The Best Guitar Amp For Blues: 6 Amplifiers Reviewed
There are so many guitar amps on the market today.
And each year more are launched.
So, which should you choose?
In this post, I’m going to review 6 great amps for playing the blues.
Now, to be clear – this isn’t a “best of” list, but it is a list of amps I’ve tested or owned over the years.
Let’s take a look at these great blues guitar amps:
1. Vox AC15 Combo
The Vox AC15 has been around since the late 50s and comes with a unique flavour of British tube tone.
My review of the “Vox AC15C1X” (pictured above):
If you haven’t experienced a vintage inspired tube amp before, the layout of this amp may seem unusual.
You can plug into two different channels. The “normal” channel which just has a volume control, or the “top boost” channel which features a bass, treble and volume control.
Then you’ve got a built-in reverb and tremolo, with a volume and tone cut for the master section. Each channel has a slightly different flavour – regardless of which, you’ll notice that beautiful “chime” that Vox is known for.
Since there’s two channels to plug into, you can use an A/B pedal to add the ability to switch channels.
The channel volume controls are really just gain controls. So, the higher you crank the volume, the more breakup/distortion you’ll get. You can then control the overall level with the master volume.
On the back, you can hook up some extension speakers and a footswitch (not included). But there’s no FX loop. The footswitch jack gives you the option to turn the reverb & tremolo off/on.
I opted for the slightly more expensive version which came loaded with a Celestion Blueback speaker. But, in hindsight, I’d of been better off buying a Greenback speaker separately and fitting it myself – it’d be cheaper and I’d have a spare speaker. Ah, the benefits of hindsight.
The Vox AC15 is capable of putting out a wide range of tones – far more than you might expect. And it sounds great – some of the best tones I’ve got out of this amp have been through P90 loaded guitars.
Of course, tone is entirely subjective. While this may be built overseas, it’s at a good price point and just so happens to be one of my favourite amps. It takes pedals beautifully.
Wattage: 15 Watts
Also available:
The AC15 is available in a variety of configurations. As a head, 1×12” combo, or a 2×12” combo. And with various speaker options. Limited edition handwired models are also available.
Want something louder? Check out the AC30 – it comes in a range of configurations as well.
2. Fender Blues Deluxe
Two of the things I love about Fender amps: spring reverb and great cleans. So, if you find yourself wanting to partake in lush beautiful reverbs and beautiful glassy clean tones, without shelling out for a Deluxe Reverb or Twin Reverb, definitely check out the Blues Deluxe.
My review of the “Fender Blues Deluxe” (pictured above):
Here we have a limited edition FSR Blues Deluxe in Emerald Green. This variation of the Blues Deluxe is no longer in production, but the regular version is a mainstay of Fender’s product line up.
There isn’t much of a difference between the Emerald Green version and the current Tweed version as far as I can tell – aside from the styling (click to see latest version).
On to the review:
Inside, we’ve got two 6L6 power tubes delivering 40 watts of classic Fender tone, three 12AX7 tubes and an upgraded 12” Eminence Governor speaker.
This model has 2 channels – normal and drive. There’s an FX loop which together with those great Fender cleans, makes this amp a decent pedal platform.
But, what I especially like about this FX loop is the controls are on the top, next to the rest of the controls. So, it’s great news for anyone who wants to use pedals with this amp but without the hassle. The footswitch jack socket is on the top too, and the included footswitch will control channel switching and reverb.
On the subject of the footswitch, it has a jack socket rather than a molded connection which is good so you can swap out the included cable with something decent.
EQ controls are shared between both channels and you’ll be able to shape that tone even more with the addition of a bright switch and presence control.
The matching Fender cover is a nice touch too.
Now, I’m not a fan of this stainless steel & reversed lettering on the top panel, but that’s just me. And the power cable is molded – not the usual 3 pin “kettle” lead you’ll find on most amps. This is the only Blues Deluxe I’ve tried out so it’s entirely possible that this was done to ensure the build was as close to vintage spec as possible.
For clean tones, this amp is excellent. The spring reverb sounds just as you’d expect from a classic Fender – awesome. I know the drive channel isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s far better than some of the comments I’ve seen on forums might suggest.
For the money, this is a seriously good amp. Solid build, great tones and a more affordable price point than a lot of others on the market.
While this particular model is no-longer available, you can usually find it in black, or tweed, although not always with the upgraded speaker.
Wattage: 40 watts
Also available:
If you want a smaller amp for home use, check out the Fender Blues Junior. It’s single channel but it’s got those classic Fender cleans and great sounding reverb. Here’s a photo of mine:
If you want more volume, you may want to check out the Hot Rod Deluxe or Hot Rod Deville. I haven’t tried these myself, but I hear they’re quite popular as backline amps in clubs.
3. Supro 1690T Coronado 2×10 Combo
I recently reviewed the Supro 1605RH Head amp, and while this 2×10” combo has plenty of vintage vibe, it’s a completely different animal.
My review of the “Supro 1690T Coronado 2×10 Combo” (pictured above):
The Supro Coronado was the first Supro I added to my collection – the amp that kick started my fascination with the brand.
35 watts. Dual 6l6 output stage and 100% Class-A.
This 2-channel amp is simple but it has a few surprises up it’s sleeve. The first channel is “channel 1+2”, so when you are using channel 1, you can turn up channel 2 and combine both pre-amps. The result? More volume and more gain.
That makes channel 2 the cleanest channel – ideal for your pedals. And this setup should work well with an A/B pedal to give the ability to switch channels.
There’s no reverb on this amp but it does come with tremolo, if that’s your thing.
There’s no FX loop or anything like that and there’s only a volume and tone control for each channel. This is as simple as it gets and that’s one of the things I love about this amp. And it makes a great pedal platform thanks to offering plenty of head room.
So, what does this amp sound like? It’s a stark contrast to the chime of the Vox. The Supro offers warm and full tone, with plenty of character and grit, when you play hard.
Wattage: 35 watts
4. Victory V40 ‘The Duchess’
Victory Amplification are a British amp manufacturer that have become rather popular in recent years.
My review of the “Victory V40 ‘The Duchess’” (pictured above):
‘The Duchess’ is a single channel lunchbox style head amplifier. Despite its size, you get a lot more features than you might expect.
And the fact you have a master volume means you can crank that pre-amp gain to give you some great breakup.
In terms of controls, there’s also the treble, middle, and bass. You’ve also got a digital reverb which you can control from the front of the amp, or with the included footswitch. There’s a mid kick which adds some extra juice to the mid range, and 2 voicing switches.
A toggle switch on the front, gives you the option to put the amp in high power or low power mode.
On the back, we have a few different jack sockets to go to your speaker cab, FX loop, and bypass switches for the reverb/FX loop, etc.
The