Whether they’ve played for years, months, or even days, every Sweetwater guitarist has faced the same inevitable dilemma: choosing the right beginner amp. Looking for your first amplifier has always been difficult, but it’s especially true for newer players still searching for their unique voice. With several different amp styles, effects, and output options flooding the market, choosing the product that best suits your playing style can be daunting. And even though we all start out as beginners on guitar, we have our own goals and aspirations, so there isn’t necessarily one perfect beginner guitar amp.
Thankfully, there’s a wealth of beginner-friendly options at Sweetwater. After conversing with our most esteemed musicians, we’ve compiled a list of the best beginner guitar amp models we offer. From Bluetooth headphone amps to 60-watt garage-worthy combos and everywhere in between, you will surely find the perfect amplifier to start your musical journey on the right foot.
Note: At Sweetwater, we know there’s no such thing as “best” when it comes to music gear. Every player and artist has unique tastes, which is what makes selecting gear so fun! The items on this list feature some of our favorite products from top manufacturers to help you start your buying journey! Explore these recommendations and dive into Sweetwater’s massive collection of gear on our online store. For personalized picks and expert advice, please contact our knowledgeable Sweetwater Sales Engineers at (800) 222-4700!
- Positive Grid Spark GO Ultra-portable Smart Guitar Amp and Bluetooth Speaker
- Fender Mustang LT 25 1×8-inch 25-watt Combo Amp
- Fender Mustang Micro Headphone Guitar Amp
- Fender Acoustasonic 15
- Roland CUBE Street EX 2×8-inch 50-watt Battery Powered Combo Amp
- Marshall MG30GFX 30-watt 1×10-inch Combo Amp with Effects
- Yamaha THR5 2×3-inch 10-watt Modeling Combo Amp
- Fishman Loudbox Micro 40-watt 1×5.25-inch Acoustic Combo Amp
- BOSS Katana-50 Gen 3 50-watt 1×12-inch Combo Amplifier
- Fender Champion II 25-watt 1×8-inch Combo Amplifier
- Blackstar Debut 50R 1×12-inch 50-watt Combo Amp
- Orange Crush 20RT 1×8″ 20-watt Combo Amp
- Line 6 Catalyst CX 60 60-watt 1×12-inch Combo Amplifier
Positive Grid Spark GO Ultra-portable Smart Guitar Amp and Bluetooth Speaker
GO find your unique sound
If it’s tone you’re looking for, then you’ll find everything you need in the ultra-portable Positive Grid Spark GO smart guitar amp and Bluetooth speaker. With 33 amp models and 43 unique effects, this mini monster brings more than 50,000 custom patches to your instrument. As a pocket-sized variant of the Positive Grid Spark combo amp, the GO brings full-size tone through its custom-designed 2-inch speaker for excellent projection and playability. However, you can also use the onboard headphone jack if noisy practice sessions become an issue. Its unique AI Smart Jam and Auto Chord functions make the GO an excellent beginner choice, allowing you to quickly learn your favorite songs — or develop your own. Finding your signature guitar sound is key to every beginner’s musical journey. You’ll discover yours and more with this uber-versatile amp in your arsenal.
Fender Mustang LT 25 1×8-inch 25-watt Combo Amp
Historic Fender tone in a 25-watt package
You can’t go wrong with the versatility and simplicity of a Fender amp. That’s why many Sweetwater guitarists suggest the Fender Mustang LT 25 1×8-inch 25-watt combo amp for beginning players. At 25 watts, this starter amp possesses ample power for practice sessions and small venue performances. There are 30 meticulously selected presets from Fender’s Mustang amp family, spanning genres from classic country crunch to dreamy shoegaze and everything in between. Saving and loading your presets are also options, giving you more leeway in tone exploration. Whether you plan on taking your new musical skills to the basement, a practice setting, or the streets, the Mustang LT 25 will ensure you’re prepared.
Fender Mustang Micro Headphone Guitar Amp
Pocket-sized amp filled with rich Fender character
Unlike most conventional amplifier models, the Fender Mustang Micro headphone guitar amp plugs directly into your instrument’s output jack. This micro-sized interface provides the same tonal punch as its larger counterparts. Inside are 12 amp sounds and 13 effects, ranging from chorus-friendly cleans to sinister metal crunch. Amp, effects, EQ, and modifier controls are available via the Mustang Micro’s side panel for easy access to a wealth of tonal modifications. The amp’s output comes in the form of a 3-1/2mm headphone jack, allowing you to play this mobile amp in virtually any setting without having to lug around any heavy equipment. Topped off with up to six hours of continuous performance, the Mustang Micro is our list’s most travel-friendly amp solution.
Fender Acoustasonic 15
Fender performance for the acoustic palette
We get it: not all emerging guitarists begin their careers on an electric instrument. The 15-watt Fender Acoustasonic 15 is the perfect beginner amp for acoustic-bearing musicians. Sporting classic Fender style and a built-in XLR input, this acoustic combo amp is an excellent option for both at-home practice sessions and small venue gigging scenarios. Its 6-inch full-range speaker is fitted with a special whizzer cone, resulting in an enhanced HF response optimized specifically for your instrument. It also doubles as a great PA solution for last-minute performances. The included EQ, volume, and chorus effects controls will ensure you can iron out the perfect amp voicing to best suit your playing needs.
Roland CUBE Street EX 2×8-inch 50-watt Battery Powered Combo Amp
Take your skills to the streets
True to its name, the Roland CUBE Street EX 2×8-inch 50-watt battery powered combo amp is made for gigging. Eight simple AA batteries can power the amp at 50 watts, giving you hours of studio-grade amplification for stage, PA, or monitoring situations in a pinch. The CUBE Street EX is exceptionally versatile, too, as its 8- and 2-inch speakers can manage electric and acoustic instruments plus a variety of keyboards, drum machines, and more! It’s easy to find a suitable tone for any setting when paired with the included 3-band EQ, COSM amplifier modeling, and built-in reverb effect. Finally, i-CUBE LINK allows users to connect to their iOS device for music-track playback and recording, making backing-track practice sessions and party atmospheres easy.
Marshall MG30GFX 30-watt 1×10-inch Combo Amp with Effects
Personalized, simple controls for the beginner
No matter what axe you wield, the Marshall MG30GFX 30-watt 1×10-inch combo amp with effects provides a tonal gold mine for endless sonic exploration. Kick off the sound-shaping experience with clean, crunch, and OD1 and OD2 channels that offer tones ranging from clean jazz plucks to sharp metal rhythms. The next step is the MG30GFX’s built-in digital effects bay, which contains reverb, chorus, phaser, flanger, delay, and octave effects for a more personalized sound. Apart from its killer controls, you get a built-in tuner, channel storage, a foot controller input, headphone output, and audio input for jamming to your favorite tunes! Sweetwater guitarists concur: this jack-of-all-trades amp makes a great starting setup and a beginner performance rig.
Yamaha THR5 2×3-inch 10-watt Modeling Combo Amp
Five-emulation ferocity for the sprouting songwriter
A small footprint doesn’t mean you have to settle for fewer sonic options, and the Yamaha THR5 2×3-inch 10-watt modeling combo amp proves it! Using Yamaha’s Virtual Circuitry Modeling technology, beginner guitarists will have access to a variety of incredible amp emulations, including Clean, Crunch, Lead, Brit High, and Modern. In addition to a great range of tones, the THR5 also offers dual effects dials. Explore the realms of modulation with chorus, flanger, phaser, and tremolo effects then further experiment with your soundscape, courtesy of delay and spring/hall reverbs. Yamaha’s free THR Editor app provides additional parameters such as compression and noise gating while a USB connection allows you to record your creations right to the computer.
Fishman Loudbox Micro 40-watt 1×5.25-inch Acoustic Combo Amp
Gorgeous acoustic translation with detailed contouring
Another favored acoustic option on our list is the Fishman Loudbox Micro 40-watt 1×5.25-inch acoustic combo amp. Whether you’re busking, performing onstage, or just needing more volume in your personal music space, this lightweight, 40-watt beauty does the trick at just over nine pounds. The Loudbox Micro reflects a 30-year history of pristine sonic innovation, faithfully bringing forth the tones of your acoustic-electric with stunning clarity and accuracy. This two-channel amp provides a mixing solution for balancing your guitar and vocal mic signals, complete with dual reverbs to give your sound the perfect amount of ambience.
BOSS Katana-50 Gen 3 50-watt 1×12-inch Combo Amplifier
BOSS Katana-50 Gen 3 50-watt 1×12-inch Combo Amplifier
The BOSS Katana-50 Gen 3 50-watt 1×12-inch combo amplifier continues the Katana series’ outstanding legacy as a top pick in the beginner-amp game. Tube Logic technology serves up six amp tones to work with, each boasting a Variation mode to double the number of options to 12 amps! Its 50-watt power projects a huge voice for its size while additionally sporting a 3-way Power Control selector for expressing your most chaotic amplified endeavors at reasonable volumes. Armed with an effects section and an easily shapable 3-band EQ, dialing in and storing a pair of your ideal amp tones (one per channel) is an absolute breeze. Plus, there are always more sounds to explore with BOSS’s upgraded Tone Studio software!
Fender Champion II 25-watt 1×8-inch Combo Amplifier
Stellar Fender tones for a steal
You don’t need the chops (or the budget) of a seasoned stage champ to rock out like one! With classic Fender clean and crunch sounds onboard, the Fender Champion II 25-watt 1×8-inch combo amp is happy to oblige your creative vision. Whether you gravitate toward the growl of classic rock or the soft chime of jazz, you’ll find your sound in one of the Champion II’s four voicings. Fender has also given the Champion II a suite of effects to work with, including reverb, tap-tempo delay/echo, chorus, tremolo, Vibratone, and more. Connect a playback device to the auxiliary input to rehearse your own songs or jam along with your favorite tunes.
Blackstar Debut 50R 1×12-inch 50-watt Combo Amp
Primed with MOSFET power
It’s a tall order to find a tube-emulating beginner amp more exciting than the all-analog Blackstar Debut 50R 1×12-inch 50-watt combo amp — or one that looks better! Engineered with a MOSFET preamp to create saturated tones that rival the dynamite response of real-deal tube amplifiers, the dual-channel Debut 50R brings the heat of those traditional sounds into your music space. Beyond its remarkable sonic design, the Debut 50R comes equipped for customization with a 3-band EQ, a pair of reverbs, and an Infinite Shape Feature (ISF), the latter of which transforms your signal from a tighter, American-style response to a more open, woody, British sound. And how could you beat that cream-and-red color combo!
Orange Crush 20RT 1×8-inch 20-watt Combo Amp
Classic Orange Styling with Reverb
The Orange Crush 20RT delivers powerful and dynamic tones with highly responsive overdrive and detail-rich saturation that will leave you in awe. With two footswitchable channels, the Crush 20RT’s 4-stage preamp offers a wide range of immense tones that transport you back to the golden era of straightforward, classic analog guitar amplifiers. Additionally, it incorporates Orange’s innovative CabSim circuitry, faithfully reproducing the impact of an Orange 4 x 12″ cabinet through the Crush 20RT’s headphone/line output. It also features an onboard tuner and reverb for a value-packed combo any beginner will love!
Line 6 Catalyst CX 60 60-watt 1×12-inch Combo Amplifier
A multitude of models and effects
Utilizing a cutting-edge soundbank from the acclaimed Helix series, the Line 6 Catalyst CX 60 60-watt 1×12-inch combo amplifier houses a remarkable library of built-in models and effects to choose from. A dozen amp models scratch every sonic itch, from the classics to modern metal, while a pair of independent effects sections supply two dozen effects to experiment and combine to your heart’s content. Its effects loop even lets you apply your own pedals! For players just starting out, having the freedom to expand your sonic horizons right from the get-go without having to upgrade is a major bonus, and the Catalyst CX 60 makes it easier than ever.
Do You Even Need an Amplifier?
Who says you have to bug your neighbors to treat yourself to a fantastic amp tone? Now more than ever, the amp-in-a-box trend is buzzing among beginner guitarists, and for good reason. These powerful amplifier and cabinet modeling pedals allow players to use headphones and direct interface connections to plug in their guitars and blow the roof off the place without rattling the windows — or even the pedal! Despite their size, these dedicated stompboxes often offer more amp emulations than amplifiers themselves.
Some of our favorite examples here at Sweetwater are the BOSS IR-2, Zoom MS-80 IR+, IK Multimedia TONEX ONE, Line 6 POD Express Guitar, and the entire TC Electronic Ampworx series.
Beginner’s Guide to Buying a Guitar Amp
You’ve done it! You’ve bought your first electric guitar and are on your way to achieving your musical goals. But do you have the amp that best fits your needs and playing style? Fortunately, Sweetwater has the right guitar amplifier to get your musical message out to your audience! This “Beginner’s Guide to Buying a Guitar Amp” includes information to help you choose a guitar amp that best fits your needs. Since there’s so much to consider when purchasing an amplifier, don’t hesitate to call (800) 222-4700 for more information.
Type of Amplifiers for Beginners
For beginners, we recommend sticking to amps that offer the most bang for your buck. That includes having onboard effects, amp and cabinet modeling capabilities, and more. Below, we will describe the types of amps you should look for when beginning your amp-buying journey.
Solid-state Amps
These amps are called “solid-state” because they use transistors for their preamp and power sections. They are very reliable and seldom need repairs. They often have a very clean tone, though many also come with a “distortion.” These amps are popular with players looking for a sturdy, reliable touring amp. Most lower-priced “practice” amps are solid-state.
Modeling Amps
Modeling 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. Modeling amps are programmable and often have built-in digital effects, such as delay, chorus, etc. Some include digital or analog outputs with speaker simulation for going direct into a recording interface or PA system.
Hybrid Amps
Combining the best of each type of amp into one package, hybrid amps use an actual tube in conjunction with the solid-state power section of their amps. Many hybrid amps use 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.
The Benefits of Modeling Amps Explained
Modeling amps offer the best of all worlds. You can buy anything from a basic “practice” amp to a high-end, tube-powered combo that will deliver almost any tone or effect you might need or want, and it will pull double-duty as a great studio amp. These modeling amps provide everything from clean rhythm tones to a full-out overdrive and many “must-have” effects like reverb, chorus, phase, flange, and delay.
What’s more, modeling frees you from the constraints of having to “make do” with a particular amp’s tonal range. Using sophisticated DSP, a 2×12-inch modeling amp can sound like a vintage 1×10-inch Tweed or a modern 4×12-inch stack. When you add up all the benefits of a modeling amp, they make a lot of sense unless you happen to be a purist who is convinced that only a 1959 Fender Bassman reissue will sound like a 1959 Bassman. For those players, modeling is simply no substitute. And since a player’s individual tone is critical, we concede that each guitarist will decide for themselves whether modeling is for them or not.
Onboard Effects
When you’re starting out, the last thing you want to do is dive headfirst into buying unneeded gear. That’s why onboard effects are great! Have a plethora of tones and sounds at your fingertips without busting the bank on pedals and effects. Below are some of the most common onboard effects you might find when purchasing an amplifier and what they are.
Reverb
The remainder of sound that exists in a room after the source of the sound has stopped is called “reverberation,” sometimes mistakenly called “echo” (which is an entirely different-sounding phenomenon). We’ve all heard it when doing something like clapping our hands (or bouncing a basketball) in a large, enclosed space (like a gym).
Delay
In audio production, a delay is an electronic device designed to store a signal for a specified period of time and then release it, thereby delaying the signal relative to other parts of an audio program. Delays are often used to create echo effects, where a particular signal may repeat several times, with each repeat being lower in level than the prior one.
Modulation
In music technology, the term “modulation” normally applies to a control signal being used to change some aspect or parameter of another signal. For example, a regularly repeating sine waveform might be added to a pitched note to produce vibrato, or a control voltage might be used to change (modulate) a filter cutoff frequency.
Distortion
In audio, “distortion” is one of those words that is far more generic in meaning than most people realize when they use it. Technically, distortion is ANY deviation in the shape of an audio waveform between two points in a signal path. Rock and metal acts rely on distortion for their tone, with many guitarists of those genres having a signature distortion pedal or effect.
Get Amped Up!
Hopefully, this list helped you find the amp that best meets your needs and playing style. If that is the case, then go ahead and give it a try! Of course, these are only a few of the many amps Sweetwater has to offer, so it’s worth perusing our entire lineup of beginner-friendly guitar amps for even more possibilities! For additional tips, gear suggestions, and information, call a Sweetwater Sales Engineer at (800) 222-4700 — they’re always happy to help!
