The amp stack is where it's at, many guitarists would tell you. And here's a look at some very affordable, but quite excellent, small all-valve amp heads, which are ideal for the gigging musician on the go.
This little buying guide will highlight the best head amp choices for you!
Here's the Top 5 Guitar Head Amps at PMT Online.
Marshall 2061X Handwired 20W Amp
You will notice that it says small, not cheap. But you get what you pay for in this life, as the saying goes. What you pay for with the 2061X (indeed any Marshall amp) authentic British tone and handwiring on the 2061X.
Even the best boutique can only hope to match a Marshall, never bettered. It's quite compact as well and at 20W will rock a small gig. The Marshall 2061X Handwired 20W Amp perfectly matched with the Marshall 2061CX Handwired Guitar Speaker Cab - 60W - 2x12.
Fender Bassbreaker 007 Tube Head
Since the Fender Bassbreaker series exploded onto the music scene in 2016, they have been revered by professional guitarists all over the world including the likes of Biffy Clyro's Simon Neil, Alkaline Trio/Blink 182's Matt Skiba and many more owing to the superb tonality on offer. Fender have packed the series, including the 007 Bassbreaker head, Fender Bassbreaker 15 head and Bassbreaker 45 head with the vintage style treble boost that provides you with a lush drive as well as a whole array harmonically rich tones. The Fender Bassbreaker 007 Tube Head is a small, easy to carry amplifier head packed with 7 watts of great Fender tone powered by a single EL84 power tube. Perfectly matched with the Fender 112 cabinet and 212 cabinet.
Orange Dark Terror Head
Don't let the size of the Orange Dark Terror Head fool you, this small package contains an absolute beast of tone waiting to be unleashed. This small, all-valve amplifier features an insane amount of gain backed by the power of 3 x ECC82 / 12AX7 tubes and a valve driven FX loop. In fact, there are 4 stages of gain which makes this an impressive (and must have) amplifier for fans of metal, alternative and rock.
The single channel 15 watt amplifier can even be switchable to 7 watts, so you get all that lush valve tone without the volume - and blowing your windows out! Clocking in at a mere 7kg, it's also an ideal amplifier for touring musicians and those who travel with their equipment - great tone without breaking the bank, or your back. The perfect addition to your rig and the ideal amplifier for stage and studio.
Vox AC15CH Guitar Amplifier Head
The Vox AC15CH Guitar Amplifier Head features the same technology as the classic Vox AC15 amp, all carefully placed into a far more portable amp head. Although it is perfectly matched with the Vox AC212c speaker cab, you can choose to partner this amplifier head with any of your speaker cabinets and let the 12AX7 tubes in the preamp and EL84 tubes in the power amp pump out all that lush Vox tone. The Normal and Top Boost channels allow you to sculpt your tone to your needs. Choose from classic Vox AC15 tonality and utilise the Top boost channel to change up the Treble and Bass. The handy Vox Tone Cut and Master Volume switches ensure you can take control over your sound whilst firmly remaining in that sparkling Vox sweet spot. If you want more power, check out the Vox AC30CH guitar amplifier head and let that classic Ac30 tone rip!
EVH 5150III 15W LBXII Amplifier Head
Designed in conjunction with the legend Eddie Van Halen, the EVH 5150III 15W LBXII Amplifier Head is a "lunchbox" size amplifier head featuring all the power and pro sound capabilities of an amp 5 times its size. Thanks to some impressive dual-concentric gain and volume controls for both the Green and Blue channels as well as four ECC83S preamps and two EL84 power tubes, you have lush clean tones and some seriously heavy EVH gain to choose from.
The versatile EVH 5150III 15W LBXII also features the handy 1/4 power switch so you can reduce the power to 3.5 watts, which allows you utilise all driven tone at a lower volume - ideal for practising at home. The iconinc EVH stripes coupled with the sports black control panel and white metal grille cage make this amp look as mean as it sounds. Ideal for musicians in need of superior sound quality, control and portability.
Honourable Mention: Orange Tiny Terror
Small, loud and already legendary, the Orange Tiny Terror is without any doubt one of the most popular head amps we sell. Why? This very versatile workhorse won't let you down in recording sessions or at gigs, and it's quite affordable, too! We simply couldn't have this blog without it given it's probably one of the Best Small All-Valve Guitar Head Amps of all time!
The Tiny Terror is ideal for any guitarist seeking professional grade tube tone at a price range that won't break the bank. With 15 watts of available Class A valve power, the Tiny Terror is a highly versatile workhorse suited to a myriad of guitar playing scenarios.
This amp is now out of production, so the last remaining few are being snapped up seriously fast - so be quick. However, to give this gorgeous amplifier a proper send off before it was laid to rest, the team at Orange amps created the limited edition Orange Tiny Terror 10th Anniversary Half Stack. This hand wired version of the Tiny Terror is housed in a striking polished stainless steel case and comes complete with a custom built open back speaker cabinet in British racing green. It's also packed with 10" Celestion G10 Gold alnico speakers so it sounds amazing when coupled with this highly limited amp!
Check out a full range of guitar amplifier heads over at PMT Online.