ive only had this set up for a month so unless it dies i wont be getting any other for a while unless i want a divorce, but ive had a crate b4 and it ran well i just wasnt satisfied with the sound. i chose this product because i played one in a store with a marshall cabinet, and the 2 of them combined sounds great, i just think crate needs to get there act together on there cabinets and maybe give new customers a call and ask there opinion. i wish i knew that the 3 way cord isnt included so i didnt have to hunt one down, and i wish i listened closer b4 when i was testing this, i would have ordered a boss digital delay to conclude the set up.

Sound
the sound of the crate flex wave 120 is above what crate has had in the past, i rank it up there with the randalls, peaveys (not 5150 or jsx) and equal to the marshall solid state heads. the quality of the sound in the clean channel is shimmering and solid its a good quality clean channel, the 2nd channel is not so good and reminds me of the old crate gt 60 head which is why i got rid of it years ago, now the 3rd channel is full out war when it comes to shredding, if you need more drive and gain then nothing will make you happy short of an ice pick to your ear. the sound is not only expressive on the clean and 3rd channel but it helps articulate single note runs superbly. the head achives the sound in both the clean 1st channel and the dirty 3rd channel that im trying to get. my musical style ranges from… read more classical to jazz to rock to metal, anything that inspires me to play. yes on this head some sounds are better than others but thats my paticular ear not others. by itself the head sounds good. ive only used this head with a marshall 4x12 angled cab with celestian speakers and it stands on its own. live vs recording i wouldnt know. in diff settings ive tried all around my home and with a few tweaks it sounds fine it adapts quite nice. with this head im using a marshall 4x12 cabinet loaded with celestian 50 watt speakers and a crybaby wah wah. to make this product sound better i would get rid of a few of the effects in the head starting with the phaser and flanger, keep the chorus but give it a lil more shimmer. the reverb is outstanding. and the delay needs to be beefed up, on full its a slight repeat so i plan on running the effects off and keeping the reverb on all the time. ill pick up a boss digital delay pedal and have a bit more delay.

Features
yes the head came with a good foot pedal to switch channels even though the only real good channels are the clean and nasty. the middle channel is less desired in my case but others may disagree. as far as missing accessories crate needs give a y connector with this head im running a wah thru the front because no one here has a stereo to mono 3 way plug for the effects processor so ill have to order the crate 3 way cable.the least use features are the phase and flange effects. features i wish it had would be a better middle channel a roland jazz chorus middle channel would be cool.

Ease of Use
i took it out of the box, read the manual, plugged it in and started to play. i fiddled with the d.s.p and and all the controls and had a good sound in prob 10 minutes. the effects loop 3 way cord pissed me off though.the manual was clear it explained enough, if you need anymore explination you should get a pignose amp. very playable.

Quality
i ordered the new head from zz sounds ( by the way zzounds kicks serious ass with there quick shiipng and low prices)the quality is great the fit and finish is way above what crate was yrs ago. reliable? so far so good. i would use this on the road if i had to but im a play at home musician.

Value
the crate flexwave 120 is a good solid state head for a good price. i would highly recomend it to beginners and intermediate players. im sure that a few experts would use this but they can afford the old marshall heads and the mesa boogies. but for us workin stiffs this is a excellent value in guitar heads.

Manufacturer Support
i havent had to deal with crate yet. but zzounds is the best

The Wow Factor
sex appeal? did i buy a porno star or a guitar head? ok ill look at it and think sexy.... allright it looks sexy , and it looks like the old hiwatt heads from 1980. wow i think it looks sexy sitting on my marshall cabinet. whats really sexy is that cool pedal that lights up the whole frickin room when u hit the crunch 3rd channel, yahhhoooo...

Musical Background:
hobbyist

Musical Style:
anything that inspires read less