Choosing the Right Guitar Amplifier

Buying an amplifier is a huge financial investment as well as a defining element in your musical style, so it goes without saying that picking the right amplifier is very, very important. Here are some very important things to consider when buying an amp.

First and foremost you need to establish what style of music you are playing. Do you need that nasty crunchy distortion or a nice, clean, and relaxing tone? Different amps are better at different things, so before you commit to an amp you need to decide what you want to do. If you think you might want a nice distortion but also want that high quality clean tone, there are always distortion pedals to go along with your amp.

Second, you need to decide what size amp you need! Are you going to be playing a local venue, theaters, or simply in your bed room? For anything local venue or bigger I recommend buying a half-stack with a head and a cabinet, especially if you are playing rock! However, I have seen many a band use small combo amps that are put through the PA system. If you plan on just buying an amp for private use then there is no sense in buying a big amp, just invest in a practice amp.

One major decision when choosing an amp is the Tube vs. Solid State dilemma. A lot of picky producers swear by tube amps because they think you just get that extra crunch and sound quality that you can't get with solid state. However, if you are looking for low maintenance then go with solid state, as with tube amplifiers you have to change out the tubes on a regular basis. Also, tube amps are considerably heavier and more pricey than solid state amps, however, if you can afford it; you won't regret it.

A word of advice is to judge an amp on it's quality rather than price. Often times with amplifiers the old adage "you get what you pay for" doesn't necessarily apply. Everyone has a different need from their amp and a low cost amplifier may be exactly what your looking for while an expensive amp may be way too much.

Tone:
Tone has it's own section in this article because it is a very important concept to understand when buying an amp. Vintage tone amps are very popular these days with blues and jazz guitarists. These amps replicate the sounds of the '50's and '60's and many artists claim this is still the best tone for that style of music. Consider bands like Led Zeppelin, Jimmy Hendrix, and Eric Clapton. Some brands to check out would be VOX, Marshall, and Fender.

High gain amps have gained (no pun intended) popularity in the past twenty years. They produce much more distortion and crunch. Eddie Van Halen and his 5150 revolutionized this style of amp.

Recommendations:
A great vintage sound amp is the Fender Twin Re verb and a nice high gain amp is the Peavey 5150.