NAMM 2019: Blackstar gets Super Fly with new take-anywhere street-performance amp

NAMM 2019: Blackstar has upscaled its immensely popular Fly mini amp to become the Super Fly, which it’s dubbing a take-anywhere street-performance amp.

The Super Fly features separate mic and guitar channels, the latter of which can be used clean, overdriven or as a specially voiced acoustic setting. Both channels boast EQ and reverb controls.

Two 3” full-range speakers deliver 12 watts of power, while onboard Bluetooth makes for easy backing-track jams.

Naturally, the Super Fly can run on batteries - eight AAs, in case you were wondering - but a rechargeable battery pack is also available separately, offering 15 hours of playing time. A tilt-back stand also bolsters the amp’s busking credentials.

Blackstar is launching a host of other accessories, too, including a padded carry bag, active extension cabinet and a top-hat adaptor for speaker-stand mounting.

There’s a great feature list here, particularly the addition of Bluetooth, and the ability to use both electric or acoustic guitars. We could well see this ranking among the best amps for busking guitarists before long.

The Super Fly is available post-NAMM for £199, while the optional extension cab clocks in at £119. Visit Blackstar Amps for more.

This is far from Blackstar’s first announcement this year, following news of three new Studio 10 tube amps, in addition to the well kitted-out HT-20R, HT-1R and HT-5R.

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NAMM 2019 - all the news

The dust is settling, but our ears are still ringing. You'll find all the stories that counted in our massive news hub. Below, enjoy our editors' findings as we regrouped at the end of the show.

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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.