How To Choose a Guitar Amplifier - Electric Guitar Amp Buying Guide!

Dagan explains the differences between amplifiers, including valve, solid state and modeling as well as different wattage options, to help you decide which amp might be best for you.
Shop guitar amps over at PMT Online today here: www.pmtonline.co.uk/products/...
In this video, Dagan also provides a handy guide that explains the pros and cons of certain electric guitar amplifiers, which amps might be best for certain genres, what amps to choose if you’re a beginner and a selection of useful tips that can come in handy when deciding on an amplifier.
We learn the differences between valve/tube amps, solid state/transistor and modeling/digital guitar amps, how much power you need for gigs, practice and around the home and what brands might be best suited to your style of playing.
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[@FathiZaynMuhamad]

Nothing better than learning about amp from Jack sparrow at 2AM

[@itaymishaan9596]

4 am actually

[@qindkira]

Fuck. It's 2:09 right now. Whaa

[@thecheatcode9336]

2:17 am

[@maxneville4014]

2 51 😂😂😂

[@user-og1jz6xl3y]

It’s 2: 22am for me rn wtf

[@nitrospice1222]

this guy is the love child of Jack Sparrow and Russel Brand.

[@eldridgepalmer6083]

I'm sure he will take that.

[@Aron-ru5zk]

Nitro Spice jack sparrow is the love child of Steven Tyler and Keith Richards

[@butterfly2385]

ha ha...

[@FishingCaledonia]

Brilliant!

[@stephenkite399]

You are so right it’s scary

[@pepper6460]

*has a 25 y/O tube amp from my dad* "There's nothing wrong with it" *distorted chords sound like Hiroshima*

[@512banana1]

damn... this makes me crave a valve amp more than ever, have never had a chance to own 1

[@ethanm8544]

I was gifted a fender super 60 valve amp by my grandparents that used to be my uncles and apart from a couple of the valves needing replacing but not urgent it sounds great, really loud though especially for a small room in a suburb

[@vipervidsgamingplus5723]

Perhaps your tubes have died, they burn out just like light bulbs.

[@yetigriff]

I bet theres a metal band called Hiroshima somewhere

[@najmihakimkhairi1210]

It's great for death metal

[@kouham420]

3 types of Amplifier 1. Valve/Tube Amps 2. Solid State Amp 3. Modelling amp

[@sensei6622]

So which are better for beginners mostly using it in their bedrooms?

[@kouham420]

@@sensei6622 Solid state or a Modeller is fine.

[@robertogonzalez1869]

@@sensei6622 I started with a solid state amp which is good for practicing at home.I started using it recently to play at gigs but when it comes to gigs I prefer a valve amp

[@magicamajima4790]

@@robertogonzalez1869why so ?

[@hifijohn]

There are only two Ones you can afford and ones you cant.

[@keitharonoff9857]

It's great to watch someone who loves their job

[@frankietheghost9385]

jack sparrow just hasn't been the same after he went to that metallica concert

[@daddy_.rome0]

There must be a Captain in there somewhere

[@gibranaditama2256]

You mean ac dc concert

[@MrSlushee22]

Dagan: So Americans out there, Valve means Tube. Okay? Me:Okay :-) Dagan:Okay

[@solo7622]

:-)

[@James-wl5zv]

It made me feel warm and fuzzy inside when he said that :)

[@regperatrovich9406]

Ok.

[@DavidMorales008]

Dagan thank you for not being a gear snob and letting people of all financial means understand that there's something out there for them as well

[@TokyoBlue587]

I'm addicted to Dagan's videos. He explains everything so well & with enthusiasm. Great player too. Wish I could visit this shop but I'm in the U.S.

[@Joe-hl2ts]

The reason I love Marshall's so much is because: *I'm a guitarist*

[@user-fb2jb3gz1d]

Haha......thats a good joke

[@rdrake316]

Hiwatt for your avatar.

[@mahadkhan3097]

heeeeey Joeeeee

[@RC-bs6eb]

Never tried out the MG series, have ya?

[@erwinc.9117]

Step 1: buy the marshall that fits your budget. Step 2: no regrets

[@csmith29581]

I learned that after I spent a tonne of cash on a boogie and was disappointed. Traded I off for a silver jubilee 2555x, no regrets

[@george1906]

JCM 2000 isomer of the best marshall

[@JohaKlein]

Thats how dou do it! 'MURICA

[@LateNightYinzer]

@@JohaKlein More like UK lol

[@katherineberger6329]

Or, If you're like me and you grew up loving the everliving shit out of Queen, Step 1: buy the Vox that fits your budget. Step 2: no regrets.

[@3100620842]

I cannot believe he mentioned the line 6 series! Suddenly I’m not a garbage player who just bought the only amp I could afford anymore. Thanks for the pick-me-up!

[@HereFromThere]

bro SAME LMAO

[@greenbastard]

I got a line6 spider 3 75 watt and it works great. I dont understand why they get so much hate

[@dianita3030]

🤣🤣🤣Same

[@TheRezus35]

let your neighbours choose an amp for you..

[@bnr3314]

I will probably end up with Marshall Ms4 lol.

[@rana7957]

I'd end up with no amp and no guitar

[@Joe-hl2ts]

Rana no amp and Yamaha silent guitar

[@_vixen_4504]

Hahahahahhaahhaahhahahahahahaha so true

[@TheWarpBrain]

I love it when a neighbour joins me on a percussion beat with the broom stick, floor or ceiling, doesnt matter to me

[@vulnicuravulnicura5587]

"your singer wont help you carry your amp" LOL

[@wrobinson1702]

I've got a Marshall MG50FX, and it's great! And you absolutely can gig with it at a small to medium (

[@drivanfig]

Dude! You are so inspiring. Im just starting to play the guitar and you are pumping me up! Thanks for the advise!

[@mr.phil.a]

How a beginner should buy an amp... Excuse me shop keeper. Sell me a katana.

[@iarinpralea6110]

It is a pretty good amp for beginners, being easy to use, and it sounds pretty good if set up properly.

[@elvis_chen]

It's class AB, helps the tone a lot.

[@howardworf6760]

Oh yes, I'm mainly a bass player but I do tootle about with 6 strings. I've got a 2x12, it's bloody brilliant. In fairness though, with a lot of fiddling the Fender Mustangs can sound really good too. Band's guitar player uses two Mustang 3s running in stereo from his pedal board.

[@jacobmusic92]

Charlie what about the boss katana!

[@ironprejudice8903]

So if I have 20 watt amp can I use any guitar?

[@mikecantreed]

I actually didn't know that valve versus tube was an America versus UK thing.

[@michaeldawson6309]

Trunk vs Boot, Hood vs Bonnet, Fender vs Bumper, Muffler vs Exhaust..... just two nations differing views of describing things.

[@henkelarssonvm9471]

Michael Dawson fenders and bumpers are different things though, mufflers and exhausts arent the same either. Those are different things, hence the different names.

[@antonr.2101]

Backyard vs garden.....A-lum-i-num vs alum-in-ium :)

[@blakedavis2447]

Uk version of words typically make less sense than the American version

[@jameso2610]

@@blakedavis2447 is that why they pronounce aluminium the way they do

[@Itsrainingcatsyall]

Thank you for your explanation! You're great at keeping attention and explaining what I needed to know

[@c_j_9210]

I play metal mainly. I use a blackstar ID 100 half stack at practice but I use a small line 6 spider mk2 that is great for in the house. Also have a line 6 Spider MK3 stack. Great amp and very very versatile.

[@TenPester]

The Fender Mustang 40 with a set of Audio Technicha 40 headphones is an amazing setup for folk with households who don’t like guitars.

[@RyanSmuz]

I friggin love this guy.

[@squishycc9402]

Thanks for taking the time to make this video. Really helped a lot.

[@andyg8388]

Hi Dagan has explained everything in an enhusiastic and clear way. A great,helpful video.

[@shapes2000]

Great presenting Dagan, many thanks!

[@pauplays3482]

I love watching Dagan's reviews because there's not much nonsense compared to Anderton's videos.. Keep it tup!

[@Atheist81]

Very informative! You answered every question I had about guitar amps in this video. Thank you very much. 🤟🏻🤟🏻🎸

[@KyleMonizMusic]

This was exactly what I needed and the host was fantastic, thanks

[@davidmcaninch4714]

I’m more of a drummer, but I do love guitar as well. This is very much informative. As a thank you, you got yourself a subscriber!!!!!

[@argo_z]

Oh my gosh it's like Jack Sparrow and Elizabeth did have a relationship after all

[@syra1541]

ahahahahhahahahaha yessss

[@sirj9]

As a 53 year old American, that just picked up his first guitar, I am too much of a newbie to know the lingo. I found your video very informative. Thank you from across the pond!!

[@kylecoley2016]

Thanks for the tips bro. Just starting out. Really helpful. Rock on brother!

[@vikingcsm]

Cheers for this, some of the mystery has become clearer.

[@marshfootballkid89]

Thanks this was really helpful

[@rauchenrolloutdoors9738]

I really miss my Peavey VTX tube series amp, but I don't miss the weight. I have a Crate solid state GFX-30, but never use it any more. I love the modeling amps. I have a line 6 spyder and a Fender mustang. Love them both. Thanks for the great informative video.

[@roger1965100]

My favourite amp is from the WAN line - They do a 30 w Prince, a 50 w Queen and a 100w King model. I can easily say that my WAN King is awesome.

[@DrunkenGuitarGuy]

mesa boogie mark v is plenty versatile... from a variety of cleans to blues to metal.... so many nice tones!

[@HPPrintervx4p5q]

Just buy Orange, it looks cool

[@marcospintor1333]

Boii Bouillon that’s why I like it😂

[@10brucelees]

Marcos Pintor can’t stand the way orange amps look

[@JohaKlein]

That's how it goes

[@gustavbogren5119]

The chrush 35 rt best bedroom amp ever

[@CosmicHippopotamus]

Tom they sell black versions, my practice amp is a black 20RT.

[@flo.motion]

Really helpful!! Thanks a lot!!

[@davidd4144]

Degan man, you're like my youtube guitar hero - haha. So much fun and learn so much when I come across these vids, thanks!

[@ccandrew111]

Also, to get technical with power ratings, 10w will be half the volume of a 100w amp as it’s a logarithmic function. Trust me, a 10-15w valve amp will easily be loud enough for any scenario

[@alejandromadrigal714]

I love my Orange amp, versatile, louder and mobile, with rounded sound for many kind of music...

[@KyleMonizMusic]

this was exactly what I was looking for, thanks. Also that dude is cool

[@leonardomert42]

Great Vid. All the information u need thanks alot dude

[@DistortionGainTreble]

This is a really good salesman/host, you should really keep him!

[@planejoxcrazyhorse7486]

Finally someone that explains it in a way that a newb can totally get ... Great Job Man!!!

[@Fox250R]

Just picked up an mg 102 gfx! Was a hard choice between that and the black star260. I have 45 days to figure out if I’m going to keep it but so far I love it!

[@scoggers1628]

Great video, very accessible. And Dagan rocks. Win win!

[@nauroticdax]

quick tip, If you want a valve amp really badly (who doesnt) BUT its too loud because you're using it at home or whatever. Buy an expression pedal (volume pedal) they're cheap and if you put it in the effects loop it works as an effective "master" control so you can crank the circuit to 11 and get that saturation and not wake anyone up. On my valveking 212 100w i got 2 6.3mm plugs and soldered a 1M Potentiometer between them so it would sit on the amp as an extra control without taking the whole amp apart to add one

[@matzenasum2448]

30 watts?? Good saturation for Home?? Hahahahaha yeah your neighbours are very lucky.

[@Csthe16]

funniest comment i've read all week

[@micepubg3904]

How much watt amp is needed for a room? 250sqft room?

[@shyganlegend3040]

@@micepubg3904 5 watt

[@gilouch8975]

5watts might even be too much no ?

[@keremtatar7304]

Dude i just use 0.5W for bedroom (well its a 100W amp but still)

[@bigtommo5428]

I have a Fender Champion 40 love it so easy to get great sounds out of. Great for playing quietly just practising or whack it up and make things in your room shake great amp for a good price

[@doctorskull8197]

Outstanding video! Great job!

[@lemminglobber1854]

This guy is great! "If you're gigging there is a rule that all venues must have stairs..." :-D

[@Jcp108]

Go for a basic valve amp you can always add sounds through pedals, but at least this way you’ll get a great tone, use an attenuator to get best out of valve amp without having to crank volume up

[@emochinchilla]

Amazing review. Thank you!

[@setphaser]

love my marshall 15w MG solid state, but love even more my Vox AC10... there’s nothing like tubes!

[@Drinkyoghurt]

I bought a vintage 70s hybrid amp with one valve (for the power amp ). I got it for cheap, like 30 euros and thought a 10W was going to be very quiet. I was wrong, and the only way I can use this thing without upsetting the entire neighbourhood is by keeping the volume low meaning I only get that clean sound. 10W valve amps are completely different beasts from the 10W solid states.

[@TheSackless]

The way tech is progressing now you can get an amp to sound like anything you want. Those big massive stacks of Marshall amps for example sound awesome I'm sure, but it's mostly for image now. You can get the same sound rigging up a fender GTX100 into the PA and tweaking the model/EQ. I've actually just ordered the GTX100 from pmtv. Also I used to own a Marshall jcm2000dsl stack. Bring on the triggered gatekeeping purists.

[@CurieBohr]

Or use AmpliTube and have every amp sound on earth.

[@donkeydarko77]

Tone King makes fantastic tube amps. Deep, full clean tones that take pedals really well, and when you crank them, the crunch is killer. Built-in attenuator lets you get that crunch without blowing out your eardrums.

[@Vashocre]

Where has this channel been all my life?! What a charming rock star

[@baduuuzzz]

i have no idea what he's saying but I'm rocking with it

[@HughesandKettneramps]

4 years old but still relevant - explained very well

[@neil2935]

Thanks for advices bro... Hope your shop will be good.

[@tagus100]

Great video. Professionally made!

[@genaroayala8100]

brand russell and jack sparrow lost child.

[@calebfrost6395]

genaro ayala you mean Russell Brand?

[@harambe8372]

I can't see Jack Sparrow

[@Langshot]

Falk way he moves

[@TheOpinionGuyy]

No I see sparrow jack

[@cerpin_text]

I would argue you can definitely gig with a low wattage, tiny amp as well. mic-ing up something does wonders, and it means you can just put your mic closer and turn down the input gain, and boom you're set to play live

[@liltwistofcaine]

Schweet. Thanks. My boy decided on the fender mustang. Very easy to operate for a kid. Sounds amazing. I’m going out for earplugs and whiskey now.

[@butterfly2385]

What a great review...I just totally enjoyed listening to Dagan...Im in Australia but if I ever get to the UK...It would be worth going to this shop just have a conversation with Dagan...lol...

[@peanutbutterisfu]

I’ve never found the perfect amp and that blending 2 amps together is what works for me but I’m a tone chaser. The down side is having to cart around so much gear. I had it in my head that I needed to use tube amps but after I lowered my ego down I actually found a solid State Marshall that sounded very very good and blended with a tube amp really sounded good. I am a bit of a sloppy player I have a bit of string noise because I play really hard and the solid state seems to make my playing sound a bit cleaner and tube amps I need to be really careful.

[@biohead66]

I'm also a sloppy power player but I find Solid states way more unforgivable than tubes.

[@NandigamS]

Use an amp sim

[@BiggySeth]

BOSS Katana! A Modeling amp with all the great boss pedals modeled in as well! And have a selector switch from .5 watt to 100 watt!

[@LaLa-qb2ps]

Is this a good amp for beginner? Can be quiet in house but play smooth but also rock out, as well as play a small venue without distortion?

[@BiggySeth]

@@LaLa-qb2ps it's a great all around general purpose amp. It's not "authentic" like a tube amp, but it models a very clean sound and takes high Gain very well regardless. The switch from .5 watt to 50watt then 100watt. (On the 100 watt versions) makes it able to program and set up a pedal board to sound how you want in a a bedroom at 0.5 watt at low volume... The perk of this is that, unlike a tube amps that change tone characteristics at high to low volume (depending on how your effects pedals interact with it) the three-way switch preserves the same tone at 0.5, 50 or 100watt. So that you sound basically the same in your bedroom as you would live on stage. It's really really nifty, and has a USB port that you can program other pedals into it, there's even an app where you can plug it directly into your phone and change pedals on the fly.

[@gabe_dollr4125]

Thanks so much for great demos

[@thomasjost2845]

I like how through out the video you can just hear all of the clanking of Dagan's jewelry. Keep up the good work!

[@AllTheCoolNamesAreTaken84]

This dude is such a gear head, I love it lol

[@kipptt]

Fun Fact: you dont need a thousand dollar amplifier if you're just gonna practice guitar

[@Lisbonized]

Started watching this to help me decide on a new amp. Now I want to buy that superb Fender Telecaster being used!

[@RealEyalPerry]

Thank you! Super informative!

[@peterflowers9029]

What happens if I use a speaker rated for 20 watts on a 10 watt amp? Will it take more to distort the signal? Will it damage the amp or speaker?

[@GatorAl]

the best sounding amp that I owned many years ago was a Marshall Valvestate 8080.

[@rick8575]

I'm new to this and there's one on sale second hand for € 180. It's been revised with the valves changed. Is it a steal to you?

[@GatorAl]

@@rick8575 for that price that's not too bad

[@Marie-xr1wv]

I love how passionate he talks about this

[@sunavila]

Thanks for this great video.

[@raspberryjuiceentertainmen719]

8:44 anyone else notice he was playing du hast?

[@OGPokey151]

If you are on a budget. A Katana 50w combo. Hands down best bang for your buck. It will take a long ass time to out grow it. So versatile

[@lk-gt9xv]

Do you know if they have a DI out so you can record without a mic

[@gururcanb]

@@lk-gt9xv i just know line 6 spider v has di

[@KeeperOfPoops]

this is really handy! i might try get a modelling amp at some point for when my Blackstar's tubes blow out, cos then i have a safety net for a spare amp to help me play at home while my amp gets repaired, cos at college they have Fender Mustang 100's which i love to death hopefully i'll come down to PMT again this year which i most probably will

[@andrewk88029]

thank you! amazing video

[@NagyDani91]

Thank you for the insight, very useful! I have a beginner's question. I'm a bit confused about how much power (watts) one actually needs if they want to use their amps not just at home but also at smaller gigs (like in a bar, small stage, etc.) It would be logical to think that the bigger the hall you perform in, the more watts you need. However, to my recollection, the amplified sound the audience hears almost never actually comes from the speakers of your amp. Instead, the stage will have their own power amplifier system with speakers and the musician's amp is just micophoned up or connected to the mixing console with an equivalent method. Since the microphone is placed directly in front of the guitar amp's speaker, does it even matter if it is a 5 or a 50 watt amplifier? What am I missing here? Thanks in advance.

[@barbiegirl2212]

Probably you dont need the answer, but yeah it matters, i dont know how many watts you need for gigs. But yeah the more watts the better. It will have depth even on the low settings

[@csmith29581]

Buy whatever amp inspires you to play. Whether its a small solid state amp to a half stack 100w beast, if the tone doesn't inspire you then walk away.

[@AngusNB]

Don't buy the 100W beast if you can't use it though. Inspiration is useless if you are homeless. 😁

[@toninnoin]

I just bought a sweet Fender40. Best amp ever and I know my amps. Looks great and everyone says my playing got even better.

[@ryangann665]

I traded a fit bit for a line 6 when I first started playing and I am not disappointed

[@ccandrew111]

Being an electronic engineer, hearing a transistor being called a “faux valve” is gravely offensive to me 😂. That said, love my valve amps; got a black star series one head coming next week to add to the collection.

[@mazenalngar9676]

I suggest the boss katana, it's my favorite amp right now!

[@davewalsh3885]

Same here. I use the 100 watt 2X12 for gigging. I replaced my Fender Mustang V 2 about 2 years ago. still haul around the Mustang, just in case.

[@davewalsh3885]

Mustang 3 v 2

[@lk-gt9xv]

I'm looking to buy the katana 50. Do you know if they have a DI out for recording so i dont have to use a mic?

[@rchamy94]

@@lk-gt9xv IIRC no, but the Marshall Code and Yamaha THR series have USB out.

[@Ghost-vs3du]

​@@lk-gt9xv katana 100 does

[@blueshowlar]

Hey Dagan, nice video. Thanks

[@TheToecutter69]

The Toecutter recommends Peavey or Mesa Boogie!!! And someone below mentioned the Boss Katana 👍🏼

[@matheuslobato9212]

“you cant go wrong with a line 6 spider” pmtv

[@nate716]

I recommend: Solid State: Orange Crush or Boss Katana Tube/Valve: Marshall or Vox

[@panama1942]

Lion Sin of Pride Solid advice. I already have a tube Marshall but would like a smaller watt solid state just for something that I can plug in play at home

[@ethanm8544]

Nah if u want a valve amp go find a fender super 60 and just piss the neighbours off cos they’re loud

[@charliemaddock3459]

You are the coolest person I’ve come across (2nd to satchel from steal panther) since I got into guitar 🎸 is 💪💪🤟🤟👏

[@DVincentW]

I like the EVH 5150 Combo its digital and tube.. has voltage control.. powers a cabinet as well -250 watts. 700 US.

[@dimensionalencounter3689]

“How to buy an electric guitar amplifier?” Walk in, go past the ones in black, find the one that is orange. Pick it up, walk over to the counter, pull your money out and pay the cashier.

[@_.go._]

That small Marshall looks so cute lol 😂

[@dibyasattwakarmakar]

Thank You , Sir . At 7.29 moves the soul

[@robertgroene2772]

'Thought I knew almost everything about amps until I watched this video. Thanks, Dagan!