Whether you’re practicing or jamming with your guitar buddies, the quality and sound of your guitar amp make or break your sessions.
Although there’s no “right” or “wrong” when choosing guitar amps, certain amps are better for certain environments and experience levels. For this reason, we’ve reviewed five good guitar amps for beginners at every price range. Let’s dive right in!
Our Recommendation of Good Guitar Amps for Beginners
With innovative technology on the rise, beginner guitar amps are better than ever before. These days, you don’t even have to spend thousands of dollars to find a guitar amp with high-quality, stadium-like sounds. Here are five of the best beginner guitar amps worth your attention!
- Positive Grid Spark Guitar Amplifier (Best Overall)
- BOSS Katana MKII-100 Combo Amp (Runner Up)
- Electric Guitar Amplifier (Best Value)
- Sawtooth 10-Watt Electric Guitar Amp (Best Budget Pick)
- Fishman PRO-LBT-500 Loudbox Bluetooth Amplifier (Best Sound)
1. Positive Grid Spark Guitar Amplifier
Pros
- Intuitive layout
- Bold, huge sound
- Tons of backing track options
- Comes with a library of predesigned tones and effect emulations to choose from
- Attractive design
Cons
- App needs a bit more polishing
The Positive Grid Spark Guitar Amplifier excels in both style and sound. With features such as Auto Chord and Smart Jam, this amplifier has everything you need from a state-of-the-art home amp. It was a hit even before it was launched, clocking at over 25,000 pre-orders upon its announcement.
For its price, the Positive Grid Spark offers a surprising number of functions and features. Not only does it recreate the sounds of up to 30 different classic amplifiers, but it also gives you access to over 10,000 amp and FX presets on ToneCloud.
On top of that, it comes with 40 different effects, voice controls, Bluetooth connectivity, and a smart backing track feature. Likewise, it has the capacity to analyze the chords of popular songs so you can play them yourself without having to look them up.
Apart from its multiple features, the Grid Spark is quite attractive. Despite its modern features, it gives off an old-school, vintage vibe, making it an immediate hit among classic guitarists and antiquarians.
It doesn’t disappoint in sound performance, either. It’s impressive straight out of the box, with little to no adjustments needed. It’s warm, full, rich, and, at only 40 watts, unexpectedly loud.
2. BOSS Katana MKII-100 Combo Amp
Pros
- Easy-to-use interface
- Multiple outputs
- Solid construction
- Deafeningly loud
Cons
- Doesn’t come with a MIDI Out/Thru
The BOSS Katana MKII-100 is an absolute powerhouse. Boasting a 100-watt amp capacity, the Katana MKII-100 is authoritatively loud and features a range of digitally modeled sounds.
The controls found in this unit are deceptively simple. Most are what you’d expect in a standard amp—volume, gain, bass, mid, treble, etc. It also comes with built-in effects, five-amp type settings, a control switch, and a standby option.
However, hidden beneath the controls is a powerful tone engine that can only be appreciated when paired with the Boss Tone Studio app. The Boss Tone Studio app features over 60 effects, three of which can be used simultaneously.
While every bit as sturdy and reliable as its predecessor, the MKII-100 outshines the MKII-50 by a considerable margin. Compared to its 50-watt sibling, the MKII-100 is easier to access and control. Moreover, it’s compatible with six-way footswitch Boss GA-FC, further increasing its versatility and reliability.
From vintage to modern high-gain tones, the MKII-100 features five primary amp characters: Brown, Lead, Crunch, Clean, and Acoustic. Each of these sections comes with three variations, allowing you to fine-tune the character as much as you want.
3. Fender Frontman 10G Electric Guitar Amplifier
Pros
- Simple yet authentic Fender design
- Doesn’t come with overly complicated control knobs
- Decent loudness
- Built-in overdrive
Cons
- Doesn’t offer much flexibility in terms of tone
- Might be too simple for some
Every guitar player has heard of Fender. In terms of popularity and reputation, it’s on par with Yamaha and Ibanez. So, it shouldn’t be a surprise that the Fender Frontman 10G made it to our top five—not only because Fender is a trusted brand, but because it’s truly one of the best amps a beginner can have.
At less than $150, the Fender Frontman 10G is an absolute steal. While it doesn’t have as many features as some of the other amps on this list, it’s sturdy, easy to use, and extremely well-made. It’s a powerful practice amp you can carry on the road with little to no hassle.
In terms of sound, it pretty much ticks all the boxes you’d expect. Its 6-inch 10 watts speaker is decently loud; nothing to write home about, but enough for fun jamming sessions with friends.
4. Sawtooth 10-Watt Electric Guitar Amp
Pros
- Great construction
- Simple yet responsive controls
- Clean sound quality; no clipping or buzzing
- Overdrive controls deliver decent rock distortion
Cons
- Extremely basic
- Isn’t very loud
The Sawtooth Electric Guitar Amp proves that you don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars for a high-quality amp. It’s the cheapest amp on this list, but don’t be fooled; for such a small device, it packs quite a punch.
With a sound volume of 10 watts, the Sawtooth performs decently well for small practice sessions and rehearsals.
Compared to most amps of the same price, the Sawtooth features a fantastic three-band equalizer, a drive selector, and out-of-the-box functionality. Apart from the equalizer, you’ll also find standardized amp settings: volume, gain, treble, middle, etc.
Although it doesn’t sound as impressive as the Grid Spark or the Katana MKII-100, it does quite well for what it is. It’s definitely one of the best starter amps for under $100.
5. Fishman PRO-LBT-500 Loudbox Bluetooth Amplifier
Pros
- Professionally integrated onboard effects
- Fantastic built-in chorus
- Excellent sound quality
- Clean and precise timbre
Cons
- Bit too bulky for touring guitarists
- Doesn’t come with an anti-feedback function
If you want to experience professional sound without spending thousands of dollars, the Fishman PRO-LBT-500 is the perfect option for you. Although costlier than most amps on this list, it’s priced well within the beginner’s reach.
The Fishman Loudbox is stylish, versatile, and packed with quality features. Apart from its new-and-improved Bluetooth connectivity, the Fishman Loudbox features preamp and tone controls, multiple-band EQs, and Instrument and Microphone channels.
The Instrument channel features a phase switch, a three-band EQ, a reverb, and a ¼-inch jack for passive or active pickups. On the other hand, the Microphone channel comes with ¼ and ⅛-inch aux inputs, a balanced XLR DI output, an XLR input, and a reverb.
Overall, the Fishman Loudbox has everything you need as a beginner guitarist and much more.
Features to Consider When Buying a Beginner Guitar Amp
There are hundreds of beginner amps in the market, each with its own functions and features. To help you choose the right one, consider the following:
Sound Volume
A guitar amp’s sound volume is measured through watts. If you’re planning to use the amp for simple one-on-one practice sessions, an amp with 10 to 30 watts will do. For rehearsals and small band shows, search for an amp with at least 50 watts. 100-watt amps are ideal for huge venues.
Size and Weight
If you’re planning to take your amp on mini-tours and indoor practice sessions, size and weight matter. After all, you don’t want to lug around heavy equipment whenever you’re out practicing.
Generally, guitar amps weigh anywhere between 10 to 110 pounds. Micro practice amps are usually lighter. Combo amps, like the Positive Grid Spark, are heavier.
Additional Features
Apart from standard amp settings, amps usually come with several other features. This includes built-in effects, loops, emulation, tremolo, Bluetooth connectivity, and others.
As a beginner, you likely won’t need a ton of additional features. If you don’t think you’re going to use the features, it’s best to go with the standard no-frill design and save a couple of dollars until you’re ready to go pro.
Wrapping Up
In terms of price, functionality, and ease of use, our top pick for the best beginner guitar amp is hands down the Positive Grid Spark Guitar Amplifier. It comes with a massive library of predesigned tones to choose from, as well as tons of backing track options.
If you’re searching for a more affordable option, we recommend the Sawtooth 10-Watt Electric Guitar Amp. It’s small but powerful, with a decent amount of standard EQs.
Which one is your favorite? Let us know!
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