Best Tube Amp: Top 15 Picks To Make Your Electric Guitar Roar!

Welcome to my review of the 15 best tube amp to make your guitar roar and cry!

Few experiences are as enjoyable for guitarists as hearing that beautiful roar that only tube amplifiers can deliver.

If you love that kind of sound, you are in the right place. Let’s go directly to my review of the 15 Picks to Make Your Electric Guitar Roar!

Click here to skip the quick overview and jump right to the in-depth reviews.

Quick Overview

Our Top 5 Choices For Tube Amps

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The 15 Best Tube Amps to Feel How Your Electric Guitar Roar!

Click here to jump to our Top Picks.

#1. Blackstar HT20R MKII Review – Best Overall Tube Amp

The Blackstar HT-20R has been called “the best tube combo amp on the market at the moment.” With the HT-20R, you will find all you want from a tube amplifier, awesome versatility, and no tonal weak points.

You will get that sound that you have been looking for. The HT-20 MkII delivers pure boutique cleans, on the edge crunch, mild overdrive, and full-on distortion.

Obtain that beautiful rich valve tones thanks to the classic EL84 valve. This 20-watt tube amp combines the character of classic British tube amps with a carefully voiced preamp to create that kind of sound.

You can take power down to 2 Watts without compromising tone due to the Blackstar patented “Dynamic Power Reduction circuit.” It enables to drive the EL84 power stage hard at lower volumes.

Managing the HT-20R is intuitive and simple, but it brings you pro features like studio-quality reverb, USB speaker-emulated output, and the Blackstar patented ISF control.

You’ll love this:

• You can switch between two Clean Voices, one with an “American” character and the other with a Class A “British” sound with the HT-20R MkII foot-switch.
• You get enhanced overdrives with two foot-switchable Overdrive Voices. The first is the rich and natural “British” Blackstar overdrive. The second was inspired by the critically acclaimed MkII high gain sounds.
• The HT-20R let you go further in the EQ customization due to its Patented ISF (infinite shape feature) tone shaping. You get the conventional three-way guitar EQ controls plus an ISF control that allows you to design your own sound.
• Get ready to access professional recording connectivity. USB output has been added to the HT-20R, so you can access the simplest way to get valve tone into your recordings.
• The pro-balanced XLR D.I. output brings you speaker emulated signals connected to external devices for practicing or live use.

You might not like this:

• Nothing to argue. The new HT-20R has been tweaked and retweaked to give you the best tube amplifier from Blackstar’s combo line.

Conclusion

This 1×12 combo is versatile, affordable, and hard to beat for home practice and small gigs. The HT-20R provides foot-switchable alternative voicings for each channel, emulated USB, headphone, and XLR outputs. A pair of EL84 power valves provide more than enough of that delicious British tube tone. The HT-20R has all that tube amplifier lovers need in a nice package.

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#2. Fender Blues Junior IV Review – Best Value for Money Tube Amp

The Fender Blues Junior IV is the new version of one of the world’s most popular guitar amps. It is a durable grab-and-go amplifier that delivers stunning clean and overdriven sounds. It is actually one of the best tube amps, and it is definitely the Best Value For Money Tube Amp.

If you like that rich and reverb tube tone of a Fender guitar amp, you will not be disappointed with this latest member of the Fender tube amplifier family. The Junior series has been in production since around 1993.

This 15-watt tube amp is a perfect acquisition for those who want a compact, lightweight, and pedal-friendly tube amplifier combo. These qualities have made this amp one of the most popular gigging combos in the world.

With this new version, you get the best from Fender. It includes an A-Type Celestion speaker, and the black vinyl and the yellowed silver sparkle grille are inspired by the blackface reverb-equipped combos of the 1960s.

You’ll love this:

• The Junior grants stunning clean and drive sounds thanks to five valves – three 12AX7s and a pair of EL84s.
• It delivers a great control versatility, and it includes gain, bass, middle, treble, reverb level, master volume, and a small push-button ‘Fat’ switch.
• You can use it with any guitar you want, the Junior sounds excellent with both single coils and humbuckers, and it works well with drive pedals with great volume.
• It is easy to see why the Blues Junior remains a firm favorite withing tube amp combos, thanks to compact dimensions and lightweight.

You might not like this:

• Due to its low range of 15 watts, it may not be the best choice for those looking for a higher wattage tube amp.

Conclusion

When you get a Fender Blues Junior, you get simplicity, the richness of tube tones, and great sound quality. It is a classic combo amp with a single-channel that delivers astonishing clean and drive sounds. It features a pair of EL84 power tubes and three 12AX7 preamp tubes, a 12-inch A-type Celestion speaker, and delivers an all-tube 15 Watt.

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#3. Orange Micro Terror Review ‎ – Best Budget Tube Amp

The micro terror is the Best Budget Tube Tiny Amp with an enormous tone that causes a global commotion. Orange took inspiration from the original Tiny Terror to create this little monster. It features a preamp with a couple of tubes and a solid-state output section that generates amazing tones.

If you want a really small amp head, super lightweight, great power, and surprisingly affordable, this 20-watt tube amp will surely make you beyond happy.

You get one of the most portable tube head amps on the market. The Micro Terror only weighs 0.85kg and sizes just 16.5cm. When paired with a pair of headphones, it converts into the perfect practice partner. It is a tiny tube amp to put in the most cluttered sideboard.

The Micro Terror can also be very versatile, and you can use it for gigging on the stage by matching it with its PPC108 speaker cabinet. And don’t let it fool you, it can be a small tube amp, but it has a robust construction due to its high tensile steel casing.

You’ll love this:

• The intensity of volume that this little thing pushes out is truly unbelievable. The Micro Terror features a single ECC83 (12AX7) preamp valve coupled to a solid-state power amp that delivers 20 watts of loud.
• Feel free to dial up everything from clean to highly saturated sounds, thanks to the Micro Terror useful control set.
• There’s a 1/4″ headphone jack that disables the amp’s 4 Ω speaker output when used for practicing or late-night jamming.
• You also have an auxiliary 1/8″ jack that serves as an input for an external audio source like an iPod.

You might not like this:

• Due to its size, the Micro Terror has a limited control set formed by volume, tone, and gain knobs.

Conclusion

The Micro Terror is one of the most utilized tubes amp heads in the market at the moment. It delivers stunning smooth tones at a reasonable price. Few amps in this price range offer what it does in tone, build, and comfort. It can easily find a home in studios where big tones at soft volumes can be very useful. The Micro Terror is a great mini tube amp loaded with charm and gratifying tones.

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#4. Marshall Studio Vintage SV20H Review

The Marshall Studio Vintage SV20H brings the Plexi legendary tone in a 20-watt tube amp. Marshall has succeeded in capturing the charm of the classical 1959SLP in this middle side tube amps head. With Studio Vintage, you get the original all-valve sound, with the choice to switch between 20W and 5W.

The Studio Vintage comes to the scene with a bunch of extraordinary features. It has a 3-band EQ with Presence control, four separate inputs, high- and low-sensitivity loudness controls, a DI output, and an effects loop.

Although this small tube head has enough power to bothering your neighbors, you don’t have to worry about it because Studio Vintage’s power reduction circuit takes its wattage down to a bedroom-friendly five watts.

When you want to experience saturated blues grit and stunning leads, the Studio Vintage brings you that iconic Plexi tone and packs it into a 20-watt tube amp. This is a low-watt version of Marshall’s 1959 Super Lead that used legendary guitarist as Hendrix, Townshend, or Clapton.

You’ll love this:

• With the Marshall Studio Vintage SV20H, you simply get that true-to-life Plexi tone that inspired generations of wonderful guitarists in the 60s and the 70s. Do you want it? Yes, I know, so you better take it!
• You are lucky to choose the Marshall Studio Vintage because it is loaded with a bunch of player-friendly features you need that weren’t present in the times of the original “1959 Super Lead”.
• These amps are handcrafted in the UK, and it certainly captures the Iconic Marshall stylings within an amazing British-built 20-watt tube amp.
• When you want cranked Plexi tones from a compact, studio-sized amp, the Marshall’s Studio Vintage is the perfect choice for you.

You might not like this:

• You need to buy a cabinet according to the Studio Vintage specifications.

Conclusion

The SV20H makes the dream true of capturing the spirit of a vintage Marshall head, delivering a big-box tone in a lower-power format. The SV20H is absolutely less rigorous than the original 100 watts Super Lead from the old days. It is flexible enough to work excellent at volume levels that are better suited to recording environments and gigging.

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#5. Blackstar HT Club 40 Mark II Review

The HT Club 40 will give you all that power and versatility you were searching for in an All-tube 1×12″ Guitar Combo Amplifier. You get a clean channel and a British tone overdrive channel that sounds amazing.

You get great clarity and note definition on your clean channel thanks to the MK II marvelous performance, rare in this price range.

The gain channel will let you do a great job with more saturated tones while you enjoy the big range of overdrive that the MK II has for you.

You can reach a huge variety of tube tones due to Blackstar’s Infinite Shape Feature (ISF). This feature will let you get the EQ curves you want by managing the amplifier’s Bass, Middle, and Treble controls.

You can get an American tube tone with an aggressive middle and tight bottom when you turn the ISF knob all the way to the left. On the other hand, you can obtain a more British vibe by turning it all the way to the right.

You’ll love this:

• You can access four different operating modes via a pair of voice switches to release vintage and modern voicings for the clean and overdrive channels.
• Blackstar loaded this Oustanding combo with enough features to ensure it quickly becomes your favorite gigging and recording amp.
• You get great depth and detail from the digital reverb with the Dark/Bright switch. It will grant you access to the reverb style you crave.
• You can easily integrate your pedalboard and other effects due to the Effects loop with the Loop Level switch.
• When you want to record with high-quality sound, you have the emulated line-out and USB audio output.

You might not like this:

• The higher gain voice seemed a bit too bright and thin compared to the lower gain voicing.

Conclusion

The Club 40 is the perfect British tone combo for you. You get a 40-watt all-tube 1 x 12″ guitar combo amplifier with EL34 Power Tube. A 12″ Celestion speaker and 2 foot-switchable channels with voicing switches to maximum tonal flexibility.

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#6. Supro 169RT Black Magick Reverb Review

Enjoy the whole Supro experience with this Class A amplifier equipped with a pair of 6973 tubes, a custom high-power 12-inch BD12 speaker, 2-band EQ, and a master volume knob.

If you have heard about the Supro tube amplifiers’ amazing sound, you need to give a try to the Black Magick Reverb Combo.

This marvel delivers true all-tube Supro sound, and all the features in the Black Magick Reverb were designed with the greatest flexibility in mind.

Enjoy the qualities that a modern guitar player needs with this all-tube amp. It has reverb and tremolo with depth and speed control, master volume, and onboard EQ.

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#7. Bugera V5 Infinium Review

For those who are in the chase of all-tube amps with vintage design and outstanding sound, the Infinium may be the perfect option. It is a 1-channel, 5-watt All-tube amp combo with a class-leading 8″ Turbosound speaker.

You can take out the maximum of this masterfully crafted all-tube combo amplifier in your home or the studio. The Bugera V5 Infinium is packed with a 12AX7 preamp tube and an EL84 power tube.

Besides the Infinium beautiful vintage look and feel, this guitar combo amplifier features a built-in 2-way Power Attenuator, an integrated high-definition Reverb, and a remarkably versatile Vintage Equalizer with Tone control.

Additionally, the V5 Infinium brings you the Bugera’s original Infinium Tube Life Multiplier Technology that makes tube replacement amazingly simple.

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#8. Fender Hot Rod Deluxe IV Review

If you like that legendary Fender all-tube sound, so the Fender Hot Rod Deluxe IV is for you. With 3 channels, 40-watt of power, Spring Reverb, and a 1×12″ Celestion A-type Speaker, this is one of Fender’s most popular tube amp combos.

You get the best of Fender, and there is a lot of know-how in this piece of gear. Fender created the Deluxe IV tube combo amplifier taking into account feedback from guitar players. It has updated preamp circuitry that gives greater note definition and articulation when overdriven.

Driven by three 12AX7 preamp tubes, a pair of 6L6 power tubes, and a Celestion A-type speaker, the Deluxe IV ​howls a loud classic Fender tone. The Deluxe IV was created to deliver everything from bright cleans to extreme distortion.

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#9. Mesa Boogie Mark V 25 Review

If you want to incur in the Mesa Boogie tube amps world, the Mesa Boogie Mark V has 25 watts of power, and you can choose between the 1×10 Combo or the Amp Head with 1×12 versions.

Pick it and begin to enjoy the sound that made Mark Series amps so popular on stage and in the studio. The Mesa Boogie Mark V is compact, lightweight, delivers 2 Channels, 6 Modes, and brings you a stunning collection of Mesa Boogie famous Mark Series preamp circuits.

You get both great expressiveness and portability in one package. The Mesa Boogie Mark V 25 was created from a collection of iconic amplifiers. It has so many circuits and sounds that it’s difficult to think of it as merely an amp.

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#10. Orange TremLord 30 Review

For the Orange fans, the TremLord 30 is an excellent version of the ’50s British-style guitar amplifier. You get the whole set consisting of a single ECC81/12AT7 valve pushing this 30 Watts compact 1×12 package.

Enjoy two independent easy to use foot-switchable effects. Foot-switchable tremolo Speed controls and foot-switchable reverb that will let you manage this old-time tone machine.

You can use the built-in bias modulation tremolo anywhere in a modern FX chain due to the TremLord 30’s post-tremolo FX loop.

When you want tube power and a clean tone, the TremLord 30 is a vintage flavored amp with more perceived clean headroom than our other 30 watt amps.

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#11. Marshall 2525C Silver Jubilee Combo Review

If you are looking for a Marshall tube amp in a compact combo version, the Marshall 2525C Silver Jubilee Combo gives you everything you love about Marshall in a small and volume-friendly unit of 20-watt.

Enhance your sound and keep it clean because the 2525C Silver delivers lower noise performance improving reliability over the 1980s originals.

Obtain the sound of a Marshall at full power but with studio levels. The 2525C has a look and feel of the original Marshall 2-channel, 100-watt combo, and it let you switch between 5 and 20 watts of power.

You get a complete Marshall ensemble with this 20/5-watt tube combo with DI output, effects loop, footswitch, and the astounding sound of a 12″ Celestion G12M Greenback speaker.

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#12. Black Volt Amplification Crazy Horse Review

The Crazy Horse Amp from Black Volt Amplification is a unique tube amp created for those who prefer a hand-made amp with a hand-wired point-to-point construction. Ride the Crazy Horse and select one from the available 10″ and 12″ Combo versions, powered by two 2 6V6 Power Tubes, and with 25-30 Watts of Class A Output Power.

It is the perfect choice for the most demanding guitar player that wants excellent sound quality and a construction that only can be found in classic guitar amplifiers.

If you want to push the limits of a tube amp, the Crazy Horse will deliver you that kind of raw sound that only can be found in amps like the Tweed, Blackface, and Marshall Plexi.

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#13. Blackstar Silverline Deluxe Amp Head Review

If you want a head that delivers great power and an affordable tube emulation on a budget, so the Blackstar Silverline Deluxe with its 100-watt Head is a great alternative for you.

Enjoy the extreme power of a 100-watt Blackstar tube amp with a set of modern features such as 12 Onboard FX, Speaker-emulated Output, 6 Amp Voicings, 6 Virtual Output Tube Types, and USB Connection.

The Silverline Deluxe gives variable power tube emulation, master resonance and presence controls, expressive EQ and ISF section, and a complete collection of analog-inspired Super Wide Stereo effects.

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#14. Vox AC15 Custom Twin Review

If you want to connect your guitar in a tube amp combo with a very authentic British tone, the Vox AC15 Custom Twin with 15 watts of power and 2 x 12″ Celestion G12M Greenback speakers will surely delight you.

When you get a VOX AC15, you get the amp that started it all in the British scene. It is an all-tube, EL84 driven 15 watts combo amp with authentic British tone.

Additionally, the AC15 Custom also offers classic VOX tremolo and foot-switchable spring reverb that enhance its marvelous combo sound.

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#15. Marshall DSL40CR

When you want the Marshall’s Legendary DSL tone, the DSL40CR tube combo amp has arrived to take you on a journey through the Marshall’s tube tone’s seas. You get amazing customization capabilities with a dedicated Resonance control, reverb, an effects loop, and the per-channel Gain and Volume controls.

The DSL40CR enables you to dial in cranked-amp tones that won’t bother anyone at home, or you can use the Softube speaker-emulated output for direct recording and monitoring due to the adjustable power level.

With the Marshall DSL40CR, you get a hell of a power amp. It is a 40-watt, 1×12″ Tube Guitar Combo Amplifier with 2 Channels, each channel with 2 Modes, a 2-button Footswitch, High/Low Power Modes, Speaker-emulated Line Output, and Digital Reverb.

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What to Consider When Buying a Tube Amp

Before you go directly to the online shop and make your purchase In a quick and unconscientious manner, it would be good that you consider some important points to get the best value for your money.

Even if you have plenty of experience with solid-state amps, the tube amp family is totally different, and they have their own secrets and mysteries.

First, you need to decide if you want to get a combo or a head and cabinet amp. Then you need to consider if you will be using your brand-new guitar amps for gigs on the road, record at the studio, or just for practice at home.

Finally, you need to consider some technical aspects of the amp as; How much power do you need? What is the best speaker size for you? And finally maybe the most important questions of them all; What’s your budget?

Should you get a combo amp or a head and cabinet?

This question really depends on what kind of gig you are planning to play in. Today’s combos are well-equipped to deliver the power you need to be heard for small club venues.

But if you plan to play in a bigger place like a theater, an auditorium, or even a stadium, you’ll want a high-powered stack with at least a 4 x 12″ cabinet and a 100-watt head.

Do you want a guitar amp for the road, the studio, or practice at home?

Today’s modern modeling amp can serve really well in a multitude of different situations. So you can use a good amp to be used as a practice amp, studio amp, and live amp. And even some of these amps have amazing good capabilities.

But if you want to have one set up specifically for recording on the studio work or practicing at home and another for your gigs. So maybe you need more than one amp in your arsenal, or you need to find the right one that serves you well in all these situations.

What Power and Speaker Size?

The power and speaker’s size you choose for your amp will depend on the application you choose and your budget. More common modeling combo amps usually feature low power like 10 to 30 watts and small speakers of 8″ to 10″.

If you decide to purchase something bigger, you can choose a good tube amp combo with power ratings averaging about 50 watts and 12″ speakers for a fuller sound. But when you need to perform loud, you need a high-powered 4 x 12″ cabinet and a 100-watt head stack.

What is your budget?

Your budget may really be the deciding factor when considering purchasing a new tube amp. It has been said that when it comes to electric guitars, you can get a better sound with a $5,000 amp and a $500 guitar than a $5,000 guitar with a $500 amp.

Here better is relative, and higher-priced does not always equal better sound quality. In some cases, amps costing thousands of dollars have a lower quality level than an amp costing a few hundred.

Setting your budget involves looking at what’s available to suit your needs from the less expensive options up through high. So take a look at the list of available tube amplifiers above and peek at the one that suits better your needs and your taste taking your budget into account. Good luck!

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Top Picks

It is time to show you my Top Picks, where I will tell you which tube amp is the best overall, the best value for money, and the best budget guitar amp.

Blackstar HT20R MKII Review – Best Overall Tube Amp

Fender Blues Junior IV Review – Best Value for Money Tube Amp

Orange Micro Terror Review – Best Budget Tube Amp

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Conclusion

You are at the end of my review of the 15 best tube amps to feel how your electric guitar roar. Here I attempted to show you the best guitar amps with tubes on the market.

Tube amps are maybe the best choice for those that love that classic strong valve tone that makes the walls tremble. I hope you have enjoyed the tour and that it helps you choose the perfect tube amp for your needs and taste.