If you are a guitarist who enjoys using pedalboards to maximize the distortion of your tunes, then you need a guide to help you choose the right amp for pedals.
Fortunately for you, this review will feature all the necessary details you will need to make an informed decision on which amp to settle for.
This will include a buying guide, features of top amplifiers for pedals, and seven of the best products on the market.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks for Amp For Pedals
- OUR TOP PICK: Vox AC15
- Fender Hot Rod Deluxe IV 40
- Peavey Bandit
Table of Contents
How Do These Work?
There are a lot of technicalities when you peek into the in-depth mechanics of how amp pedals work. However, to simplify it all, they simply turn sound from your guitar into a wilder and more distorted version.
Amp pedals are mostly used by guitarists to experiment with new sounds. Therefore, you will find most of them modify their pedals for more significant effects.
There are pedals that compress or boost a sound signal. Others modulate it, some create echo effects, and others simply distort or delay the sound effects. Each functions differently to create those effects, although, upon closer inspection, most of these areas are gray and tend to overlap.
Will Any Pedal Work With Any Amp?
All pedals can basically be used with any type of amplifier. However, using mismatching pedals with amps only works to your disadvantage, because it significantly reduces the quality of the sound being produced.
Each pedal is designed to produce optimum distortion results with individual amplifiers. Therefore, make sure you get a high-quality pedal and amp, and you will be impressed at just how well they can create distortions when appropriately matched together.
Characteristics of Our Favorite Pedal Amps
When considering an amp for your pedal, there are a few things to keep in mind. Here are the top characteristics to remember.
Ease of Use
The amps we have chosen are all designed with simplicity in mind to ensure that users can get the most out of them without struggling. They have features that can be easily understood, making it a breeze for you to control sound effects while using them.
Clean Sound Production
These amp pedals also made the list because of their excellent sound production. Whether you are looking to distort, reverberate, or create any other sound effect, they will deliver as expected.
Portability
Most of the mentioned amp pedals can be carried with you anywhere you want with ease. They are lightweight, thus making the process a breeze.
Power Output
The best amp pedals have a high power output because the higher it is, the better the sound production. This is even more advantageous if you use high-quality speakers with the amp pedals.
Value for Money
These amp pedals were also chosen because they give their buyers the best value for the money. Their pricing is quite moderate when placed against the features and benefits they offer.
Comparison Chart of the Best Amp For Pedals
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | |
|---|---|---|
Our Top Pick  |
| View Latest Price → |
 |
| View Latest Price → |
 |
| View Latest Price → |
Best Budget Option  |
| View Latest Price → |
|
| View Latest Price → |
Review of the Best Amp for Pedals
Now that you know what to look out for when buying an amp for your pedal, let’s look at some of the top options.
Best Overall:
Vox AC15
No products found.
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
The general consensus from new purchasers is that the amp is generally positive, with most reviewers giving it a perfect score. Many buyers praise the amp for its great sound from almost any setting. Others describe the sound cutting of the amp as nearly perfect, which adds to the tone of the music. The tremble and spring reverberation are also excellent, and it also handles fuzz excellently.
Why it Stands Out to Us
The excellent controls are what make this amp immediately stand out from the pack. It produces a presence and a punch that most benders in this category lack. Its master volume is also quite effective, as it has a lot of headroom on the normal channel while being able to be pushed to overdrive quite easily.
Who Will Use This Most
This amp shines in almost all categories. The simple yet highly effective controls make the amp nearly perfect for beginners, people just getting into music, and sound production. However, the overall product of the sound makes the amp acceptable for most successful global musical artists. The controls and the convenience of this product make it particularly attractive to professional musicians.
Bottom Line
The merits of this amp vastly outweigh the disadvantages. This makes it particularly attractive for any musician or sound production artist. This is then reinforced by the mostly positive reviews, with long-time musicians claiming it is the best amp they have ever used. The richness of the sound alone makes it easy to recommend to anyone looking to purchase an amp.
Runner-up and Best Tube Amp for Pedals:
Fender Hot Rod Deluxe IV 40
No products found.
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Most reviews from recent buyers give the amp an overwhelmingly positive review. Most of them claim it provides great value for the money. It has great applications throughout the range, offering sweet high and sublime lows. The construction of the amp is of high-quality, and it also provides high-quality sounds.
Buyers praise this amp for its great sound quality, as well as having a price range at an affordable level. Some people mention the distortion effects can be too much, which is especially the case for those who prefer cleaner sounds. This amp has also been praised for its ability to accommodate various genres.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This amp stands out from the multitude of amps on the market due to its pricing in relation to its quality. The amp offers high-quality output, not unlike its counterparts in the higher echelon of amps. However, the amps that rival its quality are priced far above this amp.
This amp has a pedal that helps it stand out from others. It offers the user greater versatility to the artists in their craft. It also has incredible versatility options, and it allows for modifications that help with the adjustments that can enhance performance. It is also lightweight, which allows for portability unlike some other amps on the market.
Who Will Use This Most
Mid-level artists and sound producers who are looking to get great quality for the money spent would have a preference for this amp. The sound suggests that this amp designed may be directed towards beginners, as it leans towards distortion effects, which is popular with the youth.
The pricing makes it great for beginners and easy to pick up for most people on a budget. The effects also seem to be designed to be adopted by new, young musicians. However, the pedal can be quite useful to professionals, as it helps give them options in their craft.
Bottom Line
Few amps on the market can offer more bang for your buck than this one. It offers high-quality output. Other than minor construction defects that are easily fixable, there are few other downsides to this amp. It is highly recommendable to both beginners and professionals.
The pedal is where this amp shines. Professionals will appreciate this amp solely for the pedal because of the versatility it offers. For beginners, its an easy recommendation due to its effects and pricing, which is great for beginners or intermediate users on a budget. The modifications allow the users to have better control over their creation.
Best for the Money:
Peavey Bandit
No products found.
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Buyers agree with the notion that this amp generally offers great value for the money when compared to other amps on the market. Other customers claim that the amp has a return-to-form feel, as it is reminiscent of the 1970s rock and roll years. It is being championed for great sounds.
Why it Stands Out to Us
The obvious reason this amp may stand out is its pricing. This makes it affordable for most people looking to get into music or sound production. It also stands out in its sound quality, as it matches the sound of the 1970s, when amps used tube amps. This makes it particularly unique in its market segment.
Who Will Use This Most
This amp could be especially useful to beginners solely for its pricing. It can come in handy for people who solely play acoustic, as it could help ease them into electric guitars. It can also be of great use to '70s rock aficionados due to its tube amp sound quality.
Bottom Line
This amp is unique in its segment for its pricing. This makes it easy for a lot of beginners and musicians on a budget who are looking at getting an amp. Its versatility with both 80 and 100-watt options makes it attractive to various professionals, as well. Its sound quality calls back to the '70s era and makes it attractive for cover artists.
Best Solid State Amp for Pedals:
Fender Champion 20
No products found.
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
A lot of buyers appreciate the amp for its sound, as well as its classic black stylish fender design. The open-back cabinet for some is God-sent for anyone's storage needs. The highlight, however, is the foot pedal, which gives the user even greater control in their creative endeavor.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This amp offers greater convenience of use with its foot pedal. Users will appreciate the added control in their creation. It is great for beginners, as it has intuitive controls that help beginners take control of their creative endeavors. It also stands out due to the ease of connecting to it with its ⅛" headphone jack plugin.
Who Will Use This Most
The design makes it great for beginners. This is due to its intuitive controls and its effects. New beginners will also gravitate towards this amp due to its multiplicity of effects. However, professionals will find these amps very useful due to the knob that allows the artist to change genres at will. This gives the artists broader versatility for their craft.
Bottom Line
The pedal itself is a good reason for recommending this amp to anyone. New users will love this amp for its intuitive design and breadth of its effects options. The headphone application allows new users to get used to the amp, which makes it all the more endearing to new beginners.
Best Clean Amp for Pedals:
Ibanez TSA15H
No products found.
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
A lot of buyers agree that the amp produces acceptable quality output. One buyer claimed that the amp is great for beginners and experienced users should look at alternative amps. The effects are especially attractive to beginners, but the documentation of the amp is not up to standard.
Why it Stands Out to Us
Pedals are often mostly used by professionals who would like greater control of their music. However, this amp offers both a pedal and effects that make it a great choice for beginners. It also offers both 5W and 15W options, which provide better versatility to the user.
Who Will Use This Most
Beginners and some professionals on a budget would get great use out of this amp. The pricing and the range of effects make these amps a great choice for beginners. The pedals and the versatility offered by having both the 5W and 15W options make it easy to recommend to some professionals.
Bottom Line
The pedal, the options for wattage, and the modifications that can be made put this amp in its own class of convenience. However, most people (especially professionals), will be particular about what they want. For that reason, recommending this amp can be troublesome, as it does not do any single thing particularly well enough to deserve a recommendation.
Best Tube Amp for Pedals:
Fender '65 Deluxe Reverb
No products found.
PROS
CONS
What Recent Buyers Report
Buyers are praising the amp for being loud enough for medium to large gatherings. For many acoustic guitar players having used the amp, they are delighted with the quality of the tones being produced. They claim they are akin to high budget studio recordings. They also praise the pedal used in controlling distortion to a reasonable level.
Why it Stands Out to Us
The quality of the guitar tones on the amp is almost unmatched by any other amp on the market. The volume of the sound is also remarkable for the amp. It is ideal for a medium to a large gathering. It also has a Jensen speaker, which makes it stand out from most of the amps that have Celestion speakers.
Who Will Use This Most
This amp would be great for professionals due to the great guitar tones it produces. Professionals may also benefit from the versatility offered by the pedal in distortion control. Performers would also make great use of the amp, as it has the volume to handle large crowds.
Bottom Line
This amp would be considered professional by most people. It can be used by various recording studios due to its great quality. It can be used by others on tour performing concerts due to its high volume. This amp is exceptionally easy to recommend.
Aspects to Consider Before Buying
Before you purchase any musical equipment, here are the aspects to think on first:
Frequency
The frequencies that your guitar can play should be in sync with those that your amp pedal can handle, too. Always ensure that you get amp pedals that function at the same frequencies that your guitar can produce for the best and most precise sound effects. If the difference between these frequencies is too wide, the sound effect production will be of poor quality.
EQ Effects and Control
Equalization effects allow you to change the timbre of your sound while the pitch remains constant. Different amp pedals offer varying levels of precision control on the equalization features. The more control you want, the higher quality your amp pedal should be.
Wah Pedals
There is a broad range of these available. They offer far more options of sound control, as the sound changes based on how you step on the pedal. For instance, rocking forward creates more treble for your sound, while middle positions offer heavier tones. This makes them very dynamic.
Cautious Considerations to Keep in Mind
Whenever you buy an amp for your guitar, there are a few things you need to remember to consider. Here are the main ones.
Voltage
The amount of power your pedal can handle significantly influences the quality of sound it can produce. The more, the better, because if it can handle higher voltage, then you can also consider it protected from power surges, too.
Quality
Amp pedals undergo a lot of vigorous activity with all the stepping done on it. There is a lot of weight and pressure involved. It is, therefore, vital that you only go for the best quality brands that have durable materials to ensure they last for as long as possible.
Compatibility
When selecting which amp pedal to buy, make sure you consider its compatibility with the guitar you own. You measure this by looking at the range at which your guitar plays. For example, if your guitar has more mid-range and compression, then your amp pedal should be within the same bracket, too.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this review has given you new-found light on which amp pedals are the most suitable for you as a guitar player. Remember to factor in the compatibility of frequencies and the features of your amp pedals to ensure you buy only the best of these products. There are no rules to this, but a slight knowledge will save you from spending money on the wrong pedals.
