In the last few years, the best desktop guitar amps have largely usurped the traditional practice amp. They provide usable tones and effects from the comfort of your desk or Swedish-designed shelving unit. Perfect for beginner guitarists or those seeking a more usable alternative to their beloved tube amps, having a selection of amp and effects tones available at usable volumes is an incredibly useful tool for any guitar player.
When selecting a desktop guitar amp, your biggest consideration should be the size. Some of the options here are positively tiny, but others aren't that far removed from a traditional guitar amp head, so do bear this in mind when selecting one for your space. The majority of our choices all have multiple amp and effects tones available, but if you're looking for a desktop amp that can cover all bases, we'd go for the Positive Grid Spark 2.
For budget tone seekers, the Blackstar Fly 3 gets our nod, coming in at well below the $100 mark. It's a little long in the tooth these days but still performs brilliantly as a low-cost practice solution for home. To learn more about desktop guitar amps, go check out our FAQs section, otherwise, keep scrolling for the very best desktop guitar amps available in 2024.
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Improving upon the original in pretty much every single way, the Positive Grid Spark 2 retains its title as king of the desktop guitar amps thanks to the addition of a looper, more powerful speakers, and a surprisingly useful AI tone generator.
It's been around for a while now but there's still no beating the Blackstar FLY 3 in price. For those on a budget, it's an excellent choice, delivering a great sound for relatively little cash. It's also tiny, so will find a space on even the most cluttered desktop.
Having a load of cables cluttering your desktop is no one's idea of fun while you practice your guitar licks, so the Boss Katana-Air is a perfect choice for those looking to keep their set up neat and tidy.
✅ Buy if you want a desktop amp that can do it all: The sheer range and quality of tones on offer in the Spark 2 are all part of what makes it so popular. If you want tones galore it's the natural choice.
❌ Avoid if you're short on space: This isn't the smallest desktop amp out there, so will take up a bit more room than some of the others on this list.
The original Spark 40 reigned as the king of desktop guitar amps for a long time, but now it finally has a successor. The Positive Grid Spark 2 takes everything that was great about the original and builds upon its rock-solid foundations, adding features, sounds, and improving the volume.
The amp and effects tones here are honestly some of the best we've ever heard. There were plenty of moments in our review that gave us the sort of grin-inducing moments we're used to hearing when playing through our tube amp, and the pure range of sounds on offer means it will have something for every kind of guitar player. With 50W delivered via Class D amplifier, it's plenty loud, too.
The addition of a looper was one of the most requested features by Spark 40 users, and PG has executed it brilliantly here. Incredibly it's actually usable via your smartphone, but it is much better with the optional footswitch. Add in a handy AI tone generator that creates sounds via text prompts, and you've got one of the most complete desktop guitar amps on the market right now.
✅ Buy if you want value for money: The Fly 3 has been around for a while and it costs a lot less than the majority of the amps on this list.
❌ Avoid if you want lots of different sounds: As one of the early desktop amplifiers it doesn't have loads of modeled tones, and just a single delay effect.
As far as portable, battery-powered practice amps go, the Blackstar Fly may be the most popular one out there. This tiny 3W amp not only delivers two channels (clean/ overdrive) but also has a built-in emulated tape delay. It's ridiculously affordable too, so a great option for guitarists on a budget.
It's louder than you'd expect, and you get Blackstar's patented ISF feature which allows you to get the best of both American and British amp tones. The emulated tape delay is surprisingly deep, and it gets even better if you get the Stereo pack or buy the separate FLY 103 extension cab.
The controls are simple and will be familiar to anyone who's used a guitar amp, which makes it easy to dial in a great sound. It can get a little fizzy at high gain settings, but considering the cost you're getting a lot for your money. It can also be battery powered so you can take it outside if you want to.
✅ Buy if you want a wireless option: The Katana-Air includes a wireless transmitter, which means no messy cables cluttering up your desk.
❌ Avoid if you're on a budget: While useful, that wireless option does make this amp considerably more expensive than many others on this list.
The Katana amps have been a big success story, with Roland adding its digital might to make them a popular choice for guitarists wanting to jump to digital. The predecessor to the Katana Air-EX boasted being the first fully wireless amp of its type, bundled with a Boss guitar transmitter and the latest model has made some wholesale improvements.
There are just five amp models, but they’re truly awesome - and you can access over 60 Boss effects that are incredibly good quality. We particularly loved the 'Brown' guitar sound for lead work, and there's a good selection of tones that should cover all the bases you need for at-home playing.
Audio streaming and editing via Bluetooth is standard, and the Katana Air EX can run on batteries too. Power output is a respectable 30 watts (2x 15 watts) when plugged into the mains adaptor. While it's a little more expensive than we'd have expected, after playing one for a while we found the convenience and tone were too good to pass up on.
✅ Buy if you want good volume: This amp is a lot louder than it looks, so if you like to crank it at home now and then it's a great choice.
❌ Avoid if you're using USB-C: The lack of a USB-C is probably a cost-cutting measure, but also can make it a bit of a hassle to link with newer tech.
Fender hasn’t rushed into making a desktop guitar amp, but the one they’ve come up with is really quite good. Taking their popular Mustang modeling amp format they’ve shrunk the size, added full-range speakers, and made a properly good desktop guitar amp.
There are loads of classic Fender amp tones here and it’s all laid out in a fashion that’s super easy to use. The emphasis on actual knobs for tweaking your EQ is welcome, and the large rotary dial makes switching and editing presets a breeze.
Used with the Fender Tone LT App you can expand the sounds of the LT40S massively, adding everything from spanky clean tones right through to nasty, sludge and doom guitar sounds. Add a headphone out, aux in, and a footswitch input and you have one of the most complete desktop amps on the market.
✅ Buy if you need a tiny guitar amp: The Spark Go is minuscule compared to some of the others on this list, making it perfect for those who are short on space.
❌ Avoid if you're playing bass or drop-tuned guitars: Due to its small size, the bass response is lacking a little so it'll struggle to project instruments in the low-end.
It's one of the smallest desktop amps you can get but don't let the look fool you, Positive Grid Spark GO is incredibly loud. Despite only being rated at 5 watts, it offers a room-filling sound and handily doubles as a Bluetooth speaker.
With 33 different amp models, you'll never be short of tones whether it's Fender cleans or Soldano style high gain you're after. As a natural drawback due to its size, it's slightly lacking in the low end compared to a larger amp, but you can eke some phenomenal sounds out of it using presets or crafting your own.
As well as four preset slots available via a button push on the top panel you also get a headphone out and USB-C connector to use it as an interface. Combined with the Spark App you get some powerful practice tools too, like the Smart Jam function that reacts to your playing as well as Auto Chord that works out the chord structures of your favorite songs.
An amp that keeps things simple and focuses on good tone
Our expert review:
Specifications
Wattage: 3W
Amp Models: 1
Effects: n/a
Speakers: 1x4” Orange Voice of the World
Weight: 1.99lbs/0.9kg
Reasons to buy
+
Amazing drive tones
+
Really easy to dial in
+
Excellent portability
Reasons to avoid
-
No effects built-in
At a Glance
✅ Buy if you want a simple plug-and-play amp: The Orange Crush Mini doesn't feature any modeled tones or dedicated smartphone apps. Great for those who already have a pedalboard or just want great tone fast.
❌ Avoid if you like lots of effects: Many amps on this list feature a smorgasbord of different effects, but this amp is just pure tone and nothing else.
The Orange Crush Mini takes the format of the British amp makers popular practice amp range and makes great tone smaller than you ever thought possible. If you’re not one to menu dive and just want to play, the Crush Mini makes it easy.
It’s got that characterful Orange crunch tone when you dial up the gain and whilst the clean tone is nice, it’s admittedly not the loudest. If you’ve ever used an Orange one knob EQ you’ll know it’s far more versatile than you’d first think, especially when used in conjunction with your guitar’s tone knobs.
It’s got a built-in tuner so you’ll always be rocking in the right key, as well as aux input for jamming along to your favorite tunes. Probably the best feature is the 8 ohms speaker out, which lets you use it as a miniature amp head and get that beefy Orange sound without carting around a massive amp.
More options...
The above amps are what we reckon you should be spending your money on, but we also appreciate that guitarists are a varied bunch, so they may not suit your particular needs. So here's a selection of more desktop guitar amps you can consider:
Yamaha THR30II Wireless
30W | 2 x 3.5" | 15 amps | 10 FX The Yamaha THR series doesn't look much like a guitar amplifier, and that's the idea. Styled after home audio equipment, the THR30II can sit anywhere in the home, and the non-guitarists can stream music to it via Bluetooth. Our testing showed convincing onboard modulation, reverb, and delay effects, 15 amp tones courtesy of Yamaha’s Virtual Circuitry Modeling, there is a whole lotta tone here.
★★★★★
Positive Grid Spark Mini
10W | 2 x 2" | 33 amps | 43 FX We've had a Spark MINI sitting on our desk for the last year or so and it's rare that a day goes by where we don't fire it up and blast out some licks. Great for practicing that complex piece or just creating some riffs of your own, the huge variety of amp models and effects means you never get bored of playing.
★★★★½
Blackstar ID:CORE BEAM
10W | 2 x 3" | 6 amps | 3 FX Blackstar’s BEAM (Bass, Electric, Acoustic, and Music) is a popular desktop solution. It’s compact, so it’s great where space is limited, and it features the familiar range of Blackstar clean and overdrive sounds, together with studio-quality modulation, delay, and reverb effects.
★★★★½
Boss Katana Mini
7W | 1 x 4" | 3 amps | 1 FX Part of one of the most popular modeling amp ranges in the world, the Boss Katana Mini is a shrunk-down version that’s incredible value for your cash. Of course, due to the small size, it doesn’t have all the same features as its bigger siblings, but it’s a perfect amp to sit on your desk.
★★★★
Laney Lionheart Mini
3W | 1 x 3" | 2 amps | 1 FX
The market is awash with mini versions of famous amps. Although the Laney may not be the most recognizable, it may be the best. This petite 3-watt amp delivers a big sound that is more than enough for at-home practice, and the rather attractive navy exterior and blue and beige grill cloth mean it looks great as well.
★★★★
Vox Adio Air GT
50W | 2 x 3" | 11 amps | 8 FX This is a strong player in the desktop amp field, helped by Vox’s partnership with another giant in the digital music field, Korg. It has a powerful 50-watt (2x 25-watt) power output, 17 amp models, and up to 19 effects. The Adio can do audio streaming and remote editing via Bluetooth using Vox’s Tone Room app, and it can run on alkaline or rechargeable batteries. The Adio is also bundled with the popular Jamvox app
★★★★
Marshall MS-4 Micro Stack
1W | 2 x 2" | 1 amp | 0 FX We all love the idea of standing in front of a Marshall full-stack and letting loose on some classic rock-inspired riffs and bluesy lead guitar work. Unfortunately, a full stack is just not really compatible with modern-age living: enter the Marshall MS-4 micro stack. It’s small in size but it packs a surprising punch with its 2x2” speaker configuration. As you might imagine it’s a typical hard rock tone, and riffs by Zeppelin and AC/DC pair perfectly with its overdriven sound.
★★★★
FAQs
(Image credit: Future)
What sound do I want from my desktop amp?
With any amplifier, the most crucial thing to think about is the sound you're going for. Granted, you probably won't be playing Madison Square Garden with your desktop amp so it needn't be the most pristine tone ever, but it's important to find the right sound for you nonetheless.
Not all of these multi-channel or modeling amps are capable of re-creating every tone you can think of, so you'll need to put some thought into which desktop guitar amp suits you best.
Which tone do you use 90% of the time? Find an amp that can reproduce that. If you're a blues player, you may want to look for an amp with an authentic low gain sound and a nice spring reverb. For us, the Yamaha THR30II does a great job at achieving this sound. If metal is your thing, then make sure the amp you choose has a solid high-gain setting. The Blackstar BEAM, Katana-Air, and Positive Grid Spark handle the high-gain sounds very well in our opinion.
What effects do I want on my desktop amp?
Next up, you should consider which effects you use on a daily basis. Each amp on this list comes with access to lots of guitar effects, from delay to reverb, compression to chorus, and even octave pedal effects, so take a minute to either consider which tones you use the most, or which tones you want to emulate.
It's no problem if you can't decide though. More and more amplifiers are being designed alongside companion apps, meaning you can download extra effects and presets whenever you want to try out new sounds.
If you're after something app-less but still want to experiment with different effects, then something with a simple user interface is what you need. Something like the Fender Mustang LT40S or Yamaha THR30II is totally beginner-friendly - and as it's capable of loads of tones, it's a great option if you're not quite sure what you want.
What wattage do I need?
Each of the amps on this list has plenty of power for home practice – from around 3 watts to a hefty 40 – so consider where you're going to be using your amp most. If you're only ever playing at home, anything as small as 1W will do just fine, but if you're going to be jamming with others, then more power will be required.
If you're going to be using this amp to potentially gig, then we'd really argue that you'd be better off with any of the best practice amps or guitar amps. The small speakers in a desktop amp will make playing larger spaces difficult, even though they’ll sound loud at home.
How we test the best desktop guitar amps
(Image credit: Michael Astley-Brown/Future)
When it comes to recommending a desktop amp, we are looking for a well-made unit that delivers a versatile tone at a manageable volume for home practice. So for that reason, we'll pay careful attention to the following factors when testing the best desktop guitar amps.
For us, all amps should be well made and sturdy, regardless of their application. Guitar amps should feel robust and able to withstand anything you throw at them - something that's particularly important with a portable desktop amp. Of course, the controls and dials should feel smooth with just the right amount of resistance, not flimsy or unresponsive.
As we are testing desktop amps, we expect to see a plethora of practice aids - such as a wealth of tones, Bluetooth connectivity, headphone sockets, and more. So we'll spend time navigating the added extras to see precisely what you are getting for your money. These features should be intuitive and not so complicated that setting up the amp takes away from your practice time.
Read more about our rating system, how we choose the gear we feature, and exactly how we test each product.
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You can trust Guitar World
Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing guitar products so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
Nick Guppy was Guitarist magazine's amp guru for over 20 years. He built his first valve amplifier at the age of 12 and bought, sold and restored many more, with a particular interest in Vox, Selmer, Orange and tweed-era Fenders, alongside Riveras and Mark Series Boogies. When wielding a guitar instead of soldering iron, he enjoyed a diverse musical career playing all over the UK, including occasional stints with theatre groups, orchestras and big bands as well as power trios and tributes. He passed away suddenly in April 2024, leaving a legacy of amplifier wisdom behind him.
