Blackheart Engineering BH5H Head

The Blackheart Little Giant BH5H is a 5 watt, single-ended, class A amp sporting a 12AX7 preamp tube and an EL84 tube power tube. It comes in both head and 1x12 combo versions. The amp has a full 3-band tone stack, a Pentode/Triode switch and PLENTY of gain (maybe too much - see below). The output transformer is beefy enough. I even like the stock Chinese EL84 tube.

Out of the box - 7. After a few mods - 9.

The amp was designed by Pyotr Belov, the same guy who designed the Epiphone Valve Junior so I know many people will want to know how they compare. I think the Blackheart sounds a bit better out of the box.

A lot of people (without yet hearing the amp) have conjectured that the full tone stack probably sucks too much gain. I am here to testify that it does not! In fact, I think there is a bit too much level going into the 2nd stage of the preamp tube and the amp sounds better with a lower gain preamp tube like a 12AT7. I have tried several different new and NOS EL84 tubes but I actually like the stock Chinese tube. It is loose and greasy when overdriven. Even with a 12AT7, there is still plenty of guts to overdrive the power tube.

The only other negative is that the treble is a bit ???hard??? sounding (but not ice picky). The high end can easily be sweetened by changing the treble cap to a lower value silver mica. Like most subtractive filters, the tone stack imparts a subtle ???phase shift signature???. This is not necessarily bad but even set relatively flat, you know it is there.

I like the Triode/Pentode switch. In the Triode 3 watt mode, the amp has less gain, more compression and is a bit more ???tweed???. I would not trade this function for a standby switch.

I haven???t tried the matching Blackheart Eminence speakers. I am told there are two different ones - one Britished voiced for a closed back cab, and one American voiced for the open back combo. I did try several other speakers including some of my current favorites ??? 12??? ceramic Weber Blue Dog, and an EVM12L Classic reissue (great speaker!)

Seems very well built with a sturdy cab, circuit board and output transformer.

I have exchanged emails with various support people and even had a nice phone call with Pyotr Belov. They supplied me with schematics and layout diagrams. They seem very supportive of the modding community.

The circuit board is a great platform for modding with decent components, wide spacing and robust traces. It has more, firmer bass. The output transformer is about twice the size of the EVJ. If you intend on modding, you will probably not need to replace the OT.

I have modded both of the EVJ and Blackheart amps in the direction that I think they naturally want to go. The EVJ tends toward Vox, while the Little Giant leans more toward Marshall. The EVJ is mahogany and the Little Giant is Swamp Ash.

What a great value! Can't wait to try the combo and other Blackheart amps to follow.

I won't rehash the features, but I'll note that I boughtthe Blackheart to replace an Epiphone Blues junior that has nice crucnh, but was kind of limited base don the lack of any tone controls. The full bass/middle/treble controls plus the 3/5 watt swicth make this amp very versatile.

Great sound, particularly for $149! I use mine with a Strat as well as a couple of humbucker equipped guitars. I love the clean, brilliant tones you can get at moderate volume with the 3 watt setting, and cranked, it has the real tube mojo. Very flexible, and enough volume for any small setting, especially with an efficient 12" speaker.

Well... the first unit I bought died very quickly. I sent it back to Musician's Friend, and received a replacement that I'm burning in as I type. Seems pretty good so far. I suspect the other one may have had a shorted transformer winding.

Been playing off and on for 30+ years. I love this little amp for its style, sound, and versatility. I think if it was stolen I'd replace it, even if I had to sell my old Fender Champ!

I own two Epiphone Valve Junior heads (version 2 & 3) and decided to have Santa deliver me one of these new heads from Crate. My main reason was the addition of tone knobs and the 5/3 switch (no standby switch--bummer). This amp fits well in my collection of small-wattage amps/heads.

I play blues-rock and she works great. Like I mentioned above, the thing has a tone that makes her a great companion to the Epiphone Valve Junior.

So far so good.

I have not had to go this route yet.....

A few minor goofs on the white piping (uneven) is all that I can rag on this amp. I play music that wishes to be in the same veign as SRV, Page, Rhoads, etc....All guitarists should own a small head like this or the Epiphone or both (so reasonable on $ and EASY to mod). I use a Marshall 4X12 140-watt cab with Celestions in a 900 square foot apartment and she sounds like heaven. I plan on buying the Epiphone 1X12 cabinet as well as the Blackheart 1X12 cab sometime next year. This will give me two small half-stacks for my home studio.

The features are limited, but very well done. It's switchable between 3 and 5 watts; has bass, middle, and treble tone controls (along with a single volume); and, it has FIVE speaker outputs (2x4ohm, 2x8ohm, and 1x16ohm) making it compatible with just about any speaker cab.

This thing sounds great! I bought it on a whim, fully prepared to be disappointed given that it cost only $150. I like lower-powered amps and I own some nice ones, including the THD UniValve, Soldano Astroverb, Dr.Z Carmen Ghia, and Gibson GA-5. Now, I'm not saying the Blackheart is as good as these amps, but I have to tell you, tone-wise, it's right up there. The overdrive is very smooth and musical, perfect for blues and classic rock. Even when fully cranked, it cleans up nicely, while retaining overall volume, simply by turning down the guitar. IMO, it would be loud enough to gig with at smaller venues. I've experimented with different 1x12 and 2x12 cabs, and various guitars and effects, and so far, it's handled everything equally well.

It's hard to believe you can buy something like this for only $150 (geez, a lot of my pedals cost more than that), so you gotta wonder?! However, the Blackheart looks and feels well constructed. The transformers are hefty, the tube sockets are chassis mounted, the jacks and pots feel secure. I'm not crazy about the overstated logo and piping (kind of garish IMO), but it certainly does not have a "cheap" appearance.

I've been playing 30+ years and own all kinds of amps and guitars. At this price, you can't afford not to buy a Blackheart. Suffice it to say, I'm blown away by this little amp -- it's really cool, sounds great, and is just loads of fun to play!

This is a small tube amp with great features. made in 2007 5watt and 3watt, 3 band EQ, a choice of 16 ohm, 8ohm, or 4ohm output. 1 channel and one volume control.

I have been playing 30 yrs classic rock and blues and this is the best sounding amp i have ever played. I been trying to find that overdrive tube tone at bedroom volumes and this amp does it. At the 5watt it can get very loud but at the 3 watt you can get that tube sound at suitable bedroom volume. I also use a blackstone mosefet overdrive pedal and the combo real makes the best sound I ever had.

it look very well made but have not had it long enough to tell

never have used it

If lost I would go buy another one ASAP.

Looks good in the ad Custumer service is HORRIBLE

Looks like it sounds good in the ads customer service is HORRIBLE

Would never look for any kind of service from theese clowns.

The customer service is TERRIBLE HORIBLE BAD. I Tried Emailing to find out where I could buy one and got no reply, so I called and got put on hold way too long and like a dummy I called back and was transferred to a lady who said she was with Blackheart. I asked her where I could purchase one or two of these cool looking little half stacks? and I was told buy her that they don't have records of what dealers they where sent because they just come from china and to go back to the web page and put my zip code in the dealer locator. I did and I called everyone in my area plus a couple others and 100% of the dealers did not even know they where Dealers.Music& Arts in Mclean Va and Rocketeria in Md did offer to try and order one for Me Imagine that a bit of Customer service at Two Dealers yea to them. There Dealer locator also includes no Dealer phone numbers or links to there web site. When somebody get's these amps I hope they are great $250.00 throw away amps cause I doubt you will get any help from these people.

Single ended 12AX7/EL84 Class 'A' 5w pentode/3w triode switchable tube amp head, manufactured in 2007. Similar in size and cabinet design to the Epi Valve Jr., but with the addition of low/mid/high tone controls, and the switch for selecting 5w or 3w mode. Rear apron outputs include dual 4 ohm, dual 8 ohm, and single 16 ohm 1/4" jacks. The rating compares it to other amps in its class.

The head is driving a single 12" Eminence Wizard (103db sensitivity) in a closed-back cabinet. Guitars include single coils, P90's, and humbuckers. The inclusion of the tone stack greatly increases the amp's usability with an entire spectrum of guitar and pickup types, with plenty of high end reserve to compensate for muddy humbuckers. The amp breaks up evenly and predictably as volume is increased. The resulting distortion is warm and smooth, and easily controlled by pick attack and guitar volume changes. It reacts magnificently to my Digitech Bad Monkey pedal, especially when the pedal is used at minimum gain with an increased output level, effectively acting as a clean boost, pushing the amp into singing sustain territory.
If there is any weakness, bass output is somewhat less than expected. To be fair in this regard, though, the Wizard is far from a bass-heavy speaker, and the cabinet it is housed in is of minimal size. The bass output may come alive with a larger cabinet.

Everything about the build of this little amp seems top-notch. All controls and jacks are 'pro' quality and feel. There is every reason to think it will fare well. The rating is speculative.

Marketed by Crate/Loud Technologies. No experience with them.

This does not generate monster sound levels... and that is not its intended purpose. It is designed to create the tone that only a tube can create... at a volume that is usable in a home or recording environment. It does that VERY well, indeed. Having said that, 5 "tube watts" is loud enough to use the amp by itself in an intimate, "less-than-full-out" rehearsal or small gig situation, and I look forward to having a chance to mic the cabinet in a 'live' situation, as the QUALITY of the tone is outstanding, and should mic up very well. There are many low-wattage amps out there, but probably none that combine the sound, features, and quality of the Blackheart... and provide them at the Blackheart's street price.