Bad Cat Cub V Hand-Wired 112 Combo vs Blackstar CV30
The Bad Cat Cub V Hand-Wired 112 Combo and the Blackstar CV30 are both amplifiers. The Bad Cat Cub V Hand-Wired 112 Combo leans edge of breakup. The Blackstar CV30 leans transparent and crunchy. Current prices: $3261.33 vs $789.74.
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Blended from circuit-archetype lineage, dynamic feel, tone-signal overlap and tone-vector distance — the tone vector itself is derived from editorial description text, not a measured acoustic signal, so this reflects how similarly the catalog copy describes the two, not a lab measurement. Shown only within a gear class, and only where there's enough evidence to be meaningful.46% — somewhat different
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Genres both listings are associated with.- Rock
- Blues
Bad Cat Cub V Hand-Wired 112 Combo
Bad Cat · amplifier
Blackstar CV30
Blackstar · amplifier
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Citation/mention fame — how often this gear is cited across artist rigs and gear discussion.$3261.33via Reverb
$789.74via Reverb
The Bad Cat Cub V is a hand-wired, point-to-point 15-watt EL84 combo built in Costa Mesa, California, featuring switchable 12AX7 and EF86 preamp tubes that let a player access two genuinely different gain and character options from the same chassis, alongside a tube-driven spring reverb, dual master volume controls, and a UK-made Celestion 12-inch speaker custom-voiced for Bad Cat. The company also offers it in a 40-watt EL34 configuration and as either a head or combo, but the 15-watt EL84 combo version reviewed here targets players wanting genuine boutique hand-wired tone at more studio and small-venue-friendly volume levels, backed by a five-year warranty reflecting the brand's confidence in its build quality.
The Blackstar CV30 is a 30-watt signature combo amplifier designed in collaboration with guitarist Carmen Vandenberg of Bones UK and Jeff Beck collaborator. It runs two ECC83 preamp tubes and two 6L6 power tubes, housed in a 1x12 cabinet loaded with a Celestion V-Type speaker. Two channels each carry two voices: the Clean channel switches between American and British voicings while the Overdrive channel offers Classic and Modern gain characters. Blackstar patented ISF tone control, digital reverb, and an effects loop complete the feature set. The 6L6 power section delivers American-style dynamics with British Class A-style chime and shimmer.
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Genres this gear is documented as being used in.- Classic Rock
- Alternative Rock
- edge of breakup
- transparent
- crunchy
- warm
- dynamic
- high gain
- mid-forward
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Occasions this gear suits — judged per model, or derived from its wattage, connectivity and category.- Live
- Studio
- Worship
- Practice
- Live
- Studio
- Worship