The Blackstar St. James 50 6L6 Head is a Blackstar amplifier, currently around $715.71. Close alternatives include the Electronic Audio Experiments Model feT V3.8 and the PRS MT100. It pairs well with the Tone City Model B Distortion TC-T31 and the Catalinbread Formula 5F6.

Blackstar St. James 50 6L6 Head

Blackstar · amplifier

The Blackstar St. James 50 6L6 Head is the head version of the St. James 50 6L6 all-tube amplifier, weighing approximately 13 pounds using a patent-pending switched-mode power supply instead of a conventional heavy mains transformer. Fifty watts from 6L6 output tubes powers two channels: a high-headroom American-voiced clean with warm, mid-scooped character and a modern high-gain overdrive with a voice switch that reshapes midrange from full-throated lead tones to a scooped rhythm voicing. Power scaling switches between 50W, 2W, and SAG mode for vintage compression feel at low volumes. The head format lets players pair it with their choice of speaker cabinet, maximizing tonal flexibility at unusually low weight for an all-tube 50-watt head.

What stands out

  • “The 6L6 clean channel delivers American warmth and headroom with a mid-scoop similar to classic Fender black-panel designs, favored as a pedal platform for overdrive and distortion pedals”

    — from the community notes

  • “Fifty watts from 6L6 output tubes powers two channels: a high-headroom American-voiced clean with warm, mid-scooped character and a modern high-gain overdrive with a voice switch that reshapes midrange from full-throated lead tones to a sco…”

    — from the listing

  • “The SAG compression feel at low wattage is well-regarded but the 2W mode can sound thinner than full-power operation”

    — from the reviews

  • “The 6L6 clean channel delivers high-headroom American warmth with mid-scoop similar to classic black-panel Fender designs and more low-end body than most comparable clean designs”

    — from the reviews

  • “The 6L6 clean channel has heavier bass response than many players expect from an American-voiced clean”

    — from the community notes

  • american
  • mid
  • compression
  • sag
  • clean
  • high gain
  • high headroom
  • warmth

Good for

  • Live
  • Studio
$715.71View on Reverb

Price updated Oct 25, 2026

Genres the Blackstar St. James 50 6L6 Head is commonly used in

  • Metal
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Blues
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Rock
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Alternative
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Country
    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 St. James 50 6L6 Head

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. (scooped → mid-forward)

Feed a scooped signal into Tone City Model B Distortion TC-T31 and it comes out closer to mid-forward

Goes in front of the amp

Catalinbread Formula 5F6

Catalinbread

21% 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. (scooped → mid-forward)

Catalinbread Formula 5F6 takes that scooped character and pushes it toward mid-forward

Goes in front of the amp

Boss DS-2 Turbo Distortion

Boss

20% match
$89.28via Reverb

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

Stack Boss DS-2 Turbo Distortion on top and a scooped tone tightens toward mid-forward

Goes in front of the amp

Maestro Orbit

Maestro

13% match
$57.99via 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.

Keep Maestro Orbit after Blackstar St. James 50 6L6 Head in the signal chain, clear of Blackstar St. James 50 6L6 Head's own gain stage

Goes in front of the amp

Demeter Compulator

Demeter

10% match

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

Demeter Compulator's own smooth character is the real reason this is worth trying

Goes in front of the amp

MXR Analog Delay

MXR

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.

Run MXR Analog Delay in Blackstar St. James 50 6L6 Head's effects loop, clear of Blackstar St. James 50 6L6 Head's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)

Sits in the amp's effects loop

Death By Audio Reverberation Machine

Death By Audio

7% match
$225via 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 Death By Audio Reverberation Machine in Blackstar St. James 50 6L6 Head's effects loop, clear of Blackstar St. James 50 6L6 Head's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)

Sits in the amp's effects loop

Friedman Small Box Overdrive

Friedman

tonal match

Goes in front of the amp

Friedman Small Box Overdrive's own voicing points at a clean amp's front end, and Blackstar St. James 50 6L6 Head delivers it

Cheaper alternatives

Universal Audio Uafx Woodrow '55 Instrument Amplifier Preamp

Universal Audio

72% similarity
$422.18via Reverb

Universal Audio Uafx Woodrow '55 Instrument Amplifier Preamp recreates this amp's tone in pedal form

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

Tone King Imperial Preamp

Tone King

72% similarity
$570.54via Reverb

Tone King Imperial Preamp recreates this amp's tone in pedal form

Marshall Origin 20 Head

Marshall

95% similarity
$549via Reverb

similar tone character

Blackstar HT Studio 20H

Blackstar

94% similarity
$464.52via Reverb

similar tone character

Boutique & premium upgrades

Orange OR30 Head

Orange

53% similarity
$1799via Reverb

Shared character: sag, power, two channels

Mesa Boogie Triple Crown TC-100 Head

Mesa Boogie

49% similarity
$2999via Reverb

Shared character: two channels, gig, headroom

3rd Power DRGN-100

3rd Power

47% similarity
$4299via Reverb

Shared character: sag, bass, response

Mesa Boogie Lone Star Head

amplifier

46% similarity
$1666via Reverb

Shared character: lower volumes, two channels, warm

Blackstar Series One MK II 4-Channel 100-Watt

Blackstar

45% similarity
$1163.06via Reverb

Shared character: tonal possibilities, gig, headroom

Mesa Boogie Mark I

Mesa Boogie

45% similarity
$1466.92via Reverb

Shared character: power, two channels, middle

Similar charactersee all similar tone character →

Electronic Audio Experiments Model feT V3.8

Electronic Audio Experiments

72% similarity

Electronic Audio Experiments Model feT V3.8 recreates this amp's tone in pedal form

PRS MT100

PRS

51% similarity

Shared character: lower volumes, overdrive channel, headroom

Marshall JCM900 2100

Marshall

46% similarity
$799.95via Reverb

Shared character: lower volumes, middle, bass

Blackstar HT Club 50 MKII

Blackstar

45% similarity
$849.99via Reverb

Shared character: combination, overdrive channel, two channels

1950s Fender Twin

amplifier

44% similarity

Shared character: combination, headroom, middle

Fender Twin Reverb Head

amplifier

43% similarity
$672.80via Reverb

Shared character: two channels, gig, headroom

See all alternatives to the Blackstar St. James 50 6L6 Head (cheaper + boutique) →

Questions people ask

What are good alternatives to the Blackstar St. James 50 6L6 Head?+

The closest matches in character are the Electronic Audio Experiments Model feT V3.8, the PRS MT100, the Marshall JCM900 2100. Budget picks: Universal Audio Uafx Woodrow '55 Instrument Amplifier Preamp, Catalinbread Dreamcoat Skewer Special Edition Box, Tone King Imperial Preamp. Boutique upgrades: Orange OR30 Head, Mesa Boogie Triple Crown TC-100 Head, 3rd Power DRGN-100.

What pairs well with the Blackstar St. James 50 6L6 Head?+

Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Tone City Model B Distortion TC-T31, Catalinbread Formula 5F6, Boss DS-2 Turbo Distortion — Feed a scooped signal into Tone City Model B Distortion TC-T31 and it comes out closer to mid-forward.

How much does the Blackstar St. James 50 6L6 Head cost?+

Around $715.71 (live listing price, updated Oct 25, 2026).

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