Best Amps of 2018

An amplifier, also known as an amp, is an or electronic device that boosts a low voltage signal and uses it to power it through speakers. Amplifiers not only boost a signal, but also have to do the difficult task of reproducing the quality of the signal with variations in both frequency and amplitude. The quality of an amp is just as important as the instrument being played when aiming to achieve great tone.

Mesa Boogie Amps

1X12 Thiele

1x12 Thiele Front Ported Compact Cabinet The Boogie® Compact 1x12 Thiele Cabinet is a front mounted, front ported, closed-back extension cab that is one of the punchiest yet most frequency-balanced cabs we make. The tuned front porting provides exceptional balance across the lows, mids and highs while simultaneously providing additional punch-character via the air/tone escaping the front port. The authority of it’s tuned bass resonance sits perfectly with mids that breathe and presence frequencies that shimmer versus non-ported designs that often provide a darker response overall. By themselves, and particularly as a pair, Thiele 1x12 Cabs can be a compact and portable secret weapon for all styles of music and playing situations, but especially effective anywhere you want to maximize punch, width and authority without sacrificing the rest of the frequency range details. You simply won’t find a better cabinet. ALL MESA® ENCLOSURES are made using the finest Void-free, Marine Grade Baltic Birch. Super strong rabbet corners are glued and nailed and speaker baffles are fitted with superior dado joint construction and braced. Grilles are wrapped around a separate grille board, not the baffle board. Grille material is made of strong twisted jute dipped in a special coating that filters top end for a sweeter response.

Vox

VT40+

The perfect combination of innovation and tradition, the VOX Valvetronix + Series combines sophisticated modeling technology with vintage know-how to provide an array of authentic guitar tones that are worthy of the name VOX. Based on the acclaimed VOX Valve Reactor circuit, which utilizes a genuine 12AX7 vacuum tube in the power stage, these advanced digital amplifiers retain the familiar warmth of a genuine tube amp. True tube tone is pumped through a custom designed 10” VOX speaker, while the intuitive control set makes customizing the VT40+ to your liking simple.

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Peavey

MAX® 158 20-Watt Bass Amp Combo

The Max 158 bass combo amp is a 20 watt 1x8" bass practice amp loaded with features, including 1/4" input and Volume with Transtube distortion boost and psyco-acoustic low end enhancement, a 3-band EQ, chromatic tuner and 1/8" jacks for phones output and auxiliary input. The Max 158 also includes Peavey-exclusive DDT speaker protection.

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Acoustic Amplification

B200H 200 W Bass Guitar Head

The Acoustic B200H professional head is designed for large club and live applications where it will fill any stage with depth and definition. Used in conjunction with the B115 and/or B410 enclosures, the B200H will easily drive either one or two cabinets in any combination of your choice. The two bass inputs are designed to accommodate both active and passive bass instruments while the Gain and Volume controls give you complete control over the character of your tone. Increase the Gain for some old school rock tones, or lower it and turn up the volume for great clean, classic or funk tones. The preamp includes a very natural and tube-like compression as well as a harmonically rich distortion circuit, which keeps your tone musical – even at high volume levels. The B200H also includes a notch filter to tailor your mids, and a six-band EQ for exact control over every nuance of your bass’s tone. Rear panel features include a parallel Effects Loop, and XLR balanced Line Out with Level Control and Ground Lift. The two speaker output jacks allow you to directly connect to each enclosure (such as the B115 and/or B410) to maximize your tone and power.

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Orange Amps

Rocker 32

TRUE STEREO MADNESS Many of today’s guitarists are looking for the best partner for their pedalboard but ultimately end up with an amp that’s uninspiring and lacking in character. With the Rocker 32 however, we’ve nailed the perfect pedal amp. What makes the Rocker 32 so special? Simple. It’s an all-valve stereo guitar amp in a compact and portable combo format. The Rocker 32 can be run just like a ‘normal’ combo – straight in or with standard mono effects loop connections. Even before you start experimenting, you’ll soon realise that this is not just another bland, soulless pedal platform, but a serious amplifier in its own right. The Rocker 32 has classic Orange mojo in abundance and its 2×10” configuration means a full and fat delivery whilst keeping the footprint small. There’s even some clever circuitry under the hood to give the amp a wider spread of sound than most regular twin speaker combos. At the heart of the Rocker 32, though, is its stereo effects loop which opens up a world of limitless possibilities for your pedalboard. If you’re into epic panning delays and massive soundscapes, connect the Rocker 32 for full stereo operation, unlocking enormously spatial tones that wash over the audience. If you’re more old-school, you can patch your pedals in ‘wet/dry’ mode, with your effects appearing in one speaker and your clean guitar tone in the other. This makes for great separation and clarity on stage or in the studio. The front end of the Rocker 32 is one-of-a-kind. The Natural channel features just one control (Volume), and has been carefully voiced to bring out every nuance of different guitars, pickups and pedal combinations. There is plenty of clean headroom here but this channel also loves to be hit with overdrive and distortion stomps. The Dirty channel has a more familiar look to it with a three band EQ, gain and master volume controls, allowing for all different flavours of British crunch – and it can be set clean too. There’s also a handy half power mode to drop the volume level if you like to push the EL84 output valves a bit harder for more saturation. This switches the Rocker 32 from the full 30 Watts (15W a side) down to a more home-friendly 15 Watts (7W a side).

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Kustom

KXB100 100W 1 x 15" Bass Guitar Combo Amplifier

Kustom® KXB Series amplifiers are focused on producing great tone, rugged reliability and intuitive tone-shaping tools. The Kustom KXB100 is a 100-watt bass combo amplifier with a 15-inch Kustom speaker and Bass, Lo-Mid, Hi-Mid and Treble controls. The preamp provides both Gain and Volume controls and can dial up classic bass tones or more aggressive sounds with a hotter gain structure. Like every KXB amplifier, the KXB100 offers an auxiliary input for plugging in an MP3 or CD player to practice along with tunes and a 1/8-inch headphone input that silences the internal speaker for late-night playing. For performance flexibility, the KXB100 provides a balanced XLR Line Out with Ground Lift and Volume control. An Effects Loop with Send and Return jacks offers flexibility for integrating external effects and processors. All KXB Series amplifiers provide a five-year, transferable electronics warranty to give buyers extra piece of mind with their purchase.

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Fuchs Audio

Overdrive Supreme 50 HRM Head

ODS Series Amps – The original ODS series is the crown jewel of our amplification product line. Derived from Andy’s original ODS designs, these models evolved over time as a result of Andy’s constant quest for tone and from the feedback from players. The original ODS series amps continue to serve tours of duty with weekend warriors to touring professionals. The original models may be retired from production, but we still offer them as a custom build option. Contact us for more info.

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Peavey

5150

Developed with guitar legend Edward Van Halen. The 5150 lets you experience 120W of smooth crunch and dense harmonics. 5 - 12AX7s in the preamp and 4 - 6L6s in the power amp provide all the gain and tone you'll need. Includes high and low gain inputs, and the 2 channel preamp is switchable on the front panel or footswitch. The rhythm channel features pre/post gain controls and bright/crunch switches. Lead channel has controls for pre/post gain only. Channels share 3-band EQ, presence, and resonance controls. Switchable post EQ effects loop. 16, 8, or 4 ohms with preamp output. Footswitch included. The 5150 series amplifiers and enclosures are the result of extensive research and development with guitar legend Edward Van Halen to produce the ultimate products for guitarists. With the 5150 and 5150 II heads, you'll experience super rock crunch, harmonic-rich sustain, and screaming drive like you've never heard before. Production models are identical to those Van Halen uses when recording, as well as those he currently uses on tour.

Positive Grid

Spark

The smart guitar amp and app that jam along with you.

1 Rig

#10

Fender

Mustang™ GTX100

Mustang GTX is a better, bolder guitar amp with an unprecedented feature set and unbeatable performance. A wide selection of accurate and versatile amp models, dozens of effects and 200 onboard presets give you the guitar tones you need for almost any type of music. Modular signal path flexibility lets you move effects anywhere in the chain, while the crisp full-color display lets you know what’s going on under the hood. Connect with Bluetooth to experience the all-new Fender TONE 3.0 (for iOS and Android), a free app that offers realistic look and feel while you spin the knobs of the most famous amps and effects of all time. You can do deep editing, preset browsing from the Fender Tone community, preset back-up and restore, and more. Bluetooth audio streaming is also included for playing along with your favorite tracks. The amp’s WiFi capabilities (a Fender exclusive) let you connect for product updates, so your amp keeps getting better. Mustang GTX 100 offers incredible bang for the buck. The all-new cabinet design is more gig-ready and durable; a new 12-inch Celestion speaker produces strong, powerful response; and the improved amp, speaker and cabinet models ensure that Mustang GTX sounds better than anything else in its class. Stereo XLR line outputs and stereo effects loop let you interface with PA, recording and outboard gear. GTX100 also features a seven-button footswitch with individual bank up and down functions and easy effects selection, making GTX a true live performance amp. It also unlocks the amp’s included 60-second looper.

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#11

Fender

Mustang™ GTX50

Mustang GTX is a better, bolder guitar amp with an unprecedented feature set and unbeatable performance. A wide selection of accurate and versatile amp models, dozens of effects and 200 onboard presets give you the guitar tones you need for almost any type of music. Modular signal path flexibility lets you move effects anywhere in the chain, while the crisp full-color display lets you know what’s going on under the hood. Connect with Bluetooth to experience the all-new Fender TONE 3.0 (for iOS and Android), a free app that offers realistic look and feel while you spin the knobs of the most famous amps and effects of all time. You can do deep editing, preset browsing from the Fender Tone community, preset back-up and restore, and more. Bluetooth audio streaming is also included for playing along with your favorite tracks. The amp’s WiFi capabilities (a Fender exclusive) let you connect for product updates, so your amp keeps getting better. Mustang GTX50 offers incredible bang for the buck. The all-new cabinet design is more gig-ready and durable; a new 12-inch Celestion speaker produces strong, powerful response; and the improved amp, speaker and cabinet models ensure that Mustang GTX sounds better than anything else in its class. Stereo XLR line outputs and stereo effects loop let you interface with PA, recording and outboard gear. There's also an optional seven-button footswitch available with individual bank up and down functions and easy effects selection, making GTX a true live performance amp. It also unlocks the amp’s included 60-second looper.

#12

Ampeg

V-4B

A revival of one of the company's legendary amps, the Ampeg V-4B Bass Head employs an all-tube power and preamp, three-band EQ, and selectable mid-tone rocker switch to capture the gritty power of the original. At 100 watts, the V-4B is armed with more than enough muscle to push the 12AX7 preamp and 6L6GC power amp's grinding attack to the back of large venues. Sculpting your assault with the three-position mid tone control makes sharpening, fattening, your expanding presence as easy as dominating the low-end during a show or in practice.

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#13

Laney Amplification

Supergroup MK I

100-Watt Supergroup MK I Guitar Head

#14

Soldano Custom Amplification

SLO-30 Classic

The 30-watt Soldano Super Lead Overdrive (SLO-30) sings and roars with the same voice of its iconic bigger brother, the SLO-100. It’s a harmonically rich character that remains at the forefront of modern high-gain electric guitar amplification. But this 30-watt, all-tube head is optimized to today’s studio and stage applications.

#15

Mesa Boogie Amps

Mark I 1x15

The Mesa Mark I is the original Mesa Boogie combo amp (though it wasn't called the Mark I until the Mark II came out in 1978). Mesa Mark amps evolved out a modified Fender Princeton reworked by Mesa founder Randall Smith in 1969. The amps went into regular production a couple years later, laying the groundwork for the high-powered combo amps that would become synonymous with Mesa in the '70s.

#16

Mesa Boogie Amps

Mark IIC+

Who could have known that a few little tweaks to an already incredible circuit would result in a mythic amp capable of the creamiest leads in the game? A stroke of genius in the company's Mark series, the Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ earned a hallowed place in the hall of high-output amps with legends like Kirk Hammett and John Petrucci singing (or playing) its praises. Many imitators have come along since, but purists claim nothing can match the original searing, thick tone.

#17

Blackstar Amps

HT-20R MKII Combo

EL84s are at the tonal heart of the HT-20R MkII combo and head. We have used our decades of valve amp design experience to combine the response and character of this classic British valve with a carefully voiced preamp to create wonderfully lush valve tones. From pure boutique cleans, to mild overdrive that cleans up by backing off the guitar volume control, right up to saturated distortion, this amp does it all. For at home or in the studio the Power Reduction switch takes you down to 2 Watts without any compromise in tone: perfect for driving the EL84 power stage. Simple and intuitive controls, combined with pro features like our patented ISF control, studio quality reverb, effects loop, XLR D.I. out and USB speaker emulated output, make them perfect for any performance situation – whether you’re in the studio, gigging in front of a small crowd, or playing to thousands. From chiming ‘boutique’ cleans, to on the edge crunch, or full-on distortion, HT-20 MkII deliver ‘the sound in your head’

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#18

Blackstar Amps

HT-212VOC MKII

The stunning HT-212VOC MkII is a vertical 2x12" cabinet perfectly matched to the HT-20RH MkII head, loaded with Celestion Seventy 80s. The pull-off panel on the rear allows you to easily change from a closed back for a tight low-end, to a semi-open back for a wide mid-range.

#19

Blackstar Amps

HT-20R MKII Head

#20

Blackstar Amps

HT-112OC MKII

The stunning HT-112OC MkII 1x12” cabinet is perfectly matched to the HT-20RH MkII head, loaded with a single 12” Blackstar voiced speaker. The pull-off panel on the rear allows you to easily change from a closed back for a tight low-end, to a semi-open back for a wide mid-range.

#21

Two Notes Audio Engineering

Torpedo Captor X

The Two Notes Torpedo Captor X is a compact reactive load box, tube amp attenuator, miked cab simulator, IR loader and stereo expander for home, live and studio use. Playing your tube amp in a great sounding room with an exceptional choice of perfectly matched speaker cabinets and microphones is truly joyous and an unparalleled experience. The Torpedo Captor X is for tube amp lovers who crave this every time they play, no matter the environment. Fed up with lifting heavy cabinets, inconsistent sound and stage volume issues? Torpedo Captor X allows you to go direct to the PA and audio interface with studio-grade cabinet simulations (cab sim). Two Notes Audio Engineering pioneered the digital load box and over the last decade, thousands of Two Notes hardware users have captured and enjoyed the harmonic complexity and responsiveness of their tube amps both in the studio and on-stage. Torpedo Captor X is the premium compact reactive load box but so much more. Torpedo Captor X is the portable solution to your amp being too loud. Play your tube amp at its sweet spot and control your volume with the attenuator, anywhere. You can even enjoy your 100 watt rig in silence with an immersive headphone experience. Designed to embrace today's demanding on-stage and studio recording environments, Torpedo Captor X brings new features to the Torpedo Captor family including a Stereo Expander (Stereo Reverb and Twin Tracker), Enhancer, Voicing, Space, Noise Gate and XLR DI outputs with 3 routing options (Stereo, Dual Mono and Dry / Wet). Effortlessly Control the Miking Chain Pair Torpedo Captor X with your phone, tablet, computer or MIDI controller, and shape your tone with Torpedo Remote. It’s a lot of fun choosing your cabinet, combination of mics and mic positions; experiment by placing microphones both in front and behind your virtual cabinet. Explore 32 carefully curated virtual cabinets, 8 microphones per cabinet and 8 room simulations and save your favorite 128 presets. Select your preset, room acoustic, output routing, EQ, reverb or edit any parameter from your device of choice using Torpedo Remote. No other compact reactive amp attenuator offers such universal control of the miking chain and with dual miking per cabinet, you may never use a real mic again. Stereo Expander Twin Tracker is an automatic double tracker. Your mono amp sound is routed to the left output and Twin Tracker creates another track (a virtual guitarist) on the right channel in real-time. The slight differences in timing and attack contribute to a beefed-up tone and massive sound. Two Notes developed an entirely new Stereo Reverb algorithm for Torpedo Captor X. Use the Space control to adjust the width of your stereo field; create subtle studio room acoustics and immense rooms for ambient soundscapes. Enhance Your Tone Voicing is a fast tone control enabling you to change the overall sound of all your presets at once. You may need to make a quick fix to adapt your sound to the venue you’re playing or the session you’re recording. Dial left to emphasize the mid frequencies and cut better through the mix and dial right to get a more scooped and modern tone. Sometimes you need a touch of magic to get the sound you are chasing; the Enhancer is a combination of dynamic and tone shaping tools, tailored for your guitar, and bass. Thickness and Brilliance emphasize the low end and high end of the tone, respectively. Body will render your tone fuller and more present. Two XLR Outputs, Three possibilities Enjoy the stereo experience when playing at home but in a live or studio situation you may wish to route the outputs differently. Enable Dual Mono routing and send different signals to your FOH and monitors; apply different EQ settings and Reverb levels to each output. Want to change the tone after recording your killer riff? Enable Dry / Wet routing to send both your cab sim and dry amp signal independently to your audio interface; process the dry signal at your leisure in your DAW with the included and critically acclaimed Two Notes Wall of Sound plugin. The feature-packed, easy-to-use and road-ready Two Notes Torpedo Captor X is the perfect compact solution for tube amp lovers at home, on stage and in the studio.

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#22

Supro Amps, Guitars and Pedals

1970RK Keeley Custom

Designed in collaboration with Keeley Electronics, the Supro Keeley Custom is built to integrate your pedals into the heart of an all-tube Supro amplifier. The preamp and 2-band EQ section are voiced perfectly for running your gain pedals in front of the amp, while still maintaining Supro’s signature midrange girth and phenomenal touch dynamics. A transparent effects loop has been worked into the design, providing the ideal point to inject your delay and reverb stompboxes into the amplifier’s all-tube signal path. A master volume circuit allows you to control the sound pressure level coming from the speaker, while pouring on copious amounts of gain from the ECC83S-based tube preamp or your favorite dirt pedals. This 25-watt combo takes Supro’s classic rock tones a step further by crafting a design that allows you to get the best out of your stompbox collection. The preamp in the Supro Keeley Custom gives you the headroom needed for the tone from your pedals, while the effects loop allows you to place time-based effects downstream. The amp features a Bruce Zinky designed cathode-biased “Class-A” power section loaded with premium Tung-Sol 6V6GT tubes to achieve an instantly recognizable Supro sound. A custom-made CR10 speaker provides deep bass response with perfectly voiced highs to give you unparalleled performance in a portable, 1 x 10 combo amp.

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#23

Laney Amplification

L20T-112

Designed and engineered with pride in Great Britain. The LIONHEART L20T-112 is a 20 watt Parallel, Single-Ended, Class 'A' all-tube combo, giving a great range of clean, crisp, dynamic and open guitar tones. With less emphasis on preamp distortion, the L20T-112 lets you hear more of you the player and your guitar and feel the power tubes clipping to breakup, giving a much richer harmonic content and a larger dynamic range than many other amps. Whatever your style, play through a LIONHEART and you’ll be amazed at how it reacts to your touch.

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#24

B-52

AT-412A & AT-412B

Delivers awesome tone, incredible projection, and a powerful voice. The AT-412 480W 4x12 Mono/Stereo Guitar Cabinet is loaded with 4 custom-built, 120W 12" speakers that deliver crystal-clear sound and handle heavy distortion, classic overdrive, and high wattage levels easily. A perfect complement to the AT-100 head.

#25

B-52

The AT-100

The AT-100 is a 3-channel, all-tube, tri-mode rectified beast that gives you unparalleled tone and astounding versatility. The clean channel yields sparkling vintage tone that stays clean even at high volume. The overdrive section features 2 independent high-gain channels and independent volume controls with a shared 3-band EQ. The assignable contour (mid-scoop) control gives you the ability to make each overdrive channel sound radically different. The Global section features Low-Res (Resonance), Reverb and Master Volume.

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