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Best Solid State Amps. They are similar to tube amplifiers, but not as good, right? In one word, no. Even though purists may have a soft spot for the good old tube amp, most people would say that the best solid state amp is better in many situations. Solid-state amplifiers are dependable, efficient, light, and strong.
They are often cheaper than tube amps and sound even better if you want clear, clean tones. In fact, modeling amps are now so good that they can compete with even the best tube amps when it comes to real, rich, driven sounds.
This buyer’s guide will help you make the best solid state amp purchase you’ll ever make, whether you want a small amp for bedroom practice or a rig that’s ready to go on stage. If you want to learn more about how to choose the best solid-state amplifiers, click on the link above. If you’d rather go straight to the product guide, keep reading.
Best Solid State Amps Comparison Table
| Amplifier Model | Wattage | Speaker Size | Number of Channels | Built-in Effects |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boss Nextone Special | 80W | 12-inch | 4 | Yes |
| Yamaha THR10II | 20W | N/A | 5 | Yes |
| Marshall MG50GFX | 50W | 12-inch | 4 | Yes |
| Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus | 120W | 12-inch | 2 | No |
| Fender Mustang I V2 20-Watt 1×8-Inch Combo | 20W | 8-inch | 1 | Yes |
| Orange Amplifiers Crush Pro CR120H 120W Amp Head | 120W | N/A | 2 | Yes |
Boss Nextone Special
| Specification | Description |
|---|---|
| Power Output | 80 Watts |
| Speaker | 1×12″ Waza Speaker |
| Channels | 4 (Clean, Crunch, Lead, Brown) |
| Effects | Built-in effects (Boost, Mod, FX, Delay, Reverb) |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth, USB, MIDI |
| Weight | 20.9 kg |
This Best Solid State Amps is so different from Roland’s Jazz Chorus-120 that it’s hard to think that they both come from the same company. The JC-120 is all about clear, ice-pick tones, while the Nextone Special is all about warm vacuum tube sounds. Like the Blackstar Silverline Head, which is also in this guide, it has four power amp circuits that sound and move like 6V6, 6L6, EL34, and EL84 vacuum tubes. This is what makes it special.
It also looks like a good two-channel tube amp should. You can shape sounds with the Nextone Editor software, but all the tools you’ll really need to shape tones are on the large front panel and an extra footswitch. Boss is so focused on classic tube-like performance that, even though most modeling amps have a flat-response speaker, it chose a unique Waza Craft B12W speaker for old “blue bell” tones. It’s obvious that it’s a copy of the Celestion Alnico Blue, but it’s great to have it on board.
The Good
- The real tube sound
- Built-in effects and a wide range of channels.
- With Bluetooth and USB, it’s easy to record and play back.
- MIDI compatibility so that it can work with other machines
The Bad
- For a combo amp, it’s pretty heavy and bulky.
Yamaha THR10II
| Specification | Description |
|---|---|
| Power Output | 20 Watts |
| Speaker | 2×3″ Speakers |
| Channels | 5 (Clean, Crunch, Lead, Brit HI, Modern) |
| Effects | Built-in effects (Chorus, Flanger, Phaser, Tremolo, Delay, Reverb) |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth, USB, AUX |
| Weight | 3 kg |
Small practice Best Solid State Amps have been around for longer than we care to remember, but until Yamaha completely changed this famous product line, few were worth listening to. Yamaha’s engineers wondered why guitarists would want to plug into an ugly, scaled-down version of a standard stack or combo with a bad-sounding, cheap speaker when they could use something that was made to do the job better.
The result is an amp that looks great and sounds even better thanks to new audio theater technology. Now on its second version, the THR series has plenty of rivals, including the Boss Katana-Air, but many of us still think it’s the best desktop amp line. Most of the love goes to the top-of-the-line 30-watt THR30II Wireless, but with an RRP of $869/£651/€771, most players can’t afford it.
The Good
- Compact and portable design
- A lot of different amp models and effects
- With Bluetooth and USB, it’s easy to record and play back.
- AUX input lets you play along with music from other sources
The Bad
- Live performances or larger venues may not be able to use a limited amount of power.
- Some playing styles may not be able to get enough low end from small speakers.
Marshall MG50GFX
| Specification | Description |
|---|---|
| Power Output | 50 Watts |
| Speaker | 1×12″ Speaker |
| Channels | 4 (Clean, Crunch, OD1, OD2) |
| Effects | Built-in effects (Chorus, Phaser, Flanger, Delay, Octave) |
| Connectivity | AUX, Headphone, Footswitch |
| Weight | 16.6 kg |
The Marshall MG50GFX is a Best Solid State Amps that has a lot of features to offer. It has all the authentic Marshall mojo you could want, but without the massive weight (and price) of its tube-powered relatives. It came in at 37 pounds, which may not seem like much, but when placed next to the 58.4 pounds that the JVM215C, a 50 watt tube model, weighs, the MG50GFX appears to be a breeze.
Its cabinet was built from medium density fiberboard (MDF), which gave it a sturdy appearance and contributed to its excellent acoustic performance. A custom 12-inch speaker was installed within the cabinet. This speaker had excellent response and produced tight tones over the whole frequency range.
The Good
- The sound and look of a classic Marshall
- There are four channels with a range of tones.
- Built-in effects give you flexibility and ease.
- Footswitch compatibility makes it easy to switch channels
The Bad
- For a 50W combo amp, it’s a lot.
Roland JC-120 Jazz Chorus
| Specification | Description |
|---|---|
| Power Output | 120 Watts |
| Speaker | 2×12″ Speakers |
| Channels | 2 (Normal, Effect) |
| Effects | Built-in chorus and vibrato |
| Connectivity | Line Out, Footswitch |
| Weight | 30.6 kg |
The Roland Jazz Chorus JC-120 is a famous solid-state amplifier that has been made since 1975 and is still being made today. It has become one of the most popular amps of all time because of how versatile it is and how great its sounds are. Players of all styles love it. The amp is built like a tank, with heavy-duty tolex all around and edge and corner guards.
It had two 12″ speakers and a huge 120 watts of power, making it one of the best, if not the best, solid-state amplifiers on the market. It had two channels, and each one had its own set of controls. Channel 1 had some of the best clean sounds we’ve ever heard from an amp, and as soon as we turned on the chorus feature, we knew what all the fuss was about.
The Good
- The legendary clean sound with Roland’s signature chorus effect
- The 120W output is powerful and perfect for bigger venues and shows.
- Two channels make it easy and simple to use.
- Footswitch compatibility makes it easy to switch between chorus effects.
The Bad
- Compared to other amps in its class, it doesn’t have as many tonal options.
- For a combo amp, it’s heavy and bulky.
Fender Mustang I V2 20-Watt 1×8-Inch Combo Electric Guitar Amplifier
| Specification | Description |
|---|---|
| Power Output | 20 Watts |
| Speaker | 1×8″ Fender Special Design Speaker |
| Channels | 1 |
| Effects | Built-in effects (Chorus, Delay, Reverb) |
| Connectivity | USB, AUX, Headphone |
| Weight | 7.7 kg |
This Fender modeling amplifier only puts out 20 watts of power, so at first glance, you might think it’s not worth your time to check it out. But hold your horses, because the Fender Mustang I V2 20-Watt 1/8-Inch Combo Electric Guitar Amplifier just might make you rethink your decision!
The ability to connect fairly effortlessly to either a PC or a Mac computer (via the Fender Fuse software), in addition to the inbuilt modeling technology, makes this the ideal addition to any quiver of amplifiers, or even as your very first amp!
The Good
- Design that is cheap and small
- Built-in effects give you flexibility and ease.
- USB connections make it easy to record and listen.
- AUX input lets you play along with music from other sources
The Bad
- With only one channel, there aren’t many tonal options.
Orange Amplifiers Crush Pro CR120H 100W Guitar Amp Head Black
| Specification | Description |
|---|---|
| Power Output | 120 Watts |
| Channels | 2 (Clean, Dirty) |
| Effects | None |
| Connectivity | Effects Loop, Headphone Output, Speaker Output |
| Weight | 17.65 kg |
This time around, we will be making some minor adjustments to it. The Orange Amplifiers Crush Pro CR100H 120W Guitar Amp Head Black is a stand-alone amp head rather than an amplifier and speaker combo. It has a power output of 100 watts.
Produced by the illustrious English amplifier firm, which rose to prominence due to the recognizable sound of their products as well as the nearly glowing orange coatings. If you are looking for a new solid state head for your stack, then we believe the CR100H is going to be difficult to beat. It goes without saying that not everyone will be interested in this addition to our list, but if you are, then you should know that it is on our list.
The Good
- Style and color typical of orange
- The 120W output is powerful and perfect for bigger venues and shows.
- It has a simple two-channel design that makes it easy to use and flexible.
- Effects loop that lets you connect external effects pedals
The Bad
- Some players may not like that there are no effects built in.
- For a head-only amp, it’s heavy and bulky.
FAQs
A solid-state amplifier uses transistor-based technology to amplify the electrical signals from an instrument or microphone. Unlike tube amplifiers, which use vacuum tubes to amplify the signal, solid-state amps are generally smaller, lighter, and less expensive.
Solid-state amps are generally more reliable and less likely to require maintenance than tube amps. They also tend to be less expensive and lighter in weight. Additionally, solid-state amps are often favored by musicians who play more complex styles of music, such as jazz or fusion, because they can produce a very clean and transparent sound.
If you’re playing live these small amps can actually be just fine for many smaller jazz and blues gigs, but if your playing in a larger room, or playing a louder style of music that requires you to keep up with a much louder drummer, then it’s certainly worth upping that range closer to 50 or 60 watts.