When shopping for a guitar amp, don’t take home the first one you plug into. Sure, that amp may feel really good to play, and you may love how it screams, but are you really going to be happy with it when you wake up tomorrow morning?
Bring your main guitar with you, even if you think the store stocks a similar model. An unfamiliar guitar may have a brighter sound than your personal ax, and an amp that sounded sparkly and lively in the store may actually be dull as Anne Heche on Quaaludes when you get it home.
While tube technology is still considered state-of-the-art in countries where a potato is regarded as a square meal, these days solid-state and digital amps offer excellent tone for a lot fewer bucks, and with fewer maintenance headaches. However, tube tone is still considered the standard by many top players. Take a blind listening test, and let your ears be the judge.
The 8 Legendary Guitar Amps Of All Time
A 100-watt stack is overkill if you live in an apartment and need an amp only for home recording. Conversely, a 10-watt combo is woefully inadequate if you play in a band with a drummer named Thunder Fist. Choose an amp that’s right for your primary application. You’ll need at least 30 watts for playing live with a rock band, but smaller amps often provide surprisingly huge sounds in the studio—just ask Jimmy Page. Also, as a rule of thumb, if you're playing out often, you might want to shoot for at least 15 watts of tube tone.
Distortion is usually generated by three distinct sources: the power amp, the preamp and the speakers. Many players overlook power amp distortion when trying an amp, but the power amp section is the source of what guitarists describe as low-end chunk and balls. Audition the power amp by turning the master volume way up and turning down the gain. The sound should be lively, with a crisp attack that jiggles your trousers.
Preamp, or gain, controls (sometimes called “volume” on master volume–equipped amps) let you dial in impressive-sounding distortion at low volumes, but excessive preamp distortion can sound too compressed and sizzling at high volumes. Turn down the gain and crank up the master volume until the amp is set at the output level you’d normally play at. Now, slowly increase the gain until the sound becomes as distorted as you want it to be. If the tone is buzzy and lacks dynamics, the amp will have all the onstage presence of an
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Overdriven speakers create one of the most desirable distortion characteristics: crunch. The best way to test for this is to dial in a clean setting and turn the volume way up. Low-wattage speakers break up at lower volumes, but they have a tendency to turn to mush at excessive volume levels; high-wattage speakers may not break up at all. Choose a speaker that sounds lively, defined and harmonically rich at volume and distortion levels you’ll normally play at.
While often overlooked, the speakers are an amp’s most crucial component—they’re the last thing standing between all that electronic gobbledygook and the sound that reaches your ears (except for yo’ mama’s fist, but that’s another story). Different sized speakers have different tonal characteristics, and you should consider speaker sizes the same way you’d consider an amp’s wattage rating. Speakers are like booty—small ones are tighter and big ones have more bottom end. But like a pair of pants, cabinet design can shape bottom end as well. Which is why a closed-back 4x10 cabinet may put out more bass than a 15-inch speaker in an open-back cabinet.
Multichannel amps are great for players who use a lot of different tones, but if all you want is a good clean sound and a good distorted sound, they may be more amp than you need. If you decide that an amp with three or more channels is right for you, look for one that provides separate EQ controls for each channel.
The Total Beginner's Guide On How To Choose A Guitar Amp
You should be able to dial in a sound you like quickly and easily. Adjust each tone control and note how they interact with each other. If it’s too hard to dial in a decent tone in the store, chances are you won’t be able to when you get the amp home or onstage.
While tone and volume should be your foremost considerations, you should also determine what extra features you really need. Built-in effects are great if you want a no-hassle, all-in-one package, but they may not be as flexible as external effects pedals and processors. An effect loop is useful for effects like digital reverb and delay, but it’s not essential if your effects consists of a few stomp boxes. Line outputs with speaker emulation are helpful for home recording, and external speaker outputs are great for expanding your live rig.
He is a 40-year music industry veteran who started at Boardwalk Entertainment (Joan Jett, Night Ranger) and Roland US before becoming a guitar journalist in 1991. He has interviewed more than 600 artists, written more than 1, 400 product reviews and contributed to Jeff Beck’sLearn about the types of amps that exist, how to choose a size, and other considerations you need to know before buying.
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An electric guitar without an amp is like pasta without sauce. Plugging your guitar into an amplifier – or “amp, ” if you’re nasty – allows you to unleash the full potential of its sound. Not only does an amp allow those notes and chords to ring out, but it provides guitarists with a mechanism to alter their sound and play with effects.
Whether you’re practicing on your couch or playing a gig in a small venue, there’s an amp for every occasion. We’ll walk you through the basics of buying an amp, what considerations you should keep in mind, and share some of our favorite picks for the best amps for beginners.
Congratulations! You’ve got an electric guitar and have taken the first steps on a lifetime musical journey. While your guitar will be your trusty companion, you’ll need an amp to help you hear the powerful sound that instrument is capable of producing. Playing while plugged into an amp can allow you to better master finger positionings of chords and hear your guitar’s sustain and resonance while playing.
Best Guitar Amps Of 2023
While you may have had a list of considerations in mind while shopping for your first guitar, you’ll also want to be aware of several factors when choosing an amp. The types of music you enjoy, the size of the space where you’ll be playing and volume, portability, and even effects you may want to use will likely influence your choice of amp.
Before we dive into what to keep in mind when choosing an amp, let’s start off with some of our top picks for beginners. From ultra-portable amps to amps packed with built-in features and effects, there are quite a few affordable and awesome amps available. Here are some of our favorites:
The Mustang Micro checks many of the boxes for an outstanding amp for beginners. At 3 inches tall by just one inch wide, this tiny amp plugs directly into your guitar, allowing you to sit or walk with it while you practice. Despite its small size, the Mustang Micro is loaded with 12 amp models and 12 effect combinations. It’s also bluetooth compatible, has a headphone jack for quiet practice, and a USB-C input for recording, updating its firmware, or recharging the Micro’s included lithium ion battery. Whether you’re practicing at home or squeezing in a session on the road, the Mustang Micro is the ideal amp for the guitaris-on-the-go.
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The Frontman 10G keeps it simple for beginners who want to plug in, practice, and experiment with their tone. The Frontman 10G is a 10 watt practice amp with a 6” ® Special Design Speaker, and gain, volume, treble, and bass controls. This easy-to-use amp also features an overdrive switch that gives you a variety of tones. With just a flick of a switch, you can go from the classic clean tone to a tube-style sound, or full-on distortion. The Frontman 10 includes an auxiliary in port, as well as a headphone jack for silent practice.
For players who want to try all the effects and crave flexibility, the Mustang LT25 offers ease-of-use and an endless array of effects. This 25 watt amp’s compact size is ideal for playing in a small practice space, or even for a recording session at-home. The Mustang LT25 has 30+ built-in presets that give you a wide range of tones, from country picking to thrash metal. It also has 25 different effects, giving you the ability to carve out a sound that’s uniquely yours. This powerful and portable amp also contains a built-in tuner, auxiliary jack to easily plug in and play, and a headphone jack for a quiet practice. It also has a USB port to easily update the Mustang LT25’s firmware, giving you even more access to new tones and effects.
Despite its sleek, intimidating, black-on-black aesthetic, the Champion 50XL
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