Best budget guitar amps under $500 in 2024: cost-cutting amplifiers for the budget-conscious player

A Positive Grid Spark 2 guitar amp on a rug
(Image credit: Future)

Buying budget isn't as much of a hindrance these days as it once was in the past. Nowadays if you're buying one of the best budget guitar amps you can get a lot for your money, especially with the advent of modeling tech.

If you're looking for a new amp, there's one thing you need to think about – its intended use. If you're just practicing at home, you can pretty much have your pick of the bunch, just avoid those ultra-loud tube amps. If you're planning on gigging your amp, however, you'll need to make further considerations. Your chosen amp will need to have enough power to compete with a heavy-handed drummer, vocalist through the PA, and perhaps another guitarist.

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Michael Astley-Brown
Editor-in-Chief, GuitarWorld.com

Mike is Editor-in-Chief of GuitarWorld.com, in addition to being an offset fiend and recovering pedal addict. He has a master's degree in journalism from Cardiff University, and over a decade's experience writing and editing for guitar publications including MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitarist, as well as 20 years of recording and live experience in original and function bands. During his career, he has interviewed the likes of John Frusciante, Chris Cornell, Tom Morello, Matt Bellamy, Kirk Hammett, Jerry Cantrell, Joe Satriani, Tom DeLonge, Ed O'Brien, Polyphia, Tosin Abasi, Yvette Young and many more. In his free time, you'll find him making progressive instrumental rock under the nom de plume Maebe.

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