The Blackstar Artist 15 is a Blackstar amplifier, currently around $689.18. Close alternatives include the Fender Blues DeVille and the Blackstar CV30. It pairs well with the Catalinbread Formula 5F6 and the Browne Amplification Gritador.

Blackstar Artist 15

Blackstar · amplifier

The Blackstar Artist 15 is a 15-watt 1x12 tube combo amplifier built around 6L6 power tubes with two distinctly voiced channels. Channel 1 delivers a characterful British voice with the bark of an Orange or early Marshall, highly dynamic and responsive to pick attack. Channel 2 covers a broader range from glassy Fender-style clean to modern Marshall crunch via Blackstar's ISF control. Both channels respond expressively to playing dynamics without a master volume, making them excellent for driving natural breakup at manageable stage levels. The 6L6 power section produces tight low-end and glassy high-end that rewards pedal use and single-coil pickups.

What stands out

  • “Channel 2 sweeps convincingly from glassy Fender clean through modern Marshall crunch via the ISF control, covering a wide tonal range from one amp”

    — from the reviews

  • “Channel 2 covers a broader range from glassy Fender-style clean to modern Marshall crunch via Blackstar's ISF control”

    — from the listing

  • “channel 1 delivers a characterful british voice with the bark of an orange or early marshall”

    — from the listing

  • “Both channels respond expressively to playing dynamics , making them excellent for driving natural breakup at manageable stage levels”

    — from the listing

  • “The 6L6 power section produces tight low-end and glassy high-end that rewards pedal use and single-coil pickups”

    — from the listing

  • clean
  • crunch
  • british
  • modern
  • glassy
  • dynamic
  • low end
  • natural breakup

Good for

  • Practice
  • Studio
  • Worship
$689.18View on Reverb

Price updated Oct 24, 2026

Genres the Blackstar Artist 15 is commonly used in

  • Blues Rock
  • Rock
  • Blues
  • Metal
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Classic Rock
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Soul
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.

Pedals that stack with the Blackstar Artist 15

Catalinbread Formula 5F6

Catalinbread

25% match
$179.99via Reverb

fills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (transparent → mid-forward)

Into a transparent tone, Catalinbread Formula 5F6 brings a pull toward mid-forward that's missing

Goes in front of the amp

Browne Amplification Gritador

Browne Amplification

24% match
$219via Reverb

fills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (transparent → mid-forward)

The transparent tone has headroom to spare — Browne Amplification Gritador leans it toward mid-forward to fill it in

Goes in front of the amp

Tone City Model B Distortion TC-T31

Tone City

23% match
$88.80via Reverb

fills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (transparent → mid-forward)

Tone City Model B Distortion TC-T31 leans this transparent tone toward mid-forward, which it doesn't make on its own

Goes in front of the amp

Origin Effects MAGMA57 Amp Vibrato & Drive

Origin Effects

14% match
$394.67via Reverb

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Into Blackstar Artist 15, Origin Effects MAGMA57 Amp Vibrato & Drive is right at home: it's built around Fender-style amps

Goes in front of the amp

Origin Effects SlideRIG Compact Deluxe

Origin Effects

13% match
$300via Reverb

shapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain. (dynamic → compressed)

Origin Effects SlideRIG Compact Deluxe's own voicing points at Fender-style amps, and Blackstar Artist 15 delivers it

Goes in front of the amp

Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret Deluxe

Catalinbread

9% match
$139via Reverb

Into Blackstar Artist 15, Catalinbread Dirty Little Secret Deluxe is right at home: it's built around Marshall-style amps — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)

Sits in the amp's effects loop

Eventide Modulated Delay

Eventide

8% match

sits 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 Artist 15's effects loop, clear of Blackstar Artist 15's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)

Sits in the amp's effects loop

J. Rockett The Dude V2

J Rockett

tonal match
$187.78via Reverb

Goes in front of the amp

Into Blackstar Artist 15, J. Rockett The Dude V2 is right at home: it's built around a clean amp's front end

Cheaper alternatives

Catalinbread Dreamcoat Skewer Special Edition Box

Catalinbread

72% similarity
$279.99via Reverb

Catalinbread Dreamcoat Skewer Special Edition Box recreates this amp's tone in pedal form

Soldano SLO

Soldano

72% similarity
$119.99via Reverb

Soldano SLO recreates this amp's tone in pedal form

Friedman IR-J Jake E. Lee Preamp

Friedman

72% similarity
$499via Reverb

Friedman IR-J Jake E. Lee Preamp recreates this amp's tone in pedal form

Friedman IR-D

Friedman

72% similarity
$377.13via Reverb

Friedman IR-D recreates this amp's tone in pedal form

Bad Cat Cougar 15

Bad Cat

50% similarity
$550via Reverb

Shared character: response, two single coil pickups, pick attack

Boutique & premium upgrades

Matchless DC-30

Matchless

52% similarity
$4756via Reverb

Shared character: response, two channels, high end

Blackstar Artist 30

Blackstar

50% similarity
$1082.33via Reverb

Shared character: two channels, glassy, high end

Divided by 13 BTR 23

Divided By 13

49% similarity
$3399via Reverb

Shared character: tonal character, clean

Fender Dual Showman (Silverface)

amplifier

48% similarity
$1100via Reverb

Shared character: response, clean, stage

Morgan Dual 20

Morgan

48% similarity
$1999.99via Reverb

Shared character: pick attack, crunch, clean

Milkman Sound Creamer 20W Combo

Milkman Sound

44% similarity
$3449via Reverb

Shared character: response, clean

Similar charactersee all similar tone character →

Fender Blues DeVille

amplifier

54% similarity

Shared character: response, glassy, high end

Blackstar CV30

Blackstar

50% similarity
$788.06via Reverb

Shared character: power section, two channels, wide range

Matchless Clubman 35

amplifier

48% similarity

Shared character: glassy, pick attack, clean

Suhr Bella 1X12 Hand wired Combo New

Suhr

48% similarity

Shared character: two channels, crunch, response

Fender Blues Junior IV Red Snakeskin Texas

Fender

47% similarity

Shared character: glassy, tonal character, clean

Supro 1668RT Jupiter

Supro

45% similarity

Shared character: tonal character, wide range, stage

See all alternatives to the Blackstar Artist 15 (cheaper + boutique) →

Questions people ask

What are good alternatives to the Blackstar Artist 15?+

The closest matches in character are the Fender Blues DeVille, the Blackstar CV30, the Matchless Clubman 35. Budget picks: Catalinbread Dreamcoat Skewer Special Edition Box, Soldano SLO, Friedman IR-J Jake E. Lee Preamp. Boutique upgrades: Matchless DC-30, Blackstar Artist 30, Divided by 13 BTR 23.

What pairs well with the Blackstar Artist 15?+

Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Catalinbread Formula 5F6, Browne Amplification Gritador, Tone City Model B Distortion TC-T31 — Into a transparent tone, Catalinbread Formula 5F6 brings a pull toward mid-forward that's missing.

How much does the Blackstar Artist 15 cost?+

Around $689.18 (live listing price, updated Oct 24, 2026).

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