Buying a guitar amp is one of the most significant purchases a guitarist will make aside from the guitar itself. An amp provides the overall tone to your guitar and expresses your playing style. So, it’s crucial to equip yourself with a proper amp that suits your needs.
However, there’s an astonishing amount of guitar amps on the market, and sifting through your options is a grueling task. Luckily, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best options to give you direction on where to start (or end!) your buying process.
1. Orange Micro Terror Amp Head
The Orange Micro Terror is a bite-sized head amp head that packs a punch. With a tube preamp and solid-state power amp, it’s deceptively loud while delivering 20 watts of output. If you’re after classic British tones, the Orange Micro Terror has them covered. With clean, crunch, and overdrive sounds, you’ll love the versatility of this tiny terror. For a big Orange tone in a small package, plug into the Orange Micro Terror today!
2. Marshall DSL40CR Tube Combo Amp
The Marshall DSL40CR offers burly Marshall tone in a tube combo amp. With a built-in 12″ G-12 V-type speaker for exceptional tone and flexibility, this amp channels your personality through sound. With per-channel Gain and Volume controls, a highly-effective Resonance control, digital reverb, and an effects loop, the Marshall DSL40CR combo amp is ready when you are.
3. Vox AC15C2 Tube Combo Amp
Loaded with a pair of 12″ Celestion Greenbacks, the Vox AC15C2 combo amp delivers a powerful British tone. You get two channels to play with: Normal and Top Boost. Each comes with its own Volume control, and the Top Boost channel offers Treble and Bass tone controls. For even more versatility, this beast comes equipped with tremolo and reverb effects. If you want a strong workhorse with an abundance of tone-crafting power, the Vox AC15c2 is your steed.
4. Orange Rocker 32 Combo Amp
Don’t be fooled by the Orange Rocker 32’s simple design. Designed to be a pedal platform, the Rocker 32 is equipped with stereo capabilities thanks to its dual output stages and a valve buffered effects loop. This amp comes with two channels: Natural and Dirty. The Natural channel lets you hear your guitar and pedals as they sound and comes with volume control. Meanwhile, the Dirty channel features Gain, Master Volume, and a three-band EQ. Whether you want classic Brit rock, blues, or modern metal sounds, the Orange Rocker 32 has you covered.
5. Marshall DSL1CR Tube Combo Amp
The Marshall DSL1CR combo amp is everything you want in a portable amp. This 1-watt little beast packs burly Marshall tone into its compact package. With two channels, reverb, and an effects loop, you can produce killer tones no matter where you go. And thanks to its high and low power modes, it’s perfect for bedroom rockers. Need a little monster that doesn’t sacrifice tone-shaping capabilities? You need the Marshall DSL1CR.
Of course, like all things music, the “best” choice boils down to your preferences and what tone you want to achieve. However, if you pick up any amp on this list, you will be sure to plug into a great, tone-shaping device. Want to browse more options? Check out our entire line of guitar amps.