You don’t need an amplifier to be a bluesman. Hell, you don’t even need a guitar. But if your tastes require something with a little more volume and sting than a parlour acoustic or resonator can deliver, whether your weapon of choice is a pawnshop prize, diddley bow or ’62 Stratocaster, you’re gonna need something to plug into.
Thanks to Ask MusicRadar, help is at hand. We asked you to submit your nominations for the best amplifier for blues, and you voted in droves. Some of you kicked and screamed and got up in our faces and said that this was a pointless exercise. Somebody said, “just about any amp will do.” And maybe they have a point.
But if it’s killer blues tone you want, here are 10 amplifiers guaranteed to deliver the goods, as chosen by you, complete with a selection of must-try alternatives from Holy Grail boutique heads to workingman's combos.