Blackstar

Blackstar Amplification is a Northampton, England company formed by former Marshall engineers, among them Bruce Keir, who became its technical director, and Ian Robinson, a former chief design engineer at Marshall. Accounts differ on the founding year and the number of founders: one says 2004 with four people including Paul Hayhoe and Richard Frost, others say 2007, when the company made its public debut at Musikmesse Frankfurt. A company register entry shows it was first incorporated in 2004 as Revolver Amplification and took the Blackstar name in 2006.

Design and engineering are done in England, while production takes place in Korea. The brand has made both all-tube amplifiers, such as the HT range, and digital models such as the ID:Core series, which include modeled sounds and effects.

Bruce Keir died in September 2021 at the age of 60. Guitar Radar follows Blackstar's new amps, pedals and signature models.