The Best Small / Low Watt Tube Amps - Combo & Amp Heads
Author & Contributors
Alexander Briones
I've written about and researched music gear for many years, while also serving as a music director at my local church, in addition to teaching guitar, bass and mentoring young musicians.
The Highest Rated Low Watt Combo Tube Amps
Vox AC15C1 15W 1x12"
The Vox AC15 is the quintessential Vox amp, and arguably the sound of the 60's British Invasion.
While it's bigger brother the AC30 was designed to compete with growing stage (and crowd) volumes, the small, but powerful voice of the AC15 gave rise to many electrified groups in the 60s.
Today, the amp retains the Class A flavor it is famous for while employing more consistent construction and materials.
The Greenback speaker, which is used in this amplifier gives it a more modern tonality, suitable for today's generation of rockers. For a more traditional sounding speaker look at the AC15C1X instead.
Tech Specs
- Power Rating: 15-Watts
- Preamp Tube(s): 3 x12AX7
- Poweramp Tube(s): 2 x EL84
- Speaker: 12” Celestion G12M Greenback
- Cabinet: Open
- Controls: Master Volume, Master Tone, Tremolo Depth, Tremolo Speed, Reverb Level, Top Boost Bass, Top Boost Treble, Top Boost Volume, Normal Volume
- Input(s): Normal, Top Boost
- Output(s): External Loudspeaker Jack, Extension Loudspeaker Jack
- Weight: 48.5 lbs
- Suitable for: Classic Rock, Blues, Indie, Alternative
Pros
Fans of the original AC15 are pleased at how close this amp sounds to the original. It receives a lot of thumbs up for its characteristically Vox tone and clarity. The majority of owners and reviewers note that the greenback speakers paired with the classic Vox circuitry make for a more versatile sound than other variants. Some use this as their second amp, and are pleased at how it helps them cut through a mix. In his YouTube review Jack Fossett said, "It does have a cool, unique tone and it's pretty reasonably priced... I like that they're not skimping on the speaker that even on the lower end model you're going to get a good speaker like the Celestion Greenback."
Cons
A few users reported rattling at higher volumes. Also because it's a classic design, many users wanted a bit more clean headroom. More modern 15W amps can achieve louder volumes compared to the AC15C1.
Overall
The Vox AC15C1 has everything you need for vintage 60s tone. With reverb and tremolo, many classic sounds can be achieved from The Beatles to The Shadows and beyond. Take note that the AC15 may not be loud enough for more modern forms of music but if you're after a good mix of all things British, the Vox AC15C1 with its Celestion Greenback speaker has got you covered.
Vox AC15C1X 15W 1x12"
The Vox AC15C1X is essentially the same amp as the AC15C1, but with one key difference: the speaker.
The C1X uses a Celestion Alnico Blue speaker, while the C1 uses a Celestion Greenback.
Alnico Blue speakers have a more traditional Vox chime reminiscent of British bands like the Beatles.
Tech Specs
- Power Rating: 15-Watts
- Preamp Tube(s): 3 x 12AX7
- Poweramp Tube(s): 2 x EL84
- Speaker: 12” Alnico Blues Speaker
- Cabinet: Open
- Controls: Gain, Treble, Bass, Volume, Hot/Cool switch
- Input(s): High, Low
- Output(s): External Out, Speaker Out
- Weight: 48.5 lbs
- Suitable for: Classic Rock, Blues, Indie, Alternative, Ambient/Post-Rock
Pros
Reviewers note that it is worth spending a few extra dollars to get this version of the AC15 because of the speaker and how it more accurately replicates the vintage Vox chime that the amplifier is known for. Many who have tested both versions describe the Alnico Blue speaker sound as "sweeter" and more mellow than the AC15C1 with the Greenbacks. In his YouTube review James Holding said, "this has got a lot of bite... this works in its favor in a band setting".
Cons
The amplifier itself does not present much in the way of cons but users note that because it leans more on the vintage side of things that it may not be able to do modern styles like metal or effects-heavy guitar playing.
Overall
If you want to get close to that 60s Vox Chime without spending more for their handwired and limited models, the AC15C1X is a great pick. It may not be able to handle all styles of music as well as its siblings but what it does for vintage Vox chime, it does very well!
Fender '57 Custom Champ 5W 1x8"
Since 1948, the Fender Champ has been a practice and recording standard for many blues and country artists.
It's been used on several iconic recordings such as Eric Clapton’s "Layla", Joe Walsh’s "Rocky Mountain Way", Aerosmith’s "Shame, Shame, Shame" and ZZ Top’s "La Grange". Many players of this generation like jazz guitarist Julian Lage have also found their voice in the Champ.
This amp is a custom shop reproduction of a vintage Fender Champ. The Weber speaker designed especially for this amp was made to be as accurate to the originals as possible.
The amp also comes with a tube rectifier (a rectifier converts electricity between AC and DC, and most rectifiers are currently solid state), which helps to give that compressed tone and “bloom” common with these designs.
Tech Specs
- Power Rating: 5-Watts
- Preamp Tube(s): 1 x 12AY7
- Poweramp Tube(s): 1 x 6V6
- Speaker: 1x8” Weber Special Design with Alnico Magnet
- Cabinet: Open
- Controls: Volume
- Input(s): Normal, Bright
- Output(s): N/A
- Weight: 15 lbs
- Suitable for: Classic Rock, Blues
Pros
Almost all reviews have people singing praises about this little amp. While small and one of the lowest in wattage on our list, the 57' Custom Champ gets its praises by reviewers from its straightforward tone that many have found to be great for recording. In their review Premier Guitar said, "I then did some recording and re-amping and reminded myself why every studio needs a Champ."
Cons
The primary con listed by reviewers for the amp is its wattage. At 5 watts, it was never intended to be a stage amp though many acts have used it live by miking it up. If the club doesn't have the means to mic up cabs, it might not be able to keep up with a full band. Its high price for a low-watt amp discouraged some as well.
Overall
Big league tweed tone is usually reserved for those who can pay top dollar for a vintage model. The 57' Custom Champ makes the classic tone more accessible for the rest of us who just want to plug in and play. While it may not be enough for a loud band in live use, for practice, recording or playing a light jazz gig, the 57' Custom Champ punches well above its weight with purebred tone.
Budget Combo Tube Amp Option
Monoprice 611815 15W 1x12
Monoprice is a brand that carries a line of affordable tube amps, with specs that give the competition a run for their money.
The 611815 is an excellent specimen from their lineup, a 1x12 combo tube amp with a Celestion Red Truvox 1215 speaker, a big step up compared to the usual generic speakers used in similarly priced amps.
It doesn't skimp on tube components either, with three ECC83/12AX7 preamp tubes, and two EL84 poweramp tubes. For the price, it also comes with more controls, including tone and 3-band EQ.
15-Watts can still be quite loud, especially when considering its tube setup and 12" speaker. Thankfully, it comes with an attenuator switch that lets you lower the power rating to just 1-Watt, allowing for crank tones at room friendly volume levels.
Other features include built-in reverb and FX loop.
Tech Specs
- Power Rating: 15-Watts (Switchable to 1-Watt)
- Preamp Tube(s): 3 x ECC83/12AX7
- Poweramp Tube(s): 2 x EL84
- Speaker: 1x12” Celestion Red Truvox 1215
- Cabinet: Rear Ported
- Controls: Gain, Volume, Tone, Bass, Middle, Treble, Reverb, 15W/1W Switch
- Input(s): Normal, FX Return
- Output(s): FX Send/Line Out, External Speaker
- Weight: 31.6 lbs
- Suitable for: Clean, Blues, Rock
Pros
Users are surprised at the tube tone they are getting from this amp, considering its price. Even accomplished guitarists who own more expensive amps are impressed, describing it as an organic sounding amp with plenty of headroom and gain. Many also find this 15W amp to much louder than what they expect, so they are thankful for its 1W power attenuator switch. The amp's built-in reverb effect also gets a lot of thumbs up. Those who are into pedals appreciate its FX send and return ports.
Cons
There are some reports of minor build quality issues and inconsistencies. Others report that swapping out the tubes improved the overall response and sound of the amp.
Overall
When it comes to value for money, the Monoprice 611815 is the low-watt tube amp to beat. Highly recommended for those working with budget constraints.
The Highest Rated Low Watt Tube Amp Heads
Egnater Tweaker 15W
For Bruce Egnater, the number one influence of an amplifier's tone is the tone stack. The Egnater Tweaker series was originally planned to be a modular amplifier with different swappable components.
Down the line, Bruce Egnater decided to use toggle switches to enable the user to choose between a British, American or AC (Marshall, Fender, and Vox respectively) tone stack.
In addition, A "vintage / modern" switch, a "normal / bright" switch and a "tight / deep" switch provide additional options for tonal customization.
Tech Specs
- Power Rating: 15-Watts
- Preamp Tube(s): 3 x 12AX7
- Poweramp Tube(s): 2 x 6V6
- Controls: Master Volume, Gain, Bass, Mid, Treble, Voicing Switch
- Input(s): Normal
- Output(s): Main Speaker Out, Extension Speaker Out (for a second cabinet)
- Weight: 19.6 lbs
- Suitable for: Classic Rock, Blues, Indie, Alternative
Pros
Users love the amount of control they have over the tone as well as the customizability of the gain response. The overall versatility of the amp was the primary reason why a lot of the users purchased the amplifier, and they are pleased with what they got. In his Music Radar review Nick Guppy said, "When it comes to value for money the Tweaker is off the scale, delivering build quality that eclipses practically every offshore amp we've seen, while most of the serious sonic competition comes from products costing upwards of three times the price."
Cons
Critical reviews note that some of the sounds claimed are just caricatures of the real thing since it only tweaks select parts of the circuit. A few reviewers didn't like the basic sound of the amplifier and tweaking could only get them so far with it. The lack of the ability to make the tweaks footswitchable means that you can't make quick changes in realtime, which is a downer for some especially when considering that this is a single channel amp.
Overall
If you need to be able to go from American Clean to British Crunch, the Egnater Tweaker makes for a great home or recording amp head.
Orange DA15H Dark Terror 15W
The original Tiny Terror was a 15-watt, single channel amplifier that derived most of its overdriven tones from pushing the power amplifier. This resulted in thick, classic sounding overdrive which a lot of rock players loved.
Metal players on the other hand wanted more out of the Terror so Orange lead designer Ade Emsley designed the Dark Terror; a 15-watt amplifier that gets most of its distortion from a 4 stage preamp.
While the Original Tiny Terror was discontinued in 2016, the Dark Terror still feeds the desires of guitar players that seek high gain in a compact package.
Tech Specs
- Power Rating: 7 to 15-Watts
- Preamp Tube(s): 3 x 12AX7
- Poweramp Tube(s): 2 x XEL84
- Controls: Gain, Shape, Volume
- Input(s): Normal
- Output(s): 8ohm, 16ohm, 2x16ohm
- Misc:Tube Buffered Effects Loop
- Weight: 12.46 lbs
- Suitable for: Modern Rock, Alternative, Punk, Metal
Pros
Many people think that the Dark Terror was designed to just do high gain. Several users were surprised to find that the Dark Terror also excels in low and mid gain scenarios with a sparkling clean tone and breakup. The 15/7 watt attenuator switch is very useful for achieving more saturated tones at lower volumes when needed. A tube-buffered effects loop in the back allows players to ride the volume knob to achieve clean tones without affecting the way the amp interacts with their effects. Jordan Wagner wrapped up his Premier Guitar review by saying, "On the whole, the tones are classic Orange and infused with enough gain to satisfy even the most discerning stoner-metal enthusiast. And if your bag is modern hard rock with a dash of those characteristic fuzzy Orange highs and mids, the Dark Terror might just scare you silly."
Cons
The single channel of the Dark Terror proved to be a limitation for some guitarists that wanted channel switching. Others say that even on the 7-watt mode that the Dark Terror is still very loud which may be a drawback for people who want to buy it for bedroom use.
Overall
Sometimes all you need is one channel and that's what the Orange Dark Terror advocates. So it's not surprising why this dark one has so many devoted users. With a roaring overdriven tone enough for the sludgiest of metal bands (and the volume to keep up with the drummer), this lunchbox amplifier is not to be taken lightly. The Dark Terror pairs best with players that know how to rein in their guitars' controls to achieve different tones.
Orange Rocker 15 Terror
The Rocker 15 terror is a lunchbox sized amp head with true 2-channel operation.
The clean channel is a straightforward clean-to-grit affair with no other controls except volume. Its warmth allows it to be a good platform for pedals.
Channel 2 has a three-band equalizer and goes from light crunch to thick and sludgy doom metal tones.
It also features a tube buffered effects loop to incorporate other pedals like reverb and delay without saturating the preamp.
Tech Specs
- Power Rating: 7 to 15-Watts
- Preamp Tube(s): 3 x 12AX7, 1 x 12AT7
- Poweramp Tube(s): 2 x XEL84
- Controls: Channel 1 - Volume, Channel 2 - Volume, Bass, Mid, Treble, Gain
- Input(s): 1 x 1/4", 1 x 1/4" (channel)
- Output(s): 2 x 1/4" (8 ohm), 1 x 1/4" (16 ohm)
- Misc: Tube Buffered Effects Loop
- Weight: 14.1 lbs.
- Suitable for: Modern Rock, Alternative, Punk, Metal
Pros
Users that wanted a hybrid between the Tiny/Dual terror and the higher gain Rockerverb rejoiced with the introduction of the Rocker 15 Terror. While not quite the same as the Rockerverb, the Rocker 15 still puts out thick saturation that is unmistakably orange. At lower gain settings, users love the warmth of the crunch in contrast to the brighter sounding Marshall style crunch. At higher gain is when the Orange Rocker 15 Terror bares its fangs. Unlike other high gain amplifiers that focus on tight modern metal, the Rocker 15 Terror sounds more along the lines of early Sabbath and other saturated 70s metal tones. Modern incarnations of sludge and doom metal are more in line with the brand of tone the Rocker 15 presents. Warmer sounding modern rock tones are also easily achievable. In his Guitar Interactive review, Nick Jennison said, "While the Rocker 15 Terror is a very different circuit to the old Tiny Terror, to me it represents a near-perfect refinement of that design."
Cons
Users that preferred tighter tones disliked the Rocker 15 Terror's loose feel with palm mutes. The neutral sounding clean tone was also pointed out by users who wanted a bit more sparkle. Needs an overdrive to tighten up the tone.
Overall
The Rocker 15 Terror lives up to its name: it was made to do rock and it does so exceedingly well. Lovers of thick tone gravitate towards this little monster. If you want a low-watt amp that gets your "nasty face" on doing big Sabbath-esque power chords, this is the amp to get.
Orange OR15H 15W
The OR series from Orange goes back to the first amplifiers that Cliff Cooper had made with Mat Mathias of Matamp. These were branded as Orange Matamps and were used extensively on the road by Fleetwood Mac during the late '60s.
Later on, Orange developed the OR100 and OR200 which were 100W and 200W respectively. It wasn't until 1971 when the "Pics and Text" Oranges, known for not having text labels on the controls, gave the brand it's iconic midrange crunch.
This pedigree continues today with the 15W Orange OR15H. Housed in Orange's signature "Picture Frame" sleeve for durability.
Features include a switchable 15/7 watt attenuator for stage or studio as well as a valve buffered effects loop for your pedals.
Tech Specs
- Power Rating: 7 to 15-Watts
- Preamp Tube(s): 3 x 12AX7
- Poweramp Tube(s): 2 x EL84
- Controls: Volume, Bass, Middle, Treble, Gain
- Input(s): Normal
- Output(s): 16ohm Speaker Out, 8ohm Speaker Out, 2x16ohm Speaker Out
- Weight: 17.77 lbs
- Suitable for: Classic Rock, Old-School Metal, Alternative
Pros
A user review noted that having a single channel amp like the OR15H encourages creativity with both playing and songwriting. Others state the use of the volume and tone knobs on the guitar helped them find new tonalities. They don't see the single channel as a limitation. The amp itself is said to be a great pedal platform as well. With a surprising amount of headroom at 15W, gigging reviewers say that it is indeed loud enough for live use for small venues and as for larger venues, where it's already common practice to mic up cabs. In their review Guitar Interactive said it, "takes boost and overdrive pedals well, which is the sign of a nicely voiced amp."
Cons
It was tough finding bad reviews outside of the usual b-stock/lemon issues, though quality control is still excellent. One user review mentioned that the initial sound was harsh but a tube swap remedied it. Having a single channel was seen as a downside as one user wished it came with a channel switching sister model. For this, I'd personally recommend the Orange Rocker 15 Terror.
Overall
There are so many things that the OR15H shouldn't be able to do when you look at the spec sheet. At 15 watts, it shouldn't be loud. With only one channel, it shouldn't be versatile. The OR15H may look like a basic amp but sometimes that's all that you need. It is one of those pieces of equipment that you need to play around with to find your personal sound. If you love classic rock and want to live the "volume knob riding" life as they did back in the day, then the OR15H is the amp for you. Look elsewhere if you want all the bells and whistles that come with more modern amplifiers.
Budget Tube Amp Head Option
Bugera T5 Infinium 5W
The Bugera T5 Infinium is a lunchbox style 5-Watt amp head with genuine tube preamp and power amp, along with power attenuation.
The preamp section features a 12AX7 paired with an EL84 power tube, both of which work with Bugera's Infinium technology that is meant to prolong the lifespan of the tubes.
For its size, it comes with essential volume, gain and 2-band EQ controls, but what sets it apart is its "Phat" button which adds a bit of boost to the signal, essentially behaving like a pseudo 2nd channel with more grit.
If its 5-Watt power rating is still too loud, you can use its built-in power attenuator to go lower at 1-Watt, or go even lower at 0.1-Watt.
It also comes with a headphones out to make it viable for quiet practice.
Finally, it comes with built-in reverb, in keeping with traditional tube amp formats.
Tech Specs
- Power Rating: 5-Watts (Switchable to 1W, 0.1W)
- Preamp Tube(s): 1 x 12AX7
- Poweramp Tube(s): 1 x EL84
- Controls: Gain, Phat, Treble, Bass, Reverb, Volume
- Input(s): Normal
- Output(s): 4ohm Speaker Out, 1 x 4" Headphones Out
- Weight: 9.04 lbs
- Suitable for: Clean, Blues, Rock, Alternative
Pros
Unbelievable and amazing are adjectives that sum up market sentiment towards the Bugera T5 Infinium. The amp's clean and overdriven tone satisfies, if not exceeds, the expectations of most users, especially those that find its price to be affordable. Many are also pleased at how easy it is to get the amp to sound good, with minimal tweaking needed. There are also reports of it working well with both singlecoil and humbucker equipped guitars, and for a wide variety of musical styles. It also helps that the amp looks nice and feels solid.
Cons
Experienced musicians recommend pairing this amp with a bigger speaker, at least 12", to enjoy its low-end response. There are a few who wish for a bit more gain from the amp. As expected in this price range, some users report getting better results after changing the factory installed tubes.
Overall
If you're looking for an affordable tube amp head with vintage style tones, then this is for you.
Things to Consider When Buying a Small Guitar Tube Amp
If you’re not sure where to start on your hunt for a small tube amp, or you just want to brush up on your background knowledge before putting any money down, check out the sections below.
- Back in the '60s, tube amps hovered around 15 watts. The Vox AC15 was used to great success by acts like The Beatles as the loudness was adequate to keep up with the drum kit. But, as their fanbase grew, so did venue sizes and the volume of screaming fans. PA Systems back then were not as efficient as they are now. Medium size venues have sound systems that could only get loud enough for the vocals. Miking guitar cabs was also out of the question since it would distort the PA system as well. The solution was to double the wattage and double the speakers, coming up with models like the Vox AC30 and from Fender, the Twin Reverb.
As rock music grew in popularity and venues grew, The demand for high-wattage amps like the 100W Marshall Super Lead by guitarists like Pete Townshend came into vogue. Soon, stages became filled with the iconic "wall of amps" which were all actually plugged in and extremely loud!
This is why these days, having a 100W amp is more of a personal luxury than it is a necessity. Even then, these behemoths sound tame and lifeless with volume constrictions. They are also impractical to bring to gigs unless you have a team of roadies to carry their heavy frames.
The days of the guitarist’s set-up including a full-stack Marshall or a giant Fender tube amp are all but gone. Advancements in PA Systems allow even the smallest amps to be miked up and dispersed to venues of any size. Most of the time, you'd want something that can get that satisfying tube tone at more manageable levels or a portable backup to your regular gigging rig.
- The most important thing to know when looking at small, low wattage tube amps is that a linear increase in wattage doesn’t translate to a comparable increase in volume. In plain speak, a 110-watt tube amp isn’t going to be 10% louder than a 100-watt tube amp.
As a general rule, volume doubles for every 1000% increase in wattage. A 100-watt amp (assuming speaker size and construction is similar) will usually be twice as loud as a 10-watt amp at peak volume. As wattage increases, you get more volume before your amp starts to distort. Likewise, doubling the wattage only increases peak output by around 3db so a 100-watt amp is only 3db louder than a 50-watt.
For home use, the ideal situation would be an amp with less than 10-watts (depending on how much tube-based distortion you want) and a master volume control. That way you still have some headroom (headroom is the amount of volume you get before your amp starts to distort) but you can still get valve distortion without wall-shaking volume.
- Amps mainly come in two design configurations: combos and heads. Amplifier heads are essentially just the “guts” of your amp, so they don't make sound on their own. A combo amp includes a speaker in addition to the “guts”.
Amp heads allow you to have a lot of flexibility in your tone. You can use different speakers and cabinets to dramatically alter your tone. The downside is that buying a head and cabinet separately generally costs more than just buying a combo amp.
Combo amps are a more cost-effective but less flexible option. Should you wish to, you can also change the speakers to get a different tone (but you will be stuck with the cabinet, which houses the speaker and electronics).
- Voicing refers to what tone an amp is based on. An “American voicing” almost always means that the amp sounds like a Fender, and a “British voicing” means that the amp is based on a Marshall or Vox.
Voicing comes from the tubes utilized, with 6L6 type tubes sounding more “American”, the EL34 and the EL84 adopting a British tonality. For the sake of simplicity (and to avoid this article turning into a 6000+ word essay on tubes and their history), we’re not going to delve much deeper into different tubes and their tone.
- As speaker size increases, so too does an amp’s representation of low and low-mid frequencies. Amps with larger speakers sound fuller and warmer, and amps with smaller speakers have a stronger high-mid and high-end representation. Smaller speakers also have a more focused and direct tone.
The most commonly used speaker size is 12”.
When you see the terms like 1x8, 1x12 or 2x12 that tells you how many speakers the amp has and what size they are. For example 1x12 means a single 12" speaker and 2x12 means two 12" speakers.
- Cabinets (where the speaker is located) come in two configurations: closed and open. An open-backed cabinet has a more "airy" tone because the sound disperses in a wider area with a less focused low end. A closed back cabinet sounds more focused with a tighter low-frequency spectrum. Cabinet construction varies by manufacturer and model and warrants long discussions but to make things simple, size, material density, and speaker positioning affect the tone in more subtle ways than the distinction between open and closed-back cabinets.
Tube Amp Overview
Wattage and Volume
Combo Amps vs. Amp Heads
Voicing
Speaker Size (1x8, 1x12)
Open vs. Closed Back Cabinets
Best Low Watt Tube Amp Selection Methodology
The first edition was published in December 2017 and the current edition was published on February 24, 2022.
First, we looked at small tube amps, 15 Watts RMS and under, that are top rated and popular, including both combo amps and amp heads but limited to those that can be readily bought from major US-based retailers. For this 2022 edition, we ended up short-listing 53 tube amps and gathering over 13,200 relevant reviews, ratings and forum discussions about them. All these data were fed into the Gearank Algorithm to produce rating scores out of 100, which we then used to filter out the highest rated of each amp type - combo and head. For more information about our methods see How Gearank Works.
About the Author and Contributors
Here are the key people and sources involved in this guide's production - click on linked names for information about their music industry backgrounds.
Lead Author & Researcher
Alexander Briones
I've written about and researched music gear for many years, while also serving as a music director at my local church, in addition to teaching guitar, bass and mentoring young musicians.
I play a 2016 Gibson Les Paul Tribute Goldtop, a 1983 Fender Strat JV (57ri) and a 2008 Gretsch G5120. While I mainly play through a solid state amp at home getting my tone from a Line 6 Pod HD500 effects unit, when gigging my preference is to use a Fender Princeton tube amp.
Contributors
Alden Acosta: Product research.
Raphael Pulgar: Supplemental writing.
Mason Hoberg: Supplemental writing.
Jason Horton: Editing and illustrating.
Media
Main/Top Image: Compiled using photographs of the Vox AC15C1, Egnater Tweaker and Fender '57 Custom Champ.
The videos have been embedded in accordance with YouTube's Terms of Service.
The individual product images were sourced from websites, promotional materials or supporting documentation provided by their respective manufacturers.
Comments
The following amps came off
Submitted by Jason Horton on
The following amps came off the recommended list above when we published our February 2022 Edition:
Publication of our July 2021
Submitted by Jason Horton on
Publication of our July 2021 Edition resulted in the following amp coming off the recommended list above: Fender Super-Champ X2 HD.
Should add the Marshal DSL1 1
Submitted by Barters (not verified) on
Should add the Marshal DSL1 1 watt amp. Such a great sounding little amp when run through a 1x12 cabinet. You can even play with a band if you’re not intending on playing metal etc and the drummer isn’t going too nuts. Built in reverb and two channels.
They are nice little amps
Submitted by Jason Horton on
They are nice little amps indeed, although they only have 1 channel.
In fact the combo version with reverb is currently the Highest Rated Guitar Combo Tube Amp between $300 and $500.
The head version missed out on being recommended in this guide, but it's still worth considering if you want that Marshall sound - see our analysis of it here.
Princeton Reverb should be on
Submitted by Buck De Turk (not verified) on
Princeton Reverb should be on this list.
We did consider both the '65
Submitted by Jason Horton on
We did consider both the '65 and '68 Fender Princeton Reverbs, and though there are a lot of guitarists that like them, they didn't have high enough ratings for us to recommend them in this guide.
You can see our Fender Princeton Reverb ratings here.
You should have reviewed The
Submitted by Anthony Nuzzi (not verified) on
You should have reviewed The Paul Reed Smith - Mark Tremonti MT15 Tube Amp Head
Thank you very much for your
Submitted by Jason Horton on
Thank you very much for your advice Anthony.
As it happens, we did analyze that amp but forgot to push the rating info out to the Music Gear Database, so it looked like we might have missed it.
When we published this category's July 2019 update, the PRS Mark Tremonti Signature MT 15 had a Gearank rating of 89 based on 70+ ratings and reviews, which was below the cutoff for inclusion in the Best Low Watt Tube Amp Heads section above.
Thanks to your prompting, I've published the ratings for the 3 amps on our short-list that we initially forgot to make public: