why do people hate BlackStar amps.

[OriginOfTheSpecies]

Yeah those burgundy finished ones look snazzy.
I also really dug the green Jared James Nichols head + vertical 212 I came across in a little music shop.

 

[KraftyBob]

As many have already said I don't hate Blackstar, they just don't do anything for me compared to what's already out there. Before I bought my DSL40C I tried the Blackstar HT Club 40 & 60, and both were just ok so I passed on them.

Now that I repair amps too I've heard how difficult it is to work on them - a lot of SMD's on their boards and difficult to get schematics. I'd have to think twice before I picked up one of those.

 

[shredding]

 

[Petrichor]

I’ve got an HT Club 40 that I like very much, but I probably wouldn’t have bought it if I’d known what a hassle getting it repaired and serviced would be, even at my local Blackstar-authorized shop. I’ve got amps that are three times as old that will still be rocking along long after the Blackstar is in a landfill.

 

[R.B. Huckleberry]

I have a Black star Artist 15 that I love. Great classic rock amp. I think because of the former Marshall connection there's at least a little"team spirit" involved.

 

[Skelly76]

I’ve had an ht 5 and an ht 20. Sold them both. The 5 sounded great in the store but awful at home. The 20 was just ok. However I also have a fly 3 which is amazing for what it is and IMO the best in its class.

 

[Guitarbloke]

My amp 'journey' took me from a DSL40, to DSL50, then to a Mesa Dual Rec and onto a Blackstar Series One 1046L6.

Out of all those amps, the Blackstar was the only one I found to be *truly* versatile whilst sounding good no matter what style I was dialled in for or which guitar I was using. The only downside was the sheer weight of it, and the fact that all that weight was loaded on one side making it a ball ache to carry.

I don't have the Blackstar anymore mind you, can't be arsed with lugging 100w heads around to small-medium venues. I run a Suhr Badger 35w now and it's the best amp head I've ever owned, but I digress...

In short, I frickin' loved my Blackstar

 

[Iron1]

I used to be a huge Blackstar fan and still own an ID:60 TVP. But, having been in the Blackstar FB group and on the Blackstar company forums for nearly 8 years now the pattern I see again and again and again goes something like this:

OP: "My Blackstar suddenly (started making odd noise/stopped making any sound at all) right in the middle of jamming - checked everything and can't figure out why!"
Reply: "Did you reach out to Blackstar?"
OP: "Yes - and got crickets..."

Never seen this pattern with any other gear manufacturer and see it several times a month, for nearly 8 years now, with Blackstar.

If you want to compete in this market you have to offer better quality and better customer service. Totally unacceptable to shell out hundreds if not thousands of dollars on an amp, just to have it malfunction due to no fault of the user and get no support at all from the manufacturer.

Meanwhile, I've never once owned a Marshall, Peavey or Jet City that ever "(started making odd noise/stopped making any sound at all)". So, until they fix that, you can bet I won't spend another dime on their stuff nor recommend anyone I know do so.

 

[pleximaster]

I don’t hate them…

Never tried one…
Never heard one that I know of…
I never even seen one in person…

since almost all local music stores have closed and sales have moved to the internet. I can not just go into a store and test one. Would be fun.

But I won’t order a Blackstar on the net just to test it, since I already have many amps that I like.

plexi

 

[Goodguy]

When FIZZ is your signature tone, they’re great!

 

[obx351]

I don't know why people hate them, but I am glad they do. About 9 or 10 years ago I picked up a barely used Artisan 15 for less than $400. I think the retail was $1,400. It's a hand wired point to point all tube amp. My amp guy said it had a very high build quality and it was built with good components. He also said it was basically a 1974x with a second channel that had more gain. It's a bad @$$ mo'fo as far as I am concerned and I would sell some of my vintage combos before selling my Artisan.

R8 And Blackstar

• obx351
• Oct 9, 2017

 

[Roag Jones]

Loved my dsl20, but wanted More...Got the Blackstar club 50 H, on paper it was absolutely everything I wanted, it wasn't, I'm Currently extremely happy with my DSL40CR!

 

[Biff Maloy]

Last band i was in the rhythm guitarist used one. Black and white color is all i remember.

It just didn't sound good to me. He had a better pedalboard than the amp.

 

[CordovaNate]

Although I found the Artist series somewhat tempting, I've never owned a Blackstar because...
1. The controls look cheap to me, like a Peavey Vyper, etc.
2. The name and logo look like "marketing" bullshit.
3. I don't trust them due to #1 and #2.

 

[macca1]

I hate anything that will too easilly end up in landfill!

The problem with them is they are virtually impossible to fix. They're poorly laid out. Tubes directly board mounted with components right next to them. WTF???
There's a reason there is no tech support for these pieces of crap.

Most amp techs won't even look at one and if you're lucky enough to find someone, its probably because he's not yet had the pleasure.

 

[NotSure]

Now that I repair amps too I've heard how difficult it is to work on them - a lot of SMD's on their boards and difficult to get schematics.

This. The main thing I judge an amp by is what the insides look like. I don't care even if the amp does sound fantastic. If it looks like a computer in there...PASS. SMD components have no business being in a guitar amp, period. SMD was not invented for pro audio. It was invented to make consumer electronics smaller and easier to be manufactured by machines. I want my guitar amps to be different than my laptop or smartphone, not something you just throw away when a new USB interface comes out.

 

[Denis St Guinefort]

Most comments underline how good they sound at low volume. It's probably planned by the manufacturer. I remember Peavey years ago did the same for me (70-80's period). I couldn't get one to sound at higher volume the way they sounded at lower levels. At the time, if you couldn't afford a Marshall, Peavey kind of did the trick at lower volume.

 

[sandro70]

I like the tubes Blackview but Marshall it's another level.

 

[AttillaDeHunt]

I like my Blackstars, and I have an assortment of them.
~Bought my first thru a FB marketplace ad where a dude was selling a pair of 5w. mini-halfstacks in white Tolex, cheap, and I bought both. Damn near new condition and they are great at low volume, and not too bad cranked. The controls are limited, but I don't need a bunch of complication anyway. A little reverb, some O.D. and I'm good. They're Hybrids, but the Tubes+SS works really well at this 5w. level.
~Offered as a S.D.O.T.D., I picked up a Super Fly, fully portable with a bunch of features: Bluetooth, Mic input, multi-channel, battery operation. Great for going out busking or jammin' in the park or whatever. I kinda suck on acoustic, so I like my electric at the outdoor stuff, and the SuperFly does that well.
~I found my 100w. head in the pawnshop for well under $300 bucks and they threw in a 6 month warranty. It was ugly but I brought it home, did some cosmetic adjustments, and now it looks great and sounds awesome. Clean, O.D. 1 & O.D. 2, onboard reverb, and 100 "British watts", it has what I am looking for without any "fluff".
~ I have only had one problem with any of them so far. When I went looking for tech support I found the website, and a Blackstar owners forum, and a bit of scatter.
As for the Blackstar official site, I have rarely encountered such a completely useless piece of crap in all my web-surfing days, and the lack of Customer Service is absolute. The mere fact that this is the BRANDED SITE makes me wonder just what this company is thinking. "Crickets" is complimentary when referring to what you hear back from any contact you attempt with them. They could easily be renamed BlackHole: Send what you want, ain't no answer ever coming back.
The owners forum was much better, but they, too, were more than aware that B.S.'s C.S. was kinda like Bigfoot: The signs say they are there, but nobody can prove they actually exist. The number of people seeking them out(B.S. C.S.- not Bigfoot) was disturbing and I was glad/lucky that the forum had a solution that worked first time for me.

So, I guess a good guess at an answer to, "Why do people hate Blackstar amps?" could be:
Because their service after the sale is arguably both the worst in the industry and damn near non-existent.
OR...
Because the re-sale values are on par with First Act products and that is hard to swallow after paying premium prices.
OR...
Because haters are gonna hate-it's what they do.
Hell, all of the above, together, might be a great answer, too!
Still, I like mine!

 

[Clayton Custom Cabs]

I for one don't hate Blackstar amps - I own two of them: the HT 20 head and a little 112 combo with a KT88 driver. Love them both for what they do. The goofy tone knob is always set to full Brit.