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Blackheart BH5H Little Giant Head £139
Is simplicity the key to great studio tone?
Chris Vinnicombe, Thu 27 Nov 2008, 12:40 pm UTC
With the volume around half-way on either setting, the Little Giant delivers a responsive clean sound with a hint of grit as you dig in. It's very transparent and revealing, with the EL84 contributing to a glassiness – especially in combination with single-coils – that is more British than American in tonality.
As you rev up the volume, natural overdrive enters the equation and the amp's voicing hovers somewhere over the mid-Atlantic. Bridge pickup settings are as AC/DC as they are ZZ Top, with plenty of rasp.
Flip to the neck pickup and, especially if it's a single-coil, there's a Texas vibe for bluesy lead or gritty slide. With the volume cranked up and a neck humbucker selected there's a nice flabby grunge rhythm tone, but that's as heavy as you are going to get without throwing an overdrive or distortion box into the mix.
At this price, it's difficult not to recommend the Little Giant. As long as you can accommodate the volume of the driven sounds via some sort of power attenuator, an isolation cabinet or very tolerant neighbours, there are sonic thrills to be had. A version with built-in attenuation or a master volume would really be something…
Verdict
With tonal quality that belies the price, this is a useful addition to your studio set-up.
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MusicRadar rating
Pros
Superb value. Compact size. Versatile range of tones. Flexible connectivity.
Cons
Natural voicing may be too dark for some. No master volume, and five valve watts kicks out plenty of level.
Verdict
With tonal quality that belies the price, this is a useful addition to your studio set-up.
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All MusicRadar's reviews are by independent product specialists, who are not aligned to any gear manufacturer or retailer. Our experts also write for renowned magazines such as Guitarist, Total Guitar, Computer Music, Future Music and Rhythm. All are part of Future PLC, the biggest publisher of music making magazines in the world.
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Specification
BH5H Little Giant Head
- Price:
- £139
- Country of Origin:
- China
- Additional Features:
- 1 x EL84 power amp valve, 1 x 12AX7/ ECC83 preamp
- Audio Output Power (w):
- 5
- Available Controls:
- Bass, Middle, Treble, Volume
- Dimensions (mm (w x h x d)):
- 243 (h) x 381 (w) x 228mm (d)
- Options:
- The Eminence loaded BH112 companion cabinet is £129