Best Guitar Amp Reviews

Electric guitars can hardly be imagined without an amplifier. This instrument helps strengthen the guitar signal. If you have no time for scrolling hundreds of pages on online stores in order to find the best guitar amps, you are welcomed on our website.

Here you will find the list of top instruments on the market that have all the rights to be among the leaders of acoustic guitar amps. Follow the article and find out the main advantages and disadvantages of each model presented below.

Our guide covers different variations that will answer different requirements and budgets. The models vary from solid-state from the Vox Pathfinder and Fender Rumble for those who are just at the beginning of his/her music career and don’t ready to spend extra money. Also, there are amps for those who already have experience and looking for a model to upgrade his/her guitar playing. Keep on reading to see our options and make up your mind about the best guitar amps.

Guitar Amps Reviews

Fender Champion 20

The Fender guitar amps are famous for versatility. One of their representatives is the Fender Champion 20 that will suit both the amateurs and professional musicians. The amplifier is 20W in power, however, the manufacturer also has some options of 40, 50, 100W in power if you need. The price changes correspondingly.

The Fender Champion has an 8-inch loudspeaker with powerful sound amplifiers and effects allowing playing the right rhythms. Reverb, delay/echo, chorus, tremolo, Vibratone, and other effects can be easily installed by clicking a TAP button to match the song tempo.

This electric guitar amp will work well for the song of any genre such as jazz, country, blues, metal, and so on as it has 17 various models to meet everybody’s taste. Moreover, you can plug your MP3-player into the auxiliary input and play with your favorite song on the background. Besides, the Fender also gives a possibility to mute the speaker output and play via the ⅛ inch headphone jack.

This electronic instrument has average dimensions – 16×12×16 inches and weighs 6.61 pounds. So, it is of portable size but not too small to be easily damaged. Besides, the Fender company also gives a 5-years transferable warranty to its product.

Video Fender Champion 20

Fishman Loudbox Mini

If you are looking for a mini guitar amp, don’t forget to consider the Fishman limited model. This instrument comes in two colors only (black and white) and looks stylish enough. This acoustic guitar amplifier is quite powerful (60W) with an adjustable master volume despite its tiny size.

As with the larger models, the Loudbox Mini is packed with legendary preamps and sound control. In addition, you get a digital reverb and chorus for the instrument channel and reverb for the microphone channel. The Loudbox Mini amplifier also has MP3 input and XLR jack for a dynamic microphone.

The Fishman is also equipped with two AUX inputs of ¼ and ⅛ inches that make the range of devices compatible with this amp much wider. You can also connect to the network with a standard network cable. However, it is not included in the package and should be bought separately.

As it has already been mentioned, the Loudbox has small dimensions (12×13.7×9.7 inches). The same can’t be said for its weight (19.7 pounds). So, being compact the instrument remains stable and non-fragile. Besides, the manufacturer gives a 12-month warranty. I admit it’s not the long term, but it’s better than nothing.

Video Fishman Loudbox Mini

Fender Rumble 15 v3

The Fender Rumble is famous for its powerful sound as the company was the first to invent the bass guitar amp. The instrument is 15W in power and proposes 3 band equalizers that give a wide range for tone shaping. An 8-inch specially designed speaker is protected by a metal grille, so the amp can be easily transported without being damaged or broken. Furthermore, the manufacturer has equipped its product with “soft touch radio” knobs. So, the control process is smooth and easy even for beginners. That makes the Fender Rumble comprehensible for a wide range of potential buyers.

Connect your MP3-player with a ⅛-inch auxiliary input jack and enjoy playing your favorite songs. Besides, the guitar amplifier has a ¼-inch headphone output, so you can practice privately as the speaker is locked when the headphones are plugged in.

The Fender Rumble has average dimensions (11.6×17.9×17.1 inches) and average weight (16 pounds). Moreover, you can enjoy a 5-year warranty given by the manufacturer. That’s a considerable term comparing to the other models.

Video Fender Rumble 15 v3

Fishman PRO-LBT-500

If you want to be an owner of the best acoustic guitar amp, pay attention to the Fishman PRO. This Loudbox Mini is famous for its Bluetooth connectivity. So, it makes possible to connect your smartphone or other devices with Bluetooth as well as add backing tracks and other recorded accomplishments. Moreover, it has a 3-band equalizer to play with the sound tone. Low, mid and high levels are included.

The Fishman proposes 60W of acoustic power and two channels used for preamp and tone control designs. The amplifier has a set of effects you can use to change the sound according to your taste, including reverb and chorus. Connect your MP3-player with a ¼-inch input to get a possibility of the famous song playing. The instrument is equipped with a ¼-inch mic input as well as ¼ and ⅛-inch AUX inputs. This fact makes the Fishman PRO compatible with a variety of devices developed for making the sound more professional and diverse. Please note that an XLR input designed for dynamic microphones is a part of the package as well.

This Bluetooth amplifier has average dimensions (26×16×16 inches) and weight (22 pounds). It is also available in other styles, however, the price can vary depending on the product dimensions. The manufacturer also offers a cover to protect the instrument while transporting.

Video Fishman PRO-LBT-500

Vox Pathfinder Combo

The Vox Pathfinder can’t be called the best small guitar amp, it is worth attention as well. Though it is only 10W in power, it is more than enough for good sounding. This small guitar amp has controls for the upper and lower frequencies of the equalizer (Treble and Bass, respectively), gain and volume, as well as ¼-inch lineout/headphone jack providing a filtered signal that will serve ideally for direct recording. Please note that the speaker is automatically locked when the headphones are plugged in.

The treble level control sets the sound level of the high frequencies and also makes it possible to get a wider range of colors reproduced. The Bass control helps establish the level of the low-frequency component of the sound signal. The Gain Control gives a possibility to change the tone colors of the sound and give different shades. An Overdrive/Clean switch level allows quickly going over different types of sound. Thanks to a simple press of a button, you can switch from a crystal clear sound to the warm overdrive, or from an overloaded blues sound to a hard rock one.

The Vox has smaller than average dimensions – 17×8×12 inches and weighs 11.9 pounds. Besides, the manufacturer offers a 12-month warranty for its product.

Video Vox Pathfinder Combo

VOX AC15C2

The VOX guitar tube amp will be powerful enough to be used in public performances. It is a 15W amplifier equipped with two 12-inch Celestion G12M Greenback speakers. The VOX has an 8-Ohm output jack for powering an external cabinet, so you can easily communicate with the audience if needed. Note that using an external speaker puts the built-in speaker in sound blocking mode.

The described model has two channels: Normal and Top Boost. Each channel has its volume control, and the Top Boost channel offers very useful treble and bass controls. Both channels are covered by the Tone Cut and Volume control knobs in the Master section. The Tone Cut control works at the stage of signal processing by the amplifier, and not at the preamp stage. So, you will get additional possibilities of sound creating.

The Master Volume control works together with individual volume control for each channel to create an ideal degree of the amplifier stage. Manual regulation of individual and overall volume makes it possible to create any sound, from clear to powerful overloaded one. Moreover, you can make the sound even softer with the Classic Tremolo effect. Both speed and depth are adjustable that giving you extra control over the sound. A warm spring reverb is also available for using on the VOX guitar combo. You can use the footswitch to turn on and off the effects of reverb and tremolo without stopping playing.

The VOX model has considerable dimensions (32.5×15.8×26.4 inches) and heavy weight (66.6 pounds). This fact makes the instrument not as portable as other popular amplifiers. Consider this issue before placing an order.

Video VOX AC15C2

Roland Micro Cube

The Roland Micro Tube can be a perfect choice for people who are always on the road as it is a battery-powered guitar amp, so you don’t need any source of electricity to perform the sound. Six AA batteries are required for proper functioning. However, the amp is equipped with an AC adapter that can be used when the battery is out.

The Roland is 3W in power and has a 5-inch speaker in the package. Among other considerable features are 8 COSM amplifier tones and 8 built-in DSP effects. All these facts make the Roland compatible with any genre of music, from pure jazz sound to heavy high-gain. Moreover, the device is equipped with an i-Cube Link jack that allows connecting your iPhone, iPod, or iPad to use them as a recorder.

The model is also famous for its Memory feature making the Micro Cube a dual-channel amplifier. You can line up the sound, hold down the Memory button for a few seconds, and easily save all the settings. After that, it is possible to work with both saved settings, controlling everything with just one button. The amplifier is of medium dimensions (12×9.1×12.5 inches) and lightweight (7.7 pounds). This fact enhances its portability.

Video Roland Micro Cube

NUX Mighty Lite BT

This portable guitar amp is 3W in power and works with a 3-inch speaker. One important fact that makes the NUX versatile is that it provides three types of power supply: 9V DC power adapter, 6 AA batteries as well as 5V USB connection. It makes the model one of the most portable representatives.

Furthermore, the NUX Mighty Light has a Bluetooth connection that makes possible to use your smartphone or any device equipped with Bluetooth 4.2 to play the songs, download backing tracks or use it as a recorder. Besides, the instrument has a 3.5mm AUX input. This Bluetooth guitar amp combines three channels (Clean, Overdrive, Distortion), 2 Delay/Reverb effects, and 9 drum patterns as well as a metronome. With the help of the TAP TEMPO knob, you can adjust the drum speed and set a delay time. Just press the knob for 1.5 seconds to enable the changes. The effect number is not limited indeed, you can use download the Mighty Lite BT mobile app available on Android and iOS to enjoy more functions.

The NUX Mighty is literally tiny if taking into account ordinary guitar amplifiers’ dimensions. It is only 6.5×3.9×4.9 inches and weighs 2.2 pounds. So, if you are looking for something to be easily transported, pay your attention to this model.

Video NUX Mighty Lite BT

Marshall Code 50

If we are speaking about professional equipment, this model should be mentioned for sure. The Marshall guitar amps are powerful enough (50W) to create an ideal sound. The amp is equipped with one 12-inch speaker.

The Marshall is famous for its collaboration with Softube. Their partnership results in a unique Marshall-Softube (MST) simulation, which allows recreating the recognizable sound of the famous Marshall amplifiers as accurately as possible. This model has 14 options for preamps, 4 amplifiers, and 8 cabinets. The set of effects includes a compressor, distortion, pitch shifter, chorus, phaser, flanger, tremolo, and so on. 24 different effects in total are available on the model described. Please note that up to 5 effects can be used simultaneously.

The Marshall Code includes the ability to wirelessly connect via Bluetooth to transfer music from Apple or Android mobile devices using the Gateway application. Due to a USB connection, the amplifier can be used to download the audio recordings on the computer. In addition, you can easily connect your MP3-player as well as headphones and a foot controller with special jacks this model is equipped with.

The instrument has medium dimensions (17.9×10.7×17 inches), however, its weight is considerable heavy (27 pounds). So, please take it into account before buying this model.

Video Marshall Code 50

Buyer’s Guide

How to Choose Guitar Amps?

Whether you are looking for cheap guitar amps or expensive ones, you need to know the right way to choose an amp for your needs. First, you need to think twice before buying. It’s expensive enough, so please consider the following tips before making up your mind and choosing any model.

Tube, Solid-State or Digital: Which One to Choose?

Many top players still find the tube amplifiers standard and irreplaceable. However, solid-state and digital models have been getting more and more popular lately. Besides, they are cheaper and do not require much effort to maintain. It’s up to you to decide what type to choose.

Choosing the Right Size

The amplifier power should depend on your lifestyle. If you have an intention to give a live performance on the public, it’s better to choose a model of 100W power. However, if you choose an instrument for home recording, 10W will be more than enough to meet your requirements.
Planning to give concerts with your rock band? Then start considering the models of 30W and more, however, small amplifiers can also produce a huge and full sound.

Choosing the Desired Sound

Distortion is ordinarily produced by three different devices such as power amplifier, preamplifier, and speakers. Most of the buyers don’t pay attention to distortion caused by the power amplifier, but it emphasizes the amp sounding indeed. To check the power amp functioning, please turn the master volume up and the gain down. It will give you a possibility to check the sound that should be lively enough.

The Music to Play On the Amplifier

If you prefer playing a certain music genre, it will probably be helpful to choose the right amp according to the style of choice. Let’s consider the main styles.

Whether you are in blues, you need warm and light sound with natural distortion accompanied by a little crunch. So, consider the amplifiers of a small watt in power. The metal genre needs a huge distortion, so a solid amp equipped by two and more speakers and foot-switch like the Peavey ValveKing II.

Classic rock requires a kind of flexibility. In this case, tube amps should be chosen. However, don’t forget about portability and pay attention to this issue while making a choice. Consider the Marshall JCM800 or the Fender 65 Amps. All the jazz players know that this style is about crystal clear sound, so you’d better prefer solid-state models as they usually don’t change the guitar tone while the signal passing the gain staging. Pay attention to the Roland JC, and the Fender Blues Jr. models.

So, as you can see each style will sound different on each amp. Make your choice carefully and thoroughly resting upon the genre you prefer to play.

Guitarzan

Hi everyone! I’m Thomas Moody, also known as Guitarzan.