The Blackstar Debut 50R is an affordable amp for players looking to step up

Blackstar Debut amps
(Image credit: Blackstar)

Blackstar might be doubling down with amp pedals but as its stunning St James series proved, it's still committed to producing a range of guitars amps for all kinds of budgets and needs. And the new Debut 50R is all about delivering an affordable, quality giggable combo.

The latest addition to its Debut range is an analogue 1x12 'pedal platform' in contrast to the digital modeling amps out there, but does offer built-in reverb (Plate and Hall) and two channels with a MOSFET preamp to help to deliver a valve-like response. Indeed, Blackstar is so confident in its MOSFET implementation it claims the preamp design is "virtually indistinguishable from the chosen valve references." And our experience with Blackstar is they don't make claims lightly so we're looking forward to hearing how that bears out.

Blackstar Debut amp

(Image credit: Blackstar)

50W to 5W power reduction means it's also a great option for home use if you have the space for it, and there's a speaker-emulated line out too. A line-in, ISF tone control, effects loop for your pedals and three-band EQ complete the package. 

Blackstar Debut amp

(Image credit: Blackstar)

The Debut 50R is available in Cream with an Oxblood fret grille or Black with a Biscuit basketweave. It's £199 / $249 and available now. Check out Blackstar Amplification for more. 

Check out our contributor Leigh Fuge putting it through its paces below. 

Rob Laing
Guitars Editor, MusicRadar

I'm the Guitars Editor for MusicRadar, handling news, reviews, features, tuition, advice for the strings side of the site and everything in between. Before MusicRadar I worked on guitar magazines for 15 years, including Editor of Total Guitar in the UK. When I'm not rejigging pedalboards I'm usually thinking about rejigging pedalboards.