The Blackstar Dept. 10 Boost is a Blackstar overdrive pedal, currently around $166.39. Close alternatives include the Colorsound Power Boost and the Dr. Scientist Boostbot. It pairs well with the Mesa Boogie Mark Five:25 1x12 Combo and the Friedman Dirty Shirley.
Blackstar Dept. 10 Boost
Blackstar · pedal
The Blackstar Dept. 10 Boost is a tube-driven clean boost pedal based on a Class A valve gain stage with passive James-Baxandall-style EQ providing up to 25dB of boost. The center Baxandall position delivers uncolored clean boost; adjusting the control applies shelf boosts or cuts in both bass and treble simultaneously. Used to push other pedals harder, as a clean level boost for soloing, or to drive a tube amp input into natural saturation. The valve gain stage adds gentle harmonic saturation as it approaches the gain limit, distinguishing it from solid-state boost alternatives.
What stands out
“Used to push other pedals harder, as a clean level boost for soloing, or to drive a tube amp input into natural saturation”
— from the listing
“10 Boost is a tube-driven clean boost pedal based on a Class A valve gain stage with passive James-Baxandall-style EQ providing up to 25dB of boost”
— from the listing
“Tube-based clean boost with Baxandall EQ providing up to 25dB and a Class A valve gain stage that adds gentle harmonic content at high boost levels,”
— from the community notes
“The center Baxandall position delivers uncolored clean boost; adjusting the control applies shelf boosts or cuts in both bass and treble simultaneously”
— from the listing
“The valve gain stage adds gentle harmonic saturation as it approaches the gain limit, distinguishing it from solid-state boost alternatives”
— from the listing
- boost
- stage
- tube
- clean boost
- gain
- valve
- harmonic
- treble
Price updated Oct 23, 2026
Genres the Blackstar Dept. 10 Boost is commonly used in
- Alternative Rock
- Rock
- Country
- Blues
- Indie Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Classic Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Amps that pair well with the Blackstar Dept. 10 Boost
Mesa Boogie Mark Five:25 1x12 Combo
Mesa Boogie
33% matchInto a transparent tone, Mesa Boogie Mark Five:25 1x12 Combo brings a pull toward high gain that's missing
Comes later in the signal chain
Friedman Dirty Shirley
Friedman
31% matchInto a transparent tone, Friedman Dirty Shirley brings a pull toward high gain that's missing
Comes later in the signal chain
Gibson GA-50
Gibson
30% matchFeed a edge of breakup signal into Blackstar Dept. 10 Boost and it comes out closer to clean boost
Comes later in the signal chain
Hughes & Kettner Spirit of Vintage Nano
Hughes & Kettner
16% matchpushes an already-dirty tonePushes an already-dirty tone harder and tightens it up. (crunchy → clean boost)
Stack Blackstar Dept. 10 Boost on top and a crunchy tone tightens toward clean boost
Comes later in the signal chain
Synergy SL2 Module
Synergy
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Synergy SL2 Module leans this transparent tone toward high gain, which it doesn't make on its own
Ceriatone 2202H
Ceriatone
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Ceriatone 2202H leans this transparent tone toward high gain, which it doesn't make on its own
Mesa/Boogie JP-2C John Petrucci Signature 60/100-Watt
Mesa Boogie
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Into a transparent tone, Mesa/Boogie JP-2C John Petrucci Signature 60/100-Watt brings a pull toward high gain that's missing
Blackstar HT Club 50 Head Mk III
Blackstar
tonal matchComes later in the signal chain
Blackstar HT Club 50 Head Mk III goes after Blackstar Dept. 10 Boost in the chain
Pedals that stack with the Blackstar Dept. 10 Boost
Catalinbread StarCrash Valcoder
Catalinbread
31% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (warm → bright)
Blackstar Dept. 10 Boost's bright balances out the warm tone
Comes later in the signal chain
Soldano SLO
Soldano
30% matchPush the SLO's tight, articulate preamp gain with the Dept. 10's own tube-driven clean boost and it opens up without losing focus.
Comes later in the signal chain
Beetronics Overhive
Beetronics
30% matchStack the Dept. 10's tube-driven clean boost with the Overhive's own transparent, medium-gain drive and it opens up without losing its classic-rock color.
Electro-Harmonix Russian Big Muff Pi Fuzz Distortion
Electro-Harmonix
30% matchgain stackingStacks two gain stages for more saturation than either produces alone. (fuzzy → clean boost)
Blackstar Dept. 10 Boost stacks clean boost on top of the fuzzy already here
Comes later in the signal chain
MXR Flanger
MXR
29% 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 MXR Flanger after Blackstar Dept. 10 Boost in the signal chain, clear of Blackstar Dept. 10 Boost's own gain stage
Comes later in the signal chain
RHC Audio Ydrat
Rhc Audio
27% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (warm → bright)
Blackstar Dept. 10 Boost's bright balances out the warm tone
Comes later in the signal chain
JHS Pedals JHS 3 Series Fuzz
JHS Pedals
26% matchfills a frequency gapFills in a frequency range the other side doesn't cover, instead of piling more onto what's already there. (warm → bright)
Where this leans warm, Blackstar Dept. 10 Boost answers back bright
Comes later in the signal chain
Fuzz Face Dunlop Fuzz Face Distortion
Fuzz Face
23% matchgain stackingStacks two gain stages for more saturation than either produces alone. (fuzzy → clean boost)
Blackstar Dept. 10 Boost layers clean boost onto an already fuzzy signal
Comes later in the signal chain
See all 30 pedals that pair with the Blackstar Dept. 10 Boost →
Cheaper alternatives
Blackstar HT-Boost
Blackstar
58% similarityShared character: tube driven signal path, solid state, natural
67Audio Libido
67audio
58% similarityShared character: boost, treble, transparent
Fender Engager Boost
Fender
57% similarityShared character: boost, treble, subtle
Mad Professor Ruby Red Booster
Mad Professor
56% similarityShared character: boost, treble, gain
Blackstar LT-Boost
Blackstar
55% similarityShared character: solid state, boost, simple
67Audio Harry Balz
67audio
55% similarityShared character: volume, boost, treble
Boutique & premium upgrades
Origin Effects RevivalDrive Compact
Origin Effects
54% similarityShared character: stage
Analog Man King of Tone
Analog Man
54% similarityShared character: boost, treble, natural
Strymon Riverside
Strymon
95% similaritysimilar tone character
Revv Amplification G2-V2
Revv
95% similaritysimilar tone character
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
Colorsound Power Boost
Colorsound
56% similarityShared character: volume, boost, treble
Dr. Scientist Boostbot
Dr Scientist
56% similarityShared character: volume, boost, natural
Vox CT-03BT
Vox
55% similarityShared character: solid state, volume, boost
Z.Vex Super Hard On
Zvex
54% similarityShared character: volume, boost, subtle
Electro-Harmonix LPB-1
Electro-Harmonix
54% similarityShared character: boost, natural, simple
Xotic RC Booster
Xotic
54% similarityShared character: boost, treble, transparent
See all alternatives to the Blackstar Dept. 10 Boost (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Blackstar Dept. 10 Boost?+
The closest matches in character are the Colorsound Power Boost, the Dr. Scientist Boostbot, the Vox CT-03BT. Budget picks: Blackstar HT-Boost, 67Audio Libido, Fender Engager Boost. Boutique upgrades: Origin Effects RevivalDrive Compact, Analog Man King of Tone, Strymon Riverside.
What pairs well with the Blackstar Dept. 10 Boost?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Mesa Boogie Mark Five:25 1x12 Combo, Friedman Dirty Shirley, Gibson GA-50 — Into a transparent tone, Mesa Boogie Mark Five:25 1x12 Combo brings a pull toward high gain that's missing.
How much does the Blackstar Dept. 10 Boost cost?+
Around $166.39 (live listing price, updated Oct 23, 2026).