Review: Blackstar Fly 3 Acoustic Stereo Pack
Sparks flew when Blackstar let loose its game-changing Fly micro-amp in 2014. Will the acoustic variant do for the unplugged brigade what its predecessor did for electric players or will this one fly under the radar?
Review Overview
Our rating
8
Our verdict
Released in the twilight of 2014, Blackstar’s original Fly 3 was the exception to the rule that all battery-powered micro-amps sound like punch-drunk wasps. With the addition of the Fly 3 Acoustic, the line now caters for singer-songwriters and fingerstyle players too, as well as ukuleles and mandolins.
The Fly 3 Acoustic Stereo Pack is made up of a tiny solid-state amp with an equally bijou extension cabinet, both of which are equipped with three-inch speakers. Plugging in the cab doubles the output to a stonking six watts, sculpted by volume, bass, treble and echo knobs. There are two preset EQs available via the shape button, plus a headphone-out and an MP3/line-in.
In use
Assembling the frankly adorable stereo set-up on our desk and plugging in a guitar equipped with a K&K transducer, we’re greeted with an impressively capable sound for open-chord work. The tiny speakers even handle drop tunings as far as DADGAD with a lively and engaging response. As a bit of extra oomph with onboard ambience under the acoustic sound, it could make intimate ‘unplugged’ gigs a lot more fun.
Nylon-string guitars, ukuleles and charangos all work beautifully and the EQ, although basic, makes a difference. The shape button is a welcome touch too. The only thing that proves too much for the drivers is the double bass on a backing track, but that’s a common complaint with amps many times this size. While it won’t replace your main rig, the Fly 3 Acoustic is a nice addition for home use and Lilliputian venues.
Key Features
- PRICE £99
- DESCRIPTION Miniature solid-state acoustic amp with internal 3” speaker and extension cab
- POWER RATING 3W (doubled with cab)
- CONTROLS Volume, shape, bass, treble, echo level, echo time
- CONNECTIONS MP3/line-in, headphone/speaker emulated line-out, extension speaker-out, DC-in
- POWER 6x AA batteries (included) or mains
- DIMENSIONS 170 x 128 x 102mm
- CONTACT blackstaramps.com
