and 4x12 cab. I still use it!

[@mickdebergerac1143]

How good to see you doing the repairs again. Great to see you back and sounding happy. Get some happy stuff on the walls and brighten your workspace. I used to love seeing all the trinkets and stickers around you. Brad for president!!!!

[@endoffate5475]

I remember seeing ads in magazines with Marty friedman playing these Blue voodoos amps in the 90s..

[@thomasgwilliams7957]

Great to see you at work again! Great job! My fiance just ordered a native sons three inch strap for me. Woulnt know about them without your channel. Thanks Brad hope you are well! GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!

[@TheGuitologist]

Awesome, man! Let me know how the strap works out! I'm sure you're gonna love it.

[@jcd13able]

I would love to see some of these "tech experts" who criticize Brad expose their problem solving abilities on youtube in real time. I'm sure we would find a lot of them messing up as well. Brad, Uncle Doug, DLabs, they all make mistakes on the air and I'm fine with it. In the end all that matters is did they find the fault and did it fixed the amp. We're here for the detective approach.

[@thegreatcerebral]

Louis Rossman is still king though.

[@garam6555]

fixing tube amps for more than fifty years now, wondering why nobody really looks at circuits, or takes much notice of theory, really makes fixing things easier, with more reliable results, i just feel sorry for some of the amps, it's like amplifier blasphemy

[@williambrotherton9388]

About the people who question your abilities. You are a very knowledgeable as a troubleshooter. They should get their own channel. Well done!

[@TheGuitologist]

Nope. 99.9% of the time, 0 videos, 0 subscribers. It's way easier to throw peanuts from the monkey gallery than jump down into the fray.

[@Yupppi]

Heh... You never please everybody. I really appreciate going through the symptoms so the viewer witnesses with their own eyes and ears and can recognize the behavior if it happens to them. Even if it's a repetitive thing in multiple videos. Like emptying power supply caps. I bet not everyone who happens to see a video of yours necessarily watches all of them. Often your comments also trickle some wisdom when doing that. And it's true that you risk damage, but let's face it, the customer didn't just suddenly shut down the amp and decide it is faulty, they played it and noticed it happen. You kinda have to check the problem instead of randomly doing fixes blind and trusting the customer described everything accurately, without leaving anything out. But god damn it the PCB amps. Thanks for the content once again!

[@sski]

Great to see you again, Brad. That was quite the chase, but you nailed it. I have an original issue Crate CR-IIR that I've had for decades. The one that was built to look like it's an actual shipping crate? 60 watts and works just as well as the day it was built in the late 70's. It's a neat little piece of my, and guitar history. Be well my dude!

[@TheGuitologist]

I saw one of those at the Music Go Round last time I was in there. You don't see many of those floating around nowadays.

[@sski]

@@TheGuitologist I think I've seen maybe 3 in the last 10 years. They are rare in the wild.

[@Superjet113]

If you want to see a beast of a Crate head, check out the BV300H, 300 watt, all tube monster. It has 6 - 6550s, 2 - 12AU7s, 8 - 12AX7s.

[@jessemontano762]

Yeah. Massive

[@ronsampservice3066]

I bought a BV60H head from a guy about 6 years ago, it powered on, but no sound. Found 2 BROKEN 12ax7 tubes, had to reflow most solder joints, and replaced a couple large filter caps. One problem I've found on almost every Crate amp I've been into, is that the little push button switches, and the jacks all were dirty and losing contact. And just about every one had broken solder joints on the large filter caps and tube sockets. I didn't care a lot for the way Crate engineered the tone stacks. But found that if I used my BBE 462 Sonic Maximizer in the effects loop, that it really brought this amp to life! I still use this amp,

[@kiethyrich]

havent watched yet, but hurrah!!! another video. cheers brad

[@GuitarJawn]

My feeling every video

[@ivandee4011]

Brad, I had almost exactly the same problem with a CRATE GFX212 . I'm talking about intermittent signal loss, no channel switching, sometimes it would switch when you banged the top of it, etc. It turned out to be several cold solder joints on the main board, similar to what you found. Rock on dude!

[@rammalammadingdong1288]

I own the turbo valve 6212. From what I can tell they're very similar if not the same. It also has an auto bias. You can use 6l6 or el34 tubes in it. I prefer the el34 tubes for a little more of a British flavor and earlier breakup.

[@dougshepard6948]

Nice job, I had an early Blue voodoo 6212, basically the same amp with 2 12's. I had an issue with mine not quite as severe, but still unnerving. I would play for a bit and then the sound would just stop. I'm not an electronics person so I took it to a shop in Dallas, they supposedly fixed it. They said it was a fuse, got it home played for about a minute and then nothing. Got a hold of a schematic, much like yours didn't match my amp, but anyway took it apart and was a simple fix fortunately, one of the push on connectors was sloppy and barely making contact. Tightened it up, replaced fuse and all was right with the world. People like to bag on them, but they really are decent amps for the price.

[@davidmolina3520]

Glad to see you back in the saddle again 🎶

[@davetbassbos]

I had a Crate Vintage Club from that same period, made in US, fantastic sounding amp!

[@psymetal]

i rebuilt one of these into a marshall 18watt using el34s using the stock transformers. i got it cheep as the board was fried. had to make a faceplate though. sounded great.

[@TheGuitologist]

That's probably a good idea for a better amp long term.

[@kampfkustomer2343]

Got a linky to a writeup on that? Really not a bad idea, especially if you got a cheap CL amp with problems for peanuts.

[@booitsnick]

Got a 50 watt stealth combo for 125 bucks because it had no sound and one cold output tube just like this. Opened it up and they where mounted the same way and the same pins where broken so thank you very much for this because I now have my dream amp. Lee Jackson is my neighbor which is funny because I know him Andi told him I got a new amp and when I showed it to him, he just chuckled

[@goodun2974]

I encountered very similar problems with 2 somewhat different 1960s Ampeg Jet amps. Very low output because of dead or off spec resistors in the phase inverter circuit. SLM, who owns Crate, also bought Ampeg back in the 1980s, I think it was. Makes me wonder if this amplifier was using circuits similar to some of the older Ampegs.... And yes, some of the resistor values were unusual and I had to order them because I didn't have them in stock.

[@TheGuitologist]

The 82K in that position is common on Marshalls and Fenders, but I just don't stock it because it rarely goes bad in an amp that has it. If I built clones a lot I'd definitely keep it in stock, probably will now going forward anyway.

[@timbritt8005]

I am surprised at those that would be so critical ... You are being generous to provide all this info .. forget the critics .. that is my polite way of saying that statement

[@tritontr21]

Those first pins you repaired had clear signs of liquid contamination too. The white looking corrosion = liquid damage.

[@floatncoffee]

Dude! Don’t give ANY hater the time of day.. Just keep doing what ya do 👌

[@danieltravis5082]

I gigged one of these forever. I still have the v30 4x12. I use my Larry Grohmann Dino with a crate cabinet 🤣🤣🤣

[@whatyoumakeofit6635]

Ya. Ive picked up a few of those cabs cheap over the years. Just look through the speaker grating to see what size the center caps are. If they are small....score. if they are big....still a score. The cabinets are birch ply. Great cabs

[@danieltravis5082]

@@whatyoumakeofit6635 it's been my main touring and gigging 4x12 for years. Its just funny that I have a 6000$ amp on top of a crate cabinet.

[@kampfkustomer2343]

@@whatyoumakeofit6635 the "Crate" speakers are USA Eminences and one of their most popular designs to boot. Sad how many were unceremoniously chucked over the years.

[@Twin_Flyer]

My first job in '82 was working on an electronics repair shop and boards like that were the norm then. Nice to see some real trouble shooting when working on a project. Too many other channels discuss it, but skip over it on the video which can make it hard to understand exactly what was going on. Everything today is designed to be thrown out and not serviced. Nice work with that repair!

[@metalguitarfailarmy5213]

I have two Blue Voodoo heads, and one of the main problems is the "self-biasing" circuit. According to my repair guy, people get into trouble by changing the tubes, which have different values than the Sovteks it was engineered to mate with. My BVH 50 (small head) (Video clip kzbin.info/www/bejne/baOvkGZ6bamGaqc ) had to have, a manual bias setup installed to deal with the problem and different tubes I put in, for it was overheating. Now it works great, I do not abuse it. I also have the larger BVH60, and put a whole set of Sovteks inside, to replace the set of Mesa, and Marshall tubes somebody stuck in it. (Video clip kzbin.info/www/bejne/q6XPipiVm7Bod5I

[@markanderson2145]

A Ma Zing! Your dedication to this Amp is beyond astonishing. The proof is in the outstanding clarity and full bodied sound ( results ) that you got after you weaved your Magic repair!!! Bravo my friend. 👏 I hope someday to meet you in person with an Amp that needs your Touch. Beyond Magnificent!!!!!

[@SeanKerns]

Some of the Crate amps from the 90's and early aughts were great sounding. I had a couple of the Palomino amps that were great. But man, if you have to work on them... All of them had pots that just stopped working, and when I contacted SLM before they went out of business, they told me they sourced those amps and couldn't get parts. Had to source replacement pots from the European distributor.

[@stevenrose6824]

They didn't go out of business, at all. They sold off a lot of brands, but got back Alvarez. They still do a lot.

[@zakklee2556]

Please , i need pots for a crate, share the info on the European supplier.

[@edwincarine9042]

I have a BV60, and the channel & boost switching works on the panel but not the foot switch. The foot switch buzzes out fine, tip to sleeve and ring to sleeve, on & off. I'm supposing the on-board jack solder joints need to be re-done, but I need some support to pull the board...

[@doctorwacky5680]

Hey Brad this is funny that you’re working on this. I’ve got a friend who contacted me last week and wants me to take a look at an exact same amplifier. With the exact same problem

[@williambock1821]

Hey Brad if you get tired of criticism just remember that thanx to channels like yours and Uncle Doug’s, guys like me now have 4 or 5 great sounding hand wired home built amps to play and are fixing friends’ amps for much less than they’d have to pay guitar center! Also, this type of video especially is incredibly helpful for those of us who are getting to the point where they can start going beyond the basics of vintage amp design. Thanx!

[@wingracer1614]

This is when it helps to have about 20 different colors of fingernail polish handy. Put a dot on the connector, a dot on the board, switch colors and repeat.

[@jcd13able]

Or use colored zipties.

[@TheGuitologist]

Good thing I love to paint my nails all those different colors.

[@nelliejones1]

Brother, I live for your vids like this. They're therapeutic. The repair section I spend running thru guitar exercises and warm ups. I'm usually done by the time the repair is, and I usually quit playing for a minute to just listen to you playing the "demo". I know you've been going thru some shit bro. Been there. I waited to watch this until I had time to do what I just said, and really appreciate it. It was really good to hear you play again. I guess that's really what I'm getting at. Chin up brother. Amp sounded good and so did you. Thank you!

[@TheGuitologist]

Thanks Greg. I appreciate that very much. One day at a time, Sweet Jesus. :)

[@imannonymous7707]

I remember when guitar magazines were plastered with crate ads...... this should be revealing

[@TheGuitologist]

Back when people still read guitar magazines. Now all the magazines have become KZbin channels.

[@imannonymous7707]

@@TheGuitologist ya tru dat too.. ..you do great work ...so thank ya

[@Superjet113]

Ya, I remember Marty Friedman played a Blue voodoo stack and I remember seeing that back in the day in Guitar Player magazine.

[@RHR-221b]

I removed my previous comment because it was shite. Apologies. Thanks again, B. I have seen the Errors of My Ways, while posting ... kzbin.info/www/bejne/faS5n6ybi8Sdg9k Pelters welcome. 🤔

[@homersreluctantodyssey2508]

yup i remember those ads!! guess ads do work

[@williambrotherton9388]

About the people who question your abilities. You are a very knowledgeable as a troubleshooter. They should get their own channel.

[@TheAxe4Ever]

Back when I couldn’t afford a Marshall or boutique amp, I bought a Crate Blue VooDoo 120 watt head and matching 4x12 cab and I got some really good tones from it. Enough to where me and my band were constantly playing out and I could save for the amp I wanted. I always thought these got a bad rap from what I call “badge whores” or “name snobs”. These old Blue VooDoos are certainly no worse than a lot of Marshall’s coming out today.

[@powerkor]

I thought the 120 watt head was way too loud

[@MrGTO-ze7vb]

I have a Crate V-50 tube amp... got it for only $200. in Benicia, Ca at a music studio and jam center. It works perfectly after I pulled out the tubes and cleaned the sockets. When I pulled up in front of the building there was a Ferrari parked outside. I walked in the front door and Sammy Hagar was hanging out checking out a custom Eastwood Wolf Wood guitar. He plugged it into the Crate amp and cranked out a few vintage cords.... I was in VH Heaven..!!

[@johnmonroney8614]

9:40 "I'm gonna flip it off." That's how I'd deal with it too Brad !

[@joeyvanostrand3655]

I had a 2x12 when I was a kid. I have regretted selling it ever since. I have been actively looking for one for the past year or so. This video may have cured me. I don't want to have a service nightmare on my hands.

[@RedEyedPatriot]

Brad I've got a Peavy amp I'd like to give you...ill be in Louisville in a couple weeks...im 10 miles outta Richmond Kentucky

[@TheGuitologist]

Thanks dude. Holler if you want to hook up. bradlinzy at gmail

[@RedEyedPatriot]

@@TheGuitologist gotcha man 😎

[@roncarter2188]

The lighting sets the mood to the end of another successful repair. 👍

[@sidgar1]

I wish they made the Song app for Android. I would like to have instant access to all those chord diagrams whenever I wanted 😢

[@lordhydromage6614]

We too would like to put out an android version. We honestly thought we would sell millions on copies on itunes app store and then we could afford to build the android but it did not happen. We are going to do a kickstarter once the pandemic passes. We are a passion project made possible by a ton of work by 4 people. And our computer person was a iphone writer. What should have cost 150,000$ build was done for a fraction of that due to the belief of partners that we had done something awesome and it would pay off in the end. And it may still but reality in app business is the same as any business and that is great products require great marketing and thats is why we are very happy to sponsor people like Brad to get the word out about our cool database of chords organized into keys. Hopefully one day soon we will hit critical mass and take off in sales and we can proceed with building an android version....Peace Uncle Brent 1/4 founder of Song

[@TheGuitologist]

Yeah, the developer told me if they sell enough of the ios version, they'll consider doing Android.

[@thelokifiles]

@@TheGuitologist fascists. ;)

[@ananymouboy7914]

Came for the amp stayed for the amazing playing. Great job.

[@TheGuitologist]

Thanks dude!

[@orchurch]

We always called them Blue DooDoo at the store. WD 40 ? I've seen some pretty bad results of people trying to clean the electronics of guitars & amps using it.

[@1peanut]

wd 40 is Non conducting. it will cause all kinds of issues.

[@dangeruss001]

I have the bv120 head, had to revoice it a lil bit, change a couple caps and resistors. I still need to rework the negative feed back for the presence. It's still a bit harsh past about half-way. But it's a solid metal amp now holds its own with the dual recs and 5150s. I think I have about 400$ bucks in it. Been playing it for over 10 years now. Can't beat the value. I'v been considering buying another one just to gut it and and reuse the iron, the pots, jacks and box to build something custom.

[@lasancheofficial1933]

The Blue Blue Voodoos are one of Glenn Tipton’s favorite amps and still finds it’s way on all Judas Priest albums since he got his.

[@derekmc9580]

Let the haters hate man. Great video. I really love how you don’t try to make yourself sound like your some kind of electrical engineer when your explaining the job. it makes it so Someone can actually understand what your doing and explaining. My first amp was a crate so I was excited to see this one 🤘😎👍.

[@TheGuitologist]

My first half stack was a SS Crate. It was a G120C XL. Not a good amp in hindsight, but at the time, I was thrilled to own it, and it did metal, so that's all I cared about.

[@xray606]

Wait... You're saying that spraying maple syrup inside your amp, is a bad idea? I'm just asking for a friend.

[@valuedhumanoid6574]

I used to have a Crate Kustom with this crazy red sparkling padding covering the whole amp! It was so 70's. It had a clean tone that was so nice and crystal clear with all the headroom you wanted. 100% solid state and with a touch of reverb and a little chorus, you had the best tone ever. Wish I still had it.

[@stevenrose6824]

No, you didn't. You either had a Kustom or a Crate. Totally different companies. Sounds like a Kustom tuck-n-roll. They are covered in Naugahyde.

[@jasonrackawack9369]

Crate, what ya got left over after you chuck the crappy speaker and electronics. We need an episode where Brad de-crappifies an old Gorilla practice amp and tweeks it to recording studio grade perfection......uh nah I guess it would just be easier to stick the Gorilla badges on a decent amp and fool people that way.

[@misterknightowlandco]

Nothing screams like a gorilla

[@cabinetdad75]

New Tech Video! Welcome back brother! Hope things are lookin up for ya!

[@TheGuitologist]

Thanks man. Good to be back.

[@brentjohnson5171]

The Crate Blue Voodoo is the perfect amp for the guy that "needs" a half stack and doesn't care how it sounds.

[@breakfastbuddy5]

well you have to turn the noobs , try that the next time ,

[@brentjohnson5171]

@@breakfastbuddy5 I've made my living as an internationally touring artist for 20 years. I am extremely fortunate that after so much time you have come along to teach me that the knobs on an amplifier have an effect on how an amp sounds. If only you had told me sooner...

[@breakfastbuddy5]

@@brentjohnson5171 he he , have a good day , be blessed , the future my be bright ,

[@soulfare333]

@@brentjohnson5171 the BV300 and Gold Block letter BVs with the Dark Blue tolex without the blue around the knobs sound amazing.

[@brentjohnson5171]

@@soulfare333 I'll have to see if I can find one. If I remember right these were Lee Jackson designed, and he certainly knows what he's doing. Maybe I haven't played the right version. I'll keep my eye out for one like you described.

[@mark5150ty]

I think I think the Brown goop inside the tube sockets and also the amp could very well be nicotine stains I have had that same issue repairing radios back in the 90s. The chassis definitely not airtight the way it is constructed , cigarette smoke could have easily gotten inside especially if the previous owner was a chain smoker.

[@silverpairaducks]

I got a buddy who has sworn by these since the 90s.

[@joeman5220]

The Blue Voodoo heads were endorsed by Marty Friedman, possibly starting while Megadeth were creating or touring for Youthanasia. I think the guitarist from POD used it as well when they first started to get famous.

[@TheGuitologist]

No shame in that. They are definitely capable of some juicy tones, particularly on the dirty channel with boost on, but the serviceability would scare me away from buying one unless I was just getting a great deal.

[@whatyoumakeofit6635]

@@joeman5220 marty only used the 200 watt head. He used another preamp of some sort and ran it into the power amp of the blue voodoo.

[@silverpairaducks]

@@TheGuitologist I think it was just the first "real" amp he could afford...so it will always sound awesome

[@joeman5220]

@@whatyoumakeofit6635 I saw on his wikipedia that he used it as a power amp, which is also a useful thing for gigging musicians. I think Marcos Curiel may have used it for his sound on the first 1 or 2 POD albums though, because I remember it being in a guitar magazine back then. It also looks like John 5 was using them back then as well.

[@RHR-221b]

And that is all there is to it! Thank you, Brad L. You are never alone. Love an' that. R 💚

[@AndrewAHayes]

Another example of a disposable electronic product, making something that is difficult to repair guarantees the industry another sale when things go wrong.

[@DaveFreyJr]

I was thinking about buying this amp off of Facebook Marketplace but after seeing this video I think I'll buy a voxac15c1. Great video man. I've been a fan for several months..your KZbin chasle is going to be successful..psionic audio is another great channel

[@Bluesman78]

The fading out on these amps are 99 out of 100 times a dirty FX loop.

[@RHR-221b]

No dry joints? [UK exemplar] Stay free, M S,. 😷... R 😎

[@roaddog7542]

Yep. Picked up mint Peaveys and Crates over the years for under $50 because the owners thought they were fried. Dirty FX loop jacks were cleaned and they worked like new. To this day still don't understand how this kills amp output. Had a redstripe Bandit pull this stunt years ago at a gig. Five minutes of fine and then nothing. Luckily brought another for backup. Researched online forums the next day and through others found this quick fix.

[@RHR-221b]

@@roaddog7542 🔊 😎

[@Starcrunch72]

Yup...first step, wiggle input, second step, wiggle output, third step--bypass patch cable in/out on FX loop--however this amp definately had more going on before getting to that

[@russellhltn1396]

Brad: It doesn't need to be too precise. Schematic: 1% resistor. Glad to see you're back to doing amps!

[@contrabandjoe7974]

The greasy stuff looks like WD-40 to me...

[@TheGuitologist]

I agree. I think it's something like that. PB Blast or WD40 maybe

[@Domino81]

@@TheGuitologist Both of those things have a pretty distinctive aromas... lol

[@mcamilleri4723]

Looks like lanolin spray to me

[@Starcrunch72]

yup--2 tube sockets and all pots hosed with WD--"Serviced" by the other shop--ship it

[@cyrilst-m9890]

Yup, what i was about to say : wd40...

[@davidsotomayor8713]

These were the same cabinet and chassis as the SLM era Ampeg VT-60/120 combo, totally different circuits though. If I remember correctly these came out shortly after the VT-60/120 was discontinued. They probably had a bunch of unused cabs and chassis lying around. While the VT-60/120 did have some issues of their own they were significantly better sounding amps. They also came with some cool features such as a triode/pentode switch for 1/3 power. The 120 also had a 1/2 power switch that could be used in conjunction with the triode/pentode switch for 20, 40, 60, and 120 watt operation. The user manual also claims it can run 6L6 OR EL34's utilizing only the bias adjustment. However, the screen resistors are 470R, which is fine for 6L6's but 1K would be more appropriate for EL34's. Still pretty cool tho, tube driven reverb too.

[@mikesims4286]

I have a blue voodoo head with 4 12 cab, it sounded muddy so I put a more ahitty set of groove tubes in it now it sounds like a 60's alamo..lol but I love it

[@TheGuitologist]

Hey man, a 60s Alamo is a kickass little amp!

[@Mr2006explorer]

@@TheGuitologist speaking of Alamo amps, I have an Alamo Capri. Would you fix it for me?

[@georgeescaped6035]

Looks like maple syrup..taste it! ( heh heh) thanks for the video good to have you back stay positive!

[@TheGuitologist]

I am fully familiar with the look and feel of maple syrup on every vital body part. Don't ask me how I know. It involves a long weekend stranded in the Adirondacks with the Swedish bikini team.

[@georgeescaped6035]

@@TheGuitologist NICE!!!!!

[@PapaWheelie1]

@@TheGuitologist - did you bring it up slow on the variac first or just hit the switch and go?