Fender's new Frontman 20G: a worthy candidate for a first guitar amp?

Fender
(Image credit: Fender)

If you're starting out on guitar and are looking to buy a small guitar amp, the choices are overwhelming, do you even need an amp with guitar software at the level it's developed to? Well there's a lot to be said for the simplicity and experience of plugging into an amp, especially one small, intuitive and offering Fender's know-how in the field.

The Frontman 20G solid state amp arrives in February and continues a lineage from Fender that's helped countless players on their way. The 20G offers 20-watts and an 8-inch 'Special Design Speaker' with a three-band EQ, clean and switchable drive channels with independent volume controls. 

Fender

(Image credit: Fender)

There's also a headphone jack and a 1/8-inch auxiliary for plugging in music to jam along to. No Bluetooth here, sorry. But surely everything you need to get started and focussing on enjoying playing. 

But if you're after effects and a headphone-only experience, Fender's Mustang Mini Micro takes some beating

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Rob Laing
Guitars Editor, MusicRadar

I'm the Guitars Editor for MusicRadar, handling news, reviews, features, tuition, advice for the strings side of the site and everything in between. Before MusicRadar I worked on guitar magazines for 15 years, including Editor of Total Guitar in the UK. When I'm not rejigging pedalboards I'm usually thinking about rejigging pedalboards.