I'm seriously thinking of buying a Blackstar ID 30 amp.
Like most guitarists, I've spent fortunes going back and forth on amps over the years, but have always gone back to marshall in the end.
Ive never gone for loads of pedals on the floor and to be honest dont really get on with them as I
like my set ups simple.. guitar into a cooking valve amp. I'm pretty much old school when it comes to my guitar tone, I like using the guitar vol pot to clean up the signal to get chimey just on the edge of break up tones.
I have a great set up at the mo but its a royal PITA for rehearsal and small gigs.
I use a JMP1 pre amp into a Peavey Classic Power amp into a Zilla Fatboy 2x12 loaded with old celestion black back g12 30w.
There's an old Yamaha SPX 90 in the loop for delays and thats pretty much it.
It's a pretty immense sound that comes alive when you get to the sweet spot.
For the rock band its pretty much a guitar into the jmp1 set up and go .. perfect.
In the other band I stick a chorus pedal between the guitar and amp for a couple of songs.
I still have a great sound but it's much harder to get the sweet spot, coz im playing with the vol pot a lot more to get the just on the edge break up sound that I love.
It's for that reason I dont like modelling amps, as it sounds artificial to me.
So in theory, I shoudnt like the blackstar but in the showroom it sounded great.
It responded to my (ahem) knob twiddling just like a valve amp, but I cant help thinking will I be wasting my money.
will it sound as good at gig volumes or will it just sound like mush?
Again as these things get better will modelling make lugging heavy amps around a thing of the past?
whats your thoughts?
Comments
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
The reason i looked at the ID30 was its only for rehearsals and in the pop band where i mic up so there's no need for a lot of volume. The whole band uses IEM's too so there's no problem hearing whats going on.
TBH what started the whole thing off was i was looking into maybe a having a preamp set up going straight into the desk but i think thats not really viable at the mo unless i go down the AXE FX route. I went down the whole programable fx route a few years back but one gig with a guitar straight into an amp just made me realise what was missing.
Im reluctant to chuck a lot of cash at something on a whim so im keeping it strictly low budget so i can change my mind and not lose to much cash.
Monquiote ... I'll check out the switchblade coz i dont know owt about them.
Cheers
<○> Big Norm Feedback
<○> Big Norm Feedback
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
If, as Grumpy noted, it also has an fx loop, then Blackstar does indeed listen to it's customers.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
Went to Project Music in exeter and tried out the ID60.. It sounded great in the shop so i bought it and later on took it to the rehearsal room for a blast at gig volume.
What sounded great in the shop, sounded horrible in the rehearsal space. The room is pretty neutral so i know what sounds good and not in it.
I spent most of the night trying to coax a basic live amp sound and failed miserably.
It either sound dull and lifeless or bright and shrill.
Tweaking the sound to make the power chords fat made the single notes overly fuzzy.
Turn down the gain to clean up the single notes and the chords were thin and lifeless.. ... arghh
but the biggest complaint that made me pack it back in the box and return it for a refund was the input had some noise gate on it that just plainly sounded horrible.
I spent far too many years playing large valve amps turned up pretty loud and using the guitar vol pot to temper the tone and how much gain is used etc. its part of my playing style that i cant explain easily
But this is totally wrong for the blackstar were you're supposed to have the guitar pot on 10 and use the amp settings to shape the tone, this is alien to me so back it goes.
Next thing to try is a small valve head for rehearsal nights or just grin and bare it when it comes to lumping my guitar rig out of the car for rehearsing.
<○> Big Norm Feedback
I’m so bored I might as well be listening to Pink Floyd
I cant relearn my guitar playing style and like i said if i use my technique of riding the guitar vol pot, I fall foul of the bleddy stupid input noise gate thats permanently on X(
Back to the drawing board.
Im thinking of trying to make my existing rig a bit more portable maybe get a couple of 1x12 zilla cabs and see if i can get a smaller valve power amp or go to the dark side and try a matrix tranny power amp
<○> Big Norm Feedback
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
I didnt expect the ID60 to be comparable to my valve rig, i just didnt expect to struggle so much to coax a usable sound out of it.
I didnt have it long enough to install the software on my pc it went back the next morning.
Im probably going to stay with my guitar rig as i know it so well and it sounds so fat, perhaps get a EH Magnum 44 or Caliber 22 for rehearsal nights.
The zilla plays a huge part in my guitar rig sound, so its worth trying the magnum to see if it's up to the job.
I could always return it if it sounds pants
<○> Big Norm Feedback