How Many Amps Does A Guitar Amp Draw

If you're looking at buying a guitar amp, you might get overwhelmed when you run into all the unlike types of guitar amps out there. With so many different brands, shapes, sizes, and features, it can be difficult to effigy out what is the correct guitar amp for you.

In this guide, permit'south take a look at the different types of guitar amps out there and discover which one might exist right for you.

At that place are iv main types of guitar amps: tube, solid land, modelling, and hybrid. Each type of amp uses a different type of engineering to produce your tone. All four types of guitar amps also come in dissimilar configurations of speakers, which play a big part in shaping your tone.

Fifty-fifty if you lot think you already know what type of guitar amp is right for you, read through the information on all 4 types.

Knowing more about other types of amps will aid yous make certain yous do brand the right choice for your needs. As a guitar teacher, I often encounter guitarists with the wrong blazon of amp for their needs. Existence open-minded virtually unlike types of amps will lead you to better gear.

Tube Guitar Amps (aka Valve Amps)

If yous've ever heard somebody talk nearly guitar amps, you lot probably heard them talk at some point well-nigh tube amps (likewise known as valve amps). For many guitarists, tube amps are the pinnacle of amp technology and produce the best tone. Whether that'southward true or not has been and will ever be a hot debate because tone is completely subjective.

Tube amps are named after the vacuum tubes they use to bulldoze the amp:

Guitar amp tube

The above photo shows a typical tube in a guitar amp. These tubes will heat up and glow orange when they're cranked upward. The basic idea is that when you creepo up the tubes, they first to interruption up your betoken and produce a smooth overdrive then many guitarists enjoy.

Tubes were used in all amplifiers before transistors were invented, but many guitarists all the same prefer to use a tube guitar amp today due to the warm tones they tin can produce.

If yous hear somebody talk about valve amps, they're the aforementioned every bit tube amps. "Valve" is an English term, while "Tube" is an American term. They both refer to the vacuum tubes/valves in the amp.

Compared to the other types of guitar amps covered after, tube amps use ancient technology. This adds to the entreatment for some guitarists. Some guitarists like the idea of sticking to vintage gear and consider it "the existent stuff".

Other guitarists take a look at what is possible from modernistic guitar amp technology and decide that tube amps aren't worth information technology. The right option for y'all is to look at each type of guitar amp objectively and whether the blazon of amp fits your needs. Most guitarists don't do this and as a result, they end up with an amp that doesn't suit them.

While many guitarists will talk to yous well-nigh the benefits of tube amps until they're blue in the face up, don't feel like you need to buy a tube amp. They don't suit all guitarists and having a tube amp doesn't guarantee the best tone.

Guitar amp tubes back

The highly sought-after warm tone of a tube amp does come at a price. Tube amps are typically far more expensive, heavier, and more than fragile than other types of guitar amps.

The easiest mode to tell if a guitar amp is a tube amp is to attempt and pick it up. Y'all'll notice a huge divergence in weight in a tube amp compared to any other non-tube amp. Tube amps tin can exist ridiculously heavy and fragile.

The actress weight is fine for at home use, but if yous program on traveling with your amp to gigs or band rehearsals, you might notice the actress weight of a tube amp a hassle.

VOX AC30 guitar amp

The higher up amp, a Vocalization AC30, is a great example of a very popular tube amp. Information technology might non wait heavy, but at just over 70 lbs (32kg) information technology's far heavier than a solid state or modelled combo amp. For example, the Line 6 AMPLIFi 150 is a modelled combo amp that weighs 37lbs (17kg).

Tube Amp Pros:

Many guitarists feel tube amps produce the best tone
Tube amps are usually elementary to use

Tube Amp Cons:

Tube amps tend to be more expensive
Tubes are fragile, will burn down out, and require maintenance
Tube amps can be seriously heavy
All-time tones from tube amps are usually just possible at high volumes
Many tube amps don't produce good tones at low volumes
Compared to other types of guitar amps, tube amps are limited in the variety of tones they tin can produce

Even if you take your mind prepare on getting a tube amp, take a read through the different types of guitar amps to encounter how they compare. You may notice tube amps conform you the best, or yous may find a better alternative.

Solid State Guitar Amps

After the transistor was invented, a new type of guitar amp started to appear. Solid country guitar amps supercede glass vacuum tubes with transistors on a printed circuit lath.

The beneath photo compares a typical vacuum tube confronting a transistor:

Guitar amp tube vs transistor

It should be obvious that at that place'south a big deviation between the ii. A transistor is rock solid, extremely lite, and reliable. A drinking glass vacuum tube in comparison can suspension or burn out over time. The big reward of transistors is that they won't burn down out as a vacuum tube volition. They don't crave maintenance and should last a lifetime.

Tube vs Solid State Guitar Amps

Information technology should be no surprise that solid state guitar amps can be far lighter than tube amps. Y'all may have heard of transistors when people talk about fuzz pedals (find out most fuzz pedals and transistors here). For many guitarists, the large drop in weight and price is a big reason for choosing a solid state guitar amp over a tube amp.

When solid state guitar amps first came out, they were seen as cold and sterile. The warmth and inconsistencies that gave tube amps their grapheme were suddenly gone when you plugged in a solid state amp.

For many guitarists, this was a step backwards. For guitarists in styles like Jazz where you want a sparkly clean tone, solid state amps were ideal.

Roland JC120

The to a higher place amp is a Roland JC-120 (JC stands for Jazz Chorus). The JC-120 still stands out today as one of the best solid state amps bachelor. For many jazz guitarists (and other similar styles), the tone it produces is perfect for their needs.

The in a higher place JC-120 weighs 62lbs (28kg) which might sound like not much dissimilar than the Vocalisation AC30 from earlier (at 70lbs / 32kg). Simply keep in mind the JC-120 is a 120-watt amp while the VOX AC30 is a 30-watt amp.

The point to take abroad here is that different amps suit different types of guitarists. A rock guitarist might see a solid state amp every bit cold and sterile, while a jazz guitarist might meet a tube amp as noisy and mushy.

Information technology's also worth mentioning that many stone guitarists bask using solid state amps and many jazz guitarists enjoy using tube amps. Every guitarist has different tastes and preferences in tone, so don't permit anybody tell you what blazon of gear y'all should exist using.

Solid State Guitar Amp Pros:

Can produce crystal clear clean tones
Can be calorie-free and relatively cheap

Solid State Guitar Amp Cons:

Many guitarists don't similar the tones produced
Solid state amps are very express compared to modelling amps

Solid state guitar amps aren't equally popular today as they take been mostly replaced by modelling amps.

Modelling Guitar Amps

Modelling guitar amps (sometimes called digital guitar amps) are an evolution over solid state guitar amps. These guitar amps use modernistic technology to produce a wide range of tones and effects.

The proper noun 'modelling' comes from the thought that the amp tries to recreate the tone from a different type of amp. For example, a modelling amp may attempt to reproduce the tone of a Marshall tube amp without the use of tubes. So with the press of a push button, you can change to a modelled version of a archetype Vox AC thirty or a Mesa Boogie.

The big advantage of modelling guitar amps is flexibility. Some modelling amps give you access to hundreds of unlike amp models, inbuilt effects, and presets.

When modelling guitar amps outset started appearing, they rapidly developed a terrible reputation. Guitarists called them digital rubbish and poor imitations of the real thing. If you try out an early model of a modelling guitar amp, y'all will probably agree.

Thankfully, every bit with any technology, modelling amps kept getting amend over fourth dimension. Every year saw improvements in modelling technology and better quality tones.

The gap between a "existent" amp and a "modelled" amp started to narrow. Today, you can notice hundreds of YouTube videos comparing "real" amps against modelled amps in blind tests. The below video is a great case of how realistic modelled guitar amps are today:

When listening to the examples from the in a higher place video, don't try to think which 1 is "real" or "modelled". It really doesn't matter if you tin correctly identify which is which. What really matters is if you like either or both of the tones the amps produce.

While there volition always be guitarists that claim that "nothing beats the real thing", the truth is modelling technology is at the signal where a good quality modelling amp tin sound well-nigh indistinguishable from the non-modelled version.

The BOSS Katana is an example of a very popular mod modelling amp with a wide range of tone options:

Boss Katana KTN-50

The 4 master amp presets (plus an original Dominate acoustic amp) plant on the Dominate Katana are based on these guitar amps: Roland JC-120 (Clean), Fender Bassman (Crunch), Peavey 5150 Lead (Atomic number 82), Soldana SLO-100 (Brown).

A modelling amp similar this one gives y'all access to the guitar tones found on some of the near famous guitar amps in history. Some modelling amps allow you lot to access literally hundreds of dissimilar amp models all in one unit.

The Dominate Katana KTN-fifty is a 50-watt amp that weighs 25lbs (eleven.6kg). When compared to the tube or solid country amps shown before, it should exist obvious how much lighter a typical modelling amp can exist.

This is partly why they've become then popular for guitarists going to band practice or gigs. Not only are they easy to transport, only they provide a lot of flexibility in tones.

Modelling Guitar Amp Pros:

Access to a large diversity of guitar tones and effects
Significantly lighter than solid state or tube amps
Commonly far lower in cost compared to other amp types

Modelling Guitar Amp Cons:

Older modelling amps don't sound as good as the lastest modelling amps

If you're looking at getting a modelling guitar amp, remember that modelling technology is constantly improving. So when it comes to modelling amps, if you take to choose between an older or newer model from the same brand, the latest model is usually the smart option.

Hybrid Guitar Amps

The last type of guitar amp worth mentioning is hybrid amps. Hybrid guitar amps are a bit of a weird type of amp. But like hybrid cars are a weird mix of gasoline and electrical, hybrid guitar amps are a weird mix of different amp applied science.

The thought behind hybrid guitar amps is that they give you lot the best of both worlds. You have access to the sought-subsequently tones produced by tubes and you besides get access to the flexibility of solid state technology.

While that might sound great, hybrid amps can ofttimes be disappointing in the same way that hybrid cars often disappoint. A hybrid car has peachy advantages over a gasoline car, but it comes with compromises. A hybrid machine has a gasoline engine, merely that engine is nowhere about as good as a gasoline automobile's engine similar a Mustang. A hybrid car besides runs on electricity, but it'south nowhere near every bit good equally an all-electric car like a Tesla.

Hybrid cars are a compromise – it's not equally good as a gasoline motorcar and non equally expert as an all-electric car. It's somewhere in betwixt.

It's the same with hybrid guitar amps. Most guitarists will either adopt a archetype tube amp or a modelling amp, but not a weird hybrid of the 2. Hybrid guitar amps do suit some guitarists, simply fewer and fewer guitarists are finding these type of amps appealing.

The Line 6 DT25 is a popular hybrid amp that makes use of Line 6's modelling technology and combines it with existent tubes (combo version shown below, but there is also a head version available):

Line 6 DT25

For some guitarists, a hybrid amp is the only time they will consider using modelling technology. For these guitarists, the tubes give the "existent" grapheme other modelling amps lack. Whether this is truthful for you or not depends on the type of tones you lot like from a guitar amp.

The DT25 combo weighs 47lbs (21kg) which is lighter than a typical tube amp, but heavier than a typical modelling amp.

Hybrid Guitar Amp Pros:

Admission to a wider range of guitar tones and effects than a typical tube amp
Makes use of real tubes for that "accurate" guitar amp tone

Hybrid Guitar Amp Cons:

Heavier than typical modelling amps due to the tubes
More expensive than typical modelling amps
The deviation in tone compared to a typical modelling amp may non make information technology worthwhile for you

Just like hybrid cars, hybrid guitar amps do arrange some people. While there aren't many hybrid guitar amps out there compared to tube or modelling amps, in that location are some groovy options worth considering.

How to Choose The Correct Guitar Amp Type For Yous

At present that yous've read through the four types of guitar amps, yous should take a good idea on what type of you should get. Before you offset to think about brands or amp models, be clear in what type of amp might conform your needs best.

For example, if you feel a tube amp would conform you best you lot can and so commencement researching tube amps and find the brands and models that suit y'all. You lot tin narrow your search downward to tube amps and compare the dissimilar models from unlike makers and find the right tube amp for yous.

This is a far better approach than what many guitarists do. Many guitarists showtime with a brand, then expect for a model. This is a poor arroyo because it immediately restricts the broad range of amazing amps you lot could choose from.

Many guitarists are starting to realize that brand loyalty with guitar amp manufacturers is as featherbrained every bit Apple tree vs Samsung loyalty. Even if you've been playing Marshall amps all of your life, it'due south still worth checking out what other brands have on offer. As Joe Satriani says:

"Don't worry about Peavey vs Marshall, worry about what sets you gratis" – Joe Satriani

The reason I want to emphasize this is because guitarists can oftentimes exist closed-minded. I've seen many students over the years come up to me with a horribly inappropriate amp for their needs considering they were told to "only get a tube amp" or "nothing beats a Marshall".

Instead of starting your amp research by thinking about brand, retrieve nigh your answers to these questions:

Do I need to regularly ship the amp?
How loud does the amp need to exist?
Will I exist using pedals for my effects, or do I want to have the amp exercise everything?
How many different types of tones practise I want to access?
What is my upkeep?
Will I be recording music with the amp?
Will I exist performing live with the amp?

Accept your time answering each of the above questions before you make your mind up on the type of amp to get.

Once you lot answer all of the questions, get through each of the four types of guitar amps and retrieve near how closely each type fits with your needs.

Proceed in mind that each blazon of amp tin come in very unlike configurations. For example, while tube amps are typically heavy, at that place are tiny tube amp heads such every bit the Orangish Tiny Terror you could match with a small speaker chiffonier.

This approach gives you an piece of cake fashion to objectively compare the unlike types of amps and help you work out which type really would fit your needs.

To learn more than about guitar amps and how to become the most out of your amp, read through my Ultimate Guide to Guitar Amp Settings. Many guitarists take contacted me over the years to say that information technology was ane of the most important articles they've read. And then if yous desire to get the nearly out of your amp, check it out.