Amplifiers Archives - MUSICGEARINDIA

Choosing the right Electric Guitar Amp is just as important as choosing the guitar itself. When you search for the Best Electric Guitar Amplifiers in India on the internet, you do get a lot of options. In order to choose the right guitar amp, a certain amount of know-how is a pre-requisite. It is understandable that good guitar stores or good guitar technicians are not easily available in India. But we are here to help! If you are interested in the basics, this article gives you some valuable insights into the world of electric guitar amplifiers with a proper Buying Guide. It will hopefully empower you with enough knowledge to make a choice by yourself. So continue reading! Also, check out the 8 Best Acoustic Guitar Amps in India In a hurry? Here are our 3 best recommendations: Fender Mustang I V2 Guitar Amp (Our Winner!!) BOSS Katana Mini Guitar Amp (Best Portable Electric Guitar Amp!!) Blackstar FLY 3 Mini (Budget Winner!!) Now, let's get started..... So, What is an Electric Guitar Amplifier? Before taking a look at what is available on the market right now, we have to know about what an electric guitar amp actually is. An amplifier is basically an electronic circuit that boosts a small electrical signal to make it powerful enough to drive a loudspeaker. Every audio system needs an amplifier to function. The electric guitar is no exception. BUMP: Have a look at the Best Electric Guitar for Beginners in India (2021) The pickups on an electric guitar produce a small electrical signal when the strings vibrate (making the guitar body and, in turn, the pickups to vibrate). This signal is not powerful enough to produce a loud audible sound if it is fed directly to a loudspeaker. It is, therefore, amplified in multiple stages and is then fed to a loudspeaker. An electric guitar amplifier usually consists of a pre-amplification circuit, a power-amplification circuit, and a loudspeaker. It directly connects with an electric guitar to produce sound. Since amplification affects tonal quality to a great extent, any electric guitar amplifier adds its own characteristics to the sound. Therefore, the same electric guitar, plugged to two different amps, will have two different sounds. BUMP: If you are wondering how this is different from an Acoustic Guitar Amplifier, check this article out especially the "FAQs" section. Types of Electric Guitar Amps Based on the amplification technology used, electric guitar amps are of the following kinds: Solid State Amps From Bajaao A Solid-state amp is current-driven. It has a single power transformer to boost the signal and an output transistor to drive the speaker(s). Since the speakers are driven by solid-state transistor technology, these amps are named as such. Solid-state amps are known to provide better tonal clarity. They do not influence the audio information from the guitar to a great extent and are preferred for their clean and precise tone. Tube (Valve) Amps Tube amps have two additional power transformers for driving the output. These glass vacuum tubes are driven by analog voltage and hence the name. Tube amps are the original choice for electric guitar players. They add a warmer and richer characteristic to the tone. This makes their tone livelier and much more enjoyable. Modeling Amps From Bajaao Modeling amps have really proven very useful for any beginner guitar player. These amps bring together the goodness of many popular amplifiers into a single package. These electric guitar amps have a lot of effects and tone control settings to achieve practically any kind of tone that you want. However, professional guitar players and technicians still believe that though modeling amps have come a long way, they still cannot replace an actual tube amp. The reason for this is that modeling amps get confused when there is too much harmonic information from the guitar. For the price, however, they are a great deal for beginners, who do not want to spend a fortune trying to emulate a particular tone. Hybrid Amps Hybrid amp technology is becoming really popular nowadays. However, by using the term “Hybrid”, we cannot refer to a particular kind of amp. In general, these amplifiers are a mixture of “tube” and “solid state” technology. Solid-state technology increases versatility and reduces maintenance requirements. The use of tube technology ensures that the warmth and richness of tube-amps are present. Best Electric Guitar Amplifiers in India (2021) Here are a few of the Best Electric Guitar Amps in India, specifically for beginner guitar players: ModelFender Champion 20W Line 6 Spider Classic 15 Fender Mustang IV2Marshall MG15RBOSS Katana MiniBlackstar FLY 3 MiniLaney LX10 Guitar AmpPower20W15W20W15W7W3W10WSpeaker Size1x8"1x8"1x8"1x8"1x4"1x3"1x5"Battery PoweredNoNoNoNoYesYesNoModellingYesYesYesNoNoNoNoSound 4/5 3/5 5/5 3.5/5 4/5 3.5/5 5/5 Overall 4/5 3/5 5/5 3.5/5 4.5/5 4/5 4/5 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 1. Fender Champion 20W Guitar Amplifier Check Price on Amazon Output Power20WSpeaker Size1x8”ModellingYesAux and Headphone outYesBatteryNoGenreBlues, Jazz, Hard RockValue for MoneyHigh Fender Champion 20W is a great modeling amp for home practice. This amp is very good for beginners but also well-liked among intermediate players. There are a whole lot of tones that can be produced by this modeling amp. There are a lot of in-built effects that give you a taste of some of the best Fender tube-amplifiers which have been around for decades now. To start off, the Fender Champion has an 8” speaker with an RMS output of 20W. It is loud enough for any kind of home jam sessions or solo practice. It might even be loud enough for very small gigs. The Fender Champion 20W has a single input jack to plug in your guitar. It has separate auxiliary and headphone inputs. This means you can jam along backing tracks by connecting your smartphone to this amp and do so silently. The controls for this amp are pretty simplistic. It has both, a master volume and a gain knob. Increase in gain makes the tone dirtier and more overdriven. In addition to this, there is a two-band equaliser for adjustment of bass and treble. It also has the voice control knob which can be used to select among four amp voicings: Tweed, Blackface, British, and Metal. While tweed represents the crunchy sound of the 50s, British voicings add a different characteristic to this amp’s tone. The effects knob selects between various effects: Reverb, delay, chorus, flanger, wah, vibrato, and tremolo. It has a very solid build quality for its price. The cabinet has an open back. 2. Line 6 Spider Classic 15 Guitar Amp Check Price on Amazon Output Power15WSpeaker Size1x8”ModellingYesAux and Headphone outYesBatteryNoGenreHard Rock, MetalValue for MoneyMedium The Line 6 series has been a very popular brand in India since long. The speciality of this amp is that it does not underestimate the needs of a beginner guitar player. This modelling amp provides lots of controls to customize the output tone which makes this amp very versatile. With an 8-inch speaker that output 15W(RMS), the Line 6 Spider has enough volume to fill your bedroom and more. However, in large rooms and open spaces, this amp falls short in terms of volume. This guitar features the standard guitar input, an auxiliary, and a headphone jack. The headphone-in doubles as an audio-out for digital recording. Floor controllers FBV Express MkII (check it out on Amazon) and FBV2 (check it out on Amazon) are fully compatible with this amp and can be plugged in through the footswitch input jack. What it lacks in volume, this amplifier makes up plenty in terms of tone control. There are four different amp models to choose from. In addition to this, there are two separate effects knobs. The first knob is used to select between chorus, flanger, and tremolo. The second knob can be used to choose between reverb and delay. Separate knobs mean that the two sets of effects can be combined easily. All effects can be saved and reloaded later. Another great value addition is the tap tempo button. This button can be used to select the tempo of the effects. This amplifier also provides an on-board chromatic tuner for your electric guitar. This modelling amplifier has a heavy and sturdy built which inspires confidence. The cabinet has a three-quarter closed back design. 3. Fender Mustang IV2 Guitar Amp Check Price on Amazon Output Power20WSpeaker Size1x8”ModellingYesAux and Headphone outYesBatteryNoGenreBlues, Jazz, Hard RockValue for MoneyVery High One of the most versatile modelling amps in the beginner price range, the Fender Mustang I V2 gives you the taste of almost all classic Fender amp sounds at the touch of a button. From the sounds of the 50s and 60s to heavy metal tones, the Mustang can pull off nearly every genre. This is our pick for the best electric guitar amplifier in India right now. The Mustang packs an 8-inch speaker with 20W of RMS output power. It has enough volume to fill up a large practice room. Although gigging with a 20W amp is never recommended, this amp can definitely be used to small gigs. Just like most other modelling amps in this price range, the Mustang offers a single guitar input jack, an auxiliary and a headphone jack. There is a separate input jack to connect footswitches and floor controllers. Additionally, this amplifier has a USB port which can be used to connect to a PC or Mac. The best part of this amplifier is its effects section. It houses a three-band equaliser. There are 24 presets that not only cover the classic Fender sounds of the 60s,70s and 80s, but also high gain tones required for hard rock and heavy metal. All settings can be stored. The amp can be connected to a PC or Mac via the USB port and every preset can be configured using Fender Fuse software. The on-board effects present are: chorus, flanger, reverb and delay. A built-in chromatic tuner also makes life easy for beginners. The overall build quality is good and the amp does not feel too heavy. It has a closed-back cabinet. 4. Marshall MG15R Check Price on Amazon Output Power15WSpeaker Size1x8”ModellingNoAux and Headphone outYesBatteryNoGenreBlues, Hard Rock, MetalValue for MoneyMedium Marshall is one of the most recognizable names in the history of amplifiers. It is a very trusted brand when it comes to high-end tube amps. However, it’s performance in the solid-state category is not too bad either. The MG-15R is a very handy, compact practice amp that will surprise any guitar player with its output power. The Marshall MG15R is a 15W amplifier with an 8-inch speaker. Its small size can fool anyone. However, this little beast can not only fill an entire room but can also be used for small gigs. The tones produced have a punchy mid-range and a deep low-end ensures that you always sound full. This amplifier features an input jack for your guitar. It also has an auxiliary jack to connect your phone and jam along with tracks. A headphone jack enables you to continue with your night practice sessions without disturbing anyone’s sleep. The MG15R is simplistic in terms of control. It has a 3-band equalizer and a digital reverb that sounds incredibly good for an amplifier of this price range. It also has an overdriven channel for dirtier sounds. The volume and gain controls for clean and overdrive channels are separate. It has a medium heavy build with a closed back construction. 5. BOSS Katana Mini Electic Guitar Amplifier Check Price on Amazon Output Power7WSpeaker Size1x4”ModellingNoAux and Headphone outYesBattery4 AAGenreBlues, Jazz, Hard Rock, MetalValue for MoneyHigh Roland-owned Boss has always been the go-to brand for many electric guitar players in India. This is also byfar the best portable electric guitar amp. The Boss Katana delivers stunningly rich and full sounds from its compact body. It also features three-stage analog amplification. With 4-inch custom speakers and an RMS output of 7 watts, the Boss Katana Mini packs a massive tone for its size. Having an output of 7W means that it cannot be used for gigs. However, this is the perfect amp for bedroom practice and also for carrying around. This amplifier has a single input jack for your guitar. It does not have any auxiliary port or headphone jack. It can run on both mains and 6 AA batteries. This makes it very portable. The Katana Mini features separate master volume and gain knobs. It also has a 3 band equaliser to shape the tone. A tone selector switch is present in-between the gain and volume knob. This switch can select between three kinds of tone in increasing order of gain and punch: clean, crunch and brown. There is also a delay effect with time and level control knobs. The delay can be used as a reverb by setting the time knob to 0. The amp is compact but sturdy. It has a closed back construction. Pros Very compact and portable ampAmple volume for the sizeVersatile in terms of tone Cons No aux or headphone input jack 6. Blackstar FLY 3 Mini Check Price on Amazon Output Power3WSpeaker Size1x3”ModellingNoAux and Headphone outYesBattery6 AAGenreBlues, Hard Rock, MetalValue for MoneyMedium The Blackstar FLY 3 Mini is the only amplifier on this list that features an analog tape delay. It is a tiny little amp that can produce quite a big tone even when the volume is low. This amp’s dynamic response is also very impressive. Six AA batteries provide long life and make it extremely portable and suitable as a practice amp. The amp is driven by a 3-inch speaker having an output RMS power of 3W. This guitar has an auxiliary and headphone jack in addition to the standard guitar input jack. The FLY 3 Mini features Blackstar’s signature Infinite Shape Feature(ISF) knob. This single knob can shape the tone all the way from British sounds, on one end, to American on the other. The analog tape delay has a delay-time adjustment knob. A push switch turns on overdrive. It also features an RJ-45 jack that can be used to connect an extension speaker for stereo effect and more volume. 7. Laney LX10 Guitar Amp Check Price on Amazon Output Power10WSpeaker Size1x5”ModellingNoAux and Headphone outYesBatteryNoGenreBlues, Jazz, Hard RockValue for MoneyMedium Laney is renowned for its incredible-sounding tube-amps and stacks. This amplifier, however, has a different target customer base. It’s mainly for beginners just starting out with an electric guitar. A great practice amp, the Laney LX10 is ideal for home-use. This amplifier has a 5-inch speaker with 10W output. Although, this might seem small, the Laney L10 can pack a punch when it comes to volume. It is more than enough for home-practice purposes. The Laney LX10 has a single guitar input jack. It also features an auxiliary input jack to connect your phone or MP3 player and jam along a backing track. Beside the auxiliary in jack, you can find the headphone out. This enables you to practice your electric guitar in almost complete silence. For tone controls, this amplifier has a master volume or gain knob. It also has a 2 band (bass and treble) equalizer to shape your tone. Additionally, there is an overdrive switch to kick-in the dirty sounds. This amp has a decent body construction which feels solid enough. It has a closed-back cabinet. It can only be powered through mains. Verdict As a beginner electric guitar player, an amplifier for home practice is mandatory. There are lots of inexpensive amplifiers available in the market. However, even a beginner would feel the need for a decent tone in order to practice and stay motivated. Fender Mustang I V2 Guitar Amp It is the perfect amplifier for bedroom practice. Another great advantage with this amplifier is that it can be used by intermediate guitar players too due to the variety of tones that can be achieved. This is an investment that will likely stay with you for as long as you play. BOSS Katana Mini Guitar Amp It easily wins the day due to its size and also because it can be powered by just 6 AA batteries. The Boss Katana Mini also has some killer tones for its price range. As you get used to its controls, shaping the tone will become easier. Buying Guide for Choosing the Best Electric Guitar Amplifier As a beginner, it is better to avoid the debate about the age-old question of “Which is better? Solid-State or Tube Amps?”. Tone purists would often argue about Tube Amps being irreplaceable. As technology has brought solid-state amps much closer to Tube amps, it has never been easier to practice electric guitar in the comfort of your bedroom. Moreover, solid-state amps provide a lot more features for a lot less money. When you are just starting out, such subtle differences in tone would not be a limiting factor in any way. Although, solid-state amps are still not the go-to amplifiers for performing artists, they are the most suited for bedroom practice. Here are a few of the things that you should consider while buying your first solid-state electric guitar amplifier in India: Output Power You will often hear the term “Watt (W)” associated with an amplifier. “Watt” is a measure of power. When you find the words “10W”, ”20W”, or even “100W” printed over an amplifier body, it is the indicator of the power output of the amplifier. By a general rule of thumb, the higher the output power, the louder the amp. However, this is valid when comparing similar amps. This is because tube amps produce a higher volume per Watt. So a 10W tube amp would be much louder than a 10W solid-state amp. For bedroom practice, a 10-50W (solid-state) or 1-5W (tube amp) range is ideal. You can, of course, buy a higher watt amplifier and play it with the volume turned down. A higher output power inevitably has a higher price tag associated with it. Speaker Size In addition to the Wattage or power rating associated with an amplifier, the size of speakers also determines its volume. The size of speakers is usually mentioned by the manufacturer in inches – 8,10,12” etc. Choosing a speaker size is exactly the same as choosing the wattage for your amplifier – the bigger the size, the louder the amplifier. Interestingly, different speaker sizes also have different tonal characteristics. While bigger speakers tend to have a fuller sound with a prominent mid-range, smaller speakers have a richer top-end. Input/Output Channels As a beginner guitar player, you will always be inclined to keep your investments to a minimum. More input channels on your amplifier would save the cost of buying a separate mixer. Usually, most budget solid-state amplifiers come with two input channels – one for a mic or keyboard and the other for your guitar, of course. This enables you to jam with others using the same amp. Modern amplifiers also come with headphone outputs and auxiliary input ports. While the former allows you to practice silently, the latter allows you to jam along a backing track or song by connecting an external device like your smartphone. In-built Effects No matter what style of music you like, effects are always handy. Instead of spending thousands behind effect pedals/processors, amps with in-built effects get you there (well, almost!) without having to spend a lot of money. Basic budget amps usually have at least an overdrive switch, a reverb/delay effect, and a three-band equalizer. Any other feature like a looper (records what you play and loops it until you stop it) would be a big bonus. Of course, you can always use an external looper pedal like this one from Amazon. Modeling amps have additional effects that can be selected to mimic the tonal characteristics of different tube amps that have become popular over the decades. Body Construction The chassis of an amplifier has a significant effect on the tone produced. Basically, there are two kinds of chassis for amplifiers: open and closed back. Many players prefer open back amplifiers as conventional tube amplifiers have the same construction. The bass projection, however, is better with a closed-back construction. Which kind of an amp should I buy as a beginner electric guitarist? It is understandable that as a beginner guitar player you would like to keep your investments to a minimum. While tube-amps are still unmatched in terms of tone, solid-state amplifiers are catching up quickly. Solid-state amps have a much lower price tag associated with them. Even the best solid-state modelling amps are cheaper than the most inexpensive tube-amps. Solid-state amplifiers have a wider tonal range because of a greater number of effects and features with respect to tonal control. Many solid-state amps also have an acoustic channel in which you can plug-in your electro-acoustic guitar too. Hence, they eliminate the need to buy a separate acoustic amplifier. Unless you are really inclined towards a particular type of tone and are ready to shell out a significant amount of money, we would suggest buying a solid-state modelling amp as your first electric guitar amplifier. Some Words of Advice… Every amplifier has its own characteristic sound. However, it is also true that any pair of electric guitar and amp combination will sound different. While solid-state amplifiers require almost zero maintenance relative to tube-amps, there are some good habits that can prolong the life of amps in general. Always ensure that the volume and gain knobs are at zero when unplugging your instrument or switching off the amplifier. Also, for battery-powered amps, it is good practice to remove all batteries when not in use. These practices will ensure a long and maintenance-free life for your amp.