Blackstar Amps

[percy]

These are good recording amps
What you hear is what you get
5 watts and a 12 inch speaker

 

[metalosophy]

They’re the Line 6 of the current day. I think they make quality products, I’m just too old to be enamored by the things that they excel at.

I wouldn’t hesitate to look at them for a small combo or practice amp.

One day they’ll be loved. That’s the way all this stuff works.

Except Raven amps.

 

[harpdog]

Had the HT-5R. should have kept it.

 

[bender66]

Except Raven amps.

My first amp. I was excited when someone offered to buy it for what I paid.

 

[DeepDangler]

Blackstar amps are good but unremarkable entry level amps tube amps. The small offerings are great deals and do decent Marshall imitations. With the Boss Katanas on the market, there just isn’t as much reason to buy the Blackstar lineup considering how much more you get with the Katana. They fill the void that Crate left in the market with better quality than Bugera and Bogner.

 

[lathoto]

KT-88, hands down.

 

[SRHmusic]

No complaints about Blackstar here. A friend of mine's son has a 5 HT they really liked for a few years.
On the solid state side of things I have an ID 60 head that's pretty versatile, paired it with an older 2x12 cabinet.

 

[KnopflerStyle]

HTR1 head + 12" for home use and Artist 15 for band... excellent amps...

Artist 15 loaded with 6l6s... a liitle bit loud for home use.

 

[stormsedge]

HT40 Club and a Superfly Street Pack+extension. No complaints.

 

[raysachs]

I have a HT1R from a few years ago - not the MKII. I also have a Blues Cube. The Blues Cube is a better sounding amp in the room, but the Blackstar is a much better recording amp. The line out into my recorder sounds excellent every time. Better than it sounds in the room and way better than recording direct from the Blues Cube. I’m keeping it around...

-Ray

 

[Deathray]

I have a Blackstar Artist 15. It is 6L6 powered, and has tons of headroom. I put a 12” creamback in it, and it sounds great. I have to admit that I haven’t fired it up since the Princeton joined the family

 

[Dacious]

I bought a Fabtone-branded Asian import but decent H&H carved maple top mahogany Tele with Gibson scale and birds in a maple board, and BlackStar Soloist 60 amp to flip for $Au550 or about $US400, thinking the Tele would be impossible to move and the amp would sell quickly. The amp was $Au1389 new.

The Tele sold first day it listed for $350, the amp is going down in asking from $700-500 with not a bite.

The amp actually has lots of interesting features and is quite solid. It's very large physically. Pretty versatile with lots of tones.

It's got two switchable modes for each channel, plus the ISF control which does change its flavour. I'd consider keeping it but it's pretty big.

It sounds OK but curiously soulless.

 

[Don Rich Rules]

I bought a Blackstar HT60, late night internet and one too many Coors lights and two days later it showed up. It was around $900. For the money it's a great amp. Really good useable clean tones and the two overdrive channels sound really good.
It takes pedals well and the universal Fx loop sounds great.
Biggest issue I have with it is the weight. The amp weighs as much as a Twin.
But for under $1,000 it's a great amp to have in your arsenal.

 

[KnopflerStyle]

I bought a Blackstar HT60, late night internet and one too many Coors lights and two days later it showed up. It was around $900. For the money it's a great amp. Really good useable clean tones and the two overdrive channels sound really good.
It takes pedals well and the universal Fx loop sounds great.
Biggest issue I have with it is the weight. The amp weighs as much as a Twin.
But for under $1,000 it's a great amp to have in your arsenal.

Artist the same.. .huge cabinet for a 15W and the weight is a problem.

 

[Rattfink]

I am pleasantly surprised by the little Blackstar Fly 3. I bought it to give me a battery practice amp while on the road for a month and it still gets plenty of play time. I’d be willing to try one of their tube amps, but don’t need another at the moment.

 

[srblue5]

I bought a Blackstar HT1 at a discount from a local place that was closing out a few years ago. It was nice to have something cheap and portable for rehearsals and small jams but the sound never really excited me much. I eventually got a ZT Lunchbox, which has more clean headroom, so I gave away the Blackstar to a friend’s son who was learning to play.

Good for what it was but never really lit my world on fire.

 

[Abre]

HTR1 head + 12" for home use and Artist 15 for band... excellent amps...

Artist 15 loaded with 6l6s... a liitle bit loud for home use.

I tried to buy the HT1r-MKII head but was sent the combo instead. Was bummed at first and considered returning, but I decided to keep it and I really like it. I bought a generic footswitch off Amazon that was far cheaper than a Blackstar model. It's nice when mistakes work out positively.

 

[Henry Mars]

They make good amps but I need another amp like I need another heart attack.
Seriously they are great amps.

 

[4wotitswurth]

KT-88, hands down.

Yep, had/have an 88 for a little while, lately have been messing with it more frequently, really like it. Tend to use it when few are around, because even under ‘master vol’ control, I like it a bit on the loud side. The overdriven sound gets me a lil Dave Thompson lead... just me and the amp, nothing else needed. Well the strat of course....

 

[percy]

What does the sound of a Blackstar remind you all of ?

Yep, had/have an 88 for a little while, lately have been messing with it more frequently, really like it. Tend to use it when few are around, because even under ‘master vol’ control, I like it a bit on the loud side. The overdriven sound gets me a lil Dave Thompson lead... just me and the amp, nothing else needed. Well the strat of course....

Very nice!