Hey JDOD - a Blackstar discussion

[liv_rong]

My buddy has the same combo as you and initially loved it then over the years he had become less happy with it, sort of like me in a way. Anyways he found the dirty channel to be too muddy, like a lot of people. He debated about getting something different or a cab but recently opted for a new speaker just to test the waters a bit before dropping more money into a new amp. He settled on the Watehouse Guitar Speakers Reaper and loves it. He says it's much more crisp and defined and completely changed the amp into something he likes. Now, we'll see how it goes once the honeymoon is over but just thought I'd share that with you.

As for me I really want a Friedman Runt, would love the 50 watt head but will probably end up with the 20. This is pretty far off though. One thing that's odd about my amp is as I play it longer and it warms up I feel like t actually gets worse sounding, like more dark, muddy and not defined on the dirty channel. Now this could have something to do with ear fatigue or something but I don't know, I get turned off after about 20-30 minutes on the dirty channel. Plus the clean channel has very little headroom, I have to roll back on the guitar volume which then sacrifices a bit of what I want from the tone wise. I was using my Fender amp for cleans but now that has yet another problem so I'm back to using only the Blackstar.

[Greg_L]

As for me I really want a Friedman Runt,

Lol. That is a huge step up. Do it. That's like going from Rosie O'Donnell to Margot Robbie.

[JD01]

Yeah, the first thing I did was upgrade from the original speaker (Rocket 50) which was shit, to a Vintage 30. That made significant improvements, but it still sounded a bit muddy - like it was under a blanket, I ended up dialing it in with the bass and mids down at about 9 O'Clock and the Treble up at 3 O'Clock... then I added the EQ pedal to sculpt it further and there was more improvements.

It was still a little on the thin side though and not quite there. That was partially 'cos I had left the EQ on the amp as I had previously dialed it in.
I've made some more improvements in the last couple of weeks but I haven't recorded it yet.

Gonna plod on with the amp like this for a little while and see what i can get out of it until I can afford a bigger cab to try that. I don't think there's an amp in my price range that I want. The furthest I could possibly stretch is a Victory or smaller Marshall, but I'll have to get a cab first anyway and that will give me much more options on amps.

[liv_rong]

I didn't know who Margot Robbie was but yes I concur lol. Just gotta save up for a while and stop spending on pedals. Luckily I'm done in that department for hopefully a long time. In the past month I've spent like $740 on pedals, and I know what you're gonna say lol. I would have been more than halfway to an amp that's for sure. My gear spending habits has never been great.

[Lt. Bob]

Yeah, the first thing I did was upgrade from the original speaker (Rocket 50) which was shit, to a Vintage 30. That made significant improvements, but it still sounded a bit muddy - like it was under a blanket, I ended up dialing it in with the bass and mids down at about 9 O'Clock and the Treble up at 3 O'Clock... then I added the EQ pedal to sculpt it further and there was more improvements.

It was still a little on the thin side though and not quite there. That was partially 'cos I had left the EQ on the amp as I had previously dialed it in.
I've made some more improvements in the last couple of weeks but I haven't recorded it yet.

Gonna plod on with the amp like this for a little while and see what i can get out of it until I can afford a bigger cab to try that. I don't think there's an amp in my price range that I want. The furthest I could possibly stretch is a Victory or smaller Marshall, but I'll have to get a cab first anyway and that will give me much more options on amps.

try a lower gain tube in the pre for that dirty channel

[JD01]

try a lower gain tube in the pre for that dirty channel

I've considered it, not high on the list right now though. Part of me wants to just buy a cab, see what its like and then start testing amps... but there's also another part of me that just has this grim determination to get the sound out of this amp that I want.

[liv_rong]

I kind of feel like you shouldnt have to work too hard to get the sounds you want from an amp, especially when your just talking about clean and overdrive. Thats kind of why Ive given up on mine, its close to what I want, not bad at all but I know I can do better.

[Greg_L]

I kind of feel like you shouldnt have to work too hard to get the sounds you want from an amp, especially when your just talking about clean and overdrive. Thats kind of why Ive given up on mine, its close to what I want, not bad at all but I know I can do better.

I agree. If you're spending months and months and $$$$ on tweaks and mods and fixes and work-arounds just to make an amp usable, you have the wrong fucking amp.

[Lt. Bob]

I pretty much agree BUT ....
1. a preamp tube is cheap ..... 10-15 bucks and if it made all the difference, wouldn't you feel silly for the time spent?

2. ... being able to use different tubes is one of the cool things about a tube amp.

To say, "No ..... I want it to work like I want with the tubes that are in it" is similar,IMO, to saying, "my new guitar is hard to play but I don't want to put different strings on it ..... I want it to play great with the 11's that came on it!"

I'm NOT a tube-roller ...... I think the differences between different brands are largely overblown.
But this is different ..... a lower gain tube is more like going to a different guage string

[liv_rong]

I pretty much agree BUT ....
1. a preamp tube is cheap ..... 10-15 bucks and if it made all the difference, wouldn't you feel silly for the time spent?

2. ... being able to use different tubes is one of the cool things about a tube amp.

To say, "No ..... I want it to work like I want with the tubes that are in it" is similar,IMP, to saying, "my new guitar is hard to play but I don't want to put different strings on it ..... I want it to play great with the 11's that came on it!"

I'm NOT a tube-roller ...... I think the differences between different brands are largely overblown.
But this is different ..... a lower gain tube is more like going to a different guage string

Oh yeah, I totally agree with this. I wasnt saying you were wrong at all.

[Greg_L]

I pretty much agree BUT ....
1. a preamp tube is cheap ..... 10-15 bucks and if it made all the difference, wouldn't you feel silly for the time spent?

2. ... being able to use different tubes is one of the cool things about a tube amp.

To say, "No ..... I want it to work like I want with the tubes that are in it" is similar,IMP, to saying, "my new guitar is hard to play but I don't want to put different strings on it ..... I want it to play great with the 11's that came on it!"

I'm NOT a tube-roller ...... I think the differences between different brands are largely overblown.
But this is different ..... a lower gain tube is more like going to a different guage string

Agreed. A tube is simple. The only problem with a lower gain tube is...what if some other part of the amp uses half that tube for something else? Then that part of the amp might be wongo. I don't know. In a simple single channel prehistoric amp, a lower gain tube could do the trick. I don't know how a Blackstar is wired up, so it may not work well...or worse...it gets the gain in check but now the tone stack is fucked up or something.

My comment was more about all the fighting JD has done with his amp since the day he got it. He's been battling that thing for months.

[Lt. Bob]

The only problem with a lower gain tube is...what if some other part of the amp uses half that tube for something else?

valid point and that is definitely possible so I would check that first.

[Bubba]

Did anybody in that discussion recommend selling it and getting a Marshall?

[Greg_L]

Did anybody in that discussion recommend selling it and getting a Marshall?

Seems to me like that would be the obvious answer, but some people just have to be difficult.

[WhiskeyJack]

Pffft. Noobs.

If you don't have one of these:




you are just a poser with no skillz.

[JD01]

Pffft. Noobs.

If you don't have one of these:




you are just a poser with no skillz.

Lol. I have an old bandit. Still play through it all the time. I even posted some tones in the old tone thread.

[ocnor]

Havoc -1-1985.jpg

I had a little Peavey amp back in 1985.