The Blackstar Series One 100 MkII is a Blackstar amplifier, currently around $782.81. Close alternatives include the Marshall JMP 1959 Super Lead 100-Watt and the Victory Amplifiers V50 The Earl. It pairs well with the EarthQuaker Devices Hizumitas and the JHS MoonShine Overdrive.

Blackstar Series One 100 MkII

Blackstar · amplifier

The Blackstar Series One 100 MkII is a 100-watt all-tube amplifier head from Blackstar premium Series One professional range. Four EL34 output tubes drive two independent channels — Clean and Overdrive — each with ISF tone control. The MkII revision refined channel voicing and transient response over the original Series One 100. At 100 watts it provides stage power for large venues and outdoor performance without sacrificing tonal dynamics or EL34 character.

What stands out

  • “The Series One 100 MkII is chosen by professional players who need full stage headroom with premium EL34 character”

    — from the community notes

  • “Four EL34 output tubes drive two independent channels — Clean and Overdrive — each with ISF tone control”

    — from the listing

  • “At 100 watts it provides stage power for large venues and outdoor performance”

    — from the listing

  • “Its praise concentrates on the clean channel headroom and the overdrive channel quality across a wide gain range”

    — from the community notes

  • “The MkII revision refined channel voicing and transient response over the original Series One 100”

    — from the listing

  • stage
  • clean
  • full
  • transient response
  • american
  • british
  • headroom
  • overdrive

Good for

  • Live
$782.81View on Reverb

Price updated Oct 23, 2026

Genres the Blackstar Series One 100 MkII is commonly used in

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

Pedals that stack with the Blackstar Series One 100 MkII

EarthQuaker Devices Hizumitas

EarthQuaker Devices

18% match

clean platform takes the driveA clean, high-headroom stage takes on dirt it can't generate by itself. (high headroom → high gain)

The high headroom tone has headroom to spare — EarthQuaker Devices Hizumitas leans it toward high gain to fill it in

Goes in front of the amp

JHS MoonShine Overdrive

JHS Pedals

18% match

clean platform takes the driveA clean, high-headroom stage takes on dirt it can't generate by itself. (high headroom → mid-forward)

JHS MoonShine Overdrive leans this high headroom tone toward mid-forward, which it doesn't make on its own

Goes in front of the amp

Boss DS-2 Turbo Distortion

Boss

18% match
$89.47via Reverb

clean platform takes the driveA clean, high-headroom stage takes on dirt it can't generate by itself. (high headroom → mid-forward)

Boss DS-2 Turbo Distortion leans this high headroom tone toward mid-forward, which it doesn't make on its own

Goes in front of the amp

Universal Audio 1176 Compressor

Universal Audio

12% match
$129via Reverb

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

Universal Audio 1176 Compressor leans toward compressed, and that's a real, usable character to pair with

Goes in front of the amp

EarthQuaker Devices Grand Orbiter

EarthQuaker Devices

12% match
$199via 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.

Put EarthQuaker Devices Grand Orbiter after Blackstar Series One 100 MkII in the signal chain, clear of Blackstar Series One 100 MkII's own gain stage

Goes in front of the amp

Eventide Modulated Delay

Eventide

7% 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.

Put Eventide Modulated Delay in Blackstar Series One 100 MkII's effects loop, clear of Blackstar Series One 100 MkII's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)

Sits in the amp's effects loop

Electro-Harmonix Memory Boy Analog Delay

Electro-Harmonix

6% match
$104.76via 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.

Run Electro-Harmonix Memory Boy Analog Delay in Blackstar Series One 100 MkII's effects loop, clear of Blackstar Series One 100 MkII's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)

Sits in the amp's effects loop

Dr. Scientist Frazz Dazzler V2

Dr Scientist

tonal match
$203.84via Reverb

Goes in front of the amp

Run Dr. Scientist Frazz Dazzler V2 into that high headroom platform and it finally leans toward fuzzy

Cheaper alternatives

Fender Twin Reverb Head

amplifier

45% similarity
$639.06via Reverb

Shared character: volume, two channels, headroom

Blackstar HTV-212 Bronco TAN

Blackstar

44% similarity
$250via Reverb

Shared character: headroom, full, stage

Boutique & premium upgrades

3rd Power Aurora

3rd Power

52% similarity
$2699via Reverb

Shared character: volume, headroom, crunch

Friedman Amps Box Head Hand-Wired 50-Watt EL34

Friedman

48% similarity
$2899.99via Reverb

Shared character: aggressive playing, stage

Mesa Boogie Lone Star Head

amplifier

47% similarity
$1666via Reverb

Shared character: two channels, crunch, clean

Mesa/Boogie Triple Rectifier

Mesa Boogie

44% similarity
$1250via Reverb

Shared character: two channels, headroom, hard rock

Bad Cat Mod Shop Hot Cat Head

Bad Cat

43% similarity
$2299.99via Reverb

Shared character: two channels, headroom, clarity

Bogner Ecstasy 3534

Bogner

42% similarity
$1247.16via Reverb

Shared character: two channels, crunch, clarity

Similar charactersee all similar tone character →

Marshall JMP 1959 Super Lead 100-Watt

Marshall

54% similarity

Shared character: small venues, volume, headroom

Victory Amplifiers V50 The Earl

amplifier

47% similarity

Shared character: two channels, aggressive playing, clean

Rivera Bonehead

Rivera

47% similarity

Shared character: volume, two channels, presence

ENGL Special Edition E670

Engl

45% similarity

Shared character: hard rock, two channels, volume

Bad Cat Hot Cat

Bad Cat

45% similarity

Shared character: presence, headroom, hard rock

ENGL E633 Fireball 25

Engl

45% similarity
$868.69via Reverb

Shared character: two channels, headroom, hard rock

See all alternatives to the Blackstar Series One 100 MkII (cheaper + boutique) →

Questions people ask

What are good alternatives to the Blackstar Series One 100 MkII?+

The closest matches in character are the Marshall JMP 1959 Super Lead 100-Watt, the Victory Amplifiers V50 The Earl, the Rivera Bonehead. Budget picks: Fender Twin Reverb Head, Blackstar HTV-212 Bronco TAN. Boutique upgrades: 3rd Power Aurora, Friedman Amps Box Head Hand-Wired 50-Watt EL34, Mesa Boogie Lone Star Head.

What pairs well with the Blackstar Series One 100 MkII?+

Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: EarthQuaker Devices Hizumitas, JHS MoonShine Overdrive, Boss DS-2 Turbo Distortion — The high headroom tone has headroom to spare — EarthQuaker Devices Hizumitas leans it toward high gain to fill it in.

How much does the Blackstar Series One 100 MkII cost?+

Around $782.81 (live listing price, updated Oct 23, 2026).

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