FINAL VERDICT
Which of these signatures is a must-have?
Blackstar claim the St. James’s are ‘the lightest 50-watt valve amps in the world’ and the weight of the new amps – or lack of it – is an almost shocking revelation. Beside this, there’s plenty of innovative design, pro-standard low noise performance and seriously brilliant tone. In fact, both flavours of the St. James sound so good, you might have a tricky time deciding which is right for you. If pedals, classic rock and blues are your thing, we’d suggest the EL34 version, where the lower gain preamp flatters that more nuanced style of playing. If you want to rock – and we mean really rock, then the 6L6 version has your name on it. Especially with humbuckers, we think this amp has possibly the best lead channel of any Blackstar. Blackstar have a reputation for producing great value for money products and the St. James amps are no exception, despite being at the top end of what most folks might class affordable. Aimed at professionals and serious amateurs, they’re potential game changers – check them out now.