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16 Best Portable Guitar Amps in 2024 (All Price Ranges)

Whether you’re out on a road trip or jamming with friends, a lightweight, and portable guitar amp is a handy piece of gear. With modern advancements in digital technology, a portable guitar amp can still give you some great classic amp tones that are perfect for practicing on the go or rehearsing at home.

Whether you’re a beginner or a veteran guitarist, I’m sure you’ll find something that meets your playing style and specification preferences on this list.

We’ll start this article by discussing the best portable guitar amps at each price point, but for those of you who want to learn more about amps before reading reviews, we also have a buying guide at the bottom of the page.

Here Are the Best Portable Guitar Amps

1. positive grid spark amp (best overall).

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My Review: The award-winning Spark amp by Positive Grid is, without a doubt, one of the most versatile small amps on the market. It’s packed with high-quality features and valuable practicing tools that many portable amps lack. This amp is perfect for practicing at home or packing up to take on the road. All the effects and amp models you could need are loaded on the amp software. Just download the Spark app on any IOS or Android device, connect, and dial in your tones using the presets that come ready to go, or start from scratch and build your own digital rig. You can then save your setup in one of four programmable channels.

I found the tones on this little amp to be really great. It’s almost intimidating at first how many effects and amp models options come loaded on this little amp, but it didn’t take long to dial in a few tones that I really liked. The app is pretty intuitive and I got the hang of it in no time. Just bring along the small power supply as well as your phone or device and you have everything you need to dial in high-quality guitar tones for your small gig or jam session. This amp also works great for electric guitar, acoustic guitar, or bass guitar.

The Spark is also loaded with practice tools such as Auto Chord Recognition and Smart Jam Technology. I found the Smart Jam Technology in particular to be an extremely useful feature, and it’s something that’s really unique about this amp compared to other portable practice amps. There wasn’t even much of a learning curve for me to get used to it. Just turn the feature on, start jamming a chord progression and the software automatically generates a bass and drum track for you to continue jamming along with. It’s an incredibly fun and easy way to get a Jam track going to practice your different scales and riffs along with, in an effectively infinite loop. You can also get the chords for millions of songs and play along with the app in real-time. I can’t say enough about what an incredible practice tool this amp is.

Overall Build: Measuring roughly 14″ x 7″ x 7.5″, the Spark is a nice desktop size amp with classic good looks. Black textured vinyl, brown grille cloth, and removable leather handle. The handle is heavy duty and great for portability, however, Positive Grid also offers a heavy duty traveler gig bag for added protection and portability, specifically sized for the Spark. The gig bag does not come standard when you order the amp and is considered an optional accessory.

Output and Wattage: At 40W output power, this is more than just a desktop amp. Along with being possibly the best practice amp on the market, the spark is also an incredible travel amp for parking up and taking to a jam session, party, or small gig. Overall this is one of the very best guitar portable amps on the market.

Controls and Built-In Effects: There are 40 built-in effects pedals including Overdrives, Distortions, Noise Gates, Delay, Reverb, Chorus, Flanger, Phaser, Tremolo, etc. as well as 30 different amp models for all different types of tones from clean, crunch, metal, as well as some optimized for acoustic guitar and bass guitar. There are literally thousands of different tone combinations you can dial in using the Spark Amp.

2. BOSS Katana Mini (Best Value)

My Review: Japanese-headquartered BOSS has enjoyed widespread acclaim for decades for their pedals, effects, processors, and their Katana series of amps. The BOSS Katana mini takes this reputation one step further by packing the versatility and power of the Katana series in a significantly more travel-friendly form and weight. In fact, it sounds so rich that it’s hard to believe that it’s such a compact and mobile model. With a proprietary analog circuit for a huge projection and analog EQ, it gives you great creative control over your tone and overall sound. Given its pocket-friendly price, this amp makes for great value for money, given its wealth of effects and features and solid construction.

Overall Build: Weighing just 3.3 lbs and measuring 4.2 x 2.7 x 3.7 inches, the Katana-mini is built for effortless mobility. It can be used both with an AC power adapter (sold separately) or with batteries. This is a solidly built amp with an instrument input as well as an aux input that lets you jam with backing tracks as well, whether you’re busking or practicing scales at home.

Output and Wattage: Its 7-watt output is supported by an original multi-stage analog circuit design. Together, it delivers incredibly rich and full projection that is hard to get at such a low price point and small dimensions. This means that you can use this for small gigs as well as for group and private practice sessions.

Controls and Built-In Effects: The three amp types brown, crunch, and clean, give three quite versatile tone styles that will fit a wide range of genres and playing preferences. The built-in tape-style delay offers an awesome warm ambiance to your tone, while the three-band analog EQ stack lets you tweak your lows, mids, and highs to your liking.

The time and level of the delay can also be tweaked specifically, as can the overall volume with the master volume knob. Given the range of controls to play around with, this amp offers a lot of customizability for your sound, especially for an amp of this size.

3. Yamaha THR10II Desktop Amp (Editor’s Choice)

My Review: The Yamaha THR10II may be on the pricier side vs the rest of the options on this list, but then again, this is the only one here that can deliver a realistic tube amp tone in such a compact size. The pioneers of the ‘desktop amp’ concept, the THR1011 throws open several sonic possibilities thanks to several amp models for electric guitars, bass guitars, acoustic-electric as well as a nice flat tone for all other instruments. Plus, its striking finish and design are quite unlike most other amps that you usually come across. If you want serious power, versatility in a travel-friendly format, then this model is worth taking a look at.

Overall Build: Measuring a compact 14.5 x 5.5 x 7.2 inches and weighing a light 8 lbs, this amp can neatly fit onto your desktop, car, or baggage space. The most noteworthy feature of this model is the realistic tube amp effects its able to achieve in such a compact form. Thanks to the Bluetooth functionality, you can perform wirelessly, while also being able to tweak your tone with mobile apps if needed. With a newly redesigned speaker enclosure, the amp’s bass response has got significantly boosted, leading to a rich, balanced tone with tasty lows. Finally, the brand has gone the extra mile to give it a new aesthetic look which makes it an instant visual standout.

Output and Wattage: At 20 watts, it’s one of the most powerful of the portable amp mentioned on this list, allowing it to be way more than a desktop amp practically speaking. Its hi-fi speaker has stereo tech that projects a crystal clear, rich, and balanced sound that can fill up an entire room easily, making it ideal not only for solo or band rehearsals but for busking and other intimate performances as well.

Controls and Built-In Effects: This is where it really gets interesting. The THR1011 is a treasure trove of tones that will blend seamlessly with a wide spectrum of genres and playing styles. First off, its selection of realistic tube amp tones and feels is pretty much one of a kind in this category and price point, letting you enjoy the pristine tube amp sound in a portable setup as well.

Secondly, it also comes with an array of other built modeled effects that’ll serve you well whether you’re playing live or recording your tracks. It has modeled 15 different amps, 3 bass amps, 3 mic models as well as a pristine flat tone for every other instrument and style. The sheer number of possibilities makes it one of the most versatile amps on this list, and well worth the price if it’s your style. This is easily one of the best portable guitar amps out there.

4. VOX MINI 3 G2

My Review: A brand that’s gained legendary status for being the preferred choice of The Beatles, Rolling Stones, and many more, Vox has a long-standing reputation for peerless quality and design. And they’ve lived up to the reputation with the Mini3 G2 amp. With lightweight, compact dimensions, and versatile controls, this amp makes it possible to take your signature tone and sound with you wherever you go. Fitted with Vox’s proprietary circuitry, it’s impressively powerful for its size.

Overall Build: Weighing a pretty light 8 lbs and measuring 10.6 x 7.5 x 11.8, the Mini3 is an impressively versatile and feature-rich amp with travel-friendly dimensions. It gives you the option to use it with an AC adapter (included with the amp) as well as 6 AA batteries for added mobility, allowing you to play for up to 10 hours uninterrupted before you have to replace them. Another amazing feature about it is the fact that it is fitted with Vox’s proprietary ‘Bassilator’ circuit design, letting you enjoy heavy sounds with distinct low frequencies even at a lower volume. The Aux input jack lets you plug in your audio device and practice with backing tracks whenever you want.

Output and Wattage: At 3 watts, you may think that this output may not be enough for an intimate gig, but you’d be surprised. This tiny amp is impressively powerful for a mobile amp, and that makes it quite versatile whether you’re planning to practice or perform. actually has a huge sound that belies its size. It has enough sound to fill up an entire roomful of the crowd. And unlike other battery-powered amps, its tonal quality doesn’t suffer on battery mode or at higher volumes, you enjoy a rich tone even then.

Controls and Built-In Effects: You can choose from 11 different amp models to suit your playing style from a clean crisp tone to dirty heavier sounds depending on the genre or instrument you’re playing. Other built-in effects such as chorus, flanger, compressor, tremolo, reverb, and delay are of exceptional quality that Vox is known for. The solid low-end holds its own even after low volumes. All these features have the potential to make your playing impressively versatile, regardless of your choice of genre.

5. Orange Crush 12

My Review: With Crush 12, Orange has really ‘crushed’ it in the mobile amps market by packing its full format setup in an impressively compact size. Sleek, vibrant, and powerful, this amp is perfect for musicians looking for a great analog tone in a travel-friendly amp. The tone and effects possible on this little beast are truly remarkable, ranging from a crisp clean sound to a grungy dirty tone. If you want a great tone in a compact design at a budget-friendly price point, then do give this one a serious look.

Overall Build: Don’t be mistaken by this amp’s compact size, unlike other mobile amps that may have forgone some of their functionality in favor of a compact design, this amp is a full format Orange Crush model but in an incredibly portable size. For its power, features, and capabilities, Crush 12 is remarkably compact and easy to carry around. Measuring 11.4 x 6.8 x 12 inches and weighing 12.3 lbs, you can easily fit it in your boot space or overhead baggage without a hitch. With 1 channel for your instrument, it is fitted with a Cab sim headphone output that lets you enjoy world-class tone and sound even when practicing with headphones by yourself. The reason behind its impressive projection is the brand’s custom voice of the world 6-inch speakers that deliver a full-bodied, balanced sound that doesn’t falter at very high or low volumes.

Output and Wattage: At 12 watts, the output of Crush 12 is quite big for a portable amp, and that’s what separates it from the rest of the travel-friendly amps here. The custom voice of the world speakers offers a rich and loud projection that travels really well and makes for a great busking and practicing partner alike.

Controls and Built-In Effects: First and foremost, the Crush 12 has a fabulously powerful distortion tone that’s hard to find in amps this size. It offers a 3 band EQ, letting you modify the bass, mid, and treble intricacies of your tone. Along with the master volume control knob, you can also modify your gain and overdrive to add the right amount of bite depending upon the sound you’re going for. This lets you enjoy a goody-two-shoes clean tone to a grungy, heavy tone that’s in a class of its own.

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6. Orange Micro Terror

My Review: The Orange micro terror is 20 watts of terrifyingly awesome power in such a compact size, but do keep in mind that this is just the amp head and has to be paired with a speaker cabinet first to be amplified. Inspired by the original tiny terror model, this amp head combines a valve preamp along with a solid-state output that brings out fantastic tones that are fun to play and an asset to any traveling musician. Easy controls let you modify your volume, tone, and gain for a sound that is distinctly your own, while it’s incredibly lightweight makes it a breeze to carry wherever you go.

Overall Build: Weighing a featherweight 2 lbs and measuring 11 x 6 x 7 inches, the Orange micro terror is a massive repository of tones and power bundled up in a tiny, tiny size. As we said, this amp head needs to be hooked up to a speaker cabinet, but once you do that, you’ve truly unleashed a beast of powerful, vibrant Orange tones. The headphone output lets you practice with the signature orange guitar tones privately, while the AUX input lets you plug in and play alongside any track you want. The neat, white, and orange design with a rock-solid handle makes for a striking sight as well.

Output and Wattage: With 20 watts of pure powerful Orange tones to offer, this amp head holds a lot of power that can be unlocked with good quality cabinet speakers ranging between 8 to 16 ohm. The 12AX7 tube preamp and solid-state power amp supply a heavy-duty tone, depth, and projection that lives up to the ‘terror’ in its name.

Controls and Built-In Effects: You’ll find the master volume knob to control your projection, as well as tone and gain to tweak your sound as light and heavy as you’d like. By default, this amp gives you a really lush midrange tone with loads of headroom that will fit right in with a variety of genres and playing styles. All you have to do is plug your instrument into it, and you are good to go with a solid, luscious tone that you can be proud of.

7. VOX AP2CR amPlug 2

My Review: A great combination of ultra-portability and convenient features, Vox amPlug 2 Classic Rock embodies innovation. It is part of Vox’s amPlug G2 series, which comes in 7 variants to deliver a tailor-made tone as per your taste. Despite its palm-sized dimensions, the Classic Rock model gives a powerful and crunchy sound that can compete well with a 100W amp. The amPlug 2’s three amp modes and a bouquet of 9 effects of chorus, reverb, and delay offer a variety of tones at your disposal to add your own creative flair to your sound. Being a headphone amp, amPlug 2 makes for a great private practice and travel mate, all you need are two AAA batteries, and you are good to go for an impressive duration of time. Add to it the ultra-reasonable price tag, and this amp is quite a steal.

Overall Build: If a headphone amp is what you are looking for, amPlug 2 is probably one of the most portable ones out there, weighing a mere 3.04 ounces and measuring 7 x 1 x 5 inches. This little wonder has Vox’s proprietary fully analog design that produces a rich and complex sound akin to high-end tube amps. There’s no need for a guitar cable with amPlug 2 as it can be conveniently plugged right into your guitar and adjusted up to 180 degrees to get it into an ideal position. The plug is also foldable and makes the amp fit easily inside the gig bag. You can also connect your MP3 or a metronome to this little guy and strum away. The convenience factor is nicely rounded off with an auto power-off functionality that shuts down the amp if left idle for 30 mins.

Output and Wattage: The amPlug 2 is a 3-watt micro guitar amp that needs only 2 AAA batteries to get the magic going. It can run up to 11 hours if you use the effects and a good 17 hours without them. Of course, being a headphone amp, it’s designed exclusively for private practice sessions with your headphone plugged in, ruling out group rehearsals or performances. Controls and Built-In Effects: For its size, we are pleasantly surprised with the range of onboard features.

The amp boasts three amplification modes, with the Classic Rock variant featuring a mid-boost. Vox has ensured that the players get great tonal versatility by equipping the amp with three effects- chorus, delay, and reverb and each of these having three different modes. So you get nine different sounds out of this compact amp. In addition to the volume, gain, and tone controls, the amp also has an fx button, which lets you cycle through all of the effects with great ease. Overall, I’d say that this is easily one of the best portable amps.

8. Fender Frontman 10G

My Review: Fender’s smallest amp, Frontman 10G is also one of the most popular practice amps amongst guitar enthusiasts thanks to its compact dimensions and excellent tonal quality at a pocket-friendly price. The 10-watt lightweight amp is equipped with 6” special design speakers, giving out a clean tone similar to larger sized Frontman amps. What we loved most about this amp is the built-in overdrive effect, making it perfect for players who love some distortion. With the headphone output and aux-in jack, you can practice privately to the backing track in a practice room or on-the-go.

Overall Build: Frontman 10G sports the classic Fender look with black textured vinyl, silver grille cloth, and the brand’s logo on the face. This no-frills amp features a single channel with an overdrive switch, which renders the signature clean tone quintessential to the brand. 6” special design speakers are loud enough to fill up a decent-sized room. The closed-back design casing works well to deliver a good bass response. The control panel includes two ⅛” input jacks to plug in the headphones and mp3 players and jam to your favorite songs. The amp’s 8.5 lbs weight and 5.75 x 10.25 x 11 inches dimensions make for a fairly portable setup.

Output and Wattage: The amp’s 10-watt output and small 6” speakers make it more suited for practice rooms or similar-sized spaces than full-blown performance. However, we are pleased with the tone quality, which is pretty good for its price tag.

Controls and Built-In Effects: The amp has 2- band EQ with treble and bass, which can be tweaked around to brighten or dampen the tone to suit your style and the instrument. Apart from these, the control panel also features a master volume known and a selectable overdrive switch with a gain knob to modify the level of crunch and heaviness in your tone. The push-button channel switch lets you distort and crunch the tone to suit any style from blues to metal. Although the amp does not have a lot of effects to play around with, its clean interface, reliable features, ultra-portability, and affordable price tag make it a great practice and beginner amp.

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9. Blackstar Fly3

My Review: Blackstar Fly 3 is undeniably one of the most revered portable amplifiers out there in the guitar market. And here’s why- the amp is incredibly compact yet fantastic sounding thanks to the awe-worthy sound honing Blackstar patented Infinite Shape Feature (ISF), which offers superb tonal variety to the players. A digital tape delay effect provides a distinctive resonance during play. The amp is incredibly lightweight and travels friendly, thanks to its battery-powered design. All in all, we are quite impressed with the sonic punch packed in this ultra-compact body.

Overall Build: We are struck by the construction quality of this amp. The fly 3 is sturdily built and has a solid and weighty feel to it. It is a better sounding amp than similar amps on the market, and we believe it has to do with its sturdy and smart design. It boasts 2 channels which offer clean and overdrive tones. There is an emulated output jack for late-night silent practice or recording and an aux-in for jamming to your choice of tracks. The amp measuring 7.59 x 5.59 x 4.29 inches, weighs only 1.98 lbs and is easy to carry around, and can be conveniently stashed into a guitar case or a gig bag.

Output and Wattage: The amp delivers a sound that belies its miniature size. The sound is loud and powerful, considering it has a 3-watt output, 3-inch speaker, and battery-powered. With Fly3, what you get is excellent sound quality, which can give other similar-sized amps quite a run for their money. In addition to 6 AA batteries, the amp can also run on an optional power supply, the adapter for which is sold separately.

Controls and Built-In Effects: The amp boasts the cutting-edge Infinite Shape Feature that works in tandem with the tone control. The ISF control lets you choose the character of the tone ranging from an American characteristic with a tight bottom end and more aggressive middle to a British tone which is woodier and less aggressive. The control panel features a gain knob to adjust the level of overdrive, dial it up for rock, and mellow it down for blues. An overdrive switch instantly cranks up the volume and distortion to accompany rock and metal styles. Other than that, the controls are pretty straightforward with volume, delay level, delay time, and power switch.

10. NUX Mighty Lite BT

My Review: True to its name, NUX Mighty Lite BT Mini portable modeling amp is indeed a super lightweight and ultra-mobile amp with a host of impressive features. We found this amp to be quite player-friendly and versatile, featuring 3 channels, built-in digital reverb, and delay fx, along with the flexibility to power it through batteries or USB connection. Its 3-watt output is delivered through 3” speakers and sounds quite good for its size. The amp’s stand out feature of built-in drum beats along with an aux-in jack and Bluetooth connection makes this an excellent pick for guitar enthusiasts looking to hone their jamming skills.

Overall Build: Right off the bat, let’s talk about the star advantage of this amp- it is effortless to move around with measuring 6.54 x 3.86 x 4.88 inches with 2.25 lbs of weight and flexibility of both battery and USB power. That’s not all, this desktop amplifier offers you the freedom to play and jam to any track of your choice thanks to its 3.5mm aux, headphone input, and Bluetooth connectivity. The amp has 3 great sounding channels- clean, overdrive, and distortion which throw open the types of sounds you can get out of your guitar. NUX has also included a convenient android and iOS app that lets you tweak controls, effects, and drum machine with your smartphone via Bluetooth functionality.

Output and Wattage: The amp’s 3-watt output at 3” tiny speakers make up for the low volume and punch with great tonal flexibility. The overall sound is quite solid, considering its small dimensions and price tag. We love the fact that the Mighty Lite BT Min is so easy to power; you can use a 9V power adapter at home or 6 AA batteries if you are on the go.

Controls and Built-In Effects: NUX Mighty Lite BT is a compact modeling amp that offers its players a range of tones to suit their styles. The onboard drum feature offers 9 different drumming styles to play around with and a metronome to improve your jamming skills. The control panel has gain, volume, tone, delay/reverb knobs, and a tap tempo button to set delay and drumming speed. The coolest bit is that all of the parameters and onboard effects can also be managed from the Mighty Lite app. It lets you control the drums, customize reverb and delay effects, adjust the noise gate, and add 4 awesome modulation effects- phaser, chorus, tremolo, and vibe.

11. Sawtooth 10W Guitar Amp

My Review: If you are hunting for a practice amp that is compact, reliable, and easy on the pockets, then do give the Sawtooth 10-Watt amp a go. The amp boasts 3-band EQ and overdrive switch which makes it an excellent value for money. The crystal clear sound produced by this little guy is quite impressive for its size. A mono input jack lets you plug in mp3 players and play along to your favorite tracks, while the headphone out jack makes it convenient to practice without disturbing anyone. We like that Sawtooth has included a10ft Chromecast instrument cable with the amp as a value addition while allowing more leeway to move around while playing.

Overall Build: The combo amp sports a sophisticated look and a sturdy build with a vinyl-covered wooden frame, making it durable and well-suited for everyday use. Sawtooth has cleverly designed the amp with an open weave grill to pack a greater sonic punch than its small size would have otherwise allowed. A closed-back design works well in enhancing the bass response by giving it a more low-end punch while ensuring no back spill or side leakage or the sound. The amp has a single channel with a built-in drive effect. It weighs just 6.1 lbs and measures 10.5 x 6 x 11 inches and has a reinforced handle, which allows easy transportation. This well-built amp has a decent set of specs which makes it a popular practice amp for beginners.

Output and Wattage: The 10-watt output of this amp is a pretty neat wattage for a portable guitar amp that is not only suitable for private practicing but also good enough for a busking session or an intimate gig. The amp’s 6.5” speakers deliver a powerful sound with a remarkable degree of projection.

Controls and Built-In Effects: The amp boasts a 3-band equalizer that lets you modify the lows, mids, and highs to find the sweet spot that you’ll enjoy playing with. Moreover, the overdrive switch lets you instantly kick in the heavy-duty distortion which can be adjusted to your playing style with help of the gain knob. All in all, this is a no-frills model that keeps it simple. It may not have a range of built-in effects to choose from but it sticks to the basics and does it well.

12. Orange Amplification Crush Mini

My Review: Orange Crush Mini 3 is the perfect solution for musicians that want to enjoy a solid, formidable tone even when on the go. This battery-powered amp is ideal for at-home practicing as well as backstage warmups right before you head for your performance. not only sounds good but looks amazing as well. A simple but very effective 3 control setup gives you a lot of power to mold your tone the way you want to, even on such a small setup. If you’re looking for a durable and high-quality portable practice amp that doesn’t break the bank, then this is a seriously good contender for your attention.

Overall Build: Orange has managed to condense its iconic tone in an impressively compact amp with the Crush Mini 3. This single-channel amp is powered by a single D battery that lasts a good enough duration before having to be switched. At only 2 pounds and measuring 3.2 x 6 x 5.7 inches, this little wonder packs a big punch with its classic British tone and versatility in its travel-friendly size. The amp comes with a very helpful built-in tuner as well as a headphone output that switches from the speaker, letting you practice in silence. Finally, the AUX-in lets you jam along to your favorite tracks and polish your skills.

Output and Wattage: In its 3 watt output, this Crush mini 3 delivers a staggering projection and sound. Moreover, if you hook a cabinet speaker to its speaker output jack, then you can effortlessly use it as an amplifier for larger audiences as well.

Controls and Built-In Effects: The Crush mini 3 bears the signature easy-to-grasp and versatile control system that the brand is well known for. Aside from a master volume knob, you also have gain and shape controls to tweak your tone. The gain knob can be used to tweak just the right amount of that classic crunchy tone, while the shape knob is perfect for shaving off lows or highs from your overall tone, giving you the freedom to decide how fate or thin your tone sounds.

13. Fender Mini Deluxe Electric Guitar Amp

My Review: Lightweight, portable, and no-fuss, Fender keeps it nice and simple with the mini deluxe amp. A no-frills and affordable option for a practice amp, it has an extremely portable design that lets you take it along with you without giving it a second thought. With a solid handle, quintessential Fender looks, and classic tones, this model has been specially designed keeping electric guitars in mind. At such an affordable price point, it is a good value for money purchase for the on-the-go beginner to the intermediate guitarist.

Overall Build: At less than half a pound in weight and measuring 11.4 x 7.4 x 3.5 inches, the mini deluxe is a seriously portable model. This single-channel amplifier comes with dual 2” speakers that deliver a well-balanced sound that’s ideal for practicing. The 1/4 inch headphone jack makes it perfect for late-night solo practice sessions, and also comes with a 9V adapter jack. The build is no-frills and bears the classic Fender styling, with black chicken head knobs for controls and a simple red ‘jewel’ light to indicate when it’s powered on. The overall construction is done with Nato wood, which is a fairly solid material, and with a black finish.

Output and Wattage: This is a single watt amp, so it would be unfair to pit it against the more powerful variants in terms of projection. But it does its job pretty well as a practice amp for the traveling musician. Powered by a single 9V battery, you can use it to pay for hours without needing to hook it up to an adapter.

Controls and Built-In Effects: Aside from the classic volume control knob, you can also use the gain and the tone knobs to play with a clean, crisp tone, a crunchier, heavy sound, or a blend of the two by tweaking the levels to your liking.

14. Marshall MS2 Micro Amp

My Review: This is really as compact as it gets! The Marshall MS2 micro guitar amp is the lightest and the tiniest amp on this list. This battery-powered beauty delivers just enough power and amplification that you need to practice comfortably on the move or even perform to an intimate gathering, and we think a pocket-sized amp like this one deserves to be in every guitarist’s collection. The extremely affordable price point just sweetens the deal even more.

Overall Build: Weighing merely 0.34 lbs and 2.36 x 4.3 x 5.5 inches in dimensions, the MS-2 is a featherweight and compact amp that’s designed for the practicing guitarist that’s on the road or wants a tiny practice setup at home. Powered by a single Polaroid 9V battery, you can practice comfortably for hours before it’s time to switch the batteries. This one-channel amp also comes with a headphone jack to practice in solace without disturbing anyone else around you.

Output and Wattage: Being a micro amp, the output is only 1 watt, but then again, this is exactly what Marshall’s tiny amps are built for. And even then, you are greeted with the iconic Marshall tone, all-be-it, a miniature version. What else could you ask for in a micro setup? This makes it perfect for practicing by yourself, whether you’re at home or on the go in between concerts. Not just that, it’s in fact good enough for performing to a small gathering or in the subway. You’ll be able to project a decent volume in a 30-foot radius, after which the projection gets weaker. But then, this is more than what we could ask for in a 1-watt amp. Even with its limited output, this little wonder packs quite a punch with its volume and overall output.

Controls and Built-In Effects: Despite its diminutive measurements, Marshall has fitted the MS-2 with all the practical and controls that a guitarist would need while practicing. You can choose from both clean as well as overdrive channels, while a single tone control knob lets you tweak the exact sound to your personal preferences. We love the fact that at such an affordable price point, you still get to enjoy the legendary Marshall sound and tone.

15. Roland Mobile Cube Battery-Powered Stereo Amplifier

My Review: One of the most portable guitar amps on this list, the Roland mobile cube is extremely light and compact. And with ‘mobile’ in the name itself, we’re sure you would’ve guessed that already. Extremely lightweight and tiny, this stereo amp is battery powered and works like a dream if you’re planning to busk or even rehearse with a group. For an amp this small, it has a great sound and comes with a sweet set of built-in effects to tweak your guitar and vocal tones as you like.

Overall Build: One of the things we love most about this amp is that this little wonder weighs only 1 lb. That’s right, only 1 lb! With 14 x 6 x for dimensions, this little fella can literally be carried around and taken anywhere you want without thinking twice. Despite its size, this is a stereo amp with a pretty neat sound and can run for hours on 6 AA batteries. It’s also compatible with a host of instruments aside from the guitar. Microphones, keyboards, drum machines, and MP3 players can all be plugged into it without a hassle.

You’ll find two variations of this model, one with a handle and one without, the handle version costing slightly more. It’s up to you but we recommend shelling out slightly more and taking the one with the handle to truly benefit from its portability. This is a page about portable amps after all and this is just a really nice option feature that adds value in the portability category. The model comes in a sleek design in black with the classic Roland logo on the speaker.

Output and Wattage: The Roland Mobile cube has a modest output wattage of 5 watts, and with this small, it’s not fair to expect anymore, to be honest. This makes it ideal for a solo practice session at home, as well as band practice in a jam room. But not just that, it can also be used for busking on the street as its sound projects pretty well. The best part is that this amp can be hooked to a mini PA to massively boost its sound and even be used for a small gig type performance.

Controls and Built-In Effects: Along with the master volume control knob, you will also find a series of cool built-in effects to enjoy. You can choose from reverb, chorus, overdrive, and delay. For an amp this tiny, this is a wonderful range of styles and effects to choose from, giving you the freedom to play around with your tone. Finally, the center cancels feature is godsent for everyone that wants to sing along on karaoke with this amp since it cancels the main vocals on the track.

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16. Marshall MG10

My Review: The Marshall 10W combo amp is the perfect example of the saying “great things come in small packages”. Far from merely being a practice amp, this model goes above and beyond to give you a solid value for money. With sleek, portable dimensions and the iconic Marshall tones, this amp offers both contemporary and classic tones effortlessly. You can easily carry it along to an intimate gig, band rehearsal, or simply to a road trip without it hardly taking up any space. Given its quality, design finish, and features, this neat little monster is priced really well in our opinion.

Overall Build: With a no-frills design aesthetic, this amp looks quite unassuming at first. But this portable amp packs a lot of punch with its features. Weighing only 11.3 pounds and with 14” x 12” x 9” for dimensions, its light and compact enough to easily be carried around in the trunk of a car and cabin baggage. Fitted with a custom 6.5” speaker, this 1 channel model also comes with a headphone jack for those late-night silent practice sessions. Plus, another aux in is perfect for jamming over backing tracks as well. The classic Marshall gold metal finish and gold piping add an unmistakable clean aesthetic appeal.

Output and Wattage: With a 10W output, it’s powerful enough to work well for a personal or band practice session. It also works pretty well for playing with a cozy group of friends. Simply put, it’s a small amp with a BIG sound for its size.

Controls and Built-In Effects: This is a 1 channel amp with a master volume knob for the clean tone, and a gain and volume knob for the overdrive, plus a contour control for the gain channel as well. This gives you a nice and wide range of both clean, crisp tones as well as heavier sounds while letting you control and tweak the finer aspects of your sound. For a mobile amp, this is a great selection of tones to choose from.

Choosing the Right Portable Guitar Amp (Buying Guide)

The biggest advantage of a portable amp is precisely that it is extremely light and easy to carry! These amps can pack quite a punch and can easily fit in your car trunk or flight cabin baggage. They’re not just light in weight, but also much more compact in their dimensions when compared to regular amps.

And just because portable amps are tinier doesn’t mean they are a compromise in any way. Most travel-friendly amps are fitted with solid features, controls, and built-in effects. This lets you be in control of your tone and play around with effects even when working with a much smaller model.

In fact, the output of some of these amps can even be hooked up to bigger cabinet speakers to deliver a great sound and projection that could be good enough for a decently sized audience.

What Features To Go For When Buying A Portable Amp?

When thinking of buying a portable amp, there are a couple of features that you should look out for to make the best choice. While some features are common with other regular-sized amps, there are others that you should pay special attention to when buying an amp that you’d like to be easy to travel with:

Weight: When picking a portable guitar amp, it’s crucial to choose a model that is lightweight. Otherwise, the entire point of getting a mobile amp gets defeated if it’s heavy and cumbersome to carry around. While some amps are extremely lightweight, some even weighing under 2 lbs, they may have to shave off some features and controls to keep it light. So, it’s a good idea to balance the weight with the features you’ll be getting in your amp. Dimensions: Aside from the weight, the overall measurements of your amp also have to be compact. The dimensions are what will make your portable amp truly portable after all, it will have to be tiny enough to easily fit into limited space, be it a trunk of your car or a congested overhead cabin on your flights. So do look out for the L x H x W.

Controls and Effects: Just because you’re going for a light and portable amp doesn’t mean it has to be bare-bones or devoid of any effects. There are plenty of portable amps that are lightweight, compact, and still let you modify your tone and sound with gain, overdrive, EQ controls as well as other built-in effects. Of course, do keep in mind that a fancier selection of effects may slightly nudge the overall weight of the amp higher, but that isn’t always the case.

Wattage: Last but not the least, you will find a considerable range of wattage to choose from amongst portable guitar amps ranging from 1 watt to 20 watts as well. There is single correct wattage, and the right output completely depends on your personal preferences and what you’ll be using the amp for. If you’re picking a portable amp to simply be able to practice your chops while on the move, then a lesser wattage will do just fine. However, if you’re planning to use it for smaller gigs or busking, then it may be a good idea to also explore models with higher wattage.

Bottom Line: Whether you’re practicing in your bedroom or want to warm up when on the road, a light and portable guitar amp is a must-have for every guitarist regardless of their skill level. The perfect portable amp differs from person to person and is quite a personal choice that depends on what they’re looking for in their setup.

But if you’re asking us for some quick recommendations, then here goes. For the amp that packs the most power in the smallest possible size, go for the Orange Crush Mini 3-Watt amp. For those ok with a little more weight but a healthy mix of compact dimensions but with rich features, the Marshall Amps Guitar Combo Amplifier is a good bet. The most value for money option would well be the BOSS Katana mini amp.

We hope our in-depth review and guide helps your zero in on the model that best serves your playing style and needs. Happy jamming!

My name is Chris and I’ve had a passion for music and guitars for as long as I can remember. I started this website with some of my friends who are musicians, music teachers, gear heads, and music enthusiasts so we could provide high-quality guitar and music-related content.

I’ve been playing guitar since I was 13 years old and am an avid collector. Amps, pedals, guitars, bass, drums, microphones, studio, and recording gear, I love it all.

I was born and raised in Western Pennsylvania. My background is in Electrical Engineering, earning a Bachelor’s degree from Youngstown State University. With my engineering experience, I’ve developed as a designer of guitar amplifiers and effects. A true passion of mine, I’ve designed, built, and repaired a wide range of guitar amps and electronics. Here at the Guitar Lobby, our aim is to share our passion for Music and gear with the rest of the music community.

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The Best Portable Guitar Amps for Playing Your Tunes On the Road

By Joshua Kanter

Joshua Kanter

If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Rolling Stone may receive an affiliate commission.

Portability doesn’t have to mean sacrificing sound quality, especially when it comes to guitar amps. While even the biggest guitar amps for electric or acoustic models still have handles that make it easy to take on the road, most still aren’t ideal for commutes to the studio or a venue. The good news is that you can still find plenty of new portable guitar amps that feature a more lightweight, travel-friendly design with all the functions you’ll need. Whether you occasionally play an open mic, or just want a great-sounding amp that’s ready to hit the road when you are, we found a range of the best portable guitar amps for every situation.

Portable Guitar Amp Buying Guide

Here’s what to look for in a powerful, portable guitar amp:

Amp Type : When you’re shopping for the best portable guitar amp for you, you’ll likely find two main options out there: solid state and tube. Solid state amps use transistors to amplify the signal, while tube amps use vacuum tubes. Generally, solid state amps tend to be more reliable and less expensive, but many guitarists prefer the warmer, more natural sound of tube amps.

Power: If you’re playing small gigs or practicing at home, a lower-wattage amp will likely suffice. However, if you’re playing larger venues or need more volume, you’ll want to look for a higher-wattage amp to reach the back row. An amp that’s 40 watts should be powerful enough to get loud for a good-sized crowd, while 20 watts and under will keep the coffeehouse patrons happy.

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Effects: Reverb, delay, and distortion are just a few to think about, as well as tone-shaping controls like EQ and gain. These can be useful for shaping your sound and adding extra dimension to your playing, and if possible, we recommend going for an amp that has at least these options on it. Other extras can include a built-in drum machine, and the ability to control everything from an app via Bluetooth.

What Are the Best Portable Guitar Amps?

Here are our favorite portable guitar amps for both playing on the road and practicing alike.

Mark Five: 25 Guitar Combo Amp

This combo amp has the power to get seriously loud, while still being light enough to stay portable. The Mark Five: 25 contains a total of six preamp tubes and two power tubes inside, with two channels, two inputs, and 10/25W of switchable kick. Controls like presence, reverb, and even a footswitch are included, while there’s plenty of equalization opportunities to play with to get your perfect sound and volume set for any small to mid-sized performance.

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Buy Fender Mustang Micro Headphone Amplifier $89.99

Fender Mustang LT40S

The bigger brother of the Micro, Fender’s Mustang brings all the fun and experimentation into an amp that’s about half the size of other portables and still powerful (and light) at 40 watts with 4″ speakers inside. The user interface is easy to get the hang of, with a screen and plenty of effects and settings to explore. An added bonus: You can save your favorites with the Fender app. Use the built-in tuner to get started, tap your desired tempo, and crank this light-but-loud unit all the way up.

Buy Fender Mustang LT40S $229.99

Yamaha THR10II 10W 2×3 Guitar Combo Amp

Compared side-by-side with the others in the bunch, Yamaha’s THR10II looks like it’s from another time, maybe even another planet. But it sounds great, and portability wasn’t lost in the design of this rectangular little powerhouse. At 15 watts, it’s still plenty loud for solo practice, and provides the option of emulating realistic tube-amp tones along with 15 guitar amps, three bass amps, three mic models for acoustic-electrics, and flat modes for everything else. It’s Bluetooth and USB compatible for headphones and desktops/laptops for when you’re ready to record.

Buy Yamaha THR10II 10W Guitar Combo Amp $299.99

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Travel Guitar Amps

Refine your results.

amPlug G2 Blues Headphone Guitar Amp, 3 Amp Modes (Clean, Crunch and Lead)

DESCRIPTION

A compact headphone guitar amp with improved analog circuit, three amp modes, and authentic blues tone.

KEY FEATURES

Crush Mini 3 Watt Micro Amp, Orange (Open Box)

A compact, lightweight orange amplifier with full tonal control, speaker output, headphone output, and built-in tuner.

• Brand: orange

amPlug 2 Cabinet

A compact and versatile mini-stack amp with increased output power and AUX input for jamming along with your favorite tracks.

Debut 10E 10W 2x3" Combo Guitar Amp with Delay

A compact, stylish guitar amp with patented ISF control, built-in 'tape' delay effect, and stereo playback capabilities.

• Brand: blackstar

Crush Mini 3 Watt Micro Amp, Orange

A compact, lightweight solid-state amplifier with full tonal control, built-in tuner, and speaker output.

Mini '57 Twin-Amp with Tweed Cover

A portable headphone amp with a classic '57 Twin-Amp design, versatile controls, and vintage-style exterior.

• Brand: fender

5150III Micro Stack EL34, 1W, 1x3" Mini Guitar Combo Amp, Black and Gold

A compact and portable guitar combo amp with arena-sized crunch, perfect for practicing in small spaces.

Pocket POD Battery-Powered Headphone/Mini Amp Modeler for Guitarists

A battery-powered, portable amp modeler with over 300 presets, 32 amp models, and 16 effects.

• Brand: line 6

BJF-S66 66W Compact Guitar Amp Head

A compact guitar amp head with 2 channels, adjustable lead boost, and 3-band EQ controls.

• Brand: one control

DH15H DarkHorse 15W All-Tube Guitar Amp Head

A compact, all-tube guitar amp head with versatile tonestack options and selectable output power stages.

• Brand: traynor

BIAS Amp Desktop Software Plug-In, Electronic Download

A versatile amp modeling software with customizable preamps, tone stacks, power amps, and access to ToneCloud.

• Brand: positive grid

amPlug G2 Clean Headphone Guitar Amp, 3 Amp Modes (2 Clean, 1 Overdrive)

A compact headphone guitar amp with improved analog circuit, three amp modes, and multi-effect functionality.

amPlug2 FLY Guitar Headphone Amp for Electric Guitars

A compact, solid-state guitar headphone amp with 3 channels, ISF control, and 9 built-in effects.

AC15 Custom Head 15W RMS Guitar Amp with Built-in Attenuator

A 15W all-tube guitar amp with Normal and Top Boost channels, footswitchable reverb and tremolo, and a new Reactive Attenuator.

BJF-S66 66W 2-Channel Guitar Amp Head with FS-P3 Footswitch

A 66W 2-channel guitar amp head with adjustable lead boost, 3-band EQ controls, and optional footswitch control.

IR-2 Amp and Cabinet Pedal

A compact digital guitar pedal that simulates classic tube amps and mic'd speaker cabinets for versatile, studio-grade tones.

• Brand: boss

Groove portable USB DAC and Headphone Amp for Mac or PC

A portable USB DAC and headphone amp that delivers high-quality audio for listening on Mac or PC.

• Brand: apogee electronics

6-Pin BP3 AMP Kit, Includes Body Pins and Sockets

A 6-pin BP3 AMP kit for power breakout and SMPTE assemblies by Camplex.

• Brand: camplex

amPlug2 FLY Bass Headphone Amp for Electric Bass

A compact headphone amp for electric bass with 3 channels, custom tone control, and built-in rhythm loops.

BackLight 26L Backpack for DSLR Camera, Mirrorless Camera, Lenses, Flashes, 15" Laptop and Tablet, Charcoal

A 26L backpack with rear-panel access for DSLR camera, lenses, laptop, and tablet, in black nylon material.

• Versatile and spacious design
• Well-made and durable materials
• Convenient and secure access to gear
• Comfortable to wear for extended periods
• Ability to carry a variety of equipment including laptops and tripods
• Brand: mindshift

Befree Advanced Lever 4-Section Aluminum Travel Tripod with Ball Head, Black

A lightweight and portable travel tripod with a stable ball head and versatile leg angles for creative outdoor photography.

• Lightweight and portable
• Sturdy and well-built
• Easy to set up and use
• Compact size for travel
• Good value for the price
• Brand: manfrotto

Wash Pouch, Small, Sage

A durable, weatherproof wash pouch in sage color with multiple pockets for organized travel essentials.

• Brand: peak design

F-803 Camera Satchel Bag, Canvas, Black

A compact, discreet camera bag made of black cotton canvas, perfect for photographers and business travelers.

• Sturdy and well-made design
• Accommodates camera and lenses well
• Discreet and inconspicuous appearance
• Multiple sections and pockets for organization
• Durable and reliable
• Brand: domke

StudioMax III AC Operated 320ws Constant Color Monolight, with Reflector & Flashtube. (AKC320)

A lightweight and versatile AC-operated monolight with continuously variable power adjustments and accessory compatibility.

• Brand: photogenic

Alta Fly 55T Trolley Bag / Backpack - Roller Bag with 4 Wheels - Gray

A durable and versatile gray trolley bag/backpack that holds a multi-DSLR kit with 4-6 lenses.

• Brand: vanguard

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10 Best Portable Guitar Amps in 2024 (reviews)

A portable guitar amp is nice as it’s handy and great for street musicians and those who are traveling a lot.

There are tons of guitar amps on the market that offers great portability.

In fact, the numbers have increased given the fact that guitarists and musicians alike are a lot more mobile today than yesterday.

So, if you are in the quest for your first portable guitar amp or looking to replace your old amp, you’ve come to the right place.

Our musicians on-board spent so much time picking the best music gear in town.

And, in this article, we feature the best portable guitar amps this 2024.

We reviewed the best 10 products and from there, we get our recommendations.

In addition, if you are looking for help to find the right one for you, we include our best practices and a few tips. So sit back and read on!

10 Best Portable Guitar Amps 2024

Vox mini3 g2 modeling amp, roland micro cube gx guitar combo amp, roland cube street amplifier, yamaha thr10c mini guitar amplifier, peavey nano vypyr guitar amplifier, roland ac33 acoustic chorus amp, line 6 micro spider guitar amplifier, zt amplifiers lunchbox junior, fender champion 20 guitar amplifier, boss katana-mini guitar amplifier.

Offers 11 amp models from high-gain to clean tones, VOX MINI3 G2 Battery Powered Modeling Amp , supports a wide variety of instruments. It can be used with AC power source or six AA batteries, this gives you at least 10 hours of continuous entertainment and fun.

Features the maker’s proprietary “Bassilator” circuit, you’ll achieve heavy sound with ultra-low frequencies.

Comes with compact construction and design, it’s portable and always ready for home studio and even for outdoor use. It has enhanced quality effects like compressor, chorus, flanger, delay, reverb, and tremolo. Enjoy jamming with your MP3 player through the amps AUX input jack.

• Tiny amp with an exceptionally loud sound
• Has fantastic effects with good tremolo
• Can be used up to 10 hours with six AA batteries
• A little expensive than its competitors
• Tuner is not that useful
• Doesn’t support multiple lines

Roland Micro Cube GX Guitar Combo Amp is a portable and compact DSP guitar amp. It’s a 3W amp with a five-inch speaker that can either be battery-operated or AC-powered. Offered with a carry strapi-CUBE LINK jack that provides a simple interface with iPhone, iPod or iPod touch.

It’s packed with eight COSM guitar amp models including JC-120 and a special mic preamp. Additionally, it has eight DSP effects with chorus, tremolo, phaser, flanger and more. It has a separate delay or reverb function with a built-in tuner and has a headphone output and stereo auxiliary.

• Lightweight amp with incredible sound quality
• Crisp output with no hiss or feedback
• Low tones have good clarity character
• Some FX settings may produce noise
• Craftsmanship seems poor and cheap
• Craftsmanship seems poor and cheap Low-quality sounds when used outdoors

The compact and lightweight Roland CUBE Street Amplifier is something you need for your next street gigging and rehearsals. Featuring two high-performance 6.5-inch neodymium speakers, this amp is capable of high-volume output and great sound quality.

Battery-operated using six alkaline AA batteries that offer 15 hours of continuous use.

It has a dual-channel architecture with guitar/instrument and mic/line inputs, eight COSM amps, six digital effects, two-band EQ, delay/reverb and a built-in chromatic tuner.

The COSM amp model allows you to choose from six famous effects to get Roland’s sound quality. With the dual-channel and the XRL/1/4-inch mic input, singing and playing guitar with this amplifier is exciting.

• Affordable amp with lots of features on-board
• Rugged and portable design
• Perfect for any situation
• Straightforward
• Well-separated knobs and controls for easy operation
• Effects are limited
• Especially for professional players
• Not the loudest
• But definitely perfect for practice

It’s time to get serious with music production with Yamaha THR10C Mini Guitar Amplifier . It embraces Yamaha’s high-standard craftsmanship and advanced core technologies for making this personal amp deliver great sound fidelity.

Integrates with the Cubase AI recording software and some common apps, it has five class amp models with bass, acoustic and flat models that are present in the THR10X model.

Featuring Yamaha’s signature VCM technology, you can make great effects processing quickly. Add a bit of personal taste to the guitar tone or pickups. With the mono phone and stereo phone input, along with the AUX IN and USB, you’re getting enough versatility when it comes to connectivity.

• Controls are easily tweaked producing great sounds
• Perfect for home use
• Gives full and deep lows
• A great guitar amp for playing blues
• Country and classic rock
• No ability to change channels
• Can be better in terms of quality and playability

An ultimate travel guitar amp, the Peavey Nano Vypyr Battery Operated Guitar Amplifier is packed with 11 amp models and 36 effects combinations. It’s both AC-powered and battery-powered, along with the tones and technology of the award-winning Vypyr series.

Also, featuring global bass, mid, treble and gain controls for you to adjust the tones of the 11 exclusive analog amp models.

Its preamp section has the company’s patented TransTube technology, while the power section with the lightweight class-D amp. With the built-in DSP, you’ll get to enjoy on-board effects like chorus, compression, flanger, octave, reverb, delay and more.

The effects control knob helps you dial in the effect at one, while the expression pedal (optional) provides users real-time control over all the 36 effects combinations.

• Gives versatility and great tone quality
• Has more effects that you can use simultaneously
• Peavey has better distortion options
• Effects might add too much noise
• Toggle switch seems of cheap quality

Whether you go camping or out to the streets for gigs, you can never go wrong with Roland Battery-Powered Acoustic Chorus Amp (AC33) . It can take on whatever music production and wherever it may be because it runs on either AC power or eight AA batteries (accepts rechargeable ones, as well).

Portable, yet powerful, so you may be, you can enjoy, deep and rich stereo sound through its 30 watts (15W+15W) twin speakers.

It has dual-channel configuration (guitar and mic/line channels) with custom-tailored effects (reverb, chorus, and ambience), anti-feedback and a Phrase Looper.

Made with beautiful rosewood-look cabinets, it offers a stage-ready look and gorgeous black finish. It’s also a perfect addition to your living room or studio, as well as a perfect match to any guitar.

• Lightweight and portable with a line out for personal monitor
• Easy to set up
• Gives a great sound when used in one setting
• Chorus effect is usable
• Especially with acoustic guitars
• Clarity and volume of the amp are quite inconsistent (setting-dependent)
• Loop effects only 15 seconds and not foot-switchable
• But the build seems fragile

The Micro Spider amp models, specifically the Line 6 Micro Spider Guitar Amplifier , offer a wide tonal range like those of their popular predecessors. It’s battery-powered and fully-loaded with features and functionalities that you’ll never regret.

Comes with 12-inch Celestion speaker and integrated with its very own chromatic tuner.

In addition, it has two-inch tweeter that is great for full-range audio playback, plus 36 user-programmable presets. Perfect for home or vacation or playing guitar in the back of the tour bus. This portable guitar amp is always ready to give you its brilliant tones and vocals wherever you may be.

• Produce great sound with the Celestion speaker
• Definitely a great practice amp offered at a fairly low price
• Versatile in accommodating your style
• Classical or heavy metal
• The headphone jack output has some hissing sound when used
• Vibrations of the amp when the gain-type switch is used
• Need to read the manual before you can understand the controls

A portable 12V guitar amp is enough to power your weekend vacation or your small-town gigging performances. In this aspect, ZT Amplifiers Lunchbox Junior is a perfect choice, especially with its ultra-power 5-inch speaker.

Since it can be wall-powered or battery-powered using ZT Battery Pack or Car Adapter cable, you’ll be able to bring it anywhere you go.

Even without an outlet, you can still get up to 117dB of rich and superior sounds, which make it a powerful and reliable portable guitar amp. It comes with a 1/8-inch headphone output, 1/8-inch AUX in and switchable 115V/230V.

With a wide range of features and controls, you’ll be able to have warm and mellow output to pure overdrive, which can get really loud.

• Delivers tube-like warmth
• Best portable and battery-powered amplifier you can rely on
• Can turn the knobs all the way up without any noise or feedback
• Has an ambience knob
• Which isn’t that great
• Doesn’t have individual control for low
• Mid and high

Since 1946, Fender has been a leader when it comes to musical instrument manufacturing. So, you are assured of the quality and craftsmanship of its guitars, controllers, and amplifiers.

Speaking of amplifiers, there are a few Fender products that are trusted by musicians, and that is the Fender Champion 20 Guitar Amplifier .

You can easily shape and color your music with its EQ controls (bass + treble), dial-in lush effects (reverb, chorus, vibratome, and delay) and a knob for you to choose different tones from the 17 amp models with any genre of music.

Plug in your MP3 to the AUX IN and start jamming with your favorite band through its 1/8-inch headphone output. This 20-watt guitar amp is ideal for practice, especially in rock, blues, country, metal, and jazz.

• Great sounding amp with amazing loud sound quality
• Has headphones and AUX connections
• Affordable amp with very simple controls
• Doesn’t have foot-switchable option to change from clean to tweed
• Voice and effects are operated digitally
• Not continuously
• Shuts down with a loud and disturbing ‘pop’ sound

Hailed by guitarists everywhere in the world, Boss Katana-Mini Battery Powered Guitar Amplifier is one reliable guitar amp you can use this 2019.

Offering outstanding sound quality, this features three amp styles (brown, crunch, and clean), multi-stage analog gain circuit, analog EQ and tape-style delay. It’s compact and travel-ready, so you can bring it to your next gig or your next concert.

The multi-gain stage of this equipment drives three classic sound settings, so you can achieve that satisfying tone, interactive feel, and distortion that can be easily controlled by the pickup strength and input volume.

The three-band analog tone stack provides natural sound through the bass, mid and treble controls. Cool tape-style delay of this amp allows you to experience subtle reverb and warm ambience.

• Produce great sounds
• Very organic
• Amp is touch-responsive with surprising harmonics
• With AUX in
• So you can play videos and stream music
• Some preferred reverb than a decent delay
• Has terrible buzzing sound after a few times of use
• Has some gain
• Say some users

HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST PORTABLE GUITAR AMP – A BUYING GUIDE

Portability of a thing usually depends on the ‘final say’ of the one who’ll be using it. Even though the manufacturer claims that their guitar amp is portable, but if the user finds it bigger or heavier for its application, he/she won’t choose it as a portable amp.

We list our best practices of finding the best portable guitar amps in 2019, that might help you find yours, as well.

Check the power source

Roland is very concise about checking the power source of the portable amp before buying. Some amps are offered with rechargeable batteries or you’ll need to buy AA batteries to power your guitar amp. Know this crucial information.

You don’t want to carry luggage that won’t work or stop working because the batteries are dead.

Size/Portability

Does it matter? Of course! You are looking for a handy guitar amp that you can use on vacation, camping, street gigging, practicing in the park, weekend gigs in bars and so on. Are you willing to add extra weight on top of your guitar baggage?

Digital effects, EQ and More

Amps are offered with a lot of useful stuff on-board. Check for built-in digital effects, Looper, EQ and a few more things mentioned by The Hub .

Usually, the more they are, the pricier the amp gets, but, the better your music production be. But, it’s better to check it first than be surprised by how lacking or how overwhelming your guitar amp is.

And, just to remind you, you’re looking for a portable amp, you don’t want to be short of effects on the road, right?

Try before you buy

This is probably the measurement that most beginning musicians failed to do. Spec sheets and reviews may lie, but your hands-on experience won’t.

If you aren’t confident picking one, have a professional guitarist to grab one for you — at least you can bother him whenever your amp isn’t that great.

This YouTube video gives you more information on how to pinpoint the best portable guitar amp for you, especially on your gigs.

EDITOR’s CHOICE

Most people are always looking for portable things since, in this day and age, people are mobile and seem to keep on traveling.

So, if you are a musician who is frequently on gigs or who travel a lot, a portable guitar amp is perfect for you.

Of the 10 that we know are top-notch when it comes to portability, we found two of the best — ZT Amplifiers Lunchbox Junior and Roland CUBE Street Amplifier .

Both are compact and lightweight, perfect for street gigging and rehearsals. They’re also the same when it comes to features and controls, especially with its battery option.

One offers longer uptime compared to the other. And though, one is a little expensive, it also offers longer usage time — that is the Roland CUBE Street Amplifier .

With great connectivity and portability along with 15 hours of jamming using batteries, surely this one is always ready to take on gigs and rigs anytime, anywhere.

Related posts:

• The Ultimate Guitar Amp Buying Guide For Beginners
• 7 Best Guitar Amps for Beginners in 2024 (reviews)
• 7 Best Busking Amps in 2024 (Portable & Battery Powered)
• 10 Best Solid State Amps Reviewed in 2024

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The 11 Best Portable Battery Powered Guitar Amps

Are you in the market for the best portable battery powered guitar amps?

Well You’re in the right place!

Portable amps used to be less reliable when they first appeared in the market. The newly introduced battery-powered amps were not able to provide the expected results, i.e., quality tone and good structure. However, with time the technology evolved, and the quality of portable battery-powered amplifiers improved.

In the present age, when you shop for a good quality practice amplifier, you can easily find some amazing ones. These guitar amplifiers can produce sounds large enough that you can use them as a portable combo amp or a battery-powered amp for live concerts.

However, when searching for the best battery powered guitar amplifier, you will have a variety of options. But when it comes to choosing an amplifier that allows you to have the most control over how it functions, such as controlling its sounds and other extra features, you will find some expensive and less portable ones.

The idea of having a portable guitar amplifier is indeed appealing. You can enjoy playing your instrument wherever and whenever you want. Even if you are searching for a guitar amplifier for just practicing, you will have a good range of options at much cheaper rates as compared to an electric amplifier.

Nonetheless, in today’s market, there are just a few portable amplifier options that can offer you quality sounds similar to what their parent amplifiers could offer, and that too without functioning as full-sized amplifiers.

Table of Contents

The 11 Best Portable Battery Powered Guitar Amplifiers

When picking out a portable guitar amplifier, you will find a good variety of amplifiers varying in sizes. You will be able to spot everything from large combo amplifiers to headphone amplifiers.

However, just because you are shopping for a battery-powered portable guitar amplifier, it does not mean that you will end up getting one that is smaller in size and produces low-standard sounds.

Portable amplifiers are easy to carry, and some of them even come at low prices. However, the advanced models of guitar amplifiers offer an excellent range of features and quality sounds that can deliver you satisfying performance

Don’t have time to read the full post?

In short, here are the 11 best portable battery powered guitar amps:

Roland CUBE-ST Street Battery-Powered 5-Watt Stereo Amplifier

Roland ac-33 acoustic chorus battery-powered 30-watt guitar amplifier, vox mini3 g2 battery powered modeling amp, 3w, marshall ms2 battery-powered micro guitar amplifier, blackstar electric guitar mini amplifier, fender frontman 10g electric guitar amplifier, fender mini deluxe electric guitar amp, fender mustang i v2 20-watt 1×8-inch combo electric guitar amplifier, orange crush mini 3-watt micro amp, nux mighty lite bt mini portable modeling guitar amplifier with bluetooth, roland micro cube gx portable 3-watt guitar amplifier.

In this post, we’ll review each of these guitar amps to help you decide which is the best for your specific needs.

Let’s get started!

Roland is a company that is trusted by thousands of guitarists from all across the globe. It makes it impossible to create a list of best battery-powered, portable guitar amps.

Featuring a slanted cabinet design, this amplifier by Roland is a smart choice due to its compactness and lightweight. It is a versatile amp that offers some super impressive specifications.

Specifications  

• Power Rating: 5-Watts
• Speaker: 2 x 6.5”
• Battery Life: 15 Hours
•  Power Sources: 6 x AA Batteries or DC
• Controls: Reverb/Delay, Effects, Guitar Treble, Guitar Middle, Guitar Bass, Guitar Volume, Gain, Type, Tuner, Bass, Volume, Treble.
•  Inputs: AUX-In, ¼” / XLR, ¼”
• Dimensions: 16 3/8” x 11 5/8” x 9 7/8”
• Outputs: Headphones
• Weight: 13 lbs 1 oz

Perfect for Travelers

This is considered as the ultimate amplifier for musicians who travel a lot. The design of Cube Street is based on the concept of street performances and buskers. It works pretty well for musicians who require a good home or backstage amplifier into which they can plug their vocals as well as guitar.

A Go-To Option for a Wide Range of Guitars

For the microphone, this amplifier has an XLR in, apart from that it also has a channel for guitar. Moreover, the channel for guitar models five different amplifiers and these include a Marshall amp, a Vox amp, vintage Fender-style amp, Ronald’s Jazz Chorus as well as for acoustic guitars, a voicing.

Great Control

The output level and EQ of both if its channel can be controlled individually. However, the microphone channels feature a treble and bass equalization control. It comes with several modulation effects, and these include delay, reverb, tremolo, phaser, flanger, and chorus.

• It is roadworthy and rugged.
•   It is designed to produce loud sounds that are required for outdoor performances, within a specific radius.
• The microphone’s input addition is a thing that was not offered in any other portable battery-powered amplifier.
• The amplifier is said to lack bass response that is necessary for bass and acoustic guitars.
• Users have to remove the batteries before you plug it into a wall socket as the batteries might leak.

Roland is a company that serves as a beast in the market and is one of the most reliable options for guitarists. It makes it evident that this power-packed amp comes with amazing features because this company has been serving the world of guitarists for a long time.

Specifications

• Power Rating: 20-Watts (On Batteries) / 30-Watts on AC
• Battery Life: 8 Hours
• Power Source(s): 8 x AA Batteries or AC
• Speaker: 2 x 5.”
• Controls: Mic Volume, Mic Bass, Mic Treble, Mic Chorus, Guitar Volume, Guitar Bass, Guitar Middle, Guitar Treble, Guitar Chorus, Reverb, Anti-Feedback, Looper
• Input(s): XLR, ¼”, AUX-In, Foot Switch, Looper
• Output(s): Headphones, Line Out
• Weight: 10 lbs, 6 oz.
• Dimensions: 12 9/16” x 8 13/16” x 9 5/8”

Ideal for Small Events

For guitarists who frequently play at small venues such as coffee shops, homes, and small events, this guitar amplifier is a great choice. The fact that it is not suitable for large venues makes it suitable for those who usually play at small gigs.

Free of Ear-splitting Microphonics

A feature that makes this an excellent choice for guitarists is the anti-feedback control that it comes with. It works wonders when it comes to avoiding or eliminating ear-splitting microphonics, which is a significant problem during performances.

A Class Apart

This portable battery-powered amplifier is a class apart as it comes with a built-in 40-second looper. It allows a guitarist to perform harmonies and layering. It a rare feature and is not found in many amplifiers in this category.

• The natural-sounding, brittle-less tone attracts many guitarists.
• The feedback control is implemented seamlessly.
• The feedback control does not have any negative impact on the tone.
•  It is super lightweight, which makes it perfect for guitarists who travel a lot.
• The mic input is weak as compared to its competitor, which is why it requires additional gain.  
•  Adding gain causes noise amplification.
• There is a lack of phantom power that makes it difficult to use with condenser microphones.
•   The sound amplification is not loud enough.
• There is no footswitch in this model.

Affordable, classic design and satisfying performance are the best ways to describe this powerhouse that is jam-packed with features that can take the industry by a storm. Quality is not an issue when it is about amps manufactured by VOX.

• 8.02 pounds
• 10.62 x 7.48 x 11.81 inches

Super Lightweight & Portable

Guitarists need practice amps as they are portable and lightweight. Users can easily carry it around and even take them along on vacations. It weighs just 8 pounds, and its dimensions are 10.62 x 7.48 x 11.81 inches. You can easily adjust this in a bag.

Exceptional Sound

It is a small battery-powered amp, but the sound it produces is exceptional and has impressed a lot of its users. The sound quality is better than most of the practice amps that are available in the market.

• The amp produces a reasonably loud sound.
•  It is very compact.
• The tuner is not reliable, and many users did not like it.
•  It creates too much noise which can be very frustrating for a user

The Marshall MS2 Micro Guitar Amp is a convenient way to practice and play guitar on the go. It is ultra-portable, sounds great, and requires no setup.

When talking about micro guitar amps that are travel-friendly due to their compact designing, guitarists can definitely give this amplifier a thought. The name, Marshall, is not a new name in the industry and is known for its top-quality products. The specifications are impressive.

• Circuitry: Solid-State
• Output: 1-Watt RMS
• Speakers: x 1
•  Input: Input Jack
•  Outputs: Headphone
• Effects: Overdrive
• Programmable: No
•   Width: 110mm
•  Height: 140mm
• Depth: 60mm
• Weight: 340g.

Perfect for Practicing

Whether one feels like jamming some tunes just for fun or is looking for something to perfect their skill, this is the right pick. Work your magic; it’s the right choice for making skills, impeccable!

Easy-to-Understand Control Panel

Starting left to right, we have the input jack, volume control, tone control, Power Off/On/OD, and Power LED Indicator. (We told you it was simple!)

Lightweight & Portable

It weighs just 340grams, and its dimensions are 2.36 x 4.33 x 5.51 inches. It means that users can carry it in their bags anywhere they want because of its exceptional compactness.

• It is one of the most portable practice amps in the market, and it works wonders for busking.
• This amp comes with a built-in speaker.
• It is very easy to use.
•  It offers great value for money.
• The clean channel distorted at higher volumes
• Can drain batteries rather quickly

Elegance, simplicity, with an aesthetically pleasing design, the Blackstar Electric Guitar mini amplifier is taking the industry by a storm. It is one of the most affordable options that a guitarist will come across at present. It is manufactured in such a way that it can fit into a bag of a guitarist who wants to jam on their vacation.

•  3″ speaker
• Battery-powered (requires 6x AA batteries – see above for recommendations) or external power
• 2 Channels: clean and overdrive
• ‘ISF’ EQ knob to adjust between American and British amp tones
• Built-in digital tape delay effect
•  Line in for jamming along with music
• Headphone output
•  Comes in black, green, or ‘cream’ with the Union Jack flag printed on the front
• 7.6 x 5.6 x 4.3 inches

Compactness & Portability

Blackstar has designed a very compact and portable practice amp in the form of FLY3. It weighs just 2.2 pounds with 7.6 x 5.6 x 4.3 inches in dimensions. It is advantageously small, which makes it easy to carry around and handle it.

It can easily adjust in a bag, which makes It easy and convenient to travel with.

It is one of the most affordable options in the market. Users can enjoy amazing features at a very reasonable rate. Guitarists can get this portable amp at the price of a mid-level stompbox.

Impressive Build Quality

The amp is smartly constructed, and the build quality is very impressive. The crisp look makes this amp look aesthetically pleasing as it is something on the expensive guitar amps.

Great Sound

Even though this one is a small, battery-powered amp, it offers excellent sound in comparison to its competitors. It is useless to expect sound quality that of a 50-watt, 1×12 combo because it is not designed as a full-size amp.

• For a small amp, the sound generated by this amp is quite exceptional.
•  It allows users to create an array of different tones.
• It is very affordable.
• The build quality is impressive, and it is travel friendly.
• The amp might not perform well at high frequency.

Fender, a name that dominates the guitar manufacturing industry, is one of the best options to consider when it comes to getting a hands-on portable amplifier. The classic Fender body packed with specifications of a true hero, this guitar amp is one of the top choices in the market at present.

• 6″ Fender Special Design Speaker
• Single Channel
• Over-Drive Select Switch
• 10.1 pounds
• 5.75 x 10.25 x 11 inches

Easy-to-Use Controls

In comparison to all other practice amps, this one by Fender is one that offers the most easy-to-use controls. The intuitive design of the control panel is a plus and makes it super user-friendly. The controls available in this model includes Gain, Over-Drive Select Switch, Volume, Treble, Bass.

In addition to this, the controls are very responsive.

Classic Build Quality

When it comes to durability and reliability, this one stands ahead of the competition. It features a solid build, which makes it satisfyingly durable.

The amp produces a loud sound, which is not expected of the small, practice amps. It does not sound cheap, tiny, or boxy. The sound is clear and loud, which impresses a lot of guitarists.

Portable & Travel-Friendly

Users who want to go on a vacation and wish to take their guitars along, this battery-powered, small amp works well as a travel companion. It is not the most compact design by Fender, but it still is travel-friendly where much of the practice amps are not.

Offers Great Bang for the Buck

The features that it offers are amazing, given the price that it is available in. Guitarists can enjoy the best of practice amps without paying a huge amount.

•  It is travel-friendly due to its lightweight.
•   It is one of the most affordable amps in the market.
• It does not offer a reverb.

The authentic contemporary styling with easy-to-use control panel makes this one by Fender stand out from the crowd. Fender is a top name in the guitar world where some top guitarists play these guitars. Even the most entry-level guitarist will realize the classy features and specifications that this super portable piece has to offer.

• One-watt single-channel amplifier
• Authentic contemporary styling
• Dual 2″ speakers
• Dedicated tone, volume and gain controls
•   1/4″ headphone jack and 9V adapter jack
• 11.42 x 7.48 x 3.54 inches

Small Yet Powerful

Even though this is a small amp, it offers a very powerful sound. The volume is very impressive and even surprises many people with its clarity and volume.

Even though it is equipped with a two-inch speaker, the quality of sound it gives out is worth noticing. Larger and more powerful devices can produce the sound produced by this amp.

Versatility

The versatility offered by this amp is worth the praise. This specific feature makes this stand out among the competitors. It can help users generate music of any style or genre.

Suitable for in-House Practice

This amp by Fender is indeed one of the best among its category. It has been designed specifically for guitarists who want to practice their craft in their homes.

Noise-free & Hum-free Sound

One of the best things about the sound of this amp is that the output generated is free of noise and humming, which can deteriorate the quality of the track.

• Users can play a variety of different tones, including Pop, rock, jazz, blues, metal, country, and all others.
• It is super affordable, and its cost is within a $50 range.
•  It is not comparable to a full-size guitar amp.
•  It is one of the most durable amps in the market

The list for the best small, battery-powered amplifiers will be incomplete without mentioning one from Fender, a top-ranked name in the guitar industry. The Mustang V2 is worth getting one’s hands-on. Whether its an entry-level guitarist or a professional on the road, this portable amp will work wonders due to t its amazing specifications and features. 

• 8” Fender Special Design speaker
• 17 amp models and 24 onboard presets
• Reverb, delay/echo, tremolo, phaser, and other effects
• USB connectivity for audio recording output
•  7.6 x 15.5 x 14.5 inches

Ideal for Beginners

The ones who are new in the world of guitar industry or want to up their game, they need practice amps. This one by Fender is one of the smartest options. It is suitable for use at home. The way it seamlessly connects to PC or MAC makes it great for the first-timers.

Editing, Saving, & Downloading Presets

When it connects easily to MAC and PCs through the USB port, it allows users to make effective use of the Fender FUSE software. Guitarists can easily use the software to play around with their sounds, save them, and even download presets.

Impressive Range of Effects

Another pretty impressive feature is the range of effects that users can utilize to elevate the quality of their tracks. There are four categories of effects that collectively include 44 different effects. The four categories include Stompbox, Modulation, Delay, and Reverb.

Straightforward Design

The amp features a very straightforward design, which makes this amp very easy to use. It allows users to tweak their tracks through the software easily.

Elite Sound Quality

In comparison to other in-budget practice amps, this one offers elite sound quality and does not sound cheap.

• The effects offered by this amp are of great quality.
• It offers USB connectivity, making it easy to connect with all types of music players.
• The amp offers almost 36 presets, which is a lot given the low price of this model.
• The amp comes with the Fender FUSE software.
• Some modeled amps didn’t sound too flash
• It is not suitable for high gain amp sounds.
• To apply the stompbox effects, a user must use the software.
• The controls on the amp are not very useful.

Featuring an exciting combination of fun-orange shade with simple designing makes this mini amp catch the attention of many. Taking a look at the specifications is the right way to get hyped up about this super portable amplifier by Orange.

• 9V Battery-powered Guitar Combo Amplifier with 1/8″ Aux Input
•  8-ohm Speaker Output – Orange
• 1/8″ Headphone Output
• Solid-state
• 1.99 pounds
• 16 x 14 x 15 inches

Perfect Portability

Even though practice amps are designed to be portable and to be carried easily while traveling, they are still not compact enough, and carrying them is still cumbersome. Doing justice to practice amps is this amp by Orange.

Weighing just 1.99 pounds and with dimensions equal to 16 x 14 x 15 inches, this amp offers perfect portability. The compact design allows users to carry this amp around with ease and convenience.

A Simple & Easy-to-Use Interface

The space for controls is limited on this amp due to it being from the micro category. But the manufacturer has smartly utilized the limited space and created a straightforward control panel and interface.

Users will find just gain, shape, and output volume controls on the panel, which is free of any complexities and does not require a user to go too deep into the amp tech.

The Travel Partner

For guitarists who travel a lot and love taking their guitars with them can get their hands on this amp by Orange. The fact that this amp can run on a single battery makes it the best option for traveling.

• The noise produced by this amp is quite impressive.
•  When plugged into an electric guitar, it produces very clean tones.
• The rubber feet of this amp prevent it from sliding on smooth surfaces due to vibration.
• It can run on a single battery, making it ideal for travelers.
• The bass response is not that well equipped due to which the amp produces a thin sound.
• The maximum volume of this amp is not that impressive because of its micro size.
• It is not suitable for acoustic guitars.        

Within the 100-dollar range, this affordable piece of equipment will definitely serve as a major place in the lives of players. Top-class specifications, along with exceptional features make this a prominent addition in the list of best small, portable, and battery-powered amplifiers.

•  3 Channels: Clean, Overdrive, Distortion
• Built-in effects: Delay, Reverb
• 9 Drum patterns and a metronome
• Tap Tempo controls Delay speed and Drums
• Bluetooth connectivity
• Runs with 9V power adapter, USB connection via power bank or 6 AA-size batteries

The first and foremost feature that convinces guitarists to consider this amp by NUX is its portability. It weighs just 3.39 pounds. The dimensions of this product are 6.54 x 3.86 x 4.88 inches. It is easy to carry around.

It is true that almost all guitarists love playing in front of a massive 4×12 stack. However, not many want to carry that stack around. It is due to this reason, this one from NUX is getting a lot of attention.

Affordability

The next feature in line is the affordability. It is difficult to find an affordable amp that is portable and packed with features. This one on the list is one which comes within the $100 range, something pretty impressive for the guitarists.

Connectivity

When discussing the features of this amplifier, overlooking its connectivity, is impossible. Users can easily connect this amplifier to any music player through Bluetooth or a 3.5mm AUX-IN.

Impressive Controls

Moving on, the way it gives a user the ability to control the sound and add effects to its very impressive. There are tons of choices, which means excellent control. Gain, volume, tone, combo delay/reverb dial, tempo button controls, overdrive and distortion voicings, and a plethora of other control options are offered.

A vast bank of Tones

When it comes to diversity, this amp is a great model by NUX. From solid, distinct cleans to overdrive-caked metal, this amp can help guitars diversify their sounds in amazing ways. With Clean, Overdrive Distortion, the users can create a variety of different music styles sound, such as pop, rock, blues, and metal.

• It is super compact and portable.
•  It supports a variety of different music styles with Clean, Overdrive Distortion.
•  It connects to all types of music players via Bluetooth and 3.55 AUX-IN.
• Some users have complained that it resets when a powerful signal goes into the amp.
•  It does not start working until a user allows it to access their location.

Roland is a name that many guitarists are raving about due to its state-of-the-art products. Even in this category of best battery-powered amps, this company did not disappoint. Another amplifier by this company in this list, Micro cube GX is lightweight, compact, and a class apart.

• Power Rating: 3-Watts
• Battery Life: 20 to 25 hours
• Power Source(s): 6 x AA Batteries or AC
• Speaker: 5.”
• Controls: Amp Type, Memory, Tuner, Gain, Tone, EFX, Delay/Reverb, Master
• Input(s): ¼”, AUX-IN
• Output(s): REC out/Headphone
• Weight: 6 lbs
•  Dimensions: 9.7” x 6.7” x 9”

Versatility at its Best

For all those guitarists who are all about versatility and want to diversify their sound, this amp by Roland is an option worth considering. It is definitely a go-to amp for people with a diverse guitar portfolio.

Talking about versatility, this amp offers eight COSM amp tones and eight DSP effects. The range of sounds it can produce, and the effects along with its functionality, is impressive.

Dsp-Powered Effects

An added feature of this diverse amp is the DSP-powered effects that have been a part of the amps created by this company.

Packed with Features

This portable, battery-powered amp is hard to overlook as it comes packed with amazing features that are hard to find in other such amplifiers.

One of the biggest reasons why many people choose these types of amplifiers is because they are looking for portability. Without compactness, portability is hard to achieve. When talking about this one from Roland, it is one of the most compact models available in the market.

• The versatility offered by this guitar amp is a major plus for the guitarists.
• It is great for amping the sound of a nylon string guitar with a pickup.
• The sound produced is clean and reasonably loud.
•  The sound is thin and quiet as compared to its competitors.
• The app is unintuitive for many as many features can only be accessed from there.
• It is too small for significant events and large venues.

The Best Battery Powered Amp Buying Guide

Usually, finding a power outlet near you is easy to run a regular guitar amplifier. This is possible when you are at a brand practice, performing at a concert, or home. You are assured that you will have the power supply.

However, battery-powered amplifiers come to your rescue when you do not have a power outlet around you. These amplifiers are ideal for guitarists who travel a lot and perform in different areas. You just have to fit your amplifier in a bag, or you can easily strap it with your belt and continue playing.

Here is a guide to choose the best battery powered Amps:

Build Quality

One of the first factors that need to be looked at is the build quality. As these guitar amps are portable, they are usually travel-friendly. When carrying it around, there are several ways these amps may incur damage.

In such circumstances, it is best to look for guitar amps that are durable and save from being easily damaged.

The next factor that you need to consider while purchasing a battery-powered portable guitar amplifier is the power rating or wattage. When it comes to this, the ideal option is to choose a model that has the potential to deliver power that is equal to twice the power rating of the speaker.

It means that a speaker with an 8 ohms impedance with a rating of 350 watts requires an amplifier that can produce 700 watts.

Sound Quality

The sound quality is one of the most critical factors when it comes to choosing the best amplifier for a guitar. In the end, the sound is what matters to the guitarists. In regards to sound quality, as the size of the amp reduces, lower perceived quality in tone is observed. You need to look at the size of the amp if sound quality is a concern for you.

The large amps have heavy speakers, which can produce an excellent quality tone. The frequency response that is received from a large speaker is amazing. Another issue with the size is that when a smaller amp is chosen, the range of frequencies the speaker can produce decreases. This is why a small practice amp can sound thin and weak compared to a large combo. At lower frequencies, small amps struggle significantly.

The features and specifications guitar amp models sometimes offer are the determining factor of whether a person chooses it or not. The dimensions, weight, appearance, impedance, and the preliminaries it can support are crucial when it comes down to choosing a guitar amp.

Portability is an essential feature for those looking for battery-powered and travel-friendly guitar amps.  

The impact that the size of a guitar has on the sound quality has already been discussed above. There is no denying there that the size is indeed an essential factor of consideration. Sound quality is critical in this process, which is why size matters.

One thing that guitarists need to understand that the primary purpose of these guitar amps powered by batteries is portability, which is related to the size. The smaller the size, the better is the portability and lower is the sound quality, so choose wisely.

These are the essential factors of consideration that you need to look at when choosing the battery-powered, portable guitar amps. However, you cannot get everything right, and you will, at some point, have to compromise on at least one of them.

Each factor has its own importance, and you need to decide what is more important to you and what are your guitar needs!

The market is indeed full of a plethora of options when it comes to the category of battery-powered, portable guitar amps. Making the right choice is tough and no less than a challenge. The guide that we have prepared after thorough market research will help you make the right choice!

I’m Dan Hoang. I’ve been playing guitar for over 10 years now, and I’m a total nerd when it comes to gear. I love recording music and filming guitar covers and I occasionally post them on YouTube. I’ve learned a ton over the years and would love to share some tips with you!

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Best travel guitars: Top acoustic and electric guitars for musicians on the go

Out top picks for practicing your guitar on the move, wherever the road takes you

Best for tone

Best for volume, best for value.

• Best Strat-alike
• Best electric
• Best full-scale
• #1 acoustic-electric

Best for portability

• Best solid wood
• Buying advice
• How we choose

1. The quick list 2. Best for tone 3. Best for volume 4. Best for value 5. Best for Strat players 6. Best electric travel guitar 7. Best full-scale travel guitar 8. Best acoustic-electric model 9. Best for portability 10. Best solid-wood travel guitar 11. Buying advice 12. How we choose products

As guitar players, our passion and joy shouldn’t have to stop the second we leave the house or the practice room. Sometimes, when you’re on the go; whether that be travelling for work or just for fun, you want to be able to take your music with you. That’s where the best travel guitars come in.

Travel guitars are smaller, more compact instruments that are easier to take on the road. If you’re heading out on a road trip, and space in the car is tight, a travel guitar will fit in a much smaller gap than a full-size guitar. Some of them even pack down into a rucksack so you can take them on a plane as hand luggage.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re more into playing acoustic or electric, we’ve picked out the best travel guitars currently on offer to make sure that the music doesn’t have to stop when you hit the road.

Chris Corfield is a journalist with over 12 years of experience writing for some of the music world's biggest brands including Orange Amplification, MusicRadar, Guitar World and Dawsons Music. Chris has spent years writing about and testing guitar gear for MusicRadar, in addition to nerding out about everything from synths to microphones, DJ gear and music production hardware.

Best travel guitars: Quick list

Want to cut to the chase and find out exactly which we think are the best travel guitars on the market right now? Below, you’ll find a round-up of our top choices. You can jump to a more detailed review of every pick, along with our price comparison tool to help you find the best deals.

This ¾-sized dreadnought comes with all the quality and projection you’d expect from one of the acoustic world’s biggest names, just in a size that can be hauled around anywhere without breaking your back. Or, indeed, your wallet. 

Read more below

The Martin Backpacker has a unique body shape, that’s for sure, but coming from a name like Martin you can rest assured this guitar will perform brilliantly. What surprised us was the volume and projection this little guitar pumps out, thanks in part to the solid mahogany used in the body.

The Steinberger Spirit GT-Pro Deluxe definitely fits the travel guitar bill due to its distinctive size and shape. Despite the smaller body, the Spirit GT-Pro Deluxe features a scale length of 25.5”, making the actual playing area larger than that of a standard Les Paul.

You can instantly see those famous Stratocaster outlines of the pickguard, the three single coil pickups and the control knobs. Yet the eagle-eyed among you will have noticed anything on the body that isn’t underneath the pickguard has been shaved away, leaving a guitar which is 35% lighter and 14% shorter than a regular Strat.

This is a short-scale travel electric guitar featuring a single mini-humbucker, two-piece poplar body, bolt-on neck and fairly sturdy tuners. It doesn’t pack down any smaller than it is, though it’s very compact already and if you really needed to, you could always take the neck off, if you were packing it up in a suitcase for example.

The Shorty provides full scale-length familiarity which, when combined with the tiny body, makes for a comfortable playing experience. The single humbucker at the bridge is meaty enough to blast out your favourite riffs, while you’ll feel instantly at home with the classic maple/rosewood combination neck and fingerboard.

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The Traveler Escape Mark III comes equipped with plenty in the way of tools and toys, and it all comes in 26% shorter and 10% lighter than a standard dreadnought. The Escape Mark III features tuning pegs within the body itself, which means it has no need for a headstock and is instead strung in reverse.

This handy, foldable acoustic is great for players who want something quality but affordable. It’s got a solid spruce top and layered mahogany back and sides. You can get a great tone from it, whether you’re playing with a pick or with fingers. It’s dynamic, and while it might not be as loud as a full size guitar, can still throw out a good amount of volume.

This is one for serious acoustic players. It bears a hefty price tag, but you can get some serious tones from this guitar. Boasting a solid red cedar top and solid African mahogany back and sides, the Furch Little Jane yields a beautiful, rich and balanced tone with a good amount of projection. 

The best travel guitars right now

MusicRadar's got your back Our team of expert musicians and producers spends hours testing products to help you choose the best music-making gear for you. Find out more about how we test.

Below you'll find full and detailed write-ups for each of the best travel guitars in our list.

1. Taylor Baby Taylor

Our expert review:

Specifications

Reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

If the more outlandish styles of travel guitar aren’t for you, maybe the Baby Taylor will be. This ¾-sized dreadnought comes with all the quality and projection you’d expect from one of the acoustic world’s biggest names, just in a size that can be hauled around anywhere without breaking your back. Or, indeed, your wallet. 

The Baby Taylor would be the perfect option as a second (or third) guitar in anyone’s collection, designed to be stashed in the included gig bag and taken anywhere. Players with larger hands may feel a bit cramped navigating the 22.75” scale length, but for the majority of people the Baby Taylor is easy to recommend.

2. Martin Backpacker

We weren’t lying when we said travel guitars can jar a bit visually. The Martin Backpacker has a unique body shape, that’s for sure, but coming from a name like Martin you can rest assured this guitar will perform brilliantly. What surprised us was the volume and projection this little guitar pumps out, thanks in part to the solid mahogany used in the body.

Originally launched in 1992, the Martin Backpacker has carved itself a nice niche in the world of travel guitars, and its exceptional build quality means it will last for many more years to come.

3. Steinberger Spirit GT-Pro Deluxe

While not officially marketed as a travel guitar, the Steinberger Spirit GT-Pro Deluxe definitely fits the bill due to its distinctive size and shape. The classic Steinberger ‘headless’ design is correct and present, making the same bold visual statement of its more expensive stablemates, yet the decision to use wood over composite materials makes the whole thing more cost-effective and suited for travelling. 

Despite the smaller body, the Spirit GT-Pro Deluxe features a scale length of 25.5”, making the actual playing area larger than that of a standard Les Paul. It’s also pretty rare to find neck-thru bodies at this price point, which all adds up to a decent value instrument regardless of how you end up using it.

Best for Strat players

4. Traveler Travelcaster Deluxe

It’s called ‘cognitive dissonance’. That conflict you feel when something you know to be right is challenged. The Traveler Travelcaster Deluxe is a relative example; to look at it, you can instantly see those famous Stratocaster outlines of the pickguard, the three single coil pickups and the control knobs. Yet the eagle-eyed among you will have noticed anything on the body that isn’t underneath the pickguard has been shaved away, leaving a guitar which is 35% lighter and 14% shorter than a regular Strat. 

Weighing in at only 5 lbs, the Travelcaster Deluxe may take some getting over visually, but in use it provides that same Strat experience, the same 25.5” scale length and the same tonal versatility of those pickups. If you can get over the cognitive dissonance, it may just be the perfect travel guitar for you.

Read the full Traveler Travelcaster Deluxe review

Best electric options

5. Blackstar Carry-On Travel Guitar ST

This is a short-scale travel electric guitar featuring a single mini-humbucker, two-piece poplar body, bolt-on neck and fairly sturdy tuners. It doesn’t pack down any smaller than it is, though it’s very compact already and if you really needed to, you could always take the neck off, if you were packing it up in a suitcase for example. 

It plays great and the shorter 20.7” scale length doesn’t take long to readjust to - younger beginners might find that they can fret chords and make stretches between frets more easily too. The mini-humbucker covers a lot of ground, so will suit any musical style you can throw at it. Whether you’re playing clean or super distorted, this little thing can really pack a punch! 

There is a more expensive version that’s around double the price with some upgrades, but in terms of value for money, we feel that the Blackstar Carry-On ST is one of the best travel guitars around. 

Best full-scale experience

6. Hofner Shorty travel guitar

The Hofner Shorty has been around since the 1980s, and has long been a favourite for players looking for a portable electric they can travel with. It provides full scale-length familiarity which, when combined with the tiny body, makes for a comfortable playing experience. The single humbucker at the bridge is meaty enough to blast out your favourite riffs, while you’ll feel instantly at home with the classic maple/rosewood combination neck and fingerboard.

Sure, it’s not going to win any awards for tone, and you’re unlikely to see them used on album-of-the-year contenders, but as an inexpensive way to add a bit of portability to your line-up the Hofner Shorty is well worth consideration. 

Best of both worlds

7. Traveler Escape MKIII Mahogany

Choosing a travel guitar doesn’t necessarily mean compromising on your needs. The Traveler Escape Mark III comes equipped with plenty in the way of tools and toys, and it all comes in 26% shorter and 10% lighter than a standard dreadnought.

The Escape Mark III features tuning pegs within the body itself, which means it has no need for a headstock and is instead strung in reverse. The onboard electronics are both extensive and useful too, with an under-saddle Shadow NanoFlex piezo system, tuner, aux-in and studio headphone out making for quite a comprehensive setup for the traveling player.

8. Journey Instruments PJ410N

This handy, foldable acoustic makes for one of the best travel guitars for players who want something quality but affordable. It’s got a solid spruce top and layered mahogany back and sides. You can get a great tone from it, whether you’re playing with a pick or with fingers. It’s dynamic, and while it might not be as loud as a full size guitar, can still throw out a good amount of volume.

It fits perfectly inside the included padded rucksack, and can be assembled in 20 seconds. Simply put the neck into position, snap it in place and lock it from the back of the body. Then you’ve got a guitar with a 23” scale ready to play. It’s great for experienced players who want something that sounds good while they’re on their travels (the bag will fit under many airline seats), but also makes for a great beginner guitar for kids . 

Best all-solid option

9. Furch Little Jane LJ-10

This is definitely one of the best travel guitars for serious acoustic players. It bears a hefty price tag, but you can get some serious tones from this guitar. Boasting a solid red cedar top and solid African mahogany back and sides, the Furch Little Jane yields a beautiful, rich and balanced tone with a good amount of projection. 

The guitar can be folded down and fit into a rucksack (included). The headstock, neck and body are separate from one another to save space but can be assembled into one piece very quickly and easily. Once the neck is locked into position using Furch’s proprietary assembly system, it’s ready to play and will even go back in tune. 

The included rucksack is well padded and will ensure that it’s protected enough on your travels. Travel acoustic guitars seldom sound this good, and to be fair the price reflects that, but it really is one of the best out there. 

Best travel guitars: Buying advice

What is a travel guitar?

Essentially, a travel guitar is a guitar designed with portability and mobility as its key function. This will usually mean the guitar has a significantly smaller body or weight, and they often boast creative solutions to common issues like tuning or storage. From conception to construction, the travel guitar is designed to be thrown in a bag and transported anywhere, everywhere, and all those places in between. 

Standard-sized guitars can be, as we know, too large, too heavy or too delicate to carry around for long stretches, so travel guitars offer a specialist tool for those specific situations. Realistically, you’ll not find too many studio musicians reaching for the travel guitar to nail that perfect tone, but then that’s not what they’re for. Portability, size and weight are order of the day here, and it helps that there are travel guitars on the market today which also nail that other crucial element; tone. 

What makes travel guitars different?

At first glance, the sight of a dedicated travel guitar can jar a little. Often, they have quite striking aesthetic differences from regular guitars. Like looking at something you know, only quite different. Manufacturers employ all kinds of measures as they seek to reduce the overall size and weight of the guitar, and it’s not uncommon to see guitars without headstocks, or with radically different shaped bodies, or even no body at all. Yet a guitar still has to function, so there is still the need for tuning pegs, a bridge, and other essential components.

What are the key features of travel guitars?

There are two major schools of thought when it comes to travel guitars. One is to take a regular sized guitar and zap it with a shrink ray, keeping the same proportions relatively but in a smaller overall package. This approach ensures the instrument retains its familiarity, and also makes them attractive to younger learners.

The other approach is to redesign the instrument completely, perhaps taking the tuning pegs and installing them in the body. Of course, such radical design changes can create other problems, so you may see these compensated for with the inclusion of detachable arm and leg rests, for example. While these guitars may look unfamiliar, the playing experience should be largely the same as a regular guitar. Scale lengths, fret locations and pitch will be the same, even if the physical form of the guitar is quite different.

Are travel guitars playable?

If you’ve never had the chance to play a travel guitar, you may be looking at the best travel guitars in this list and wondering if it’s playable in the same way as a regular guitar. The good news is that yes, absolutely they are playable. In the same way that jumping from the thin neck of an Ibanez RG-style electric to a 50’s style Stratocaster neck may take a bit of readjustment in your technique, so too will the leap from a regular to certain travel-sized guitars. It’s not difficult to adjust though. You may also have to sit differently to accommodate the smaller body, but as these guitars are inherently lighter in weight, this shouldn’t cause too much of a headache. Or, more accurately, backache.

Electric or acoustic?

All of the best travel guitars will either be electric or acoustic. Electrics do tend to be thinner, as the body doesn’t need to resonate as much to get a good sound, although it’s worth remembering that you’ll need an amp to get the most out of it. The body of a travel acoustic will normally be deeper, but as a result of this you can get a fairly loud sound without any amplification.

What do I get when I spend more?

The quality of the best travel guitars does vary, and as you might imagine, it does go up as you spend more money. As the price increases, you’ll likely find better hardware, which can not only help keep the guitar in tune and playing nicely, but can also improve how it sounds too, increasing resonance and sustain.

On electrics, you’ll find better quality pickups - these will be more dynamic and have a wider frequency range so you’ll get more detail and clarity. With travel acoustic guitars, you’ll get better quality, and even solid woods which will give you a better, more responsive and richer sound.

Who might use a travel guitar?

The breadth of today’s range of travel guitars means there is a guitar to suit most playing styles and genres, so the quick answer is that yes, there is a travel guitar for everyone. In terms of scenarios, travel guitars are, as their name suggests, designed to be taken places ordinary guitars cannot reach. 

Small enough to fit on your back as you scale a mountain, or taken on a plane as part of your hand luggage, travel guitars give players the freedom and convenience of being able to play anywhere, at any time. For that, we applaud them. Let’s examine some of the best travel guitar options available today.

Can you buy travel guitars for children?

Travel guitars, as well as being the perfect accompaniment to a musician on the go, can also make for great instruments for children. If you’re looking for one of the best travel guitars to get a kid started on their guitar playing journey, then look for one that has a shorter scale length. This will mean that the notes are closer together and will be easier for small hands to fret. 

Scale length and string gauge

Speaking of short scales, the gauge of strings you use is also worth considering. The strings on a guitar with a shorter scale will feel slinkier - they will be easier to bend and to some players may even feel too loose. One way to combat this is to use thicker strings, so something like 12s on an electric might make them feel a little more like 10s on a full size guitar. Though, if you’re just starting out then the thinner, slinkier strings might be better so they don’t quite hurt your fingertips as much.

How we chose the best travel guitars for this guide

Here at MusicRadar, we are experts in our field, with many years of playing, creating and product testing between us. We live and breathe everything music gear related, and we draw on this knowledge and experience of using products in live, recording and rehearsal scenarios when selecting the products for our guides. 

When choosing what we believe to be the best travel guitars available right now, we combine our hands-on experience, user reviews and testimonies and engage in lengthy discussions with our editorial colleagues to reach a consensus about the top products in any given category.

First and foremost, we are musicians, and we want other players to find the right product for them. So we take into careful consideration everything from budget to feature set, ease of use and durability to come up with a list of what we can safely say are the best travel guitars on the market right now.

Find out more about  how we test music gear and services  at MusicRadar.

Related buyer's guides

• The best acoustic guitar strings to get the most from your guitar
• ...and the best electric guitar strings
• Sharpen your chops with the best practice amps
• Keep your guitar safe on the road with the best guitar cases and gig bags
• Want something even smaller? These are the best ukuleles
• Need some inspiration? Check out these gifts for guitar players

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Chris Corfield is a journalist with over 12 years of experience writing for some of the music world's biggest brands including Orange Amplification, MusicRadar, Guitar World, Total Guitar and Dawsons Music. Chris loves getting nerdy about everything from guitar and bass gear, to synths, microphones, DJ gear and music production hardware.

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Blackstar Carry-On Deluxe Pack review

A travel-sized electric guitar and blackstar fly3 practice amp twofer that'll give any player a little wanderlust.

Guitar World Verdict

Small but perfectly credible, the Carry-On is a fun little guitar that's dead serious when it comes to practice. This and the Fly 3 makes a great little on-the-go practice rig.

Simple design, well-executed.

Very portable, uke-sized proportions.

More than respectable tones for practice.

Good value.

Not much but it lacks a little bite.

You can trust Guitar World Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing guitar products so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

In what is probably the most hopeful product launch of 2021 so far, Blackstar has announced the Carry-On travel guitar. It’s certainly a forward-thinking introduction and here’s hoping we’ll be able to travel somewhere before the end of the year! Timing aside, the Carry-On is a credible example of the downsized travel guitar. 

Designed in the UK by Blackstar in association with the master luthiers at Gordon Smith Guitars, and made in China, it’s certainly small, centring on a 527mm (20.7-inch) scale length and a ukulele-sized body that measures approximately 211mm across the lower bouts; body depth is 39.5mm. 

It has a natural matt finish to the back, sides and neck, and the top is not only glossed (in a choice of Vintage White, as here, and Black) but also bound with a tortoiseshell-like plastic. The same plastic is used to bind the fingerboard and around the lightly back-angled headstock, which features full-sized enclosed tuners. 

Overall length is 747mm and it weighs just 1.79kg. The Carry-On is made from okoume and has a 19-fret laurel fingerboard. The fret gauge falls into medium-to-jumbo territory and the fret tops are pretty well-fettled, the fret ends actually sitting over the edge binding.

Despite the reduced scale-length and the miniature size, the neck is actually full size with a conventional nut width that measures 43.43mm and a neck width of 52.2mm by the 12th fret. The well-shaped full C profile has a depth of 20.2mm at the 1st fret and 23mm by the 10th fret, before the neck curves into a pretty classic domed heel.

Clearly, then, this is a set-neck guitar, the neck joining the single-cut body just past the 15th fret. The string gauge is heavier than you might be used to (0.012 to 0.054), but this extra weight compensates for the short scale, even though the perceived tension veers on the slightly floppier side.

That said, with regular string spacing (35mm at the nut, 51.5mm at the tune-o-matic bridge) it really plays rather well and there’s even a wheel-style truss-rod adjuster at the base of the neck to ensure the optimum setup, while the strings are anchored through the body in offset Tele-style ferrules.

Sound-wise, it does sound like an electric guitar – certainly good enough for practice. There’s not excessive bite, you’ll find a reasonable depth to the voice, the coil-split is rather good and the volume and tones work effectively. Pint-sized but pokey!

• PRICE: £419
• TYPE: Singlecut travel guitar
• BODY: Okoume
• NECK: Okoume (body and neck one piece)
• FINGERBOARD: Laurel
• SCALE: 20.7" (527mm)
• PICKUPS: Mini-humbucker
• CONTROLS: Volume w/ coil-split, tone
• EXTRAS: Blackstar Fly 3 Bluetooth Mini Amp [deluxe package; Fly 2 headphones amp with standard], premium gig-bag, strap, 3x medium-gauge picks, travel notebook and mechanical pencil
• CONTACT: Blackstar

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Dave Burrluck is one of the world’s most experienced guitar journalists, who started writing back in the '80s for International Musician and Recording World , co-founded The Guitar Magazine and has been the Gear Reviews Editor of Guitarist magazine for the past two decades. Along the way, Dave has been the sole author of The PRS Guitar Book and The Player's Guide to Guitar Maintenance as well as contributing to numerous other books on the electric guitar. Dave is an active gigging and recording musician and still finds time to make, repair and mod guitars, not least for Guitarist ’s The Mod Squad.

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The best guitar amps in 2024, tested and reviewed

Build your studio setup or gig rig with the perfect guitar amplifier at home and on the stage.

We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn more ›

In the world of electric guitars, the guitar amplifier is as essential a piece of equipment as the instrument itself. Available in varieties big and small, with a range of tone and circuitry options, guitar amps allow players to explore the creative bounds of the electric guitar’s capabilities on their own terms. Whether you’re looking for a portable guitar amp that packs a punch, a clean amp for effects, a small tube amp that delivers warm overdrive, or a classic amp that does a little bit of everything, this list of the best guitar amps has something for every player and every scenario.

• Best overall: Fender ’65 Deluxe Reverb
• Best small: Supro 1612RT Amulet
• Best for practice: Roland JC-40
• Best under $500: ZT Amplifiers LunchBox Reverb Combo Amp
• Best budget: Positive Grid Spark 40-Watt Amp

How we chose the best guitar amps

When selecting the best guitar amps, we combined personal musical and production experience , the opinion of trusted peers, published critics, and online user impressions. We assembled this list of the best guitar amps with a focus on versatility and a secondary emphasis on brand reputation. Not every guitar amp is naturally suited to every genre of music or task, so we took care to choose the most sonically and creatively flexible guitar amps for each category based on their design and sound-sculpting abilities. We also included tube-based and solid-state designs to represent a wide range of tonal options. And we singled out a few items for their travel-friendly size.

The best guitar amps: Reviews & Recommendations

Not everyone has the space or plays the right style to justify investing in a Marshall stack (except maybe this one ). But you’ve got one of the best electric guitars (or best electric guitars under $500 ), and you’re ready to kick out the jams, so here are our well-toned selections for best guitar amps.

Julian Vittorio

Why it made the cut: The Fender ’65 Deluxe Reverb delivers legendary warm electric guitar tone and plenty of volume, making it a great all-around choice for stage and studio applications.

• Power: 22 watts
• Speakers : 1 x 12-inch
• Effects: Reverb, vibrato
• Dimensions: 17.5 x 24.5 x 9.5 inches (H x W x D)
• Weight: 42 pounds
• All-tube design delivers a wide range of classic tones
• Built-in tube-powered reverb and tremolo
• Multiple input channels for added flexibility
• Moderately heavy

The iconic Fender ’65 Deluxe Reverb is an industry-favorite combo guitar amp known for its crisp clean tones, gritty tube overdrive, and tonal flexibility at a wide range of volumes that make it a perfect vehicle for playing rock, jazz, blues, country, and many other styles. The ’65 Deluxe Reverb is the mid-sized offering in Fender’s historically inspired black panel line, which includes the ’65 Princeton Reverb and ’65 Twin Reverb . It comes with a 12-inch Jensen speaker and 22 watts of power that give it ample flexibility and headroom in recording and live applications alike. A classic tube amp through and through, the Deluxe is powered by a total of nine valves and includes built-in tremolo, spring reverb, and a two-band EQ for a variety of lush tones and sound sculpting options.

While the Fender ’65 Deluxe Reverb features a well-rounded design that balances power and size, its tube-based architecture includes plenty of transformers and other dense electronic components that make it considerably heavy. Still, it can handle the road miles (as shown in the above photo). If you’re looking for the same Fender black panel tone and design philosophy in a slightly easier-to-carry package, the 34-pound ’65 Princeton Reverb is a fantastic alternative that’s just as suitable for studio and stage applications with a slightly brighter and quieter sound profile.

Why it made the cut: The Supro 1612RT Amulet offers plenty of volume and selectable wattage for a variety of overdriven tones in a portable package.

• Power: 15 watts (switchable to 5 watts and 1 watt)
• Speakers: 1 x 10-inch
• Dimensions: 17.5 x 17 x 8 inches (H x W x D)
• Weight: 28.9 pounds
• Adjustable power offers tube overdrive at any volume
• Very wide tonal palette with built-in EQ, reverb, and tremolo
• Compact design travels well
• Midrange-forward tone may be too dark for some players

After making a name for itself from the 1930s through the 1950s, legendary guitar manufacturer Sup ro went quiet. However, the brand was revived in 2013, and Supro returned in 2020 with a new line of stylish guitar amps that pair vintage tone and character with modern features. The 1612RT Amulet is one of the best compact tube amplifiers in Supro’s new product line, with a 10-inch Celestion speaker and three-way selectable wattage that allow it to deliver a huge range of clean and overdrive tones at any volume. 

While the Amulet sounds relatively midrange-heavy and lacks some low bass response due to its 10-inch speaker, the amp’s sound is incredibly smooth and balanced for its compact size, aided further by its onboard bass and treble adjustment knobs. It’s a bit lighter than other 10-inch tube amplifiers of similar power ratings, like the Fender ’65 Princeton Reverb , making it a great option for traveling without sacrificing volume. If you don’t need the extra volume from the Amulet’s 15 watts of power or the switchable wattage feature, the 5-watt Supro Delta King 10 has a similar design and tone in an even lighter and more affordable package.

Best for home use: Roland JC-40 Jazz Chorus

Why it made the cut: This classic solid-state guitar amp features some of the best clean tones on the market and comes equipped with stereo speakers and lots of connectivity options, making it a great choice for at-home practice and recording.

• Type: Solid state
• Power: 40 watts
• Speakers: 2 x 10-inch
• Effects: Reverb, vibrato, chorus, distortion
• Dimensions: 17.2 x 23.3 x 9.9 inches (H x W x D)
• Weight: 34.8 pounds
• Lush clean tones and ample volume in a home-friendly package
• Stereo speakers and inputs are ideal for use with effects
• Built-in chorus, reverb, vibrato, and distortion
• Produces audible hiss at high volumes
• Small speakers lack deep bass response
• Doesn’t include a footswitch for built-in effects

Roland’s Jazz Chorus line of solid-state amplifiers was an instant hit with the introduction of the JC-120 in 1975, which offered tons of clean headroom and stereo effects in an easier-to-maintain alternative to the tube amplifiers of the time. Weighing in at 34.8 pounds, the Roland JC-40 Jazz Chorus packs the same rock-solid build quality and pristinely clean tone of its predecessors into a home-friendly package with a few modern appointments that make it a very flexible tool for creativity. In addition to including built-in reverb, vibrato, chorus, and distortion effects, the JC-40 features two front panel stereo inputs, a headphones output, and a stereo line output alongside a dedicated effects loop in the rear; these connectivity options make it one of the best guitar amplifiers for integrating with an existing home recording setup . The JC-40’s ultra-clean solid-state design also plays very well with outboard effects , allowing players to access their existing pedals’ full depth and character.

While the Jazz Chorus line of amps is undoubtedly some of the cleanest on the market, some users have complained about the JC-40’s noise floor and audible hiss. In our tests, we didn’t hear the amp produce any more hiss than you might hear from a normal tube amp, but the effect can vary wildly depending on what effects you’re running into the amp and whether the JC-40’s brightness or distortion features are engaged. The JC-40’s 10-inch speakers are also a bit lacking in the lowest frequencies of the sonic spectrum, giving the amp an overall brighter tone than its larger siblings.

ZT Amplifiers

Why it made the cut: The ZT LunchBox packs a remarkable 100 watts of power into its compact and portable 9.5-pound design.

• Power: 100 watts
• Speakers: 1 x 6.5-inch
• Effects: Reverb
• Dimensions: 7.5 x 9.8 x 5.5 inches (H x W x D)
• Weight: 9.5 pounds
• 100 watts of power provides enough volume for stage applications
• Very lightweight and compact
• Speaker extension and headphone outputs for expandability
• Relative lack of low-bass frequencies

The ZT LunchBox is one of the most powerful small amps on the market, with a generous 100 watts of amplification that give it the ability to hold its own in loud rehearsals and performances despite weighing only 9.5 pounds. To keep it small and lightweight, the LunchBox features a solid-state design with a single 6.5-inch speaker and basic onboard tone controls, including a two-band EQ plus an integrated reverb. This gives the LunchBox a moderately wide range of tone and volume capabilities in a small package, making it an excellent option for commuting musicians or those who live and work in small spaces.

Because of its relatively small cabinet and speaker, the ZT LunchBox has a midrange-forward sound that is somewhat lacking in low-frequency fullness. This can be mitigated using the amp’s 8-ohm speaker output, which connects to a separately-sold companion extension cabinet to boost the rig’s overall volume and low-end punch. The LunchBox also features a built-in headphones output and a switch that mutes the built-in speaker, making it a solid option for silent practice applications .

Why it made the cut: The Positive Grid Spark features a huge number of effects and tonal options combined with recording interface functionality in an affordable package.

• Speakers: 2 x 4-inch
• Effects: Reverb, distortion, modulation, delay, compressor
• Dimensions: 7.5 x 13.8 x 7 inches (H x W x D)
• Weight: 11.5 pounds
• Over 10,000 built-in sound presets with effects
• Backing tracks and chord recognition through the companion app
• Functions as a guitar recording interface
• Low-mid heavy speaker sound profile
• Not battery-powered
• App required for some functionality

The Positive Grid Spark is a compact amp with plenty of unique features and creative flexibility despite its budget-friendly $300 price tag. In addition to being a portable modeling guitar amp with over 10,000 accessible effects presets, the Spark also functions as a Bluetooth companion speaker for playing along with backing tracks and a USB-enabled audio interface for recording your guitar straight to a computer. This makes the Spark a uniquely appealing option for beginning guitarists who want to learn their favorite songs or begin sketching out their own original recordings in GarageBand. 

The Spark features 40 watts of power, weighs just under 12 pounds, and packs two 4-inch speakers, giving it ample volume with a slightly muffled sound that can be sculpted and adjusted using the amp’s onboard EQ or through the Spark smartphone app. While the Spark app provides access to many of the amp’s basic features and lets you browse and load its virtual signal chains, we’d prefer if the amp relied a bit less on the smartphone app and offered a more robust standalone user experience out of the box. Still, after using the app to make some global adjustments to the amp’s sound, the Spark proves to be an inspiring option for creativity and home use. (And while the 40-watt Spark is plenty portable, the Spark MINI , its smaller sibling, is even more so, making it a perfect party speaker if you’re the type that likes to shred at a shindig.)

Things to consider when picking from the best guitar amps

Do you prefer tube or solid-state.

Arguments for and against tube and solid-state guitar amps have kept many guitarists up at night, but choosing between them is a simple decision that should come down to what type of music you’ll be playing through the amp. Due to their design, tube circuits provide a natural, ear-pleasing harmonic overdrive when pushed to loud volumes, and this “positive distortion” is perfect for blues, rock, and other styles that require a bit of analog grit. Solid-state amp circuits, however, aim to produce none of this natural distortion and are designed to sound as clean as possible at high volumes, making them an excellent choice for jazz and an ideal pairing for players with a large collection of outboard effects and guitar pedals .

How loud should it be?

Guitar amp volume corresponds with many design factors, including wattage and speaker size, and guitar amps with a power rating around 20 watts and speakers between 6.5 and 10 inches should suffice for the vast majority of home and recording applications. If you use an amp for rehearsals alongside loud instruments like bass and drums, outdoors, or in large performance spaces, a more flexible design like the Roland JC-40 Jazz Chorus or Fender ’65 Deluxe Reverb will provide you with ample volume to be heard.

Does it need to be portable?

Guitar amps are notoriously large and heavy, so if you’re looking for a travel-friendly option, you’ll want to consider a lightweight solid-state design made specifically to be transportable, like the ZT Amplifiers LunchBox Reverb Combo Amp or the Positive Grid Spark 40-Watt Amp . Remember that smaller amps typically produce less low-frequency sound, so you’ll be trading off a bit in the tone department in exchange for portability. If you have your heart set on a heavier tube-based design but still want something relatively easy to transport, the Fender ‘57 Custom Champ is a great-sounding option that weighs only 15 pounds.

Q: How much does a guitar amp cost?

Guitar amps—from the brands we’ve featured and iconic amps from brands like MESA/Boogie , Vox , Orange , and Peavey , among others—cost anywhere from close to $200 to over $5,000.

Q: How do I store guitar amps properly?

Guitar amps can be stored freestanding in any room or in an enclosed space like a closet. Buying an amp cover or bag is a good idea for long-term storage, as it will provide some measure of protection against moisture and dust.

Q: How long do guitar amps last on average?

Guitar amps can last for a lifetime if cared for and properly maintained. Many electronic components within an amplifier circuit degrade over long periods and will require replacement after a few decades, and tubes should be replaced roughly every two years on average.

Q: Can I use guitar amps outdoors?

Guitar amps can definitely be used outdoors, and their sound can travel very far, making it advisable to get permission from those around you before you let loose. Sound tends to diffuse more in outdoor spaces, so in a performance scenario, you’ll want to pick an amp on the louder side, like the Fender ’65 Deluxe Reverb or a Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus .

Final thoughts on the best guitar amps

We love the tonal flexibility, volume range, and natural overdrive of the Fender ’65 Deluxe Reverb, one of the most well-rounded tube guitar amps for big and small applications. The Roland JC-40 Jazz Chorus is a slightly quieter solid-state design with a pristine clean tone that makes it best suited for recording and practice use at home, though it also sounds great onstage in front of a microphone. If you’re looking for a smaller amp, the Supro 1612RT Amulet is the best small tube amp we’ve tested, thanks to its flexible tone and switchable wattage. At the same time, we prefer the solid-state ZT Amplifiers LunchBox Reverb Combo Amp for applications where maximum volume is required in the smallest package possible.

Why trust us

Popular Science  started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

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Best amp modelers 2024: Get your dream guitar tone with our top picks

Amp models so good, you’ll think they’re the real thing

The quick list

Best overall.

• Best for live

Best profiler

• Best sub $1,000

Best compact

Best budget, more options..., buying advice, how we test.

1. The quick list 2. Best overall 3. Best for live 4. Best profiler 5. Best under $1,000 6. Best compact 7. Best budget 8. More options... 9. Buying advice 10. How we test

Every guitarist wants the best amp sounds, but getting your hands on high-end amplifiers can cost thousands, and if you want more than one, your dream tone can start to become unattainable. With the very best amp modelers, unlocking the amplifiers you yearn for becomes a reality. 

This is because amp modelers can sound and feel as good as traditional guitar amplifiers whilst offering additional flexibility, transportability and, for many, additional creativity.

But as with any guitar technology, the price point of amp modelers can vary dramatically, along with their feature lists. With these picks of the best amp modelers, you can find the one for your needs across any price point, be that for live use, home recording, or just practice.

Packed with amp models that are as close to the real thing as you can get, the Neural DSP Quad Cortex makes complex signal chains effortless, rightfully earning its place at the top.

Read more below

Having been one of the top choices for live players for years, the Fractal Axe-FX III combines excellent processing power with relentless reliability, making it perfect for touring guitarists.

Despite being one of the older models on this list, the Kemper Profiler Stage is still unmatched as a profiler, allowing you to accurately and easily capture the sound of your real guitar amp.

Amp modeling can get expensive quickly, but the Line 6 Helix LT offers excellent value for money coming in just below the $1,000 and offering just as much as more expensive models.

If you want a compact option to create a hybrid setup with an amp and mount on your pedalboard, the Headrush Core is easy to travel with, and you can plug a microphone into it too.

If you want an amp modeler on a tight budget, the Hotone Ampero II Stomp gets our vote. It sounds phenomenal and is nice and compact too, making it great for beginners.

1. Neural DSP Quad Cortex

Our expert review:

Specifications

Reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

Even after the hype from its launch in 2020 has had time to die down, Neural DSP’s Quad Cortex is still the modeler to beat. With sounds so close to the real thing, countless musicians have traded their tube amplifiers in to use the QC full time.

With class leading processing power courtesy of its SHARC quad-core processor, the Quad Cortex suffers from zero latency, regardless of how advanced the user wants to go with complex internal effects chains to complement their captured amplifier. And complex effects chains are where the Quad Cortex stands above rivals, as its intuitive interface allows even total novices to fairly quickly get their head around the system and create everything from natural tube-amp tones to cinematic, stereo soundscapes. Managing these complex chains is also remarkably simple, thanks to the graphical signal-chain displayed and edited via the inbuilt LCD touch-screen, which is a particular highlight.

Whilst those looking to be a bit ‘different’ may be deterred by the fanfare over the Quad Cortex, it does come with the benefit of a vast community of users who have created their own amp presets on the ‘Cortex Cloud’. All the plaudits are accurate – this is the best modeler you can buy.

Read our full Neural DSP Quad Cortex review

Best for live performance

2. fractal axe-fx iii mark ii turbo.

Unlike rivals from Kemper and Neural, which sit firmly in the same price bracket, Axe-Fx III Mark II is a genuine amp modeler, rather than a profiler, so its amps are created without the cue of a hardware amplifier. This doesn’t mean the Axe-Fx sounds worse though, and the rack-mounted version of the unit has been among the top choices for live players for years, due to its supreme reliability, immense processing power and spellbinding in-built effects – which can be programmed to be controlled by MIDI, to seamlessly engage during a set.

The Mark II Turbo version comes equipped with a 25% clock speed boost that allows players to go even more complex with their effects chains, whilst the addition of extra flash memory makes it future-proofed for updates.

The sonic capabilities of the Axe-Fx system are remarkable and its ability to react to playing dynamics makes it feel just like a real amplifier – the real barometer for tube amp aficionados. It also reacts with external pedals well, so for people who don’t necessarily want to move both amp and effects over to a modeler, the Axe-Fx III will be great with your existing pedalboard.

The big downside to the Axe-Fx remains the fact that Fractal still only sells directly/through singular select dealers per territory, which isn’t ideal if you want to go to your music store to A/B test against rivals.

3. Kemper Profiler Stage

The legacy pick and still among the best. Whilst some of the Kemper hardware is starting to feel its age, the company does still release software updates that keep its hardware firmly within the grasp of its contemporaries in the area that matters most; the amp sounds.

Despite its age, the Kemper Profiler Stage still sounds brilliant and the ability to ‘digitally clone’ any vintage amplifier you like through its profiling technology remains Kemper’s biggest selling point. Where it has lost some ground on rivals is its ease of use, which isn’t totally effortless during set-up, though in a performance situation, it is far more intuitive and natural for guitarists.

For those looking for a modeler to go straight on the road with, Kemper’s build quality has become legendary and is perfect for professional gigging musicians, who rely on the reliability of their equipment, even after being thrown about. Its Floorboard Profiler Stage is our pick of the range due to its portability and sleek design, however we’d recommend checking out Kemper’s powered heads, if you require a modeler with an integrated power amp.

Best under $1,000

4. Line 6 Helix LT

Line 6 was among the first players in guitar modeling, back when other manufacturers laughed at the idea that people would trade in their amps for modelers… with the success they’ve experienced with their Helix range, Line 6 definitely had the last laugh.

The Helix LT is Line 6’s stripped back, ‘budget-friendly’ version of its full Helix floorboard modeler. For us, it’s the pick of its extensive range and ideal for players looking to get a gig-worthy modeler, without breaking the $1000 barrier… just. 

Can it compare to the likes of Fender and Neural’s offerings? Yes, just about. In comparison everything feels that little bit clunkier, and the amp models aren’t quite as refined – though there are regular software and firmware updates by Line 6 to improve these, which is commendable after all the years the Helix range has been in production. Its LCD screen is bright and easy to see, though the lack of touchscreen is noticeable compared to rivals.

What has to be considered with the Helix LT though, is that it undercuts its illustrious competition by a significant amount, with the quality remaining high. If you’re looking for a modeler for the live environment and can’t stretch past $1000, this is the best amp modeler on the market at that price point.

5. Headrush Core

The Headrush Core is ideal for anybody looking for a compact modeler for the live environment, particularly for those who want control over their vocals too, with the standout feature of the Headrush Core being its in-built vocal processing, including Antares Autotune. This makes it a superb live tool for those who want full control over their vocal sound as well as their guitar tones.

The intuitive touch screen makes both vocal and guitar manipulation effortless in use and the overall simplicity and user-friendliness of the Headrush Core is among its biggest selling points. And it doesn’t stop there with its tricks; it also has the ability to ‘clone’ an amp with Headrush’s unique amp cloning feature – which is equally intuitive in use as the rest of the Core – meaning there are potentially infinite tonal options.

Some may be tempted to pay the little bit extra to go for the Core’s big brother – the Headrush Prime – however the size and weight reduction in the Core (at around half the weight of the Prime) can’t go unnoticed, and that could be a real plus point for those who want something compact and easy to travel with. It also has the same digital signal processor as the Prime, the same software, and it happens to be significantly cheaper – which makes it our pick of the two.

6. Hotone Ampero II Stomp

The Ampero II Stomp is powered by the catchy ‘Advanced CDCM HD (Comprehensive Dynamic Circuit Modeling High Definition)’ and ‘F.I.R.E. (Field Impulse Response Enhancement)’ systems, which use dynamic feature modeling where independent amp ‘components’ are rebuilt digitally to create very accurate models. You'd be forgiven for thinking that this sounds like a lot of marketing nonsense, but in practice the Ampero II Stomp backs up the acronyms with superb and varied amp models, which feel and sound organic and natural.

Hotone has also upped its components from the initial Ampero lineup, with the Stomp II coming loaded with additional processing power, better AD/DA conversion, improved dynamic range, and upgrades in just about every other area. The only thing it has lost over the original Ampero is the inbuilt expression pedal and one of its footswitches, though an external expression pedal can be added.

Areas that often let budget-friendly products such as the Ampero II Stomp down is the build quality, and while the 4” touchscreen is smaller than on many rivals – which is to be expected at this price point – it is bright and easy to read, and the rest of the chassis is durable and rather handsome. Whilst beginners should seriously consider this as an excellent way to get on the modeling ladder, even pro players shouldn’t sniff at it.

7. Universal Audio Lion ‘68 Super Lead

One of the benefits of most amp modelers is that you can choose from many different amps, but there will always be those who don’t care for that feature; rather they just want an incredible modeled version of their favorite amp. Universal Audio’s range of modeled amplifier pedals should be the go-to for any player who wants to cut the complexity of having stacks of amps in their modeler, and the Lion ‘68 Super Lead is the pick of the range.

Whilst the Lion is more limited than other modelers – and you could get a great amp modeler with far more features for the same (or less) money – it’d be an extremely difficult task to find a Marshall-style model, which is notoriously difficult to replicate, at any price point that sounds quite this good. The majesty of the 100W Plexi can only really be experienced at ear-splitting volumes – however the Lion manages to replicate this sound and, importantly, sensation at any volume, which in itself is a reason to buy. It’s also considerably cheaper than a 100W Plexi, with even a reissue setting you back $2000. 

Coming with a built-in ambience, which can be changed to a larger reverb when selecting artist presets through Universal Audio’s software package, plus a built-in boost, for a simple rig the Lion does everything you need. It also plays really well with external pedals too, if you want to combine it with an existing pedalboard. If you want the best modeled Marshall tone, or just one of the best Marshall tones in general, look no further.

8. Fender Tone Master Pro

Despite Fender making some of the greatest amps of all time – all of which will be sitting in their archives ripe and ready to be digitally cloned through amp capture – their Tone Master Pro floorboard goes down the route of top-to-bottom amp modeling instead, creating digital versions of its classic range and a host of other sought-after amps. Not all of these models can quite match competitors’ versions, however Fender fans should consider this the go-to modeler because (unsurprisingly) it does Fender amp tones better than any other.

The effects in this unit are really impressive, particularly the reverbs which can provide everything from drippy spring sounds – classics for Fender amps – to cavernous halls. However if the integrated effects aren’t enough, the Tone Master Pro has 4 (!) effects loops, so there is no shortage of effect options.

Relative newcomers to the amp modeling scene, Fender seems to have taken the time to learn from industry leaders, particularly in its user interface, which is superb. The 7” touchscreen display and scribble strips make both set up and live operation brilliant, and when using the switches in stompbox mode, it’s a pretty much fool-proof system.

Read our full Fender Tone Master Pro review

9. IK Multimedia Tonex Pedal

Undoubtedly best known for its software amp models via the Guitar Rig software, IK Multimedia has packaged all of its modeling expertise into a floorboard offering. The Tonex Pedal is the hardware interface by which you can utilize the excellent Tonex software in a practical environment. This is both the Tonex’s strength and weakness.

With access to IK Multimedia’s vast archive of amps, Tonex has both modeled and profiled amps ready to use, as well as a host of profiled pedals, though to get the best out of the Tonex hardware you will need to use the software and USB connection, which gives you access to a vast array of modeled amps and effects. However, if you just want to plug in and get going, it’s probably not the right device for you, as its own interface isn’t particularly user-friendly.

For fans of effects, this isn’t a multi-effects unit that will allow you to stomp lots of effects in and out, however in its price bracket (for amp modeling alone) it is arguably the best and certainly has access to the most amp models through IK Multimedia's library. For trying out as many different amp types as possible, give this some consideration.

10. Boss GT-1000 Core

The GT-1000 Core sees Boss condense its flagship GT-1000 amp and effects processor into a much smaller package, whilst retaining the processing power of its bigger brother, including 96kHz audio, ensuring pristine sound quality. It also has 24 different effects blocks and allows the user to create a dual-amp set-up, which means that, despite its size, you can create vast stereo amp rigs.

Boss has managed to retain a plethora of ins and outs, including stereo inputs and outputs, two effects sends/returns, and MIDI in/out, which is quite remarkable given its diminutive size. And for those concerned about the lack of in-built footswitches, external control is supported via external footswitches and expression pedals. 

The user interface isn’t as intuitive as some rivals and the lack of Bluetooth is a real shame and means USB is needed when connecting to the BOSS Tone Studio app. However this doesn’t detract from the overall quality of the unit, particularly its effects. For those looking primarily for a multi-effects unit to complement an existing amplifier, but would like the option of having additional amp models for recording, this is a great solution that doesn’t break the bank.

11. NUX MG-400

'Amp modeling' and 'budget' haven’t always gone hand in hand, but this is no longer the case. The NUX MG-400 is a smart little modeler and multi-effects unit that offers a great selection of amps to choose from and has all the features to make it a great home practice tool, including a built-in looper, drum machine and USB interface.

Compared to rivals, it lacks the sheer volume of amp models – just 25 – though the addition of eight bass amp models is a nice touch and means players at home can write, loop, and record full demos with guitar, bass and even drums (via the in-built drum machine).

The amp models may be few in numbers, but they’re tastefully engineered and produce usable tones, rather than vast quantities of pretty much unlistenable amps as modelers of old used to.

Don’t be deterred by this being a ‘budget product’ from a ‘budget brand’, even expert players with years of experience should consider this as a fun and creative tool to use at home, or as an emergency live solution.

What is an amp modeler?

Amp modeling is the process of digitally replicating the sound of analog guitar amplifiers. An analog guitar signal is converted into a digital signal and manipulated through a series of algorithms that have been carefully designed to reproduce sound that mimics a ‘traditional’ amplifier. The depths of this can vary, from generating amp-like tones, to interpolating complex impulse responses that accurately reproduce the sound and feel of a speaker cabinet, giving the player a lifelike feel to an entirely digitally produced sound.

The very first amp modeler is debated among players, though the ‘Rockman X100’ – a clip-on guitar headphone amp, with built in effects – which appeared in the ’80s and featured on records by the likes of Def Leppard – is often credited as the first easily accessible modeler. However it was the ’90s when modeling began to gain some legs and break into mainstream use. The Roland VG-8 and Line 6 Axys 212 paved the way for digital amp models that decade, before Line 6 took it one step further with the now-infamous POD (known affectionately as the ‘kidney bean’) becoming common in many guitarists’ households by the start of the new millennium. The POD signaled the start of modeling amps becoming commercially successful, though the gap in sound quality between a modeled amp and an analog tube amplifier was still very noticeable.

Since the launch of the POD, modeling technology has continued advancing, with more DSP (digital signal processing) power becoming cheaply available and allowing modelers to run more complex algorithms with ease. As this level of processing power increased, other forms of digital amp recreation became readily available and, whilst they fell under the bracket of ‘modeler’, many would argue this label isn’t entirely correct.

Whilst a modeler will have been created by a combination of technology and human interpretation of a sound, products from the likes of Kemper arrived that use a technological process called amp profiling (often called ‘captures’ by other manufacturers), which sends a series of signals through a physical, target amplifier and then analyzes and reproduces the results down to the most minute nuance, from the dynamic reactions to the response of the amp to different guitars being played through it. If amp modeling is like an artist’s painting, an amp profiler is more like taking a photograph.

Given that the process by which an amplifier is replicated differs between modelers and profilers, the fastidious would argue profilers shouldn’t be mentioned in the same breath; however, at almost any music store, you’ll find profilers and modelers side-by-side, as ultimately they aim to achieve the same thing; a great amp tone.

Will a modeler sound as good as a real amp?

It depends what you’re looking for, but the reality is that high-end amp modelers are almost indistinguishable from their analog counterparts. Achieving this level of quality is still relatively new, however, and some would argue there is an intangible quality to a tube amp that a modeled amplifier can never recreate.

An area that is often cited as where modelers fall down isn’t the sound at all, but rather the feel. As with any digital computing, there are fractions of a second where it takes the signal of your guitar to reach the processor of your modeler, be converted into a digital signal through a process called analog to digital (A/D) conversion, then be processed through the modeled amplifier, be converted back to an analog audio signal (D/A conversion), and finally come back out of your speaker or headphone system. The time in which it takes this to happen is referred to as ‘latency’. To anybody externally listening, they would likely notice no difference whatsoever, however for the player – particularly a veteran player – this can be an issue. Fortunately, as processing power continues to improve, the latest and greatest amp modelers suffer less and less with the issue of latency, going through all of these steps to produce your final, modeled amp sound instantaneously.

Why should I buy an amp modeler?

Typically amp modelers will have multiple different amp models and plenty of in-built effects, which means you can explore countless different tones and amp types. This makes them a perfect vessel for exploring your creativity by trying new amps, speakers, and effects. Some modelers are ideal for unlocking the player's creativity and will have additional features like loopers that allow you to stack different amp sounds on top of each other.

In general, the vast majority of amp modelers will have significantly more technological capabilities than most physical amplifiers, and it doesn’t stop at loopers. Features such as MIDI integration, which allows users to map an entire live set to MIDI, can control every aspect of your sound in real time, leaving you to focus solely on your playing. This is why amp modelers have become the choice of many gigging musicians, who can prepare their sounds for a set and get exactly the same results every time.

We test amp modelers in much the same way we would a regular guitar amplifer. Of course there are a lot of other options available in an amp modeler, but ultimately it's there to do the same job as your run-of-the-mill guitar amp.

The first thing we'll look at are the overall features. How many switches it has, what kind of connectivity is on offer, the amount of amp models and whether or not there are any effects pedals. We'll compare it to other offerings on the market and alongside the price, judge how it fits into the current range and whether it's better value than other offerings or not.

Next we'll get stuck into the usability of the unit. We'll try to use it without the manual, falling back on other documentation if we need but this is an important aspect as generally speaking, a guitar amp is very simple to use. Amp modelers have a lot of features but ultimately coaxing a great sound out of it should be relatively easy.

We'll test out all the switches and connection options, load up any additional software onto our PC or Mac if it has a dedicated app and ensure we explore every available option. By doing this we're looking at how the end user, and ultimately ourselves, would go about using it day to day. For the average guitarist an amp modeler needs to provide enough depth to keep you coming back, but be accessible enough that you can get it up and running with minimal Googling or watching of YouTube videos.

Finally, we'll take into account the sound. We've reviewed countless guitar amps over the years here at Guitar Player, so we're well versed in how classic amps like the Fender Twin, Vox AC30, Marcshall JCM800, and Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier actually sound like in the room. Many amp modelers aim to emulate these classic amps and others, so its critical to test that they hit the mark.

We'll try amp modelers through a variety of mediums too. It could be a 2x12 guitar cab, a pair of studio monitors, or just some run of the mill headphones, but ultimately we're trying to test it in the same conditions a regular musician would. We'll integrate it with regular guitar pedals too, seeing how the modeled amp reacts to feeding an analogue drive pedal into the front end.

Read more on  how we test gear and services at Guitar Player .

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11 Must-Have Amps for Musicians, According to Professional Guitarists

Our comprehensive guide will get you rocking out with expert-approved guitar amps, including beginner and lightweight picks.

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ShopBillboard spoke with five professional guitarists including Michael Britt of Lonestar , Mark Dannells from Yacht Rock Revue , Derek Drye of The Dryes , Gin Blossoms ‘ Jesse Valenzuela , and Michael Kamerman , a producer and guitarist in Smallpools , to get their tips and recommendations on the best guitar amps for musicians of all levels.

The Best Amps for Beginners

Purchasing an amp is an investment, but Britt wants aspiring musicians to know that “with so many options available to players these days, there is no ‘right way’ to do anything.”

Both Britt and Dannells tend to lean toward using a Kemper Profiler these days as it can utilize the tones achieved from a mix of vintage and modern amps.

Kemper Profiler PowerHead 600W

The Kemper Profiler is an investment piece that will have you customizing your sound. Its technology has the ability to analyze sonic characteristics of basically any tube amplifier and re-create them right before you. You’ll also have the ability to save up to 1,000 profiles, so you can switch from one sound to another.

If you want a classic amp, then check below for more expert-approved picks.

Fender Hot Rod DeVille

Kamerman thinks “the DeVille amp is really nice” for those starting out, as it comes with a user-friendly feel that you can have fun with. It’s built with a spring reverb that’s been modified for improved smoothness as well as Dual Celestion 12-inch A-Type speakers. “If you’re starting out, it’s nice to have something that you’re going to enjoy playing because if you get something that doesn’t sound great, then you might be like, ‘Why don’t I sound good?'” he says. “I think it’s nice to sometimes invest in something that you think, ‘OK, I can get this thing and then I can play a show with this amp.'”

Fender Tone Master Deluxe

Dannells prefers the Fender Tone Master Delux Reverb , which is built with a digital processor that aims to mimic the sound quality of a tube amp. Some of the included settings you can play around with include an output power selector, five attenuated settings, balanced XLR line output with impulse response (IR) cabinet simulations, mute switch for silent stage or recording use and a USB port. Plus, it “weighs a spine-saving 23 pounds,” he says.

Best Guitar Amps for Home Use

Kamerman advises that you shouldn’t choose your amp solely based on its volume capabilities. “You never need to turn an amp up too loud,” he says. “If you’re playing the biggest venue, the sound guy is still going to be like can you keep that at two [amps max]?”

Your focus should remain on what you think sounds the best when you play your guitar.

Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus 120-Watt Guitar Amplifier

One of Kamerman’s favorites is the Roland JC-120 guitar amp , which comes with built-in wheels to move it smoothly from one spot to another. With each use you can enjoy the built-in vibrato, distortion and spring reverb while the two 12-inch “silver cone” speakers help ensure your tunes are emitted as clear and crisp as possible.

Positive Grid Spark 40-Watt Combo Practice Guitar Amplifier

When you want to jam at home, Dannells prefers this Positive Grid amp , claiming “it has tons of tones and effects, weighs 11 pounds and has cool features like backing track creation and USB/Bluetooth connectivity for additional features.” Plus, when you download the Spark app, you can download music from your library and it’ll provide you with the notes, so you can learn how to play your favorite songs. And did we mention it’s under $300?

Best Amps Under $500

You don’t have to drain your savings to play music with a quality amp — there are a variety of designs out there that will give you crisp sounds for under $500 — including this VOX model recommended by Drye.

VOX AC4C1-12 Classic 4W 1×12 Tube Guitar Combo Amp

If you’re on a budget, there are options for less than $500 that can give you professional-grade sounds without risking your daily coffee budget. Drye likes the VOX AC4C1-12 , which is currently only $480 and has some “super quiet tones,” according to the artist. If it’s your first amp, he adds that “something with power scaling where you can dial down the wattage is always great if you want the tubes to sound cranked at low volumes.”

Best Lightweight Amps for Gigs

Fender princeton.

Musicians planning on traveling with an amp should consider the Fender Princeton , suggests the Gin Blossoms artist. It weighs 34 pounds and comes with a convenient carrying handle attached. In terms of sound quality, it’s made with tube circuitry and Jenson circuts for a more vintage and raw sound.

Best Acoustic Guitar Amps

You won’t always need to use an amp when you’re playing your acoustic guitar, but the gigs that require an extra boost in sound, make sure you find a design made for acoustic guitars for the best results.

Fender Acoustasonic Guitar Amp

Acoustic guitars require a special amp designed for the instrument and if you’re looking for one that’ll provide professional-grade tones, then Valenzuela recommends the Fender Acoustasonic amp . It’s built with a “whizzer” cone that’s a small supplementary speaker for added volume as well as a built-in reverb for extra ambiance. It’s priced at a wallet-friendly $199 online right now too — a great deal for a genuine Fender amp.

Best Bass Amps

Don’t plug your bass guitar into just any amp, warns Kamerman, as you risk blowing it out. Your safest bet is to invest in an amp specifically made for bass guitars.

Ampeg Rocket Bass Amp

In terms of a professional-approved model, the Smallpools producer and guitarist likes the Ampeg Rocket Bass Amp . “I feel like the standard bass amp that you see a lot is this Ampeg SVT,” he says. The amp features a ’60s-style design with a switchable Super Grit Technology overdrive circuit to help add “warm and gutsy growl,” according to the official description. The auxiliary input also lets you play along with the external audio of your choice.

Best Guitar Amps for Metal

The sound you emit will change depending on the type of guitar amp you’re playing with, according to Valenzuela.

“The classic American sound is the Fender amplifiers , which is a West Coast sound, a little surfy,” he explains. “And the classic British amps, they sound a little more rock and roll. So the great combo is to match up a really American-looking Stratocaster with an English amp and you get something special.”

When it comes to metal and rock ‘n roll almost all of the guitarists agreed that Marshall amps are the way to go for the best sounds.

Marshall JCM900 4100 100W 2-Channel Tube Head

Marshall’s JCM900 brings a slim design you can take with you on the go, but Drye also loves how it “can be used with a boost pedal in front of it.” If you’re curious about pedals, the accessory further allows you to customize your sound just through plugging it into the amp. Other features included in the Marshall amp include high and low power options that can switch between 50 watts and 100 watts. It also comes with two foot switchable channels: one clean and another with grit and distortion.

Marshall DSL40CR 40W 1×12 Tube Guitar Combo Amp

Another bestselling option from Marshall is the DSL40CR model that was created to be a combo amp, which means it’s an amp and speaker. The design will condense the amount of equipment you need to carry. Plus, it’s 23% off right now, dropping it to less than $1,000.

What Is a Tube Amp vs. Regular Amp?

Like the name suggests, a tube amp is built with actual tubes within the device that the guitarists find provides a more “raw” sound. While modern models take a more digital approach that’ll still provide quality sound. It’s similar to if you were to listen to your music on a vintage turntable vs. streaming your playlists from your smartphone through your Bluetooth speakers .

Tube amps also require more maintenance than digital amps, which is something to take into account when choosing the type of guitar amp you want, advises Britt.

For more product recommendations , check out our roundups of the best music books , vinyl record player accessories and gifts for musicians .

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