As an electric guitar player, it is just a matter of time before you see the need for a mini amp.
Mini amps are not inferior to standard-sized electric guitar amps. As a matter of fact, they have unique advantages over standard-sized amps.
For example, mini guitar amps are known to work excellently well at a lower volume. The sound clarity is always superb at lower volumes. This is quite unlike standard-sized amps which are likely to distort when played at lower volumes.
Regardless of how expensive your standard-sized guitar amp is, oftentimes, it will never be able to compete with the sound clarity of a mini-guitar amp at lower volumes. This unique quality makes a mini amp the absolute best choice for practice.
Other advantages of mini amps are compactness, portability, lightweight, etc. Another excellent thing about mini guitar amps is that they are awesome for studio recording. Many pro players prefer recording mini amps to standard-sized amps in the studio.
Also, they are the ultimate choice for on-the-spot jam sessions and backstage warmups.
Mini amps are not just inferior amps that should only be used for practice. They have their place in the grand scheme of things – they are awesome in their rights.
In this article, we will discuss in-depth, 10 amazing mini amps you can get for your electric guitar.
Getting a mini amp doesn’t have to be stressed-filled. This article aims to provide a solid and well-informed guide to help you choose just the best mini amp for your electric guitar.
Table of Contents
10 Best Mini Amps for Electric Guitars
- Fender Mustang GT 40
- Blackstar Fly 3
- Vox Pathfinder 10
- Orange crush 20
- Boss KTN-MINI
- Orange crush 35RT
- Vox Mini 3 G2
- Blackstar ID: core10
- Marshall MS-2
- Boss Katana-50 MkII
Review of 10 Best Mini Amps for Electric Guitars
Fender Mustang GT 40
The Fender Mustang GT 40 is one of the best mini amps that will turn your home practice into a rock jam session.
It is a superb mini amplifier for practice that also serves as a wireless speaker. You can also control it with your phone.
This digital modeling guitar mini amp also has an adequate range of built-in effects that can be programmed by using a mobile phone.
The GT 40 promises to reproduce the sounds of a broad-range classic amp. However, it is for home musicians.
With the 6.5 speaker cone and 40 cm across measurement, the Fender Mustang GT 40 is designed for home play and practice.
Watch more about the Fender Mustang GT 40 here:
| Pros | Cons |
| The GT 40 is very versatile | Not suitable for loud live performances |
| Portable and easily movable | The knobs make it so hard to mix sounds |
| Can be connected via Bluetooth |
Blackstar Fly 3
The Blackstar Fly 3, although very small still manages to deliver punchy tones even at lower volumes.
The Fly 3 mini amps also feature more control and function than most mini amps for electric guitars.
In the control, you will find speaker-emulated output, input, delay level, delay time, overdrive switch, volume, gain, Mp3/line input, and EQ (ISF).
The ISF means Infinite Shape Feature. It helps control the tone of the mini amps. The ISF will take your sound from one different genre to another while adding shades in between.
You also have the option to play it while plugged into the wall socket or take it outside. Works well for both. The Blackstar Fly 3 also allows you to play backing tracks through the amp while practising. There is an aux input.
Watch more about the Blackstar Fly 3 Here:
| Pros | Cons |
| Very cheap and affordable | Not so loud for street Jam |
| Very portable and weigh less | Few watts, merely 3 watts |
| Can run with an additional rechargeable battery | 3 in speakers |
| Plastic control knobs |
Vox Pathfinder 10
The Vox Pathfinder 10 mini amp is another ideal gadget recommended for guitar practice at home. The Pathfinder has two channels. Overdrive and clean.
It also has a quick switch that can take you from clean tones to chimney sounds. The Vox signature distortion offers you a transition from high-gain output to crunchy blues tones.
Altogether, the Vox Pathfinder 10 has an excellent sound and look. Also, it requires less maintenance because it is a solid-state amp.
The Vox Pathfinder 10 has a simple layout. The gain knob, volume knob, and a 2-band EQ (treble and bass).
The simplicity and affordability of the Vox mini amp earn it popularity. This makes it greatly appropriate for beginning guitarists and musicians on a budget.
Watch more about the Vox Pathfinder 10 here:
| Pros | Cons |
| Cheap and affordable | Limited tones |
| Distinct look | No USB |
| Loud for a mini amp | No reverb |
Orange crush 20
The orange crush 20 is designed for players that want the classic orange amp but in a mini amp.
The crush 20 is a solid-state 20-watt mini electric amp. It features a foot-switchable clean, dirty channel, three-band EQ, and aux in.
The control panel of the crush 20 is easy to navigate that even a beginner can understand. The LCD menu screen gives users a clear idea of which knobs to touch and play around with sounds.
The Orange Crush 20 sounds awesome when the volume is both high and low. However, it is worth noting that the cabinet of the Crush 20 will start rattling a little if you turn the volume to max.
Nonetheless, it is still a better option if you are playing or practising at home. Watch more about the Orange crush 20:
| Pros | Cons |
| Easy to use | Maybe too simple to utilize |
| Great tones | No effects |
| Two foot-switchable channel | No Bluetooth |
Boss KTN-MINI
- 1×4″ Guitar Combo Amplifier with 3 Amp Voicings
- Line/Headphone Output
- Delay Effect
- 7-watt
The Boss Katana Mini amp is a great practice amp for guitarists jamming metal, hard rock, and punk.
With the Boss KTN mini, you get to explore thick growling leads, heavy distortion, and the brown amp setting.
You can achieve a very nice reverb with the KTN mini with high-level gain and zero delay time.
The Boss KTN mini is also a portable solid metal amp for beginners and players on a friendly budget. Although it has only 1 channel, the Boss Katana has an aux-in, output, and very amazon g tone controls.
The gain knob for regulating the distortion, the volume knob adjusts the signal, the 3-band EQ for tone shaping, and the Time and level knobs for the delay.
Watch more about the Boss Katana mini amp:
| Pros | Cons |
| Portable | Too costly |
| Very Easy to use | Unattractive look and feel |
| Very loud | |
| Solid battery life |
Orange crush 35RT
The orange crush 35RT is a mini amp with great tone, suitable for home jam or gigging. The crush 35RT is so versatile and can produce tube-like sound quality and performance.
It is one of the simple yet classic mini amps with over 35 watts and with 2 channels for some clean and dirty sounds.
The clean channel offers a crisp clear tone while the dirty channel offers an overdriven, crunchy, and high-gain fuzzy distortion.
The clean channel and the dirty channel have their volume knob and gain knob for controls. The overall huge sound from the crush 35RT can hold its own. It can be used for home recording and even studio recording.
And in addition, the built-in chromatic tuner is quick and easy. A great addition to the mini amplifier. Watch more about the orange crush 35RT:
| Pros | Cons |
| Portable | The dirty channel can be too fuzzy |
| Great tone | Poor sound from Aux in |
| Fair price | |
| Well built | |
| Easy to use |
Vox Mini 3 G2
The Vox mini 3 G2 amplifier is great at home, in a rehearsal space, and in gigging. The Mini 3 offers a master volume, tone knob, and gain knob to allow users to mix and play around with sounds.
There is an additional line option in the Mini 3 amp that offers a very clean signal for acoustic instruments and even keyboards.
This line model on the mini 3 switches the function of the tone and gain pots to control high and low.
However, the Vox Mini 3 G2 offers other choices for the delay and reverb sound. And also additional tremolo, chorus, compressor, and flanger.
It is worth noting that the Vox mini 3 has a mic channel. This mic channel also has a volume knob, reverb, and delay control knobs.
This makes the Vox mini 3 G2 amp great for guitar players that sing or have a singing mate. Watch more about the Vox mini 3:
| Pros | Cons |
| Portable | Flat sounds |
| Easy to use | Little noise |
| Mic channel |
Blackstar ID: core10
- Incredible tones from pristine clean to high gain
- 12 built in effects in immersive Super Wide Stereo
- Free Architect software for deep editing & patch sharing online
- EQ Patented ISF (Infinite Shape Feature)
The Blackstar core 10 is a versatile mini amp for home practice and home recording studio.
It offers features and effects alongside software for PC. You can use this software to record your guitar and also produce individual sound presets.
The Blackstar ID: Core 10 produces a stereo sound. Meaning the core 10 mini Amps produce sound with their right and left speakers.
This makes the Blackstar core stereo 10 a mini amp with two 5 watts speakers. And also Very flexible for practice and recording.
The core 10 features the Blackstar signatory tone known as the ISF. The ISF allows you to toggle from British to American sounds.
The core 10 also produces clean, crunch, super crunch, and the popular OD1 and OD2 lead guitar sounds.
There is a modulation knob for effects, which can be combined with the rotary selector for the effect types and varieties.
With all these outstanding features and effects, the Blackstar ID: core 10 produces big tones from a mini amp. Watch more about the core 10 here:
| Pros | Cons |
| Solid build | Fizz at high gain |
| Outstanding features |
Marshall MS-2
The Marshall MS2 is a good quality yet cheap and portable mini amp perfect for home practice and busking.
It is so small and light that some owners claim you can clip it to your waist, power it up and begin to play.
You can use it with the speaker or with the headphone and it works perfectly. Although the Marshall MS2 is only 1 watt and only 1 speaker, it features an overdrive effect.
The front panel of the Marshall MS2 is pretty easy to use. It features a tone knob, volume knob, and power on/off/OD. Watch more about the Marshall MS2 here:
| Pros | Cons |
| Highly portable | Low power (1 watt) |
| Less expensive | Battery drainage |
| Easy to use | Clean distortion |
| Well built |
Boss Katana-50 MkII
The Boss Katana MKII is a mini amp for all. Ranging from beginners to professional musicians.
Apart from the regular useful features like the headphone out for recording and USB, the boss Katana 50 also features a one-touch reset recall.
There is also an input for a power amp. You can use it with profilers, and modellers.
The Boss Katana 50 produces a full clean sound. By even tweaking its control you will end up with a whole different sound.
You can get that glassy Strat tone, chimney, rhythm sound, funky and full-bodied clean tones.
It can play high-gain tones without sounding harsh and fizzy. Suitable for heavy rock and classic metal. It is worth noting that the Boss Katana enables users to use up to 5 effects instantly.
With enough power, the Boss Katana MKII is perfect for home practice and playing with other players. The Katana is 50-watt with a custom 1× 12 custom speaker. Watch more about the Boss Katana 50 MKII:
| Pros | Cons |
| Can produce up to 5 effects at once | Not loud enough for outside gigs and jam |
| Very versatile | |
| Easy to use | |
| Inputs for power amp |
Mini Amps vs Standard-Sized Amps; What Makes them Different?
The difference between mini amps and standard-sized amps is the weight, size, price, and overall volume output.
Mini amps are portable, yet a great option for both home practice and gigging conditions. On the other hand, standard-sized amps are large and that explains why they are recommended for outdoor and gigging conditions.
While mini amps will have about 10 – 50 watts of power and about 8 – 12 speakers, standard-sized amps will start from 100 watts of power and 12+ speakers.
However, standard-sized amps with all these watts and speakers are way more costly than mini amps. Mini amps are more affordable and portable than standard-sized amps.
Although the mini amps are best recommended for indoor practice and small gigs, they are still more versatile than standard-sized amps.
Advantages of using mini amps over standard-sized amps
Mini amps are great and versatile. You can use them perfectly indoors and in small gigs. You can [without fear] rock a mini amp at home without the volume attracting or disturbing your neighbors.
You may not want to try playing a standard-sized amp indoors because even at volume one, you are still loud.
Standard-sized amps do not perform very low at lower volumes, unlike mini-amps that shine bright, regardless.
At lower volumes, standard-sized amps tend to lose details and tonal clarity. This explains why mini-amps are always the best options for studio recordings.
And in addition, if you are looking at traveling in the future or you are a touring musician you need a mini amp. The mini amp is portable and can be easily moved from one place to another.
Some mini amps are as small as lunch boxes and some are so light that you can clip them in your belt and jam while standing.
A typical mini amp is also price-friendly and recommended for both beginner musicians and advanced musicians.
Tips to make your Mini Amp Sound Great
To have a great sound, you must first define the sound you want to make in your head. Here is the reason why almost every amp has at least a gain and volume knob. The manufacturers considered it.
With the right mixing and setting, your mini amp will have no choice but to sound great and nice. Look at the features of your mini amp now. Start by increasing the volume and gain. You are already mixing now.
Explore your EQ features. Do you have highs, mids, and lows? Then try and find the right balance. You may need to drop the lows and bring the highs or do the reverse.
If you need a spacious and bigger sound, look for your reverb knobs now. You can add some delay and effects. Finally, a pedal will enrich your sound. To Create more distortion and boost the signal, you may need a pedal.
Conclusion
These are the 10 mini amps recommended for guitar players ranging from beginners to professionals. These mini amplifiers are all uniquely designed and individually spectacular.
They are portable, less expensive, and well-built with specific features and functions. Some of these mini amps are even used in outdoors and gigging conditions. Making the mini amps a little more versatile than the large amps.
Other than versatility, consider also your space, preference, and budget while choosing your mini amp.
Nonetheless, knowing the right amp for the job should be of great priority. Whether it is these best 10 mini amps or a standard-sized amp.
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