Top 5 Electric Guitar Amps of 2020

Tube technology is considered to be reliable and great sounding, but also expensive. The 15-watt Tube15 Celestion from the brand Harley Benton proves that this doesn‘t have to be the case, the ratio between sound and price is proof. Frankly, it doesn’t even sound that small despite its 15 watts. The reason is the size of the speaker, because a 12″ celestion produces a different pressure than an 8‘‘. It‘s also boosted by a power amplifier that works in Class AB with two EL84s – similar to some Vox or Fender amps. And that can get really loud. For this very good reason, the Tube 15 can be throttled down to 1 watt if necessary, for example when the neighbor knocks twice…

Whoever spends 2500 euro has got to have lots of confidence. And the SLO 30 is a way around that… No wonder, since the big brother SLO 100 has been considered one of the hottest amps on the planet since its introduction in 1987, and we can safely assume that the two-channel SLO 30 has inherited all the genes. First and foremost, it has an unmatched dynamic and creamy sound, which was immediately adapted by musicians like Clapton or Lukather at the time. In this light, the little Soldano is a real bargain and we are eager to receive the next shipment.

If you think of an effects pedal that sits on the floor – for example, a distortion device with a tube – you don’t think of it as an amplifier… that’s where the Orange Terror Stamp breaks the mould. Orange has equipped a floor pedal with a 20-watt power amp – thanks to digital technology! It is equipped with a gain control, a tone control (all with typical Orange graphic designs) and an ECC83/12AX7 preamp tube. By the way, the foot switch changes between two different volumes. Handy! You’ve got to see and hear this thing, otherwise you won’t believe your senses!

The fact that only during the last millennium pioneering boutique-people turned the amp world upside-down is not so true. Even in recent times, innovative engineers have repeatedly succeeded in putting breathtaking and ear-catching products on the world’s cabinets. The Canadian brand Revv has been around for just six years. Its merit is to reconcile yesterday and today with tomorrow. In other words: The two-channel Revv G20 not only offers excellent tube sounds of the more extreme kind, from its 20 watts, but also full MIDI controllability. In addition, the excellent speaker simulation by Torpedo allows you to plug directly into the PA, if necessary. And wow, that brand logo glows beautifully! 

Keep Germany loud: Amazing amplifiers keep on coming from this country! Engl is one of the most famous and equips His Rudeness Richie Blackmore and his successor Steve Morse with custom-made amps. So you can already guess where the Engl E633 Fireball 25 is heading: Rock, 4x ECC83 preamp tubes and 2x 6L6GC tubes! That’s easily enough to fill rehearsal rooms or clubs. The integrated Noise Gate helps to keep the sound clear, and the Power Soak lets you record next to your sleeping family in the middle of the night 🙂 Of course, we admit that a fully controlled speaker is the best way to get the sound out, because not just the family, but also half the neighborhood would wake up otherwise!