I really want a Blackstar Artisan...should I?

not_the_dj

It'd certainly be the head I'd go for, I don't do combos.

ecc83

"The 15 is VERY toppy btw so if you don't like bright amps you may struggle "

Compared to what, Cabicular? Over the years I have read many opinions, rants, tirades and just plain lies about Blackstar amps. People have commented on a "house" sound* and THE most common "flavour" attached to the brand is "dark"!

Never, in the 6 or so years I have been involved has anyone ever said a Blackstar amp was overbright! If indeed Mr C your A15 is brighter than you think it should be or is noticeably so against other amplifiers, get it checked out. It is not beyond the bounds of possibilities that a cap is missing or the wrong value stuffed. SHOULD not get thru final specc' check but hey, 'appen.

As for the difference twixt 15 and 30? Very similar circuit topologies (only SO much you can do with those valves!) and they both use the slightly unusual these days, EF86. The 30 has an extra valve and so more gain and the voicing is different and more complex so yes, they will sound differently. Of course the double power and two more sensitive speakers in the 30 mean its sound when pushed will be VERY different from the more genteel, Greenback loaded 15.

I will agree, the 30 combo is fekkin' heavy! But what can you do? (yeah, I know! Thee 'andles!)

*Pretty much all amp brands have a "house" sound but the term always seems to be used in a derogatory sense for Blackstar products?

Dave.

GavRichList

Get in a room, and try a 30. Take a patch cable and try blending the two channels. You'll then buy one. That's it really.

Moe_Zambeek

I really disliked the A30 combo I demo'd. Bland, flat, boring were what came to mind while playing it. I couldn't recommend them to anyone really.

It only had one handle as well, though it has to said, it was a very nice handle. Best bit of the amp in fact

However, some folks do like them...

GavRichList

Moe_Zambeek said:

I really disliked the A30 combo I demo'd. Bland, flat, boring were what came to mind while playing it. I couldn't recommend them to anyone really.

It only had one handle as well, though it has to said, it was a very nice handle. Best bit of the amp in fact

However, some folks do like them...

I wonder if you had it set on half power? They're pretty underwhelming on that, but on full, I'd say it was none of these things at all.

Moe_Zambeek

Both I really wanted to like it....but alas no.

GavRichList

What guitar out of interest?

Moe_Zambeek

Strat and SG.

GavRichList

Well I never. All single coils I've played through the two I've had sound amazing. Rich, full, crystal cleans ahoy.

longjaw

I have an Artisan 15 combo and it's great (wish it had an FX loop though).

I would agree it is trebly but that's easily solved by turning the tone control to zero!

ecc83

longjaw said:

I have an Artisan 15 combo and it's great (wish it had an FX loop though).

I would agree it is trebly but that's easily solved by turning the tone control to zero!

Hmm? Maybe a batch of bright Greenies?

You can use the 4 input jacks to "cheat" an FX loop of sorts.

Dave.

longjaw

Pray tell more!  I like to put my solo boost in the loop to give it a bit more oomph.

You might be right about the speaker - I've tried it with a couple heads and it is quite spikey to my ears.

ecc83

"Pray tell more!  I like to put my solo boost in the loop to give it a bit more oomph."

Ok well if you plug guitar into say input 1 high gain you can use the second, low G jack as an output, That feed a pedal and the output of that feed one of the second inputs.

Of course you cannot kill input 1 entirely but if you had say a 10dB boost in 2 it would overwhelm it.

The four jacks are entirely a passive network and you cannot do any hark no matter how you plug things around. Might work better for instance slaving 2 to 1?

longjaw

Thanks for that - appreciate it!

not_the_dj

EricTheWeary said:

It doesn't seem an obvious choice for your rock covers band I would say.

Why's that @EricTheWeary?

I'm thinking about it as a great sounding well built amp to give me a core sound, then a few choice pedals for extra grit and a bit of modulation. 

The lack of an FX loop is a slight concern, but really i've been mostly going into the front of my previous amps as I can't be bothered plugging in loads of extra cables at gigs. I don't use much delay at all live and reverb only as a feature effect on a few things so all that going in the front of the amp has worked fine. 

At home I use a lot of delay and ambient reverbs, but that's all into a clean amp. 

ecc83

longjaw said:

Thanks for that - appreciate it!

You are entirely welcome!

I should say of course that you can't boost what you ain't got!

If the amp is already running close to its volume limit, extra drive is not going to make it any louder.

I think we have established throughout this thread that the A15 is loud enough for "rock and roll" but more boost will just make mud.

Depends of course what and how you want to do.

Dave.

maw4neu

I've really enjoyed this thread . . I absolutely loved my Artisan 15 combo and wouldnt hesitate getting another one day. The answer to the original question ie Should I ??? Simply has to be 100% Yes . . . get one tomorrow, you know it make sense !

not_the_dj

maw4neu said:

I've really enjoyed this thread . . I absolutely loved my Artisan 15 combo and wouldnt hesitate getting another one day. The answer to the original question ie Should I ??? Simply has to be 100% Yes . . . get one tomorrow, you know it make sense !

Car repairs, then xmas....then Artisan. That's the plan. 

Dominic

I have played both extensively

I found the 15 to be brittle,schrill and overbright whether hb s or especially fender single coil guitars

jumping channels on the 30 was very nice but still v bright - perhaps nice for gibson type semi and LP

 Having said that they are good quality for the money in the secondhand arena

I would prefer the Laney Lionheart series for a strat -they are better value secondhand too

  Quality of either is v good its simply about personal choice of sound - the weight issue is what it is - The 30 is a heavy bit of kit as most comparable quality stuff tends to be especially the AC 30 etc........One amp I play a lot is a Gibson Goldtone 30 stereo -thats incredibly heavy and the Super Goldtone is just Monster - somedays you really hit the sweet spot tonewise and it makes the hauling worth the effort !

EricTheWeary

not_the_dj;390968" said:

EricTheWeary said:

It doesn't seem an obvious choice for your rock covers band I would say.Why's that @EricTheWeary?

I'm thinking about it as a great sounding well built amp to give me a core sound, then a few choice pedals for extra grit and a bit of modulation. 

The lack of an FX loop is a slight concern, but really i've been mostly going into the front of my previous amps as I can't be bothered plugging in loads of extra cables at gigs. I don't use much delay at all live and reverb only as a feature effect on a few things so all that going in the front of the amp has worked fine. 

At home I use a lot of delay and ambient reverbs, but that's all into a clean amp. 

Well, exactly that really - you would have a ( very nice I'm sure) core tone plus pedals but not the flexibility of 2 or 3 channels to call upon. So, doesn't seem an obvious choice for varied covers. As they are a fairly trad sort of valve amp I wonder if they have a sweet spot? You may not always be able to hit it in a pub.