I have the Mercury edition and that’s bloody epic. The noise gate is superb too. Great demo. First time seeing your channel. You’re a fine player, my friend. Greetings from the UK 🇬🇧🎸
Amp X is coming out soon....that thing will be amazing. I own the iridium, I run a 10 band eq pedal in the loop to make it even more bad ass...also considering trying Ola's chug pedal thru it.
Thanks for the great video Lucas! With me it was the same, I would not have thought that I find a tool in the size what I really like and feels good when playing. The Iridium version is also really good in low-gain mode for jazz/pop and fusion sounds.
I already am committed to Amp1 and decided to stick with the IE. I will watch your video to see what other sounds I can get out of it! BTW I use MIDI so I can change channel gain at will, hard to find any amp that can do that, let alone one that fits on your board.
BluGuitar is really a fantastic brand. I couldn’t believe how good my Mercury sounded even compared to nos handwired and vintage tube amps. Thomas goes all the way with his products. I have all 3 versions of this amp1 and must say I use them exclusively now live and whenever I do plug in a tubeamp I don’t feel like I’m getting a better tone. Cheers dude love the videos & Alter Bridge riffs!
I did my best to capture it, but you can't really appreciate how "tube" this amp sounds and feels until you try one in person. I have *several* expensive amps that don't sound that good. AB for life!
Could i ask, what you find are the main differences of the Mercury vs Iridium? Is it just that Iridium is more high gain or are there any major tonal differences? Just curious. Ive only got the Iridium but In my head the cleans and uncle tones on the Mercury would be better?
@@razisharbini7569 I would say the Iridium covers: Friedman, Jose Modded Marshall, 5150, Mesa, Bogner, Studio Clean,... Mercury covers: vintage Marshall, jcm800, Soldano, Fender blackface, Vox,... There is a bit of overlap, but that's where the focus is. There is more gain on the iridium, but the voicing of the amp overall is way more modern. It's not a small difference.
@@MaxCarton Nice! The Soldano, Fender, Vox vibes would be fun to play around with. Thanks for the input Max! Rather ask someone thats actually tried both. Might give the Mercury a go in the near future.
Lucas I first saw you years back when you were demoing your Splawn amp. I had one as well at the time. I now have an iridium incoming and in doing a search about it…here you are And it’s your main amp👍🏼 Your getting some great tones from it Thanks for posting, looking forward to it
Yes back in the day like 2003 2004 my band that I had in high school with play shows at this little coffeehouse and we would play for 30 minutes about eight songs and they would be for five other bands sharing the stage that night and we used to bring an arsenal of gear for those little shows it was so much fun man still remember those days like it was yesterday!
Hey Lucas, love your videos. Just wondering if you are still rocking the Iridium?. I am thiinking of getting one. Sounds so good.. Cheers man, keep on rocking.
I have been using it as my main gig amp exclusively since I got it, I have nearly 50 shows or something on it now. I even used it for recording the two InterTwyneD singles we just finished. Can't recommend it highly enough. The 2 things I can't live without are my AMP1 and my Boss MS3!
Shout back at ya from a fellow dad musician! Great vid, tones are top notch. I bought the Iridium yesterday and this is making me feel great about my purchase. Can't wait for it to arrive.
Ironically, I'm gigging now as much as I ever did before I had kids, possibly more. I would be miserable doing Tuesday night shows and having to do school drop-offs at 7:30 am if it weren't for my AMP1 board that allows me to go DI :)
@@LucasFowler That's great, I'm busy most nights too and looking to mitigate the fuss so I can get home quickly and sleep more! Do you just use the DI out of the Amp1 or have you got the BluBox?
@@samwilcock2853 I actually use the recording/headphone out with the cab simulation off, then I send that to my Mooer Radar, which I have loaded with my own personal Impulse Responses. This allows me to use my favorite cabs :)
Ive owned the amp1 since they came out a few years ago. It’s an amazing amp. I had the original sliver edition but I much prefer the ME version. I recently added the iridium edition.I agree they sound better then many amps I’ve owned and I’ve owned many lol I think Thomas is a genius I wish this product would have been available years ago. It’s so nice to roll into a gig with a pedalboard with an amp1 plug in and go and it sounds great . They sound amazing through a 4 12 cab and move plenty of air .
Thank you! I am using the MS3 to control it via Midi. It switches patches and allows me to choose the amount of gain per patch, turn on and off reverb and boost, etc. There is actually already a great video by DutchGuitarDude about controlling the AMP1 with the MS3: ruclips.net/video/azA2KeigRs0/видео.html
In the overview of the channels(5:12), I am only using some reverb from the AMP1 on the Clean channel, no effects on Vintage, Classic or Modern. When I get to 14:42, then I'm using a few external effects. Some delay from my Boss MS3, then some overdrive from my Xotic EP Booster in the lead section.
My Planet Tone Statera pickups are sooooo good at that. I'm very proud to have help create them with Planet Tone: planettone.com/collections/artist-series/products/lucas-fowler-signature-statera-humbucker
so I'm assuming that to run this unit through a house PA you still need to mic your speaker cabinet, right? In other words, there's no balanced XLR output to go to mixer...?
Late question, but seeing that you have had both, hk black spirit 200 and amp1, curious to learn which took the levarage for you, as i consider these 2 to be among best offers on the market still in 2024 in my opinion. Blackstar did amped 2 and 3, where 2 is rare ALL in on, including fx and, yes, the tuner, while 3 sou ds much better. Still, feels like HK and Amp1 are best options, where HK offers delay but its a bit larger. Anyway appreciate your thoughts, always awesome videos and superb playing on your channel
So I no longer have the Black Spirit. It was very good and while I enjoyed the built-in effects, the overall tone paled in comparison to the BluGuitar AMP1. I also have the Blackstar "Amped 1" that I use for a second power amp along side my AMP1 to play in stereo, but again, it pales in comparison tonally to the AMP1. For me the BluGuitar wins, hands down.
@@LucasFowler i had that idea over the vids.. Yours and others, but you just solidified that.. Thomas is a pioneer for a reason.. Amp x once available will be the bomb.. Iridium might be my best bet now.. Thank you, Lucas
No, it works with any speaker provided the impedance is correct. If you only had a 50W speaker, just don’t turn the master volume up too far. You can run it without a speaker connected and into a recording interface. It will sound ok at low volume too.
I'm trying to go live, direct to board only. I don't want to carry a speaker cab around. Will this sound good going directly into FOH, or is that just not gonna be possible?
That's how I use mine almost exclusively these days. There is a "recording/headphone" out on the AMP1 that has a speaker simulation built in. You can go direct out like that, but I don't love that speaker sim. I turn that sim off(which you can do with a couple button pushes) and then I run that "recording/headphone" out into a Mooer Radar that I loaded with my own personal Impulse Responses. I talk a bit more about it here: ruclips.net/video/-JIlF08K40E/видео.html
Great vid, hey buddy can I run this bad boy into two Evh 2x12 ..both cabs are 16 ohm …also have stereo 8 ohm per side 2x12 id be running it with a Helix so stereo is big deal for me thanks for any input
Well stereo effects require a stereo power amp, or 2 discreet power amps. So, while you could use a passive cab splitter(like the Radial Cab-Link) to send the AMP1's powered out to 2 cabs, it will not be in stereo. You would need a second power amp, something like a Seymour Duncan powerstage. This would give you stereo "post" effects, by using 4 cable method. Essentially you could use stereo effects in the effects loop of the AMP1, after the preamp.
This video just goes to show you...if you wanna see and hear the best guitarists on youtube, just watch a bunch of reviews and demos about the Bluguitar Amp1 iridium amp...I also own of of these and they ROCK !!!
Great Review and playing here! But I don´t like the sound of the clean channel, seems to me like a compressor in front of? The tone of every amp has a clear response, nothing seems to be washed. Thanks for this!
The Iridium is the metal edition of the Amp1 and it is tight as fuck (the tightest amp I've ever met to be honest). There is also another Amp1, the Mercury Edition, which is geared towards more old-school rock & blues players (to which Thomas also counts himself ; he designed the Amp1 primarily for himself at the time). Thomas designed the Iridium after receiving criticism from the metal scene. It differs significantly from the Mercury Edition, because it is uncompromisingly geared towards metal. The Iridium is more of a specialist, while the Mercury is a better all-rounder and also the better choice for people outside of the metal scene.
I think I may have forgotten to turn off my compressor on the clean channel. I always have one on for clean parts and I'm just so used to that sound I forget about it. It sounds really nice without it too, I just like the extra "sauce" it gives clean tones :)
@@LucasFowler Ah, thanks - so my ears are still quite ok, ha ha! It would be a bad point to me if the clean channel is also that absolut direct and into the face.
So, very easy to dial in tones with this one. The MT15 is great, but it does sort of just do that one thing(very well). The AMP1 will not sound like the MT15, but what it does I like just as much. And it is *much* more versatile and full featured. The AMP1 is also at least twice as loud with clean headroom, if you need that.
Amp1 sits in a great spot. Is it going to be 100% identical to your raging JCM 800, etc? No. But it sounds great all the time, and it is so easy to integrate.
Great video, Lucas - and killer sounds. been using the original Amp1 for the last 5 years. What a piece of kit. Used it through a ton of house cabs and di’d through the FOH when there’s only a 2 minute line-check and no one wants to share a cab (I’m sure you know the feeling). Always sounds fantastic 👍
I always take my own cab or go DI. It's amazing to me how going through a cab you don't like(which you won't know until you try it) can just *wreck* your tone and therefore your performance :P
So..I have been using an AxeFXIII for awhile now….Helix before that….It’s been about 4 years since I moved to the modeling thing,so I have definitely given it a shot…but it’s just not the same….I have been seriously considering ditching the AxeFXIII and grabbing the iridium and some pedals….I have read all the reviews,most are great,but in the room,does it really sound and feel like a tube amp??…Does it have that volume and thump that a real amp has??…..I have even tried running the AxeFXIII into a tube power amp and guitar cab,and it doesn’t sound bad,it’s just not the same thing in some ways…..Hard to really get a sense of what it really sounds like in the room from videos…
@@EM-km8em I ended up getting an Irridium…it’s pretty amazing..it’s not a modeler,it’s a real,analog amp…..it sounds like the best 800 I have ever played on the Crunch channel….and it’s LOUD…I love mine,and I have other amps to compare it to..
@@scottpeters4401 hows it compare to a dual rectifier ? Have you tired it in a live setting with a band? A read a few comments where live it doesn’t sound too well against real 100w heads but then again one has to try it out and really find out
Dude i love the growth of the love for Amp1’s around the world. The thing that got me on the Amp1’s is how it feels more than anything, it chugs and does uncle tones too. First time watcher, subbed! Cheers
@@LucasFowler was wondering, if youre using size 46 gauge strings for 24 3/4 scale length? And if those pick ups are through 250k or 500k pots? Im interested in getting a set of the Stateras, they dont come with pots do they? Im usually on 500k, but any suggestions would be great. Also sorry for the questions Lucas, didnt see that info in the link. Cherrs blad!
@@razisharbini7569 for the 24.75" and 25" scales(Gibson and PRS respectively), I use 10-46 gauge strings in standard tuning, and 10.5-48 in Eb tuning. As for the Stateras, they don't come with pots, but I use 500k pots in basically all of my guitars.
I don't know how this amp has been kept hidden from me all these years. I am always looking at amp demos. I wish I would have seen the demos on this am before I blew 6k on 2 boutique tube amps 4 months agio. Uhhhhh!!!
The Black Spirit is great, and it does have several built in effects, which I consider a plus. But when I compared it with the AMP1, the AMP1 just sounded and felt more "real" to me, and it had more muscle in the low end. But I really like the BS200 and I will undoubtedly use it for something later, so I'm keeping it.
I have the Blackstar Amped 1 that I use as a second power amp for stereo live sometimes and the BluGuitar AMP1 is unquestionably better, by a mile. The Blackstar is a really cool idea and it sounds reasonably good, but there is tiny latency in the power section that I can feel and the tone is just not as present and harmonically rich. I haven't tried the Amped 3 specifically but I'm going to guess the power section is pretty similar to the Amped 1. If it were me, I would go with BluGuitar and use some outboard pedals if you need effects.
@@LucasFowler I’ve decided I just can’t do the full solid state of the Amped 3. The immediacy of the sound with no sag etc. just kills me. And the highs are especially never as beautiful as tube. I was looking at one of these as a solution specifically for a heavy metal rig (with other pedals) to run through a Mesa 2x12. I just decided to run the cab with my Marshall DSL40CR.
Fractal makes great stuff. The downside for me is that then I need a power amp for the cab, and I get option paralysis with sooooo many different amp models. If you use FRFR's or go DI to the PA, and you play with another guy using real cabs, you will get eaten up. This has just been the best solution for me, thus far.
Great demo, I love your tone. It’s obvious that you know exactly what sounds you want from your gear, that is something I struggle with and videos like this help me to understand it better - thanks 😊
I have narrowed down over the past 18 years what I like, but turns out no matter what I use, I still sound like me :P That can be a good *or* bad thing depending on the night! One trick I figured out a while back is using Joe Bonnamassa's Marshall Jubilee settings whenever possible. Some amps you can't, but a lot of times, Bass 10, Mids 7.5, Treble 4.5 and Gain 5 just....works, for me anyway.
I probably will buy more amps for the studio I'm building, but I can't see myself with gigging with anything but this. Also it sounds great for recording too!
I was never in one of those hardcore bands, but we played a lot of shows on the same bill with bands like that. The kids doing that in the audience always cracked me up :P
Great review. I’m giging the Amp1 ME with MAJIK BAND and it sounds great in the mix. Pretty amazing piece of kit. You can hear it in our most recent videos on our channel. Dr. Greg MAJIK BAND guitarist.
Sounded great and your playing really showed off what this thing can do. Do you feel that only having 3 footswitches is limiting or does it make it easier to use? I've been a modeller user for years for my whole rig. I love tube amps, but the convenience of a small all in one solution is perfect for what I do. The Amp 1 seems to blend the two worlds perfectly. God bless and rock on 👍😎🎸
Thanks :) In preset mode, I can pretty easily get by with 3 switches, for 3 sounds. But, if you want to use a regular 2 button footswitch, you can have access to all 4 channels and the boost. Of course I'm using midi so I can control all kinds of stuff with that :P I do prefer this to a modeler and FRFR monitors, and the helix through a power amp and cabinets is neck and neck with it, but different.
@@Newnodrogbob I use an Amp1 Iridiium Edition in 4CM with my Helix. I would only need the HX Effects but since I play Variax I need that Helix too. I even started a FB group about Amp1 + HX Effects "The REAL Dream Rig..." if you are interested.
Huge thumbs up Lucas! First for the SNES and VHS references, next for the awesome shirt you are wearing and then of course for the great demo of this amp. It really does sound fantastic man! I think I like the clean and vintage modes the best but largely because that's more suited to the styles of music I tend to play. Who knows, I may try one of these out some day... they are not cheap but they really cover a huge range of sounds and everyone says they "feel" great... which is really important - just about as much as the sound itself. Rock on!
I call that shirt the "$10 JCPenney Special", of which I bought 3 :) It isn't cheap like something from Mooer or Hotone, but if you were comparing what it costs to buy all the amps it can sound like....pretty cheap :P I bought one of those cute Anbernic RG351V's so now I can play SNES games wherever I go!
I'm not a fan of the modern gain sound. To me, it sounds pretty anemic. It may be tonally clear and tight, but when I go looking for a pitbull, this feels like it's an ill-tempered labradoodle.
@@EM-km8em Tone is subjective, but I have a Mesa Mark IV, Rectoverb 50, Marshall Jubilee and quite a few more nice amps, and I honestly like this amp as good or better for most things.
Yes! I actually bought the Mercury edition as well because I liked this one so much. I have a newer video where I show my current board with the ToneX incorporated as well. 10/10 still recommend the AMP1.
That does sound fantastic man now I want one! Seriously Lucas your vids are stellar, 21k is ridic and temporary I am sure. I rarely watch, (let alone to the end), ..gear demos but I stay to listen to you play. Sorry to gush.
@@LucasFowler that actually makes a lot of sense. But for realsies, getting a sound that is both loud and musical WITHOUT HAVING TO HAUL A HUGE AMP AROUND is so appealing to me.
@@patgiff101055 I was told by Rich, who worked for Hughes And Kettner and then left to work for Thomas Blug, that Thomas was part of the design process for the Black Spirit.
Sounds excellent. Personally though I'd be a bit worried having a 100watt amp on the floor in one of the dives that I usually play at, where someone could spil a beer etc.
Man..this sounds crushing..I bought one (and couldn't quite get it to sound as tight-juicy-chewie...It just sounded ok..Running PRS customs and Tom Andersons...ran it into Recto 412, and it was flubby...I ended up selling it in 48 hrs...Now I'm thinking that maybe something was wrong with the one I bought...wasn't tight, it was flubby with the bass on "1"and could not dial out ... I have Boogie MK4 and Kemper Powerhead, no problems getting unreal tones...I was super bummed when I tried this unit..it was just ok, but I keep hearing and seeing all of these vids....Maybe I need to try another.
I miss your q & a videos. I don't miss those terrible pay to play battle of the band gigs though! I had a 30w Hot Rod Deluxe back then. Heavy as hell, but man was it durable for a tube amp.
Most definitely. I have the gain on the vintage mode set on about 5 here, but in the 2-3 range, it's a bit more Angus Young/Jimmy Page. There is also a "low gain" mode that can be switched on if you prefer.
@@brazilianjosh with MIDI you can use CC20 to set gain at any time, it takes a % of whatever is on the OD Gain knob. EG if the knob is at 10, you use CC20 at 64 (halfway between 0 and 127) and it is the same as setting the gain knob to 5. The Amp1 has MIDI controls that most amps can only dream about.
I have the silver version, same results I compared to my main tube amps and this thing totally keeps up with my Fender, Marshall and I even had a Carr Mercury that I sold off because of the BluGuitar did it all. You can use any cab from a 1x12 to a 4x12 it just kills.
I have tried it with several different cabs and liked it through all of them. It really moves air like a big 100 watt tube head with over-built transformers.
@@LucasFowler This makes me really regret 20 years ago when a guy had a Legend 4x12 at the Ohio Guitar Show that he was trying to sell. By the end, he said he would take 100 for it just to get rid of it. I wish I would have ran to the bank machine now.
I’ve got the Mercury and Iridium and they sound absolutely fantastic. Amazing amps.
Damn man that Bluguitar sounds great but your playing is amazing!
Thank you!
I have the Mercury edition and that’s bloody epic. The noise gate is superb too. Great demo. First time seeing your channel. You’re a fine player, my friend. Greetings from the UK 🇬🇧🎸
Amp X is coming out soon....that thing will be amazing. I own the iridium, I run a 10 band eq pedal in the loop to make it even more bad ass...also considering trying Ola's chug pedal thru it.
Thanks for the great video Lucas!
With me it was the same, I would not have thought that I find a tool in the size what I really like and feels good when playing.
The Iridium version is also really good in low-gain mode for jazz/pop and fusion sounds.
I already am committed to Amp1 and decided to stick with the IE. I will watch your video to see what other sounds I can get out of it! BTW I use MIDI so I can change channel gain at will, hard to find any amp that can do that, let alone one that fits on your board.
BluGuitar is really a fantastic brand. I couldn’t believe how good my Mercury sounded even compared to nos handwired and vintage tube amps. Thomas goes all the way with his products. I have all 3 versions of this amp1 and must say I use them exclusively now live and whenever I do plug in a tubeamp I don’t feel like I’m getting a better tone. Cheers dude love the videos & Alter Bridge riffs!
I did my best to capture it, but you can't really appreciate how "tube" this amp sounds and feels until you try one in person.
I have *several* expensive amps that don't sound that good.
AB for life!
Could i ask, what you find are the main differences of the Mercury vs Iridium? Is it just that Iridium is more high gain or are there any major tonal differences? Just curious. Ive only got the Iridium but In my head the cleans and uncle tones on the Mercury would be better?
@@razisharbini7569 I would say the Iridium covers: Friedman, Jose Modded Marshall, 5150, Mesa, Bogner, Studio Clean,...
Mercury covers: vintage Marshall, jcm800, Soldano, Fender blackface, Vox,...
There is a bit of overlap, but that's where the focus is. There is more gain on the iridium, but the voicing of the amp overall is way more modern. It's not a small difference.
@@MaxCarton Nice! The Soldano, Fender, Vox vibes would be fun to play around with.
Thanks for the input Max! Rather ask someone thats actually tried both. Might give the Mercury a go in the near future.
Lucas I first saw you years back when you were demoing your Splawn amp. I had one as well at the time. I now have an iridium incoming and in doing a search about it…here you are
And it’s your main amp👍🏼
Your getting some great tones from it
Thanks for posting, looking forward to it
Yes back in the day like 2003 2004 my band that I had in high school with play shows at this little coffeehouse and we would play for 30 minutes about eight songs and they would be for five other bands sharing the stage that night and we used to bring an arsenal of gear for those little shows it was so much fun man still remember those days like it was yesterday!
Hey Lucas, love your videos. Just wondering if you are still rocking the Iridium?. I am thiinking of getting one. Sounds so good.. Cheers man, keep on rocking.
I have been using it as my main gig amp exclusively since I got it, I have nearly 50 shows or something on it now. I even used it for recording the two InterTwyneD singles we just finished. Can't recommend it highly enough. The 2 things I can't live without are my AMP1 and my Boss MS3!
Apprecaite the response mate cheers, youve convinved me to go ahead and get one lol, rock on @@LucasFowler
Brilliant demo!!!!❤❤❤❤❤
I noticed the Peavey Rock Master amp in the thumbnail. That was my first tube amp when I was a kid! Haven’t seen one since.
Shout back at ya from a fellow dad musician! Great vid, tones are top notch. I bought the Iridium yesterday and this is making me feel great about my purchase. Can't wait for it to arrive.
Ironically, I'm gigging now as much as I ever did before I had kids, possibly more. I would be miserable doing Tuesday night shows and having to do school drop-offs at 7:30 am if it weren't for my AMP1 board that allows me to go DI :)
@@LucasFowler That's great, I'm busy most nights too and looking to mitigate the fuss so I can get home quickly and sleep more! Do you just use the DI out of the Amp1 or have you got the BluBox?
@@samwilcock2853 I actually use the recording/headphone out with the cab simulation off, then I send that to my Mooer Radar, which I have loaded with my own personal Impulse Responses. This allows me to use my favorite cabs :)
Ive owned the amp1 since they came out a few years ago. It’s an amazing amp. I had the original sliver edition but I much prefer the ME version. I recently added the iridium edition.I agree they sound better then many amps I’ve owned and I’ve owned many lol I think Thomas is a genius I wish this product would have been available years ago. It’s so nice to roll into a gig with a pedalboard with an amp1 plug in and go and it sounds great . They sound amazing through a 4 12 cab and move plenty of air .
I'm loving it. And so much power! It actually *feels* like a 100 watt tube amp.
Great demo of the BluGuitar. Are you using the boss ms3 with it? To switch patches,etc? If so could u do a little vid on that?
Thank you!
I am using the MS3 to control it via Midi. It switches patches and allows me to choose the amount of gain per patch, turn on and off reverb and boost, etc.
There is actually already a great video by DutchGuitarDude about controlling the AMP1 with the MS3:
ruclips.net/video/azA2KeigRs0/видео.html
One question: in your video are you using any external effects?
In the overview of the channels(5:12), I am only using some reverb from the AMP1 on the Clean channel, no effects on Vintage, Classic or Modern. When I get to 14:42, then I'm using a few external effects. Some delay from my Boss MS3, then some overdrive from my Xotic EP Booster in the lead section.
Damn that split coil sounds incredibly like a strat
My Planet Tone Statera pickups are sooooo good at that. I'm very proud to have help create them with Planet Tone:
planettone.com/collections/artist-series/products/lucas-fowler-signature-statera-humbucker
Great playing, as always.
Thank you!
When you go jam or sit in are you bringing a cab of some sort?
I hear it in every video - AMP1 has hard tone reminding me tranzistor amps. In videos valve amps sound softer, warmer and more pleasing.
so I'm assuming that to run this unit through a house PA you still need to mic your speaker cabinet, right? In other words, there's no balanced XLR output to go to mixer...?
You can do both, there's no XLR but you can run quarter inch left and right straight to front of house
Late question, but seeing that you have had both, hk black spirit 200 and amp1, curious to learn which took the levarage for you, as i consider these 2 to be among best offers on the market still in 2024 in my opinion. Blackstar did amped 2 and 3, where 2 is rare ALL in on, including fx and, yes, the tuner, while 3 sou ds much better. Still, feels like HK and Amp1 are best options, where HK offers delay but its a bit larger. Anyway appreciate your thoughts, always awesome videos and superb playing on your channel
So I no longer have the Black Spirit. It was very good and while I enjoyed the built-in effects, the overall tone paled in comparison to the BluGuitar AMP1. I also have the Blackstar "Amped 1" that I use for a second power amp along side my AMP1 to play in stereo, but again, it pales in comparison tonally to the AMP1. For me the BluGuitar wins, hands down.
@@LucasFowler i had that idea over the vids.. Yours and others, but you just solidified that.. Thomas is a pioneer for a reason.. Amp x once available will be the bomb.. Iridium might be my best bet now.. Thank you, Lucas
Great demo. From cleans to chugs and everything in between. Awesome playing as usual Lucas.
Thank you :)
Not sure if that intro is new or if it has just been a while since I tuned in, but that was pretty cool
It's pretty new, I started using it a month or so ago I think.
Do you have to have a 100 watt speaker cabinet for this? Would this be a good home amp?
No, it works with any speaker provided the impedance is correct. If you only had a 50W speaker, just don’t turn the master volume up too far. You can run it without a speaker connected and into a recording interface. It will sound ok at low volume too.
I'm trying to go live, direct to board only. I don't want to carry a speaker cab around. Will this sound good going directly into FOH, or is that just not gonna be possible?
That's how I use mine almost exclusively these days. There is a "recording/headphone" out on the AMP1 that has a speaker simulation built in. You can go direct out like that, but I don't love that speaker sim. I turn that sim off(which you can do with a couple button pushes) and then I run that "recording/headphone" out into a Mooer Radar that I loaded with my own personal Impulse Responses.
I talk a bit more about it here: ruclips.net/video/-JIlF08K40E/видео.html
Great vid, hey buddy can I run this bad boy into two Evh 2x12 ..both cabs are 16 ohm …also have stereo 8 ohm per side 2x12 id be running it with a Helix so stereo is big deal for me thanks for any input
Well stereo effects require a stereo power amp, or 2 discreet power amps. So, while you could use a passive cab splitter(like the Radial Cab-Link) to send the AMP1's powered out to 2 cabs, it will not be in stereo. You would need a second power amp, something like a Seymour Duncan powerstage. This would give you stereo "post" effects, by using 4 cable method. Essentially you could use stereo effects in the effects loop of the AMP1, after the preamp.
This video just goes to show you...if you wanna see and hear the best guitarists on youtube, just watch a bunch of reviews and demos about the Bluguitar Amp1 iridium amp...I also own of of these and they ROCK !!!
Very first tone of the video reminds me of Petrucci's rhythm tone.
I already have a Bluguitar Amp1 Iridium. Now I Need some Planet Tone Statera Pickups!
I think they are excellent pickups, but of course I am a little biased :P
Great Review and playing here! But I don´t like the sound of the clean channel, seems to me like a compressor in front of? The tone of every amp has a clear response, nothing seems to be washed. Thanks for this!
The Iridium is the metal edition of the Amp1 and it is tight as fuck (the tightest amp I've ever met to be honest). There is also another Amp1, the Mercury Edition, which is geared towards more old-school rock & blues players (to which Thomas also counts himself ; he designed the Amp1 primarily for himself at the time).
Thomas designed the Iridium after receiving criticism from the metal scene. It differs significantly from the Mercury Edition, because it is uncompromisingly geared towards metal. The Iridium is more of a specialist, while the Mercury is a better all-rounder and also the better choice for people outside of the metal scene.
I think I may have forgotten to turn off my compressor on the clean channel. I always have one on for clean parts and I'm just so used to that sound I forget about it. It sounds really nice without it too, I just like the extra "sauce" it gives clean tones :)
@@LucasFowler Ah, thanks - so my ears are still quite ok, ha ha! It would be a bad point to me if the clean channel is also that absolut direct and into the face.
Since I've got the amp1 I sold my mesa, fender and vox. That says enough I guess
It can cover SO much ground.
Nice, a new amp… and extra moneys.
How does this compare to the MT 15? Is it easy to dial in or was it a fight to find a good tone?
So, very easy to dial in tones with this one. The MT15 is great, but it does sort of just do that one thing(very well).
The AMP1 will not sound like the MT15, but what it does I like just as much. And it is *much* more versatile and full featured.
The AMP1 is also at least twice as loud with clean headroom, if you need that.
@@LucasFowler Thanks for the insight! Much appreciated.
Amp1 sits in a great spot. Is it going to be 100% identical to your raging JCM 800, etc? No. But it sounds great all the time, and it is so easy to integrate.
Its almost as good as raging jcm 800. For 2000eu less, its much more worth😂
Amp 1 is brilliant
Great video, Lucas - and killer sounds. been using the original Amp1 for the last 5 years. What a piece of kit. Used it through a ton of house cabs and di’d through the FOH when there’s only a 2 minute line-check and no one wants to share a cab (I’m sure you know the feeling). Always sounds fantastic 👍
I always take my own cab or go DI. It's amazing to me how going through a cab you don't like(which you won't know until you try it) can just *wreck* your tone and therefore your performance :P
So..I have been using an AxeFXIII for awhile now….Helix before that….It’s been about 4 years since I moved to the modeling thing,so I have definitely given it a shot…but it’s just not the same….I have been seriously considering ditching the AxeFXIII and grabbing the iridium and some pedals….I have read all the reviews,most are great,but in the room,does it really sound and feel like a tube amp??…Does it have that volume and thump that a real amp has??…..I have even tried running the AxeFXIII into a tube power amp and guitar cab,and it doesn’t sound bad,it’s just not the same thing in some ways…..Hard to really get a sense of what it really sounds like in the room from videos…
Hey they sound good but not as good as the real thing huh… i was thinking of getting this or a real jcm or dual rectifier
@@EM-km8em I ended up getting an Irridium…it’s pretty amazing..it’s not a modeler,it’s a real,analog amp…..it sounds like the best 800 I have ever played on the Crunch channel….and it’s LOUD…I love mine,and I have other amps to compare it to..
@@scottpeters4401 hows it compare to a dual rectifier ? Have you tired it in a live setting with a band? A read a few comments where live it doesn’t sound too well against real 100w heads but then again one has to try it out and really find out
Dude i love the growth of the love for Amp1’s around the world. The thing that got me on the Amp1’s is how it feels more than anything, it chugs and does uncle tones too. First time watcher, subbed! Cheers
Thanks for the comment and sub!
@@LucasFowler was wondering, if youre using size 46 gauge strings for 24 3/4 scale length? And if those pick ups are through 250k or 500k pots?
Im interested in getting a set of the Stateras, they dont come with pots do they? Im usually on 500k, but any suggestions would be great.
Also sorry for the questions Lucas, didnt see that info in the link. Cherrs blad!
@@razisharbini7569 for the 24.75" and 25" scales(Gibson and PRS respectively), I use 10-46 gauge strings in standard tuning, and 10.5-48 in Eb tuning.
As for the Stateras, they don't come with pots, but I use 500k pots in basically all of my guitars.
@@LucasFowler thanks for the info blad!
What to you set the side Tone controls to? All the way up?
You use your ears and see what you like.
@@sid35gb yeah
nice demo dude 👍 long live Hero of Kvatch
For Talos and The Nine!
You play Audioslave, I subscribe. It's just that simple :)
I don't know how this amp has been kept hidden from me all these years. I am always looking at amp demos. I wish I would have seen the demos on this am before I blew 6k on 2 boutique tube amps 4 months agio. Uhhhhh!!!
Gotta ask, why this over the Black Spirit? Cheers!
The Black Spirit is great, and it does have several built in effects, which I consider a plus.
But when I compared it with the AMP1, the AMP1 just sounded and felt more "real" to me, and it had more muscle in the low end.
But I really like the BS200 and I will undoubtedly use it for something later, so I'm keeping it.
@@LucasFowler Awesome, thanks Lucas!
I had a black spirit amp clean was nice but the overdrive sucked compared to the amp 1
@@timh4369 Thanks Tim!
HOW do I decide between THIS and the Blackstar Amped 3?!?!?!?! UGH!!!
I have the Blackstar Amped 1 that I use as a second power amp for stereo live sometimes and the BluGuitar AMP1 is unquestionably better, by a mile.
The Blackstar is a really cool idea and it sounds reasonably good, but there is tiny latency in the power section that I can feel and the tone is just not as present and harmonically rich. I haven't tried the Amped 3 specifically but I'm going to guess the power section is pretty similar to the Amped 1. If it were me, I would go with BluGuitar and use some outboard pedals if you need effects.
@@LucasFowler I’ve decided I just can’t do the full solid state of the Amped 3. The immediacy of the sound with no sag etc. just kills me. And the highs are especially never as beautiful as tube.
I was looking at one of these as a solution specifically for a heavy metal rig (with other pedals) to run through a Mesa 2x12. I just decided to run the cab with my Marshall DSL40CR.
one more about the amp 1 , there's a easy on the back of amp 1 . You can drill two holes on your pedalboard and install the easy locks .
Yep, I mention that at 3:46 :)
Just buy an FM9 end of any problems will workout cheaper more flexible ! Hundreds of amps cabs world class effects and routing ! 😎🎸
Fractal makes great stuff. The downside for me is that then I need a power amp for the cab, and I get option paralysis with sooooo many different amp models.
If you use FRFR's or go DI to the PA, and you play with another guy using real cabs, you will get eaten up.
This has just been the best solution for me, thus far.
@@LucasFowler couple pedal board amps Harley Benton do them for $40 each job done !
For me the response of amp 1 feels completely different in the way the sound responds to touch!
Great demo, I love your tone. It’s obvious that you know exactly what sounds you want from your gear, that is something I struggle with and videos like this help me to understand it better - thanks 😊
I have narrowed down over the past 18 years what I like, but turns out no matter what I use, I still sound like me :P
That can be a good *or* bad thing depending on the night!
One trick I figured out a while back is using Joe Bonnamassa's Marshall Jubilee settings whenever possible. Some amps you can't, but a lot of times, Bass 10, Mids 7.5, Treble 4.5 and Gain 5 just....works, for me anyway.
i bought a Mercury AMP1 and my beautiful Bogner Goldfinger SL was sold. Couldn't keep up. Never buying another amp
I probably will buy more amps for the studio I'm building, but I can't see myself with gigging with anything but this. Also it sounds great for recording too!
I have an SL too. What do you prefer over the Bogner ? Curious to know
Great review. Love the clip of the gig at the intro: Hilarious looking back at those days of audience mayhem :-D
I was never in one of those hardcore bands, but we played a lot of shows on the same bill with bands like that. The kids doing that in the audience always cracked me up :P
Great review. I’m giging the Amp1 ME with MAJIK BAND and it sounds great in the mix. Pretty amazing piece of kit. You can hear it in our most recent videos on our channel. Dr. Greg MAJIK BAND guitarist.
thanks Lucas well done demo of the AMP 1....
It sounds terrific and makes my life so much easier, I love it!
That thing is awesome ! Looks like a "roadie's dream" to me :-)
Especially when *I'm* the roadie!
@@LucasFowler or recording
Sounded great and your playing really showed off what this thing can do. Do you feel that only having 3 footswitches is limiting or does it make it easier to use? I've been a modeller user for years for my whole rig. I love tube amps, but the convenience of a small all in one solution is perfect for what I do. The Amp 1 seems to blend the two worlds perfectly. God bless and rock on 👍😎🎸
Thanks :)
In preset mode, I can pretty easily get by with 3 switches, for 3 sounds. But, if you want to use a regular 2 button footswitch, you can have access to all 4 channels and the boost. Of course I'm using midi so I can control all kinds of stuff with that :P
I do prefer this to a modeler and FRFR monitors, and the helix through a power amp and cabinets is neck and neck with it, but different.
@@LucasFowler I was going to ask about your helix…but you answered my question here. Thanks!
@@Newnodrogbob I use an Amp1 Iridiium Edition in 4CM with my Helix. I would only need the HX Effects but since I play Variax I need that Helix too. I even started a FB group about Amp1 + HX Effects "The REAL Dream Rig..." if you are interested.
@@patgiff101055 that’s cool. I’m sure it works well, but I’m rarely on FB and I run my helix into PA speakers. I don’t own a single guitar cab…
@@Newnodrogbob I can't get no satisfaction.. until I used the Helix with Amp1 :-)
Huge thumbs up Lucas! First for the SNES and VHS references, next for the awesome shirt you are wearing and then of course for the great demo of this amp. It really does sound fantastic man! I think I like the clean and vintage modes the best but largely because that's more suited to the styles of music I tend to play.
Who knows, I may try one of these out some day... they are not cheap but they really cover a huge range of sounds and everyone says they "feel" great... which is really important - just about as much as the sound itself. Rock on!
I call that shirt the "$10 JCPenney Special", of which I bought 3 :)
It isn't cheap like something from Mooer or Hotone, but if you were comparing what it costs to buy all the amps it can sound like....pretty cheap :P
I bought one of those cute Anbernic RG351V's so now I can play SNES games wherever I go!
I'm not a fan of the modern gain sound. To me, it sounds pretty anemic. It may be tonally clear and tight, but when I go looking for a pitbull, this feels like it's an ill-tempered labradoodle.
I'm going to start describing my ideal hi gain tone as "Ill-tempered Labradoodle" from now on 🤣
This is not really like the real amps regardless of the positive feedback right? I was thinking of getting a real jcm or dual rectifier
@@EM-km8em Tone is subjective, but I have a Mesa Mark IV, Rectoverb 50, Marshall Jubilee and quite a few more nice amps, and I honestly like this amp as good or better for most things.
Just bought a Full Throttle Humbucker for my Kramer Baretta Special from your boy at PlanetTone. Can't wait!
Congratulations! That's a terrific pickup :)
Nissssssssssssssssssce 🍻🤘🏻
Two years later,...
Is this still your gigfriend?
Yes! I actually bought the Mercury edition as well because I liked this one so much. I have a newer video where I show my current board with the ToneX incorporated as well. 10/10 still recommend the AMP1.
How are you recording this? Sounds killer 👍🏻
4:59 :)
The size of two VHS tapes! I will never "not be laughing" of that! Hahahaha
I'm digitizing old family home videos and my room looks like a retro blockbuster right now, so they were in arm's reach :P
1:20 WHAAAADAFUQISUPDENNYSSS
*unintelligible guttural screaming*
@@LucasFowler 😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂
@@LucasFowler I’ve been to those shows. It’s loud, unintelligible, but man alive, it’s fun!
That does sound fantastic man now I want one! Seriously Lucas your vids are stellar, 21k is ridic and temporary I am sure. I rarely watch, (let alone to the end), ..gear demos but I stay to listen to you play. Sorry to gush.
Hey I didn't realize I'd made it to 21k! Neat!
Thanks for the compliments and for watching!
A nice firm bottom that doesn't fart out....... I'm 45 and yet still a child
I giggled while I was editing :P
German engineering at it again. This is really swaying me over to the BluGuitar camp.
It feels like the evolution of the Black Spirit, which makes sense, because Mr. Blug worked on that before he left H&K :P
@@LucasFowler that actually makes a lot of sense. But for realsies, getting a sound that is both loud and musical WITHOUT HAVING TO HAUL A HUGE AMP AROUND is so appealing to me.
@@LucasFowler Except the Amp1 was released long before the Black Spirit - I had my first Amp1 in 2016.
@@patgiff101055 I was told by Rich, who worked for Hughes And Kettner and then left to work for Thomas Blug, that Thomas was part of the design process for the Black Spirit.
Sounds excellent. Personally though I'd be a bit worried having a 100watt amp on the floor in one of the dives that I usually play at, where someone could spil a beer etc.
lol, you could buy a little tarp and "tent" it. 😂
@@bobboitt3126 I've seen touring guys do that for their pedalboards and switchers with shower curtains :P
Man..this sounds crushing..I bought one (and couldn't quite get it to sound as tight-juicy-chewie...It just sounded ok..Running PRS customs and Tom Andersons...ran it into Recto 412, and it was flubby...I ended up selling it in 48 hrs...Now I'm thinking that maybe something was wrong with the one I bought...wasn't tight, it was flubby with the bass on "1"and could not dial out ... I have Boogie MK4 and Kemper Powerhead, no problems getting unreal tones...I was super bummed when I tried this unit..it was just ok, but I keep hearing and seeing all of these vids....Maybe I need to try another.
Did you manage to try another one?
@@razisharbini7569 No.
Just bought another... Waiting for it to arrive. It's KILLER!.. Thomas Blug is THE man!!
I miss your q & a videos. I don't miss those terrible pay to play battle of the band gigs though! I had a 30w Hot Rod Deluxe back then. Heavy as hell, but man was it durable for a tube amp.
I think it's about time for another VCQS video :P
Hot Rod Deluxes are pretty reliable AND they sound good!
I have the mercury, best amp in the universe.
I'm going to have to have a Mercury edition now too.
Sounds killer, but that “Vintage” mode is way more gainey than I was hoping. Is there a half way house in there somewhere?
Most definitely. I have the gain on the vintage mode set on about 5 here, but in the 2-3 range, it's a bit more Angus Young/Jimmy Page. There is also a "low gain" mode that can be switched on if you prefer.
You can hear a lower gain tone here:
ruclips.net/video/WCvIGBR6nlQ/видео.html
@@LucasFowler That’s pretty impressive. Thanks for the heads up. Great playing too. 🤙
@@brazilianjosh with MIDI you can use CC20 to set gain at any time, it takes a % of whatever is on the OD Gain knob. EG if the knob is at 10, you use CC20 at 64 (halfway between 0 and 127) and it is the same as setting the gain knob to 5. The Amp1 has MIDI controls that most amps can only dream about.
and blubox
One of those is on the list!
I prefer a non-farty, firm bottom. 😎 🎸
The legends never fart out because they have that rip-ping loud solid state back end :)
notice how the volume is on 1 =)
In the pictures I had the amp turned down, when I'm playing it's actually on like 3.5 or so :P
@@LucasFowler ah ok, I was wondering. =D
@@sonicsaviouryouwillnotgetm6678 It is VERY loud though. I run it at 4.5 with the band and we have a loud drummer.
I have the silver version, same results I compared to my main tube amps and this thing totally keeps up with my Fender, Marshall and I even had a Carr Mercury that I sold off because of the BluGuitar did it all.
You can use any cab from a 1x12 to a 4x12 it just kills.
I have tried it with several different cabs and liked it through all of them. It really moves air like a big 100 watt tube head with over-built transformers.
Thomas knows his stuff. H&K must miss him.
I was just thinking that, man H&K must be bummed!
in coming June , there''ll be amp x from bluguitar
I am definitely looking forward to messing with one of those too, Thomas Blug and his team are geniuses.
@@LucasFowler you should recommend the mercury or iridium edition to your dad
Wait…. Someone else who really likes the Legend amps?
🙌
Yeah I like to joke and say that you can't buy them anymore because my Dad owns them all :P
@@LucasFowler This makes me really regret 20 years ago when a guy had a Legend 4x12 at the Ohio Guitar Show that he was trying to sell. By the end, he said he would take 100 for it just to get rid of it. I wish I would have ran to the bank machine now.