I don't own this amp (yet), but am extremely happy with the way it sounds. I dropped by my local music store to get some guitar strings and while there saw this thing and decided to check it out. I plugged in my guitar put some really standard metal EQ on (enough midrange lots of hi lots of low), cranked the volume almost all the way, turned the boost fairly high and set the master a little below halfway and tried a bunch of different voicings. This amp has an UNBELIEVABLE distorted sound. I've seen a lot of Marshalls, a couple of Mesa's, a bunch of knock offs and a few mid priced amp but this blew them away. All of them. As the guy working at the time said: It's like the bastard child of a Fender Twin and an AC30..where you can crank the gain. It's thick, has TONS of clarity, all the voicings are functional, you can baisically go from distorted to clean with the boost and a touch on the guitar volume. It has this snarl too it that I can't even describe and yet I could hear every note. Amazing sound! When I've got the money (haha).

Got a Vox AC30 for about 3 years. But this amp wasn't pedals friendly. I want a crispy british sound and I found this Black Pearl. One word "WOW". That's the best amp for this price. Don't sold your legs to buy a matchless or a 65 amp. This Black Pearl do the job for half the price. It was the best class A under 2000$. Excellent craftmanship. Good sound, and it lets your fingers doing YOUR tone!!!!

Overall this is a great amp. It is a tweakers dream. You really have to dial in what you want...but it is all there. If you want blues...dial it...if you want rock...dial it...if you want jazz....yup that's right, dial it. Very versatile!