You are hereCombo
Combo
Bugera V5 5W 1x8 Tube Guitar Combo
Yet another addition to the small, low-power valve amplifiers. I like the idea of the Bugera V5's power attenuator as I know that 5W is still too loud to crank up in your house if you want to maintain relationships with your neighbours. 1W is a good amount of power and I'm not really sure about 0.1W. Only one way to find out, I need to go and find one of these to try. Read more »
Which is better: combo or head?
The answer to that question really does depend on what you want it for.
First of all, let's get some definitions:
- Head: Guitar amplifier in a single (wooden) box. Includes the pre-amp and power amp stages.
- Combo: Guitar amplifier and speaker driver in a single wooden box. Again, includes the pre-amp and power amp stages.
- Cab: (cabinet) Wooden box including speaker drivers. Also known as the enclosure.
- Driver: the speaker inside the cab, including the cone and magnet.
For simplicity's sake, a combo is an amp with driver included. With a head, you still have to provide a driver by plugging into a cab.
Read more »
Fender Custom Shop George Fullerton 50th Anniversary 1957 Stratocaster Electric Guitar and Pro Junior Amp
What a starter pack this would make! Unfortunately, the majority of these packs will probably end up in the hands of collectors, never to be played and only let out into the light to admire. That's not what a guitar should be about.
I've written before about how you can choose more wisely than the typical starter packs on the market. When I wrote that, I wasn't thinking of anything of this quality though. This package is in another league entirely. It's a great little combination, harking back to an golden age of guitar and amplifier. No frills or no digital effects, just a package about pure tone. Looks like Fender are limiting the run to 150. Read more »
New 15W Guitar Amplifiers
The last few years have seen a rise in the number of smaller, low-powered all-valve guitar amplifiers. These are great for achieving awesome tone at lower volumes and so we set up the Smaller Amps section. In the last few months, Marshall and Vox have both released small amplifiers; Marshall with their Haze line and Vox with the Nightrain. Read more »
Fender Vintage Reissue 59 Bassman Ltd
What we say about the Fender Bassman 59 Reissue
This amplifier probably has more stories about it than any other amplifier. Buy this and get a piece of history. Well actually, you'd be buying a re-issue of a bit of history. If you find an original, then wow, they're hard to come by and the price reflects that. Read more »
Peavey Classic 30
What we say about the Classic 30
The Peavey Classic 30 has got a tone that some people swear by. Others see it as a poor man's Fender. To be honest, it has a tone of its own that's distinct from the Fender blues amps, but similar enough that you can see why the comparison exists. Read more »
Phil Jones Bass Suitcase
What we say about the Suitcase
This amp is different from all the other amps featured on this site so far. First, the Phil Jones Bass Suitcase is the first bass amp to feature here. Second, it's the first solid-state, non-valve, non-tube amplifier. Read more »
Engl Thunder Drive 50W 1x12 Guitar Combo Amp
What we say about the Engl Thunder 
I used to recommend the Engl Thunder combo as a good all-in-one amp. Actually, I've almost bought one a few times, I thought they were that good. If I had bought one, I'm sure I'd have enjoyed every minute with the amp. In fact, it's still on my list for checking when I want a combo amp for covering a variety of styles.
Orange Tiny Terror Combo
What we say
This is a single channel amplifier so if you need to vary the tone on stage, you'll need pedals to do it. There's not much clean headroom on this amp, even at the 15W setting. But then again, it's not really meant for clean. This amp basks in the glory of overdrive. Use a guitar with humbuckers and you'll end up with bite at any volume. Even the trick of turning up the volume, but the gain right down still leaves an edge on the clean tone. It's never quite clean as clean should be. Read more »
Vox AC30H2L
What we say about the Vox AC30H2
They say the Vox AC30H2 is meant to be the best Vox amplifier ever. That's got to be saying something from the brand that have been providing iconic amplifiers right from the start. Try to think of a 60s band that didn't play a Vox at some point. And that bright, overdriven tone has featured on countless tracks.
I love the Vox AC30 range. A lot of different variations are on the market, even on the current market, let alone looking at used AC30s, so it's a bit of a mine-field figuring out which version you want. I love the option of the top-boost, although I actually prefer the clean sound. Read more »
