Jared James Nichols has left Blackstar to join the Marshall family, and he says he believes his playing is better for it.
The blazing blues-rock guitarist has had a long-standing relationship with the British amp firm, which was founded in 2007 by two former Marshall employees, Ian Robinson and Bruce Keir.
The announcement was made on the No Cover Charge podcast that Nichols co-hosts with Tyler Larson, AKA Music is Win, and with it, it brings an end to one of Blackstar’s most endearing artist partnerships.
“I’ve switched over to Marshall amps,” he confirms, with Larsson thrilled by the news: “It’s like everything is in its right place in the world,” he returns.
“I’ve had a faithful relationship with Blackstar Amps for about 15 years,” Nichols continues. “About a year ago, I started supplementing my rig with different amps. I was trying everything: Fenders, Supros, even some old-school Sunn and EVH amps.
“But a friend of mine gave me a 1968 Plexi on permanent loan, and that was the sound. When I played, it was almost like I made every note count even more. It was rejuvenating; I could still feel my fingers, no matter how much gain I stacked on top of it. Marshalls are the heartbeat of rock n' roll and the sound that I love.”
Nichols can be heard revving his Plexi on his forthcoming solo album, Louder Than Fate, which releases on June 5. And it sounds like the Blackstars have been sidelined outright.
Nichols and Blackstar made the surprise move to announce his signature amp, the JJN 50, and its sister plugin software on the same day in 2024, following a practice amp collab in 2022.
Whether Nichols is due for a signature Marshall release, like Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones, remains to be seen. He joins a long, illustrious list of Marshall artists either way.
Blackstar, meanwhile, just made a serious splash in the mini amp market, with the game-changing BEAM Mini.
