Advice needed - Cheap and cheerful amp head with some power

GavRichList

I will say that the Artisan 30s are bloody great... but certainly aren't cheap 

GavRichList

Oh, and if you ever try to sell them it's less than cheerful too 

Teetonetal

GavRichList said:

Oh, and if you ever try to sell them it's less than cheerful too 

That's true. I gave up trying to sell my ht40. I bottomed out at 250 gbp.  I since put a wgs speaker in it which had helped massively but I wish I'd never bought the thing. Was swayed by good reviews when I started playing again but it's average at best.

ecc83

"But do bare in mind I am sharing my opinion, I'm not passing anything off as fact. I am entitled to dislike a range of apps especially when I have had extended playing time on a variety of models"

Of course you are but it might have been better to couch it in those terms above?

The second hand value is not really something you can "design in"! B's could I suppose greatly inflate the new price?

 The Artisan 30 was mentioned and said to be expensive. In cash terms it is but put against similar, boutigue handwired amps, not outrageous and I would stack its reliability against any 30W valve amp in the world regardless of cost.

And on the subject of reliability? From what ICBM tells us, the Blackstars might be the only ones TOO reach for in the rehearsal room!  

Dave.

ICBM

The IDs do seem to be reliable, yes. As you know I'm not exactly a fan of the Blackstar sound either though! I'd take working and not sounding great over the opposite…

.. but I'd still rather have an old Peavey .

The Blackstars aren't that cheap, either - even a second hand ID60 will cost about the same as a new Jet City 50.

John_A

Don't know where the Blackstar hate comes from I've had an Artisan 30 which was lovely, and gigged a S2 -50 for over a year, really versatile and sounds much better than a lot of people would have you believe.

meltedbuzzbox

@ecc83 I don't have to clarify my reasons for disliking something when it comes to spending my own money. This is my thread, not someone elses asking for advice on buying a blackstar amp. 
I humoured you in this instance assuming you would come forward with a reason as to why you take such offense to me not liking blackstar as a brand. 

And regarding reliability you might want to have a word with stalkers studios Northampton. The blackstar amps there go down more than Katie Price.

pintspiller

Peavey? Windsor?

ecc83

meltedbuzzbox said:

@ecc83 I don't have to clarify my reasons for disliking something when it comes to spending my own money. This is my thread, not someone elses asking for advice on buying a blackstar amp. 
I humoured you in this instance assuming you would come forward with a reason as to why you take such offense to me not liking blackstar as a brand. 

And regarding reliability you might want to have a word with stalkers studios Northampton. The blackstar amps there go down more than Katie Price.

Of course you don't have to explain a DISLIKE(?) to me or anyone else. It was the extreme way in which you did it that I did not understand. I'd be just as curious had you slagged off Peavey, Vox or any other mainstream maker.

I shall see if I can contact that studio. Unknown to me but at least they don't have far to go for a tech!

BTW I was in PMT Northampton a few weeks ago (was in town, wanted to hear an Artist 15) and the guy told me they sell more Blackstar amps than any other brand.

Dave.

meltedbuzzbox

@ecc83 I am sure they sell more Squiers than they do custom shop fenders too. 

ecc83

meltedbuzzbox said:

@ecc83 I am sure they sell more Squiers than they do custom shop fenders too. 

ANY other brand.

Dave.

Chalky

@ecc83 Dave, I think we've just got a Blackstar-hater here so your words and reasoning will have no effect.

ThePrettyDamned

meltedbuzzbox said:

I've used 7 or so models of blackstar at various practice rooms. My general impression is that the range is generally geared towards heavy rock/metal. I say this as the drive channels tend to have a shit load of punch and sound massive but the sound doesn't seem to carry in the mix. 
The cleans generally sound overly toppy on single coils and some humbuckers. 
All amps felt like they were trying to cover all trades but for me they mastered none.

From the model names I can remember I have used 

One series 100w
Ht20
3 or 4 of the ID models
And something else but the name escapes me

Currently at practice I will reach for a vox valvetronic before I will use the blackstar. 

But do bare in mind I am sharing my opinion, I'm not passing anything off as fact. I am entitled to dislike a range of apps especially when I have had extended playing time on a variety of models

meltedbuzzbox said:

I think I will punt for a jet city.

I did previously own a Laney lh50 ( I think) I should have kept it. 

I've recently moved to a new practice room so cabs are provided but no amps and I really don't fancy lugging my hiwatt to practice every time. 

They're decent, but @icbm reckons the jet city are better built than modern Laney amps. 

I could go along with most of this. They are great for hard rock. 

The artisan series is lovely. The a100 has its roots in a vintage Marshall. I'd like to know what it was based on.

Expensive mind!  

ThePrettyDamned

pintspiller said:

Peavey? Windsor?

Oh yeah, these are good. Loud as balls though. 

impmann

ecc83 said:

meltedbuzzbox said:

@ecc83 I am sure they sell more Squiers than they do custom shop fenders too. 

ANY other brand.

Dave.

Having endured the suffering that is PMT Northampton on many occasions, that is because they are pre-programed to suggest Blackstar above any other brand. When I tried out a Jazzmaster one of the muppets in there pulled out a Blackstar ID for me to try it through - I said "no thanks, I'd rather a Fender amp like my own", I was then lectured by said dickhead about how a Blackstar can sound like any amp, and that perhaps I ought to "upgrade", as Fenders are "notoriously unreliable".  I politely declined and asked again for the Fender.

Not an isolated incident - another time, I was plugged into a Blackstar (and IMHO I didn't like the sound) and I was lectured about how I should support a local business when I said I didn't like it and could I please hear the guitar through a Fender amp... I didn't have the heart to tell them that I worked for Line6 at the time, another "local business".

meltedbuzzbox

To be fair I've never had that experience in pmt but I wouldn't be surprised if they do have to push the blackstar with the whole outside of the building being covered with blackstar posters and all. 

Plectrum

meltedbuzzbox said:

To be fair I've never had that experience in pmt but I wouldn't be surprised if they do have to push the blackstar with the whole outside of the building being covered with blackstar posters and all. 

I've never had that experience either although the last 3 times I've shopped in a PMT was specifically to buy Marshall stuff so perhaps they assumed I was a lost cause

Grunfeld

meltedbuzzbox said:

To be fair I've never had that experience in pmt but I wouldn't be surprised if they do have to push the blackstar with the whole outside of the building being covered with blackstar posters and all. 

Last time I went into PMT (Romford) looking for an amp I was kind of interested in a Blackstar -- had 'em before and "devil you know" and all that -- but the guy serving me there listened to the sort of spec was after and suggested the Orange CR120 head as well.  I'd never have considered that amp otherwise and I think it was an inspired choice.  Love that amp.
And @meltedbuzzbox it's about £320 new if that's "cheap" -- I thought it was compared to my JVM*





* which as it happens will be up for sale soon.  New, they're pricey; second hand, bargain time!

PolarityMan

JCA50h /end thread

ecc83

Chalky said:

@ecc83 Dave, I think we've just got a Blackstar-hater here so your words and reasoning will have no effect.

I fear you are right Mr C! To me Blackstar are a bunch of guys producing THEIR ideas about guitar amplifiers (why they left Y.K.W!) . The amps are well made and very reliable and at debatably fair prices.

They also employ quite few people, here and abroad. Yes, mistakes have been made. I know the technical guys have cringed at some of the "excesses" and mistakes of the published ads!

Dave.