Guitar Amps
The specific guitar amplifier (“amp” for short) that you choose will shape your sound just as much as the electric guitar you plug into it. Whether you want a tiny little practice combo or a massive tube-powered stack, check out all of Adorama’s guitar amps right here.
Vacuum tubes vs solid state guitar amps
Guitar amps need to boost the faint magnet-powered electrical signal from your guitar’s pickups to much higher levels, and they can do this in two ways. The original method was by way of old-fashioned vacuum tubes, often called “valves.” Today’s guitarists love tube amps by brands like Marshall or Vox for their warm, vintage tone and a natural distortion that is inseparable from rock’n’roll. But tube amps are also pricier and require more maintenance.
The more affordable and common alternative to tube amps are “solid state,” or transistor, amps. Models by Blackstar or Line 6 are excellent choices for first amps, and with proper effects pedals, players can get tube-quality sound at a fraction of the price of a tube amp. Solid state amps also tend to be lighter, and produce cleaner tones that many acoustic-electric players prefer.
How loud will you go?
Guitar amp volume is measured in watts. A 1-watt battery-powered practice amp is good for bedroom practice or use with external headphones. If you plan to perform live concerts or rehearse loud music with a drum set, you’ll want something with at least 50 watts. Be aware that tube amps tend to be louder than solid state amps of the same wattage. A 100w Fender acoustic solid state amp will be much softer than a 50w Marshall tube stack, for example.
Combos and stacks
Almost all of our guitar amps are “combos,” meaning that their enclosures house both the electronics of the amp and the speakers that blast out the amplified sound. These are great for ease of transport and quick use.
Many experienced guitarists prefer “stacks,” or head and cab kits. To put together a stack, you need a separate “head” amplifier (tube or solid state) and a separate speaker cabinet. Although all brands sell head/cab stack packages, one of the benefits of using stacks is the possibility of using different speakers and cabinets for different tones. Just make sure you don’t have an amp that’s more powerful than your speakers can handle.
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