• James Brown
• January 16, 2023
• 3 Comments

Guitar amps are of different types in terms of brand, sizes, features, and shapes. You feel overwhelmed and are unable to determine the right amp for your guitar. The different types of guitar amps available are given below.

Solid state amps 

They use transistors for the power section and preamp. They are highly reliable and hardly need repairs. The tone is often clean, but some can have distortion. They are suitable for artists looking for a reliable, sturdy touring amp. The solid-state beginner app cost significantly less.

Tube amps 

Guitarists prefer tube amps because of their organic distortion and warm tone. It sounds louder than the solid amps of the same wattage, but the feel is different. The majority of tube amps have separate channels allowing you to switch instantly from clean to twisted tones. Tubes need occasional replacement because their performance slowly deteriorates.

Modeling amps 

A digital processor is used to simulate old-fashion tube sound. These amps place the sound of multiple amps in a single box. The amps are programmable. They often have in-built digital effects like chorus, delay, etc. A few include analog or digital outputs with amps replication for going directly into the PA system or recording interface. ValveIR sells customized Quad Cortex Captures a digital guitar amp version. You can take your music to another level. It doesn’t matter if you are recording or playing guitar live get the best tone with ValveIR’s neural captures.

Hybrid amps 

The best of every amp type is blended within a single package.

Besides the different amp types, musicians can check out amps in different configurations, construction as well as the power & speaker size.

Configurations 

• Self-contained units including the amp & speaker in a single cabinet.
• Separate speaker & head cabinet. This allows using an amp head with any speaker.
• Amps are available in two units for better portability
• A combination of a head and two cabinets is called a ‘Stack’.

Construction

• Wood thickness defines the sound quality.
• Thinner wood means the speaker vibrates loosely.
• A minimum of ½” thickness will output strong sound and keep speakers stable.
• Amps with a closed back generate a better bass response.

Power & speaker sizes

• The speaker size and power rating will depend on the application and budget.
• Modeling combo units feature small speakers and low power ratings or the practice amps are generally available in the solid state.
• For playing in small venues or regular practices, modeling and tube combo amps with 50 watts power rating and 12” speaker size are great for a full sound. For big venues or performing loud with more than a 100-watt power rating and you can choose a stack for better sound performance.

Other optional features

Effects loops – You can add rack units or stomp boxes after the amp’s preamp section to eliminate intensifying the effect noise.

Reverb units – The spring reverbs generate natural sounds, but there are a few that use digital reverb.

Channel switching – To switch from clean to distortion tone you will need a footswitch.

Even if the choice of a guitar amp is subjective, compare the different types objectively to determine the right one.