There’s an amp for every guitar and for every situation. If you’re using an acoustic or acoustic-electric guitar, not just any amp will do. You’ll need an acoustic guitar amplifier, which has the ability to reproduce an authentic and pristine natural acoustic tone. Acoustic amps add volume to your sound without distorting it.
And if you’re a newbie and are just beginning to look for an acoustic-electric guitar to get you started, it would also make sense to choose an acoustic guitar amp to pair it with. In this post, we’ll take a look at some of the most recommended acoustic amps and highlight important features that guitar players will find extremely useful. Let’s begin!
Fender Acoustasonic 15
It’s really small but it’s also really good. The 15-watt Fender Acoustasonic 15 is an ultra-compact acoustic amp that features two channels so you can plug in your guitar (1/4-inch jack) and a mic (XLR input). Each has its own volume control knob. The instrument channel has a chorus effect so you can add depth and shimmer to your tone.
The Acoustasonic 15 also features a 6-inch speaker with what Fender calls a whizzer cone. This is a small extra speaker cone that is attached to the speaker’s voice coil. It also has a headphone output, making it great practicing at home and for use with silent guitars.
Acoustic A20
The Acoustic A20 Acoustic Instrument Amp is a compact amp that features two combo inputs that have independent level controls. It also has a studio-monitor style design, which means the 8-inch full-range coaxial speaker is angled upward.Just point it toward you so you can more easily hear what you’re playing.
The Acoustic A20 has a 3-band EQ, digital reverb and chorus, an effects loop and it also has an anti-feedback filter. With a weight of 21.5 pounds, this 20-watt amp is suitable for practicing at home and gigs in very small venues.
Yamaha THR5A
Yamaha designed its THR series of portable amps for guitar players who are serious about their off-stage sound and may not have the resources for a complete stage setup or an elaborate music studio.
The THR5A is one of the five models in the series and is optimized for use with acoustic-electric and silent guitars. It utilizes advanced modeling technologies to deliver an authentic tube, condenser and dynamic amp sound, and comes with studio-grade effects including chorus, delay, reverb and phaser. The variety of tones it can recreate makes it ideal for home recording and gigging in small venues.
Fishman Loudbox Artist
For something just a bit bigger yet still portable and with more juice, consider the Loudbox Artist amp by Fishman. It packs 120 watts of acoustic power and features two channels for your instrument and mic inputs.
The input channels feature 3-band EQ as well as feedback controls. The Fishman Loudbox Artist also has a dual digital effects section, allowing you to apply chorus, reverb, delay, flanger, echo and slap echo effects. There’s also a headphone output and a channel mute option to silence the two input channels. This amp is good for jamming with a band in small to medium-sized venues.
There are of course amps with higher wattage for guitar players who play in larger venues and in ensembles, but for everyday practice and intimate gigs, the portable amps on this list are the way to go. They come with all the essential features and effects that acoustic guitar players need, plus they’re not as expensive as larger amps. So which one strikes your fancy? Let us know!