I love your reviews, Brett. Great job showing the range of the amp. Cool hearing the brief reference to the neighbors hearing the maxed out amp - that's real life for sure. I can get away with it for a short time with a 15 watt amp, but definitely not a 100 watter!
The best overview of this amp here. Great job! Got mine with V30 also, but then swap to UK made Greenback that made it a lot warmer. Loud as hell too. Can't imagine how you cranked it even up to 12 o'clock...
Wonderful demo, Brett. I have an Artist 15, and I think there is a common character between these Blackstar models despite the different valves. I hear it especially in the clean sounds, which has a pleasing warmth and compression in the attack.
@@BrettKingman Me too. I bought one when they came out but it went wrong on two occasions live, kept getting it fixed by the factory, they ended up sending me a new one but I sold it without unboxing it, but after this video I think I will get another one. I bought a Artisan 30 two years ago and the sound is very firm and full (loud).
Great demo ... thanks a lot! These "simple amps" seem to have something special ... i would describe it as: direct reaction, sensible to players articulation and guitar pots, very responsive, ... Guess this made me prefer the ProJunior over the BluesJunior ... you get less components and versatility for about the same price, but it's just the better tone and feel. This amp seems to be my Junior on steroids + the chimey EF-channel ... just gorgeous!
I'm always wondering how you crank that amp up that much. You've just put it on the loudest mode possible. I have the same amp (Head + cab) and my house is about to explode when i'm in channel 2 (high) at 11 o'clock! Cool vid's btw. I think you are the first person on youtube to demonstrate where this amp is all about. great playing!
hi brett how are u mate hope your well,your playing as well as ever..yes i have a artisan 30 which my band buddy is now using as ive found a Japanese holy grail for me amp,a weird old guyatone called a reverb jazz 40 watt all tube.its a pro reverb rip off and just sounds amazing.anyways the artisan 30 is just a classic imho.probably the most underated amp in history.ive used it on stages where other guys are using stacks and it honestly cuts threw the air way better then some modern marshalls.i just said this re lack of fx loop on this amp .some folk might find this real handy. No loop,its totally hand wired though.you could stick a loop in but i suggest running two inputs .i went dry into channel 2 and sent all my effects to channel 1 input 2.this amp functions incredibly well using dual inputs,no nasty volume drops it just gets louder...keep rocking brett id like to catch up one day soon cheers mark
It would be great if you could do something similar for the Artisan 30 - I'm convinced there's more difference than just the size but I've never heard them A/B'd or reviewed in comparison. I don't think there's as much good beefy 'classic rock' distortion available in the 30 unless you crank it - and a cranked Artisan 30 is way too loud for pubs. So the Artisan 30, unlike the 15, seems to be either for people playing larger venues or those who use pedals to dirty things up.
Same goes for the non-handwired Artist 15 & 30. The 15 consistently sounded better when I compared it to the 30 because I couldn't get those power valves cookin' without getting kicked out of the store. The 15 even sounded better with pedals, especially Fuzz - because I could get some hair on the amp without having to play the O2 Arena
@@KM-302 Awesome! I'm still considering selling my Fender Bassbreaker15 and getting an Artist 15 or, if i can raise some more $, Artisan 15. A friend has a *heavily* modified Blackstar KT88 10th Anniversary 10AE which intrigues me. Enjoying my AC15C1 at the moment. Picked it up cheap with a Boss DD7 thrown in for good measure :) Scored!
just get a mass weber soak.webers do not change the tone.only change will be lack of drive to the speakers.with soaks always get one twice the wattage of your amp... they also gives u a line out ,which spells sending this lovely pre amp signal to other amps [or desks pas or git sims]
I think it depends whether you need crystal clean sound or you'r ok with little bit of dirt all the time. If you don't mind the dirt then it's gigable.
I never needed to go more than 1/4 of the volume, after it is freaking loud, but as some already said, it's more crunch than clean and it strats to crank around noon,
Can't answer your question re the ISF, I'm sorry. You'd have to ask Blackstar about that. No, the pickups are not noiseless, but the pickguard is very well screened and I do ride the volume knob on the guitar a lot.
There never was an ISF on these. They were the first models by Blackstar and were also made to be as "pure" as possible so anything that might have "cluttered" the circuit was left out.
Dammit, there is one for sale here now and it ticks all the right boxes except for the 23 kg weight. I think I can feel a head shell build project coming up! I am so tired of cheaply designed and badly built amps with PCB mounted pots and tube sockets and the cheapest possible components. This amp is from a better time and should last for 50 years
I've been Gigging one of these regularly for about eight years. It's a great amp and if people are worried about not having enough volume, there really is no need. I bought one almost as soon as they were released so I guess mine is one of the first run. What I will say is that it took a long time to "break in" but as things softened up, it has been great. I play in a 10 piece soul band and it has never been past about 10 O'clock on the volume. You can see/hear it on this vid (spot it being played by the ugly old guitarist at about 1:16). m.ua-cam.com/video/lNUxagBHHNw/v-deo.html
I love your reviews, Brett. Great job showing the range of the amp. Cool hearing the brief reference to the neighbors hearing the maxed out amp - that's real life for sure. I can get away with it for a short time with a 15 watt amp, but definitely not a 100 watter!
Demo done right with the amp cranked to hear the power tube breakup !
It would break up more with humbuckers indeed !
The best overview of this amp here. Great job!
Got mine with V30 also, but then swap to UK made Greenback that made it a lot warmer.
Loud as hell too. Can't imagine how you cranked it even up to 12 o'clock...
Wonderful demo, Brett. I have an Artist 15, and I think there is a common character between these Blackstar models despite the different valves. I hear it especially in the clean sounds, which has a pleasing warmth and compression in the attack.
Superb demo, thanks very much. Settled doubts about an imminent purchase....sensational sounds!
Yeah, it's one amp I wish I didn't offload. Future classic, I think.
@@BrettKingman Me too. I bought one when they came out but it went wrong on two occasions live, kept getting it fixed by the factory, they ended up sending me a new one but I sold it without unboxing it, but after this video I think I will get another one. I bought a Artisan 30 two years ago and the sound is very firm and full (loud).
Very nice classic tones. Thanks for the demo, there's very few on this amp.
That was an excellent demonstration, now I want to buy one.
Awesome playing and great Sounding Amp thanks for your awesome Demo's Brett
Sounds Golden
Excellent video and playing!
You don't have to pay a fortune to get a great tone. Cheers! For the demo.
I had a chance to by the 15 watt head version and I passed on it. Let me say I'm kicking my own Ass now!!! BADASS LITTLE AMP BRA!!!
Awesome! Thanks for the video!
Great demo ... thanks a lot!
These "simple amps" seem to have something special ... i would describe it as: direct reaction, sensible to players articulation and guitar pots, very responsive, ...
Guess this made me prefer the ProJunior over the BluesJunior ... you get less components and versatility for about the same price, but it's just the better tone and feel. This amp seems to be my Junior on steroids + the chimey EF-channel ... just gorgeous!
@brett kingman this demo got me to buy this amp .. keep rocking man 👍🏻
Cheers! Rock on.
Same here!
I have the blackstar 260 tvp 212 sounds great also. Nice demo.
I'm always wondering how you crank that amp up that much. You've just put it on the loudest mode possible. I have the same amp (Head + cab) and my house is about to explode when i'm in channel 2 (high) at 11 o'clock! Cool vid's btw. I think you are the first person on youtube to demonstrate where this amp is all about. great playing!
hi brett how are u mate hope your well,your playing as well as ever..yes i have a artisan 30 which my band buddy is now using as ive found a Japanese holy grail for me amp,a weird old guyatone called a reverb jazz 40 watt all tube.its a pro reverb rip off and just sounds amazing.anyways the artisan 30 is just a classic imho.probably the most underated amp in history.ive used it on stages where other guys are using stacks and it honestly cuts threw the air way better then some modern marshalls.i just said this re lack of fx loop on this amp .some folk might find this real handy.
No loop,its totally hand wired though.you could stick a loop in but i suggest running two inputs .i went dry into channel 2 and sent all my effects to channel 1 input 2.this amp functions incredibly well using dual inputs,no nasty volume drops it just gets louder...keep rocking brett id like to catch up one day soon cheers mark
Those shoes look comfy.
+wgb01001 Haha. Vintage Vans reissues.
i would like to see some treble booster on it, just to see if can get close to BM type of sound
+André Bonolo Yep. Treble booster clips are imminent. :D
That bridge pickup on channel 1 sounds awesome @ 15 watts. Damn.
could you play with a full band with this?
and damn that does sound good
It would be great if you could do something similar for the Artisan 30 - I'm convinced there's more difference than just the size but I've never heard them A/B'd or reviewed in comparison. I don't think there's as much good beefy 'classic rock' distortion available in the 30 unless you crank it - and a cranked Artisan 30 is way too loud for pubs. So the Artisan 30, unlike the 15, seems to be either for people playing larger venues or those who use pedals to dirty things up.
Same goes for the non-handwired Artist 15 & 30. The 15 consistently sounded better when I compared it to the 30 because I couldn't get those power valves cookin' without getting kicked out of the store.
The 15 even sounded better with pedals, especially Fuzz - because I could get some hair on the amp without having to play the O2 Arena
@@mattgilbert7347 My experience exactly. Fortunate to have owned and gigged the Artisan 15/30 and the Artist 15/30. Still have both 15's. Love them.
@@KM-302
Awesome! I'm still considering selling my Fender Bassbreaker15 and getting an Artist 15 or, if i can raise some more $, Artisan 15.
A friend has a *heavily* modified Blackstar KT88 10th Anniversary 10AE which intrigues me.
Enjoying my AC15C1 at the moment. Picked it up cheap with a Boss DD7 thrown in for good measure :) Scored!
Great sound. If it had a master volume, it would be perfect for me.
just get a mass weber soak.webers do not change the tone.only change will be lack of drive to the speakers.with soaks always get one twice the wattage of your amp... they also gives u a line out ,which spells sending this lovely pre amp signal to other amps [or desks pas or git sims]
no triode mode,its single ended,one tube is shut off.
MrAletube Are you sure? I ask because I've seen contradictory information in the specs.
i wich is the best " in " for using pedal like overdrive thx
Have you done any demo's of the Bugera Trirec Infinium amp by any chance ?
Love the Gun it !!
Is this gigable? I know 15 watts can be pretty loud just curious.
You can definitely gig with 15 watts of tube power!!
+Ryan Bender I was wondering the same,I don't think it would for me,not quite enough power.
I think it depends whether you need crystal clean sound or you'r ok with little bit of dirt all the time. If you don't mind the dirt then it's gigable.
I never needed to go more than 1/4 of the volume, after it is freaking loud, but as some already said, it's more crunch than clean and it strats to crank around noon,
Oh yes. I gig the Artisan 30 & it spends its time in 10 watt mode
No ISF? Did they remove it for current models? I seem to recall that it had one...
Also, are the pickups noiseless?
Can't answer your question re the ISF, I'm sorry. You'd have to ask Blackstar about that. No, the pickups are not noiseless, but the pickguard is very well screened and I do ride the volume knob on the guitar a lot.
There never was an ISF on these. They were the first models by Blackstar and were also made to be as "pure" as possible so anything that might have "cluttered" the circuit was left out.
Could I get RHCP tones?
No, this was deemed illegal by the Guitar Ruling Guidelines (GRG), edited 2016
trahnettilhcs Lol
You can actually
Dammit, there is one for sale here now and it ticks all the right boxes except for the 23 kg weight. I think I can feel a head shell build project coming up!
I am so tired of cheaply designed and badly built amps with PCB mounted pots and tube sockets and the cheapest possible components. This amp is from a better time and should last for 50 years
I've been Gigging one of these regularly for about eight years. It's a great amp and if people are worried about not having enough volume, there really is no need. I bought one almost as soon as they were released so I guess mine is one of the first run. What I will say is that it took a long time to "break in" but as things softened up, it has been great.
I play in a 10 piece soul band and it has never been past about 10 O'clock on the volume. You can see/hear it on this vid (spot it being played by the ugly old guitarist at about 1:16).
m.ua-cam.com/video/lNUxagBHHNw/v-deo.html
Looks like you had the best view in the house 😅
i used to own this amp, and brett, your ears must bleeded after this demo ??, it does sound great!! but not in a appartment :D
MrKiammi Is it too loud in 5 watt mode for fat clean sounds?