Last Updated on March 25 by Monty Python
Just as the name suggests, a guitar amplifier is meant to strengthen the weak signal. Similarly, the guitar amp is meant to boost or amplify the weakened signal of the guitar. It comes through the pickup on a bass guitar, electric guitar, or acoustic guitar. In such a way it could produce sound through multiple loudspeakers if required.
The majority of the amplifiers available are for recording so you need to have that in mind before purchasing. The other high-end products for concerts are full of advanced features and may cost a lot.
A good thing over here is that the beginners may get it on a budget of $300 or less which will still provide you with some really powerful features.
You will have the option to choose from a variety of products including combo and tube amplifiers. We will explore all of those in this guide to help you make a wise decision.
Table of Contents
Top 10 Guitar Amps under $300
If you are buying a guitar amp for $300 then you are looking for good quality on a budget. You need to have a lot of things under consideration to ensure a quality purchase on a budget.
The least you need is to have an amp that is capable of producing a clear sound that may pass through one or more speakers. We have researched hard to bring you the following guitar amps which will make your purchase easier:
Sawtooth 10 Watts Electric Guitar Amp with Pick Sampler and Instrument Cable
The Sawtooth manufacturer with this amp provides you with exactly what you require is a good quality 10 watts amp for practicing. To fully control the sound, you can use the gain, treble, volume, bass, drive, and middle controls.
If you want to practice in quietness then you can easily make use of the headphones jack option. You will find it quite easy in changing a clean tone to an overdriven one using the drive switch.
This should be the case when you require to have some distortion. The amp comes with a 6.5-inch speaker along with the productive open weave grill for excellent sound projection.
Pros
- Comes with a solid sturdy handle to carry the amp
- The controls are fairly easy to access given at the top of the amp
- Drive control option available for distortion
- Headphone jack provided for practicing
Cons
- There could be some bothersome faint voices
Blackstar Electric Guitar Amp
If you are looking for performance with portability then this equipment from Blackstar has got the answer. This one is a mini amp and also a portable speaker.
You will be able to get overdrive and clean channel which will facilitate you with exciting tone even when you have set it on lower volume settings. It is a mini 3 watts amp but becomes an ideal option when portability is of the essence.
You will find it fairly easy to connect with your smartphone, laptop, MPs, and other devices as well. This is all thanks to its aux jack.
This one is equipped with a productive 3-inch speaker which for its small size sounds immensely great. You can also make use of the delay and control effect for the sake of enhancing the sound just when you play.
Pros
- Compact equipment which is highly portable
- You will get it with a couple of channels
- Can be plugged in directly or operate on battery
- Versatile and ideal for practicing
Cons
- Can be noisy even when the guitar is silent
Fender Mustang GTX Modeling Combo Digital Amp
This Fender variant could ever let you go wrong when you are looking for a good quality guitar amp for beginners. This special 40 watts amp is Wi-Fi capable which allows you to easily update the presets on the guitar amp.
You may also hook it up with the Fender software app to share tones online. This model comes with a clear display which you will find very easy to use. It allows you to see that what exactly you are doing on the amp while you go on to program any of your sounds.
Those looking for amp modeling will find it as a perfect solution. You could control this amp from your smartphone using Bluetooth.
Pros
- Pedals are the quite comfortable and heavy-duty type
- Can be controlled through a mobile device using Bluetooth
- Multiple presets available
- Comes with two years of warranty
Cons
- Designing of onboard options could have been better
Orange Amps Crush35RT Amplifier Part
This is a solid-state type of guitar amp which will be a huge bonus for those who are looking for a nice loud sound for practicing. The manufacturer offers this with 35 watts which is quite generous for an amp on budget. The equipment does not have any amp modeling feats for complicating stuff. Rather, this one is dependent upon its 4-stage preamp analog circuit.
This feature would provide guitarists with a streamlined, yet highly familiar tone. The simplicity of this equipment would enable you to gather the high ratings consistently, even when going beyond the amps with extra features.
With its 35 watts and 1 x 10-inch configuration, it can be an excellent practice amp with good enough volume. It also comes with a few nifty extras such as an onboard tuner, headphone output, and a reverb.
Pros
- Sound quality is superior in the range
- The best option for rock, blues, and similar types of music
- The equipment with all its features is easy to use
- 35 watts amp with two channels
Cons
- Bass emphasis is experienced to be a little higher than desirable
Boss KTN Katana 50 Watt
The Boss Katana 50 watts is a highly versatile combo amp that is packed with excellent practical technology. It comes with the special guitar effect processing technology from Boss. You will also get this one with a power attenuator which is built-in to this system.
It will enable you to half its output and you may go as low as 0.5 watts to practice quietly. The built-in amp modeling facilitates guitarists to choose between different ranges of voicings which could be from lead to clean. There is also a special setting in this one for the acoustic-electric guitar.
You may utilize effects on this amp with an excess of 60 digital types available through the software editor of the amp.
Pros
- Suitable for practice, recording, and stage use
- It comes with expression pedals, an external footswitch
- The amp also has a USB recording output
- Excellent with its clean tone along with mid to high gain sound as well
Cons
- Software editor requires time and efforts to master
Orange Amps Electric Guitar Power Amp
This pint-sized hybrid amp offers 20 watts of power. You should not get confused with the small size of this amp. In reality, this amp has got the potential to blow your voice across the roof. The manufacturer has ideally designed this one for the metal tones.
But, it is in reality quite versatile and can sound good with any type of music. The best feature of this amp is it is a fully buffered and transparent effects loop along with headphone output and CabSim circuitry. You will be able to concentrate well using such feats when preparing yourself for performance. This amp is buffered and then its low impedance loop may add a range of effects with no issue with the tone.
Pros
- A transparent loop helps a great deal in boosting the pedal’s performance
- The small handle at the top makes this tiny equipment easy to carry
- Excellent choice for loud and punchy sounds
- You will get it with one year warranty
Cons
- Not loud enough sound to practice with a full band
Roland Micro Cube GX 3 Watts Portable Guitar Amp
Good things come in small packages and the same is true for this Roland Micro Cube GX 3 Watts guitar amp. This is a small but powerful guitar amp that you will find easy to carry for its portable size and weight.
This battery-powered amp has the potential to produce big sound. You will get this one with 8 x COSM amp tones along with 8 x DSP effects as well. This includes the ultra-low tones and the heavy octane effects. If you require then you may also pair this combo with the Free Cube Jam app.
This app would then allow you to play back music, songs and also to record the tones. You will not require any extra source for this one.
Pros
- It is battery powered
- Small and compact size for easy carry and storage
- Comes with excellent memory function
- Mobile app there for excellent functionality
Cons
- The input jack is fragile and vulnerable to break
Fender Mustang I 20 Watts Electric Guitar Amp
Fender is a top brand and with this variant, they provide you with 20 watts of excellent jamming power. You will find it convenient to produce good tones and also suitable for the majority of different music styles. You may edit the sound parameters using the special Fender Fuse software app and then could share your tones online as well. The included features such as tremolo, phaser, reverb, and delay could
be maximized for changing your tone. Then it comes to the aux jack which could be used for jamming along with the songs and also to get quiet practicing using the headphone option.
Pros
- Recording software from the brand could be used for producing your music
- Comes with built-in effects
- 20 watt is excellent power for practicing
- Headphone jack available for quiet practicing
Cons
- Requires a PC for full use
Monoprice 15 Watts Guitar Combo Tube Amp
This Monoprice equipment provides guitar enthusiasts with an excellent all-tube combo amp option. It rates quite well within the $300 budget that you have. If you start evaluating it from its preamp section they you will find it with 3 x ECC83 tubes.
On the other hand, the power section of the amp comes with a couple of EL84 tubes as well. This is a potent combo that is employed on a lot of classic amps.
The 12-inch speaker with this variant is the best part of it. That with this one is a Celestion Red Truvox 1215 which is excellent to have at such an affordable price. Other key features with this amp include a built-in spring reverb and a 3-band EQ as well.
Pros
- Low to mid-gain toes are superb
- Spring reverb is excellent
- The 12-inch speaker is built-in
- The leather handle is there for easy carry
Cons
- The amp sounds great when tubes are replaced
Line 6 Guitar Combo Amp Spider V-20
This is a highly affordable guitar amp that is ideal for beginners. It is a modeling combo amp that comes with a useful 8-inch speaker. You will get this model with 16 onboard presets which could be customized using the remote from the manufacturer for producing your music. The presets given could be employed by both the bass and acoustic guitars presets.
The remote feature is good which enables users to have the features even more accessible. The blues and clean tones are best delivered through this one. There is also an onboard tuner along with the tap-tempo and the USB interface. These are quite handy features for those who are practicing.
Pros
- Options of 16 x diverse presets
- Bluetooth app for easy customization of tunes
- The headphone jack is provided
- Clean and pure sound at a low volume level
Cons
- Only single input was provided instead of two at least.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Best Guitar Amps under $300
Where could I best use my budget guitar amp?
The small guitar amps are suitable for small places such as a coffee house or a small hall. These are not suitable for big clubs or stage performances.
Can I use effect pedals with my amp under $300?
If your amp doesn’t come with the built-in effects so ten you can use effect pedals with them.
When a tube amp does need to be replaced for its tube?
You will be required to re-tube the amp after a decade usually. But, if you notice the amp to be noisy or microphonic earlier then you can change it right away.
What is the maximum wattage I could expect with a guitar amp under $300?
You can get a guitar amp anywhere in the 3 to 40 watts range normally, which is good enough for practicing and playing in smaller areas.
What Are the Best Guitar Amps Under $300?
The most powerful amp is the Marshall JCM 800. It has two channels, each channel having an 8″ speaker. This amp is very loud and has a lot of power. It also has a clean sound.
Guitar amp under $300: What you should and should not expect?
You should buy a cheap guitar amp first, then upgrade it later when your skills improve. A cheap guitar amp might not be as powerful or durable as a more expensive model, but it will help you get started. Once you learn how to play, you’ll want to invest in a better amp.
What Types of Guitar Amplifiers Are There?
There are three types of guitars amps: Solid state, tube, and Hybrid. These are explained here so you know what type of amplifier suits your needs.
Can I Use Effect Pedals with them?
Small amps are great for beginners because they’re inexpensive and easy to use. Many small amps come with built-in distortion, reverb, and chorus effects. These effects can be changed easily by using your foot. This makes it easier than using pedals.
Can I gig with One?
Small amps are not powerful enough to cut through large instruments such as bass and drum. A small amp is suitable for a small venue such as a coffee house. However, these small amps won’t be strong enough for a bigger gig such as a club or bar.
What to look for in the best budget guitar amps?
Budget amps should deliver great tones, be easy for you, and knock out the right amounts of volume for your needs.
What size amp do you need?
A big thing to consider is how much power an amplifier needs. You should choose a budget guitar amp if you want something compact, portable, and easy to carry around. An amp like the Blackstar Fly III is perfect for this. However, if you plan to play gigs, you might struggle to hear yourself over other instruments. An amp like the Spider V 120 or Katana 100 will provide enough volume for most gigs, but you sacrifice some portability. The Orange Micro Dark will sound loud enough for most gigs, but remember you’ll also need a speaker cabinet to go along with it.
So what do you get for $300?
A $300 amp will get more power than a cheap one. You’ll probably need an amp with this much power to drive speakers in a band. This amp won’t be suitable for home practice or recording. You’ll also find some really nice tube amps in this price range.
Who Should Buy an Amp Head Under $300?
Amps can be very expensive, but you don’t have to spend thousands of dollars to make your music sound good. This list includes some affordable amps that are still pretty good. You’ll get a lot of bang for your buck with these low cost options.
These amps are great if you’re serious about your voice. They are designed to be used as an amplifier head. You can get them for $200 or more.
What Are the Different Types of Amp Heads?
Amps are great for when you need to really customize your tone and dial into your exact sound preference. There are various types of amps available, including solid state, tube, hybrid, or modeling. Below, I’ll briefly explain what each means and what they’re best used for.
Features to Consider while Buying Best Guitar Amps under $300
It is difficult sometimes to pick a good guitar amplifier when you are on a budget. To make things easier for you, just consider the following features in this section. If you can give due weightage to each then you will surely have a top-class and a feature-enriched guitar amp in your hands, which will also be in your budget:
Type
The first and foremost consideration for a guitar amp is its type. You can have a look below at different available types of guitar amps to get an idea that what will suit your needs and preferences:
Solid-State Amps
The majority of amps that are inexpensive or even mid-priced are solid-state ones. Such type employs transistor, semiconductor, and solid-state circuits. You will find them to be quite cheaper and reliable as compared to the other types. Moreover, you will also find it to be lesser fragile as compared to tube amps.
Tube Amps
This type employs vacuum tubes which are responsible for amplifying the guitar’s signal. These are the oldest types of amps known. You will like these for their vintage and warm sound. Many professionals prefer this for its pleasing and authentic tones. The tube amps by today’s standards are probably outdated but still, many guitarists prefer it for its amazing sound.
Hybrid
This hybrid type is a combination of the tube and solid-state amps as discussed above. In this type, the amp might just have one or a max of two tubes on top of the solid-state circuitry. This would then provide you with the best of both types of their tones. This specific type enables musicians to get both the tube and the solid-state sounds from their guitar.
Combo
A combo type is different from the hybrid and the two should not be confused. It is a self-contained unit that comes with a speaker and an amplifier in a single cabinet. The majority of the smaller amps available are the combo type. This one is normally quite heavier as compared to the other available types. It is because it has each and everything self-contained in a single unit.
Stack
Stack is another type of amp that enables guitarists to make use of the effects pedal. But, this is entirely dependent upon the amp that you are purchasing. There are a few basic amps for practice that are available with the built-in effect.
Therefore, you do not require to buy any pedal with those. You may have the feats like chorus, reverb, distortion, and another required effect already in the amp. So, no additional pedal is required at all.
If the amp is an amp modeler (discussed below) then you could have a good diverse range of effects to choose from. You will have the option to change parameters on it in the same way as you can do with a conventional pedal for producing the desired effects.
Amp Modeler
This type of amp is known for replicating the sound produced from the other amps. It could provide musicians the ability for producing popular and vintage guitar tones with no need of spending lavishly on the equipment.
The required effect is produced digitally and a lot of innovative amps come with the amp modeling type. You may be able to program the majority of such amps. Therefore, the player could then pick different tones or patches which they require to use depending upon the type of music they want to play.
The amp that comes with amp modeling could be directly plugged into your computer using a USB port. You may download the software app along with the drivers to employ that amp with the other available programs as well.
Those could well be your DAW or the digital audio workstation for recording music. The sound capable of produced through this type is getting better and better with every new release.
Power Rating
The power rating parameter of the amp is proportionate to how loud that equipment is. The higher power rating also means higher cost so you need to vary this feature if looking for an amp under $300. The low-power and compact amps are quite productive for practicing purposes.
This is true for the tube amps as well where a lower power rating makes it quite convenient to maximize the amp at lower volume levels. You cannot expect these types with lower power ratings to provide you with good loud sound on stage.
Size
The size of the amp does matter for the projection and clarity of sound. The smaller ones have emphasized mids which are the ones that the majority of guitarists like. The bigger speaker types are usually preferred by those guitarists who look for having the supplementary bass emphasis.
Connectivity
Connectivity for amps is of secondary importance but it is critical enough to be discussed here. If you have extra I/ O options then this would add to the overall output of the amps. An aux input is good for enabling guitarists to play their favorite tracks.
On the other hand, the headphone output allows you to practice using headphones quietly. The speaker output option allows guitarists to maximize the amp with the other available guitar speaker cabinets.
The DI output on the other hand enables users to hook up straight to the PA or the recording console. The majority of the amps available today come with the USB connectivity option which provides users with direct computer recording along with the software control.
On top of that, there are also a few that comes with wireless streaming that is done through Bluetooth.
Conclusion
If you are a beginner to mid-level guitarist and have reserved $300 for a guitar amp then it is a pretty good amount to suffice your needs. You must ensure here that buying an amplifier head would also require you to have an external monitor/ speaker or headphones. On the other hand, a combo with a built-in type of speaker could be the most feasible option for you.
Your primary concern should be to find a guitar that offers excellent and versatile configuration along with solid construction as well. You first of all need to determine the type actually and then the size and the power of speaker matters a lot as well.
There are some secondary but productive features to consider as well which could be the channel switching, effect loops, and the built-in effects. In 2021, you can easily get a top-quality amp within your budget.
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