Skip to main content
Music Radar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
  • Guitars
  • Amps
  • Pedals
  • Drums
  • Synths
  • Software
  • Pianos
  • Controllers
  • Recording
  • Buyer’s guides
  • Live
  • DJ
  • Advice
  • Acoustic
  • Bass
  • About us
  • More
    • Reviews
Magazines
  • Computer Music
  • Electronic Musician
  • Future Music
  • Keyboard Magazine
  • Guitarist
  • Guitar Techniques
  • Total Guitar
  • Bass Player
More
  • How to make an AI cover song
  • 84000+ free music samples
  • Foo Fighters' new drummer
  • Ken Scott on recording The Beatles
  • First EVH Jump synth recording

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

  1. Home
  2. News
  3. Guitarist

6 of the best guitar practice amps

By Guitarist
last updated 12 May 2020

Perfect partners for new guitarists

Blackstar ID:Core
From £89/$210

Blackstar ID:Core

Here are six of the best practice amps for beginners, to get you kickstarted on your quest for guitar stardom.

Don't Miss

(Image credit: Future)

• The 15 best guitar amps
•
The best guitar amps under $1,000/£1,000
•
The best high-end guitar amps
•
The 18 best electric guitars
• The 11 best guitar amps under $/£500

Blackstar’s ID:Core range is aimed squarely at beginner guitarists, but it packs a varied feature set into a relatively small and excellent value-for-money package. The ID:10 has two three-inch five-watt speakers, onboard effects, reverb and an array of tones; plus, it’s programmable, too.

We said: “A superbly featured first amp - a no-brainer. A lot of fun for the cash!”

4.5 out of 5

Read our full Blackstar ID:Core Stereo 20 review

BUY: Blackstar ID:Core Stereo 20 currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music | Thomann | Gear4Music
US: Sweetwater

www.blackstaramps.com

Page 1 of 6
Page 1 of 6
Yamaha THR-10C
£299/$460

Yamaha THR-10C

Yamaha’s THR is intended as a ‘third amp’ for experienced guitarists, but there’s no reason why beginners shouldn’t also make use of its excellent stereo sound and range of onboard amp models and effects.

It’s a superb practice tool, too, with an aux input and specially designed iPhone app that enables you to play along to (and even manipulateplaybackof)your favourite tunes.

We said: “For home and practice, the quality of sound is truly outstanding.”

4.5 out of 5

Read our full Yamaha THR10C review

BUY: Yamaha THR10C currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music | Thomann | Gear4Music
US: Sweetwater | Full Compass

www.yamaha.com

Page 2 of 6
Page 2 of 6
Fender Mustang
From £118/$159

Fender Mustang

Fender’s beginner’s amp range offers superb value for money, and its digital amp models and effects have recently been updated to include more emulations of classic hardware, along with superb onboard digital reverb.

We said: “Pretty much every sound you can imagine, and a whole load more that you can’t.”

4.5 out of 5

Read our full Fender Mustang III review

BUY: Fender Mustang III currently available from:
UK: Thomann | Gear4Music
US: Sweetwater | Full Compass

www.fender.com

Page 3 of 6
Page 3 of 6
Vox Soundbox Mini
£179/$200

Vox Soundbox Mini

The styling has a hint of 80s boombox about it, and the Soundbox Mini can be powered by batteries and used as a music player on-the-go.

But it also adds modelled guitar, bass and keyboard presets (including its maker’s AC30), as well as effects, reverb and Korg’s ‘Acoustage’ technology to the mix.

We said: “A serious desktop-amp contender, thanks to the broad range of tones and the impressive 3D effects of Acoustage.”

4 out of 5

Read our full Vox Soundbox Mini review

BUY: Vox Soundbox Mini currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music | Thomann
US: Full Compass

www.voxamps.com

Page 4 of 6
Page 4 of 6
Peavey Vypyr VIP 3
£329/$399.00

Peavey Vypyr VIP 3

Peavey’s affordable and innovative range of practice combos is built for use with acoustic, electric or bass guitars, and each one comes packed with tweakable digital models of amps and effects, plus an optional heavy-duty foot controller.

We said: “Decent tones for the money. Light and compact. Endlessly tweakable.”

4.5 out of 5

Read our full Peavey Vypyr VIP 3 review

BUY: Peavey Vypyr VIP 3 currently available from:
UK: Thomann | Gear4Music
US: Sweetwater | Full Compass

www.peavey.com

Page 5 of 6
Page 5 of 6
Orange Micro Crush Pix
£38/$89

Orange Micro Crush Pix

If you’re on a real economy drive but still want to make some noise, you could do worse than test out the teeny, yet surprisingly throaty, Orange Mini Crush Pix.

Its four-inch speaker offers clean and crunchy tones with a slightly fuller bass response than most of its rivals, and it has a built-in tuner, too.

We said: “Best-suited to crunchy indie sounds and gritty tones, the Micro Crush Pix is a decent mini amp.”

4 out of 5

Read our full Orange Micro Crush Pix review

BUY: Orange Micro Crush Pix currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music | Thomann | Gear4Music
US: Full Compass

www.orangeamps.com

Page 6 of 6
Page 6 of 6
Guitarist
Guitarist
Social Links Navigation

Guitarist is the longest established UK guitar magazine, offering gear reviews, artist interviews, techniques lessons and loads more, in print, on tablet and on smartphones
Digital: http://bit.ly/GuitaristiOS
If you love guitars, you'll love Guitarist. Find us in print, on Newsstand for iPad, iPhone and other digital readers

More about guitars
Prince rock & roll hall of fame 2004

Prince's While My Guitar Gently Weeps solo wasn't his only great performance at the 2004 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ceremony

TC Electronic Mini Infinite Sample Sustainer

TC Electronic unveils the Infinite Mini Sample Sustainer – a mini-sized version of the John Mayer pedalboard fave

Latest
Picture of Bruce Springsteen and the TEAC 144

“Nebraska was cut on crap equipment…” How Bruce Springsteen made his most important album in his bedroom with just a Gibson J-200 and a TEAC 144

See more latest ►
Most Popular
Dua Lipa’s Barbie single Dance The Night lands with production from Mark Ronson: “This Ken helped make a whole soundtrack,” he says

By Ben Rogerson26 May 2023

Noel Gallagher reveals lost Oasis alternate Definitely Maybe recordings have been found and will be released

By Rob Laing26 May 2023

DOD/DigiTech assembles a formidable lineup of guitar effects designing talent for new R&D team

By Jonathan Horsley26 May 2023

Kirk Hammett: "My favourite version of Greeny is probably the Epiphone"

By Rob Laing26 May 2023

The 1977 Rainbow gig when Ritchie Blackmore played one of his greatest performances – after two long nights in a police cell

By Rob Laing25 May 2023

Show Us Your Studio: Share your home studio and get featured on MusicRadar

By MusicRadar25 May 2023

Sophie Lloyd becomes the first Kiesel Guitars female signature artist with the SL6

By Rob Laing25 May 2023

Dr. Sample becomes Mr. Sample as Blezz Beats recreates the 'holy grail of lo-fi beatmaking' in a sampler plugin

By Matt Mullen25 May 2023

Steinberg’s Dorico 5 improves the music notation software’s playback and note input features, and the free desktop and iPad versions have been updated, too

By Ben Rogerson25 May 2023

Steve Albini recalls the secrecy around the Nirvana In Utero sessions: "I had to do everything I could to keep it under wraps to make sure that we didn’t get overrun by fans and the added nonsense"

By Rob Laing25 May 2023

Guitarist creates a string-picking robot

By Rob Laing25 May 2023

  1. Oasis Definitely Maybe album cover
    1
    Noel Gallagher reveals lost Oasis alternate Definitely Maybe recordings have been found and will be released
  2. 2
    Steve Albini recalls the secrecy around the Nirvana In Utero sessions: "I had to do everything I could to keep it under wraps to make sure that we didn’t get overrun by fans and the added nonsense"
  3. 3
    Bob Rock likens Metallica’s St Anger to The Stooges’ Raw Power, says Jimmy Page told him it was a “great album” – and Jack White loved it too
  4. 4
    Mixing engineer Bob Clearmountain: “I shouldn’t say this, probably, but I think in a couple of years Dolby Atmos is going to go away”
  5. 5
    The 1977 Rainbow gig when Ritchie Blackmore played one of his greatest performances – after two long nights in a police cell
  1. Nirvana In Utero cover
    1
    Steve Albini recalls the secrecy around the Nirvana In Utero sessions: "I had to do everything I could to keep it under wraps to make sure that we didn’t get overrun by fans and the added nonsense"
  2. 2
    The Guitar Center Memorial Day Sale is now live! Get yourself a hefty 35% off guitars, basses, drums, keys, and studio gear
  3. 3
    Watch: the time Josh Freese sat in on drums for Blink-182 at Warped Tour ’99
  4. 4
    Kirk Hammett: "My favourite version of Greeny is probably the Epiphone"
  5. 5
    Mixing engineer Bob Clearmountain: “I shouldn’t say this, probably, but I think in a couple of years Dolby Atmos is going to go away”

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.