boosting a blackstar HT-5 with a bad monkey demonstration

[harro333]

Blackstar HT amps are tube amps. They use power tubes and have a standby switch.

[givemeajackson]

@harro333 bbut they have transistors too, just to increase gain. they dont do a lot to the signal, the just amplify it, almost no difference in tone, just for everybodys information. that gain is impossible to achieve with just one preamp tube!

[xxGNR12xx]

would $300 good for this with a jet city 1x12 included?

[afrika18]

In fact, they aren't even connected to the amps wiring, they aren't even real tubes, they are just there to make you think it is a tube amp.

[gtjumper]

@afrika18 what are you doing looking at my vids pervert, move on.

[Samesama]

@afrika18 Well, that's not entirely true. The preamp tubes (12ax7/ECC83) do not glow anywhere. It's very usual for pedals loaded with these kind of tubes to have a led (light) behind them so it seems they're glowing. In the other hand, power tubes such as EL34/84 used in blackstar and most amps out there do glow. And overall if you're not playing a Plexi you're probably using something with printed circuit boards and lots of other things. Blackstar amps have heavy PCB but are surely tube amps

[afrika18]

It soundZ like aZZssssss--blackstar=solid state with tubes for marketing purposes. When you plug in a Blackstar amp, the tubes don't even heat up==they are just there for show==to make you think that you bought a tube amp.

[gypsiejoe5]

@afrika18 What would you know about it? It's obvious you don't have one and never used one or you would know better. Solid state amps pop on with power, tube amps must warm up to function. And every product needs MARKETING to sell. Hell what do you think the dea does. I own a 1972 superlead 100, mesa b F30, and a MK2 1974 club&country 2x12 combo. All tube amps, and you know what..My ears are liking my blackstar weather it's solid s, tube hybrid whatever it is i like it.

[paulizzyrollins]

I used to boost my JCM900 clean with a bad monkey. It's superb.

You can go from a ACDC tone to a Zakk Wylde tone by using the level boost.

Makes your signal nice and thick.

[Orbsee]

you set the gain to zero and level to the max? care to explain why mate?? I have HT5, using loop with gt8 booster, it sound aint right. So looking for a good booster now..

[gtjumper]

@Orbsee this is being used as a clean boost, essentially its just making your pickups have more output. a clean boost between the guitar and amp input will give you a tighter, more compressed tone and better chug :). if you use a clean boost in the loop it will simply act like you have turned the master up a smidge. the bad monkey also doubles as a low gain "dirt pedal" but i never use it for that.

Hope this helps.

[xXxiFvkxXx]

@gtjumper lol definitely cant wait for my blackstar ht 5 to be delivered, ordered it with a bad monkey, and if i need more output, my truckster has a 9/18 volt switch:P

[cvocvo123]

@Orbsee A booster should be connected to the amp's input, not in the fx loop. Try it, you will get better results. The GT-8 boosters ain't too bad, evetually you could choose the OD1 or TS model, on a high level and a low drive setting. Try it...

[JRISS138]

gtjumper, Dude, you haven't done the demo with this amp and the MXR Wylde Overdrive! Have you ever played the Krank Rev Jr. I'll prob be getting 1 of the 2 amps soon.

[gtjumper]

@JRISS138 it would be hard for most to hear differences in overdrives so i reckon they all are good, even the nasty bad monkey. I havent heard a Krank amp yet, they arent very popular over here.

[TheMicrac]

to have a rhandy rhoads sound is it any good? could you suggest any good pedal for that matter?

[gtjumper]

@TheMicrac Not sure of the rhandy sound mate, its good all the way through the gain sweep so its really up to the player.

[TheSchoolsux345]

i do this with my blues amp and it turns into a hard rock, old school metal amp. rad. haha i keep the eq all the way up on the pedal and the volume at like noon or 1.

[maneatingtoilets]

what settings did you use on the amp?

[gtjumper]

@maneatingtoilets damn dude, i cant really remember, i used to be everything noon except a little more treble.

[slashaholicanonymous]

Thanks for posting this vid, I'm considering buying this amp and I've been wondering how the overdrive channel sounds with a front-end boost. Question answered, it roars! Thanks!

[kzr83]

This thing really is awesome. I got the head and Blackstar's 1x12 cab. Just checking out what other people are up to with it. Going to try boosting it up a bit with a Boss HM-2 soon, see if it'll give me that sound of blood and evil and guts, swedish style \m/

[666jony666]

Would a BBE green screamer do the job?

[gtjumper]

@666jony666 definitely!!

[Simmen12]

Do you think this amp takes pedals well?

[gtjumper]

@Simmen12 definitely!

[Simmen12]

@gtjumper awesome!

[marklotv]

I just added Bad Monkey to my signal chain (Bad Monkey-Blackstar HT5-MXR 108-BBE sonic stomp) and WOW! Now it is perfect! Do you keep gain at minimum? I found out that if I raise the gain in Bad Monkey there will be some unwanted noise...

[gtjumper]

@marklotv i usually leave the gain at 0 dude.

[nunofrg]

are you only using that pedal? do you consider that amp a good metal amp?

[gtjumper]

@nunofrg The pedal is just boosting the amps gain. Think of it like using hotter pickups. And this amp can do metal fine as long as you use hot pickups.

[nunofrg]

dude.. WHAT A TONE

[gtjumper]

@nunofrg thanks bro!

[jmvExperience]

Sweet sound! :)  You just gotta love Blackstar, amazing amps!

[Geetarfrik]

wow that sweep caught me by surprise. I thought it was going to be ANOTHER demo of just chugs.

[gtjumper]

@Geetarfrik lol can't help myself sopmetimes :)

[ThrashTilGrave]

u think this amp would be ok with a guitar with EMG 81 ..and a metal muff EHX?

[gtjumper]

Its own preamp is better then every "metal" pedal i can think of, more natural and a bit more dynamics. But i do like EMG's though this amp most out of all my amps

[colmonic]

Thats the only problem my friend the market is just full of them, too many. Go for an overdrive rather than distortion. Bad Monkey is great value and really a tubescreamer clone like an SD-1. Personal favourite is the new Trex tonebug od. Like a TS but can get a little dirtier. Awesome with an amp on crunch. check out the milan polak demo on YTube, very versatile

[colmonic]

Too much gain on an metal Zone for a boost. It's more of a stand alone distortion pedal. Use a boost with your amps overdrive (tube is best). if its boss youlike an SD-1 would to the job fine.

[gtjumper]

but with the gain turned down, its all the same. I would prefer a real boost pedal though.

[gtjumper]

well done dude!!

[gtjumper]

thanks dude! the HT-5 wont disappoint.

[gtjumper]

some use it on mesa rectos with decent results, i have never used them on the ht-5 though

[JasonM2691]

I boost my HT-5 with a maxon OD808.

I play metalcore and get a great tone with the OD808 boosting it

[JRISS138]

What is the HT5 gain setting?

[gtjumper]

about 2:30.

[JRISS138]

Has anyone tried an MXR Wylde tube overdrive with the overdrive channel of the ht-5

[gtjumper]

ha ha ha comming very soon, I will demo it.

[got2chews]

Sounds good , what do you have the gain set on the amp?

[PlayerZen14]

How's teh bad monkey with the HT-5? Do you think there's a better OD pedal I could pair the HT-5 up with?

Thanks and very nice playing. :)

[gtjumper]

the bad monkey works good for the HT-5 but it is a decent cheap od. It does colour the sound though even when off but its not that bad for the price. I havent yet put better boosts on the HT-5 but i am sure they would be by far superior.

[PlayerZen14]

Good to know, thanks.

I think I'll just pick up a tubescreamer or OCD..

[Nick184]

Nice playing, good demo

[gtjumper]

thanks dude, its more thought out then the last one i removed.