Bad Cat Cub V Handwired 40-Watt Tube vs Blackstar Artisan 15H Handwired 15W Tube

The Bad Cat Cub V Handwired 40-Watt Tube and the Blackstar Artisan 15H Handwired 15W Tube are both amplifiers sharing dynamic, warm. The Bad Cat Cub V Handwired 40-Watt Tube leans glassy and spring. Current prices: $2845.24 vs $1540.62.

Similarity
citedBlended 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.

48% somewhat different

Shared genres
citedGenres both listings are associated with.
  • Alternative Rock
Shared tone character
citedDerived from overlapping tonal signals across both listings.
  • dynamic
  • warm
Citation fame
citedCitation/mention fame — how often this gear is cited across artist rigs and gear discussion.
0%
17%
Price

$2845.24via Reverb

$1540.62via Reverb

Description

The Bad Cat Cub V Handwired 40-watt is a point-to-point hand-wired guitar amplifier in the Cub V series, using EL84 or EL34 power tubes at 40 watts with hand-wired construction on vintage-style turret boards. It delivers the chimey, touch-sensitive Vox-lineage character of the Cub with improved harmonic coherence and tactile responsiveness compared to PCB versions, at a wattage capable of handling medium and larger stages. A switchable EF86/12AX7 preamp tube and tube-driven spring reverb round out the feature set. It is the full-specification gigging version of the Cub V line for players who require stage volume alongside boutique Cub character.

The Blackstar Artisan 15H is a 15-watt handwired all-tube guitar amplifier head featuring two independent channels: one based on an EF86 pentode tube for bold, dynamic voicing and another using an ECC83 triode for smoother, traditional British character. The EL84 power section is switchable between 15-watt push-pull pentode mode for stage punch and 5-watt single-ended triode mode for saturated studio tones at lower output levels. Built with point-to-point tag board construction on a seam-welded steel chassis with finger-jointed birch-ply cabinet, every component is chosen for tonal contribution. The amp delivers rich, harmonically complex tones with exceptional touch sensitivity, suited for blues, jazz, and classic rock players who demand studio-grade tonal quality.

Genres
citedGenres this gear is documented as being used in.
  • Indie Rock
  • Rock
  • Country
  • Classic Rock
  • Jazz
  • Blues
Tonal lean
  • glassy
  • spring
  • transparent
Good for
citedOccasions this gear suits — judged per model, or derived from its wattage, connectivity and category.
  • Live
  • Studio
  • Practice
  • Studio
  • Worship

Related searches

Bad Cat Cub V Handwired 40-Watt Tube vs Blackstar Artisan 15H Handwired 15W Tube — Shared Character & Differences — NodeTone