The Blackstar Artisan 30H Head is a Blackstar amplifier, currently around $1723.42. Close alternatives include the Strymon Iridium and the Bogner Ecstasy 101B. It pairs well with the Beetronics Swarm and the Xotic BB Preamp.
Blackstar Artisan 30H Head
Blackstar · amplifier
The Blackstar Artisan 30H is a 30-watt handwired all-tube guitar amplifier head built on the same point-to-point construction platform as the Artisan 15H, featuring two independent channels: an EF86 pentode-based channel for dynamic, harmonically rich voicing and an ECC83 triode-based channel for traditional British clarity. A 5-way Bass Shape switch and Voice control expand tonal flexibility beyond what the two-channel layout suggests. The EL84 power section is switchable between 30-watt pentode mode for full stage dynamics and 10-watt triode mode for compressed, saturated studio tones at lower volumes. Reviewers describe its sonic character as occupying the space between a Vox AC30 and a Marshall Plexi, delivering bell-like harmonics and ringing treble in pentode mode.
What stands out
“Reviewers describe its sonic character as occupying the space between a Vox AC30 and a Marshall Plexi, delivering bell-like harmonics and ringing treble in pentode mode”
— from the listing
“The EL84 power section is switchable between 30-watt pentode mode for full stage dynamics and 10-watt triode mode for compressed, saturated studio tones at lower volumes”
— from the listing
“The Blackstar Artisan 30H is a 30-watt handwired all-tube guitar amplifier head built on the same point-to-point construction platform as the Artisan 15H, featuring two independent channels: an EF86 pentode-based channel for dynamic, harmon…”
— from the listing
“The 30-watt pentode mode makes it genuinely suitable for live performance compared to the 15H, while triode mode at 10 watts handles recording sessions”
— from the community notes
“The Artisan 30H delivers EL84 tone at stage-relevant power, with pentode mode providing a beautiful ringing top end rich in bell-like harmonics that maintains musical character at loud volumes”
— from the reviews
Trade-offs
“players transitioning from pcb-based amps consistently report meaningful differences in feel and touch sensitivity”
— from the reviews
- bell like
- harmonics
- ringing
- stage
- british
- treble
- dynamic
- tonal versatility
Good for
- Live
- Studio
- Worship
Price updated Oct 23, 2026
Genres the Blackstar Artisan 30H Head is commonly used in
- Classic Rock
- Alternative Rock
- Jazz
- Rock
- Blues
Pedals that stack with the Blackstar Artisan 30H Head
Beetronics Swarm
Beetronics
27% matchclean platform takes the driveA clean, high-headroom stage takes on dirt it can't generate by itself. (transparent → fuzzy)
Beetronics Swarm leans this transparent tone toward fuzzy, which it doesn't make on its own
Goes in front of the amp
Xotic BB Preamp
Xotic
27% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (bright → smooth)
Where this leans bright, Xotic BB Preamp answers back smooth
Goes in front of the amp
Black Arts Toneworks LSTR Fuzz
Black Arts Toneworks
26% matchclean platform takes the driveA clean, high-headroom stage takes on dirt it can't generate by itself. (transparent → fuzzy)
Black Arts Toneworks LSTR Fuzz leans this transparent tone toward fuzzy, which it doesn't make on its own
Goes in front of the amp
Origin Effects MAGMA57 Amp Vibrato & Drive
Origin Effects
19% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Blackstar Artisan 30H Head leans into Marshall-style amps, precisely the platform Origin Effects MAGMA57 Amp Vibrato & Drive wants
Goes in front of the amp
Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret Deluxe
Catalinbread
13% matchCatalinbread Dirty Little Secret Deluxe is voiced for Marshall-style amps — Blackstar Artisan 30H Head gives it exactly that — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Sits in the amp's effects loop
Dan Armstrong Orange Squeezer
pedal
12% matchshapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain.
What Dan Armstrong Orange Squeezer brings here leans toward dynamic — that's worth building a pairing around
Goes in front of the amp
Eventide Modulated Delay
Eventide
9% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Run Eventide Modulated Delay in Blackstar Artisan 30H Head's effects loop, clear of Blackstar Artisan 30H Head's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Sits in the amp's effects loop
Beetronics OV-LE-Uva
Beetronics
tonal matchGoes in front of the amp
Blackstar Artisan 30H Head leans into a clean amp's front end, precisely the platform Beetronics OV-LE-Uva wants
Cheaper alternatives
Friedman IR-D
Friedman
72% similarityFriedman IR-D recreates this amp's tone in pedal form
Soldano SLO
Soldano
72% similaritySoldano SLO recreates this amp's tone in pedal form
Friedman IR-J Jake E. Lee Preamp
Friedman
72% similarityFriedman IR-J Jake E. Lee Preamp recreates this amp's tone in pedal form
Vox MSB25 Mini SuperBeetle
Vox
54% similarityShared character: presence, stage
Blackstar Artisan 15H Handwired 15W Tube
Blackstar
52% similarity“The 30-watt pentode mode makes it genuinely suitable for live performance compared to the 15H, while triode mode at 10 watts handles recording sessions.”
Engl Ritchie Blackmore Signature E650
Engl
45% similarityShared character: tonal possibilities, clarity, clean
Boutique & premium upgrades
Mesa Boogie TransAtlantic TA-30 2-Channel 40-Watt
Mesa Boogie
46% similarityShared character: tonal possibilities
Diezel VH4 4-Channel 100-Watt
Diezel
45% similarityShared character: high end, punch, treble
3rd Power Kitchen Sink 6VEL
3rd Power
94% similaritysimilar tone character
Bad Cat Era 30 Head
Bad Cat
94% similaritysimilar tone character
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
Strymon Iridium
Strymon
72% similarityStrymon Iridium recreates this amp's tone in pedal form
Bogner Ecstasy 101B
Bogner
58% similarityShared character: tonal possibilities, presence, clarity
Marshall JVM Series JVM205H
Marshall
53% similarityShared character: wide tonal range, presence, recording
Marshall Class 5
amplifier
50% similarityShared character: deafening volume, lower volumes, single coils
Mesa Boogie Lone Star Head
amplifier
48% similarityShared character: lower volumes, punch, treble
Vox AC15CH Custom 15W Head
Vox
46% similarityShared character: high end, treble, studio
See all alternatives to the Blackstar Artisan 30H Head (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Blackstar Artisan 30H Head?+
The closest matches in character are the Strymon Iridium, the Bogner Ecstasy 101B, the Marshall JVM Series JVM205H. Budget picks: Friedman IR-D, Soldano SLO, Friedman IR-J Jake E. Lee Preamp. Boutique upgrades: Mesa Boogie TransAtlantic TA-30 2-Channel 40-Watt, Diezel VH4 4-Channel 100-Watt, 3rd Power Kitchen Sink 6VEL.
What pairs well with the Blackstar Artisan 30H Head?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Beetronics Swarm, Xotic BB Preamp, Black Arts Toneworks LSTR Fuzz — Beetronics Swarm leans this transparent tone toward fuzzy, which it doesn't make on its own.
How much does the Blackstar Artisan 30H Head cost?+
Around $1723.42 (live listing price, updated Oct 23, 2026).