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If you intend to take your playing to the next level, then having an acoustic guitar amp is an absolute must! Even if you do own an electric guitar amp, it can never substitute a good, old-school amplifier for acoustic guitar. After all, acoustic and electric guitar are two different instruments. But choosing that best acoustic guitar amplifier for your needs can be a bit cumbersome. Therefore, we are here with some of the best acoustic amps in this article. All of them are available on Amazon. BUMP: Looking for a good Electric Guitar Amplifier? Check the 7 Best Electric Guitar Amps for 2020 We have also added a comprehensive Buying Guide along with a FAQs section (you shouldn't miss this one) in case you want to dig deeper into the technical aspects of choosing the best guitar amplifier for yourself. If you are in a hurry, here is our top recommendation for the Best Acoustic Guitar Amplifiers in India: Boss ACS-LIVE Acoustic Singer Guitar Amplifier (Our Winner)Cort AF30 Guitar Amplifier (Budget Pick)Vox Vx50AG (Tube) Guitar Amplifier (Good Value!!) List of Top 8 Best Guitar Amps India 2020 ModelBehringer AT108 Guitar AmplifierCarlsbro Sherwood 20R Guitar AmplifierFender Acoustasonic 15 Guitar AmplifierCort AF30 GuitarAmplifierVox Vx50AG (Tube) Guitar AmplifierFishman Loudbox Mini Guitar AmplifierRoland AC60 Guitar AmplifierBoss ACS-LIVE Acoustic Singer Guitar AmplifierWatts15W20W15W30W50W60W60W60WWeight13kg10kg4.8kg8kg4kg9.5kg9.8kg10.4kgSound 3/5 2.5/5 4/5 3.5/5 4/5 5/5 4.5/5 4/5 Features 3/5 2.5/5 4/5 3/5 3/5 4/5 4/5 5/5 Build 3/5 3/5 4/5 4/5 4/5 5/5 5/5 5/5 Overall 3/5 2.5/5 4/5 3.5/5 3.5/5 4.5/5 4/5 5/5 Check Price Amazon Check Price on Amazon Check Price on Amazon Check Price on Amazon Check Price on Amazon Check Price on Amazon Check Price on Amazon Check Price on Amazon Check Price on Amazon 8 Best Guitar Amplifiers in India You Shouldn't Miss Below are some of the best acoustic guitar amps currently available in the Indian market: 1. Behringer ULTRACOUSTIC AT108 Output Power15WSpeakers8inch dual-cone BugeraAmp TypeSoild-state with VTCWeight13kgDimensions(H/D/W)17.9" x 8.3" x 16.3"ToneWarm and livelyInputsVocal-XLR, Instrument- standard 1/4th inchChannelsVocal and instrumentEffectsNoneOutputsHeadphone-outAux-inYesPhantom PowerNoFeedback SuppressionNoValue for moneyMedium Check Price on Amazon!! Behringer is known for making ultra-affordable audio products without comprising on quality. The Ultracoustic AT108 is a compact 15W amp that is suitable for bedroom practice and small gigs. This amp features an 8-inch dual-cone Bugera speaker. It has Virtual Tube Circuitry(VTC) technology that can provide tube-amp like warm and lively sound. The are two separate channels – one for vocal and one for the instrument. The vocal channel has an XLR input jack. It also has a dedicated volume control knob. It does not provide phantom power and, therefore, condenser microphones cannot be used. The instrument channel has a 3 band equaliser. No effects are present for the instrument channel. There is an auxiliary or CD input jack to plug in a smartphone or music player so you can play along jam tracks. A headphone-out jack is also present for silent practice. As a 15W amp, the AT108 does not require any feedback suppression. 2. Carlsbro Sherwood 20R Output Power20WSpeakers6.5inch Woofer + Co-axial TweeterAmp TypeSoild-stateWeight10kgDimensions(H/D/W)13" x 11.8"x 14.5"ToneWarmInputsVocal-XLR, Instrument- standard 1/4th inchChannelsVocal and instrumentEQ4-band for instrument channelEffectsReverbOutputsHeadphone-outAux-inYesPhantom PowerNoFeedback SuppressionNoValue for moneyMedium Check Price on Amazon!! Although Carlsbro is not a commonly heard name in the world of guitars, they have been designing acoustic guitar amps for quite some time now. The Sherwood 20R is a 20W amplifier that has a 6.5inch woofer with a co-axial tweeter and is good for bedroom practice or solo live performances at small sized venues. The amplifier has a warm tone that compliments vocals nicely. There are two separate input channels for mic and instrument with separate volume controls. The mic channel has a standard XLR input. Condenser mics cannot be connected due to lack of phantom power. The instrument channel has a standard 1/4inch input jack. A 4-band EQ with bass, mid, mid-sweep and treble controls are present. The only effect present is reverb. This amplifier features a aux-in and a headphone out for silent practice. There is no means for feedback suppression since this is just a 20W amp. 3. Fender Acoustasonic Output Power15WSpeakers6inch Whizzer coneAmp TypeSoild-stateWeight4.8kgDimensions(H/D/W)11.5" x 7.13"x 11.19"ToneBrightInputsVocal-XLR, Instrument- standard 1/4th inchChannelsVocal and instrumentEQ3-band for instrument channelEffectsChorusOutputsHeadphone-outAux-inNoPhantom PowerNoFeedback SuppressionNoValue for moneyMedium Check Price on Amazon!! The Fender Acoustasonic 15 is a 15W solid-state amplifier for home use - sufficiently loud for filling up an average bedroom. This amplifier is loaded with a 6 inch speaker system. The speaker system has a special whizzer cone that can squeeze out high frequencies very well. Thus, the bell like tonal characteristics of an acoustic guitar is well highlighted through this amplifier. Overall, it has a clear and full sound. The Acoustasonic 15 has two separate channels with individual volume control – one for vocals and one for guitar. The vocal channel has an XLR input jack. However, it does not provide 48V phantom power. Hence, condenser microphones cannot be connected. The instrument or guitar channel has a standard 1/4inch input jack along with a three-band equaliser and a chorus effect knob. There is a 1/4 inch headphone-out in case you want to jam quietly. This amplifier does not come with a feedback suppression feature. Since it is only a 15W amp, you will seldom experience any feedback unless playing in a really compact space. In that case, only way to eliminate feedback is with the volume knob. 4. Cort AF-30 Output Power30WSpeakers8inch Woofer + TweeterAmp TypeSoild-stateWeight8kgDimensions(H/D/W)15" x 12.5"x 12"ToneBright with punchy bassInputsVocal-XLR combo, Instrument- standard 1/4th inchChannelsVocal and instrumentEQ4-band for instrument channelEffectsChorus, Delay, ReverbOutputsHeadphone-outAux-inYesPhantom PowerNoFeedback SuppressionNotch FilterValue for moneyHigh Check Price on Amazon!! Cort is one of the few quality international brands available in India. An old player in the guitar market, this company also manufactures good quality amps. The AF-30 is no exception. Having an 8inch speaker and a separate tweeter, it packs quite a volume despite weighing just around 8kgs. The high-end frequencies are well defined and not overwhelmed by the punchy low-end. The AF-30 has two channels for vocals and instrument-in. Each channel has its dedicated volume control. The vocal channel has a combo XLR input. The vocal input lacks phantom power and, hence, condenser mics cannot be used with this amplifier. The instrument channel has a standard 1/4inch input jack. It is accompanied by a unique 4-band equaliser that has been specially designed for acoustic guitars. An on-board DSP provides effects like delay, chorus and a combination of the two for the instrument channel. A separate reverb control is also present. These effects are controlled by rotary switches and a push-button switches the effects on/off. The AF30 provides separate aux-in for plugging in MP3 players/smartphones and headphone-out to enable silent practice. A pre-out channel is available to tap into the output of the pre-amplifier. This could prove useful if the amplifier needs to be connected to an audio interface. The most surprising feature of the Cort AF30 is its feedback suppressing notch filter. This is a rare find in an amplifier of this price range. 5. Vox VX50AG Output Power50WSpeakers8inch woofer and separate tweeterAmp TypeNutube vacuum tube technologyWeight4kgDimensions(H/D/W)12.32" x 8.19"x 13.94"ToneWarm and livelyInputsVocal-XLR, Instrument- standard 1/4th inchChannelsVocal and instrumentEQ3-band for both channelsEffectsReverb, Chorus, Chorus+ReverbOutputsHeadphone-out, Line-outAux-inYesPhantom PowerYesFeedback SuppressionPhase reversalValue for moneyHigh Check Price on Amazon!! The VX50AG is one of the very few tube amps for acoustic guitars. The newly developed Nutube technology from Vox is not just some kind of tube amp emulation. It has real vacuum tubes for amplification. The vacuum tubes, however, are tiny enough to be mounted on a circuit board without adding any extra weight or size to the amp. With an output of 50W, the VX50AG can be used for both small gigs and bedroom practice. This amp, packed with an 8inch woofer and a tweeter, is very natural sounding, having especially pronounced harmonics and a tight bass response. The VX50AG has separate channels for vocal and instrument. The vocal channel has an XLR input jack with phantom power. Therefore, this amp is compatible with condenser microphones. The vocal channel has separate volume control, a three-band equaliser and reverb control. The instrument channel has a standard 1/4th inch input jack. It also has separate volume control and a three-band equaliser. A single knob controls reverb, chorus and a mixture of both the effects. It is possible to connect external music players via the auxiliary input. For silent bedroom practice, a headphone out is also provided. The back of the amplifier has a line-out in case you want to connect the amp to a P.A. system. Feedback suppression is achievable via a phase reversal switch. 6. Fishman Loudbox Mini Output Power60WSpeakers6.5inch woofer and separate 1inch tweeterAmp TypeSolid-stateWeight9.5kgDimensions(H/D/W)12" x 9.7"x 13.7"ToneLoud and fullInputsVocal-XLR, Instrument- standard 1/4th inchChannelsVocal and instrumentEQ3-band for both channelsEffectsReverb, ChorusOutputsLine-outAux-inYesPhantom PowerNoFeedback SuppressionPhase reversalValue for moneyHigh Check Price on Amazon!! Clearly one of the best amps for acoustic guitar, the Fishman Loudbox Mini packs 60W of power. This makes it loud enough for small gigs and even more so for bedroom practice. The Loudbox mini is packed with a 6.5inch speaker and a 1inch tweeter that allows it to cover the full range of sound produced by an acoustic guitar. Despite its compact size, the speakers pack a punch. Even acoustic guitars without pre-amps can rattle bedroom walls when connected to the Loudbox Mini. In fact, this amp is so loud that it can be called a mini PA system. The Loudbox Mini has separate channels for microphone and instrument. The microphone channel has an XLR input jack with a three-band equaliser and reverb effect control. There is no phantom power and, thus, condenser microphones cannot be used. The instrument channel has a standard 1/4inch input jack with a three-band equaliser, reverb and chorus effect control knobs. Both channels have separate gain control. There is also a master gain control for the overall sound. There are two auxiliary inputs, a standard 1/4inch and a 1/8thinch jack, for connecting external music players or a smartphone. Additionally, this amp features a D.I. output jack for direct digital recording. There is no headphone-out jack. The amp has a variant model with Bluetooth connectivity so you can stream audio wirelessly to the amp. The Loudbox mini comes with a phase switch on the instrument channel. The switch can be used to suppress feedback by scooping away some of the low end frequencies. 7. Roland AC-60 Output Power60WSpeakers2x6.5inch speakersAmp TypeSolid-stateWeight9.8kgDimensions(H/D/W)10.56" x 10.69"x 15"ToneNatural soundingInputsVocal-XLR, Instrument- standard 1/4th inchChannelsVocal and instrumentEQ3-band for both channelsEffectsReverb, Delay, ChorusOutputsLine-out, D.I., Headphone outAux-inYesPhantom PowerYesFeedback SuppressionNotch filter with manual and auto modesFootswitch CompatibleYesValue for moneyMedium Check Price on Amazon!! Moving up on the budget, the Roland AC-60 is a powerful 60W stereo amplifier with enough power to use for small gigs. Its sound can fill up any bedroom and, hence, it serves as a great practice amp too. It features a pair of 6.5 inch speakers. Overall, the Roland AC60 sounds very rich, natural and clear. Its tone remains very true to the sound of your acoustic guitar. It is also very pleasing from an aesthetic point of view with standard black and rosewood-finish cabinets. There are two channels – one each for microphone and instrument. Each channel has separate volume control, a three-band equaliser and a switch to turn on chorus. The microphone channel has a combo XLR input jack with 48V phantom power switch. This means that a condenser microphone can be connected directly. The input can be switched between mic and line level. The instrument channel has a standard 1/4inch input jack along with a selector switch to change between piezo and magnetic pickups. There is also a shape switch that can be used for scooping off some of the mid-range and getting a brighter sound. As for effects, there is a single knob for Reverb and delay control, and a dedicated knob for chorus. A master volume knob controls the overall volume of the amp. A headphone out is present beside the master volume to enable silent practice.A mute button is provided to switch off the amp’s speakers. The amp has both stereo (XLR) and mono line outs, a subwoofer out and stereo auxiliary input jacks at the back. There is also a D.I. output that can be used for direct digital recording or connecting to a tuner. Two separate foot-switches can be connected to the amp. One of the foot-switch inputs is for controlling reverb/delay/chorus and the other one is for the mute or anti-feedback feature. The AC-60 is equipped with an anti-feedback feature having both manual and auto-detection modes. 8. Boss ACS-LIVE Acoustic Singer Output Power60WSpeakers6.5inch speaker with dome tweeterAmp TypeSolid-stateWeight10.4kgDimensions(H/D/W)12.37" x 10.81"x 14.5"ToneResponsive and wide dynamic rangeInputsVocal-XLR, Instrument- standard 1/4th inchChannelsVocal and instrumentEQ3-band for both channelsEffectsReverb, Delay, Chorus, Harmonizer, LooperOutputsLine-out, D.I., Headphone out, USB recording outAux-inYesPhantom PowerYesFeedback SuppressionNotch filter and phase reversalFootswitch CompatibleYesValue for moneyVery High Check Price on Amazon!! The Boss ACS-LIVE is a 60W amplifier with tons of features to explore. It houses a 6.5inch woofer with a dome tweeter. It has powerful sound output that is ideal for small gigs where it can serve as a mini PA system. This is a very responsive amp with a great dynamic range. The ACS-LIVE can make your guitar sound natural, regardless of whether it uses a piezo or magnetic pickup. Separate vocal and instrument channels are present on this amp. The vocal channel has XLR combo input jack with separate gain control, a three-band equaliser, phantom power for connecting condenser mics, a pad switch to attenuate input frequencies, notch feedback suppressor and dedicated controls for delay/echo and reverb. In addition, there are three kinds of harmony with dedicated volume control for the vocal channel, which is especially useful for a solo artist. The instrument or guitar channel on the other hand has a 1/4th inch input jack along with all the controls present on the vocal channel except delay/echo, which is replaced by chorus control. Instead of the phantom power switch, the guitar channel has an acoustic resonance switch that makes your guitar sound warmer and more natural. A dedicated looper is present on the guitar channel as opposed to the harmony control feature on the vocal channel. There are separate switches to attenuate the tweeter and mute the speakers. At the back of this amp are separate D.I. line XLR outputs for vocal and guitar channel, a USB recording out, separate foot-switch controller inputs for looper/chorus and harmony/mute features, auxiliary input with dedicated volume control. Anti-feedback feature is available on both the vocal and instrument channel. Both notch filter and phase reversal feedback suppression are available making it very effective in eliminating any feedback. Verdict In terms of features, clearly, the Boss ACS-Live takes the cake by far our choice for the best amplifier for acoustic guitars. This amp has everything that you would require as a solo performer. It can also add a lot of value to your performance in a band setting. You can fiddle with its features for hours without getting bored. Also, the in-built looper and harmonizer saves you from buying additional effect units for your guitar and vocals. If you have the budget, this amp is definitely worthy of your collection. The Cort AF30, on the other hand, can give you a taste of a good guitar amp at an affordable price. It is ideal for beginners looking to buy an amp for bedroom practice. What to Look For Getting a suitable guitar amplifier and that too, an acoustic-specific amp can be a tough choice. This is mainly because normal electric guitar amps don't work well with acoustic guitars. BUMP: Looking for the best acoustic guitar for beginners? Check this out!! Acoustic amps, on the other hand, are specifically designed for this purpose. There are many factors like wattage, tone, effects, etc. So, to help you pick up the best acoustic guitar amp, here is a detailed guide. Check it out! Wattage Just as electric guitar amplifiers, acoustic guitar amps have an associated power or wattage rating . This rating gives an idea about the output volume of the amp. Normally, acoustic guitar amplifiers are solid-state amps with a lower output per Watt than tube amps. An ideal range for bedroom practice would be from 10-60W. Amps; upwards of 50W are ideal for small gigs. For larger gigs, acoustic guitars are directly plugged into a PA system instead of an amplifier. It is important to keep in mind, that the wattage rating might be per channel. In that case, the total wattage of the amplifier is more than its rating. Tone As mentioned before, acoustic guitar amps should sound as neutral as possible. This means that the amplifier should not add or subtract anything from the original output of the guitar. But it is practically impossible to make an amplifier with an absolute flat response - every amplifier tends to sound different from one another while adding a tiny bit of itself to the tone. Good manufacturers use this fact to their advantage by highlighting the frequency ranges that make an acoustic guitar sound better. Too much coloration, however, can lead to an artificial sound that does not suit an acoustic. Channels Acoustic guitar amplifiers come with at least two separate channels – one for a microphone and one for the guitar. This makes them very convenient for solo performers. Some amplifiers come with additional 48V phantom power mode than can be used to power condenser microphones. Such amps have one of the channels as a combo XLR input. With a combo XLR input, both XLR and standard 1/4th jacks can be used. Hence, even a normal dynamic microphone can be connected. Good amps have dedicated gain/volume control, equaliser and effects knobs for individual channels. Effects While effects are not typically associated with acoustic guitars, it does not mean that they do not sound good with effects. Any player would swear by the fact that delay and reverb opens up a plethora of musical opportunities. Good amps can add these effects without making the overall sound too artificial. Additionally, a good multi-band equalizer can help in shaping the tone to exactly how the player wants it. Of course, the controls should be simple and intuitive to operate. Feedback Suppressor Acoustic guitars are prone to unwanted feedback because of their hollow construction. When using amps of a certain wattage over a high gain setting, a feedback control mechanism should be present to eliminate any unwanted noise. There are different technologies for eliminating feedback. In most cases, a phase shifter is used. Other methods include the use of notch filters to eliminate frequencies that lead to feedback. In both cases, however, some loss in tone is expected. FAQs How can I connect an acoustic guitar with an amplifier? Many acoustic guitars come with factory-fitted electronic pickup systems. These guitars have an output jack in the same way that an electric guitar does. These acoustic guitars can also be connected to a guitar amplifier like an electric guitar. So, in case your acoustic guitar does not have an inbuilt pickup system, you can always have it installed separately. Acoustic guitars with a pickup system are called electro-acoustic guitars. What kind of pickups are used in an electro-acoustic guitar? The pickups used in an acoustic guitar are different from those used in electric guitars. While electric guitars use magnetic pickups (Alnico, ceramic etc.), acoustic guitars are usually fitted with piezo pickups that catch the vibrations in the guitar body. The pickups may be used in combination with an internal microphone to make the guitar sound much fuller and richer. Magnetic pickups are not preferred in case of an acoustic guitar as the steel strings tend to interfere with the magnetic field of the pickups. Electric guitars, on the other hand, use nickel strings which do not have the same problem. Are batteries required in an electro-acoustic guitar? Batteries are usually required in case piezo pickups are used. Moreover, these pickups are accompanied by a pre-amp circuit in most acoustic guitars. The pre-amp circuit boosts the signal before reaching the amplifier. Typically, a single 9V battery is sufficient to power these systems. Multi-band equalisers may also be present along with the pre-amp circuit. Why can’t I use an electric guitar amplifier for an acoustic guitar? It’s not that you cannot use an acoustic guitar with an electric guitar amp (tube or solid state). You can definitely plug an acoustic guitar in an electric guitar amp. However, it is important to realize that acoustic and electric guitars are played differently. Acoustic guitars have tonal characteristics that do not sound good when it is coloured with an electric guitar amp. Thus, an acoustic guitar sounds best when its tone is reproduced faithfully after amplification. Electric guitar amps are designed to affect tonal characteristics. These amps add their own texture to the overall sound. This works well with an electric but won’t work for an acoustic all the time. This is why, solid-state amplifiers, specially made for acoustic guitars, are used. These amps have an unadulterated, clean tone that suits acoustic guitars. Another problem in using an acoustic guitar with an electric guitar amp is that acoustic guitars are prone to feedback. Thus, if you slightly increase the gain or volume on the amp while playing an acoustic, chances are that there will be a loud and uncontrolled feedback. Acoustic guitar amps, with outputs of over 20W, are usually equipped with feedback suppression technology that can prevent this from happening. Why should I use an electro-acoustic guitar? Today, a lot of guitarists are amplifying their acoustic guitars. So, why don’t they just play an electric guitar or a traditional acoustic guitar with a mic? Below are some important facts that answer these questions: Different Tonality To start off, both instruments are built very differently. An electric guitar, typically, has a solid wooden body. An acoustic guitar, on the other hand, is built with a hollow body containing a resonating air chamber. Due to this fundamental difference, an acoustic guitar sounds much different from an electric guitar when amplified. Stage use Acoustic guitars have been traditionally amplified using small diaphragm condenser microphones. This is because condenser microphones are able to capture audio in extreme detail. However, condenser microphones are not suitable for on-stage use. This is because they are very sensitive to sound and there is, usually, a lot of noise near the stage area. Instead, specially designed piezo pickups are used for acoustic guitars. These pickups capture little to no external noise. This is why electro-acoustic guitars very convenient for stage use. Home use Even in bedrooms, playing an amplified acoustic guitar can be a very different experience. When every little detail in all of the notes, vibratos and bends is clearly audible, the instrument becomes a lot more expressive. This, in turn, makes playing the acoustic guitar much more enjoyable. Addition of Effects Effects like reverb, delay, chorus, etc. are not just meant for electric guitars. Acoustic guitars sound beautiful and unique when the right effect is used in the right context. Normally, reverb and delay are two of the most common effects used on an acoustic guitar. The addition of these effects is much more convenient on an acoustic guitar with a pickup system. Looping Live looping, i.e., recording a phrase and playing it repeatedly on loop, has become very popular nowadays. This is because looping enables a solo performer to perform as if he or she is being backed up by a band. Looping is even more popular with an acoustic guitar as it is not only capable of producing musical notes, but also percussive sounds. It is easier to connect a looper to an acoustic guitar with a pickup system. Percussive playing styles The acoustic guitar is a more percussive instrument than an electric guitar. Thanks to its hollow and lighter build. As a result, Piezo pickups used in acoustic guitars, coupled with internal microphones, can capture these percussive sounds. This is not possible for an electric guitar. Players like Preston Reed, Andy Mckee, Tommy Emmanuel, and others use this extensively in their music.

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