Backstar Series 100 6L6 and EL34

[mantis]

Hey guys,
Just killing it looking for a new amp. I've tried many Black Star amps and except the HT5R which that thing sounds great, I don't really care for the other series. The HT Metal is cool but difficult to dial in and get a great tone or tones out of it. It's in there I hear it but it would take some time dialing in. Not to mention no Mid control so channel changing would have to be external Mid controller into the 1/4 thing.
The Series 1 100 heads look pretty badass. I like the 6L6 version I watched on youtube but the EL34 model also has some damn good sounding tones.
Has any of you played the Series 1 100's?
Midi , 4 channels( I only need 3 but why not right?), power reduction , Series effects loop , it's loaded exactly the way I like it.

[horns666]

Blackstar is AWESOME. Dude if you can't find your tone with Blackstar amp..well..maybe buy a banjo.


6L6 for the win!!! The El34 sounds cool, and have a upper mid "cut" which is good but they lose bottom end and have a "honk" issue. I coined that reference when I first bought my Bogner with El34 when pushed very loud. I was luck to remedy that with preamp tubes. I found that 6L6 are more rounded, tight, and WARM. The gain all ALL chanels are smooth and warm. It's probably the best sounding amp I've ever owned thus far..I owned many. Besides my beloved 20 yr old Marshall Rack.

I LOVE any amp that you can just plug in dial and play within 3 minutes. The Blackstars are those amps. I say The JVM is a close second. I'm a big fan of Line 6 for SS amps. I used to be a Randall fan BITD. But Line 6 blows them away. I'm actually going to buy a rare Line 6 HD 147. They came out about 12 years ago and were made for a year or so. Those are jems! 300wt that cover any style perfectly from glassy cleans to Uber territory. They're rare because people that bought them still own them. They are a TRUE plug N' Go amp.

Blackstar amps are probably my very favorite amp thus far. Uli Roth uses them and he played the best amps imaginable. He plays them because he loves them..like anything else he does. He's a perfectionist. I remember the hype about Krank amps. That was very short lived for good reason. There is no hype when it comes to Blackstar or a Marshall JVM. Blackstar came from the plan/ideas of employes working at Marshall. Marshall declined those ideas and that became Blackstar amps.

I'll take them over Engle, Bogner, VHT, Soldano, Mesa, EVH, H&K, any Peavey and most Marshalls. Marshalls came out with some real dogs..IMO anything 900, TSL, DSL, Mode four (I think) . They redeemed themselves with JVM. Basically my Rack in a head...with a tad more gain and noise. Blackstar are pretty quiet and warmer/smoother than the JVMs

Good luck..that's my opinion on Blackstar. I'm buying their flagship The Series One 200wt fuck..because I need that. Lots headroom with great preamp tone is everything.

Billz

[Texas Crude]

I don't want to hear about Blackstar. I already own a mint 1959, a JS JVM, and am picking up a 2203x next week. Blackstars seem to be the only decent rock amps my local GC carries, aside from the DSL amps from 'Nam. God knows if I tried one I'd have to buy it, ha.

[horns666]

I don't want to hear about Blackstar. I already own a mint 1959, a JS JVM, and am picking up a 2203x next week. Blackstars seem to be the only decent rock amps my local GC carries, aside from the DSL amps from 'Nam. God knows if I tried one I'd have to buy it, ha.

That's exactly what happened to me..

[DRM]

Bill,

http://www.musicgoround.com/p/523338/used-line-6-hd147-head-solid-state-guitar-amp-100-watts

That is all.
-Dave

[horns666]

Dave thanks!!!!...that is all, Bill.

[mantis]

I think the 104 6L6 version seems perfect. I can't wait to find one and plug in.

[jgcable]

You can't go wrong with Blackstar. Affordable and they sound great.

[horns666]

I think the 104 6L6 version seems perfect. I can't wait to find one and plug in.

I PROMISE THAT YOU'LL LOVE IT!

Any fickle tone chasers, old and new will STOP at Blackstar. The Marshall JVM with a NG is also a AWESOME amp. I would compare those two and only those two. Ive's been listening to Opeth/Krux with FREDRIK AKESSON ...wow, amazing player and tone!!! Nothing but JVMs/Blackstars. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fredrik_Akesson

[mantis]

I just want to plug into them so I can decide which one is right for me. The Combo, the 50 watt head and cab or the EL34/ 6L6 104 model

[mantis]

Well I got to play the Series 1 45 combo. It has EL34's in it and 45 watts. It's basically the 50 watt head in a combo configuration with some strange sounding speakers.
I didn't like it at all. It always has this British like mid range blurry sound I couldn't dial out. I ISF'd the hell out of it in every single position but couldn't find what I wanted.
I think with a speaker change it might be cool but the current speakers sound nasty.

I'm not giving up on Blackstar but after playing that and all the other amps I've tried I'm finding they might not be for me. I do however want to still plug into a 1046L6 model to confirm my findings or find my new amp.

Crossing fingers first if I can find a dealer with in reasonable driving distance and then it sound how I want it to.

[DRM]

It's calling for you...



And I'm really curious what cloth Marshall are using that gives the head that IR signature.

[mantis]

It's calling for you...



And I'm really curious what cloth Marshall are using that gives the head that IR signature.

I would love to re visit the JVM. I liked it when I played it years ago and I bet I will still like it. It has a tone of options with Midi control I just want to plug into a bunch of amps and find my tone. I completely HATE the music stores around me in the PHILA, NJ area. No one I know has bad ass stuff on the showroom floor to plug into . How the hell can you sell badass amps if you don't have any on your Effin Floor?
I want to play a Blackstar 1046L6 and no on has one
I want to play a ENGL and again no one
I want to rock a Randall and no one has one
I want to try out the JVM again and same story
Even the Full 100 watt EVH head is amazingly hard to find. Yeah 50 watt and Lunch box stupid shit all day but thats it. I hate it.

[Texas Crude]

That's exactly what happened to me..

Yes, I think I'm going to avoid doing that, ha. Glad to know someone is making a great sounding and affordable amp though.

[Texas Crude]

I would love to re visit the JVM. I liked it when I played it years ago and I bet I will still like it. It has a tone of options with Midi control I just want to plug into a bunch of amps and find my tone. I completely HATE the music stores around me in the PHILA, NJ area. No one I know has bad ass stuff on the showroom floor to plug into . How the hell can you sell badass amps if you don't have any on your Effin Floor?
I want to play a Blackstar 1046L6 and no on has one
I want to play a ENGL and again no one
I want to rock a Randall and no one has one
I want to try out the JVM again and same story
Even the Full 100 watt EVH head is amazingly hard to find. Yeah 50 watt and Lunch box stupid shit all day but thats it. I hate it.

Good luck with that. GC is the only big store around here and they never have anything great, except maybe some Blackstar amps. They have a few Fender amps and maybe the new DSLs, but that's about it for tube amps. It is what it is. I guess they don't want to keep $2k amps out on the floor, or in stock.