Blackheart Little Giant Stack - Marshall AVT50 Tribute

itasoulas · 06-17-2010, 07:04 AM

I thought it would be a nice thing to share my thoughts on these two amps i own...just to inform the people that are thinking of buying one of these...

Blackheart Little Giant Half Stack
I use this amp as my dirty amp. I own this almost a year. It's pretty loud for a 5W. The cab speaker is great. This amp has one disadvantage..it doesn't take distortion pedals very well. I spent lots of money to find the ones to suit my little beast. Some say this amp is a piece of shit, i haven't played any expensive tube amps...what do you think?

Marshall AVT50 Tribute
I use this amp as my clean amp. This amp has a great clean channel but don't try to buy one if you don't have an EQ pedal to use it with. Only then you get the most of this amp and the sparklings highs. Also if you max out the gain on the clean channel you get a nice, creamy, ovedriven sound. The dirty channel on this amp really sucks so i am not using it at all.

If i were to compare the two i would say nobody wins. The one is made in UK (Marshall) the other in China (Blackheart). To my ears, both are mediocre amps cause both are good in something but bad at something else. For those who are thinking of buying one, save money buy a better amp.

I would like to hear your thoughts cause, i don't know, i feel i could have bought something better - or am i in a bad mood today???

Hector Arcadius · 06-17-2010, 09:39 AM

Geia sou file,

lots of folks in here are interested in the Little Giant in particular, and the fact that it does not take pedals well is something that I have not heard before, so I'm glad you shared that, 'cause it's a decisive factor (for me at least). One of course, should always keep in mind the price of the product, which is something major in the small wattage market.

Anyway, thanks for the reviews.

i am wet · 06-17-2010, 10:37 AM

my little giant takes my ocd very well

scozz · 06-17-2010, 08:14 PM

I've never heard or read ANY one say that the Blackheart LG is a "piece of shit". It's a solid, well built, quality tube amp imo. As far as pedals go, it does seem a bit picky though. I've tried a few different distortion and delay pedals, and to my ears the Maxon OD9 and Electro-Harmonix sound nice.

Imo, the Marshall AVT50 has a nice creamy, crunchy, distortion on the gain channel. Maybe you've got a bad tube, or possibly just try a different tube. You can change out the stock 12AX7 tube to get a different tone. A good choice imo would be a NOS 12AT7, which would smooth out and thicken the distortion.

You seem down on these amps a bit. I think you've got two nice amps, and for what they cost they are a great value.

06-17-2010, 07:04 AM	#1 (permalink)
itasoulas Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Athens, Greece Posts: 111 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Blackheart Little Giant Stack - Marshall AVT50 Tribute I thought it would be a nice thing to share my thoughts on these two amps i own...just to inform the people that are thinking of buying one of these... Blackheart Little Giant Half Stack I use this amp as my dirty amp. I own this almost a year. It's pretty loud for a 5W. The cab speaker is great. This amp has one disadvantage..it doesn't take distortion pedals very well. I spent lots of money to find the ones to suit my little beast. Some say this amp is a piece of shit, i haven't played any expensive tube amps...what do you think? Marshall AVT50 Tribute I use this amp as my clean amp. This amp has a great clean channel but don't try to buy one if you don't have an EQ pedal to use it with. Only then you get the most of this amp and the sparklings highs. Also if you max out the gain on the clean channel you get a nice, creamy, ovedriven sound. The dirty channel on this amp really sucks so i am not using it at all. If i were to compare the two i would say nobody wins. The one is made in UK (Marshall) the other in China (Blackheart). To my ears, both are mediocre amps cause both are good in something but bad at something else. For those who are thinking of buying one, save money buy a better amp. I would like to hear your thoughts cause, i don't know, i feel i could have bought something better - or am i in a bad mood today??? __________________ http://www.youtube.com/MrJohnTasoulas http://www.myspace.com/johntasoulas https://twitter.com/JohnTasoulas http://www.facebook.com/tasoulas

06-17-2010, 09:39 AM	#2 (permalink)
Hector Arcadius Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Somewhere in the Mediterranean Posts: 5,002 Thanks: 701 Thanked 72 Times in 24 Posts	Re: Blackheart Little Giant Stack - Marshall AVT50 Tribute Geia sou file, lots of folks in here are interested in the Little Giant in particular, and the fact that it does not take pedals well is something that I have not heard before, so I'm glad you shared that, 'cause it's a decisive factor (for me at least). One of course, should always keep in mind the price of the product, which is something major in the small wattage market. Anyway, thanks for the reviews.

06-17-2010, 10:37 AM	#3 (permalink)
i am wet Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Arizona Posts: 2,237 Thanks: 15 Thanked 34 Times in 13 Posts	Re: Blackheart Little Giant Stack - Marshall AVT50 Tribute my little giant takes my ocd very well __________________ --Main Rig-- ~Guitars~ 2008 Gibson Les Paul Studio--Alpine White 2009 Gibson SG Special Faded--Ebony 2009 Epiphone Les Paul '56 Gold Top--Gold 1985 Fender F200 -- Natural ~Amps~ Egnater Renegade 65w Head Egnater Tourmaster 2x12 Cab Blackheart Little Giant 5w Head 2 Blackheart 1x12 Cabs ~Pedals~ Fulltone OCD MXR Stereo Chorus Dunlop 535Q Wah TC Electronics Polytune Radial ABY

06-17-2010, 08:14 PM	#4 (permalink)
scozz Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Port Orange FL. Posts: 1,123 Thanks: 1 Thanked 12 Times in 5 Posts	Re: Blackheart Little Giant Stack - Marshall AVT50 Tribute I've never heard or read ANY one say that the Blackheart LG is a "piece of shit". It's a solid, well built, quality tube amp imo. As far as pedals go, it does seem a bit picky though. I've tried a few different distortion and delay pedals, and to my ears the Maxon OD9 and Electro-Harmonix sound nice. Imo, the Marshall AVT50 has a nice creamy, crunchy, distortion on the gain channel. Maybe you've got a bad tube, or possibly just try a different tube. You can change out the stock 12AX7 tube to get a different tone. A good choice imo would be a NOS 12AT7, which would smooth out and thicken the distortion. You seem down on these amps a bit. I think you've got two nice amps, and for what they cost they are a great value.

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