There are many companies from all around the world who make guitar amps today. They come in all different shapes and sizes, use different technologies, and offer different features.
Yet, not all guitar amps are built equal. Just like with many other products, a quick research will tell you which brands offer quality, and which brands you should stay away from.
There’s a number of manufacturers who have been in the business of making amps for a long time. During that time they’ve built up a reputation, and become the trusted source of hardware for many popular musicians. Today we will go over some of the best amplifier brands on the market.
Who Makes The Best Stacks?
Marshall
For a company that has been around for many decades, Marshall is continuing to offer innovation and quality to anyone who needs top tier amps. This manufacturer from Britain has become a synonym for heavy rock sound, and stage amp stacks. Marshall produces all kinds of amps, from solid-state combos to full on tube stacks we love so much.
Aside from their quality, one more thing has become a trademark for Marshall – their sound. Marshall’s overdrive channels feature a very distinct sound that has been used for more than three decades in rock, heavy rock, and metal music.
It’s one of the reasons why their amps are favorite among those who play heavier genres of music.
Mesa Boogie
What began as a joke, turned into one of the most prominent names in the amp business. Mesa Boogie was founded by Randall Smith, a repair tech with his own little music shop in California.
He and a friend decided to see what Randall could squeeze out of a small Fender Princeton amp. The result was a loud amp that had tonnes of gain and a sick distortion. It wasn’t long before word got around and many people brought their Princetons for a tuneup.
Today Mesa Boogie is a large company with many engineers working hard to keep Randall’s idea alive. Their amps are some of the meanest and wildest you can find on the market. A large number of successful metal bands use these amps to get the sound they need. In a way, Mesa Boogie amp has become a holy grail for guitar players who play metal.
Fender
Fender is known both for their guitars and their amps. Over the years they’ve become popular for their very capable combo amps, one of which is the Princeton we mentioned earlier. They make a large variety of amplifiers which feature tubes, solid-state, and modeling technology. Fender is respected by musicians for the quality they deliver, and the reliability of their amps.
Orange
If you appreciate the brands who have been there from the very beginning, Orange from UK definitely deserves your attention. This company makes some of the best amps in the world, which come in a distinctive orange color.
Ever since the early days, Orange was always a company staffed with sound engineers and passionate guitar players. They made amps with a good sound and user satisfaction in mind.
Randall
Aside from Mesa Boogie, there is one more manufacturer who is loved by the metal crowd. Randall is known for their high quality, high gain amps which offer a dose of saturated distortion you definitely want for metal.
Their tube amps are legendary, but so are their solid-state models. Dimebag Darrell used these a lot, and really pushed Randall back in the hotspot of metal community.
Vox
When UK rock scene was at full bloom, Vox was the amp of choice for bands such as The Beatles and Rolling Stones. They made, and continue to make impressive tube amps which have a very distinct vintage sound.
Their solid-states are great as well, and really offer the same quality control and versatility you would find in their original tube amps. Today Vox is still considered to be the crème de la crème of guitar amplifiers.
To sum up..
If you’re new to amps, and are just overwhelmed with the amount of choices available, we suggest you take the safe route and pick one that is made by a proven brand.
The ones we have listed some of the best amp manufacturers in the world, and anything of theirs will provide you with many hours of incredible sound.
