Types Of Guitar Amps

Guitar Amp Types

If you're reading this article, you're probably unsure of what kind of amp you want to get. You probably already have a guitar, but what good is an electric or bass guitar without an amplifier? Not much, in all honesty. Without a good, high quality guitar amp, your guitar - regardless of how expensive it is - won't sound as good as it potentially can. Generally, you have four options when looking for a guitar amp: tube amps, solid state amps, digital amps, and hybrid amps. Below I'll give a brief summary of each type.

Guitar Tube Amps - The original guitar amp was the tube amplifier. They evolved fairly quickly. Today, those most knowledgeable in guitar amplifiers recognize their rich, full tone. Newer amps often try to mimic the sound of a genuine tube amp, but they're rarely successful. Tube amps originally lacked power though, and they're more delicate; they break more easily and need more repairs.

Solid State Amps - Solid-state guitar amplifiers were the first replacements of the original tube amps, though many musicians still use the tube amps today. Regardless, most people consider solid-state amps an improvement. Usually they use higher frequencies. They have more range and can typically produce much more power and wattage.

Digital Amps - Digital guitar amps really on digital signals and are programmed to create sounds from classic amplifiers. They often offer a wider range of styles, sounds, and effects.

Hybrid Amps - Hybrid guitar amplifiers are a combination of tube amps and solid-state amps together into one. They don't usually have fantastic sound quality as far as sounding like a tube amp, but they come pretty close.