Surprised by a Blackstar

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KeefyKeefy Frets: 2272
When I arrived at this afternoon's rehearsal I realised that I had forgotten to bring my pedalboard. D'oh! Rather than use the non-master-volume single-channel amp I had brought with me, I plugged into the rehearsal room's Blackstar HT Club 40. I set up the drive channel with enough gain (just 9 o'clock on the dial) to go between crunch and crunchier using the guitar's volume control. I'm not a fan of Blackstar amps, but it sounded surprisingly good. For various reasons I wouldn't choose to buy one, but kudos to Blackstar for making something that works.
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Comments

  • MattharrierMattharrier Frets: 451
    I have a little HT1R head and cab, and while I don't tend to switch between the channels too much, I can dial in a nice tone on the clean channel with the gain at about 9 as well. Clean with a bit of grit, and then an OD or distortion pedal to give it some real crunch or dirt if needed. I generally leave the amp alone and it seems to work for me.

    What are you reasons for not buying a Blackstar? I don't have a lot of experience with different amps, and all of it strictly for home use, but mine seems pretty nice and the construction seems solid.
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  • HAL9000HAL9000 Frets: 9551

    What are you reasons for not buying a Blackstar?
    I was wondering the same thing. I’ve got the Studio 10 and reckon it’s a cracking little amp. Seems well put together, and sounds great. I know some folks don’t particularly like the Celestion 70/80 speaker (which I can understand) but it seems to be a half-decent all rounder. Certainly no complaints about the amp itself.
    I play guitar because I enjoy it rather than because I’m any good at it
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  • fretmeisterfretmeister Frets: 23942
    That's pretty much how I discovered I like them. There was a 100W head and cab at a local rehearsal studio.

    The band I was playing in at the time had 2 very different guitar sounds. I like the super thick Hetfield sort of thing whereas the other guy had more of a plexi thing going on with far less bass.

    The Blackstar did what I wanted very well indeed. I'd certainly consider owning one if I needed an amp.
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  • KeefyKeefy Frets: 2272
    edited July 2021
    Actually I do own a Blackstar Fly but that’s a different story altogether.

    I have previously played through Blackstars as a prospective purchaser, as a second pair of ears to a prospective purchaser, and when trying out guitars. On those occasions I found them rather ‘hard’-sounding, and I certainly didn’t care for the drive sounds. Also I can’t see (or rather hear) the point of the ISF control - thankfully the HT Club 40 didn’t have one.

    At yesterday’s rehearsal I managed to dial in a sound that I could work with (the source of my surprise), although I wouldn’t say I loved it. By way of contrast I used a solid state Orange rig (CR120?) at another rehearsal studio and bitterly regretted not bringing one of my own amps - I just could not make it sound right, it was either too loud or not loud enough.

    I built or re-built the guts of 3 of my 4 gigging amps. If they break, I can generally fix them myself. That’s how I choose to spend my gig money when it comes to amps.
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  • pintspillerpintspiller Frets: 994
    What are you reasons for not buying a Blackstar?
    I think it dates back to some models using transistors for drive, rather than all-valve. Despite the fact that many (perhaps all) also do it.
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  • welshboyowelshboyo Frets: 1808
    Our singer has a spare HT5 combo in 2x10 format which I plugged into a few weeks back - what an amp and what a sound - completely stunned me.
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  • KeefyKeefy Frets: 2272
    welshboyo said:
    Our singer has a spare HT5 combo in 2x10 format which I plugged into a few weeks back - what an amp and what a sound - completely stunned me.
    I’m sure it would be unfair of me to take against all Blackstar amps on the basis of trying 2 or 3. As I never tire of saying, use and enjoy the things that work for you. I don’t think I’ve tried an HT5 yet.

    We all enjoyed a very productive rehearsal yesterday, partly thanks to that HT Club 40.
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  • impmannimpmann Frets: 12645
    Keefy said:
    Actually I do own a Blackstar Fly but that’s a different story altogether.

    I have previously played through Blackstars as a prospective purchaser, as a second pair of ears to a prospective purchaser, and when trying out guitars. On those occasions I found them rather ‘hard’-sounding, and I certainly didn’t care for the drive sounds. Also I can’t see (or rather hear) the point of the ISF control - thankfully the HT Club 40 didn’t have one.

    At yesterday’s rehearsal I managed to dial in a sound that I could work with (the source of my surprise), although I wouldn’t say I loved it. By way of contrast I used a solid state Orange rig (CR120?) at another rehearsal studio and bitterly regretted not bringing one of my own amps - I just could not make it sound right, it was either too loud or not loud enough.

    I built or re-built the guts of 3 of my 4 gigging amps. If they break, I can generally fix them myself. That’s how I choose to spend my gig money when it comes to amps.
    Club 40 does have ISF… it’s on the drive channel.

    Just sayin… ;-)
    Never Ever Bloody Anything Ever.

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  • KeefyKeefy Frets: 2272
    impmann said:
    Keefy said:
    Actually I do own a Blackstar Fly but that’s a different story altogether.

    I have previously played through Blackstars as a prospective purchaser, as a second pair of ears to a prospective purchaser, and when trying out guitars. On those occasions I found them rather ‘hard’-sounding, and I certainly didn’t care for the drive sounds. Also I can’t see (or rather hear) the point of the ISF control - thankfully the HT Club 40 didn’t have one.

    At yesterday’s rehearsal I managed to dial in a sound that I could work with (the source of my surprise), although I wouldn’t say I loved it. By way of contrast I used a solid state Orange rig (CR120?) at another rehearsal studio and bitterly regretted not bringing one of my own amps - I just could not make it sound right, it was either too loud or not loud enough.

    I built or re-built the guts of 3 of my 4 gigging amps. If they break, I can generally fix them myself. That’s how I choose to spend my gig money when it comes to amps.
    Club 40 does have ISF… it’s on the drive channel.

    Just sayin… ;-)
    So it does - I must have missed that! I seriously can’t read front panel legends without my specs. I just set all the EQ knobs to 12 noon and later backed off the bass a bit.
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  • I've got a Series One 200watt, and it is a fantastic beast, that could share small children.  Fortunately it powers down to 20 watts.
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  • Tat2dsteshTat2dstesh Frets: 193
    blackstar are one of those amp makes I've never got on with, when I started playing live again around 10 years ago I had a line 6 spidervalve (not the best amp in the world) which was a far cry from my old Mesa Dual Rec, vht 100cl amps I had before my evil ex wife rinsed me of money, life, soul and probably dignity. 
    Anyway I remember a few years later I saved up enough for an upgrade and saw the blackstar ht100 as one of those amps which seemed to tick all the boxes and went to try one along with a marshall dsl 50 and anything else I could afford. 
    The blackstar was not for me it just seemed processed even compared to the line 6 I had, mind you I remembered after trying the marshall why I don't like marshall either and ended up buying my mates peavey 51502. 
    One day I might try another blackstar amp but these days I'm very much an Orange amp man, and the Budda SD30 thats forsale keeps calling me if I could get the money together lol. 
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  • FezFez Frets: 499
    The ISF does more if you cut the middle, it is a bit of a weird idea though.
    Don't touch that dial.
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