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Tech 21 Character Series Blonde

Tech 21 Character Series Blonde main image

Tech 21 Character Series Blonde

^# 21

Equipboard's ranking is determined by analyzing factors such as professional artist usage, popularity, user ratings, reviews, and more.

$124.00 Price Tier: Budget

5.0 (11)

2 Critic Reviews

4 Reviews

This product is Vintage or Discontinued

Find out who is using Tech 21 Sansamp

3 community setups

2 wishlisted

17 saved

Page last updated Jun 06, 2026

Pricing and availability

We compare 600+ stores and found this item at 1 store. Prices updated June 6, 2026.

Store

Reviews

Price

5.0 (12)

$124.00 1 available Used

View Deal

Average Price: $187

Budget/Beginner

$200

$501+

Price Tier

In the Amp & Cabinet Simulators category, Tech 21 Character Series Blonde is priced in the Budget/Beginner range. This is great gear to get started with or for creators on a budget.

Budget

Standard

High-end

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Description

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Introducing the Tech 21 Sansamp Blonde, a potent fusion of vintage tube overdrive and modern-day efficiency. Created with an inbuilt SansAmp preamp and an onboard cabinet simulator, this dynamic Overdrive/Boost pedal is perfect for direct recording or playing into a mixer. Drawing inspiration from a classic blackface tweed amp, it not only nails that iconic sound but also lets you carve your own signature overdrive tone. The pedal is complemented by a three-band equalizer, making it a versatile tool tailored for guitarists seeking an authentic tone with an extra edge.

Key Features:

Inbuilt SansAmp preamp
Onboard cabinet simulator
Three-band equalizer
Designed to emulate blackface tweed amp sounds
Allows creation of unique signature overdrive sound
Ideal for direct recording or playing into a mixer
Versatile and suitable for various music styles

Product specs

Bypass	true bypass
Power	9V
Analog/Digital	analog

Videos

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Brett Kingman

Tech 21 Blonde Demo

Brett Kingman

Tech 21: Blonde Deluxe - Demo

Brett Kingman

Tech 21 Character Series Blonde V2 Amp Emulator Pedal Demo - Sweetwater Sound

Sweetwater

Tech 21 SansAmp Blonde - with pedals

Brett Kingman

Tech 21 Blonde V2 Character Series

N Stuff Music

Tech 21 - SansAmp Character Series - Blonde

Tech21nyc

Test of Tech 21 SansAmp Blonde Character Series Pedal

Delta Slim

Tech 21- NYC Sansamp Blonde

Nolan Derosia

Reviews

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PROS

Versatile as both a DI and preamp, enhancing various amp sounds
Capable of re-voicing tube and solid-state amps for improved tone at lower volumes
Provides more "tube amp feel" from solid-state amps
Highly tweakable with more usable settings compared to competitors
Delivers authentic vintage Fender amp tones when used with PA systems
High & Low Controls allow for tasteful tone shaping without unwanted noise
Acts as an always-on EQ, improving characterless amps
Enhances the tone of overdrive pedals through PA systems
Adds sparkly clean sounds reminiscent of classic Fender amps
Can serve as a preamplifier for direct input to recording setups

CONS

Not a standalone DI box, limiting its utility in some setups

Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Tech 21 Character Series Blonde.

Comparisons

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Owners note that the Tech 21 Blonde and the Joyo American Sound have distinct tones, suggesting they complement each other when used together.
Source

User experience

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Some users prefer the Joyo American Sound over the Tech 21 Blonde despite its clone status, highlighting subjective tone preferences.
Source

Features and functionality

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Users occasionally run the Tech 21 Blonde into the Joyo American Sound, indicating potential for creative sound layering.
Source
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The Tech 21 Blonde is treated like an amp with modulation, delay, and reverb placed post-pedal for optimal sound arrangement.
Source

Setup and maintenance

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Delays are recommended before the Tech 21 Blonde to prevent clipping due to the pedal's high output.
Source

Use cases and applications

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The Blonde is effectively used for direct recording without an amp, mimicking an amplifier's placement in a signal chain.
Source

Software and compatibility

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The Blonde can pair with an HX Stomp by bypassing the internal speaker modeling for a wet-dry speaker setup.
Source

Critic Reviews

#TweedTone: Is The Tech 21 NYC SansAmp Blonde A Good Alternative To A Real Tweed Deluxe Amp? – HomeToneBlog.com

hometoneblog.com

The Tech 21 NYC SansAmp Blonde pedal offers an impressive all-analogue tweed tone, making it a viable option for home recording. While it delivers good sound quality, it falls short of emulating a real Tweed Deluxe amp, particularly the sought-after 5e3 tones. The pedal's controls are highly interactive, sometimes leading to drastic volume and tone shifts, which might be challenging for first-time users. Despite these limitations, its affordability compared to a genuine Tweed Deluxe amp is a major plus for budget-conscious musicians. However, those seeking a true Tweed Deluxe experience will need to explore other options.

neutral

Full Review

Tech 21 Character Pedals - Blonde review | MusicRadar

musicradar.com

The Tech 21 Character Series Blonde pedal receives glowing praise for its fantastic tone quality and convincing amp simulation. This pedal excels in delivering inspiring sounds that are easy to dial in, making it a standout in analogue modeling. The Blonde offers versatility with its ability to function both as a direct recording tool with speaker simulation and a standard overdrive/preamp pedal. With its comprehensive controls, including the unique Character knob, users can explore a range of classic Fender tones. The review highlights no downsides, presenting the Blonde as a must-have for tone enthusiasts.

positive

Full Review

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5.0 out of 5

Based on 4 Reviews and 11 Ratings

5 star

4 star

3 star

2 star

1 star

timebaby

387

about 3 years ago

Makes the Legendary Sound Affordable

When I was playing in a gigging band with a practice space where we could get as loud as we wanted, I had a silver face Fender Bassman head, which I sold to downsize after that band split up. Of course I’ve never forgiven myself. But at least this pedal provides that nice sparkly clean sound at about 1/10th of the price. When I was playing through a cheapo Behringer combo amp that lacked any character, this lived on my board as an always on EQ. Once I upgraded to an Orange, it moved off the board and onto my shelf of studio toys. Still love it to death.

Roles:

Guitarist Music Producer

Genres:

Electronic Rock Alternative rock

From Gear Setup

homeinmyshoes

137

about 7 years ago

I always think I can get rid of this, but I can't

This pedal has supported a couple of uses for me. The first was to replace a Fender Blues Deluxe amplifier which was just too loud. So I used it to plug directly into a workstation keyboard to either use the headphones on it or the monitor speakers. It is a reactive to your playing amp in a pedal. Love it a lot. I thought I would get rid of it, but now it sits so well at the end of the chain going into a modelling amplifier to make it work with pedals.

Roles:

Guitarist Keyboardist

Genres:

Indie rock Psychedelic rock