Toby Lee Signature St. James
Toby Lee Signature St. James
Designed In Collaboration With Toby
Blackstar recognise a true talent in Toby, both for today and the future. We welcomed him to our ever-growing family in 2019, and endorsed him with a custom HT-20 MkII finished in red. A few years later and Toby was amongst the first artists to start using the St. James amplifiers so we are pleased that we are able to honour him with his very own signature St. James TL50 6L6 head and cab.
A Vintage Aesthetic
At the heart of the signature amp is the seamless fusion of vintage aesthetics and modern performance. Toby, an avid enthusiast of all things from the ’60s, shares our meticulous attention to detail, resulting in an amp that exudes nostalgia and comfort. The eye-catching red vinyl and cream basket weave finish, complemented by cream chicken head knobs, make this amplifier a true work of art.
Incredible 6L6 Valve Tones
Beyond its visual appeal, the St. James Toby Lee Signature amp offers unparalleled functionality. Its lightweight design allows for easy portability without compromising on the tonal quality—a crucial advantage for Toby’s on-the-go lifestyle. Toby specifically chose 6L6 valves over EL34’s, as they perfectly complement his preferred style of playing providing rich overdriven tones. One standout feature of the amp is its outstanding reverb capabilities across all volumes and channels, Toby’s love of ambient soundscapes made this a crucial element to the design of the amp.
Cutting-Edge Features
The TL50 6L6 is packed with cutting-edge features to deliver class-leading recording performance. From 50W, 2W and SAG switchable power modes, to an inbuilt reactive load that routes the post-power valve output signal to the amp’s three direct recording outputs (XLR, Stereo Line-Out and USB) for truly authentic ‘amp-in-a-room: feel. The sound from these recording outputs is derived from Blackstar’s state-of-the-art and fully customisable CabRig™ DSP speaker simulator.
Up to 47% Lighter Than a Traditional 50W Valve Amp
St. James TL506L6 & TL212VOC
St. James TL506L6 & TL212VOC
- 50W head (6.7kg) & Vertical 2x12 cabinet (13.6kg)
- 2 x 6L6 & 2x 12" Celestion Zephyr speakers
- Inbuilt reactive load with CabRig™ DSP
- Classic US clean and modern high gain with voice switch
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The Story
We had two main goals in designing the St. James amps. To create the world's lightest valve amps whilst retaining all the elements of a traditional design with no compromise in tone or performance. And, to include everything within one box to enable the output of authentic ‘mic’d cabinet-of-a-hard-driven-valve-amp-in-a-room’ sounds, direct to stage box or recording device..
What Do They Sound Like?
After months of forensic examination of the most revered vintage valve amps in the world, St. James take these tones to the next level. The 6L6 model has it's own distinct tonal characteristics that appeals to the player looking for high gain.
Reactive Load
Our inbuilt reactive load and pro connections make St. James perfect for silent stages and recording. The reactive load mimics the electrical response of a typical loudspeaker to deliver the authentic valve power-amp tones possible in the studio or at home. No need for expensive additional outboard equipment....
CabRig™
CabRig overcomes the shortcomings of IR ‘snapshots’ by using state-of-the-art digital processing to reproduce the sound and feel of a mic’d up guitar cab in incredible detail. Over 250 mic and cab combinations can be saved into one of the three onboard slots. Each cab has a choice of mic type and axis, alongside room mics and master EQ. Connect to the free Architect software for more deep-dive options.
Pro Connectivity
With more musicians recording at home, or playing on silent stages, St. James is perfect for the way we play today, with USB audio connectivity for pro-recording and an XLR D.I. for professional live use, both using the inbuilt reactive load and CabRig DSP speaker simulation.
Revolutionary Speaker
We worked closely with Celestion to develop the unique Zephyr lightweight ferrite speaker. The Zephyr accurately emulates the rich sound and performance of Celestion’s iconic “Vintage 30” speaker at a fraction of the weight – and this is achieved with a traditional ferrite magnet not a neodymium one.
Lightweight With No Compromise
Candlenut plywood is used for strength and lightness and its beneficial acoustic proprieties, creating a roadworthy cabinet that sounds great and won’t let you down.
Universal Voltage
The St. James range uses highly efficient, lightweight power transformers designed around modern SMPS (Switched-Mode Power Supply) technology. More than 3 years of intense R&D have delivered all the benefits of SMPS, namely lightweight and universal voltage compatibility, whilst retaining the sound and feel of a traditional iron-core transformer. The resulting revolutionary transformer technology is patent pending.
SKU
- Ultra-lightweight 50 Watt head
- 2 x ECC83, 2 x 6L6
- Two footswitchable channels
- Footswitchable Channel II Voice (OD 1 / OD 2)
- 50W / 2W / Sag power reduction
- Master Volume
- Digital Reverb
- Effects loop with effects level switch
- USB audio output
- XLR D.I. output
- 4 Ohms and 16 Ohms outputs
- Vertical 2×12″ Cabinet with Open/Close back
- Exclusive Celestion G12Z-70 ‘Zephyr’
- 2x 8 Ohm custom-designed, lightweight speakers