Blackstar Artisan Series 30H 30W Guitar Amp Head

The Blackstar Artisan 30H is a guitar amp head that is deceptively simple in operation and yet highly flexible in functionality and tone—In keeping with its classic design,

With the emphasis on simplicity and sonic purity, every feature of the Blackstar Artisan 30H amplifier head has been refined to provide you with the widest range of reference vintage tones. That's because the electronic circuitry works in harmony with the finest components and materials available.

The Artisan 30H is a guitar amp built to last a lifetime. The 30W amp head effortlessly combines vintage style and rugged, road tested reliability. The point-to-point tag board construction, welded steel chassis and finger-jointed birch-ply cabinet are complemented by beautiful vintage red Tolex and etched aluminum panels.

Power Amplifier

The Blackstar Artisan 30H power amplifier uses 4 EL84 power pentode tubes in Class A bias. The EL84s used are graded in terms of quiescent operating point and transconductance, to give you excellent hum performance and dynamic feel.

The Blackstar Artisan 30H power amplifier operates in 2 modes, namely push-pull (30W) or single-ended (10W), depending on the setting of the power amplifier mode control. This control is designed to maintain the optimum operating point in both single-ended and push-pull modes to ensure maximum performance.

In push-pull mode the power amplifier takes on characteristics similar to that of a Class A early '60s British amplifier. The single-ended mode allows the generation of the critical power amplifier harmonic distortion at a much lower volume. The lower power setting is particularly effective for home and studio use.

A cathode-coupled phase splitter enhances the power amplifier and provides balance in the power amplifier drive as well as superb dynamic response. In keeping with the vintage sonic signature of the Blackstar Artisan 30H, the use of a tube rectifier adds compression to the power amplifier response and is critical in generating its feel and responsiveness. The GZ34 tube rectifier used in the Artisan 30H is also found in other classic designs.

With an amplifier that is built to last, reliability of the electronics circuitry is essential.

Preamplier

Channel 1 – The ECC83 Channel

Hi/Lo inputs provide perfect matching either directly to the guitar (high sensitivity) or for connection to higher output effects pedals (low sensitivity).

This channel is based on the EF86 preamplifier pentode tube. Originally, this tube was most commonly used in high-end audio applications due to its high gain and low noise characteristics. However, in very early American guitar amplifier designs a pentode was used in the preamplifier circuit. The use of a pentode in these early designs provided unique gain and compression characteristics that make these amplifiers so revered for studio use today.

The extra gain of the EF86 allows the power amplifier to be driven harder for more compression and rich harmonic distortion. The EF86 also adds its own particular compression and distortion flavor to this channel making Channel 1 ideal for recording.

The 5-position Bass Shape switch controls the bass drive into the power amplifier and enables you to quickly and easily select from a wide palette of tonal options from bright and glassy through to fat and smooth.

Channel 2 – The EF86 Channel

Hi/Lo inputs provide perfect matching either directly to the guitar (high sensitivity) or for connection to higher output effects pedals (low sensitivity).

This channel's tone is most easily described as a blend between a boutique EL84 combo amp and a classic British 100W amplifier head. The philosophy is to deliver the bell-like ring and richness of a warm, retro combo with the added openness and roar of a vintage high-wattage head.

The flexibility of this channel is further enhanced by the addition of the 2-position Voice switch that completely reconfigures the tone-shaping network to give either a warm or bright response.