Can we talk about the Blackstar St James for a min?

[mystixboi]

I don't know much about this company except for that people either love them or hate them. I'm looking to possibly go back to a tube amp set up for gigging, but my back is so messed up these days. The days of half stacks are way over.

When I gig, I currently use a Line 6 HX into a FRFR or I go to the front of house direct. I dig the tone a lot. At home, I have an original Marshall JCM2000 DSL 50 going through an Avatar 212. I use the Line 6 HX via 4CM and I love the tone. It's the tone I've been searching for my whole life. It's perfect.

BUT, there's no way my back could make it through lifting up something that heavy. Additionally, I have arthritis in my arms and lifting anything more than 25 or so lbs for a period of time tightens up my arm ligaments making it impossible for me to even make a first, let alone play a show. So you can see why I currently have a simple setup. My FRFR speaker is about 20 or so lbs.

I recently discovered the Blackstar St James and the demos I hear sound pretty good. But i'm not finding a lot of users in the real world. Does anyone have any experience with them? Specifically the EL34 112 combo.

I also just saw the Amped Up 2. That seems like another awesome product(but no tubes).

I don't have any local dealers that carry these so i can't really try them before I buy.

Thoughts?

 

[japetus]

I have not played that model, however I can say that I have never played a Blackstar amp that I remotely liked. I was forced to play a gig with a Blackstar HT40 and it was one of the worst sounding amps I have ever played. The definition of dull and lifeless.

 

[* velcro-fly *]

Cool amp, light weight, way better than any Digi modeling thing but not something I kept around. Killer clean sounds

 

[marshallmel]

Played the 6L6 version with matching cab and nearly walked out of the store with it. Super light and sounded fantastic. Ended up not pulling the trigger because of owning the JCM 800 SC.

 

[AfterMidnight]

I recently discovered the Blackstar St James and the demos I hear sound pretty good. But i'm not finding a lot of users in the real world. Does anyone have any experience with them? Specifically the EL34 112 combo.

I don't have any local dealers that carry these so i can't really try them before I buy.

Thoughts?

Been using (trying) a 6L6 St James for 10 months and I'm done. I gig almost every weekend and will randomly shut down during gigs. Authorized service center can't figure it out.

 

[RaceU4her]

Been using (trying) a 6L6 St James for 10 months and I'm done. I gig almost every weekend and will randomly shut down during gigs. Authorized service center can't figure it out.

ive read they are terrible to work on and blackstar dosent give out schematics

 

[dcburn]

I don't know much about this company except for that people either love them or hate them. I'm looking to possibly go back to a tube amp set up for gigging, but my back is so messed up these days. The days of half stacks are way over.

When I gig, I currently use a Line 6 HX into a FRFR or I go to the front of house direct. I dig the tone a lot. At home, I have an original Marshall JCM2000 DSL 50 going through an Avatar 212. I use the Line 6 HX via 4CM and I love the tone. It's the tone I've been searching for my whole life. It's perfect.

BUT, there's no way my back could make it through lifting up something that heavy. Additionally, I have arthritis in my arms and lifting anything more than 25 or so lbs for a period of time tightens up my arm ligaments making it impossible for me to even make a first, let alone play a show. So you can see why I currently have a simple setup. My FRFR speaker is about 20 or so lbs.

I recently discovered the Blackstar St James and the demos I hear sound pretty good. But i'm not finding a lot of users in the real world. Does anyone have any experience with them? Specifically the EL34 112 combo.

I also just saw the Amped Up 2. That seems like another awesome product(but no tubes).

I don't have any local dealers that carry these so i can't really try them before I buy.

Thoughts?

You aren't unhappy with your tone.

I dig the tone a lot. At home,

I love the tone. It's the tone I've been searching for my whole life. It's perfect.

Seems to me you just have an urge to spend some money?
Nothing wrong with that...

But Blackstar? Nobody seems to want that.

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

Doug Aldrich rocking the newer line on tour with the Dead Daisies. His tone was pretty banging. These things are essentially Marshall style amps, you don't have to worry about spilling beer on a boutique amp live or if it gets ripped off. I think Blackstar high gain might not be for everyone but crunch is definitely going to be serviceable.

They must be paying well in terms of endorsement deals because they get some names signing on. Shows they are willing to support musicians vs. companies like Marshall that take artists for granted and rely on their name.

 

[Bad.Seed]

The 6L6 St James is the high gain model. The EL34 models are essentially clean to light breakup pedal platforms.

They sent me the 50 watt 6L6 head. On it's own, very boring. Vanilla. It sounds like a guitar tone. BUT, I have noticed it's highly reactive to different pickups and overdrives, and you can really turn it into something nice with the right combination.

The 50 watts also holds up in a band context well. I put it against my guitarists Rev E dual rec, and it held it's ground in the mix, and honestly we were both impressed with how it sounded.

I can't speak to longevity or reliability though, as I have maybe a total of 3 hours on mine. It is incredibly lightweight and again, can sound great if you really shape the front end right. Haven't tried the loop but a Guptech PDEQ or some sort of EQ in the loop might take it even further in a good direction.