8 GREAT Cheap Amps (And 4 to AVOID!)

8 GREAT Cheap Guitar Amps (And 4 to AVOID!)

Today I check run through some great guitar amps, and some not so great. This is something I've been asked to do, since I did the same thing in terms of cheap guitars. This is not a review of the amps, I've done in depth reviews of all of these amps (links below). All of the amps in this video are still in production, apart from one honorable mention. I hope you enjoy this video, and that it helps you, and maybe saves you a bit of money. I'm not paid by anyone to say any of the things I say in the video, and I'm not selling any of the amps mentioned, just to be completely transparent.

0:00 Intro
1:22 Amp 1
3:40 Amp 2
6:30 Avoid 1
7:58 Amp 3
10:20 Amp 4
12:02 Avoid 2
13:55 Amp 5
16:54 Honorable mention
17:18 Amp 6
19:46 Avoid 3
22:35 Amp 7
26:18 Avoid 4
29:14 Amp 8

Links to the reviews:

[Nickraculous]

Great
1. Orange Micro Dark
2. Marshall DSL1CR
3. Fender Mustang LT25
4. Marshall Origin 20w Head
5. Joyo Jackman
6. Boss Katana Mini
7. Spark
8. Harley Benton Tube 15
Honorable Mention: Roland Micro Cube

Avoid
1. Peavey Bandit 112
2. Marshall Origin 5w Combo
3. Fender Champion 50XL
4. Marshall Code

[herbervalencia]

8 great cheap amps & 4 to avoid
01:09 Op.1 Orange Micro Dark (€169, Hybrid amp, 20W)
03:25 Op. 2 Marshall DSL1 CR (€279, Tube/valve amp, 1W)
06:13 Avoid 1 Peavey Bandit 112 (€375, Transistor, 80W)
07:44 Op. 3 Fender Mustang Lt 25 (€159, Modeling amp, 25W, one 8 inch speaker)
10:05 Op. 4 Marshall Origin 20 Head (€379, Tube, 20W)
11:48 Avoid 2 Marshall 5W combo (€222, Valve amp)
13:41 Op. 5 Joyo Jackman II (€149, Hybrid amp, 2 channels)
16:38 Honorable mention Roland Micro Cube (€?)
17:04 Op.6 Boss Katana Mini (€91, Digital amp)
19:32 Avoid 3 Fender Champion 50 XL (€?, clean it's ok)
22:20 Op.6 Spark Amp (€299, Digital amp)
25:59 Avoid 4 Marshal Code (€?, Digital amp)
28:58 Op.7 Harley Benton Tube 15 (€250, clean/crunch channels, Tube amp, 15W)

I have a Peavey Bandit 112 and I am absolutly agree about this review, but for me this amp it's Ok, cause I use the clean channel for platform pedals, I bought it new in €200 & it's too loud, for the price was a better option.

[EddieOtool]

I am the happy owner of a Rolland Cube 40 MK I, and it's one of the best buys I have ever done. The modeling section is OK, but what's awesome is the integrated looper. My guitar playing really got going from the moment I started jamming over phrases. I still use it today for full band practices - and I am been told once in a while to tone it down so loud it can get. Never got to push it past 7, and nowadays I'm more like 3ish. With drums and bass and vocal and stuff. Great little friend, but the hero word is: looper.

[alessandroiannottibs]

i LOVE your videos!
I think that the blackstar ht5 is a really good amp too, it has a really good clean, a versatile overdrive(you can play from a little cruch to a badass overdrive), and it has reverb too

[yazid]

That Joyo amp was really impressive, I thought it sounded the best then looked at the price, couldn't believe it. I think getting this and a good cab might be the best option if you're on a budget as the sound is already pretty convincing and having the cab helps your flexibility in the long term.

[pdbordelon]

Damn dude your playing is unbelievable - you make it look effortless. Im especially impressed with how relaxed your right hand seems during those lightening fast flourishes. You could make any amp sound good!

[gregpuckey]

The HB Tube 15 amp was a wonderful surprise to me and paired with the HB G112 Vintage speaker cab with the Celestion Vintage 30 speaker it has become my favorite sound. I have tube Marshalls, Blackstar Mk II, Bugera V5 and a few others, but The HB Tube 15 has become my recording and gigging amp now for the last 5 months. Thanks for your expertise and valued opinions, most of the time I agree with you.

[Paul_Lenard_Ewing]

Great show. I needed an amp for small clubs and having own two different 50 watt Plexi's over the years I was pleased to find the 50 watt Marshall Origin head. If you avoid using the gain and the switch which cuts the wattage it does indeed match my 2 old Plexi's. At a club I have to sometimes use an antenuator with it. A few classic OD's and Fuzz pedals take care of the dirt just fine.
I am 75 and this rig nails sounds I started with back in '71 If you need a small light rig use a single 12 inch closed back cab with the new Celestion NEO Creamback. In spite of it's name it sounds very much like the old vintage Brit made Greenback.It is half the weight and at 60 RMS it can handle the Marshall.

[rosstapson]

Dude, this is valuable data, thank you so much. Great playing, I'm a big Yngwie fan, you're knocking it out the park, three thumbs up.

[gregorybrod]

All I can say is thank you, Elmo! This was probably the most useful video I've ever seen on Youtube. I had never heard of the Harley Benton, which is not common in the U.S., but after watching countless videos, I stumbled upon yours and immediately bought the Harley Benton and could not be more happy. It's a fantastic amp and suits my needs perfectly. Thank you!!

[matthewtyler-jones]

Love that the HB Tube 15 is your top budget amp. I have a version branded Hartwood which comes with a Vintage 30 speaker instead of the HB’s 70/80 and I love it.

[Dave-nmxc]

The older Peavey Bandits are phenomenal, and you can find them cheap. They have great clean and drive channels, and are loud as hell.

[joelvioletOneHairLeft]

I have 3 used but applicable amps: 1, the 112 VHT Special six a Chinese hand wired all tube amp; 2, the VHT ULTRA special 6 HD only; then the Marshal valvestate 100 combo112, I by pass spkr to a line 6 slanted 412 cab; I have a 1985 Fender super champ 110 but run a 112 cab through it. These amps can be used in most venues except a stadium.

[ransombaggins]

Great video! I have a Spark and just really wish it wasn't so dark. I prefer my Yamaha THR30ii overall. My problem with some of these new (and often amazing) amps is that I'm finding I'm less and less interested in digging into menus and tweaking settings and dealing with too many options. I've gone from an analog man to a digital explorer and now I'm quickly moving back to simple analog buttons and knobs. :)

[SouthpawSatch]

I have a marshall origin 20, I agree it takes pedals super well. I used an attenuator in the effects loop to vary the volume so I can crank the tubes but keep it a reasonable volume.

[woodsnstrings]

Interesting stuff. I've been touring and recording a Bandit 112 for about 30 years, and this Trans Tube iteration for the last six without complaints (except that Peavey stopped shipping it with a footswitch, which is a weird choice). I don't know that it needed three options for cleans, but that clean channel breaks up incredibly well if you dime it out, and makes an amazing pedal platform too. Hold its hand a little and you can dial in some amazing stuff.

I picked up a mint 1982 Bandit 65 recently that is an absolute goldmine for country and blues.

[Jakal-pwyq]

The Vox AC-10 is one of my favorite overall low powered amplifiers with great rivers and a really nice break up. That and the Fender Champ car pretty much unbeatable in my opinion.

[needsLITHIUM]

Older Bandit amps sound amazing. The newer one you tried works well as a pedal platform, especially if you use the clean channel or the modern channel with the gain really low and use an OD or distortion pedal for the remainder. A lot of people have had success getting some nasty metal tones by running an HM-2 or similar, and then running it as a layer/stereo rig with something like a 6505 MH or Invective MH paired with a 1x12 cab for the ultimate portable death metal or hardcore rig. Not really your style, but... Tbh I would use the Origin 20 for that, as well. Run an HM-2 or MT-2 into it on relatively low gain on the amp and pair it with a Tubescreamer or Precision Drive boosted bigger amp.

[archiiebarrett]

I have the Joyo Jackman ii and its just amazing. I play mine through a mini cabinent I made with a Jensen C8r, and I run a multi effects pedal and an EQ pedal through it to really open it up. It's more than you can ask for at that price. It sounds just as big as any other affordable 20 watt tube head through a full size 4x12 cab, and the bluetooth works great.

On a side note, playing it through headphones is how I use it the most, does that great too.

[boargarage]

I have bought a champion 20 recently and I have to say that I am very happy that I did choose it, perfect for home use but also loud when you want to crank it up somewhere else, really universal nice sounding amp thanks to the settings but also easy to set up unlike some modelling amps. The one on the vid is a 50xl and it in many ways looks and sounds different than mine so maybe they are connected only by name