The Blackstar HT-Blackfire is a two-channel, valve-driven metal distortion pedal, and it holds a particular place in the company's history: it was Blackstar's first artist signature product, developed with Gus G, the guitarist known for his work with Ozzy Osbourne and Firewind1. It is a valve-based distortion built with metal players in mind, using an ECC83 tube in the gain circuit2.
What it does
The HT-Blackfire gives a player two footswitchable gain voices in one enclosure. Blackstar described the split this way132:
"The Fire channel delivers a high-gain classic distortion, while the Fury channel takes you to screaming lead and beyond"
In practice that means one channel for heavy rhythm tones and a second, hotter channel for leads, each with its own gain and volume controls2.
The pedal also carries Blackstar's patent-applied-for ISF (Infinite Shape Feature) control, the company's tone-shaping circuit that appears across its amplifier and pedal ranges1. For recording or direct use, Blackstar included an industry-standard speaker emulated output alongside the normal output1.
The Gus G signature and the limited run
Gus G approached Blackstar's R&D team with the aim of producing what the company called the ultimate heavy metal valve distortion pedal, and the design was settled after many months of listening tests with him1.
The run was capped, and each pedal shipped with extras:
- Only 1000 produced worldwide12
- Certificate of authenticity signed by Gus G12
- Exclusive Gus trading card12
- Black finish with orange and red LEDs and a black grille, with a Gus G logo designed by Blackstar12
MusicRadar reported the pedal as set for release later in June 20102. No price had been announced at the time of the launch coverage12.
The HT-Blackfire was a limited edition of 1000 pieces from 2010. It is not a regular part of Blackstar's current catalog, and used examples are the practical way to find one.
Where it sits in Blackstar's range
The HT-Blackfire sits within Blackstar's HT family of valve pedals. Like its siblings in that range, it runs an ECC83 valve at its core1, and it carries an industry-standard speaker emulated out alongside its standard outputs1. Visually it was styled to match Gus G's dark image: Blackstar gave it a black finish with orange and red LEDs, a black grille and a Gus G. logo designed by the company1. The pedal was announced with no price attached, listed only as "TBA"1, and early coverage likewise noted there was no pricing information yet2.
For a player weighing the HT-Blackfire against other gain pedals, the distinguishing points are the ECC83 valve stage, the two-channel layout with separate gain and volume per channel, the ISF control and the speaker emulated output, a combination Blackstar has not repeated in the same form since the limited run ended12.
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Questions
What valve does the Blackstar HT-Blackfire use?
The HT-Blackfire uses an ECC83 valve, the same dual-triode tube found in most guitar amplifier preamp stages. Blackstar put it at the heart of the pedal's distortion circuit, which is why the company described the pedal as valve-driven rather than a conventional solid-state stompbox. The valve gives the pedal its gain character in the same way a preamp tube shapes an amp's distortion.
How many HT-Blackfire pedals were made?
The HT-Blackfire was limited to 1000 pieces worldwide. Each pedal came with a certificate of authenticity signed by Gus G and an exclusive Gus trading card, according to Blackstar's announcement. Because the run was capped at that number, the pedal has not been a regular catalogue item since its 2010 release.
Does the HT-Blackfire have a speaker emulated output?
Yes. Blackstar gave the HT-Blackfire an industry-standard speaker emulated output, which lets the pedal feed a recording interface or mixing desk with a signal that approximates a miked guitar speaker, in addition to its normal output for feeding an amplifier.
Who designed the Blackstar HT-Blackfire?
The HT-Blackfire was developed with Gus G, the guitarist known for his work with Ozzy Osbourne and Firewind. Blackstar said Gus G approached the company's R&D team with the aim of producing the ultimate heavy metal valve distortion pedal, and the design was refined through many months of listening tests with him.
Why are the channels called Fire and Fury?
The two channels are named after the fan-favourite Firewind track 'The Fire And The Fury'. The Fire channel delivers a high-gain classic distortion, while the Fury channel takes the pedal into screaming lead territory and beyond, according to Blackstar's announcement.
Sources (3)
- Blackstar unveils Gus G HT-Blackfire valve overdrive pedal, MusicRadar, 2010-06-11
- New Blackstar Gus G signature pedal, MusicRadar, 2010-06-07
- Blackstar Unveils Gus G. HT-Blackfire Distortion Pedal, Premier Guitar, 2010-05-29
Gus G
