Why so many Blackheart amps?
Short Answer:
I turned into a collector with them. I wanted a representation of each amp (the head and cab version) they made while they were in business. It kind of turned into my own, personal Blackheart museum.
Long Answer:
That's my wall of Blackheart, and it's mostly the collector in me. When they came out, I wanted to get their 5w head and cab because I really liked the idea of an affordable tube amp that sounded good. Their price point at the time put them in competition with the Epi Valve Jr, but most of what I was reading said that they sounded better. I got the first one, and thought that it sounded a lot better than its price point suggested, and, although a lot of folks really don't like the logo, I really dig the cartoon-ish heart and roses in black and red.
I picked up a Little Giant head (their 3/5w amp) with a 12" cab at one of the local guitar shows after they first came out. A couple of years later, I found a really screaming deal on a Little Ant head (1w amp) and 10" cab. Figured that the 1w amp would be better at bedroom levels, and I really liked the simplicity of only having an on/off switch and volume control. When I bought that one, the seller also had a 12" cab for sale at an ok price, so I picked it up too. About that time, it was confirmed that they quit making them, and the collector thing kicked in. I came across a stupid good deal on the 4x12, so I picked that up because I had always wanted a half-stack. Started running the 1w amp through it (it gets really loud, really fast through it). A couple of years after that I started looking for a good deal on a Handsome Devil head (the 7/15w amp), and picked one of those up. Then I came across an unbeatable deal on a NOS 10" cab, so I figured I had a 12" stack, why not have a 10" stack too. That only left the 100w Hot Head amp. So a couple of years ago I started trolling Reverb for a good deal on one of those, and finally found one. Picked it up and finished the collection...1 representation of each amp they made. Don't have the combo versions (which aren't really different), but swmbo might shoot me if I started bringing those in too.
I use the Handsome Devil (7/15w) more than any of the others. The Little Giant (3/5w) gets loaned out occasionally. I run those two amps through a 10 and 12 cab each. The Little Ant (1w) goes through the 4x12. And the Hot Head (100w) isn't even plugged in. Down the other wall that you don't see on the left are the Vox and Fender amps. My name is snarf, and I have an amp problem.
I wasn't much of a negotiator! Body size fits me, being maple it is bright.
