The Five Best Value Solid-State Amps: Portable, Powerful, and Affordable
No need for expensive tube amps!
5,0 / 5,0 | 
While some cling to their beloved tube amps and others are all-in on amp modeling, quite a few guitarists are still looking for the best value solid-state amps. For some, it’s the sound of the cleans and the crunches, and for others, it’s the combination of traditional amp construction and modern features. We’ve picked the five best!
Everything You Need To Know
Best Value Solid-State Amps: What Is It All About?
The world of guitars is full of dualities: Gibson vs. Fender, Marshall vs. Fender, Rat vs. Klon, modeling amp vs. amp pedal. And it used to be one of those with regards to solid-state amps and tube amps. And while modeling amps and amp pedals seem to be all the rage these days, there is still something to be said about solid-state models.
They last longer, are less likely to break, and are easier to repair. Some of the clean and crunch tones you can get out of them are at least on par with the usually much more expensive tube models. Compared to the profiling and modeling world, an actual solid-state amp just hits differently on stage. And it’s perfect for the studio when you’re re-amping.
As usual with our best-of lists, these five best value solid-state amps are strictly ranked by price, not by preference. So, do check out all of suggestions to find the one that suits your budget best.
Blackstar Debut 100RH Head
As soon as you leave tube amp territory these days, things get blurry between solid state amps and modeling technology. Sure, there are tube amps with modeling technology as well. But finding a new amp without any modeling or IR-technology these days, is next to impossible. And Blackstar shows why that is a good thing.
Their Debut range, especially the recently released Debut 100RH offers a mighty 100 watts, Blackstar’s proprietary ISF, which lets you dial in the tonality of the amp between more British or more American. You also get an FX loop on the back and a dedicated headphone output for practicing at home.
At this price, the Blackstar Debut 100RH is one of the best value solid-state amps. It’s available from Thomann* for 326 euros in either black or cream.
Quilter Superblock US/UK
Ah, the joys of solid-state amps. If you don’t need a combo, these can be so small and easy to tour with! Quilter’s Superblock range is the perfect example. And don’t let their small size fool you. If you’re looking for an amazing clean or crunch sound that doesn’t have to have an edge-of-breakup quality, these amps are very worth a look.
Where the Blackstar amp lets you dial in the desired amount of “Britishness” or “Americanness” in your sound with one knob, Quilter has opted for two separate amps, each with three distinct voicings reminiscent of legendary amps from these countries.
And if you’ve got the budget, Quilter’s Aviator Mach 3 Combo is a popular combo amp among many jazz and blues guitarists. The Quilter Superblock UK and Superblock US are available at Thomann for 339 euros each.
Orange Super Crush 100
If you like it a bit more fuzzy, a bit more rock ‘n roll, look no further than the Orange Supercrush 100. Like the Blackstar Debut 100RH, it delivers a thundering 100 watts. Two channels (clean and dirty), reverb, fx loop – and enough dirt to get around the desert, if you know what I mean.
Plus, if you’re a purist who likes to stay clear of any modeling technology, these best value solid state amps are pretty much it. Sure, an impulse response loader for the XLR output is included, but you can always just use the main outs (16 Ohms and 1 x 16/8 Ohms) and never touch it. The Super Crush is available from Thomann* in orange or black for 549 euros.
Roland JC-40
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know: “The JC-40 ain’t no JC-120!” Sure! The thing is, the big guy isn’t available anymore unless you go second-hand. And while the smaller version might not quite have the legendary status as the JC-120, it’s still a Roland Jazz Chorus.
And to my ears, it gets pretty close to that legendary shining, glittering clean tone. And it’s got a chorus effect (THAT chorus), vibrato, distortion, and reverb. Plus, the JC-40 offers a stereo input, so it’s perfect behind a stereo effects chain. Its FX loop is stereo as well.
This 40-watt solid-state amp is available at Thomann* for 725 euros.
Fender Tone Master Princeton Reverb
We can’t in good conscience make a list of the best value solid-state amps, or any other amp list, and not include a Fender amp. Like the Roland amp, these only exist as combos. But if you’re after the legendary clean tones of Deluxe Reverb and others, this might get you close.
This model in particular is a re-creation of the legendary Princeton Chorus amp. As is common these days, Fender gets this close to the solid-state sound of the original through modeling technology. But don’t let that be a deciding factor, if you’re still on the fence for digital technology in amps!
Just listen to the demos in the video. That tremolo. That clean tone, so buttery warm. In the end, that’s what matters most. The Fender Tone Master Princeton Reverb is available at Thomann* for 919 euros.
*Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links and/or widgets. When you buy a product via our affiliate partner, we receive a small commission that helps support what we do. Don’t worry, you pay the same price. Thanks for your support!
This might also interest you
