In order to make a wise choice on a guitar amp when you are a beginner, you must take into account certain criteria, because there are many models, with different styles and different prices. The best advice you can give is to try your guitar with different types of amps, because in the end it’s often a matter of feeling.
The choice of the guitar
Depending on the type of guitar you play, the type of amp will be different. For those who play a bass guitar, it is advisable to choose amps that have a medium power. We can choose a bi-amplification system, which allows the sound to be produced in two parts, i. e. low frequencies and high frequencies. The high-pitched and low-pitched sounds will be distributed over two different speakers, in order to obtain an optimal experience.
Those who play an electro-acoustic guitar will want the amp to reproduce exactly the sounds produced. They will find it easier to choose amps that have few effects and cost, generally, between 150 and 400 euros.
The power
The power of an amp can vary depending on the type of amp, i.e. whether it is tube or transistor. In order to determine the power of the amp we need, it is first necessary to know exactly how to use it.
For a transistor amp, a power between 15 and 30W is more than enough if you play at home. Tube amps, for this purpose, are not recommended because they tend to be noisier.
To play on stage or in a group, we will lean towards an amp with more power. It will be necessary to aim for a power of 100W for a transistor amp and between 50 and 60W for a tube amp.
For beginners, it is strongly recommended to start with low-power amps, in order to get used to them, before moving on to more powerful amps.
The construction
The construction of the amp housing is a criterion to be taken into account. Indeed, the thickness of the wood plays an important role in the quality of the amp. The ideal is to have an amp that has a housing at least 4 centimeters thick, which allows you to have a powerful sound.
It is also advisable to choose an amp that has corner guards, which will prevent damage every time it is hit against something else, which can happen very often.
The settings
This is another important criterion to take into account, as there are many settings to be made on an amp. In addition, these settings vary depending on the amp model. In particular, modeling amps have many settings and take longer to master. For a beginner, it is therefore not advisable to choose this type of amp.
The price
Here is one last criterion that weighs his weight, because before buying an amp, we look first and foremost at its price, especially if you are a beginner. We don’t want to invest in an accessory that’s too expensive, when we’ve just started playing guitar and we might give up one day.
That said, the cheaper an amp is, the less reliable and accurate it is. It is therefore necessary to count about 100 euros, at least, to have a quality accessory.
The price varies according to the type of amp. Tube amps are generally more expensive than transistor amps and model amps. But the price also changes according to the Anyway, as already mentioned above, it is strongly recommended to test your guitar with different kinds of amplifiers, in order to choose according to your feelings and experience.
