Blackstar: ARTISAN 15 - Strat demo

ECC83 and EF86 Channels. Yep, both. 2 x EL84 power amp with switchable 5/15W pentode/triode modes. This amp is K.I.C.K.A.S.S.

Guitar: Fender '56 Custom Shop Strat with Four Seasons Guy Smeets Sig. Pickups.
Cables: Providence
Power Supply: Voodoo Lab MONDO
Mic: Shure SM57 (amp) Samson Airline77 (me)
Camera: Canon 60D (me) and iPhone 6+ (pedal)
Soundcard: AVID Mbox Pro 3
Computer: Apple iMac 27" i7 3.4 GHz 16 GB RAM
Software: Pro Tools 12.4, Waves CLA Guitars (slight comp over input track), Waves L3-16 Limiter (to keep levels in check at output), Apple Final Cut Pro X (video editing and Youtube compression).

[awright]

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!

[kirillploppa]

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...

[christopherhansford]

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.

[ijamsum]

Demo done right with the amp cranked to hear the power tube breakup !
It would break up more with humbuckers indeed !

[timothyjay]

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!!!

[JuV]

Very nice classic tones. Thanks for the demo, there's very few on this amp.

[tiesje]

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!

[matzer]

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!

[donglefeusser]

Superb demo, thanks very much. Settled doubts about an imminent purchase....sensational sounds!

[massimos]

Awesome playing and great Sounding Amp thanks for your awesome Demo's Brett

[favoriteblueshirt]

That was an excellent demonstration, now I want to buy one.

[revol]

You don't have to pay a fortune to get a great tone. Cheers! For the demo.

[aceofspades]

@brett kingman this demo got me to buy this amp .. keep rocking man 👍🏻

[MetalHeadHippie]

I have the blackstar 260 tvp 212 sounds great also. Nice demo.

[markward]

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

[-thirteen]

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

[Claymor]

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.

[AndreAmeli]

i would like to see some treble booster on it, just to see if can get close to BM type of sound

[renzokody]

i wich is the best " in " for using pedal like overdrive thx

[richfiryn]

Have you done any demo's of the Bugera Trirec Infinium amp by any chance ?