Black Cat 30

The Mod Shop Black Cat 30 is the first release from the Bad Cat Mod Shop and represents a return to form for the original Bad Cat—the mighty Black Cat. Amp legend Mark Sampson returned to Bad Cat in early 2024 and made immediate waves with the creation of the Era 30. At the same time, he quietly went back to his original design: the Black Cat.

Rather than reinventing it, Mark approached the amp with fresh ears and a working player’s mindset. Key areas were evaluated for feel, headroom, balance, and consistency. The power section was returned to a true 30 watts, the EQ and midrange were optimized, and the gain structure was smoothed and polished. The Black Cat 30 is built for players who live in classic tones—chime, breakup, and harmonically rich drive—without the need for extreme gain or modern aggression.

In practical terms, the Mod Shop Black Cat 30 is a classic AC-inspired amplifier that can take you from the Beatles to the Foo Fighters in one package. The clean channel is extremely responsive to picking dynamics and guitar volume changes, making it feel alive and expressive under the fingers. The addition of an all-analog tremolo circuit and onboard reverb adds depth and movement without getting in the way of the core tone.

The second channel retains that unmistakable AC voice, but as you start to push it, a little extra attitude comes through. Wind it up and you’ll start to hear hints of Plexi-style grind creeping in—tight, aggressive, and musical. Blackmore anyone?

Artist Tone References

The Mod Shop Black Cat 30 naturally lives in the tonal territory of:

·The Beatles – Warm organic tones with dynamic feel

·Jeff Tweedy – Mid focused and slightly gritty sounds

·Rory Gallagher – Vocal mids, snarling biting lead tones

·Keith Urban - Tight, articulate cleans and polished, mid-forward drive with modern punch and control

Specifications

·      30w via 4 EL84s

·      2 Channels with Independent Gain and Volume Control

·      On-board Analog Tremolo and Studio Quality Reverb

·      Fully Buffered FX Loop and Reverb

·      Hand-Built in the USA