Blackheart amps

ThePrettyDamned

What's the skinny on these? Any good?

randomhandclaps

I've tried virtually the whole wave of small valve amps a couple of years back and pretty much either hated or was fairly unimpressed by any of them.  The Blackheart Little Giant was the only one that I liked.  In the studio we had a HT-5, AC4, Class 5 and the Little Giant all around for a while and (especially when put through a larger cab) the Little Giant sounded pretty great.  I've only briefly tried three others in the Blackheart range - the 1W, 15W and 100W but they all sounded pretty impressive especially for the price. 

ThePrettyDamned

I should add, I'm asking because the 15 watters seem very cheap. I'm after something different for more classic sounds, as a stop gap until I get an mjw.

So sweet sweet cleans are important - fendery cleans I guess, but takes a Marshall flavour (son of Hyde) distortion pedal well.

Dave_Mc

Never tried them... I think they had the rep of being one of the better of the cheapo 5 watters, but how much that means I dunno since a lot of the cheapo 5 watters are kind of meh.

Not sure I've heard much at all about the bigger ones.

TheMarlin

I've got a 15w Blackheart Handsome Devil.

First off, it sounds huge for a small amp.  The cab is beautifully built with only a small rear opening, so it projects really well, and is a damn site louder than a Blues Jr.  Its got a lovely clean tone, and gets very plexi the more you push it.

The amp was built with excellent quality parts.  The PCB is super thick, and designed with modification in mind.  There are loads of forums dedicated to modding thiese amps, but the most popular kits are the triple voicing mod (upgraded standard tone, tweed, and Marshall brown sound), reverb and tube rectification.

I bought mine for £200 used on ebay   There is one there now for a staggeringly low £140.  I really do think these fantastic little amps are future classics.  It kicks my BluesJr's ass all day long.

Marlin

equalsql

They are really solid built amps. Very thick copper tracks and very solid chassis. Excellent modding platforms too. I have a Rat Amp modded BH18 and it is excellent.

They are very British sounding amps and do tend to break up early, so great if you are after a Kossoff tone, but not for Fender cleans. 

ThePrettyDamned

equalsql;359211" said:

They are really solid built amps. Very thick copper tracks and very solid chassis. Excellent modding platforms too. I have a Rat Amp modded BH18 and it is excellent.



They are very British sounding amps and do tend to break up early, so great if you are after a Kossoff tone, but not for Fender cleans. 

Maybe not for me then.

To be fair, it's not like I don't have nice cleans - I just fancy a change.

Bidley

Sounds like maybe a VHT Special 6 would be more up your street? Apparently they have sweet cleans, take pedals well and are made for modding. The head is only £150 on Thomann. Only 6w though.

Dave_Mc

^ They're also a bit on the dark side, stock. They still sound pretty fendery, especially through a more sparkly speaker, but the stock set tone stack values are a bit weird.

IanSavage

TheMarlin said:

I bought mine for £200 used on ebay   There is one there now for a staggeringly low £140.  I really do think these fantastic little amps are future classics.  It kicks my BluesJr's ass all day long.

Marlin

That's ridiculously cheap, half-wish I was nearer to London...

ThePrettyDamned

Bidley;359724" said:

Sounds like maybe a VHT Special 6 would be more up your street? Apparently they have sweet cleans, take pedals well and are made for modding. The head is only £150 on Thomann. Only 6w though.

Bit low power for me. I enjoyed having a 5 watt amp but even going up to 15 is a nicer sound for me.

I'm not desperately seeking an amp, but one came up cheap and was wondering if it was worth a punt. I don't think it's for me, I'd rather get a proper fender style.

Dave_Mc

^ There's a 15 watt VHT. It's quite dear though IIRC- I haven't tried it, but if the QC etc is no better than on the special 6 (and the thread on TGP about them suggests it's not ) ) then it sounds expensive. It's one thing paying £100 for something which corners have pretty obviously been cut on... it's another paying £400.

EDIT: what about that yerasov clone of the pro junior?

daveyh

Someone, ie me, might very soon be selling his Blackheart BH15 and matching 1x12 cab .......

lustycourtier

I gigged a little giant for about a year until I bought a Lionheart 20. Amazing little amps and Id own another in a heartbeat

jonnyburgo

lustycourtier said:

I gigged a little giant for about a year until I bought a Lionheart 20. Amazing little amps and Id own another in a heartbeat

@lustycourtier There is a little giant combo for sale near me, does it do crunch at home volume?

lustycourtier

Yeah has 3/5w switch so acdc at home is achievable