10 Best Amplifiers Under £50 That Make Great Gifts

If you’ve only got £50 to spend and you want the best amplifiers your money can buy, fortunately there’s a few options available to you. We’ve already looked at some of the best mini amps money can buy in a previous blog ranging from less than £30 to around £400, but today we’re looking at the best amplifiers under £50 that make some great gifts for Christmas, Birthdays or just a nice gesture for a loved one!

Here are our favourite 10 amplifiers under £50 that actually sound great, are NOT toys (although they're a lot of fun), and that will make a great gift for musicians.

The Marshall MS-2 Micro Amp is one of our favourite mini amplifiers - it sounds great and looks even better!

Although it's only 1 watt, it pumps out a big sound that guitarists will enjoy. There’s also a clean channel and an overdrive channel to choose from, both of which you can sculpt via the tone knob.

This is a great gift for musicians - especially for guitarists - as the tone sounds awesome and they’ll actually want to use it. This is the Marshall sound packed into an amp around the size of a loaf of bread.

Also available in Red.

If you thought the first pick was cool then you’ll love this one even more..

The Marshall MS-4 is the full stack version of the MS-2. It’s also a 1 watt, 2 channel amplifier, and it’s a great amp for those who love the look of a life-size Marshall stack but don’t have the room!

Again, there’s 2 channels to choose from, so you can bust out the smooth cleans or the big crunchy riffs. It’s not going to blow windows out as it’s only 1 watt, but you can certainly use it to practice and write riffs anywhere you like, whilst the headphones jack ensures you can play in silence.

The VOX amPlug 2 Clean Mini Headphone Amplifier allows you to enjoy the sound of a fully-fledged VOX amplifier whenever and wherever you want. All you have to do is connect the amPlug to your guitar and insert a set of headphones into the jack and you’re good to go!

We think this is one of the best amplifiers under £50 available because it actually provides a cabinet simulation sound, so it sounds just like you’ve plugged into a VOX amp played clean – ideal for Jazz players, Country players and more. 

You also have the option to engage the Boutique OD channel which provides an overdriven sound akin to the likes of a cranked AC30. There’s also 9 different effects included Delay, Chorus and Reverb to choose from – impressive considering the small size. This is silent practice at its most convenient.

If it is the AC30 sound that you’re after, then check out the specific AC30 amPlug here!

Need something with a little more grit? The Classic Rock version of the amPlug range gives you the hi-gain tone of a 100w British stack, so it’s our favourite option for getting proper rocking tones.

Despite the size of the amPlug range they still deliver the most distorted of tones with aplomb, and any guitarist who finds this in their Christmas stocking will be overjoyed.

The last choice from the Vox amPlug range is the Metal version, and this one gives you some of the best US hi-gain sounds you could imagine.

As mentioned previously, these mini amps are surprisingly awesome at handling heavier tones, and none more so than the Metal amp.

You can also check out the amPlug Lead if you want to practice your shredding; but both of these bits of kit make wonderful gifts for the metal-lover in your life.

Check out this video to hear some of the skull-crushing tones you can get out of these things!

Combining 3 unique channels with Blackstar’s patented ISF technology, this lightweight beast is a perfect stocking filler.

Whether you want to set up with a Clean, Crunch, or Lead sound, you also have access to 9 effects including chorus, reverb, and delay - so finding your unique sound is super simple.

The ISF control ranges from a classic American tone at the lowest setting, all the way up to the most aggressive of British tones at the highest level.

The AUX-in socket means you can also jam along to your favourite songs or listen to online lessons - so beginners will benefit hugely from this wonderful piece of gear.

Try and find a blog anywhere regarding the best mini amps under £50 without the Orange Crush Mini 3 Watt Guitar Combo Amp in it – we’ll wait! This is consistently relied upon by professionals and beginners all over the world thanks to its small size and its massive sound. 

You have a clean channel which provides the classic Orange tone as well as an Overdrive channel for when you need some rich distortion, but best of all you can hook up a set of headphones for when you don’t want to disturb your neighbours.

There’s a chromatic tuner built-in so you can set-up whenever you like, and it’s powered via a 9V battery for added convenience. Lastly, you can also hook this up to an external speaker - making it a great practice amp too.

One of our favourite picks on this list comes from Danelectro.

The Honeytone Mini Amps - available in Black or Aqua - ooze with vintage style and the tone to back up the looks!

It's constructed with a real leather handle, belt clip, and a headphone jack, plus features controls for volume, tone, and overdrive.

Just like your standard guitar pedals, these amps are powered by a simple 9V battery which is included, so you can start shredding straight away.

Whether you use it for your bedroom jams, take it out as a portable option, or keep it as a music room conversation starter, this retro choice will be a favourite for years to come.

Ok, so it's actually £59, but it's still VERY affordable! We love the Blackstar FLY 3 Mini Guitar Amplifier as it creates a sound far surpassing any expectations from a mini desktop amp thanks to the two channels, built-in tape delay and the Blackstar patented Infinite Shape Feature which means you can enjoy both British and USA-styled amp sounds.

This effectively mimics the sound and dynamics of some of Blackstar’s most famous valve and solid-state amplifiers and gives you a bigger sound than you might expect out of the 3 watts available to you.

It can be battery or DC powered and there’s even an extension cab available for when you need a stereo sound. In addition, the MP3/Line input allows you to play music through the speaker so you can jam along to tracks and even use it as a speaker for listening to music. It’s easily one of the best amplifiers under £50 and definitely one of the best amps for those who need a desktop amp that sounds great!

This one is a little more expensive, but once you hear it we think you’ll agree that it’s worth the extra expense.

The BOSS Katana Mini gives you all of the same stunning feel and performance that the Katana range has become renowned for, but puts it in a handy, battery-powered enclosure.

Defying it’s small footprint, this amp has a genuine 3-band EQ that allows for shaping that just isn’t possible on other similar amps.

In addition to that, BOSS designed a custom speaker and used its most advanced hardware, components, and circuitry to deliver a rich, full sound experience that is truly surprising.

Check it out at the video below:

Still need help looking for the best cheap mini amplifiers? Need some help with finding gifts for guitar players? Call us on 0151 448 2089 or check out your local store to speak to one of our Experts about your needs.

Shop a full range of cheap amplifiers and amplifiers under £50 that make great gifts and awesome amps for those with limited space and budget. Or call in to your local PMT store today to pick one up and try a full range out!