The Blackstar Unity 120 is a Blackstar amplifier, currently around $450. Close alternatives include the Blackstar Unity 250 and the Gallien-Krueger MB 112 II Combo. It pairs well with the Ashdown Geezer Butler Signature and the Colorsound Overdriver.

Blackstar Unity 120

Blackstar · amplifier

The Blackstar Unity 120 is a 120-watt solid-state bass combo amplifier from the Unity series, targeting rehearsal and smaller venue performance. Three preamp voicings — flat, modern, and classic — shape tone from clean through Bassman and SVT-adjacent character. A semi-parametric sweepable mid and three-band EQ provide precise frequency management. The drive control mixes overdrive, distortion, or fuzz into the clean signal. A response control simulates valve-stage feel. At 120 watts it provides sufficient output for rehearsal and small club use with room for dynamic headroom. Onboard compressor, chorus, and octave round out the feature set for a self-contained gigging platform.

What stands out

  • “The Blackstar Unity 120 is a 120-watt solid-state bass combo amplifier from the Unity series, targeting rehearsal and smaller venue performance”

    — from the listing

  • “Onboard compressor, chorus, and octave round out the feature set for a self-contained gigging platform”

    — from the listing

  • “The octave effect is harder to distinguish within a full-band mix at performance volume”

    — from the community notes

  • “The semi-parametric mid is cited as the most important EQ tool for live room correction”

    — from the community notes

  • “Three preamp voicings — flat, modern, and classic — shape tone from clean through Bassman and SVT-adjacent character”

    — from the listing

Trade-offs

  • “A response control simulates valve-stage feel”

    — from the listing

  • rehearsal
  • octave
  • mix
  • mid
  • clean
  • headroom
  • gigging

Good for

  • Live
  • Practice
$450View on Reverb

Price updated Oct 23, 2026

Genres the Blackstar Unity 120 is commonly used in

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

Pedals that stack with the Blackstar Unity 120

Ashdown Geezer Butler Signature

Ashdown

26% match
$234.01via Reverb

fills 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 Unity 120 leans into a clean amp's front end, precisely the platform Ashdown Geezer Butler Signature wants

Goes in front of the amp

Colorsound Overdriver

pedal

25% match

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

Colorsound Overdriver leans this high headroom tone toward fuzzy, which it doesn't make on its own

Goes in front of the amp

Univox Super-Fuzz

Univox

22% match
$599via 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. (fuzzy → octave)

Univox Super-Fuzz layers octave onto an already fuzzy signal

Goes in front of the amp

Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble

pedal

14% match
$570via 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. (fuzzy → modulated)

Put Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble after Blackstar Unity 120 in the signal chain, clear of Blackstar Unity 120's own gain stage

Goes in front of the amp

Outlaw Effects Wrangler

Outlaw Effects

11% match
$54.99via Reverb

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

Outlaw Effects Wrangler's own compressed character is the real reason this is worth trying

Goes in front of the amp

Boss DD-200 Digital Delay

Boss

8% match
$237.43via 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.

Boss DD-200 Digital Delay's shimmer voice goes in Blackstar Unity 120's effects loop — it's not there to compete with Blackstar Unity 120's own octave character — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)

Sits in the amp's effects loop

Boss RV-6 Reverb

Boss

8% match
$141.34via 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 Blackstar Unity 120's octave voice out front: Boss RV-6 Reverb goes in Blackstar Unity 120's effects loop so its shimmer voice doesn't muddy it — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)

Sits in the amp's effects loop

Electro-Harmonix EH-1335/EH-3075 Hot Tubes

Electro-Harmonix

tonal match

Goes in front of the amp

Into Blackstar Unity 120, Electro-Harmonix EH-1335/EH-3075 Hot Tubes is right at home: it's built around a clean amp's front end

Cheaper alternatives

Blackstar Unity Bass U60

Blackstar

56% similarity
$306.61via Reverb

Shared character: compressor, solid state, chorus

Blackstar #Bass U30

Blackstar

56% similarity
$286.42via Reverb

Shared character: small venues, punch, solid state

Blackstar Unity Bass U30

Blackstar

52% similarity
$286.42via Reverb

Shared character: punch, solid state, chorus

Laney Richter RB2 Bass Combo

Laney

44% similarity
$317.57via Reverb

Shared character: compressor, practice, smooth

Acus One Forstrings 4 Ferdi

Acus

43% similarity
$351.14via Reverb

Shared character: small venues, chorus, headroom

Ampeg RB-112 Rocket Bass 100-Watt Combo Bass

Ampeg

95% similarity
$371.96via Reverb

similar tone character

Boutique & premium upgrades

Blackstar Unity 500

Blackstar

57% similarity
$678.92via Reverb

Shared character: clean signal, compressor, punch

Ampeg BA300

Ampeg

53% similarity
$724.07via Reverb

Shared character: compressor, solid state, gig

Boss Katana Bass KTN-210B

Boss

48% similarity
$599.99via Reverb

Shared character: small venues, one octave, compressor

EBS Magni 502 115

Ebs

46% similarity
$1269.33via Reverb

Shared character: round, compressor, punch

Gallien-Krueger GK Fusion 2x12 Bass Combo Amp

Gallien Krueger

45% similarity
$2099via Reverb

Shared character: solid state, gig, headroom

Phil Jones BP-800 Bass Pulse 800W Head

Phil Jones

45% similarity
$862.23via Reverb

Shared character: gig, combination, response

Similar charactersee all similar tone character →

Blackstar Unity 250

Blackstar

68% similarity
$520.75via Reverb

Shared character: two octave down effect, combination, clean signal

Gallien-Krueger MB 112 II Combo

Gallien Krueger

51% similarity

Shared character: punch, gig, response

Vox Mini SuperBeetle Bass

Vox

47% similarity

Shared character: combination, compressor, solid state

Laney RB3 Richter Bass Amp

Laney

47% similarity
$408.77via Reverb

Shared character: compressor, practice, gig

Fender Frontman 60B

Fender

44% similarity

Shared character: small venues, solid state, practice

Gallien-Krueger Fusion 115 Combo

Gallien Krueger

44% similarity

Shared character: punch, solid state, gig

See all alternatives to the Blackstar Unity 120 (cheaper + boutique) →

Questions people ask

What are good alternatives to the Blackstar Unity 120?+

The closest matches in character are the Blackstar Unity 250, the Gallien-Krueger MB 112 II Combo, the Vox Mini SuperBeetle Bass. Budget picks: Blackstar Unity Bass U60, Blackstar #Bass U30, Blackstar Unity Bass U30. Boutique upgrades: Blackstar Unity 500, Ampeg BA300, Boss Katana Bass KTN-210B.

What pairs well with the Blackstar Unity 120?+

Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Ashdown Geezer Butler Signature, Colorsound Overdriver, Univox Super-Fuzz — Blackstar Unity 120 leans into a clean amp's front end, precisely the platform Ashdown Geezer Butler Signature wants.

How much does the Blackstar Unity 120 cost?+

Around $450 (live listing price, updated Oct 23, 2026).

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