Looking For Input on BlackStar 20 head or Rebel 20 Head

[Dr. Vegetable]

Re: Looking For Input on BlackStar 20 head or Rebel 20 Head

I actually like my Rebel, but it took a little while to get used to. Mine sounds best into a small 1x12 cab and pushing the power tubes. I like the Tube Mix at around 10:00 on the dial, but it's also good at 3:00 and a couple other spots. The attenuator doesn't suck, either.

 

[JOLLY]

Re: Looking For Input on BlackStar 20 head or Rebel 20 Head

Reagan vs Gorbachev?

deja vu

LOL.....that's one of the best posts I've seen on here in years.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Looking For Input on BlackStar 20 head or Rebel 20 Head

I've got a Rebel 30 which I absolutely love. Certainly, I've replaced all the tubes to get it just the way I like. And I run it through an oversized 2x12 cab (Avatar) with a Celestion G12H and an Emi Swamp Thang. Man, this thing sounds great! It gets great cleans, rich, full, and chimey, with nice low-end thump and the gain ain't bad either, very Marshally, but I prefer to use a Super Badass Distortion pedal which is amazing. The tube blend also makes a big difference in the tone and response. I like the edge of the EL84s but also like the chime and smoothness of the 6L6s so I run the blend knob at 10:00 to 11:00 and get the best of both worlds.

And just like most tube amps, it sounds best when it's a little bit on the loud side.

A lot of bad comments have been made about the Rebel, but unless you've played around with different tubes and use the right speakers and cab, you haven't really played a Rebel.

In my experience, there aren't many amps that I am satisfied with their stock tube selections, and speakers make the greatest difference to the tone. Need to play around with these to really know an amp.

 

[IM4Tone]

Re: Looking For Input on BlackStar 20 head or Rebel 20 Head

................Theres a local guy selling the BS on CL. How much are they worth in mint condition? $300?

I've been trying to sell mine on a local 'CL' type website. It's mint and I'm asking $325. Been advertised and re-posted a number of times, and NO calls at all!

Ignore the drama..

Frankly, I think both amps are meh...the rebel is bland and the HT synthetic sounding. Why limit yourself?There are a ton of choices these days in that general price range new or used...shop around.

There've been a lot of negative comments directed at B* HT series amp because they use diodes for assisting their distortion, and that doesn't sit well with some of the tube amp purists. I may be wrong, but I've interpreted 'synthetic sounding' as part of that faction. IMO, this is snobbery since many of these critics will use a SS pedal such as a tubescreamer....I don't get the difference????

I think the HT20H is a decent amp, but far too much gain for my genre of music. (It would be great for the hard rock stuff I think.) I thought I could tame it with a 5751 in place of the 12AX7, and did in fact, but only at the lower gain knob settings. Someone stated that they sound best 'cranked', and that's been my experience as well....the distortion really smoothes out, but then it's too loud for my liking. So, it's been for sale.