Mini-Amps aren't always that bad

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VikingBlues
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Mini-Amps aren't always that bad

Post by VikingBlues »

There's quite a few pretty awful mini-amps around. Some truly awful. :sad:

But in amongst them there is one surprise at least in a remarkable quality for size and price mini-amp.

The Blackstar Fly 3. Clean and overdrive channel. ISF tone shaping. Tape delay type effect. mp3 / line in. Emulated speaker / headphones out.

Quite a huge bit smaller even with it's cab than my usual SuperChamp XD (not a big amp itself).
Image

Certainly a good deal smaller them a guitar.
Image

One quick and careless demo. First take. Recorded with a condenser microphone (should be a dynamic really for recording an amp), and no playing around trying to get the best microphone position. Just a bit of melodic lead on the PRS SE P90 through the overdrive channel with low gain and the delay effect on.

:music2: https://app.box.com/s/h4aka5yz3edcqk5v3gw2erx5az668rcf

Not too shabby for a little tiny cheap job I thought. :thumbsup:
An improv a day keeps the demons at bay!
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vancouverois
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Re: Mini-Amps aren't always that bad

Post by vancouverois »

Not bad at all for its size, sounds good.
Jan 15th 2007
MichaelRobinson
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Re: Mini-Amps aren't always that bad

Post by MichaelRobinson »

Mark

As you say is not small amplifier is always bad. This you are demonstrating here is the depth that many small amplifier does not have. It also copes bass notes which small amplifiers do not usually cope.

So I guess it's a Wallimann BT ?? I think it bears his "signature"
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12bar
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Re: Mini-Amps aren't always that bad

Post by 12bar »

I have one of these small Marshall amps, but the Blackstar is in another league. Sounds like a real amp, great tone. :thumbsup:
It gets very good reviews all over the net. Very natural sound.
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HalfBlindLefty
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Re: Mini-Amps aren't always that bad

Post by HalfBlindLefty »

Sounds surprisingly good VB. Nice guitarwork to.
A long time ago, in the old forum : Registered: Mon, 27 Nov 2006. Wonder were the other old members all went....
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VikingBlues
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Re: Mini-Amps aren't always that bad

Post by VikingBlues »

It continues to surprise me! Not as much bottom end as a bigger amp but that's inevitable given what it is. It does enable a pretty convincing sound.

You're right Michael - it is a David Wallimann BT - "Dreamy" in F# Phrygian and F# Aeolian - it does bear his signature sounds.

I heard it in "competition with mini amps from Marshall, Orange and Fender and the Blackstar did stand out as being in a different league - at an extra cost of course.

I've not tried the mp3 in yet - which is silly as that was a reason for having it. But I have tried an emulated line out recording. I do need the right lead for it though - needs a stereo (or possibly mono?) 3.5mm to a mono 6.3mm jack to work on my interface - not stereo to stereo with the jack not pushed fully in on the interface like I did here. :roll:

:music2: https://app.box.com/s/1qyfa4urfu9qxhi6cdoj85vsuba1ixi7

By way of background to this recording - drums and bass are David Wallimann and rhythm and lead guitar are me, both tracks with the Fly recorded direct. I have a lesson set of Davids called "Rhythm Painter" which I've just started on. I'm trying minor modes first and giving the Phrygian a go. The rhythm part is based on moving three note adjacent string shapes along the modes note patterns. The idea is to try out sounds against a drum and bass track - work out what sounds best and then record it, and in my case then add lead. So I'm not aware of what chords I am playing - just that they are three note chord shapes that fit the scale and go in a sequence that sounds good on the ear.
It appears in this one looking back on it, if my knowledge of theory is holding up that I have Am, Bb, C Dm, and a variety of an E chord.

It's all a good excuse to play some electric guitar and not just acoustic which is currently in Csus2 tuning! :eye_rub: .
An improv a day keeps the demons at bay!
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