Blackstar Amplification Ltd.
Northampton guitar amplifier manufacturer founded by Marshall's former R&D team, producing the Artisan, Series One, and ID series valve and digital heads for touring and studio use in 50 countries.
Blackstar Amplification Ltd. is a British guitar amplifier manufacturer headquartered in Northampton, England. Founded in 2004 by a team of engineers including Ian Robinson and Bruce Keir, who had previously led amplifier development at Marshall Amplification, Blackstar launched with the HT-Valve series and rapidly gained a professional user base among touring and recording guitarists. The company's product portfolio covers all-valve amplifier heads and combos (Artisan 15, 30, and 100; Series One 45, 100, and 200), digital-modelling amplifiers (ID Core, ID60, ID260), the Silverline and HT venue series for live use, and the Fly mini practice amplifier range. Blackstar also manufactures the HT-Dual and Series One effects pedals. All-valve products are designed and engineered in Northampton, with manufacturing contracted across the UK and Asia. The Patented Infinite Shape Feature (ISF) tone control, developed by Blackstar's founding engineers, appears across the line and replaces conventional bass/mid/treble controls with a continuously variable voicing that sweeps from American to British amplifier characters. Blackstar distributes in approximately 50 countries through national distributors and music retailers.
- Type
- brand seeking distribution
- Location
- Northampton, United Kingdom
- Founded
- 2004
- Website
- blackstaramps.com
- Categories
- Musical Instruments
- Markets
- United Kingdom, United States, Germany, Australia, France, Japan, Canada, Netherlands, Sweden, Italy
Verified facts
- registered-since (green), checked 2004-07-23 Companies House free company data product (UK)
- standards-mark-certified (green), checked 2026-08-16 EAEU unified register of certificates and declarations
- corporate-mail-on-domain (green), checked 2026-08-28 Mail server of the company domain
- registry-activity (green), checked 2004-07-23 Companies House free company data product (UK)
- domain-registered (green), checked 2026-08-28 Domain registry record
- sanctions-clear (green), checked 2026-08-28 OpenSanctions
- debarment-clear (green), checked 2026-08-28 OpenSanctions
- directors-on-file (green), checked 2026-06-20 Companies House
- licensed-sponsor (green), checked 2026-08-12 UK Home Office register of licensed sponsors (workers)
- ch-active (green), checked 2026-06-20 Companies House
- media-mention (green), checked 2026-07-18 MusicRadar
Claimed certifications
- EAC mark (EAEU conformity) EAEU unified register of certificates and declarations