Blackstar enters the trough of disillusionment

gearaddict

Seems to me people are quite down on Blackstar these days, having been the golden boy for the longest time. Quite a few comments in the Worst Gear Mistakes thread along the lines of "bought a Blackstar" etc.

Reaction to too much marketing hype? Or just our British reaction to people being "too successful"? Or is the honeymoon just over...

MDKV

Peaks and troughs, peaks and troughs. 

blueskunk

Troughs and peaks i guess...

monquixote

I don't think anything has changed. 

There has been a lot of negativity about Blackstar going right back to the MR days. 

I think a lot of it comes from Guitarist giving everything they made a gold award for years and then people disappointed as they have a very Marmite sound.  

blueskunk

They'd be ok if they could "do" clean.

not_the_dj

I have a Blackstar T-Shirt. Fits well, decent fabric. 

Not too sure about the Monkey though.

GavRichList

blueskunk said:

They'd be ok if they could "do" clean.

is there an opposite to a wisdom? Have a non-wisdom. Artisan 30s cleans are wonderful.

blueskunk

Another classic case of don't believe the hype , for me anyway.

Laney all the way for small amps - lc/vc/cub range.

GavRichList

Ah, artisan isn't small.

richardhomer

In spite of some of their 'optimistic' advertising claims -'Pure valve distortion' was my favourite Blackstar oxymoron - I think they are a decent company, which makes decent products.

Some of their cheaper amps are really well put together (given their price) - and at worse - sound decent.

The fact that a knackered second hand market means often quite high end amps (from other makers) are available for very little money probably doesn't help.

I wish them success.

Danny1969

I see a lot of Blackstar products here in the studio and most people seem very happy with them .
The little HT five for me has proved to be the perfect giging amp and for what it cost me I'm very happy with it

ThePrettyDamned

They are marmite, but David Gilmour has a Blackstar pedal.

Just saying.

They're reliable, loud and decent sounding and well priced. The ht range is very marmite, the series ones are the same. They do a 200 watt kt88 amp which, I have to wonder, is it a Marshall major...?

If so, you can't hate it!

The ht metal pedal is astounding. Honestly, awesome crunch.

ICBM

blueskunk said:

Another classic case of don't believe the hype, for me anyway.

Laney all the way for small amps - lc/vc/cub range.

I find Laney over-hyped and over-rated too, with the possible exception of the Iommi model and the Lionhearts - although neither is particularly well-built.

Blackstar are OK - pretty well-made mostly, and good enough sounding. I just don't find the tone inspiring in any way, they seem to lack 'life' - that includes the Artisans, which are very well made. The main negativity for me revolves around the questionable advertising and marketing though.

hubobulous

ThePrettyDamned said:

They are marmite, but David Gilmour Gassage has a Blackstar pedal.

Just saying

This post is bought to you with the letters AGES and the insight of the Gods. :-)

xSkarloey

ThePrettyDamned;405535" said:

They are marmite, but David Gilmour has a Blackstar pedal.

Just saying.

They're reliable, loud and decent sounding and well priced. The ht range is very marmite, the series ones are the same. They do a 200 watt kt88 amp which, I have to wonder, is it a Marshall major...?

If so, you can't hate it!

The ht metal pedal is astounding. Honestly, awesome crunch.

DG has every soddin pedal going.

I bet he even has a box full of Behringer gear that he hides under the bed from his missus.

As for Blackstar I have tried but never bought, but I was impressed with what I did play.

capo4th

The brand does not speak to me

Fretwired

gearaddict said:

Seems to me people are quite down on Blackstar these days, having been the golden boy for the longest time. Quite a few comments in the Worst Gear Mistakes thread along the lines of "bought a Blackstar" etc.

Reaction to too much marketing hype? Or just our British reaction to people being "too successful"? Or is the honeymoon just over...

They've made it and can now join the ranks of Marshall who haven't made a decent amp since the 80s ... the British just love to moan and put successful firms down. I own a HT-5 and have tried some of bigger combos. They sound decent amps to my ears and are priced competitively. What's not to like ...

hubobulous

I had a Series One 45 combo and really liked it. Great tone, loud and fun.

Bogwhoppit

I have the HT-1 and find it small, light and a fantastic foot warmer whilst having an afternoon noodle.

samzadgan

i've had the HT5 head...it sounded rubbishg through their own cabs, but i put it through an Orange 2x12 and that seemed to wake it up...but like @ICBM says, they sound lifeless.

having said, I've also heard a series 1 100w, with El34's...that sounded like a proper amp.

 

jonnyburgo

I've had a 20w a 5w and a 1w I think they sound like an overdrive pedal with a speaker.