The 10 best acoustic guitar amplifiers review where you can find the characteristics related to sound, controls, internal structure and ability to sound in public depending on its potential.
The acoustic guitar player usually plays without an amplifier. This can be fine if you just play the guitar during evenings at home with friends or even at bonfires on the beach, but if you also play in different environments and situations, in this article you will find an overview of the best acoustic guitar amplifiers.
In the end, we also offer you some tips on how to choose the amplifier that best suits your needs. If instead, you came here looking for a different kind of amplifier, read also our reviews on electric bass amplifiers, and electric guitar amps.
What are the best amplifiers for acoustic guitars (For both beginners and professionals)?
Often, when we talk about electric guitars, it is more than natural to talk about the many fabulous effects without neglecting the amplifiers with their characteristic sound. From the great classics like Fender and Marshall to more recent brands like Blackstar and Boss, the world of amplifiers is wide and varied with models for all tastes and especially pockets!
But don’t miss the acoustic guitars. What would a concert on the street or in a bar be without an adequate six-string acoustic amplifier? That’s why we bring you a list of the 10 best amplifiers for this type of guitar.
Marshall MG15CFX MG Series 15 W
It is the ideal amplifier for tests in small rooms or presentations with a non-large audience. Able to generate a pleasant tone and good potential as expected of Marshall amplifiers with years of experience in the market.
It is characterized by being an acoustic guitar amplifier for beginners as it presents functional and very versatile tone characteristics. Many famous guitarists welcome this amplifier as their practice amplifier.
It contains four programmable channels, OD1, OD2, clean and crispy; It also has an mp3 input. It is equipped with digital effects such as the flanger pedal effect, chorus, vibe, octave and phaser.
With 15 W of power makes the practices are comfortable and accommodating for a musician at any stage of the learning scale. It is definitely the quintessential amplifier for rehearsing whether you are a professional, amateur or beginner.
+ PROS
- Very useful for rehearsing.
- 15 W of power with good performance.
- It offers several digital effects.
– CONS
- It is not ideal for presentations in large environments.
- Its best performance is in small rooms.
Discover more and the price here
Boss Acoustic Singer Pro acoustic guitar amplifiers
This is another of the best acoustic guitar amplifiers to buy. The Boss Acoustic Singer Pro amplifier is ideal for those who sing and play the acoustic guitar simultaneously since its features include not generating a noise that interferes with the human voice. The Boss generates a really balanced, warm and vibrant sound. Perfect for small presentations or rehearsals at home.
It is characterized by its vocal harmony function; Creates live harmonies while the performer sings and plays the guitar as its technology implements a real-time key/chord guitar input analysis.
It is projected with acoustic resonance. It uses advanced signal processing to eliminate the strong and sterile sound generated by the piezoelectric pickups that commonly incorporate acoustic guitars.
It offers a three-band equalizer as well as a phase switch and a controller to control possible feedback inconveniences.
+ PROS
- Ideal to play and sing at the same time since the frequencies do not interfere with each other.
- With its 120 W, it turns out to be a powerful amplifier.
- It has a channel with acoustic resonance, making the sound more natural.
– CONS
- It is not practical for large presentations.
- It weighs 14.5 kg.
Discover more and the price here
Fishman Loudbox Artist 120 W
Fishman is characterized by being the most efficient brand in the pre-amplification stage of its equipment. It is a company that specializes in amplifying the sound of an acoustic guitar in the best way.
The design of the controls closely resembles that of other amplifiers since one channel is specially directed to the acoustic guitar while the remaining channel is voice-oriented. Both channels are equipped with a combined XLR / TRS port which allows you to choose what you want to use.
It is equipped with a pair of speakers, an 8-inch woofer and a 1-inch dome tweeter that handles high frequencies. It also incorporates a DI output where both channels can be connected to a mixer. This acoustic guitar amp allows the guitarist to choose between effects like reverbs, two chorus effects, a flanger and two types of echoes. It also has an integrated effects loop.
It is the ideal amplifier for those looking for mid-range equipment and who want to spend only enough to partially meet their needs. Maintains a perfect balance between performance and sound.
+ PROS
- It generates a very conservative acoustic guitar sound.
- It allows you to connect to a mixer if more effects are desired than can be achieved with it.
- Ideal for singing and playing simultaneously.
– CONS
- Mid-range amplifier
- More expensive than other amplifiers that have the same characteristics.
Discover more and the price here
Fender Acoustic SFX Guitar Amplifiers
This is another of the best acoustic guitar amplifiers to buy. It is not to emphasize that Fender is a very popular brand worldwide due to the high quality it offers in all its departments. On this occasion, we highlight the Acoustic SFX ideal for acoustic guitars, since it allows to achieve different functionalities that are achieved with much more expensive amplifiers.
It presents an interesting design and a controller for easy use. It incorporates two independent channels, each with XLR / TRS connector. The panel reflects the volume control, and the four-band equalizer section, reverberation and a phase switch.
Considered a robust and powerful amplifier, with its 160 W divided into two channels it allows to handle 80 W in each one. It incorporates an 8-inch low-frequency controller, a medium-range of 6-inch lateral irradiation and a tweeter.
In short, when comparing this acoustic guitar amplifier with more expensive ones, the Fender SFX offers more for less, it is practical and with it, you get an original, clean and well-defined sound.
+ PROS
- Ideal for professional guitarists, amateurs and beginners.
- Its design and the layout of the controls allow easy use at first sight.
- It offers the qualities of a much more expensive amplifier.
– CONS
- In spite of everything, its price is still beyond the reach of many.
- Some users report rapid wear on their wooden sides.
Discover more and the price here
Fender Frontman 10G
The best choice for affordable acoustic guitar amps in our opinion is the Fender Frontman 10G. This model has a declared power of 10 Watts, weighs only 3.8 kilos, and has dimensions of 26 x 28 x 14.6 cm. The amp is equipped with a 6-inch case and a 2-band equalizer.
At your disposal, you have a 6.3 mm input, a 3.5 mm jack input, and a headphone output with a standard 3.5 mm jack. The power button and the volume, gain, bass and treble controls are on the front panel of the amp. The case is made of solid plywood with three layers and is equipped with a carrying handle.
The Fender Frontman 10G gives you a truly powerful sound, a captivating background swish, and a very pleasant distortion effect, which will give you the feeling of being playing an electric guitar rather than your acoustic guitar.
This model is suitable for small jam sessions, for playing at home, or even in fairly small venues. Its power does not allow you to use it during concerts, but if you have to play in a large environment, for example in a restaurant or even at an exhibition or cultural event, this model is perfect.
+ PROS
- No reverb
- Affordable price and is well worth your money
- Small and portable
- Quality sound
- Built to last
- Easy to use
– CONS
- Only has one input jack
- Overdrive isn’t up to the mark
Discover more and the price here
Yamaha THR5 Mini Acoustic Guitar Amplifier
Considered as one of the best combined acoustic guitar amplifiers, very accessible for people with a fairly short budget but looking for an amplifier with good features and remarkable effects.
Small but agile, this amplifier could be defined as it has two powerful 8 cm speakers powerful enough to fill an entire room with an intense sound.
It has 5 different voice modes. Yamaha‘s VCM processing unit adds a more realistic tone to what an acoustic guitar sounds like. It combines versatility and excellence, it is an ideal amplifier for any type of person.
At first glance, it can be seen that it consists of a perforated metal roof, different from the common wooden amplifiers. It is clearly not the most powerful amplifier that exists, it has 10 W RMS for its execution and operation.
This amplifier is excellent for recording music, it is here that it reaches its peak and is the best way to take advantage of it. In addition to its versatility and compactness, it is easy to move.
+ PROS
- Very versatile and easy to move.
- Ideal for recording music in a studio, living room or simply at home.
- Ideal for beginners.
– CONS
- It is not very powerful.
- It does not allow to obtain a great variety of shades as with other amplifiers.
Discover more and the price here
Marshall Acoustic Soloist AS50D 50 W
This is another of the best acoustic guitar amplifiers to buy. It is a compact amplifier that offers very good functionalities at an incredible price. Quite intuitive and easy to use, since its control panel resembles that of many other amplifiers. It has two channels, each with a set of similar controls: volume, bass and treble.
It incorporates an effects section where a chorus and two types of reverb are displayed. The effects are easily applied simply by pressing the corresponding button, this allows you to quickly switch to a dry signal.
It offers 50 W at the output and has two 8-inch controllers, making it an ideal amplifier for frequent concerts and large-caliber presentations. Also, it has individual inputs for the instrument and the microphone.
It is definitely a versatile and refined amplifier, perhaps it is not the most powerful amplifier that can be found in the market but for its price, it is very powerful and has a respectable efficiency. The quality and volume are proportional to the watts it incorporates. It is a solid and robust device to fight on stage.
+ PROS
- It does not present problems between voices and instrumental sound.
- Reacts well to all types of mixtures used.
- Ideal for concerts of great magnitude.
– CONS
- It is not the most powerful amplifier on the market.
- Conventional design.
Discover more and the price here
Fender Acoustasonic 40
It is a fairly complete option: it has great efficiency, it is quite compact and lightweight, it can be used in any moderately large environment such as a church, cafeteria or school. This amplifier can easily be taken anywhere. Pretty optimized and with good sound characteristics, it turns out to be the amplifier for acoustic guitar that many are usually looking for.
It has two channels where both can be used for both microphone and guitar (this is very useful and is rarely seen in amplifiers) both channels have the same controls. It consists of general volume control in addition to a three-band equalizer, also including a reverberation control.
This incredible amplifier has an auxiliary input to play along with some external music devices and a headphone output, ideal for practicing at home without disturbing the neighbor.
It has a great performance, although it is only advisable to use it in small or medium-sized spaces because its sound will not go far. However, its sound is clean, soft and pleasant for various tastes and acoustic styles.
+ PROS
- It allows to connect: or two guitars or two microphones.
- Sound quite clean and pleasant.
- Really accessible price for many.
– CONS
- Its sound does not cover large environments.
- It is not the most powerful amplifier you can find.
Discover more and the price here
Fender Mustang 20 Watt
Our favorite among all acoustic guitar amplifiers is the Fender Mustang 20 Watt, because here we have a solid amp, with a weight of 9 kilos, but manageable, thanks to the carrying handle, and the dimensions of 43 x 28 x 48 cm. The amp is not too powerful, but 20 Watts is enough to allow you to play at home, in the rehearsal room or in small rooms.
In addition to the classic volume and equalization controls, and the standard inputs, the front panel has 24 presets based on 8 amp models. Also at your disposal, you have a good range of digital effects, an excellent USB input to record your pieces and also for editing on your PC. As a tribute to the amp, you will receive Fender Fuse, Ableton Live and Amplitube software, which you can download from the Fender website. This model is compatible with a two-button foot switch, which must be purchased separately.
The Fender Mustang 20 Watt is a product with much higher performance than its price, especially thanks to the availability of presets and digital effects. With this amp, you will feel like you have a complete pedalboard, and you can emulate the sound of various types of amplifiers, and play on your favorite backing tracks.
+ PROS
- Great quality effects
- Great quality Fender modeled amps
- USB connectivity
- Up to 36 presets
- Fender FUSE software
– CONS
- Some modeled amps didn’t sound too flash
- Not the best for high gain amp sounds
- You must use the Fender FUSE software if you want to apply the Stompbox effects
- Controls on the amp aren’t very useful
Discover more and the price here
What are acoustic guitar amplifiers?
The amplifiers are elements that allow you to raise the volume of the acoustic guitar to be heard in greater magnitude and better reach a voluptuous and scattered audience. It also allows through the equalizer controls, to change the intonation of the instrument and generate unique and characteristic sounds.
There is a wide variety of amplifiers on the market, each of them with different characteristics, amplification modes, inputs for instruments and microphones and especially output power. Of course, the price is a factor that generally determines the quality of the amplifier; However, this is not always true, because if you do a deep analysis (like the one we have done on this occasion) you will find amplifiers that offer more, for less.
Acoustic guitar amplifier brands
The most recognized brands of amplifiers are Fender, Marshall, Roland, Yamaha and others. These offer amplifiers that stand out for the quality of their sound, versatility and particularities that distinguish them from each other.
There are simple amplifiers that are usually compact and versatile, ideal for rehearsing in a room or playing in rooms with few people. On the other hand, there are combos of amplifiers where a part of the set is made up of the control panel with the equalizer buttons, and volume, among others; and the other part, the bugle system or amplification equipment.
How to Choose Acoustic Guitar Amplifiers: our tips?
And to top it off, here are some tips on how to choose the best acoustic guitar amplifier for you:
- distortion is important but not too much. If you play acoustic guitar, the best amplifier for you is one that faithfully reproduces the sound of the guitar. Distortion and other effects are more important for those who play electric guitar, while for acoustic guitarists it is necessary to maximize the natural sound of the instrument.
- choose models with integrated effects. If you really want to use effects, then the advice is to choose an amp with integrated effects.
- always check the inputs and the plug. Most acoustic guitar amplifiers have standard jack inputs, but taking a look at the inputs and the power plug is always useful, especially if you buy your amp over the internet.
- power is not everything. The quality of an amp is evaluated not only by the power, because those who have to play in the studio or in small rooms do not need very powerful amps, but from the sound of the guitar, which must be crystal clear and very precise.
Finally, listen to the opinions of those who have already chosen an acoustic guitar amplifier, and compare with them, to learn about their views and experiences.