In this session we will deal with the basics of electric guitar amplifiers, and specifically what features they have that may interest those of you who are looking to buy that all-important first amp.
Just like with acoustic guitar amps, the first thing that you need to consider is in what kind of setting you will be using your amp. How much power do you need? Do you just need a practice amp, or will be playing some outdoor shows where more juice will be needed?
For those of you just getting started in the world of electric guitar, there are a large number of practice amps to choose from. These amps range in size from ones that clip on your belt to battery-powered portables to combos with ten-inch speakers. Power should not be an issue if you're just looking for a practice amp. A 15-watt amp will be plenty loud enough for your own personal listening; some of them are even loud enough to cut through bass and drums in a small practice area. If practice is all your looking for, I suggest finding an economical amp that has a good service/warranty plan. You really shouldn't have to spend more than $100 to get a decent practice amp with a decent sound. Your options will be limited as far as effects go, but most small amps have at least a 2-band EQ, and many of them have a reverb option as well.
Once you start getting into performance settings, you will have to fine-tune your requirements for an amp. As always, the best way to find something that suits your needs is to find it at your local music store and play your guitar through it to see how it sounds, but if you tried that with every amp out there, you would be dead and gone before you had a chance to hear all of them. So we'll try to narrow down our search with a few key questions that should prove helpful.
The first is a question of power. How much do you need? For practical onstage use, an amp should have at least 40 watts of power at the very minimum. Most large venue settings would suggest having something closer to 100 watts.
Most major amplifier manufacturers cover the span of wattage from the teens to over 100 watts in their different models. Once you narrow your search down by figuring how much power you might need, then you can start looking at the makes and models of amps and their features to take the next step.
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