Guitar Amplifiers

Guitar Amplifiers

It doesn't matter how good a guitarist you are if nobody can hear you play. That's the eternal issue with electric guitars. With a solid body the strings are barely audible, and the signal that reaches the pickups is so weak that it can't overcome the resistance to drive a speaker. That's why you need an amp. A guitar amplifier takes that tiny signal and gives it a kick. It boosts it up to where it can not only drive a speaker, but even overdrive one. Without amplifiers it would be safe to say that the heart of rock and roll wouldn't be beating.

The first guitar amplifiers relied on vacuum tube technology. Before transistors and printed circuits, vacuum tube technology was the king of the electronic world. Big and bulky by today's standards, tubes had to warm up before they started working and didn't always last. What they bring to the stage is a warm analog sound that's great for creating a welcoming atmosphere with your music. Some companies like Fender and Peavey are still making tube amplifiers today so you can get that golden sound in a modern amp. It's all in the ears.

When you need all the power you can get, there is no better choice than a solid state amplifier. With no tubes to worry about, it's more reliable and less fragile. That matters a lot when you're on the road. From Honeytone to Fender, there are solid state amps for every kind of music and every kind of guitarist.

Dig down to the low notes with a dedicated bass amplifier. Like any other electric guitar, a bass guitar needs an amplifier, but not just any amplifier. Bass guitar amplifiers are tuned to give that deep rich sound in the low notes where guitars are afraid to venture. Any built-in speakers are bigger for more low frequency response and that chest-thumping sound that lets you feel the music, not just hear it.

When you're just trying to practice by yourself you don't want to drag around a Peavey or Marshall stack everywhere you go. Just slip a headphone amp from companies like Donner or Vox in your pocket and you can practice anywhere you go. The batteries last for hours and it's the perfect solution for those late-night solo practice sessions when you really don't want to wake the neighbors. All you have to do is put on your headphones and rock out.