This is a question on every guitar player’s mind, regardless of age or years played. In the never-ending quest for great guitar tone, the search for the right amp is half the battle.
If you are a beginner, this question can best be answered by saying “one that won’t break within the first year.” You can get a good starter amp for less than $100 with some nice features, such as drive (distortion) and some basic EQ. Purchase an amp from a retailer like Best Buy, Costco, or Guitar Center, where they have at least marginally friendly return policies, so in case your made in China amp (everything cheap price-wise is made in China) takes a dive, you’ll have a good chance of getting it replaced without too much hassle. As a beginner, the focus should be on your playing, technique, and developing your overall practice habits, not the loudest, meanest amp you can buy.
The real conundrum occurs as an intermediate player. Do you go for the “investment amp” and drop a wad of cash on something nice, ($500-$1000 range), or is there something cheaper that will get the job done? If you are an intermediate player, perhaps you are starting a band, or playing at church, or gigging at local bars and clubs? The type of amp you need depends on where you are playing. If you’re going to be playing mostly at small venues, then you don’t need a 1,000,000 watt amp that can melt faces. You need an amp that fits the venue. So consider how you will be using the amp. Generally, as an intermediate player, 100 watts or less of power is more than enough. Practice good shopping habits, test everything you want to buy, make sure you get a good deal, and make sure wherever you buy has a good return policy. Again, test everything before you buy!
As an advanced player, you’ve refined your chops, so now the quest focuses more on your sound, and this is where things can get extremely subjective and less practical. There are many good “boutique” style amps (handmade, better components, unique styled sounds, etc.) out there that are much “better” than your big-box retailer brands. Better means better in this case, in the same way that a Lotus is better than a Kia. Better quality control, better parts, better design, better experience. When you purchase an amp at this point, you are making a decision that will (ahem) amplify your particular style. If you don’t want to make yet another purchase, you may be curious or handy enough to modify the equipment you own. Nowadays there are plenty of how-to style videos that can teach you to “hack” or modify your amp to sound “better.”
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder to be sure, but at the end of the day, the question what guitar amp should I buy does not have an easy answer, because each guitar player is at a different level and requires different equipment for different reasons. You get what you pay for is the best advice. Test everything out, be smart about where you buy a guitar amp from, and ask around, research, and consider how dedicated you are to your instrument. If you’re playing for recreation, you don’t need to drop thousands of dollars, however, if you plan on becoming the next Slash or John Mayer, save up your money and invest in your talents.
Nothing can replace the hours of practice you put in, and NO guitar amp will make you sound better than the amount of time you’ve invested in your instrument. What good is the best golf ball if you’re just going to shank it into the lake?
There is no substitute for diligent practice.
Much Respect,
The Musician’s Toolbox
