Blackstar bass combo - any love ???

[Black Coffee]

Ive just spent about ten minutes playing one of these and im really surprised at how good it sounded/felt.  

 

A drunk customer in the shop then starting pushing me and i had to stop, then left the shop. 

Strange experience.  

 

So any thoughts / experiences good or bad on these ?

Edited October 19, 2018 by Black Coffee

[Mickeyboro]

I reviewed the 1x15 and 2x10 for a certain guitar-type mag. Happy to mail you my review if you pm me.

incidentally they revised my marks out of ten upwards to keep the company happy and advertising! I shan’t be writing for them anymore ...

[TheGreek]

Paul Stevens, the current CEO at Blackstar is the former CEO at Trace Elliot. He left TE as there was no commitment by the USA owned company to develop a new head.

[Skybone]

IIRC, someone on here is a Blackstar endorsee, and runs the Unity 500.

[dave_bass5]

Not bass combo, but i have a guitar combo and love it. Very loud and punchy. 

[BigRedX]

Top-mounted controls have no place on any new amp for either bass or guitar. Back to the drawing board Blackstar.

[ped]

1 minute ago, BigRedX said:

Top-mounted controls have no place on any new amp for either bass or guitar. Back to the drawing board Blackstar.

Makes sense on a combo, so you can look down at the dials - otherwise you have to crouch down in front. Kinda prefer it tbh.

[AndyTravis]

Can’t wait til someone gets it just right for @BigRedX 😉

(just kidding 😂)

[BigRedX]

1 hour ago, ped said:

Makes sense on a combo, so you can look down at the dials - otherwise you have to crouch down in front. Kinda prefer it tbh.

It is not the 1950s any more.

The reason combos were originally designed with the controls on the top was because the manufacturers expected them to be placed at the front of the stage and musicians would be stood behind them when playing (the control labels were originally positioned with this set up in mind so on very old amps they are "upside down"). No-one in even the most retro-influenced bands actually does this. 

Nowadays, combos whether they are for the guitar or bass go on tilt-back stands, or some other means of aiming the speakers at the musicians' ears rather than their ankles. Doing so means that the controls are now very difficult to get at. 

[Daz39]

But a lot of combos also see use at home or in practice, where the user may sit in a chair and reach down to fiddle, or combo is perched on a chair or other low furniture and it's easier to twiddle with while playing.

[ped]

27 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

It is not the 1950s any more.

The reason combos were originally designed with the controls on the top was because the manufacturers expected them to be placed at the front of the stage and musicians would be stood behind them when playing (the control labels were originally positioned with this set up in mind so on very old amps they are "upside down"). No-one in even the most retro-influenced bands actually does this. 

Nowadays, combos whether they are for the guitar or bass go on tilt-back stands, or some other means of aiming the speakers at the musicians' ears rather than their ankles. Doing so means that the controls are now very difficult to get at. 

I very rarely see a combo in a tilt back stand, but I see what you mean. Horses for courses I suppose. One is as annoying as the other (and you have to take a stand with you!)

[yorks5stringer]

1 hour ago, BigRedX said:

It is not the 1950s any more.

The reason combos were originally designed with the controls on the top was because the manufacturers expected them to be placed at the front of the stage and musicians would be stood behind them when playing (the control labels were originally positioned with this set up in mind so on very old amps they are "upside down"). No-one in even the most retro-influenced bands actually does this. 

Nowadays, combos whether they are for the guitar or bass go on tilt-back stands, or some other means of aiming the speakers at the musicians' ears rather than their ankles. Doing so means that the controls are now very difficult to get at. 

But isn't Retro 'In'?

[Skybone]

Anyone tried the powered cab?

[Lozz196]

A few weeks back I saw The Last Resort at Bedford and JJ, their bassist was using this gear - the event was sponsored by Blackstar I believe. Not sure about on-stage but out front it sounded great, and not that dissimilar from his usual Ampeg SVT.

[ebenezer]

Tried one of the small combos and have to say... very good!!... nice eq

[Bassislife16]

Just bought the 60, sounded fantastic in PMT with my Stingray!

[Pinball]

On 28/10/2018 at 09:57, Skybone said:

Anyone tried the powered cab?

I wanted to try an Eden preamp pedal and the guys at PMT put it stright into the powered cab...Wow it was loud. Alsmost too loud as I gave myself a fright and it had me scabbling for the volume nob. It must have been OK as I bought the pedal.