Star Amplifiers Gain Star 30 112 Combo

I bought this used, a 1x12 combo. I purchased this last summer (in August of 2005). It is a 2 channel monster and was my introduction into handwired boutique type amplifiers.
The amp needed to be loud, much louder than my context to really open up. My drummer said "that amp sounds great" when I could not hear myself, when I turned up to hear myself, the soundman said "you are way to loud" this was early on in hearing how amps cut through a mix. This amp really does cut.

Clean channel one was awesome. Incredibly chimey and thick. This amp was my first entre into custom amp build world. Channel two which is the o.d. channel was a bit buzzy at lower volumes. When I was loud, much louder than my context allows, the tone was incredible. Yet I had to turn down. Once down to reasonable volumes, it was a little buzzy.

Freakin thing was built like a tank. I could not believe how solid it was. Certainly this was built to last for many years. I don't know for sure, but I would guess it weighed 60 pounds.

No direct dealings with company. From what I know via forums, et all, the service would be exceptional.

As i mentioned, this was my first amp entree into boutique world. My previous 13 years was in Mesa rack world. This amp was an eye opening tonal experience into a whole new world. I have been through numerous amps in the last year and I have learned tons. This amp, if you can play loud, and don't desire reverb, is certainly stellar.

So there I was, Fifth week of amp shopping with a dwindling budget. My main goal was a replacement for my jcm800 50watt 2x12 that seems to have disappeared(loaned to a girl). I had a rough financial summer and sold all of my gear, and expected to be able to get the marshall back. So, I was looking for something that had a good sound in a 2x12 configuration, that wouldn't break the budget. And I did the usual stops, pawn shops(nothing), guitar center(liked the boogies, but liked some of their older stuff better). I tried out a lot of stuff, some nice, some not so. And I also wanted to get something that I wouldn't have a hard problem selling, if I found something better. The used market isn't too hard if you get something of good quality. I wanted a 2-channel or more that had a variety, not just one, of useable sounds.
Enough of the set-up. I went to a shop I haven't been to in years that always has some good stuff hidden around- they give a good deal ontrade-ins and such. The salesman listened to what I was looking for in an amp, and said" there's only one amp I have thatwill take care of you." The gain star. He handed me a P.O.S. strat and it was all over. This had to be the most versatile little amp I have ever played on. There was no "sweet spot" that took a half an hour to find. They were all sweet spots! The gain star went from shimmery vox, to biting blackface, to warm marshall, to boutique gain and cruch, to shredding rectifier. You had two channel's to set up, but you had sooo many sounds in between that I would consider it more of an amp modeller. But with those modellers, you get the idea of what the real thing should sound like, this is the real thing.
As far as features go, I would say the only thing this could use is a reverb on the clean setting, but they make that with the Serious Revrb model. It has an effects loop, buy I've owned many amps with that, and never used it. I wouldn't mind just the head, So I could try out different speaker combos with it: 4x10,2x12,4x12, etc. But being the type that uses two plugs, one from guitar to amp, and one from amp to wall socket, I need no more.

It works very well with both single-coil and humbucker pichk-ups. I had a few fenders that were only good for a single coil guitar and like-wise with others that only sounded good with a humbucker. My style is a mess and I like to go from one extreme to another, classical to blues, jazz to thrash. And this little monster could handle it all. As far as descibing the sounds this make, I wouldn't know where to start, other than it does everything I've even wanted in one amp. How many others can you say that about?

Don't know how reliable this is, but definitely more reliable than my back!

Wouldn't know yet.

I've been playing for about twenty years of and on. No more garage band stuff, just by myself. I've owned the gamut of amps: boogie(old and new), marshall, JMI vox, blackfaced and tweed fender, selmer, park, gibson, my first was a yamaha solid state, hate to admit to that. Guitars fenders, gibsons, PRS, Music Man. I compare it to evrything, and it comes up top, I don't think you could find a better combo out there.

I have been a Sampson fan since the ealy Matchless days, and once I heard he was doing something new, I had to check it out! This amp seems to pull out all the design stops. I don't mean that it has so many switches and knobs that you loose yourself. But it is designed with features that are useful and intended to make the amp usable in many situations.
Two independant channels (Clean/High Gain) with independant tone controls for each. Switching is silent.
Tube buffered effects loop with adjustable send and return levels. Sometimes I run an effected slave amp with the effects send and it works great! PLUS, it still passes the signal on to the power section of the GS.
The effects loop seems to be intended for the high gain side.. but even still, I love it! and I don't think it has any adverse effect on the sound. The Gain Star has no reverb, which might be nice on the clean side. But I really don't miss this feature.
The one thing I thought most interesting and unique was the "Trim" control on the gain channel. It makes the body of the overdrive go from thick and chewy to detailed and refined. This control really lets the amp become simular to tone/drive heard from some of his early amps, which is thick with an active tone circuit. Yet with a twist of the control it shapes into more of a focused high gain structure.

I use single coiled Stats and a LP Special with P-90's. I'm not a prodogy, but I like to play as many different styles as possable. The clean side of this amp has Sampson's signature sparkle, neutral tone, and a nice balance of natural compression. The amp is dynamic to your playing technique and fills the room nicely. At higher volume levels the clean side does offer a nice amount of break up.
The gain side goes anywhere from thick and powerful harmonic cords to pealing the paint from the walls.. no lie! This amps overdrive is intense with a vintage flavoring. The harmonics just smolder and roll everywhere. Of coarse at higher levels of gain and volume there is some white noise. But for the most part the amp is quite and plays like a dream come true.

To new for me to comment here.

I had to have one repair done many years ago, which was done without any issues. I know this is a different business now but I am certain Sampson stands behind his amps.

I am near dealers who carry lines such as Soldano, Matchless, Bad Cat, Bogner, DR. Z, etc. and I have tried them all. Some I like for certain features and tones, but none like this. It's pricey, but I think money well spent for years of great tone. Sampson has out done it again.

A two channel 1x12 with lots of tone shaping controls. No reverb on this amp, but the amp has FX loop with controls to send and receive levels to accomodate an outboard reverb unit. Plenty of clean head room and lots of gain on channel 2. The trim control interacts with the bass and treble controls to offer up plenty of tone shaping modes.
The master volume contol works really well so even a loud el34 class A amp can be made to sound good at low volumes. No standby switch and the power switch is in the back. A cool light inside lights up the Star Logo on the grill and also illuminates inside the cab.

I went out of my way to audition this amp. I have been on the hunt for a 1x12 combo that can deliver a full spectrum of sonic possibilities, by that I mean - capable of doing both the Marshall and Fender thing and the Boogie and etc. etc. When I first plugged into this amp at the store with a LP historic, I thought, Oh Sh** I want to take this thing home. An hour later I did just that. I have been experimenting with different guitars and pedals and settings for a while and now I'm settling into a comfort zone with this amp. Easy to find your tone once you nail it the first time. This amp interacts really well with the guitar dymanics and controls. The sound is big for a small amp and has a metal panel Marshall type vibe, but with a few turns of the wrist, it's a Vox or Fender or even another Boutique amp. The other night I had it sounding just like my Aiken Tomcat. Great sounding amp FWIW it has a tube rectifier

This amp is basically overbuilt. PTP hand wired - massive transformers - top quality everything. Class A needs no bias adjustments. I believe it is designed to last a very long time.

The warranty is 5 years. I have never talked with Mark Sampson, but I've heard the support is great.

This is a high buck amp like many hand wired quality amps out there now. For the first couple weeks I was freaking at how much I paid for the amp, but now things are settling down and the comfort zone has arrived. I feel like it would be very difficult to replace an amp like this with something even better. So far I havn't found anything I like better. I believe I will keep this amp for a long time to come.

Although this amp is brand new on the market.I may have one of the first as it was built for the NAMM show..it has a foot switch for clean and gain..effects loops send & return but I will never patch anything through it as the tone is pure and needs nothing extra.. a patch would only take away from the sound it is designed for..this amp is 30 watts of pure power..it had a pair of EL-34 Tubes with a tight midrange this amp is built to the max for quality.. close attention to detail inside and out..

I have a Santana 1 94' model...just before they quit making them..with Santana pick ups..as you know this guitar is an awesome player and thru this Star amp it really talks... tone to die for from the amp..I play mostly blues rock..Skynyrd to SRV..This amp runs clean and quiet on Channel one and a small hum on the gain side..only normal...this Star Amp is bare bones no frills.... ALL TONE !!
when you crank the volume the harmonics shout at you and the feedback is more than you could ask for..this amp is clean at mid guitar volume but as you turn up the volume the distortion sings..a great Southern Rock combo...

Its new but from what I have read about Mark Sampsons other Boutique Amps I think it will be unbeatable for reliability

Warranty is 5 years........

I have been playing for 47 years and have owned dozens of amps/guitars over that time.. I think the PRS/Star combo is the final winner...if it were lost or stolen I would look for another for sure..its only drawback is the heavy weight ..but it shouts quality all over and being heavy is the price you pay for great quality..