Guitar players of all kinds love the power and saturation that a dimed amp can provide — and for good reason. Lots of our guitar heroes used massive stacks to melt faces in the ’60s and ’70s, but that was mainly born of necessity and sometimes desire, like when Pete Townshend asked Jim Marshall to “build a sonic weapon” that was so loud that the crowd wouldn’t be able to chat while he was playing — the result consisted of several 100-watt heads with accompanying 8 x 12″ cabs.
For more than a generation, guitar amps had to provide enough volume to reach the back of any crowd. Many of our heroes played through multiple cranked amps, so it’s only natural that we want to follow suit. Given the large advances in PA technology since the ’50s, guitarists are not normally required to provide that much sheer volume to the audience, with the notable exception of Yngwie Malmsteen.
Unfortunately for many of today’s players, the saturated goodness that comes from white-hot tubes can be a little too loud for their home or apartment. Sensing the need for a change, manufacturers have stepped up to the plate (no tube pun intended), offering low-wattage alternatives to their most famous units. If you’re looking to downsize your rig or find something better suited to practicing, you’ve come to the right place. Since many guitar players around Sweetwater own low-wattage tube amps, we put together a list of our favorite models. Read on to see what we picked!
Sweetwater’s favorite low-watt tube amps:
Orange Rocker 15
15/7/1/0.5-watt combo with onboard attenuator switch
The Rocker 15 from Orange is a 1 x 10″ combo amp for the masses. Its all-tube design relies on a pair of EL84 power tubes to give it classic British crunch. It has two channels, clean and dirty, that run the gamut between clean licks and ultra-modern, high-gain pulverization. If volume is a concern, have no fear! The Rocker 15’s onboard attenuator switch allows you to select how much power the amp produces. You can use the full 15 watts or select from the 7-watt, the 1-watt, or the miniscule 0.5-watt alternatives. When you combine the intelligently designed attenuation and power scaling, it allows you to run your tubes hot enough to roast marshmallows at a volume that won’t raise the dead. No matter what environment you’re playing or practicing in, the Orange Rocker 15 will make sure you can always enjoy an appropriate volume.
EVH 5150III LBXII
15/3.75-watt head that provides scorching tones at accessible volumes
Eddie Van Halen is known for his scorching high-gain tones, but he and the design team at EVH know that roaring amplifiers aren’t always the most convenient for home use. The 5150III LBXII from EVH is a miniature amp with the same attitude and bravado as the other EVH amplifiers. This 15-watt sonic behemoth uses a pair of JJ EL84 power tubes as the basis of its sound. For gigging, it’s perfectly happy to plug into a 4 x 12″ cab and punish the first row. If you’re practicing at home, you can get the same tones at a lower volume, thanks to the convenient quarter-power switch that reduces power to just 3.75 watts. This amp features the same green and blue channels that players know and love. The blue channel provides crunchy, high-gain tones that are perfect for hard-hitting riffs. Meanwhile, the ultra-clean green channel is especially good as a pedal platform. It’s fair to say that the EVH 5150III LBXII is a seriously versatile amp.
Revv G20
20/4-watt tube head with 2 channels of pure fury
Introduced at NAMM 2020, the Revv G20 adds a new spin to the ever-popular D20. This lunchbox-sized amp comes loaded with versatile features and buckets of great tone. It all starts with a duo of 6V6’s that provide more than enough power to gig with on the 20-watt setting. But if that’s a little too much power, you can switch to the 4-watt mode for bedroom-friendly volume. Your signal runs through Revv’s signature, high-gain Purple channel with a 3-band EQ and gain controls. If that’s still not enough grit, you can select from three adjustable Aggression levels to dial up absolutely brutal tones. You’ll impress your band members with the G20’s power and massive tone, especially if you use the onboard cab simulations. You can choose between six popular cab sims or expand your options to 128 with the built-in MIDI connectivity. Built for high-gain tone hunters, the Revv G20 is an incredibly versatile low-wattage amp that players can’t get enough of.
Marshall SV20H Studio Vintage
20/5-watt tube head packing plenty of Plexi tone
The Plexi led the way during the rock revolution, and it’s hard to find someone who disagrees. Played by the likes of Clapton, Hendrix, and many more, the Plexi is an icon in its own right. A beast of an amp, the Plexi punches you with 100 watts of grit and grime. The Marshall SV20H Studio Vintage takes the huge Plexi tone and distills it into a more manageable package. This 20-watt amp head is powered by a pair of EL34 tubes with three 12AX7 preamp tubes. You’ll find that it can create perfectly saturated blues tones and soaring leads with ease. If you find that the whole 20 watts are a little too powerful for what you need, the built-in power reduction circuit cuts the power to just 5 watts. Now you can enjoy cranked tones without blowing out your windows.
Mesa/Boogie Mark Five:25
25/10-watt combo with boatloads of British growl
The Mesa/Boogie Mark Five:25 is one of the most versatile amps on this list. This 1 x 10″ combo packs a pair of EL84 power tubes with a massive, 6-tube 12AX7 preamp section. It has two channels that cover everything from glassy cleans to aggressive, ripping leads. When you switch over to the 10-watt mode, the Mark Five:25 will treat you to a more prominent breakup at a reduced volume. This amp is the perfect choice for gigging or recording, thanks to the built-in Cabclone. Cabclone provides realistic speaker emulation that plugs directly into your recording chain. However you choose to use it, the Mesa/Boogie Mark Five:25 will quickly become your go-to amp.
Fender ’65 Princeton Reverb
15-watt American classic with onboard reverb and tremolo
What’s not to like about the Princeton? It’s clean, glassy, and very pedal friendly. And when you learn how many records this amp appears on, you’ll understand why studio cats love it so much. The Fender ’65 Princeton Reverb is a to-spec reissue of the coveted amps of yesteryear. Powered by two 6V6’s and a 5AR4 rectifier, the Princeton has the smooth, silky tone that defined the American sound. For fat cleans, turn up the amp and roll back your guitar’s volume. To add the perfect sprinkle of dirt, turn up your volume to taste. Add pedals and you’ve got a recipe for sonic perfection. The ’65 Princeton Reverb has onboard reverb and vibrato, so you can achieve surf tones with total ease. An included footswitch and speaker outs make this amp perfect for roving the road, rocking the studio, or just practicing in your bedroom.
Vox AC15C1
15-watt combo with some serious chime and grime
If you ask Brian May, there’s no better tone than a Vox running on 10. If you did that at home, your neighbors would be banging on your door within seconds. Instead of dealing with noise complaints, Sweetwater recommends that you grab a Vox AC15C1. This 15-watt combo uses two EL84’s to give you the chime-like quality that put Vox amps on the map. It has two channels that you can use to explore new sonic textures. This amp has intuitive sound-shaping controls including a 3-band EQ, onboard reverb and tremolo, and tone controls. To top it all off, the 12″ Celestion Greenback speaker creates a mellow tone with a focused midrange. If you’re looking for vintage tube tones that are gig friendly, the Vox AC15C1 is the low-wattage amp for you.
Supro Blues King 12
15-watt combo with plenty of American-style blues tone
Take a trip back in time with the Supro Blues King 12. This sleek amp packs an impressive punch, thanks to the uniquely designed Class A power section and single 6L6 power tube. There’s no shortage of vintage tones here. Crank the master control, dial back the volume knob, and bask in the Texas-style grit and gunk. If your tone seems to be lacking something, a footswitchable boost is available to fatten things up for a little extra zing. The Blues King 12 is loaded with genuine spring reverb, an effects loop, and a 3-band EQ for tone shaping. The 1/4″ line output gives it extra flexibility to plug right into your interface or the front-of-house board. The Supro Blues King 12 is a great choice for studio use and is the perfect companion for playing out.
Dr. Z Z Wreck Jr.
15-watt combo with inspiring touch sensitivity
The Z Wreck Jr. from Dr. Z offers the same wild tone as the original Z Wreck with extra controls to keep the volume at an acceptable level. Don’t worry, you’ll get the same edge-of-overdrive character as the flagship model built for Brad Paisley — just with the added bonus of a master volume knob. Equipped with a pair of Russian EL84-style power tubes and a 5Y3 rectifier, this amp creates huge, blooming harmonics with a satisfying breakup. You’ll quickly fall in love with the touch sensitivity of the simple EQ. At the slightest tweak, you can completely change the amp’s tonal character. The Z Wreck Jr. ships with a 12″ Celestion Greenback speaker to boost the mids. As straightforward as they come, the Z Wreck Jr. is the perfect addition to your rig.
Friedman Runt-20
20-watt tube head loaded with skull-crushing goodness
Dave Friedman’s amps produce some of the best tones known to Earth’s guitarists. The no-nonsense design and uncompromising tone combine to make Friedman amps versatile, sensitive, and unbelievably tuneful. The Friedman Runt-20 is an ultra-portable, 2-channel head powered by a pair of EL84 power tubes. You’ll be impressed by the range of sounds you can produce, too. From glassy clean licks to thunderous dirty riffs, this amp can do it all with an excellent dynamic response. This is true at high gain too, just roll back the volume on your guitar to make the Runt-20 clean right up. Tone shaping is provided by a 3-band EQ, a 3-position bright switch, and a boost switch. For silent recording and burning the midnight oil, the Runt-20 is equipped with an analog, cab-simulator XLR output. When you’re onstage, this output can be run straight to the front-of-house sound engineer, eliminating the need to mic up your amp. If you’re looking for a head that can crush skulls one night and play clean licks the next, the Friedman Runt-20 is an excellent choice.
Have More Questions? Don’t Hesitate to Ask!
We’ve told you about our favorite low-wattage amps. Now it’s your turn to tell us what you think on social media! Tag us and tell us your favorite gear.
Not sure which amp is the right one for you? Sweetwater can help you with that. For more information on guitar amps, you can check out Sweetwater’s Guitar Amp Buying Guide on inSync. For all other questions, please give us a call at (800) 222-4700. You’ll be connected with an expertly trained Sales Engineer who can answer all your questions and help you find the perfect amplifier for your needs.
