“The tube amp brought into the 21st century”: Blackstar’s St. James 100 looks to set a new benchmark with its most powerful and lightest 100-watt amp yet
The latest evolution of the British amp maker’s pioneering St. James family smashes the sonic ceiling with more output, selectable tubes and a wealth of modern refinements
(Image credit: Blackstar)
Blackstar’s St. James range of tube amps has just been taken to new heights with the unveiling of St. James 100 – the British firm’s flagship four-channel St. James unit, which is said to be “the world’s lightest” 100-watt amp.
The USP for the St James collective, which first arrived back in 2022, has always been firmly rooted in the notion that these are very much in a class of their own when it comes to weight.
Indeed, Blackstar embarked on a genuinely enlightening approach to valve amp design when it pieced together the St. James family, originally launching a wealth of products that promised genuine tube tones in a weight category that won’t break your back, with some additional modern advancements to boot.
So far, the St. James family has been divided between EL34 and 6L6 variants, with each camp comprising a range of amp heads and combos, which subscribe to a 50-watt output rating.
Now, though, the St. James 100 – available in head and 2x12 combo formats – has smashed the lineup’s sonic ceiling, delivering, quite simply, unadulterated and “raw power”.
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(Image credit: Blackstar)
(Image credit: Blackstar)
Not only that, the new unit offers switchable and mixable tubes [or ‘valves’, in UK amp parlance - Ed], and comes equipped with both 6L6 and EL34 tubes that can be mix-and-matched to harness the nuanced qualities of each distinct type.
“The valve [tube] amplifier redefined and brought into the 21st century,” Blackstar says of the St. James 100. “Combining real valve tone with modern convenience, connectivity and portability, the St. James 100 sets a new benchmark for valve amplifiers.”
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In terms of actual specs, the control panel offers toggles for maneuvering into either the Clean, Crunch, OD1 or OD2 channels, with additional voice switches further expanding its tonal potential.
Two strips of Bass, Middle, Treble, Presence and Reverb parameters join channel-specific Volume and Gain controls, with a Master Volume lining up alongside a nifty Power attenuator knob that seamlessly scrolls from 5% to 100%.
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(Image credit: Blackstar)
(Image credit: Blackstar)
These are joined by a host of modern refinements that help Blackstar make good on its claim that the St. James 100 truly is a tube amp of the future. On the rear, there’s CabRig output for direct recording and FOH projection, an Effects Loop that can run series and parallel, a dedicated Solo pot that offers up to 6 dB of boost, and MIDI connectivity.
A USB jack also lets players connect the St James 100 to Blackstar’s Architect Software.
And then, there’s the weight. According to Blackstar’s stats, the St. James 100 combo weighs a mere 18.9kg (approx. 41lbs), apparently 45 per cent lighter than its rivals. Likewise the St James 100 head weighs in at 10.1kg (approx. 22lbs), which is 53% lighter than competitors.
The layouts for both the St James 100 head and combo are exactly the same, save the speaker arrangements. Across the board, the Celestion Zephyr speakers – as previously used throughout the range – once again make the cut, and help strip down the weight while maintaining classic Blackstar tone.
The Blackstar St. James 100 head and combo are available now for $1,899 and $2,499, respectively.
Matt is a Senior Staff Writer, writing for Guitar World, Guitarist and Total Guitar. He has a Masters in the guitar, a degree in history, and has spent the last 16 years playing everything from blues and jazz to indie and pop. When he’s not combining his passion for writing and music during his day job, Matt records for a number of UK-based bands and songwriters as a session musician.
