Blackstar amps.
- Thread starter mantis
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Re: Blackstar amps.
I'm not really sure if I should chip in here, as I mainly used My HT 50 for the boutique clean channel it had. I use some nice drive pedals, and the gain channel was really poor by comparison. If you like modern gain you'd probably be OK, as its certainly voiced this way.
The Clean was quite nice too....but much too bassy for adding drive pedals to, so in the end I sold it.
I'm not really sure if I should chip in here, as I mainly used My HT 50 for the boutique clean channel it had. I use some nice drive pedals, and the gain channel was really poor by comparison. If you like modern gain you'd probably be OK, as its certainly voiced this way.
The Clean was quite nice too....but much too bassy for adding drive pedals to, so in the end I sold it.
youngthrasher9
New member
Re: Blackstar amps.
It depends on what you want out of an amp.
I own an HT-20 head. I'll do my best to explain it's quirks.
It has an ISF knob that in so many words is supposed to adjust to more British sounding or more American sounding. My problems with this feature: when trying to get metal and rock tones, turned to sound American, it's too thin sounding to sound like a Recto, and when turned to sound more British, it's too smooth sounding to sound like a JCM800.
After about 1 o'clock on the gain knob, it kinda stops adding aggression and keeps adding saturation. So if you are looking for an amp for extreme metal, beware. It won't do Black, or Death tones without a boost of some sort.
The clean sound is pretty good. I've gotten pretty good clean tones with a split '59/Custom hybrid and a split '59n. I'm not a clean tone afficianado like some of the guys here. Don't get me wrong, I love a good clean sound. That said, I've never played on a Fender tube amp.
It depends on what you want out of an amp.
I own an HT-20 head. I'll do my best to explain it's quirks.
It has an ISF knob that in so many words is supposed to adjust to more British sounding or more American sounding. My problems with this feature: when trying to get metal and rock tones, turned to sound American, it's too thin sounding to sound like a Recto, and when turned to sound more British, it's too smooth sounding to sound like a JCM800.
After about 1 o'clock on the gain knob, it kinda stops adding aggression and keeps adding saturation. So if you are looking for an amp for extreme metal, beware. It won't do Black, or Death tones without a boost of some sort.
The clean sound is pretty good. I've gotten pretty good clean tones with a split '59/Custom hybrid and a split '59n. I'm not a clean tone afficianado like some of the guys here. Don't get me wrong, I love a good clean sound. That said, I've never played on a Fender tube amp.
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OsvyRock
New member
Re: Blackstar amps.
I have a HT-40, and it covers all my bases.
With a Blackstar Amp you're entering the ''big leagues'' of amps. They can get a lot of things done. You just need the right gear or extra boost of things. If you want the ''Fender cleans'' just use a high toned (bright) OD in top of the clean modern channel with the tone at 3 o' clock. If not.... you get the darker Marshall/Vox clean tones. From the od channel, you can get quite a lot of things from breakup tone, vintage tone, to a hard rock type of tone. Here's a live (Soda Stereo cover) video so you can appreciate the amp hard rocker type of tone. (NO PEDALS, except wah for the solo*)
I have a HT-40, and it covers all my bases.
With a Blackstar Amp you're entering the ''big leagues'' of amps. They can get a lot of things done. You just need the right gear or extra boost of things. If you want the ''Fender cleans'' just use a high toned (bright) OD in top of the clean modern channel with the tone at 3 o' clock. If not.... you get the darker Marshall/Vox clean tones. From the od channel, you can get quite a lot of things from breakup tone, vintage tone, to a hard rock type of tone. Here's a live (Soda Stereo cover) video so you can appreciate the amp hard rocker type of tone. (NO PEDALS, except wah for the solo*)
IM4Tone
New member
Re: Blackstar amps.
The clean channel is quite clean...not quite Fender Twin pristine clean, but very clean. It does NOT share the EQ with the drive channel (ISF), but has one single 'tone' knob. Don't know where that came from, but it certainly isn't so. The clean channel takes pedals well, but the drive channel compresses too much for OD/Distortion pedals...besides, I can't imagine wanting more distortion than it puts out. A clean boost or EQ in-the-loop works well for the drive channel when a solo boost is needed.
I think the amp is a good one for hard rock, but less so for the older rock that I play. I don't use it much anymore, so I listed it to sell for that reason, for a reasonable price of $325, but no takers. Amps aren't moving well in this area.
I have an HT20 Head also. It's a decent amp. The drive channel is more gain than I care for with the music I play (60's/70's R&R). I tamed it with a 12AY7 in V1 which helped a lot. It still has more than I care for and sounds best at volumes higher than I normally play.
The clean channel is quite clean...not quite Fender Twin pristine clean, but very clean. It does NOT share the EQ with the drive channel (ISF), but has one single 'tone' knob. Don't know where that came from, but it certainly isn't so. The clean channel takes pedals well, but the drive channel compresses too much for OD/Distortion pedals...besides, I can't imagine wanting more distortion than it puts out. A clean boost or EQ in-the-loop works well for the drive channel when a solo boost is needed.
I think the amp is a good one for hard rock, but less so for the older rock that I play. I don't use it much anymore, so I listed it to sell for that reason, for a reasonable price of $325, but no takers. Amps aren't moving well in this area.
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mantis
New member
Re: Blackstar amps.
Absolutely chime in Bro , you owned one so you have a very valid opinion. Thank you.
mantis
New member
Re: Blackstar amps.
Thank you for the comments.
As a guitar player , do yourself a favor and play a Fender Twin Reverb. All guitarist of all styles should at least hear what they sound like crystal clear. Fender Twins are IMO and many others the cleanest amps ever made. It's a pure treat to play through one. Another good value of a Twin is you can really hear differences between different guitars.
Thank you for the comments.
mantis
New member
IM4Tone
New member
Re: Blackstar amps.
Agreed, BUT very heavy and LOUD! Many on the used market these days, and that's why; not for lack of tone.
UberMetalDood
New member
Re: Blackstar amps.
I owned an HT100 and beat it but it worked great no matter what. It sounded really, really good. It was very versatile and had a great master volume to tame the 100w for home use. The cleans weren't boutique quality, but very useable and sounds great with a touch of delay or reverb.
Then I bought a Series One 100 and boy was I satisfied. I used to wonder how much better they could be than the HT stuff, but man it's a totally different sound and feel. The HT stuff are pure tube amps no doubt; however, all of the qualities you look for in boutique tube amps are present in the Series One and Artisan stuff. I absolutely love the Series One head. It has an interesting power scaling feature that doesn't just make it operate at lower wattages, it does something with the valves that makes them put out like the amp is on 10 but at low volume.
What sets the Series One stuff apart from the HT stuff besides the tone and all, is the feel. The HT to me felt a little stiff or dry or something like that. It would be analogous to walking on a dish sponge vs walking on memory foam. The S1 has a great natural feel with a little tube sag. I could make a great comparison with the 101b, but you would have to be very familiar with the 101b to understand it. Basically, the 101b has a very special feel which I can only describe as punchy. Even when you're playing legato, the 101b responds and sounds almost as if the notes are picked. It's precise and unforgiving yet liquid and responsive. Now compare that to the Series One and, basically, the Series One has a saggier more classic feel but still sounds nearly as punchy as the 101b.
The punchiness and feel is important to me. I've recorded some stuff with it and felt like I didn't quite catch some of the notes the way I wanted, but when I go back and listen to the recording, the notes have enough punch to still sound like I caught them right. I don't know if that makes sense to anyone else but me. All I can say is that feel and response is nearly as important to me as tone, and the Series One stuff has it.
They're pricy, but really worth the money. The only complaint I have about them is that the tolex scratches, dents and gouges easily. It's kind of a soft matte tolex that seems almost organic the way that it picks up scars and abrasions. Other than that I have no complaints at all. The FX loop is great and works with all of my pedals and FX processors. If you want something more classic, the Artisan stuff is awesome. They got the Class A stuff going in the Artisan line, and those amps start making magic when you turn up the volume knob.
I agree that most people can build their reference to clean tones on Fender amps. I have a Blues Junior that has great cleans, but not even as good as the legendary Fender stuff. I have had it sitting next to some very high end amps and it made some of those amps sound like they had a mediocre clean channel. Fenders are more accessible than boutique stuff like Matchless. However, if someone can get their hands on a Matchless then they will know what those boutique enthusiasts mean by terms like shimmering, blossom, 3 dimensional, etc...
I owned an HT100 and beat it but it worked great no matter what. It sounded really, really good. It was very versatile and had a great master volume to tame the 100w for home use. The cleans weren't boutique quality, but very useable and sounds great with a touch of delay or reverb.
Then I bought a Series One 100 and boy was I satisfied. I used to wonder how much better they could be than the HT stuff, but man it's a totally different sound and feel. The HT stuff are pure tube amps no doubt; however, all of the qualities you look for in boutique tube amps are present in the Series One and Artisan stuff. I absolutely love the Series One head. It has an interesting power scaling feature that doesn't just make it operate at lower wattages, it does something with the valves that makes them put out like the amp is on 10 but at low volume.
What sets the Series One stuff apart from the HT stuff besides the tone and all, is the feel. The HT to me felt a little stiff or dry or something like that. It would be analogous to walking on a dish sponge vs walking on memory foam. The S1 has a great natural feel with a little tube sag. I could make a great comparison with the 101b, but you would have to be very familiar with the 101b to understand it. Basically, the 101b has a very special feel which I can only describe as punchy. Even when you're playing legato, the 101b responds and sounds almost as if the notes are picked. It's precise and unforgiving yet liquid and responsive. Now compare that to the Series One and, basically, the Series One has a saggier more classic feel but still sounds nearly as punchy as the 101b.
The punchiness and feel is important to me. I've recorded some stuff with it and felt like I didn't quite catch some of the notes the way I wanted, but when I go back and listen to the recording, the notes have enough punch to still sound like I caught them right. I don't know if that makes sense to anyone else but me. All I can say is that feel and response is nearly as important to me as tone, and the Series One stuff has it.
They're pricy, but really worth the money. The only complaint I have about them is that the tolex scratches, dents and gouges easily. It's kind of a soft matte tolex that seems almost organic the way that it picks up scars and abrasions. Other than that I have no complaints at all. The FX loop is great and works with all of my pedals and FX processors. If you want something more classic, the Artisan stuff is awesome. They got the Class A stuff going in the Artisan line, and those amps start making magic when you turn up the volume knob.
I agree that most people can build their reference to clean tones on Fender amps. I have a Blues Junior that has great cleans, but not even as good as the legendary Fender stuff. I have had it sitting next to some very high end amps and it made some of those amps sound like they had a mediocre clean channel. Fenders are more accessible than boutique stuff like Matchless. However, if someone can get their hands on a Matchless then they will know what those boutique enthusiasts mean by terms like shimmering, blossom, 3 dimensional, etc...
youngthrasher9
New member
Re: Blackstar amps.
Thanks for the correction. Shows how much I use the clean channel.
Thanks for the correction. Shows how much I use the clean channel.
OsvyRock
New member
Re: Blackstar amps.
If I find other live videos of me playing the Blackstar in other musical genres and situations, I'll post it here!
I say you get a lot for your money with a Blackstar HT-40. I really like it for pop, rock, blues, latin, etc.
I believe this is the type of amp where you can play about everything you like (except crushing metal sound). You may need to use a heavy distortion pedal to get it there. It's possible by helping/boosting/distorting the amp*
Going beyond this type of amp is because you ''know'' what is really the type of amp sound you're seeking. I highly recommend them.
On a side note, BEWARE of tubes failing early. My amp failed after less than a year of purchase. That was back in 2011. After fixing it, I haven't add any amp problems after all.
Just wanted to share that.
If I find other live videos of me playing the Blackstar in other musical genres and situations, I'll post it here!
I say you get a lot for your money with a Blackstar HT-40. I really like it for pop, rock, blues, latin, etc.
I believe this is the type of amp where you can play about everything you like (except crushing metal sound). You may need to use a heavy distortion pedal to get it there. It's possible by helping/boosting/distorting the amp*
Going beyond this type of amp is because you ''know'' what is really the type of amp sound you're seeking. I highly recommend them.
On a side note, BEWARE of tubes failing early. My amp failed after less than a year of purchase. That was back in 2011. After fixing it, I haven't add any amp problems after all.
Just wanted to share that.
Drunken Bowling
New member
Re: Blackstar amps.
I loved my 1x10" HT-5 and made the mistake of selling it. The draw for most people who own them is that you don't have to have ear splitting volume to get cool sounds.
I loved my 1x10" HT-5 and made the mistake of selling it. The draw for most people who own them is that you don't have to have ear splitting volume to get cool sounds.
Re: Blackstar amps.
I got HT-5 for about year or maybe more i think so.. when it comes to metal i use it with bad monkey boost. i run it through Orange 1x12 Cab. i have change three preamp tubes in a year.. the stock Sovtek 12ax7 was fine.. then i change it for Tung Sol 12ax7. more stiffy sound. and right now i got EH 12ax7. the stock power tube is TAD. i haven't change it yet, because the amp works fine. first of all it isn't vintage blues/rock sounding amp. it's more heavy rock/metal amp. if you want vintage sound go to clean channel and add some good distortion pedal and set it right. for me, it's cool for metal. like megadeth, pantera, lamb of god, metallica and stuff like that. for classic rock i rather use Blackheart than Blackstar. but for metal, Blackstar is good. definately it's a keeper, and not just because i hate selling amps
I got HT-5 for about year or maybe more i think so.. when it comes to metal i use it with bad monkey boost. i run it through Orange 1x12 Cab. i have change three preamp tubes in a year.. the stock Sovtek 12ax7 was fine.. then i change it for Tung Sol 12ax7. more stiffy sound. and right now i got EH 12ax7. the stock power tube is TAD. i haven't change it yet, because the amp works fine. first of all it isn't vintage blues/rock sounding amp. it's more heavy rock/metal amp. if you want vintage sound go to clean channel and add some good distortion pedal and set it right. for me, it's cool for metal. like megadeth, pantera, lamb of god, metallica and stuff like that. for classic rock i rather use Blackheart than Blackstar. but for metal, Blackstar is good. definately it's a keeper, and not just because i hate selling amps
Inder_Cine_Mann
New member
Re: Blackstar amps.
Hate em. But, i have heard others play various models and loved their tone
It just wasnt my thing
Hate em. But, i have heard others play various models and loved their tone
It just wasnt my thing
IM4Tone
New member
Re: Blackstar amps.
The Blues Jr. is a very non-typical Fender amp. Most owners and those amp fans who have played it and/or listened extensively don't consider it a clean amp.
Franknfilms
New member
Re: Blackstar amps.
I had an ht-5, I really liked the clean tone but it doesn't stay too clean at max volume of course. The distortion reminded me more of a distortion pedal than amp distortion, but what do you expect for extreme high gain in a 5 watt package. I really think they've done the best that they could do with a 5 watt 2 channel amp that goes from sparkling clean to mega distortion. The eqs and the isf were just ok, I did not particularly enjoy tweaking my sound that way. The gain knob did not have a lot of range either, but again, this thing was 5 watts. Ultimately, I decided to sell it, looking for a little more headroom so that I can dial in a range of tones across a wider spectrum of music styles, I loved the tweaker that I tried the other day so that is probably my next amp.
I had an ht-5, I really liked the clean tone but it doesn't stay too clean at max volume of course. The distortion reminded me more of a distortion pedal than amp distortion, but what do you expect for extreme high gain in a 5 watt package. I really think they've done the best that they could do with a 5 watt 2 channel amp that goes from sparkling clean to mega distortion. The eqs and the isf were just ok, I did not particularly enjoy tweaking my sound that way. The gain knob did not have a lot of range either, but again, this thing was 5 watts. Ultimately, I decided to sell it, looking for a little more headroom so that I can dial in a range of tones across a wider spectrum of music styles, I loved the tweaker that I tried the other day so that is probably my next amp.
Rockstar216
New member
Re: Blackstar amps.
I own a HT40 combo and have had it for about a year and I love it. I did install casters on mine but that was the only mod I did. Very versatile amp and can cover a wide array of styles with ease. The clean channel isn't bad BUT I do wish it had a standard B/M/T eq. I wouldn't recommend this amp for bedroom practice because to me it doesn't sound too good at super low levels.
I own a HT40 combo and have had it for about a year and I love it. I did install casters on mine but that was the only mod I did. Very versatile amp and can cover a wide array of styles with ease. The clean channel isn't bad BUT I do wish it had a standard B/M/T eq. I wouldn't recommend this amp for bedroom practice because to me it doesn't sound too good at super low levels.
