Enter to Win a $8000 PA System!
Reviews for

Blackstar HT Club 40 1x12 inch 40-watt Tube Combo Amp Reviews

40-watt 2-channel All-tube 1x12" Guitar Combo Amplifier with Infinite Shape Feature, Overdrive and Clean Voice Switches, and Reverb - Black

Take the stage with Blackstar's versatile HT Club 40 and you'll have all the tones you need. Coax sparkling chime and lucid lows from the HT Club 40's boutique-style clean channel. Kick in the overdrive channel and dial in everything from American-sounding to British-sounding high-gain tones, thanks to Blackstar's patent-pending Infinite Shape Feature (ISF). Besides that, four operating modes give you access to a complete range of vintage and modern voicings. Two different textures of reverb add depth to your sound, while a speaker-emulated output makes it easy to record direct. And the HT Club 40's wattage is perfect for the player who wants to take full advantage of its EL84-fired power.

More Details

Highest Rated Reviews

Page 1 of 1

Blackstar 40 combo

By Chris giebler from Twin fallz id on February 14, 2022 Music Background: Blues and classic rock

Iv played evertyhing from marshall to fender and back again in the last 50 years of guitar playing i love fender but needed a boost side so marshall filled yhat need but always 1 dimensionsl soundwise ive ab amps and recently came across a 65 twin reissue in mint condition draged it around for months but at 68 just cant deal with the mass lovd the clean sounx and reverb but like marshall one voice came across the blackstar and traded the twin for it im still discovering all the diffetent sound snd settings great for blues and classic rock added a 1 22 cab its awsem looks znd sound killer enough said had the 20 head but did not fill yhe bill great amp

Blackstar 40 combo

By Chris giebler from Twin fallz id on February 14, 2022 Music Background: Blues and classic rock

Iv played evertyhing from marshall to fender and back again in the last 50 years of guitar playing i love fender but needed a boost side so marshall filled yhat need but always 1 dimensionsl soundwise ive ab amps and recently came across a 65 twin reissue in mint condition draged it around for months but at 68 just cant deal with the mass lovd the clean sounx and reverb but like marshall one voice came across the blackstar and traded the twin for it im still discovering all the diffetent sound snd settings great for blues and classic rock added a 1 22 cab its awsem looks znd sound killer enough said had the 20 head but did not fill yhe bill great amp

Wow

By Patrick from Indiana on December 6, 2017 Music Background: I can hold my own

Well I have no delusions of grandeur, so this might be the last amp I ever buy. It does everything I need and has all the power to play a smaller gig. Can't say enough about it's beautiful sound or it's versatility. Tubes are warm and delicious and cleans are crisp just like I want them. Or, alternately, dial it in for a great dirty rock tone.

Can't say enough about Sweetwater either, they are the gold standard of service in this industry.

Marshall Killer!!!

By Rich from Kasten on September 13, 2017 Music Background: Playing Hard Rock / Metal for 25 years. Play on average 20 gigs a year.

Been playing Marshalls for 25 years... First one was a JCM900 50w Combo, and then a Jcm2000 DSL100 Head w 1960 can. With both, I always had to have an overdrive with a smart gate to get that extra gain I always needed for my leads and pinch harmonics to REALLY ring out. I do NOT need an overdrive with the Blackstar Club 40. This is going to allow me to shrink my pedal board immensely. The cleans are pristine! The digital reverb is a nice touch. I would never have it on on my dirty channel of my marshall. But the overdrive channel of the Club 40 sounds fantastic with a touch of reverb. It goes without saying that the clean channel is even better with reverb. I also really like that when you unplug the guitar from the amp it automatically goes into bypass mode. Cool feature. I'm strongly considering the 100w Head version now. I can't wait to play this thing out, especially now that it's half the weight of the 900 combo.

Another thing I noticed right away was that my pedals sound so much better through his amp, both channels. The ISP is a great option. I leave mine at 12 o'clock.

Highly recommend this for any hard rock, blues, or metal players. Best amp for the price, by far. If it were to get lost I would replace immediately.

Going to buy a new pedalboard now!

Just Terrific!

By Marty from Mississippi on August 1, 2017 Music Background: Playing since 1975

I bought my HT40 from Sweetwater while I was deployed to Turkey in 2013. I wanted to get a Marshall but read about this new company (Blackstar) made up of former Marshall R&D guys. Being half-a-world away it was a shot in the dark, but the reviews were so good I went with it. Its just a perfect amp in every way. I like looser, "powdery" overdrive and this amp has it. Great classic rock tones all around. I just finished David Wills' "Ultimate Guitar Tone" class for the second time. In reconfiguring my pedalboard (esp. between line and loop) it just made the tones even better. I haven't done any mods or replaced any tubes in four years now and couldn't be happier.

Blackstar and Sweetwater

By Sweetwater Customer on July 31, 2017

I love the tone of the Blackstar amp so when my old one finally gave way, Sweetwater was able to get me a replacement in plenty of time for my gig. Great product and great service keeps you coming back.

Blackstar sounds Amazing

By Sweetwater Customer from Austin, TX on July 27, 2017 Music Background: Former gigging musician

Received my new Blackstar Amp and have had it for about a month... sounded great out of the box but keeps getting warmer as it's breaking in.. clean chanel is great and capable of a wide range of sounds.. dirty chanel is one of the best I have heard.. you can make it do pretty much whatever you need..

I love it and could not be happier!

One of the best amps ever!

By Steve from Staten Island on June 22, 2017 Music Background: Returning player

The Blackstar Club 40 is a great amp. I own a fender 65 twin reverb Reissue made in California and it great but the variety of tone on the Blackstar has it beat. It is a great amp and at its price point I'd be hard pressed to find anything that even comes close. Excellent build quality and I find that with the stock speaker and tubes it sounds great. One of the most versitile amps out there in my opinion. Thanks to Chris at Sweetwater for suggesting this amp. As usual Sweetwater can't be beat for its very knowledgeable and friendly sales technicians.

GREAT AMP

By Steve from Staten Island NY on June 5, 2017 Music Background: Returning player

I have a 65 Fender Twin which is a great amp appears to be getting heavier as I get older. I was unsure about buying the Blackstar HT Club 40 because I never had the chance to play through one. I did my research on line, listened to demos of the amp and spoke to my sales person Chris. Based on his recommendation and what I'd heard I decided to give the Blackstar a chance and am I glad I did. It truly delivers great tone and although some people opt to change out tubes or the stock speaker I am totally happy with it just the way it is. It's clean channel is great and quiet. It's built in reverb has an authentic sound and delivers both a darker or lighter sounding reverb. It's over driven channel is awesome giving you a great deal of control over the tone. It's switchable feature switched the amp from a more American sounding amp to ore if a vintage British sound and anywhere in between. For the price point of this amp in my opinion there is no real competition. It is s solid and terrific amp built for the long haul. I have to mention that although the Blackstar is much lighter than my Frnder Twin reverb it's still no light weight but it is still much eaiser to haul around. Thanks to Sweetwater for recommending this amp and for being the great company they are!

Blackstar HT Club 40

By James Shackelford from Prattville, AL on May 21, 2017 Music Background: Blues, Rock Band

Great clean sound and the overdrive WOW very happy customer and Bart was great to work with

Totally impressed

By Steve I. from California on May 12, 2017 Music Background: Hobbyist

This amp does it all. Amazing cleans, crunch, It's well constructed and blows away the other amps in its price range. It has everything I need and its quiet between notes.

Awesome Amp

By David on April 3, 2017

I love this amp. Very powerfull, Awesome overdrive and reverb. It rocks. A lot more power than I really need just playing at home, but its a lot better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.

Beautiful sounds on both channels

By David Wolff from Redding, CA on March 25, 2017 Music Background: hobbyist

I finally have the sounds I want and so does everyone who plays on this amp. The clean is really the core of any amp and this one has such a great sound no other amp comes close. Even acoustics sound fabulous thru this amp! The controls have a lot of substance in them. The reverb is not bad but nothing a pedal can't make better. This amp takes pedals great because of such a great boutique clean it produces. It can get loud too. This is the amp I will never ever get rid of! Buy one while you can. These will be collectors someday and highly sought after.

FINALLY

By HAPPY from DIRTY SOUTH on February 20, 2017

WANTED A STRIPPED DOWN RIG , WITH THIS AMP I ONLY NEED ONE DRIVE PEDAL FOR BOOST AND MY MULTI IN THE LOOP ,REALLY WOKE UP THE PROCESSOR. GOOD VALUE , GREAT SOUND AND PRETTY VERSATILE,PAY THE EXTRA HUNDRED OVER THE 5 WATT YOU WONT BE SORRY

Speechless

By Sweetwater Customer from Pensacola on January 29, 2017

Boy was I surprised when I plugged into this monster. You can get mild overdrive to insane high gain, and it sounds GREAT! Definitely knocks the Marshall DSL40 and Peavey 5150 out of the water in my opinion. If you want rich cleans then get a Fender Twin Reverb. If you want to shred then get the HT Club 40. I don't use distortion or boost pedals because the distortion in this amp sounds awesome. Most people replace the stock Celestion 70/80 speaker it comes with, but it still sounds awesome with it in there.

The ISF knob was another selling point to me. Turn all the way to the left left for an American amp sound, or turn all the way to the right for a British sound...or just turn it anywhere in between to mix it up. Makes for a very versatile sounding amp.

Also, if you record at home then you'll love the emulated speaker input. No need to mic the amp. Just plug straight into your box with the DAW you use.

The reverb in the amp is not bad at all, but if you're a reverb junkie then you'll want pedals of course.

Kudos Blackstar!

Awesome amp

By Sweetwater Customer on December 26, 2016 Music Background: Ex thrash metal band

This is the best amp I have ever bought. The clean tone is amazing and so is the distortion

My Blackstar HT Club 40 purchase

By John from Massachusetts on December 14, 2016

This was the 2nd major purchase I made thru Sweetwater. Evan was phenomenal, was informative and offered me a great deal! I ill continue to buy through Sweetwater for all my music needs.
The amp I bought is powerful and I have yet to unlock the many sounds and effects as advertised.

Yes!

By Gary from Brooklyn on December 7, 2016 Music Background: Guitar, all styles, Song writer and composer.

Nothing like a tube amp. The beautiful thing about this amp is its ability to give a Fender or Marshall tone or something in between. A bit on the weighty side but that's because it is built so well. The overdrive has great range. If you want to crank it up the amp can sound really heavy with beautiful harmonics in the distortion. Even with the clean sound you can get a little bit of break up to fatten the sound. I Play in a four piece Rock band, mostly small rooms, doing original and covers. The range of sounds I get with this amp and my effects seems endless. My guitar tone gives the band a bigger sound. Both rythmn and solos. I've owned Marshall,Fender and Messa through my playing years. This Amp is right up there. All depends on what you are looking for - if this amp is right for you.

Can you do better for the money? No!

By Pete Scott Wyndham from CA on December 5, 2016 Music Background: Professional

Hey now!,
So I've had the HT5R Head and matching 112 Blackstar cab for several years and it's just been tone nirvana in me casa. However, I just purchased this amp from Sweetwater for gigging and oh yeah baby the love affair with Blackstar just has grown that much stronger. You really can't get a better sounding combo EL34 tube amp for the money. With that said, however, I cannot emphasis how much I dislike the stock Celestion Seventy 80 speaker in it. I just purchased a V30 Celestion from Sweetwater and put it in my Club 40 a few days ago. The difference was instant and remarkable. The Seventy 80 really is a dud IMHO and does no justice to the insane quality and tone of the Club 40. Now with the V30 my amp is ridiculously awesome and I'm thrilled to say the least. I'd say the Club 40 with the stock speaker is a great amp, but replace it with a good Celestion and it takes it to the Nirvana level. I can't fault Blackstar for using the Seventy 80 as a better speaker would probably be cost prohibitive and turn many customers away. So save yer money, get the amp, then save up and get a V30 or Creamback 75 or another great higher wattage speaker and lift the veil off this remarkable amp like I have. Now, I am going to replace the Seventy 80 in my Blackstar 112 extension cab with the Celestion G12H-75 and that with the Club 40 on top will be my Blackstar gigging stack and it'll knock socks off big time!

Great sounding versatile amp

By Andy from Honolulu on November 11, 2016 Music Background: Guitar noodler

I love everything about this amp but my neighbors might not agree.

Awesome range of excellent tones

By Big Kahuna from NC on October 18, 2016

This amp is simply amazing. Its tones run the gamut from crystalline cleans to over-saturated gain. The vintage overdrive tones are what really impress me--I'd swear there is a 4x12 half-stack behind me when I'm playing. The build quality is faultless. I would definitely buy one again if I lost this one. If you're looking for one amp that will give you a wide variety of tones, check out the HT Club 40. Thanks to Kurt Martin for his excellent customer service!

A Magical Versatile Amp

By Michelle on October 1, 2016 Music Background: Pro musician working in clubs, theaters, concert houses etc..

In Europe Blackstar are HUGE! many top performers are moving over to Blackstar from whichever brand they previously used. Why ? because they are REALLY GOOD!
Blackstar was formed by ex Marshall people who wanted to take things "a step further".
The Blackstar selection is huge and I wanted something to fit my various playing styles with a great sound and with a number of features that were important to me.
The HT40 is an amazing sounding amp with deep rich crystal clean warmth for country ,jazz or whatever else you desire.Its not harsh and too bright as some Fenders can be ( although you can dial in those tones if you want them and even get the clean channel to crunch a little if you desire).
The clean channel has voicing switches to help you with this.There is not a lot of eq controls on the clean channel but honestly you DONT need them! if you did, buy a little stompbox graphic!
The overdrive channel is amazing too with lots of eq and the famous patented ISF (infinite shape feature) that gives you extra opportunities to dial in a typical British sound or USA sound.
For me it was great that the HT40 has an emulated output on the back so that If I wish to plug direct into the PA system with a good sound I CAN, and then use the combo as an onstage monitor behind me at the same time!
The amp has an effects loop for delays etc..and even a "dark/bright"switch for the reverb.
The amp comes with a footswitch to select channels (clean/overdrive) and to turn on and off the reverb.

For me you cant find a more warm sounding versatile tube amp with these features and still at a very reasonable price! my advice is BUY IT!

Excellent amp

By Brent from Mid-west USA on August 27, 2016 Music Background: Guitarist, singer, songwriter

Bought this a few months ago, and it's amazing. With the 'voicing' switches on both channels, and the ISF knob, you can get a TON of different sounds. The 'modern' clean channel can be cranked up quite loud with no audible distortion, which is really cool, but the other clean channel setting has really nice break up if you push it. The overdrive channel is super versatile, with the voicing switch, EQ, and ISF can cover just about any sound I can imagine needing. I HIGHLY recommend this amplifier.

My First Quality Amp

By Scott from Tallahassee on April 5, 2016 Music Background: Intermediate Guitar - Learner

This was my first purchase with Sweetwater and it could not have gone better. I've been discussing this purchase with Aaron my rep at Sweetwater for a few months and talking guitar here and there for almost a year. Throughout the process Aaron answered all of my questions in detail and seemed to really want to help a newer player get the right gear. With this purchase Aaron helped guide me through a very large set of quality amps to find the best amp for my needs and budget.

The amp we ended up with is this amazing Blackstar HT Club 40. This amp is much more than I expected and I honestly had very high hopes, it surpassed all of my expectations. Aaron was right this amp is perfect for me. I've been an acoustic player for just a few years now and I'm really still in the early intermediate stage with the instrument so I wanted something flexible with pure tube tone that would get me as excited about the electric guitar as I am about my Larrivée D-40R acoustic. Having tried many quality amps at local shops that I liked (including the very nice Vox AC15 Custom) I ended up ordering this amp without a play test after feeling that it's flexibility of tone would better serve me at this stage. I knew Sweetwater would take care of me if the amp wasn't a perfect fit, but this amp is going nowhere! It's a perfect fit for me and has me really enjoying my time with the electric guitar, which is something I couldn't say before with my previous digital starter amp. Now with this amp my acoustic guitar has to really share time with the electric for the first time and I feel like I can finally grow on both the electric and acoustic guitar and not just the acoustic which was a more natural fit for me initially.

Thank you Aaron and thanks Sweetwater for being a trusted online dealer that stands by your products and gives better customer support than I would expect at a big box store.

Blackstar HT 40

By BIg Rog from Richmond on March 21, 2016 Music Background: Working musician

Got my Blackstar HT 40 yesterday and was blown away by the quality once I unpacked it. Solid, well-built and engineered for the guitar player. Once I plugged my 1985 Strat into it and started playing I knew I'd finally chosen the correct amp. This thing was quiet, no hiss, hum or buzz. Even at higher volumes it evoked no noise. The clean channel was clean, the over-drive channel overdrove. Everything worked as I had read about. It was great. I've been a working musician for 50 years, owned many American and British amps, from Fender to Marshall, from Peavey to Orange but I've got to say, for the price-point, features and all-round workability you can't beat this amp! I'm 62 years old and have finally found what I was searching for. Playing the blues, country or 50's, 60's, 70's rock is a pleasure. It has brought back that "feeling" of what it was like in the beginning when you plugged in, turned up the volume and was struck by great tone coming from your guitar. If you're looking for the next amp to get you motivated and to restore your passion then the Blakstar HT 40 is it. Take from a tone seeker, one that is hard to satisfy!

Fantastic amp

By Daniel Klassen from Manassas, VA on March 9, 2016

First of all this thing is LOUD for a 40w amp. Secondly it sounds amazing and you don't have to tweak in constantly to look for a good sound because just about anyway you dial it is going to sound good in a different way. Great tone. Fantastic OD. Great build. Has an emulated out which is perfect for recording. Everything I have recorded with it thus far sounds excellent. Nice full and crisp sound. This amp made me a Blackstar fan for life. Go get one!

Blackstar HT Club 40 Tube Amp

By Matt Schmidt from Helena, MT on January 14, 2016

I watched every YouTube video out there I could , read hundreds of reviews, before buying this amp. I was blown away within 30 minutes of playing on her. This amp has far surpassed my expectations. I do wish they had offered a headphone jack. It would allow me longer playing times without my family yelling at me. Very, Very satisfied so far. Clean tones are great in my opinion, very versatile.

Incredible Amp/My First Tube Amp

By Zach H. from Seymour, WI on December 14, 2015

I bought this amp about a year ago, and I haven't regretted it at all. The variety of sounds you can get with just the amp alone is much more diverse than many combo-tube amps in this price range. It also plays very well with my various effect pedals, and my three guitars (six-string in Drop C, six-string in E standard, and an eight-string in F tuning). All of this is achieved with just the stock tube in the amp. I can only imagine how great it would sound with an aftermarket tube.

Amazing!

By Sweetwater Customer on November 10, 2015 Music Background: Hobbyist

I'm mainly a metal player and this amp is amazing. I'm even enjoying playing clean with this amp...which I wasn't expecting.

Love Love Love

By Ron Zabrocki from Lichfield, CT on September 6, 2014 Music Background: Professional Guitarist.

Let me start by saying this: I returned a Mesa Boogie 5:50 Plus. I could go on and on about how the distortion had no saturation. Sounded very old school. The EQ was difficult and the volume control was useless. Screaming loud on 1 at 5 watt setting. The 2 channels were limiting in that I could only get a useable sound out of the 1st channel.
Decided on the Blackstart HT Club 40.
Now, the Blackstar is intuitive, the EQ makes sense, it is simple, the sounds are beautiful without wasting time searching for them. It can easily cover ANY style of music and it takes to pedals nicely. I could go on and on. The amp is a dream. I am a professional guitarist for more years than I care to mention. I do session work daily. This amp covers all the bases. And the emulated out is surprisingly good! Totally useable if you don't want to mic it up. TheISF adds a not so subtle shift in continents....USA to Great Britain! I've heard of some people changing out the speaker or tubes. Not gonna do it. Sounds too good just the way it is. Thanks Sweetwater! And especially Mark Magdich!

Best Deal for th Money

By Wm. Beejay Jasper from Santa Barbara, Ca on April 11, 2014 Music Background: Play for my own enjoyment and occationally others

I have played guitar for over forty years now and this amp is the best sounding, most versatile amps I've ever owned, period. I will say that to achieve the total sound package I wanted I put new tubes in and replaced the speaker with an old Celestian Vintage 30 speaker. This combo amp for under $900.00 is easily comparable to a Marshall at two to three times the price. Also with the ISF control it's much more tunable to different styles of play. As a reference I play a PRS DGT guitar with this amp and they work great together.

Love my HT 40

By Marshall Brence from Poteau, Ok on March 15, 2014 Music Background: Music teacher, guitar, vocals, live sound.

I had never owned a tube amp, but this is the one I love. I played on several before buying the HT40. The clean channel controls or lack of controls concerned me until I got it and started plying it. You don't need a bunch of knobs to get a good clean sound. I like the variety of sounds you can get from the OD side, too. The ISF control is pretty cool and can let you dial in a just the right tone. It had a lot of power and looks very nice. It is a heavy amp and built very sturdy. The HT40 sounds good loud or soft, clean or dirty. I love this amp. I will be adding an ext. speaker later.

Blackstar amp

By Cole on February 17, 2014

Best amp I have ever played it puts every other amp to shame

Blackstar and Sweetwater Rock

By Boyd from Grand Junction, CO USA on January 16, 2014 Music Background: Hobbyist

Incredible tone and sound from this amp, my biggest problem is not being able to turn up the master sound at home without blowing the windows out. Love this amp! As Always great service from Alan Miller and fast delivery. Ordered the week before Christmas and even showed up a day early.

Simply a great combo amp

By Eric from San Diego, CA on January 1, 2014 Music Background: hobbyist

This amp is just super, Blackstar hit a home run. I had the HT-5 which was good but this HT-40 is such a great upgrade for not much more money. The sound is so much more full and rich, I'm sure some of that is due to the cabinet size but there must be something else in the electronics compared to the 5. On metal tones it is outstanding, you can quickly dial in a heavy sound.
The only area I did not like at first was the clean channel, it was not as "crisp" as I was hoping for. I think the clean channel begins to break up too soon, to solve it I turn the master volume way up and the channel volume way down, that delivers acceptable cleans.
All in all an outstanding amp for the money and a keeper.

I've been looking for this amp for 40+ years

By Rob Crawford from United States on August 25, 2013 Music Background: Gigging Musician

Just unpacked the Club 40 from Sweetwater yesterday. Cannot. Stop. Playing. In 40+ years of playing, this was the amp I've been looking for. I'm keeping my TC Electronic Flashback in the loop and maybe a wah, but the rest of the pedals, digital modelers, etc. (not to mention a Marshall 2266 VM head) are headed for eBay.

I don't even need the foot switch...the clean channel is absolutely useable, but the OD channel (voice switch out) is where I found the mojo for old school plexi-ish overdrive that cleans up beautifully when you roll back the guitar volume. For Warmoth strat with Rio Grande (Railgunner, TB, TB) I put the gain about 12 o'clock, dime the OD volume and bass; mid/treble at between 10 and 1 o'clock; ISF at 3 o'clock and Reverb at noon.

The only concern is durability...it looks well built so time will tell. For right now I absolutely could not be happier the Club 40.

By Simon from Adelaide, Australia on May 3, 2013 Music Background: Hobbyist

I upgraded from its little brother the HT-5 after thinking that was one of the best amps ever. I play in a cover band that plays classic rock, punk, blues and metal from 60's to now. This amp can manage anything, and actually has made me a better player, as I can output the tone in my head. With my Les Paul has Doorsy and Creedence cleans, Stones and Black Crowes overdrive, AC-DC growl, Gunners Slash tone, and Offspring and Metallica nailed. VERY LOUD in gigs with loud drummer, but still gives great practice-level volumes. A must buy!!!

The Club 40 Its LOUD!

By Stan Goeglein from Ft Wayne IN on April 19, 2013 Music Background: 25+ Years Exp.Playin in bands. Never Gets Old!!!!!

Ran it through a 4x12 cab with celestion M70s WOW!!! It was LOUD and sounded great! Im very surprised. I play hard rock with loud drummers and this Club 40 keeps up just fine!! My XXX head is history!! Thanks Sweetwater. You got the best staff !!!!

Perfection in a combo

By Jason from Orlando, FL on December 31, 2012 Music Background: Pro Musician, Instructor, Session player, all Genres.

No matter what sound you are going for. The Hot Rodded Plexi or 800,,, its there, American or British its there as well. The Boutique setting on the clean is amazing to me. It breaks up without killing you. I have played threw all the HT series amps and the HT Club 40 and the HT-50 Head sound the best of the lot. The HT-100 has a tighter sound but not as versatile. The HT Studio 20 is nice but lacking the "Boys" for lack or a better word of the 40 and 50. I play out on mine 4 nights a week and is flawless every time.

Would LOVE it if this amp came with a 3rd channel like the Stage 60 and 100 but, Well they don't sound as good to me as I like the more "Open" Sound. Make the Modern and Classic buttons foot switchable and That would make me very happy then it would be total perfection.

If your a Metal Player, Blues Player, Country Player or Jazz player, This Amp can do it. No matter where you have the EQ set, its punchy. I get complements all the time on the sound of this little beast... (Its not so little in size) on how HUGE the sound is. I use the DI and a 609 threw the board and it sounds like a wall of 100 watt stacks hitting you in the face.

Amazing Tone

By TBone from NY on November 21, 2012 Music Background: Musician

Love the tone of this amp. It actually has more gain than I expected. There is no need to add any distortion pedals to this amp.
The clean is good, but not great. The ISF feature is okay. Nothing too drastic. But no matter what, the tone of this amp is incredible.
Set the gain at about 5, OD voice in, volume at 5, everything else around 4-6 and it sounds perfect.
And Sweetwater delivered it within two days!!

It really is the sound in your head

By Charlie O'Brien from Severna Park, MD on February 20, 2012 Music Background: Hobbyist, Student

I have owned this amp for about 3 days now and it is just incredible. This amp is a real tone monster. I play a lot of different genres and this amp just keeps amazing me with how versatile it is. There is only one thing about this amp that is not great. It is hard to get a good "crunch" sound. But then again, I have only had the amp for 3 days and I haven't even scratched the surface of the tonal capabilities of this amp. The highlight of this amp is definitely the overdrive channel. The range of tones on the overdrive channel is awesome. The ISF feature really helps you find that tone you are looking for. Another great feature is the voice button. it make is so easy for me to nail the right sound every time. The response on this amp is great which really makes those solos sound so good. 6-string chords are clearly defined. The clarity of each note is incredible. The reverb is also great. This amp can easily compete with the big boys. I chose this over a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe. This sounds much better. In my honest opinion that is. For me this amp has been the biggest bang for my buck. 5 stars. Cant wait to take this thing on a gig.

Amazing Value/Sound

By Kevin Roeder from Orchard Park,N.Y. on December 7, 2011 Music Background: pro musician

Pulled this baby out of the box(nice packaging)when I got home from work,and could not stop playing through it! After 5-10 minutes of tinkering- dialed it right in,yet there is so much more this amp can do.First-very quiet,even when wound up.Initial inspection tells me this think is built like a tank.Fit,finish is superb,dials tight,precise-appears very rugged-time will tell.The cleans are chimey,clear,and bell like if desired-with the ISF control(awesome feature)Fender like or Vox/Brit type tone,or dial in the ISF somewhere in between for a unique blend of both.Like most players it is a constant chase for the ultimate sound/tone.You would easily have to pay 2-3 times more for a boutique type amp that does what this amp does.And I'm saying that based on actually playing a bunch of them.As far as I'm concerned this has got to be THE BEST BARGAIN on the market right now.To get to the overdrive channel:Driving metal tones,smooth creamy sustain,(again the ISF dial),Marshallesque,Mesa type,and pretty much anywhere in between-I was hard pressed to find any limitations.Reverb:not a huge fan of reverb in general-reverb sounded fine.I would love to hear this amp plugged into a 2x12/4x12 or even a single 12 extension cab. I am of the opinion "less is more"as to dials,buttons,this and that.All controls are functional,precise,tight and useable(did I mention the ISF control!!!),just an awesome,innovative feature-that does what it claims.I tried this beast with a Les Paul Custom and an Fender Tele.Both sounded great,the Les Paul seemed a bit more vibrant,but just being very picky on this.All and all just unbelievable sound for an amp in this price range-The folks at Blackstar are completely in touch with what is expected of great tube tone,and for a newer Co. I can't wait to see future products,innovations they come up with.YOU HAVE TO CHECK OUT THIS AMP!!!

Great AMP at a great price

By Tim Peters from AZ on November 9, 2011 Music Background: Hobby Musician

I love the versatility of this AMP. I can dial in just about any tone that I want. From clean crisp to fat and chunky. If you are looking for an all around great AMP at a great price then you need to try the HT Club 40! It is everything I need from the studio to the stage.

This Hot Rod can hang with the Boutique Boys

By Matt Gonzales from San Antonio, TX on October 29, 2011 Music Background: Pro Musician

I played a 1971 Marshall 100 watt for years. It was my "go to," and like all 40 year old amps, it started to fade on me, and was becoming expensive to keep up. I was blown away by the Blackstar HT-5, and used it in the studio. When my Marshall went down at a gig, I plugged the little HT5 into my 4x12 and had great tone all night!

I stepped up to the Club 40 a week later and I am never disappointed by this fantastic amp, nor does it ever cease to surprise me with what it can do. It is the perfect size and volume for just about every gig I've done - from dive bar to festival stage - and drives a 4x12 like a rodeo bull! I can dial in my old "Marshall" sound, straight up Brit rock, full on metal, or dirty blues with ease! The clean channel is wonderful and when used "Class A" and dimed, is nasty and gritty with plenty of tone!

The ISF feature is a Godsend. You can really shape your tone and get some great tone that cuts through a loud band. The secret weapon in this already killer rig is the emulated line out. You run the amp on Standby and right into your recording gear for silent recording at any hour, and the tone is unbelievable. I have not recorded a miked guitar since!! The emulated tone is lively and vibrant, and sounds like you're recording a wall of cabs!!

I have been playing guitar for three decades, and I have yet to see a company as innovative as Blackstar, nor have I ever owned such a wonderful amp. I can't believe what you get for your buck with this little gem. By far the coolest amp I have ever owned!!

Best amp I've ever owned

By Justin Farley from Huntington, WV on August 2, 2011 Music Background: Semi-Pro Musician, Live Sound Engineer, Recording Engineer

Saying this amp is the best amp I've ever owned is a huge understatement. My previous amps have been a Carvin V3, Marshall JCM 800, Peavey 5150, Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier, and a Mesa Boogie Stiletto Deuce. This amp outshines all of the others, by far. The tone is great from bedroom levels, all the way to stage volume. I was skeptical at first of the single Tone control on the clean channel, but it proves to be the single most effective knob ever placed on an amplifier. The ISF feature is incredible, and I'm asking myself how I ever lived without it. I play in a Rock/Blues jam type band and this amp can cover anything and everything. I will be purchasing the HT 100 head within the next month. I'm now strictly a Blackstar player for life.

Never regret sound on your head

By Aim Nanda from Sydney Australia on June 8, 2011 Music Background: Pro Musician

This Amp is the best i have been play for under $1000 prices, after i got Blackstar HT Club 40 these Marshall, Peavey, Randall, Boss GT 10 now i put them on garage,

Unbelievable with Blackstar HT Club 40 sound, so amazing and cool
after you get this Amp you will keep practice more and more because it so good to hear it..if you guy looking for good Amp this one is no sorrow.

BEST amp you can buy under a $1000

By Glen D from Michigan, USA on April 25, 2011 Music Background: Play Live

I am former owner of many boutique style amps. Yes, some of them had some glorious tone. This amp sonically is on par with anything made under $2,000.00. It is versatile with the clean/distortion channels. Nice FX loop. The ISF knob and help you coax some subtle differences in tone. The digital reverb is not overdone and believalbe. One of the more quiet amps I have played. Can get pretty gainey and I am not a metal guy so the drive channel lives around 9:00. I own some very nice guitars and this amp compliments my guitars nicely. I have tried to own some modern Marshall amps and they just don't live up the amps of golden age of Marshall. This amp may not have the Marshall mojo, but it beats almost any EL tubed amp under $2,000.

Underrated

By Matt from Ohio on November 26, 2017

For the price range I bet you can't find something better. I'm writing this review after owning this amp for 4 years now. In the last 4 years this amp has not failed me one time, and it gets used 3 to 4 times a week. The reason I can't give it a 5 is because of some cheap parts that can be changed for very little money. Input jacks, loop, speaker, and channel all replaced, took some time and 10 bucks but well worth it if you are going to be setting up and breaking down the amp several times a week. Not a huge issuse and kinda expected. The tube bias was checked the day I got it and was on the cold side but I made no changes. 4 years later and still on the same set of power tubes, I figured I would check them again. To my surprise they tested good. NOT SURE HOW THIS COULD BE THESE ARE CHEAP TUBES?!! But since it still sounds good why fix whats not broke. Just keeping a set next to the amp. The preamp tubes were replaced after a few months of owning this amp due them just not playing nice with a few pedals. Changed out with JJ and it seemed to fix the issue.

Now for the one thing that lacks. The stock 70/80 speaker!!!!!! Most of this amps life it has pushed my Marshall 2X12 with greenbacks. Sounds awesome...... But now and then I had to bring it somewhere and me being lazy I didn't take the 2X12 cab and had to deal with 70/80.....YUCK! Spend the money put a V30 or Creamback in it and never put yourself through the pain of the 70/80.

Now for the all the good stuff. Well built and holds up to being moved around. The cab is about the same size as the club 60 and the added airspace gives it amaizing lows for a single 12. The channel voicing is surprisingly great. Getting old school rock tone at a low volume can be done without waking the neighborhood. The cleans are good and if you are into pedals it plays with them like they were long lost friends. The pots seem to be very good quality and they function from 0 to 10 with what seems like no jumping. The loop is a great addition to this amp and at the price point surprised it came with one. The reverb works and doesn't sound half bad.

All and all this is an underrated tube amp. For the price and with a few mods this amp will out play amps with bigger names and cost $500 to $750 more. Try one out, it will surprise you.

Great tube combo amp

By Mike S from Acworth, GA on March 15, 2017

Looking for a good tube amp is a hard decision. I wanted to upgrade my solid state amp to a decent tube amp. It took me a while until I finally made my decision. I was debating if I am going to grab a Marshall DSL40C or this HT Club 40 both amp delivers great tones but I had a terrible experience on DSL40C I was about to test it on my local guitar store they didn't have it on the floor so the sales rep opened one for me to test on. After warming up the tubes for a couple of minutes, I pressed the standby switch, turn the knobs and started to strum the guitar. There was no sound coming out from the amp I called the sales rep and he find it also strange, after a couple of seconds we both smelled something burning inside of the amp. At that moment I decided not to go with Marshall and go with HT40. I was blown away on how versatile this amp is. It has pretty good cleans and great overdrive channel. However, the only thing bothers me is that there's only one tone knob on clean channel but it can be compensated by pressing the voice switch of the amp. From classic botique tone with noticable mid and high's to modern clean which kind of a scooped sound. It can handle analog pedals pretty well. This is one of my best investment so far. Way better compared to my old solid state amp.

Excellent and Versatile Amp at a Great Price

By Tom from Minneapolis, MN USA on October 30, 2014 Music Background: Former gigging musician, now just jamming with friends

I've had this amp for about 5 weeks now and all I gotta say is "Wow"! I had a chance to play through one at my local GC, so I knew kind of what to expect...but after playing around with the EQ and ISF, there is almost no sound that can't be dialed in. This is a much more versatile amp than I initially thought, without being confusing or hard to dial it in. I personally think some amp manufacturers way overcomplicate the tone dial in process, these guys have all you need on there with no BS.

Even though I'm still in the honeymoon period, I already know this one is a keeper. I am able to take the volume way down for practice in my house, and still get a great sound. I also had a chance to jam with my former band and this 40 Watt tube has more than enough power and volume to cut through...the louder you turn it up, the better it sounds...no breakdown in tonal quality IMHO. I play everything from blues to classical, progressive to metal and it's definitely got plenty of distortion. It also responds very well to different pickups...much different sound out of my PRS than my old Washburn Swamp Ash N4.

The clean channel is quite good without breaking up, and the 2 modes are very different and useful. The distortion is great and the ISF feature really does change the sound profile. The only couple things that could be better are the reverb (I don't use much reverb anyways, so not a deal breaker for me) and the basic footswitch. Would be nice to have the ability to switch modes within the channels. I don't play live much anymore, so again, for me...not a deal breaker.

I have had a lot of amps over the years from Randall, Peavey, Crate, Mesa & Fender and this little tube amp is by far the most versatile amp I've found for the price...and it's all tube! I tried a lot of amps out before deciding on this one...came down to this or the Marshall DSL40C and I ultimately chose this one after playing both extensively at local GC...it was a close call, but I preferred the distortion channel on this one being able to dial in slightly more gain when needed. I would say the clean channels on both are about equal and comparable.

This is my firs time doing business with Sweetwater and I have to say, with all online options out there, I couldn't be happier with this company. My sales engineer Nick LaMendola was a great resource and was very prompt in replying to me with requested information. The item came the day they said and was in perfect condition. They even credited me $50 when the amp when on special...now that's great customer service. The 3 equal payment plan is really convenient...I will definitely be doing all of my online equipment shopping with Sweetwater from now on.

If you're looking for a versatile and solidly built tube amp at a reasonable price, give this amp serious consideration and go play one at your local music store. The buy it from Sweetwater to get the extended warranty and for peace of mind!

Blackstar HT Club 40 -three amps for the price of one!

By Alan L from Manalapan NJ on October 20, 2011 Music Background: Hobbyist

I spent countless hours searching for my next tube amp for my classic rock jam band. Tried great models by Fender, Marshall, Vox and Orange! I liked qualities about all of them and wish I had budget and space to buy all four! Along came the Blackstar HT-40. Tweak the clean voicing channel and bright reverb feature-the Fender sound is there! Go to the boutique clean and turn up the clean volume-Vox/Orange clean and breakup at your service! Distortion channels range from agressive American to cream type Santana/Slash/Warren Haynes distortion. The effects loop is awesome! This amp is a great value and does not sound like I settled! If I could change one thing it would be to add the voicing options for each channel on the footswitch. My Sweetwater Sales Engineer Patrick Dennis is a pleasure to work with and the amplifier was delivered to my home in NJ within 3 business days!

Versatile Powerhouse Amp!

By Mighty V from San Antonio TX on March 8, 2011 Music Background: Professional Musician

I own this amp and it's a workhorse. You have so many tone options with the ISF control on the overdrive channels with both Voicings. I does just what is says. It gives you both a American tone and British tone and a wide array of tones inbetween both extremes just by turning nob. On top of that you get 2 very different clean voicings that are out of this world. While I don't really use much reverb the digital reverb sounds outstanding on both setting options located on the back of the amp. You can run it through a variety of different extention cabs as well. The only reason I didn't give the amp a perfect 5 is I wish the included foot switch had the option to switch between both voicings on the cleans and overdrive channels but that's really a small complaint. Overall, this is an amazing amp for an amazing value that can shine in whatever type of music you choose to play. If you're looking for a versatile amp that won't break the bank do yourself a favor and check out this amp or any amp coming from the good folks at Blackstar. You'll be Glad you did!

would be perfect if cab was real wood

By Sweetwater Customer from Ohio on October 12, 2014 Music Background: experienced

good tone, good volume, good overall sound, but way too heave due to the MDF cab. Built a pine cab for mine and cut weight to a reasonable level. now love it

Great amp but man is it heavy

By wolfman63 from Ohio on September 27, 2014 Music Background: semi retired pro musician

I bought this amp about a year and a half ago and the first gig I used it i really didn't care for it. I tried to sell it on consignment and it didn't sell. I offered it to a friend at a real bargain. He tried it out and loved it till he tried to lift it and that killed the deal. So it sat in storage till last night, when I decided to give the thing one last try. I'm so glad I tried it again. Used in a gig at an opera house and was thrilled. Don't know what the difference was, but maybe using a different guitar. Anyway I'll be keeping it and using it on a regular basis......... soon as it looses some weight. I am to old and tired to carry this thing up and down steps. I installed pop out casters so that it rolls, but there's still loading, unloading, and stairs. I pulled the chassis out of the cab today and the weight is in that miserable MDF cabinet. That's gotta go. Going to pick up some materials tomorrow and construct a head version to use with a light two twelve cab I have had for years.

High Gain, High Value

By Dax from Chicagoland, IL on January 10, 2012 Music Background: Gigging Musician

This is a good high gain, budget amp. Let me start by saying 40 watts is a flexible level of power allowing you to really light up your power tubes in about any situation with some channel level adjusting.

I got this as a portable practice amp with the band, but have ended up using it at gigs as well. I tried this amp out at various stores before pulling the trigger. It always sounded great in these environments, but when I got it home (to a quiet place) the tone was a little fatiguing (this sort of thing varies from person to person, but I'm trying to give a full disclosure here). Now, if you did your research before hand like a tone freak does, you'll know that it comes with cheap tubes and a budget speaker (not to say that they suck, but to reach their price point compromises are made). Many people end up swapping the tubes and/or speaker. So this is where I went (check the warranty first and be sure you're fine with it). Simply swapping out the preamp tubes (for a JJ and a Tung-Sol in my case) instantly got rid of the ear fatiguing highs and made me even happier with my purchase. It's a cheap, game changing upgrade. I think if they upgraded the preamp tubes, more people would be instantly impressed with their amps. Lucky for us, preamp tubes are cheap.

Dirty Channel (voice switch off): great, usable classic rock sound.
Dirty Channel (voice switch on): incredible amounts of tight high gain. Again, very usable live. Great for metal, and if you turn down the treble, great for alt/modern rock.
Clean Channel (voice switch off): extra clean sound, great pick attack control. (preferred clean for a live situation and with pedals in front of the amp)
Clean Channel (voice switch on): I initially really liked this setting, but if I played hard, I found that it made it easier to overload the sound in a muddy/bad way. I use it only in very specific controlled situations for recording.
The ISF knob is very cool indeed. I use a blend of British and American. The speaker outputs on the back are a welcome addition for flexibility. A great way to try out different speakers and configurations.

The direct out is usable, but nothing special. I would only use it at a gig as a last resort. I found it didn't take much to overdrive/distort it (in a bad way), so spend some time playing with it before you need to use it.

The amp could be improved by added the voicing switches to the foot controller (turn it into a pseudo 4 channel amp!), and better stock tubes/speaker. This has turned out to be a super amp with lots of potential that can hang with the big boy amps.

Blackstar HT Club 40

By Wayne Cipullo from New Hampshire on April 13, 2012 Music Background: Semi-professional bar band guy.

The perfect amp for my classic rock band. I had it for two days before I used for a gig. With hardly any time to noodle around I was able to dial in some nice cleans and the perfect dirt. Even the piezo on my Carvin sounded as close to an accoustic as you can get. I threw a Boss Feedbacker/Booster in there and it punched out a great lead tone. There was one problem though... I took out the fuse so that I could pick a up a spare and when putting it back in the cap that holds it in broke. It broke partly because Im a dork and partly because it is kind of crappily made. Because of this the amp is now dead in the water. Sweetwater and Blackstar both responded quickly to my SOS and now I'm just waiting for the part. BUT it never should have happened.

Disappointed

By charles mccoy from yankton, SD on September 21, 2017 Music Background: home player

I bought the HT40 deluxe. the first one hada bad tube,returned, recieved the 2nd one,really bad tube rattle. im sure would have been an easy fix with some tube damper rings,great clean tones and overdrive tones,love the EL34's,but getting to deffective ones in a row became disappointing,so returned and now have a Fender 65DRRI and loving it.

of
Close Close $8,000 PA System Giveaway -- input your email address below to enter or click here to learn more.

See giveaway details & rules or check out our past winners!

Success!

Your email, test has been entered to win this giveaway. Good Luck!