Blackstar Amps

meltedbuzzbox

another +1 for a second hand Fender hot rod.

I really wouldn't get a Katana. They're awful (yes I said it)
Personally I dont much like the Blackstar sound either.  (nondescript thing that it is)

Telejester

meltedbuzzbox said:

another +1 for a second hand Fender hot rod.

I really wouldn't get a Katana. They're awful (yes I said it)
Personally I dont much like the Blackstar sound either.  (nondescript thing that it is)

you arent on your own, i tried katanas and they just sound like a solid state amp to me, if i was buying solid state a peavey bandit would do me just fine.

midlifecrisis

Telejester said:

meltedbuzzbox said:

another +1 for a second hand Fender hot rod.

I really wouldn't get a Katana. They're awful (yes I said it)
Personally I dont much like the Blackstar sound either.  (nondescript thing that it is)

you arent on your own, i tried katanas and they just sound like a solid state amp to me, if i was buying solid state a peavey bandit would do me just fine.

except peavey bandits are nearly twice the price and weight.

uncledick

I tried an Artist 15 and thought it was the deadest sounding amp I'd ever played through.  The guy in the shop said "That's because it's a pedal platform."  Imho pedals are there to enhance your tone, they're not magic beans.  I'd go down the Fender route - or maybe something like a Boogie F30.

DartmoorHedgehog

FWIW, if you're mostly after a clean amp I reckon an HT-20 may not have enough headroom for unmiced gigs in a loudish band.  I had one for a few years and it was easily loud enough if driven (through a pair of V30s) but the clean channel was certainly "hairy" at gig volume, not properly clean.

lincolnblue

Thanks for your comments. Seems like Blackstar may not be for me

vasselmeyer

If you like the Laney you already have and are looking for loud and clean, you might have a look at the VC-30. They're fairly cheap second hand, come in 1x12, 2x10 and 2x12 versions. I had the  1x12  as a clean platform and it was a really lovely clean cound and loud as you want for pub gigs.

KrisGee

lincolnblue said:

Thanks for your comments. Seems like Blackstar may not be for me

You may want to consider an S1 45 combo, best amp from the entire blackstar range I've played. And second hand is well within your budget.

kennedydream1980

KrisGee said:

lincolnblue said:

Thanks for your comments. Seems like Blackstar may not be for me

You may want to consider an S1 45 combo, best amp from the entire blackstar range I've played. And second hand is well within your budget.

He said he can’t go beyond a 1x12 for space reasons.

pintspiller

Keep your eyes on the used market for amps in your budget

ecc83

kennedydream1980 said:

KrisGee said:

lincolnblue said:

Thanks for your comments. Seems like Blackstar may not be for me

You may want to consider an S1 45 combo, best amp from the entire blackstar range I've played. And second hand is well within your budget.

He said he can’t go beyond a 1x12 for space reasons.

The 45 is a pretty compact 2x12, only 28" wide ( x 22x 12) and it would be nice if they made a1x12 (Creamback?) version but I doubt the electronics could be reduced enough?

The first models were loaded with Neos and were a reasonable lug. Due to escalating magnet costs they went over to V30 and the combo now weighs a ball straining 76lbs.  Mind you! Quite a few people said they did not like the sound of the Centuries..You can please.....!

Dave.

ICBM

ecc83 said:

The first models were loaded with Neos and were a reasonable lug. Due to escalating magnet costs they went over to V30 and the combo now weighs a ball straining 76lbs.  Mind you! Quite a few people said they did not like the sound of the Centuries..You can please.....!

The earliest Century (80W, 102dB) sounded hideous - incredibly shrill and brash, as well as extremely loud. The second version (Century Vintage, 60W, 99dB) wasn't as bad but still quite fatiguing after a while and still with no real bottom end. The third one (Neo Creamback, 65W, 97dB) is finally right, as far as I've heard - I haven't yet tried one personally.

It wouldn't surprise me, since with any new technology there is an 'optimisation curve' - at first they seemed to be going for maximum efficiency, but they've stepped back from that now and seemed to have learned that people want them to sound good, not loud.

There used to be an old Marshall ad with a picture of a grenade, and the caption "Just because it's loud doesn't mean you'll want to listen to it" - very true .

jonnyburgo

vasselmeyer said:

If you like the Laney you already have and are looking for loud and clean, you might have a look at the VC-30. They're fairly cheap second hand, come in 1x12, 2x10 and 2x12 versions. I had the  1x12  as a clean platform and it was a really lovely clean cound and loud as you want for pub gigs.

I currently own a 1X12 VC30, lovely cleans, mine has a an Eminence Private Jack speaker in it and it is really nice, not sure what the stock speaker is these days. Got mine for around £180 on ebay, I think I was the only bidder. For £180 that's a no brainer,  although I hear great things about the Katana I've never played through one.