Blackstar FLY 3 Mini Amp BK

I had heard some great things about the Blackstar Fly 3 watt mini amp so I was very keen to try it. I was looking for the ultimate portable, battery operated guitar amp and I can confidently say, I think I’ve found it. This tiny combo has all the features you need for practicing and home performances. Its best asset is the lovely crystal clear sound it provides, which is in no way tinny.

The Fly 3 is a little smaller than the average box of 80 teabags. You can pick it up easily in one hand, making it extremely portable. The big sound is a surprise! The casing is well made; sleek and modern looking and the four main control knobs on the top (gain, volume, EQ and delay) are chunky and operate smoothly.

There are two channels, switchable at the touch of a button. I mainly use the clean channel. I have mostly played my Fender telecaster through the amp.I generally have the volume at about halfway up and the gain about a third. This is more than loud enough for me to sing along to, so that will give you some idea of the potential volume the Blackstar can put out. At this level, when I switch to the over-driven channel I get a nice, fairly subtle, crunchy sound with lots of bite. But of course, it can go a lot louder and more distorted than that. It really is quite amazing that these sounds come from this little box. You have to hear it to believe it.

The delay is of fantastic quality for a unit like this. I would say it is equal to using a good quality effects pedal. It ranges from a gentle reverb to a long very clearly defined delay.

I bought this amp about seven weeks ago and have used it a lot, yet it is still operating on the original set of batteries that come supplied with the unit, so I have felt no need to buy the power supply. I am keen to buy the extension speaker cab which turns it into a stereo unit, which must produce an even fuller sound.

Other features are a bright power on light (so you never leave it switched on by accident,) a headphone socket and a line in for an mp3 player. My tunes sound great through it and I also listen to audio books on it.

I just love the unique tone of this Blackstar amp. It’s very clear, bright and full. I’m a very happy customer.

Obviously I only use it for practicing in my studio/office. It's so cute, very compact, light, easy to move.

Build: It's made of plastic, with a metal grill. Battery powered, and batteries seem to last quite a while.

Sound:
It sounds pretty great. It's got a lovely mid-range crunch to it, with a usable tone knob from dark to bright. There is a crackle/hiss though, and it's a little muddy, but it's not made for recording. For practice, it's fine. I use it on bass too. Delay is poor. Gets washed out easily, difficult to hear if it's there at all. PS, this thing is LOUD. I mean way louder than I thought it'd be.

Pro's:
Usable tones, usable features, batteries last long, compact, cool looking, loud-ish.

Con's:
Crackle/hiss, delay is poor, a little muddy.

All in all, I'd recommend this for the casual guitarist if you want an affordable, small amp to noodle around on that can be stored away in a drawer with ease. It's BY FAR the best of the pocket size mini amps on the market. It's not a toy, but it's not an amp either. It is what it is!

Check it out!

To be honest, I did not expect this amp to be so tiny.. and so adorable!

As a beginner musician, I want to practice as much as I can. And there are situations where you cannot lug around a guitar AND an amp around. This little amp that can is a lifesaver.

Sure, there are a lot of inexpensive amps for beginners nowdays, but this one packs a punch. While features are limited, it is more than enough for an aspiring musician.

It came with batteries, even though the listing said they would not be included, but this is definitely not a minus. Absolute must-buy!