The guitar tube amp marketplace is bustling with options in today’s world. Various makers and brands provide modern versions of vintage models, hybrid models and those with built-in technology made to support you everywhere, from your home to the studio to the stage.
This article aims to simplify the choosing and buying process for you.
The biggest determining factor that you need to consider before choosing one is what purpose you’re buying the amp for. Now, you can find tube amps suitable for home use, studio sessions, and live performances. The versatility of your amp will have to depend on the uses you’re envisioning for it. Are you looking for a straightforward setup, or do you want all the extra features?
This article breaks down the features of a few best guitar tube amps, that pack in a vintage flavour while being great value for money. It’s certainly likely to make the search easier for those looking. It’s not an exhaustive list, but certainly highlights good options worth considering.
Fender 65 Twin Reverb
The Fender 65 Twin Reverb is a contemporary take on a ’60s tube amp. This 85-watt combo is perfect for the stage, as well as studio recordings. The sound from this is loud, yet clean. It features a 2 x 12 configuration with two 12″ Jensen C12K 8-ohm speakers. These make it a slightly heavier choice, but it is known for delivering excellent tone. It gives an old-world feel of music, usually heard on records.
Other features include onboard spring reverb, vibrato, and twin channels. It is a prized possession of guitarists across the globe.
Equipped with two channels, this is a combo amplifier that features a standard channel with controls for Volume, Treble, Middle, and Bass; as well as a vibrato channel that includes Volume, Treble, Middle, Bass, Reverb, as well as Speed and Intensity for the vibrato, along with a Bright switch for each channel.
It’s reputed to be a classic amp, that’ll serve you well for years. It is a modern amp that gives a vintage feel, similar to what Fender amps offer.
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Friedman JJ-Junior Head
The Friedman JJ-Junior Head is a power-packed tube amp, boasting of 20 watts strength. Despite its seemingly simple design, this tube amp is loaded with features, making it a versatile choice for home use, studio recording, or live performances. Designed by the renowned Dave Friedman, and Jerry Cantrell of Alice in Chains fame, adds an extra layer of glamour and pride to the amp.
One of the key highlights is that this tube amp has a speaker-simulated XLR output and an internal load for noiseless playing and recording. Additionally, the presence of an ultra-transparent buffered effects loop, plus flexible Clean and Dirty channels make it a good bet among tube amps available in the market.
Orange Dual Terror Head
With the highlight of being a small, portable and compact amp, this one is quite the favourite among those looking to pick up and take an amp along whenever they find an occasion. With two channels and a powerful 30-watt output, these amps deliver a thrilling performance when cranked up at gigs.
They serve up a sound which is more like a British amp tone while doing clean-to-crunch notes exceptionally well. The amp’s designer, Ade Emsley, does a good job at delivering a no-frills amp that does justice to its price and deliverables’ promise.
Revv G20 Amp Head
This is again another tube amp which packs in a variety of modern, new-age features. It allows the player to choose between either 20 watts or 4 watts of output. These tube amps come equipped with a built-in Two Notes Reactive Load featuring Virtual Cabinets.
This tube amp has a Reactive Load Direct Mode, plus a Pre & Post-Switch that selects whether the power amplifier is in the signal chain.
Marshall Origin 5
This 5W amp is for the innovators. Using a classic all-valve design with contemporary features including a Celestion Eight-15 8” speaker this amp is unmistakeably Marshall. The rich and harmonic tone means that the Origin5 is suited to those looking to express themselves through their sound. A 2-way footswitch allows you to control the gain boost and turn the FX loop on and off. Ideal for the bedroom player, this single channel unit offers a diverse tone range from a clean, subtle tone to a bright, more cutting tone.
At just $250 this is the best budget Tube Amp in the market currently. Being a part of the Marshall legacy adds another brownie point for this little unit.
The range of tube amps available today is huge, but what truly matters is the purpose you want to use it for. Which ones would you want to add to this list? Let us know in the comments below!
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