This blog post will review the best guitar amp for home use and practice. Some people might assume that a small amp won’t work as well as a larger one, but this simply isn’t true. A smaller amplifier will allow you to play more quietly which allows you to keep practicing without disturbing anyone else in the house or apartment with a loud noise coming from your room!
The first type of amp we want to talk about is called an “extended range” amp. These amps are designed for guitars with high output pickups such as humbuckers because they have a higher gain than a similar standard amp. Extended range amps also have a switch for an equalizer boost. This is great because it allows you to amplify your guitar’s natural sound and creates a fuller, richer, and thicker tone with lots of low ends.
How to pick the best guitar amp for home use:
Below are some of the main factors to consider when getting a guitar amp for home use.
1. What is the wattage of the amplifier?
While wattage does not always correlate to volume, it can give you a general sense of how loud a guitar amp can get. The average “bedroom-size” amp has 20 watts, but it is possible to find 10, 15, and even 5-watt amps which are perfect for home use and practice.
Generally speaking, more watts will mean a louder amplifier and more expensive wattage doesn’t necessarily mean the amp is better – if you’re looking for a practice amp, consider 10-watt amps as they are very common and might be all you need to begin with.
2. What is the size of the amplifier?
Another important factor when choosing a guitar amp is its physical dimensions. If you live in an apartment with limited space in your room, then you’ll definitely want to look at smaller amps such as 1×12 combos, which can easily be placed on a desk or even a bookshelf.
Sound can vary tremendously between small and large amps. If you’re interested in playing loud gigs, then consider a larger amp with high wattage which can pack a big punch in your band’s music. At home, however, you might want to turn down the volume and opt for a smaller amplifier because less room for error means getting punched by your parents or loved ones isn’t as possible if you forget to turn down the volume.
3. What is the amp’s power rating?
The final factor to consider when picking an amplifier is its power rating measured in watts. This measurement can be found on the back of the amp or inside the included manual. Most amps produce enough wattage for practice depending on the size of your room. If you don’t have a lot of space, then consider amps with a lower wattage because they won’t produce as much sound even though they’re still great for home use.
Best Guitar Amps for Home Use
The best practice amp, in our opinion, should be small, simple to use, and sounds fantastic. It’s these three boxes that need to be checked off for us.
The Fender Super Champ X2 is the best practice amp overall since it fulfills our requirements precisely.
The Super Champ X2 will provide you with that great Fender ‘silverface’ sound, thanks to its tube pre and power amp sections, and it’ll broaden your tonal horizons with a variety of digital effects. If that isn’t enough, the amp’s recording capabilities over USB add extra functionality to it, making the Super Champ X2
For bedroom players, or those just getting started, the Positive Grid Spark is a no-brainer. This clever little amplifier is versatile, sturdy, and sounds fantastic – making it one of the greatest guitar amplifiers for home use available.
Alternatively, the Blackstar Fly 3 is a powerful battery-powered practice amplifier that should not be overlooked. The Fly 3 features clean and overdriven channels, as well as an equalizer with three bands and five settings per band.
Our top Picks:
- Fender Super Champ X2
- Blackstar Fly 3
- Yamaha THR30II Wireless
- Positive Grid Spark
- Friedman BE Mini Head
- Blackstar HT-1R MKII
Reviews of the Best Guitar Amps for Beginners 2022
Fender Super Champ X2
The Fender Super Champ X2 (Black & Silver) is a compact all-around Combo Amplifier for Electric Guitar which combines the sonic advantages of a Tube Circuit with the infinite variety of Digital Modelling.
Channel 1 employs a 12AX7 Tube in the Pre-Amp deliver the extremely transparent Clean sound of the Blackface era, whilst Channel 2 (with a total of 16x voicings) covers both authentic Vintage Clean and Overdrive sounds, as well as modern High-Gain.
In addition to the Tube Circuitry, the Super Champ X2 features a selection of Digital Effects: Reverb, Chorus/Flanger, Tremolo, Delay and Vibratone. The amp can be used as a stereo amplifier or with headphones for silent practice.
Blackstar Fly 3
The Blackstar Fly 3 is a portable, battery-powered guitar amplifier that delivers the goods in style. If you’re looking for an amp that’s easy to transport and will fit in your gig bag, this is it! The Fly 3 has three channels: Clean, Crunch, and OD1. Each channel has its own dedicated EQ section with Bass, Middle, and Treble control as well as Gain, Level, and Master Volume controls. You can also use the ISF control to contour the tone of each channel from American to British. The onboard tape delay effect features a Tap Tempo control so you can dial in the perfect delay time. The Fly 3 also has an Aux In jack so you can jam along with your favorite tunes.
The Yamaha THR30II Wireless guitar amplifier is perfect for players who want the realistic tube-amp tones and feel, plus essential effects, in a compact package. With 15 guitar amps, 3 bass amps, 3 mic models for acoustic electrics, and flat modes for everything else, you’ll be able to find the perfect tone for any situation. Bluetooth support lets you stream audio playback, edit sounds via THR Remote, and more. The built-in wireless receiver is compatible with the optional Line 6 Relay G10T transmitter.
Positive Grid Spark
Smart Jam by Positive Grid Spark amplifier learns your style and feel, generating authentic bass and drums to accompany you as you play.
Access to 10,000+ amp-and-FX presets on ToneCloud, powered by PositiveGrid’s BIAS realistic virtual tube amps and effects for Guitar, Acoustic, or Bass. Import your music from Spotify, Apple Music or YouTube, and Spark’s smart app will auto display the guitar chords in real-time. Powerhouse 40 Watt combo includes onboard tone stack controls, effects, tone starter preset programs, a built-in tuner, tap tempo, and much more.
Friedman BE Mini Head
The Friedman BE Mini Head is a compact, all-tube amplifier head that delivers big sound in a small package. This amp is perfect for players who want classic Friedman tones in a portable amplifier. The BE Mini Head features two channels: Clean and Lead. Each channel has its own Gain, Volume, and Master Volume controls. The Lead channel also has a three-band EQ with Bass, Mid, and Treble control. A global Presence control allows you to fine-tune the overall sound of the amp. The BE Mini Head comes equipped with a foot-switchable Boost function that adds extra gain and volume to the Lead channel.
Blackstar HT-5R
The Blackstar HT-5R is a 5 Watt tube amplifier head that delivers classic tones in a small package. This amp is perfect for players who want to get the most out of their practice time. The HT-5R has two channels: Clean and Overdrive. Each channel has its own Gain, Volume and Master Volume controls. The Overdrive channel also has a three-band EQ with Bass, Mid and Treble control. A global Resonance control allows you to fine-tune the overall sound of the amp. The HT-5R comes equipped with a foot-switchable Boost function that adds extra gain and volume to the Overdrive channel.
Hi there! I am Jack Musau, the founder of this Best Guitar Amp Review site. I am an avid musician with several years using both traditional and electric guitars and created this site to assist others looking to find the best guitar amplifiers in the market today. I also offer private coaching and training on how to use guitars and guitars amps of all kinds. You can reach out to me using my email, jack@soundspros.com.