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. 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 THR30 II Wireless
- Fishman Loudbox Mini BT 60-watt 1×6.5-inch Acoustic Combo Amp
- BOSS Katana-50 MkII 1×12-inch 50-watt Combo Amp
- Fender Champion 20 1×8-inch 20-watt Combo Amp
- Blackstar HT-1R MkII 1×8-inch 1-watt Tube Combo Amp with Reverb
- Orange Crush 20RT 1×8″ 20-watt Combo Amp
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 THR30 II Wireless
Classic tube crunch within wireless control
When it comes to emulating authentic tube amp tone, the 30-watt Yamaha THR30 II Wireless modeling combo amp is the best in the biz. Six user memory slots can store a range of the THR30 II’s clean to high-gain tones, which feature configurable EQ for use with bass, acoustic, and electric guitars. Yamaha’s THR Remote app also provides a Bluetooth connection to your amp, allowing you to alter EQ, gain, master, and overdrive parameters from the other side of the room. Topped off with proprietary Virtual Circuitry Modeling technology, the THR30 II is the best option for guitarists needing genuine tube amp tone at a convenient size.
Fishman Loudbox Mini BT 60-watt 1×6.5-inch Acoustic Combo Amp
Powerful acoustics at a shocking size
With 60 watts of power, you need to know about the Fishman Loudbox Mini BT 1×6.5-inch acoustic combo amp. Despite its powerful output, this Bluetooth-enabled amp comes at a shockingly travel-friendly size, making it the perfect acoustic amp for practice sessions, at-home playing, and gigs at smaller venues. It comes equipped with onboard phase, gain, EQ, reverb, and chorus controls and an XLR DI input with gain, EQ, and reverb controls. You’ll also have access to an aux input for easy backing with your favorite tunes! Complete with Bluetooth connectivity for audio integration, the Loudbox Mini BT is an excellent option for acoustic guitarists who require a range of tonal controls.
BOSS Katana-50 MkII 1×12-inch 50-watt Combo Amp
Powered by top-class BOSS software
The BOSS Katana amp series is a favorite among guitarists at Sweetwater — and for a good reason. The BOSS Katana-50 MkII 1×12-inch 50-watt combo amp retains the same top-shelf functionality as its siblings on a smaller, beginner-friendly scale. It’s packed with five unique amp characters for customizable tone-shaping possibilities. It’s capable of supporting an acoustic-electric output for enhanced playing versatility. However, the Katana-50’s standout feature is its support of the BOSS Tone Studio software, which gives you access to more than 60 effects and near-endless amounts of user-created presets. With this number of tonal possibilities and the Katana-50’s simple controls, you’ll be on the way to finding your unique guitar voice as soon as it arrives at your door.
Fender Champion 20 1×8-inch 20-watt Combo Amp
Genuine Fender tone with ample effects options
There are lots of Fender amps out there — if you’re a fan of effects and versatility, then the Fender Champion 20 1×8-inch 20-watt combo amp is your ticket. This single-channel amp offers selectable voicing for various unique guitar sounds that range from rich cleans to screaming high-gain tones. Onboard the Fender Champion 20 lie several dedicated effects, including reverb, delay, chorus, Vibratone, tremolo, and more. They’re all controllable via the effects-level knob, so you can dial in the intensity of each effect as preferred. You’ll also have access to a 2-band EQ to polish off the final mix. Wrapped in Fender’s proprietary “Bronco” vinyl covering and silver grille cloth, this amp makes taking beginner effects and modulation to the stage easier than ever — and sightly.
Blackstar HT-1R MkII 1×8-inch 1-watt Tube Combo Amp with Reverb
1 watt, infinite tonal control
1 watt? You read that right. The massive sonic potential of the Blackstar HT-1R MkII 1×8-inch 1-watt tube combo amp with reverb is powered by a single watt. Rest assured — its performance speaks for itself. This energy-saving beginner unit comes loaded with two footswitchable clean and overdrive channels, coaxing tones from crystal clear jazz rhythms to sinister metal crunch. When paired with Blackstar’s proprietary Infinite Shape Feature, four separate operating modes, and a built-in digital reverb, you’ll have more than enough power to explore a wealth of serious tones. It’s a perfect option for at-home practice sessions and beginner performances, and it even serves as a formidable recording amp via its handy USB output. Whichever you choose, the HT-1R MkII will ensure you’ve got the goods to face your next musical hurdle head-on.
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!
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!
