Blistertone CAD

[38Roars]

Ive seen a few of these on the market... Anyone put it through its paces?

 

[László]

I'm pretty sure that MA Pete and The Destroyer have Blistertones and really like them.

They'll probably be along soon to reply.

 

[MA Pete]

Ive seen a few of these on the market... Anyone put it through its paces?

BrianC and I did an A/B/C Monday with the MDT, the Sewell and the Blistertone. The verdict from both of us was that for a gain-oriented amp, the Blistertone won. And we had no expectations going in, that's just what happened.

It is a MONSTER!! Also can do shimmery medium gain stuff too.

The MDT is more vintage, a great amp as well.

The Sewell is cool for the low volume great tone trick, but not as flexible as the other two, and the advantage goes away at gig volumes.

The Blistertone is a KEEPER!!

 

[MA Pete]

They'll probably be along soon to reply.

Soon indeed!

 

[MA Pete]

JD:

Also, forgot to mention, it cleans up real nice with lowering the guitar volume control. Sparkly!!

-Pete

 

[John Price]

I just checked this one out at Northeast Music Center This week. WOW! It was smoking with tone. The spongy feel of this amp was exceptional.

 

[László]

Can it get actual clean tones at all?

 

[MA Pete]

Can it get actual clean tones at all?

I don't know. Will try that and get back to you!

Seriously, with gain at 10 o'clock and the Master at 10 o'clock, it is HEAVY crunch!

Of the MDT, HXDA, Blistertone, this is the highest gain one IMO. The HXDA and the MDT for me need a clean boost or OD to get tasty higher gain tones, especially at modest volumes. Not this monster... But the HXDA and MDT have better cleans, the HXDA probably the best, but I sold that a while back, cannot be sure.

To clarify, I do not mean metal tones when I say higher gain tones, my three reference rock riffs I play to test amps typically are:

1) Free's "All Right Now" and "Fire and Water" for classic rock tones with some dissonance, not too high of gain
2) Joe B's "Just Got Paid", we play it in the band, and the low E chug is a good test of how tight the bottom stays (MDT - be careful, Blistertone - rock solid!), medium gain
3) Alter Bridge's "Blackbird" riff, a good quick test of more modern tones, higher gain, looking for a really tight bottom

I also noodle around with leads and other songs, but those are my usual test tones...

-Pete

 

[László]

I don't know. Will try that and get back to you!

Seriously, with gain at 10 o'clock and the Master at 10 o'clock, it is HEAVY crunch!

Of the MDT, HXDA, Blistertone, this is the highest gain one IMO. The HXDA and the MDT for me need a clean boost or OD to get tasty higher gain tones, especially at modest volumes. Not this monster... But the HXDA and MDT have better cleans, the HXDA probably the best, but I sold that a while back, cannot be sure.

To clarify, I do not mean metal tones when I say higher gain tones, my three reference rock riffs I play to test amps typically are:

1) Free's "All Right Now" and "Fire and Water" for classic rock tones with some dissonance, not too high of gain
2) Joe B's "Just Got Paid", we play it in the band, and the low E chug is a good test of how tight the bottom stays (MDT - be careful, Blistertone - rock solid!), medium gain
3) Alter Bridge's "Blackbird" riff, a good quick test of more modern tones, higher gain, looking for a really tight bottom

I also noodle around with leads and other songs, but those are my usual test tones...

-Pete

Thanks for this info. Sounds like an interesting amp for someone interested in the higher gain stuff.

Just saw the "Just Got Paid" live video...noteworthy for a Two-Rock like my old one in his back line along with the Marshall. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm hearing a pedal pushing that solo, probably his fuzz face.

The riff's pretty navigable, but if you can play that Joe Bonamassa solo, Pete, I take my hat off to you. That's some serious playing!

 

[MA Pete]

The riff's pretty navigable, but if you can play that Joe Bonamassa solo, Pete, I take my hat off to you. That's some serious playing!

Ha, I *WISH* I could play that solo! I play a solo, but not that one. I am not a great lead player, especially when it comes to playing leads note for note.

I came up with our arrangement, we do the intro, 2 verses, and then the middle part that is his creation, my 8 bar solo, my other guitarist's eight bar solo, resolve that to what sounds like an ending, and then back to the riff and one more verse and then end it with a bombastic big drum rock ending. Even with all the Dazed and Confused stuff out of there, it is 5+ minutes. We use it to close our second set, I love playing that song, I lead the riff by myself and then the whole band comes in, great fun!

Someone has a video of it from the last gig, I will see if I can get my hands on it and get it up on YouTube...

 

[László]

Someone has a video of it from the last gig, I will see if I can get my hands on it and get it up on YouTube...

Cool! I'd love to hear your band!

My ad work rarely gives me the chance to play more than a couple of solo notes. Clients don't want what they call "screaming guitars" for the most part, and 30 seconds doesn't give you much time to do an intro, a middle, and an ending, let alone solo!

In my case, though, that may be a good thing!

 

[WEDGE]

I have one and love it. I would not say it is a 'metal' amp in the current crazy detuned sense of the word, but does really good high gain crunch tones. It really is a very versatile amp though if you play with the volume/master relationship. Also love that it is linear in its volume, I can dial it down to a reasonable level where others hit a wall and just get nuts. Best amp I have ever owned.

 

[docbennett]

In answer to prior posts...in a word..."NO".

The blistertone cannot attain a true clean tone. If you max the master, and minimize the volume control to about 8 O'Clock....you can get tones that are not totally "overdriven to the point of maximum distortion". but...this is a hi-gain amp, and has a very dark tone to it. I paired my combo with the 4X10 pine PRS open back cabinet, which mellowed out the overall tone and gave it back the brighness it was lacking. But, do NOT buy this amp seeking to obtain that "chimey clean shimmer". Ain't gonna happen.

 

[László]

In answer to prior posts...in a word..."NO".

The blistertone cannot attain a true clean tone. If you max the master, and minimize the volume control to about 8 O'Clock....you can get tones that are not totally "overdriven to the point of maximum distortion". but...this is a hi-gain amp, and has a very dark tone to it. I paired my combo with the 4X10 pine PRS open back cabinet, which mellowed out the overall tone and gave it back the brighness it was lacking. But, do NOT buy this amp seeking to obtain that "chimey clean shimmer". Ain't gonna happen.

So do people who buy this amp play only high gain stuff, or are they using it in a two-amp rig?

Are there actually players who *never* play a clean tone?

My Mark V had excellent high gain tones, but also had great clean tones; same with my old Two-Rocks, Bad Cat Hot Cat, even Tremoverb.

Edit: PRS says the amp can do some nice clean tones on the product page of the site. I can't imagine anyone making an amp that literally can't do a clean tone at all, provided the guitar doesn't have hot pickups dimed. Bennett, are you playing the amp using your volume control to control the gain at all, or is your guitar volume always dimed while playing?

 

[docbennett]

So do people who buy this amp play only high gain stuff, or are they using it in a two-amp rig?

Are there actually players who *never* play a clean tone?

My Mark V had excellent high gain tones, but also had great clean tones; same with my old Two-Rocks, Bad Cat Hot Cat, even Tremoverb.

Edit: PRS says the amp can do some nice clean tones on the product page of the site. I can't imagine anyone making an amp that literally can't do a clean tone at all, provided the guitar doesn't have hot pickups dimed. Bennett, are you playing the amp using your volume control to control the gain at all, or is your guitar volume always dimed while playing?

Yeah...it will clean up a little bit with the volume rolled down.....but NO ONE should buy this amp who is seeking a primarily clean tone. You can get that with the "H" and (as you know, Les) the "HXDA" will deliver an excellent clean if you know how to use the amp's controls. But, this amp is hi-gain all the way...it's got its name for a reason. I do love playing it with my amp switcher and playing it simulaneously with an amp that delivers true cleans, and getting a "stereo tone that is hi-gain on one side, and cleaner on the other". But....despite what the marketing propaganda states....you should NOT buy this amp if you are primarily a clean tone player. Get the "H" instead. As I indicated in prior post, the only way to "tame" this beast was to combine it with my open back 4X10 cab which opened it up a lot more.

 

[László]

Yeah...it will clean up a little bit with the volume rolled down.....but NO ONE should buy this amp who is seeking a primarily clean tone. You can get that with the "H" and (as you know, Les) the "HXDA" will deliver an excellent clean if you know how to use the amp's controls. But, this amp is hi-gain all the way...it's got its name for a reason. I do love playing it with my amp switcher and playing it simulaneously with an amp that delivers true cleans, and getting a "stereo tone that is hi-gain on one side, and cleaner on the other". But....despite what the marketing propaganda states....you should NOT buy this amp if you are primarily a clean tone player. Get the "H" instead. As I indicated in prior post, the only way to "tame" this beast was to combine it with my open back 4X10 cab which opened it up a lot more.

Well there's little doubt that the HXDA is the amp for me. I was just curious in case someone asked me about Mister Blister.

If I hadn't happened onto the HXDA demo on the PRS site, I might have simply assumed it was like other Plexi style amps I tried in the past. And I'd have missed out on a great amp. So now I ask questions!

So it's good to be educated about this stuff and ask those in the know.

 

[docbennett]

Well there's little doubt that the HXDA is the amp for me. I was just curious in case someone asked me about Mister Blister.

If I hadn't happened onto the HXDA demo on the PRS site, I might have simply assumed it was like other Plexi style amps I tried in the past. And I'd have missed out on a great amp. So now I ask questions!

So it's good to be educated about this stuff and ask those in the know.

In all seriousness, and without being facetious, I suggest you consult with MA Pete, Wedge, and some other individuals from these forums (with these amps) who can discuss tone with the knowledge that they warrant. My limitations in ability to discern and describe tone are well documented. That being said, the tone I described vis a vis the Blistertone is so obvious that even I can provide a basic reference point.

 

[László]

In all seriousness, and without being facetious, I suggest you consult with MA Pete, Wedge, and some other individuals from these forums (with these amps) who can discuss tone with the knowledge that they warrant. My limitations in ability to discern and describe tone are well documented. That being said, the tone I described vis a vis the Blistertone is so obvious that even I can provide a basic reference point.

I do ask others, and I like your input, too.

 

[WEDGE]

I have a Deluxe Reverb reissue for cleans, I dig the Blistertone for the raunch. I got my first real guitar and Marshall in the early 80's so the tone in my head is that thick crunchy chunk, only way I know to describe it. I will say it is a dark amp though but I got an Xotic EP Booster that I leave on all the time set for 10 o'clock and it gives everything just enough sparkle to make all right with the tone I get.

My wife asked me if I was looking for an amp at Experience and I honestly told her no. Unless of course they release a twenty watt head version of the Blistertone so I can really open it up at home.........please...........

 

[László]

I have a Deluxe Reverb reissue for cleans, I dig the Blistertone for the raunch. I got my first real guitar and Marshall in the early 80's so the tone in my head is that thick crunchy chunk, only way I know to describe it. I will say it is a dark amp though but I got an Xotic EP Booster that I leave on all the time set for 10 o'clock and it gives everything just enough sparkle to make all right with the tone I get.

My wife asked me if I was looking for an amp at Experience and I honestly told her no. Unless of course they release a twenty watt head version of the Blistertone so I can really open it up at home.........please...........

Sounds like your wife is pretty hip, asking you about amps!