Musikmesse 2016: Blackstar swoops in with Fly 3 Bass mini amp

MUSIKMESSE 2016: Back in 2014, Blackstar's Fly 3 effectively demolished the mini-amp competition, and now the company has brought the same tonesome principles to the low-end with the Fly 3 Bass.

Two channels are on offer - clean and overdrive - as well as a bass-orientated EQ and sub control to dial in convincing low-end at low volumes.

The amp retains the compact enclosure, three-watt output and three-inch speaker from its guitar forebear, while an MP3/line in allows you to plug in an audio device - an emulated line out offers the opportunity for silent recording and practice, too.

Six AA batteries provide the juice required to run the Fly 3 Bass, but a power supply is available separately, as is an extension cab to run a six-watt stereo setup.

The Blackstar Fly 3 Bass is available now for £49, while the Fly 3 Stereo Pack (including power supply and extension cab) is £79.

Michael Astley-Brown

Mike has been Editor-in-Chief of GuitarWorld.com since 2019, and an offset fiend and recovering pedal addict for far longer. He has a master's degree in journalism from Cardiff University, and 15 years' experience writing and editing for guitar publications including MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitarist, as well as 20 years of recording and live experience in original and function bands. During his career, he has interviewed the likes of John Frusciante, Chris Cornell, Tom Morello, Matt Bellamy, Kirk Hammett, Jerry Cantrell, Joe Satriani, Tom DeLonge, Radiohead's Ed O'Brien, Polyphia, Tosin Abasi, Yvette Young and many more. His writing also appears in the The Cambridge Companion to the Electric Guitar. In his free time, you'll find him making progressive instrumental rock as Maebe.