Blackstar St. James 50 6L6 Combo

The Blackstar St. James 50 6L6 Combo is a tube amplifier with 50 W of power, designed to deliver authentic tube sound in a much lighter and more portable format. Its 6L6 tube stage provides clean tones with good headroom and a powerful response in saturated sounds, while its two switchable channels allow seamless switching between clean, classic overdrive, and high-gain tones.

Additionally, it features power reduction to 2 W and Sag mode, digital reverb, effects loop, USB audio output, XLR D.I. output, and CabRig speaker simulation, making it a highly versatile combo suitable for stage, studio, or direct recording.

• Type: Tube combo amplifier for electric guitar
• Series: Blackstar St. James
• Power: 50 W
• Power reduction: 50 W / 2 W / Sag
• Preamp tubes: 2 x ECC83
• Power tubes: 2 x 6L6
• Channels: 2 switchable channels
• Channel II voicing: OD 1 / OD 2 switchable
• Equalization: Bass, mid, treble
• Master Volume: Integrated
• Reverb: Digital
• Speaker: 1 x 12" Celestion G12Z-70 Zephyr
• Speaker impedance: 16 ohms
• CabRig: Advanced DSP speaker simulation integrated
• Reactive load: Built-in
• D.I. Output: XLR with CabRig
• USB: USB audio output for recording
• Effects loop: Built-in with level selector
• Footswitch: Included
• Voltage: 90 V to 264 V / 50-60 Hz
• Dimensions: 535 x 462 x 259 mm
• Weight: 12.8 kg

ST. James Series

The Blackstar St. James series is designed to deliver the character and response of a tube amplifier in a much lighter, more comfortable, and practical format for today's musician.

This range is tailored for live performance, studio, and recording, featuring modern options such as power reduction, reverb, effects loop, USB output, D.I. output, and CabRig speaker simulation, facilitating both traditional amp use and direct connection to mixing consoles, interfaces, or recording systems.

Our Opinion

If you're looking for a tube combo with real power for live gigs but want to avoid carrying a heavy amplifier, the Blackstar St. James 50 6L6 Combo is a very well-designed option. Its main appeal lies in combining a 50 W 6L6 stage, a 12" Celestion speaker, power reduction, and a weight of only 12.8 kg — something quite rare for tube combos of this power.

It’s especially interesting for guitarists who need a versatile amplifier for stage and studio, with wide clean tones, powerful overdrive sounds, and modern features like CabRig, XLR output, and USB audio. It’s not just a typical combo: it maintains the character of a tube amplifier while adding practical solutions for recording, direct output to mixing desks, or playing at lower volumes without losing the feel of a real amp. Specialized reviews have highlighted this blend of tube sound, lightweight design, and suitability for live, studio, and home use.