Searing St. James Sound Meets Cutting-edge Engineering
The St. James 100 head represents a groundbreaking addition to the Blackstar lineup, born from years of research and development to provide guitarists with a genuinely forward-thinking twist on valve-powered amplification. What makes it so distinctive? For starters, the St. James 100’s quartet of power tubes consists of two 6L6s and two El34s, which can be run all at once (100 watts) or isolated to either pure 6L6 mode or pure EL34 mode (50 watts). Thus, while the St. James 100 comes equipped with four footswitchable channels (Clean, Crunch, OD1, and OD2), these channels dramatically shift in tone when exploring the amp’s British, American, and combined power amplifier voicings. Next, each pair of channels features a dedicated control section comprising a 3-band EQ, Presence knob, and Reverb control, along with channel-specific Boost and Tight switches. And to aid recording guitarists and stage musicians who prefer to go direct, the St. James 100 also sports a built-in reactive load CabRig-equipped output. Finished off with a switchable Parallel/Series effects loop, MIDI, USB-C audio out, and one of the lightest builds you’ll find on any 100-watt head, the Blackstar St. James 100 strikes a perfect balance between old-school valve technology and innovative modern appointments.
Related Videos: St. James 100 100-watt Tube Amplifier Head
EL34 chime, 6L6 depth, and everything in between
Whether you prefer the raw British brilliance of EL34 power tubes or the classic American tones of the 6L6, the Blackstar St. James 100 has you covered. This amplifier’s utterly unique power section comprises two 6L6s and two EL34s, which can be played in individually selected pairs or with all four tubes combined.
Plus, this setup doubles in function as a handy power-scaling feature — selecting EL34 mode or 6L6 mode supplies 50 watts while running all four power tubes full-bore gives you a roaring 100 watts. You also get a front-mounted power scaling knob that further aids volume-conscious guitarists with the ability to go from 100% power all the way down to 5%. Blackstar’s ISF tone control has long been a Sweetwater favorite for its ability to sweep between classic British and American tones; the Blackstar St. James 100 Head’s dual-voice power section takes that concept to an entirely new level of authenticity.
Fine-tune your power amp response with the Cut switch
Blackstar’s St. James 100 series introduces an all-new tone-shaping tool not found on any previous Blackstar amp: a power amplifier “Cut” control. Offering you three positions to choose from, this control grants full authority over the St. James 100’s upper frequencies, allowing you to trim out potentially harsh and strident trebles. In more straightforward terms, this switch shapes your amp’s response from clear, bright, and chiming to a warmer, rounder, vintage-inspired tone.
CabRig-powered XLR output
Nothing quite sounds like a high-power tube amp pushed to its limits. It’s truly a tone to behold, and many classic amplifier designs shine their brightest when the preamp and power amp are driven into sweet, harmonic-rich saturation. To achieve those tones without blowing out your windows, the Blackstar St. James 100 boasts onboard reactive load functionality and Blackstar’s IR-based CabRig technology. These handy features allow you to record (and go direct) at any volume level you like, all without making a sound. Moreover, CabRig precisely re-creates the sound of a mic’d-up guitar cabinet, which makes it a breeze to lay down studio-grade tracks with little more than your amp, guitar, and audio interface.
Blackstar St. James 100 Features:
- A high-power 100W head born from years of Blackstar research and development
- Strikes a balance between vintage tube design and modern upgrades
- Power section consists of 2 6L6s and 2 EL34s, which can be combined (100W) or played independently (50W)
- 3-position cut control tweaks the response of your power section from bright and defined to a warm, vintage vibe
- A trio of ECC83 tubes in preamp unleashes lush, complex saturation
- 4 footswitchable channels to choose from: Clean, Crunch, OD1, and OD2
- Each channel pair features an independent control section, including a 3-band EQ, Presence, and Reverb
- Channel-specific Tight, Boost, and Bright controls
- Global Master volume and 100% to 5% Power scaling switch allow you to achieve hard-hitting tones at a variety of volumes
- Switchable Series/Parallel effects loop with adjustable +2dBu/-10dBV switch and +2dB/+6dB button
- Includes a 6-way footswitch; also features an input for 2-way footswitch
- Comprehensive connectivity includes MIDI Thru/In and USB-C audio output
- XLR CabRig output and reactive load allow for effortless recording and direct tones; CabRig software features immaculate cab and microphone modeling
- Exceptionally light design is perfect for taking on the road
