Blackstar HT-5H

**ScoobySteve** · 10-21-2009, 01:07 PM

Originally Posted by ReB87

François, I've been looking at this amp a lot lately (also seen the Jamie Humphries vid's

), but I cant find the info that I need so I was wondering if you could provide me with an answer.

I'm a huge fan of Eric Johnson and I love his tone (both clean and distortion). Is it possible to use this amp as a basis to re-create that amazing tone, or isn't this amp build for that kind of tone? (the violin, sing tone)?

Eric Johnson's tone has a lot more to do with set up as opposed to amps per se. On top of that EJ has been using Strat's almost exclusively for a while now. I've played the HT-5 numerous times, with both bucker's and single coils, and unfortunately the Clean setting in particular is simply too sterile to recreate EJ's almost legendary clean tone.

All of EJ's gear and set up is set up on his website, but in general his set up goes:

2x Late 60's Marshall Plexi's
2x Late 60's Fender Twin Reverbs

He uses A/B boxes to switch from his Clean, Rhythm (Dirty) and Lead sound. His pedals include, TC Chorus, Comp, BK Butler Tube Driver, VOX Wah, and DA Fuzz Face, and I think he's still using his Echoplex's, not too sure about that one.

He uses the two heads w/ 4x12's for a W/D set up, and more often times than not mic's his W cab into a mixer to add another W layer.

Complicated, makes my head hurt, but a very very hard tone to recreate. Unfortunately, the HT-5 won't get you there. Just my 2 cents.

**fbecir** · 10-21-2009, 02:05 PM

Originally Posted by ScoobySteve

I've played the HT-5 numerous times, with both bucker's and single coils, and unfortunately the Clean setting in particular is simply too sterile to recreate EJ's almost legendary clean tone.

I would not say that the HT5 clean sound is sterile. With 2x12" speakers you have a nice clean sound. The lack of Reverb can be the reason why you feel that the sound is sterile.

Originally Posted by ScoobySteve

Complicated, makes my head hurt, but a very very hard tone to recreate. Unfortunately, the HT-5 won't get you there. Just my 2 cents.

Well, if you are not Eric Johnson, you will never sound like him, even if you have the same rig as him. That's true with every great guitarist (I try for more than 20 years to sound like Steve Morse ...

).
You will never have the same sound but you can achieve a sound in the same "spirit". Besides EJ plays with such a high volume (I believe he has some audition problems now). Hard to emulate when you play at home ...

**ScoobySteve** · 10-21-2009, 02:13 PM

Originally Posted by fbecir

I would not say that the HT5 clean sound is sterile. With 2x12" speakers you have a nice clean sound. The lack of Reverb can be the reason why you feel that the sound is sterile.

Well, if you are not Eric Johnson, you will never sound like him, even if you have the same rig as him. That's true with every great guitarist (I try for more than 20 years to sound like Steve Morse ...

).
You will never have the same sound but you can achieve a sound in the same "spirit". Besides EJ plays with such a high volume (I believe he has some audition problems now). Hard to emulate when you play at home ...

When I say sterile, I don't mean it in a bad way. At all. I think sterile cleans respond the best to pedals and effects, but that's not how EJ engineers his clean tone at all. His clean tone is definitely Strat Single Coil Twang + Bright Fendery Sparkle Twin Reverb. It's just a strong accentuation of the gear that he uses. It's very hard to emulate. (So are his fingers, haha

)

And yes, the volume is also a huge issue. He plays his Plexi's fully cranked. That's blistering loud for a 100w Stereo W/D/W combination.

EJ's tone is all in the clarity and the small details. But to cover the "base" needs I think you can get close to EJ's Rhythm and Lead tones.

For Rhythm you'll need some slight OD (he does use a D.A. Fuzz Face) and for lead some compression and some warm tape delay or not so harsh digital delay.

I'm not trying to be a pessimist, but the clean tone will be the hardest to emulate. I've been trying. For a long time. LOL