(pictured above Vox Valvetronix amp, great modeling amp with lots of built in effects)
When it comes to amps with effects, best is definitely a relative term. What’s best for you and what’s best for me can be totally different things when it comes to getting the right amp. There are however, some amps with built in effects that are extremely popular.
In this article, I included some popular amps with built in effects that I think would be best for every type of player. Whatever style of music you plan on playing or whatever budget you might have.
(This is not a comprehensive list, unfortunately that would take longer than I have time for. There are tons of other great models out there that some people would consider to be the best as well, this is what i personally think are the best options after playing the last 15+ years.)
Let’s Get Started.
(Note: Below each headline I included an “Effect Options” so you can skip the sections easily that don’t have many effects if you’re looking for an amp that has more than just the bare bones effects. Most of the amps on this list are well equipped, but I did add some amps in here for those who don’t need as much.)
Line 6 Spider V120 Modeling Guitar Amp
EFFECT OPTIONS – (Massive amounts of presets)
If you want the most effects for the absolute lowest price, the Line 6 V120 is where it’s at.
With the V120 Modeling amp you get tons of built in effects:
- 128 onboard presets
- 78 amp models
- 23 cabinet models
- 101 effect models
- And a Looper
Now, if you don’t like Line 6……just humor me through this section. I promise they are absolutely not as bad as you might think.
(In case you didn’t know, Line 6 has a lot of people who aren’t fans……..ironically they sell quite a lot for how many people don’t like them)
Line 6 amps are definitely much better amps than people make them out to be, many people say that they sound 100% digital and have a “tinny” sound to them.
Most of these people that don’t like Line 6 products simply aren’t used to getting a good tone out of an amp. They would probably say the same thing about a tube amp that isn’t cranked up enough to really let the tubes sing or would complain that about not cutting through the mix when they’re scooping their mid range. Learning to use the presets on the Line 6 is super easy, and you should have no problem finding a sound you’ll like on one.
So, Don’t worry. You can definitely get some great tones out of a Line 6, and since these are ridiculously cheap these amps are the best option to have as a practice amp.
And, if you still are on the fence….watch this video.
(Link to More Specs, Pricing, and other info on Amazon here)
You’d be crazy to think that sounded bad. There are also more versions of this amp as well that are upgrades from this version also.
Of course, this video in particular doesn’t really show all of the different tones this amp can do. I recommend going on YT and checking out other videYou’d os of this amp to hear all the different tones you can get out of them.
Marshall Code 100
EFFECT OPTIONS – (Massive amounts of effects and presets)
With a ton of absolute killer built in effects and presets (200 altogether), the Marshall Code 100 is a great amp for simply plugging in and playing with the tone you want without having to deal with setting up a bunch of pedals or anything else really. Plug n Play.
The amps effects include presets for different amp models as well, so you can get the iconic sound of many different amps in just seconds. This is an incredible feature on any amp that’s able to pull it off well.
Out of all the amps I’ve listed here, this is probably the easiest to get lots of tones that sound good. Some do complain that the tone is slightly “fuzzy” through this amp.
Take a listen for yourself.
(Note: The next two amps on this list are pretty bare bones when it comes to effects, so if you’re not into that….here’s your warning to skip over them.)
(Link to More Specs, Pricing, and other info on Amazon here)
VOX VT20X
EFFECT OPTIONS – (Small amount of effects and presets)
There’s a lot I could say about this one, but I think this amp definitely is the best sounding option of the group.
This amp in general is pretty popular when it comes to amps with built in effects (also known as modeling amps), it’s insanely versatile with 11 amp models, and 33 preset programs, and 13 standard effects. You can get even more when you use their “Tone Room Editor” which is software that you can use on your IOS device or PC. This lets you save more presets and have more at the same time.
Definitely check out the video below, I wouldn’t just skip this one because it doesn’t have as many effects as the other ones. You’ll be surprised.
If you like this amp, definitely check out the other Valvetronix amps.
(Link to More Specs, Pricing, and other info on Amazon here)
Yamaha THR10X
EFFECT OPTIONS – (Small amount of effects)
This amp surprised me, in fact I haven’t paid much attention to Yamaha amps in general for awhile so I was lucky recently to stumble across this.
Comparing this to other amps on this list, the THR10X is very basic when it comes to having extra effects, this amp comes with: Chorus, Flanger, Phaser, Tremolo, Delay, Reverb, Spring, Hall, and a Noise Gate.
This is a high gain amp, which of course makes it great for metal and rock. The THR10X is in a line of amps (THR) by Yamaha which are great for many other styles as well. I definitely recommend checking all of them out.
Listen to it and you’ll see why I added this to the list. Btw if you’re only here to find amps with tons and tons of effects and presets, you’ll love the next one on the list.
(Link to More Specs, Pricing, and other info on Amazon here)
Blackstar ID: 260 TVP
EFFECT OPTIONS – (Lots of effects and presets)
Another incredibly popular amp, the Blackstar is a force to be reckoned with. Well known for creating incredible Valve amps for years, it was surprising to see them branch out to try Solid State with this model. They’ve done a great job.
This amp is incredibly versatile with tons of built in effects, and options such as programmable presets.
The most interesting quality about this amp is the TVP feature, which stands for “True Valve Power”.
Blackstar created this feature to model the different popular tubes out there, and I’d say they did great job. You’ll have to hear it for yourself.
You get these tubes to select from: EL84, 6v6, EL34, KT66, 6l6, and the KT88.
Listen for yourself:
(Link to More Specs, Pricing, and other info on Amazon here)
Fender Mustang GT 40
EFFECT OPTIONS – (Average amount of effects and presets)
Meant as more of a starter amp, the Mustang GT40 is the smallest of the Mustang series which goes all the way up to 200 as the largest model.
Of course, Fender is known as a great amp when it comes to tubes…..but that doesn’t mean you should overlook their solid state partners.
These guys are packed with 21 amp models and 46 effect models, and has loads of presets for just about any sound you can want.
For a starter amp, this definitely goes above and beyond.
(Link to More Specs, Pricing, and other info on Amazon here)
Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier
EFFECT OPTIONS – (Bare minimum amount of effects and Presets)
This amp is so popular it’s practically famous. Look on any forum online and you’ll see tons of comments from people ranting and raving about the amp.
The amp was originally made famous by tons of more rock/metal style musicians such as Metallica, Foo Fighters, Soundgarden, and Tool (plus many more).
Note: If you’re looking to achieve a tone like any of those bands I strongly suggest checking out older models of the Amp as well. They have made some slight changes over the years.
(Link to More Specs, Pricing, and other info on Amazon here)
Roland Cube 10GX
EFFECT OPTIONS – (Bare Bones)
This amp is another great amp for practicing, and it’s very surprising all the stuff they packed into such a small box. The Roland Cube 10GX is part of the Roland Cube family of amplifiers which all have tons of built in effects and different features. This particular amp doesn’t have a lot of effects, but it does have a lot you can do with it, which I’ll explain in a second.
This particular amp comes with:
- Chorus, Delay, and Reverb
- Clean, Crunch, and Lead presets
- Bass, Middle, and Treble controls
- Rec out for quiet in home practicing
So, with only three presets and three onboard effects, what all can I really do with this amp?
The magic of this amp comes with the “Cube Kit” which is an app for ios or android that allows you to play with 10 different amp styles which cover all genres of music. Watch it in action below.
(Link to More Specs, Pricing, and other info on Amazon here)
Fender Champion 40
EFFECT OPTIONS – (Higher than average)
This is another amp without a lot of effects, but I included it in this list because if you are just looking for a few effects on your amp…..and wanting an amp that has a great sound for rock/alternative and metal sounds this is definitely an amp you should check out.
This isn’t the best amp for these tones, but it is absolutely incredible for the price. Not to mention you can get other great tones as well.
Anyways, I highly suggest taking a listen to this amp. Skip to later in the video if you want to just hear the rock/metal tones.
(Link to More Specs, Pricing, and other info on Amazon here)
So, which one of these should I get?
No matter if you’re buying your first or tenth amp, choosing one is pretty easy. I’ve gone crazy before trying to buy gear, figuring out if you really need those extra amp settings or if you need a louder amp can be extremely frustrating. On top of it always seeming like as soon as you figure out exactly what you need, you see a customer review (that shows some serious flaws) or a new model comes out and now you’re stuck trying to figure out……again what you need.
Of course, this may not be you. You might just be the type that can make a quick decision with no problem. Most of the time (almost all the time) this is a good thing, most things you buy there aren’t that many differences. Please don’t assume that’s the case with buying amps, it really does pay off well to dig into research.
I made these steps, so that you’d be able to easily make this decision.
Follow these steps and you’ll be well on your way to getting the perfect amp for you.
Let’s get Started.
Step #1 Figure out what you have to have out of your amp right now.
This is obvious, but you really do need to think this through. I suggest grabbing a pen and paper and jotting down everything you can think of, and really spend some time on this. Then, leave the list for awhile (the longer the better) and just kind of let it sit in the back of your mind. Most likely you’ll think of something you’ll need out of your amp that might’ve not been so obvious.
For this step, just try your best to think of exactly what you would need if you were to buy this amp and use it this week. This is step is really just obvious.
Step #2 Figure out your price range and try to stretch it.
When it comes to music equipment (most of the time) a higher price tag equals better quality. This is not always the case, in fact nowadays there are more high quality cheap equipment options than there ever has been.
If you decide to slightly stretch your budget, sometimes quality goes drastically up. You can find yourself with many more options and features as well.
This saves you from regret sometimes, there have been plenty of times where I’ve bought equipment that was slightly cheaper (and I mean really slight, like 20 bucks) and wished I’d have spent that extra money.
This is not always the case, but I’ve found it has been (mostly) for amps. With a lot of music equipment though, there are cheaper options that are just as good (if not better) than the more expensive options. For instance, I have a lot of pedals that are incredible that were pretty inexpensive.
Step #3 Keep the Future in Mind.
When buying any music equipment it is nice to keep in mind where you will be going and what you’ll need in the future as well. Right now you might be fine with a lower watt amp that’s just for practice, but if you plan on playing with a group in the future it might be a better idea to go ahead and buy something bigger.
Of course, assuming a lot here but you get the idea.
Conclusion:
This is only scratching the surface when it comes to all the amps out there that have effects built in. Nowadays we’re basically living in a utopia of absolutely phenomenal solid-state amps that sound almost exactly like their valve brothers. All of the new innovations in amp tech have made this possible, it’s really getting harder and harder to tell the difference. All of these amps are great options, and I hope you enjoyed this article. Thanks for reading!!!!