Blackstar Debut 50R 50-Watt 1 x 12-inch Combo Amp with Reverb, Black
The Debut 50R is the big one in the Debut range: a 1 x 12-inch, 50-watt combo with a custom Blackstar speaker and a deliberately digital-free design. Two channels, a real reverb and power scaling make it the model in the family that can move from a bedroom to a rehearsal room.
- 50 watts, 1 x 12-inch: a custom-designed Blackstar speaker for full-range clean tones.
- Two channels: clean, plus a MOSFET-enabled overdrive channel for raw and saturated dirt.
- All-analog: no digital modelling, plug and play control scheme.
- 2-mode reverb: built in, adds shimmer to the clean side.
- Infinite Shape Feature: sweeps from a tight, aggressive American voice to a woodier British one.
- Power scaling: drops from 50 watts down to five, so you can bring the level to conversation volume without losing the tone.
- Line in: jam along to practice tracks.
- Speaker-emulated line out: silent recording and silent practice.
- Finish: black.
The Debut 50R harks back to the early pre-modelling days of solid-state amplification. There is no digital processing in the signal path and no menu to work through, just a 1 x 12-inch combo with a no-nonsense control scheme that works from the moment you plug in. The custom-designed 12-inch Blackstar speaker and all-analog design are what produce its shimmering, full-range clean tones.
MOSFET preamp for tube-style dirt
Solid state has long been the default in jazz circles for clean electric guitar, and for good reason. What has historically been harder is getting the raw, dynamic feel of a front-loaded tube amp out of a cabinet with no glowing glass inside it. The Debut 50R answers that with a two-channel design built around a MOSFET (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor) preamp. Switch to the overdrive channel and you get rich, saturated dirt tones that are close to indistinguishable from a traditional tube amp, with the touch-sensitive response to match.
Infinite Shape Feature
ISF is Blackstar's patented single-knob tone shaper. Fully counterclockwise gives an American characteristic, tight in the bottom end with an aggressive middle range. All the way to the right gives a British vibe, woodier and less aggressive. It is a fast way to move the whole amp between two schools of guitar sound.
Power scaling and the utility features
- Power scaling down to five watts brings the volume to conversation level without compromising the tone.
- A line-in lets you play along with practice tracks.
- The speaker-emulated line out handles silent recording and silent practice.
- The built-in 2-mode reverb adds air to the clean channel.
Who it suits
If you want tube-style overdrive and full clean headroom from one box, with the option of turning the wick down to five watts at home, the Debut 50R covers practice, performance and recording from a single 1 x 12-inch cabinet.