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What is an Amplifier?
A guitar amplifier or any amplifier for that matter- is just a device with digital circuitry that can make your sounds audible, your guitar sounds in this case.
You may already know that an acoustic guitar produces a sound that is further amplified by the hollow resonating chamber. On an electric guitar, however, you don’t get this kind of amplification, so the resulting sound output is actually very low. In order to amplify the digital signals produced by the guitar pickups and make them louder, a guitar ‘amplifier’ does a fantastic job. You should note that while an amplifier boosts a signal, it still isn’t audibly louder, as a signal isn’t sent to the speakers. In short, you need both an amplifier and a speaker to amplify an electric guitar. You may not have seen speakers used alongside amplifiers- and that’s because most modern amplifiers usually come in enclosures that also house a speaker. 
The very first amplifier was built in the early nineteen hundreds by Lee De Forest, and I’m sure that no guitarist would argue with me when I say that amps are the single most pivotal piece of tech invented after the actual electric guitar. Today, amplifiers are used not just to make electric guitar sound amazing, but also in radios, televisions, computers, mobile phones, and pretty much inside any IoT device. Amplifiers have become like computers these days- and thanks to mass-scale manufacturing and tremendous improvements coming out every year, you can rest assured that even if your budget is very little, you can still walk away with a decent practice amp and be happy about it.Common amp Terminology
Before you deep dive into the types of amplifiers, you actually need to know a bit about the terms involved in the fascinating world of amplifiers.Wattage
In simple words, wattage is just how powerful an amplifier is. You can think of it as Power, so to speak, and if you want to know what it means, it’s just the amount of current that a circuit with a certain resistance can drive across some potential difference in a certain time. The good news is, you just need to know that Wattage means Watt- and amp manufacturers make it super easy to know which amplifier is more powerful by writing the Wattage number in big lettering. If you are just a beginner, even a 5W amplifier will be plenty for you. It’s small, don’t get me wrong, but a 5W is still loud enough to annoy your neighbors. If you are very serious about gigging or are looking for a muscle amp that can deliver huge power, you should be looking at amps with wattage above 50W. I think going for a 100W amp would be a great idea if you regularly play at medium-large venues. You may be able to afford one of these high Wattage amps but not everybody has the budget and need to do so. If that’s the case, you should get an amplifier on a budget and upgrade to a more powerful amp later when you actually need to.Amp History
Like any proper music class should definitely talk about music history, I am going to walk you through the history of amps. I don’t want to bore you to death- so I will keep it short, but you should certainly try to remember most of what I am about to say here. Before the current day amps, there were tube amps. And like dinosaurs (or ancient computers), they were frigging huge! If you took a look at one of those today, you would most certainly think that a tube amp is just a stage prop that looks as if it’s a time machine. You would be looking at clumsy circuitry and a light bulb-like tube, but trust me, these tube guitar amplifiers are the best you can find. These sound amazing but come at a huge cost. Tube amps are crazy expensive and only a handful of guitarists can actually afford them. You would also need to carry out periodic maintenance if you were to own one of these, and if you decided to hire somebody else to do it for you- it would cost you quite a lot of money.
After tube amps became a trend, many engineers thought it would be a great idea if they could sell amplifiers at a fraction of that price, but that actually required them to innovate something. So, the solid-state amplifier was born- it mimicked the sound of traditional tube amps and did lose some of the brightness, but it certainly cost way less than a tube amplifier. Since tube amplifiers use digital circuitry, you could even modify them if you know how to mess with schematics a little. Unlike traditional amplifiers that do not include any effects, modern amps with digital offer the versatility of battery-powering, as well as some handy features that will help you achieve many different sounds. Which one should you go for? It’s not that simple, really. While tube amps sound amazing and every guitarist should try them once, the sheer price involved means that the majority of players won’t be able to afford them. So, a solid-state amplifier can be a great alternative to tube amps if you are on a limited budget and don’t want to spend more than your guitar’s cost on an amplifier. That’s actually what I would recommend too- just get a quality guitar and you can upgrade the instrument later. There is a lot of value in choosing expensive amps and cheap guitars but you will be sacrificing your growth on the instrument, so don’t do that. I think choosing between a solid-state amp and a tube amp if you are not worried about the price- also depends on what kind of sound you are looking for. I would definitely get a solid-state amp for EDM and pop but a tube amp for rock and metal. It’s just my preference, and you can feel free to choose either. Just make sure to experiment and actually listen to how each of these amplifiers sound.The Perks of Solid-state amps
You should also be mindful of the fact that owning a solid-state amplifier means that you have got access to more features – and if you are somebody who is always looking for ways to emulate different sounds on your instrument, that’s a great thing. I would usually go for a digital amplifier with the voicings and amp styles that I’m looking for. It largely depends on the genre I’m trying to play. If I am in the mood for rock and blues, a distortion amp style would certainly be one of the things I would look for before getting an amplifier.
One of the more iconic models is the VOX AC30 sound that was popularized by The Beatles. There are literally thousands of bands who used this amplifier for their stage performance. If you want a budget amplifier, you would certainly not go for the AC30 as it costs a lot of money. So, what you would be doing is that – you would buy a versatile modeling guitar amplifier that can ‘model’ the AC30 sound. Since you are modeling the sound of another amplifier in a budget amplifier, you can also call a solid-state amp a modeling amplifier. It’s all just names but keep in mind that if you do get a modeling amp with 9 different amp models, you can actually access nine different amps through your amp. This is sweet! Other than the modeling feature, a solid-state amp can also provide features like memory banks, rhythm loops, and wireless access. Most amps also feature a metronome as well as some basic effects like distortion and delay. If you pay a bit more, you can also ask for wireless connectivity. If you are uncertain of which amp to choose for yourself, getting a solid-state amplifier is a great idea. Previously, I have also mentioned that an amplifier is usually an amp and a speaker both condensed into one. The term for these would be pre-amp and power-amp, and if your amp just had the pre-amp and power amp component, you would need a speaker component separately. In order to make it clear that the amp actually includes both 
the pre-amp and a speaker, most amp manufacturers call their products combo amps. This means that you can just hook your guitar to the amp and you don’t have to worry about anything else. If you hear the term head thrown around, it just means the pre-amp and power-amp combined into one. A head cabinet does not include a speaker, so if you are just getting the head only, you need separate speaker components to play through that amp. So, the amp you are looking for is probably the one with a suitable amp output (get a low Wattage amp if you are mostly practicing and a high Wattage if you are gigging). You should also remember that if you go higher in Wattage, you usually get more bells and whistles but this also depends on the amp model you are getting. Just because you are getting a Boss or a Fender amp, it doesn’t mean that you are getting the best value for your budget. If you look around, you can often find better deals that offer more features and cost less as well.Guide To Choosing a Guitar Amp
Now that we’ve covered some ground about guitar amplifiers, let’s get started with the things you should consider getting your next guitar amplifier. Just go through the list and you should be good to go:The Purpose
It makes no sense for a beginner to get a performance amp if all he is going to do is practice in his bedroom. I would not recommend an amp higher than 50W to anybody who is new to guitar and just wants an amplifier to hear himself playing and improving. For those prioritizing portability and lower volume, exploring quality small guitar amps can provide excellent sound for practice and home use. If you are an intermediate-level guitar player and are thinking you might be gigging in the near future, you might be tempted to get a decent amp that can serve as both a practice and performance amp. You cannot sound good over a full band setup if you are on anything less than a 50W amp setup.The Genre
If you want something for country or blues, and you’re on a budget, it’s a no-brainer that tube amps should be off the charts for you. If you are more of a metal player and mostly play in aggressive styles, opting for a tube amp can give you the aggressive edge that you are looking for.
Some guitarists also prefer to get versatile amps that will suit all genres perfectly. If that’s your thing, you should look into a budget digital amp that features guitar effects like tremolo, delay, and overdrive- and some features like auto-off, wireless connectivity, and a tuner built-in. Your preference might differ but it’s actually a great idea to opt for an amp that features a tuner as you might forget to bring in your tuner to venues sometimes. This is not rare, and it happens with me all the time- so a tuner might be something you may to keep in mind when getting an amp.Connectivity
Personally, I hate wires dangling everywhere. You are trying to play your best at a stage, and your feet get tangled up in a messy wire of guitar cables. There is quite nothing like messy cables when trying to focus on your playing. So, I try to opt for wireless amps when I can. But sadly, wireless amplifiers tend to be pricier than wired varieties. If you want a fully wireless version, you can opt for the Vox Amplug portable amplifiers which offer great value for the price. Connecting to a phone may also provide versatility and you can also download various presets with some apps like Boss Tone Studio that connects to the Boss Tone Central.Effects Please!
Some guitar amplifiers also feature looper, modulation, as well as footswitches though footswitches aren’t that common. I think a beginner doesn’t necessarily need a footswitch pedal to get started, but having a looper pedal can prove to be very handy while improvising. As guitar players, we learn by experimenting and trying out new things- so coming up with new things over an original track is a great way to improve your musicality and phrasing. It can also be helpful to develop musical ideas into a full-fledged song. At the very least, you want a looper effect in the amplifier so you don’t have to go looking for a separate pedal. It can help you save up a lot of money if you are on a tight budget.EQ Controls
Most guitarists are familiar with bass and treble settings as that’s what most beginner amps let you control. I find that most budget amps lack a mid-tone control but that’s something you may want to avoid as the mid-frequencies are what makes most of the guitar’s sound. It becomes even more important if you are trying to come up with unique voicings on the instrument amidst being drowned by an ensemble of instruments. If you have the choices, I would definitely recommend that you go for an amplifier with bass, mid and treble controls. These three are also collectively called full-band EQ controls. Beyond basic EQ, exploring options like the best guitar compressor pedals can further refine your tone by evening out volume inconsistencies and adding sustain.Doing your research properly
One last thing that you may want to consider is whether you have actually researched the model you have decided to get. Look for customer reviews, and check if another brand is actually providing the same features that you are looking for at a cheaper price. It not only helps you stay updated about the options you have, but it also helps you land better deals and save up money.Final Thoughts
There is a huge variety of amps available in the market today, and whether you are looking for a 5-Watt practice amp or a 100-W beast for performing in front of a huge crowd, you will find something that suits your needs perfectly. To make it even more confusing, you can also decide what amp you want based on the wattage or the features you are looking for. As a beginner, I think it’s more logical to stick to a smaller portable amplifier with less power output, say 5- 20 Watts, and later upgrade to a bigger and better one as your abilities on the instrument improve. Something like the Vox Amplug amplifier would be perfect for you if you need an amp that’s inexpensive yet with the versatility of a wireless amp. If you just want a mid-range amplifier with decent features at an excellent price, consider looking at the Boss Katana 50. It’s my go-to amp and I have been using this amp for years now. I also recommend getting a looper and tuner in the amp if your budget allows that. Doing so can help you avoid hours of headaches and you will certainly thank me later!The Boss Katana 100: A Gigging Solution
The page already mentions the Boss Katana 50 as a go-to mid-range amp. Building on that, serious musicians looking for more power and versatility for live performances often turn to its larger sibling. The Boss Katana 100 is a powerful modeling amplifier designed for gigging guitarists, offering increased wattage and speaker configurations compared to its smaller counterparts. This allows players to achieve a louder, fuller sound that can cut through a band mix in larger venues. It retains the popular amp voicings and effects from the Katana series, providing a comprehensive solution for musicians who need a robust and adaptable amplifier for their performance needs. Its blend of power, advanced features, and a competitive price point makes it an appealing choice for intermediate to professional players.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can solid-state amps sound as good as valve amps?
It’s mostly subjective but solid-state amps are a far way from where they started years ago. You can gig on any mid-range solid-state amp, and for the most part, barely anybody will be able to tell that sound from a premium tube amp that costs thousands of dollars.Why do you need a tuner on an amp?
It’s a very common thing that we guitarists do. We tend to often lose our picks, and we sometimes forget to bring the tuner to a gig. Having a tuner on the amp itself can not only save you the embarrassment of having to ask the bass player for a tuner, but it can also save the show and you can forget about having to bring a tuner with you again.Do you need a separate speaker after getting a guitar amp?
Nope. Most amps these days are combo amps meaning that they include both the amp head(pre-amp and power-amp) and the speaker housed inside a single compartment. You may want to check with the product descriptions on the manufacturer’s site, but in most cases, you won’t have to get a speaker separately. However, some players wonder if it's acceptable to play a bass guitar through a guitar amp without damaging their equipment.Essential Guitar Maintenance
Beyond understanding your amplifier, knowing how to properly maintain your instrument is crucial for consistent performance and sound quality. One fundamental skill for any electric guitar player is learning how to string an electric guitar properly. This process, while seemingly simple, impacts intonation, tuning stability, and even tone. Mastering it ensures your guitar always sounds its best and prevents common issues like string breakage or buzzing. Regular maintenance, including correct stringing, contributes significantly to your overall playing experience and the longevity of your instrument, allowing you to focus on your music without technical distractions.