Choosing An Instrument: Amplifiers
Chris Kuklis
Welcome to the fourth installment of Brooklyn Guitar Lessons' Choosing An Instrument series!
Hopefully you've taken some time to check out the previous post on electric guitars, and have picked out the perfect beginner axe. Or maybe you've already got a guitar and are looking for the right amp to get you started down the path to rock and roll glory.
Either way, it's time to power up & plug in!
THE BEST AMP IS THE AMP YOU HAVE
I'm going to start this post with a controversial statement: For beginners, the guitar you choose matters far more than the amp.
But isn't an amplifier important? Certainly! But even the best, fanciest, most artisinal hand-wired boutique amp can't make a junky guitar sound good.
The very best thing you can do as a beginner is buy a high quality guitar that's well-built and easy to play. Focus your resources on that, and you'll be happy and comfortable as you learn your first chord, play your first pentatonic scale, and work on exercises to build strength and coordination.
Does it power up & make your guitar louder? If so, congratulations! You have the perfect beginner amp.
TUBE VS SOLID STATE
There are two types of guitar amps out there, and it's good to be familiar with the differences.
Tube Amplifiers have been around since the dawn of the electric guitar. They use vacuum tubes (also called "valves") to increase the amplitude of the signal, making the quiet signal from the guitar's pickups dramatically louder. Tube amps are known for having a warm sound with smooth natural overdrive, and react to the touch of the player. These amps tend to be fairly expensive (though not always!) and are favored by many professional guitarists.
Players who use tube amps: Stevie Ray Vaughan (Fender Vibroverb & Super Reverb), Jimi Hendrix (various Fender, Marshall, and Sunn amps)
Solid State Amplifiers increase the amplitude via electronic components (e.g. transistors, diodes) and tend to have a sound that's a little less smooth and a little bit "drier." Because they're built without vacuum tubes, they tend to cost much less initially, and also don't require as much maintenance.
Players who use solid state amps: Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood (Fender Eighty-Five), B.B. King (Norlin Lab Series)
There are plenty of great examples of each type, and while tubes amps are great for many things they aren't the end-all-be-all.
So what are some great affordable amps for beginners? Let's take a look!
THE BARGAIN BIN AMP
A deluge of inexpensive practice amps.
These are the tiny practice amps that you'll find on Craigslist for $50 or (much) less. They're solid state, with 8" speakers and low wattage. They don't sound amazing, but they certainly get the job done. The brand might be Fender, Squier, Peavey, Crate, Epiphone, or another lesser known manufacturer.
Since you prioritized on an awesome starter guitar, this is a barebones amp that'll get you started.
THE ENTRY LEVEL
Fender's Mustang I, one of Brooklyn Guitar Lessons' favorite beginner guitar amps.
If you'd like to step up from the cheapies above, Fender's Mustang I is a solid choice. It retails for around $120, and at 20 watts it has a reasonable amount of output. This little solid state amp also has a full range of tone controls, built in effects, and a headphone out for silent practice.
One of my students has this particular amp, and I've always been impressed by the range of tones.
THE MID-RANGE
Fender's Blues Junior III, a Brooklyn Guitar Lessons all-time favorite.
If you're ready to take the plunge into the world of tube amplifiers, Fender's Blues Junior is a stellar choice. It offers full-on tube tone in a reasonably sized package, enough power to hold its' own with a band, and controls that let you dial in a wide variety of tones. The clean sound is especially sweet, and the classic spring reverb let you get your surf on.
It's also an excellent choice for playing in an apartment, as it sounds great even at low volumes.
I've played through a lot of these over the years, and have always been really happy with the sound!
Blues Junior amps retail for around $600, but can frequently be found used for $300-$400.
There are a lot of great amps out there, and the ones described above are just the tip of the iceberg.
If you have any questions about choosing your first amp, feel free to comment on this post or message me directly via the Brooklyn Music Lessons contact page.
Thanks for reading, and happy shredding!
- Chris