if you don't want to spend the money to get a real amp, you don't need a stack. and if you don't need a stack, you definetely don't need a crate stack. i own a crate practice amp. it is fine for practice but i wouldn't hesitate to say it sounds like crap and that every amp crate has ever made sounds like crap.
understand that even if you're looking at used stuff, a real head and cabinet are going to run you about $1000. unless you will actually be pushing so much air that 1 or 2 12" speakers can't handle it (and they can push a lot of air), then you are way better off with a top-name combo amp. For $800 you might even be able to get yourself a brand new Marshall tube combo that would play at least as loud as the Crate, despite what their "wattage" ratings might indicate. I personally play a Marshall half stack as my "main" rig, but I play in a LOUD rock band, and regularly turn my 100 watt tube amp up to 6 during practices, and 9 during recording. i HAVE to have 4 of my type of speaker just to handle the power. but understand that this level of volume is way beyond anything you will ever approach at home. no, really. if you played that loud, you'd have neighbors a block away calling the cops. you can't even stand in the same room with one at recording volume. we put the cabinet in a room by itself and seal it up, and even in pro studios, it leaks into the control room and distorts all but the hardiest microphones. so my point is, you don't need a half stack. it won't sound better. it's just gonna take up space, be heavy as hell, and never be put to use. you're much better off getting a really good sounding combo than a crappy sounding stack.
edit: two other points: a lower wattage tube amp turned up higher will sound better than a higher wattage tube amp turned lower. this is why i record with my amp at 9. now, a high wattage amp at 9 will sound better than a low wattage amp at 9, but as i already said, you won't ever be able to play the high wattage amp at 9, so don't even think about it.
second, "gigging" is ironically the LEAST demanding application a professional musician's amp will ever encounter. nearly every place you play will have a PA with a sound guy who will insist on micing you and keeping your "stage" level low. so my big Marshall lugs along at 2 or 3 when i play even big venues. shows without amp micing are generally in rooms so small that you can't turn it up too loud without killing your audience, anyway. even punk rock kids have pain thresholds that will be rapidly exceeded by a big amp. so you definetely don't need the big one for gigging. it really just comes down to recording tones, to be honest, and that's a big price to pay (and weight to carry) for recording, if you aren't even in a recording band!
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