The Blackstar HT Club 40 MKII is a Blackstar amplifier, currently around $849.99. Close alternatives include the Friedman Dirty Shirley and the Blackstar HT Club 40. It pairs well with the Analog Man King of Tone and the Dophix Michelangelo Overdrive Plus.
Blackstar HT Club 40 MKII
Blackstar · amplifier
The Blackstar HT Club 40 MKII is a 40-watt two-channel all-tube guitar amplifier combo featuring a pair of EL34 power tubes that produce British rock tone across a wide gain range. The clean channel delivers sparkly, punchy clarity, while the multi-voiced gain channel covers Marshall-style crunch through Mesa-adjacent high-gain saturation controlled via Blackstar's patented ISF tone shaper and a multi-voiced gain selector. MIDI switching, an effects loop, and a line output make it suitable for pedalboard-driven rigs. Designed as a workhorse live and studio tube amp, the Club 40 MKII targets players who want EL34 British drive character in a gig-ready combo without requiring a separate head and cabinet.
- crunch
- club
- british
- clean
- live
- high gain
- punchy
- saturation
Good for
- Live
- Studio
Price updated Aug 27, 2026
Genres the Blackstar HT Club 40 MKII is commonly used in
- Blues
- Classic Rock
- Hard Rock
- Rock
- Metal
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Alternative
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Pedals that stack with the Blackstar HT Club 40 MKII
Analog Man King of Tone
Analog Man
21% matchInto the HT Club 40 MKII's clean, club-ready British voice, the King of Tone's transparent boost pushes real crunch.
Dophix Michelangelo Overdrive Plus
Dophix
20% matchDophix Michelangelo Overdrive Plus pushes a high gain tone toward mid-forward
Xotic BB Preamp
Xotic
20% matchStack Xotic BB Preamp on top and a high gain tone tightens toward clean boost
Seymour Duncan Vise Grip Compressor
Seymour Duncan
15% matchSeymour Duncan Vise Grip Compressor is voiced for Marshall-style amps — Blackstar HT Club 40 MKII gives it exactly that
Crazy Tube Circuits Mirage Dual Reverb
Crazy Tube Circuits
15% matchCrazy Tube Circuits Mirage Dual Reverb is voiced for Marshall-style amps — Blackstar HT Club 40 MKII gives it exactly that — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Meris LVX Delay
Meris
15% matchBlackstar HT Club 40 MKII leans into Marshall-style amps, precisely the platform Meris LVX Delay wants — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Universal Audio Flow Tremolo
Universal Audio
15% matchInto Blackstar HT Club 40 MKII, Universal Audio Flow Tremolo is right at home: it's built around Marshall-style amps
Browne Amplification Ethane
Browne Amplification
tonal matchInto Blackstar HT Club 40 MKII, Browne Amplification Ethane is right at home: it's built around Marshall-style amps
Cheaper alternatives
Blackstar HT Studio 20H
Blackstar
96% similaritysimilar tone character
Blackstar CV10 Carmen Vandenberg Signature 10-Watt 1x12"
Blackstar
96% similaritysimilar tone character
Blackstar TV-10 BH
Blackstar
96% similaritysimilar tone character
Blackstar Stage 602 MKII
Blackstar
96% similaritysimilar tone character
Boutique & premium upgrades
Bad Cat Pre-Sale! Hot Cat Head
Bad Cat
97% similaritysimilar tone character
Blackstar CV30
Blackstar
96% similaritysimilar tone character
3rd Power DRGN-100
3rd Power
96% similaritysimilar tone character
Carr Skylark Special
Carr
96% similaritysimilar tone character
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
Friedman Dirty Shirley
Friedman
64% similarityShared character: hard_rock, crunch, high_gain_settings
Blackstar HT Club 40
Blackstar
63% similarityShared character: sparkly_clean, high_gain_settings, two_channels
Blackstar HT Stage 60 MKII
Blackstar
96% similaritysimilar tone character
Marshall Bluesbreaker
Marshall
96% similaritysimilar tone character
1950s Fender Twin
amplifier
96% similaritysimilar tone character
Diezel Paul 45W Head
Diezel
95% similaritysimilar tone character
See all alternatives to the Blackstar HT Club 40 MKII (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Blackstar HT Club 40 MKII?+
The closest matches in character are the Friedman Dirty Shirley, the Blackstar HT Club 40, the Blackstar HT Stage 60 MKII. Budget picks: Blackstar HT Studio 20H, Blackstar CV10 Carmen Vandenberg Signature 10-Watt 1x12", Blackstar TV-10 BH. Boutique upgrades: Bad Cat Pre-Sale! Hot Cat Head, Blackstar CV30, 3rd Power DRGN-100.
What pairs well with the Blackstar HT Club 40 MKII?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Analog Man King of Tone, Dophix Michelangelo Overdrive Plus, Xotic BB Preamp — Into the HT Club 40 MKII's clean, club-ready British voice, the King of Tone's transparent boost pushes real crunch..
How much does the Blackstar HT Club 40 MKII cost?+
Around $849.99 (live listing price, updated Aug 27, 2026).