The Blackstar ID:Core 40 V4 is a Blackstar amplifier, currently around $159. Close alternatives include the Blackstar Silverline Special 50W and the Vox VT20X. It pairs well with the Klon Centaur and the Paul Cochrane Timmy.
Blackstar ID:Core 40 V4
Blackstar · amplifier
The Blackstar ID:Core 40 V4 is a 40-watt stereo solid-state guitar combo amplifier with six onboard amp voices spanning clean warmth through super crunch and high-gain saturation. Blackstar's Super Wide Stereo processing gives the dual-driver design an expanded stereo soundstage on delay, reverb, and modulation effects. Six onboard effects categories cover the full range of time-based and modulation tools. The ISF tone control shapes American-to-British tonal character. At 40 watts in a compact stereo format it bridges home practice and rehearsal use. The V4 update refines the voice modeling and effects quality of the ID:Core 40 line, building on the established platform's versatility and portability.
What stands out
“At 40 watts in a compact stereo format it bridges home practice and rehearsal use”
— from the listing
“Used for bedroom practice, recording demos, and quiet rehearsal”
— from the community notes
“At 40 watts the amp is loud enough for bedroom and apartment practice and quiet rehearsal”
— from the reviews
“The Blackstar ID:Core 40 V4 is a 40-watt stereo solid-state guitar combo amplifier with six onboard amp voices spanning clean warmth through super crunch and high-gain saturation”
— from the listing
“Super Wide Stereo processing makes the combined reverb, delay, and modulation effects sound expansive for a compact combo format”
— from the reviews
- stereo
- rehearsal
- practice
- clean
- crunch
- saturation
- high gain
- reverb
Good for
- Practice
- Silent Recording
- Live
- Studio
Price updated Oct 24, 2026
Genres the Blackstar ID:Core 40 V4 is commonly used in
- Country
- Metal
- Alternative
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Blues
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag. - Hard Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Pedals that stack with the Blackstar ID:Core 40 V4
Klon Centaur
Klon
25% matchpushes an already-dirty tonePushes an already-dirty tone harder and tightens it up. (crunchy → mid-forward)
Feed a crunchy signal into Klon Centaur and it comes out closer to mid-forward
Goes in front of the amp
Paul Cochrane Timmy
Paul Cochrane
25% 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)
Run Paul Cochrane Timmy after it and the warm edge settles into something more bright
Goes in front of the amp
Walrus Audio EB-10 Black Edition
Walrus Audio
24% matchpushes an already-dirty tonePushes an already-dirty tone harder and tightens it up. (crunchy → clean boost)
Feed a crunchy signal into Walrus Audio EB-10 Black Edition and it comes out closer to clean boost
Goes in front of the amp
MXR Dyna Comp
MXR
20% matchshapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain.
MXR Dyna Comp leans toward bright, and that's a real, usable character to pair with
Goes in front of the amp
Caroline Guitar Company Parabola State Tremolo
Caroline Guitar Company
17% 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 the Parabola's stage-ready tremolo pulse after the ID:Core 40's clean, rehearsal-ready platform and the modulation rides on a straightforward clean tone.
Goes in front of the amp
Boss DD-200 Digital Delay
Boss
12% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor. (high gain → shimmer)
Put Boss DD-200 Digital Delay in Blackstar ID:Core 40 V4's effects loop, clear of Blackstar ID:Core 40 V4's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Sits in the amp's effects loop
Catalinbread Epoch-Set
Catalinbread
12% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Catalinbread Epoch-Set's warm voice goes in Blackstar ID:Core 40 V4's effects loop — it's not there to compete with Blackstar ID:Core 40 V4's own transparent character — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Sits in the amp's effects loop
EarthQuaker Devices Swiss Things
EarthQuaker Devices
Boutique & premium upgrades
Similar character
See all alternatives to the Blackstar ID:Core 40 V4 (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Blackstar ID:Core 40 V4?+
The closest matches in character are the Blackstar Silverline Special 50W, the Vox VT20X, the Boss Katana 100 MkIII. Boutique upgrades: Vox VT20X, Boss Katana 100 MkIII, Vox Mini GO 50.
What pairs well with the Blackstar ID:Core 40 V4?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Klon Centaur, Paul Cochrane Timmy, Walrus Audio EB-10 Black Edition — Feed a crunchy signal into Klon Centaur and it comes out closer to mid-forward.
How much does the Blackstar ID:Core 40 V4 cost?+
Around $159 (live listing price, updated Oct 24, 2026).