Every Major Guitar Amplifier Brand, Ranked By A Musician
I’ve been playing the electric guitar for almost three decades now. During that time, I’ve had the privilege of plugging my instrument into all kinds of amplifiers. In other words, I’ve rocked most of the brands on this list in the past.
So, if you don’t know where your tone journey should start and you’re in the market for a new amplifier, these are the brands you should consider.
1. Marshall
Guitar players, music fans, and mostly anyone who likes rock and roll knows about Marshall. These amps ooze that rock-ready brown tone and are ideal for playing anything from AC-DC-like rock and roll to Slayer-like metal.
The brand was created by a drummer in London in the early ‘60s but has since transformed into a synonym for rock guitarists. Moreover, if you get to the gig with your guitar on your back and you see a Marshall on stage, chances are it’s going to be a loud, fun, distorted night for you and the audience.
2. Fender
Although Marshall has become a synonym for rock tone, it all started on the other side of the ocean, where an engineer wanted to give musicians better tools. The man’s name was Leonidas Fender, and he’s a legend.
Speaking of legends, it was one of his designs, the Fender Bassman, that made it to England and inspired Jim to open Marshall amps. Beyond being the seed for times to come, Fender amplifiers are known for defining a specific sound that’s used by most bands on stage nowadays.
Believe me, it happened to me very few times to go to a venue and not see a Fender amplifier somewhere. They sound great and make a great platform for pedals too. You can never go wrong playing a Fender amp.
3. Orange
Founded in London in the late 1960s, Orange Amplifiers took Marshall’s tone a step further and became the backline of bands that were giving the chills to the early heavy rock and metal audience. For example, bands like Black Sabbath relied on Orange Amps to bring mayhem to the world.
This is a band with a no-frills approach to tone. You can expect tubes, simple control layouts, a rocking tone, and the coolest-looking orange finish on reliable, affordable, great-sounding amps.
4. Mesa Boogie
The early psychedelic, rocking, experimental scene of Sunny California needed its own sound. Mesa Boogie amplifiers, born in the early 1970s in Lagunitas, California, offer many tone-shaping options to quench the thirst for tone of the most demanding players on the planet.
Also, in the late ‘90s, the brand came up with the amazing “Rectifier” line that took over the world like a storm. It was strange to see a Nu Metal stage without a rectifier’s metal grill. If you want heavy, clean, and overdriven tones with many options, you have to try Mesa Boogie out.
5. Vox
The Fab Four, The Beatles, perhaps the biggest rock and roll band of all time played Vox throughout most of their career. Moreover, it’s one of those strange cases in which the brand accommodated the products to meet the growing demand for bigger, louder amps.
Furthermore, the Vox AC-30 is a music industry standard and an amplifier you can hear on bands going from U2 to Queen. If you want a slightly overdriven, jangly, tight, and articulate sound, you must give Vox a try.
6. Laney
Laney is another UK brand that has pushed heavy rock and metal bands into stardom. For example, legends and virtuosos like Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath), Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins), Guthrie Govan, Vernon Reid, and Devin Townsend all play Laney live.
But what do Laney amps sound like? Well, they’re close to Marshall and Orange but with more gain at hand. Indeed, you can expect simple layouts, generous gain, and reliability to take them to the moon and back. For serious rock tones, try Laney out.
7. Peavey/EVH
No list for rock and metal amps would be complete without a 5150, 6550, or EVH amp. Yes, originally made by Peavey, Eddie Van Halen’s signature amp is one of the most used heads in bands that play punk rock, heavy metal, hardcore, and many other heavy genres.
The thing is that these amps offer virtually limitless levels of gain and, in their new EVH iteration, three usable channels including a great clean one. For face-melting gain, pristine-clean tones, and all the in-between, you have to check EVH amps.
8. Soldano
Mike Soldano is a “Tone Guru” who has been building some of the best rock amps in the world from San Francisco since the mid-‘80s. His creations are what we commonly know as souped-up Marshalls because they feature simple controls, a chainsaw-like gain stage, and a lot of tone.
There are Soldano heads for all sizes and gain needs. So, regardless of what you’re looking for, if you’re ready to rock, you should check them out.
9. Blackstar
In recent years, Blackstar became the go-to amplifier option for those in need of reliable, great-sounding, but affordable tube amps. Furthermore, the great Richie Sambora moved from Marshall to Blackstar. So, if you’re looking for great tones on a budget, Blackstar is your main choice.
The Bottom End
Guitar amplifiers helped shape the music in our headphones for decades. There would be no distortion and no rock and roll if it weren’t for these bold innovators and their creations.
Go out there, plug your guitar into any of these amp brands, and rock the world!