Blackheart Engineering BH15-112 Handsome Devil Combo

Nobody has reviewed the Handsome Devil Combo yet, only the head version- so here goes. Key features are same as head version: single input, drive, volume, treble, mid, bass, presence, pentode/triode switch and on/off (no standby). The back of the amp presents the same array of external speaker jacks as the head: one 16ohm, 2X8ohm, and 2X4ohm. The standard speaker in the combo is a custom Eminance 1216B, which is 16ohm and rated 70 watts. Its a surprisingly good quality speaker for an OEM speaker at this price range. The console features of this amp are ideal. It provides all the controls I was looking for out of a good, single channel tube amp and is really well thought out. There are no features that go unused on this sweet little amp. This amp is extremely well put together of high quality materials and components to my eye. The knobs are quiet, the jacks are sturdy, and the fit and finish of the cabinet is rock solid. I was not looking for effects loop, headphone jack, DI, or anything like that so I don't miss them. The only deduction I give is that the external speaker jacks and power main are a bit hard to reach on the combo as they are tucked up under the rear of the amp. True, they are well protected, just a bit hard to reach. Its also a challenge to gain access to the inside of the amplifier to inspect or change the tubes, due to the way the chassis is mounted inside the cabinet. I think Blackheart decided to err on the side of durability for sure, at the expense of a little convenience for the user on this aspect of the combo design.

I bought this amp as a bit of an experiment. My main amp for playing out is a 1980's era Mesa Boogie S.O.B. 100watt head (also reviewed on this forum), so I was hankering for a low-watt EL84 -based amp that would be very different from the above, and that I could play in different situations and, well...you know, krank up a bit. I got intrigued by the reviews of Blackheart and wanted to see for myself what kind of quality was possible at such a low price. For me, this amp has lived up to the hype in every way. I have played both single coil and humbucker guitars through this amp and they both sound terrific. I won't go all poetic about the nuances of the tone. Its just a really, really good vintage sounding amp and hits the sweet spot for classic rock and blues. One thing that surprised me was the amount of clean headroom at 15 watts. Frankly I was expecting almost none and got alot. Some people have diss'd the 7-watt setting, but I find it really useful when I want a more subdued rhythm type of sound, say when I am backing on more bluesy, ballady type of stuff. The 15-watt setting really opens up the amp. The presence control is very good. I leave it at about 2 o'clock where it adds just the right amount of brightness, especially with humbuckers. This amp is just fun to play, period. Its simple controls deliver instant gratification at almost any spot on the dial.

This amp is plenty loud. On its own, the 15-watts is going to give you reasonable volume in a band setting, at least for our band which tends to manage stage volumes pretty well. I have also played it through a 2X12 cabinet with Celestion V30s which are pretty efficient speakers, and in this configuration the amp has more than enough legs to fill an average size room whether mic'd or not.

A word about the stock tubes in the Blackheart, because alot of others have also commented on them. When I first turned on the amp, the drive was pretty noisy. It broke up normally and wasn't microphonic, its just that it sat and spat alot. I did not spend much time trying to diagnose different tube combinations. I guess I was ready to write off the quality of the stock tubes pretty quickly based on other reviews. So after about two hours of playing time I swapped the pre-amp tubes for a pair of Mesa Russian 2's I happened to have on the shelf and since I had the chassis pulled out anyway, I put new matching Mesa EL84s in, too. These Mesas are probably Ruby Tubes or JJ's- who knows. They are decent tubes. I am not much of a fanatic when it comes to tubes. Anyway, the change quieted down the amp right away. So I guess the takeaway is, plan on upgrading the tubes when you buy the amp. its a simple thing to do, it will probably run a little quieter and you will feel even better about your purchase.

I have only had the amp about 1 month and have perhaps 30 hours playing time on it so its a bit early to say. But this amp does not appear to have any apparent weaknesses in build quality. I anticipate many years of trouble free use with normal maintenance and care. So I will rate this product very high for build quality. I always take a backup to gigs, no matter what. Just seems like the right thing to do.

I have not dealt directly with anyone from Blackheart, which is owned by Crate via LOUD Technologies. Their authorized service channel seems pretty good. Always buy from a reputable dealer and you will not have problems should issues arise. I live in an average sized metro area and have several authorized service centers within easy drive. The standard warranty on Blackheart is 1 year. Blackheart's website is entertaining, but not terribly informative when it comes to online support forums, etc. I suspect this will mature as the product line does and they get more people using their stuff.

If you have been looking at Blackheart products and wondering if they really deliver on the promise of great quality at a screaming price, I can tell you from this reviewer's point of view they absolutely do. I could not be happier with the overall value of this amp. It simple, sturdy, and delivers a great sound. It's pure fun to play.