Amplifiers & Effects

An amplifier powers and shapes your instrument’s signal, sending it out through a speaker. Without amplification, electric guitars, basses and other electronic instruments are generally too quiet to be heard in a performance setting.

Effects pedals, like overdrives, phasers and delays, offer additional layers of sound sculpting. They often help to define a band’s identity as part of a particular genre. (For example, a psychedelic rock band may use a fuzz pedal as well as echo or delay, while a country band may lean toward cleaner tones. There are no rules, of course.) Most modern players use effects pedals to some degree, whether that’s a couple preferred options or an elaborate board filled with 12 pedals.

Just as with guitars, basses or keyboards, there are numerous types of amplifiers for sale. To whittle it down, you first need to assess your performance goals. Are you planning to record with your amp? Perform live through it? Both? Do you want the warmth of a tube amp or the clarity of a solid-state amp? Some musicians prefer the simplicity of amplifiers with digital modeling capabilities, often including built-in effects. You should pay close attention to wattage, ensuring your amp has enough juice to handle the stages you’re targeting. You may also want an amp with XLR outputs, allowing you to connect directly to an audio interface (for recording) or a PA system (for live gigs).

To learn more, dig into our amplifier buying guide and our beginner’s guide to guitar amps.

Absolutely. But it depends on your performance settings, and you’ll have to factor in power and other technical specs. If you have a loud drummer, for example, you may need more volume to keep up. If you’re playing a venue with a PA system, you can either mic up your amp or send your output directly to the house speakers, depending on your specific model. If you’re relying solely on the amp itself, you may need something more powerful than a small bedroom model. Keep in mind that tube amps used onstage sound better after they’ve warmed up, and that tubes will eventually wear out and require replacement. For these reasons, and for convenience and volume control, many players prefer to practice using a small digital or solid-state amp rather than firing up their whole stage rig.

For a newcomer or someone who plays relatively small shows, try to find one amp that sounds great at home but can level up for gigs. You’ll need enough output for your target venues, with tones that hold up at reasonable volumes. For maximum flexibility, consider an amp that you can connect directly to the PA with physical cables.

Your taste will point you in the right direction. Jazz-fusion players will often favor different effects than punk rockers. But in the most general sense, a handful of broad categories make sense as a starting point. First, there’s the “dirt” family: overdrive, distortion and fuzz all add varying degrees of grit to your tone. Chorus pedals give you a shimmering, orchestral sound, while delay creates space through repeating, rhythmic echoes. If you’re starting a pedal board, you may also want to buy a physical tuner pedal for quiet mid-song adjustments. Shaping your sound through electronic effects is a lifelong journey — and an extremely fun one, too!