V    Amplifiers

Four Basic Categories:

If an amp is sold as a "guitar amp," it is intended for use on an electric guitar, not on an acoustic/electric guitar.  Amplifiers come in roughly four basic categories; mini amps, practice amps, club amps, and stadium amps.  A mini amp is powered by a battery, and some are small enough to clip on your belt.  They are good for practicing by yourself in a small room, for practicing at a volume low enough not to disturb other people, while providing enough sound so you can hear yourself.  They can be very convenient, but you don't want to practice with a mini amp all of the time.

Practice amps are in the 10-to-30 watt range, with a 6-inch or 8-inch speaker.  These are very inexpensive.  If price is a big consideration, (and you are just learning to play), you might want to start with a practice amp.  Practice amps have their uses, but will not serve you well for gigs.  They don't have enough power to get the job done.  If you don't mind spending a little more in the beginning, it is a good idea to practice with the same amp you take to gigs.  You need to know the way your guitar interacts with any particular amp.  Think of the amplifier as part of your instrument.

The line between practice amp and club amp is not sharply defined.  A club amp needs to be powerful enough to be suitable for small venues.  It needs to have at least an 8-inch speaker, (and a 12-inch speaker is better).  The power of a club amp needs to be from about 30 watts up to 120 watts.  That should be enough for a small coffee house or a birthday party.  There are no hard and fast rules about these things.  Be careful not to use an amp that will overpower the room.  If an amp is too powerful for the size of the room, it will create such a roar that people will not hear the music.

Stadium amps are for professional musicians to use in large arenas and concert halls.  Professionals need the extra power to fill a large space, and to project the music over a large audience.  This website does not carry stadium equipment.

Power:

How much power an amp should have is related to the size of the room and expected audience.  Power output is measured in watts.  Watts will determine how loud the amp will be.  Playing for a few people may only require a 10- to 15-watt amp, while playing for an audience of over 100 may require an amp of at least 100 watts.  In general, the price goes up as power increases, so you need to consider how much you are willing to spend, and what you are going to use it for.

Tube amps and solid-state amps: 

Tube amps contain vacuum tubes of the type used in old television and radio sets.  Tube amps are generally thought to have a superior sound quality than solid-state amps.  On the down side, these amps are heavier than solid-state amps.  Even so, an old tube amp is a very desirable piece of equipment.  They are highly collectable, and can be very expensive.  By popular request, a few manufacturers today make amps that are a combination of vacuum tube and solid-state.  Most amps on the market are solid-state.  If a company advertises a product by saying their amp sound is "tubey", they are claiming that the sound quality of their solid-state amp is is equal to the sound quality of a vacuum-tube amp.  So many advances have been made in recent years, that a modern solid-state amp from any reputable company should have excellent sound quality.

Combo amps and separate units:

Most of the amps you see on sale are "combo" amps.  All guitar amps have two components: an amplifier and a speaker.  Combination amps have both of these components.  The separate-unit setup consists of an amplifier, (or "head"), and a speaker.  These are purchased as separate units.  Buying separate pieces of equipment can be expensive.  A head/speaker setup is only needed if you frequently perform for a large audience.  A combo amp will get the job done for the vast majority of players.  This website does not carry any heads or speakers at this time.

Acoustic Amps:

For practice sessions at home, the acoustic/electric guitar cable can be plugged into a stereo set.  (Don't do this with a regular electric guitar)!  Although an acoustic/electric guitar can get by with any guitar amp for practice, a stereo set will enable you to pick up the full range of acoustic sound.  For gigs, you need to buy something that is clearly labeled "acoustic amp."  These are designed for use on an acoustic/electric guitar.