How to Choose The Right Amplifier
Once you have chosen your first guitar, you need to find an amplifier which is going to help you get the very best from it. Most people will opt for a small 10watt or 15w practice amp. A popular choice, these small models are inexpensive with prices starting at around £40-50.
Compact Practice Amps
The choice of guitar amplifiers available is huge, but we would suggest that you go for one of the leading brands such as Marshall, Fender and Peavey.
For budding musicians, the early days of practice can be the hardest. We recommend finding an amp with a headphone socket so you can practice for as long and loud as you like – Mum and Dad will certainly appreciate it too!
Budget Guitar Amplifiers
Once your skills begin to improve, it’s only a matter of time before you start thinking about getting together with your mates and jamming, performing small gigs and entertaining friends and family.
If you are still aiming for superstardom, it is time to think about trading in your practice amp for a more advanced model. We stock a massive selection of amplifiers to suit musicians of all ability, so why not check out the product pages of the site, or come and visit us at the store and try a few out before making a final choice.
Types of Amplifiers
You will find that amplifiers fall into four main types: Solid-state (analogue), Tube or valve, Modelling (digital) and Hybrids which have a combination of solid state and valve technology.
Solid-state Amps: These amps use transistors for their preamp and power sections instead of valves. They are very reliable and rarely need repairs. They usually have a clean tone and many also come with "distortion" channels. These amps are very popular as they are less expensive and available in many sizes and power ratings. Most practice amplifiers are solid state, with our most popular models including the Marshall MG30FX or the Laney LX-20D.
Valve Amps: Valve amps are preferred by more experienced guitarists for their warm, fat tone and "organic" distortion. Tube amps usually sound louder than solid-state amps of the same wattage and have a definite "feel" that you don't get from solid-state amplifiers. Most tube amps have separate channels that can switch from clean to distorted tones instantly. Valve amplifier sound will gradually deteriorate over time so you have to allow for regular valve replacements which can be costly. It can be likened to owning a high performance car which needs regular attention!! You can get a valve/tube to suit most styles of playing, from vintage bluesy amps such as the Fender Blues Jnr, through classic rock amps like the Marshall JVM 410C right through to high gain valve heads such as the Peavey JSX.
Modelling Amps: Modelling amps use digital processors to simulate the sound of old fashioned tube technology. Using software that "models" the sound of tube amplifiers (and cabinets), these amps put the sound of numerous amps in one box. Modelling amps are usually programmable and often have built-in digital effects such as delay, chorus, etc. Modelling amps come in all shapes and sizes...our most popular products being the inexpensive Roland MicroCube, Vox VT30, Line 6 Spider 75 and the ground breaking Line 6 Spider Jam.
Hybrid Amps: These amplifiers merge the best features of each type of guitar amplifier into one package. Some hybrids use an actual tube in conjunction with the solid state power section of their amps. A good example is the old Marshall AVT range which uses a tube in the preamp section and solid state circuitry in the power section to create a tube tone without requiring the use of power tubes...with the increase in popularity of medelling amps, this valve preamp method is not as common as it used to be. A newer example of the hybrid amplifier would be the Line 6 Spider Valve, an amp that features valve power and pre-amp circuitary in combination with a digital modelling processor.
Configurations: Amplifiers come in many different configurations. There are combos (short for combination) that feature the amplifier and speaker in one box such as the Vox AC30, or the head and cab set up. This model has the amplifier in one box and the speakers in another. Amps also come in the form of a "head". An amp head has no speakers built in and has to be connected to a speaker cabinet. Check out the Marshall Haze Amplifier Head and it's Speaker Cabinet for an example. The common term for a head and cab set up is the “stack”.