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Best Acoustic Guitar Amp

We have taken a good look at the best acoustic amps, amplfiers with “wooden hearts” that faithfully reproduce minute details of your acoustic guitar sound and playing.

While electric guitar amps add their sonic signatures to guitar tones, acoustic guitar amps should faithfully capture your playing technique and excel in transparency. The resulting sound should have a natural wooden tone that is as crisp and clear as possible. With this in mind, we have selected the most sought after and well received acoustic guitar amplifiers, while considering important gigging factors like aesthetics, build quality, built-in effects, EQ and road worthiness.

The recommendations below are based on our research, experience, opinions and feedback we’ve received. For a different approach there is a similar guide on Gearank.com which lists the best acoustic amplifiers based upon a statistical analysis of over 3,800 customer, user and expert reviews, and ratings and forum discussions – The Best Acoustic Guitar Amps – Under 50W, 100W & 100W+.

AER Domino 3

AER Domino 3

If you ask experienced acoustic guitarists, it is very likely that they already own, or want to own, an acoustic guitar amp from AER. These amps don’t come cheap, but many still save up knowing that they are investing in top-notch quality acoustic amplification. With their impressive sounding amps that offer great portability, AER leads our list of great acoustic guitar amps.

One of the bigger and powerful amps in their line is the AER Domino 3, a powerful combo acoustic amp that can handle bigger venues and yet remain reasonably light, with two 100 watt amplifiers pushing stereo sound into two 8″ dual-cone speakers. It also has four input channels that can act as a mini PA with built-in effects, ideal for pickup and mic combinations that will let you have better acoustic dynamics and tone. With big name artists like Tommy Emmanuel endorsing this brand, you can be assured that you are getting the best in class acoustic amp. Manufacturer: AER

Get the latest AER Domino 3 price and customer reviews at Amzon.com

If the price tag of the Domino 3 is a bit too much for you then here are two lower powered and more affordable options available from Amazon.com:

Tommy Emmanuel playing through an AER Domino

Trace Elliot TA 200

Trace Elliot TA 200

The Trace Elliot TA 200 is a 2-channel amp that is meant to be an all-in-one tool for gigging guitarists. It features 200 watts of stereo power driving four 5″ Neodymium Celestion speakers, which is more than enough to cover the usual acoustic guitar gig venues. Advanced pickup combinations are possible with the TA 200, thanks to its 1/4″ jack input that comes with a piezo switch. This amp is ideal for singer-songwriters, with its phantom-powered combo jack for plugging in your microphones, this means that it can amplify both your acoustic guitar and your voice.

The TA 200 also comes bundled with acoustic guitar friendly effects that include phaser, chorus, flange, tremolo, and various delays. Aside from great sounds, this amp is built for the road, with a sturdy exterior. It also comes with a built-in auto-compressor on both channels to keep you from overdriving the amp, protecting its interior. Check out singer-songwriter and acoustic guitar wizard Jon Gomm as he puts this amp to its paces, and see for yourself why the Trace Elliot TA 200 amp is highly recommended. Manufacturer: Trace Elliot.

Roland AC-90

Roland AC-90

Roland amps are sought after by electric guitar players for their transparent sound, so it’s not surprising for them create some of the most transparent sounding acoustic guitar amps, particularly the Acoustic Chorus amplifier line. On top of the amps’ impressive clarity and note separation, they also sport a slick and modern look that blends well with any studio or stage. The AC-90 is the mid-sized model of the series that features just the right amount of volume and versatility while still remaining portable and reasonably priced.

The dual channel 90 Watt amp powers two neodymium speakers, and is configured to work well with the built-in multiband stereo chorus effect that Roland is known for. This light amp is surprisingly flexible, with a guitar input that can be optimized for either magnetic or piezo, and it has a mic input that supports phantom power. Other features include phantom anti-feedback, and useful effects that include delay and reverb. From busking, to weekend gigs, to studio recording, the AC-90 acoustic guitar amplifier will get the job done. Manufacturer: Roland | Get the latest Roland AC-90 price and customer reviews at Amazon.com

Marshall AS100D

Marshall AS100D

The Marshall brand needs no introduction when it comes to electric guitar amps, but what you might not know is that they make some highly rated acoustic guitar amps and the Marshall AS100D is one of their most popular amps in this category having a Gearank score of 92/100 at the time of writing.

It delivers a crisp and clear tone via its two 8 inch Celestion speakers and two Tweeters, but it also has some nice built-in effects: Chorus, Reverb, Flanger and Delay in addition to its effects loop. Feedback can be a problem with acoustic guitars so Marshall have also included anti-feedback controls.

Watch the product demo video above to see the full range of features that have impressed so many reviewers. Manufacturer: Marshall | Get the latest Marshall AS100D price and customer reviews at Amazon.com

Fender Acoustasonic 150 Combo

Fender Acoustasonic 150 Combo

Fender is another electric guitar amp builder that has seen success with amplifiers for acoustic instruments. Although more popular for their traditional clean sounding amps, Fender does not shy away from adding modern tech into their products. Instead of simply going for basic transparency, the company decided to go for versatility by adding modern tone shaping features. Case in point, the Acoustasonic 150 comes with a “voicing control” feature that simulates the tones of various acoustic guitar shapes, allowing for flexibility that is usually only available from electric guitar amps.

At 22.5 lbs, this amp is quite formidable with 150 watts powering independent guitar and mic channels. Other features include feedback elimination, String Dynamics control to tame harsh highs, and built-in effects that include reverb, delay, chorus, Vibratone, and more. Being able to directly record via a USB connection is another nifty addition to this full featured amplifier. And best of all, the Acoustasonic 150 comes with a very reasonable price tag easily giving you the best value for your money. Manufacturer: Fender | Get the latest Fender Acoustasonic 150 price and customer reviews at Amazon.com

Fishman Loudbox Artist

Fishman Loudbox Artist

Fishman is one of the biggest names in the acoustic guitar pickup scene, so it should follow that they know how to build quality acoustic guitar amps. And the most popular among their line of amps is the Loudbox Artist, a reasonably priced portable combo amp that has been receiving consistently great reviews. This 120 watt bi-amplified acoustic amp is a great example of their expertise, providing your with fantastic acoustic tones without breaking your bank or your back.

For its price, the Loudbox Artist hosts a number of essential and practical features including traditional EQ, gain and anti-feedback. Users have been praising how the amp can perform at high volumes with minimal feedback issues. It even comes with two effect sections, allowing you to apply reverb, delay, chorus, flanger and echo. Finally, all these features are packed into a good looking cabinet with a classy wooden look, provided by its brown Tolex side panels, brown grille cloth, and beige aluminum control panel. Manufacturer: Fishman | Get the latest Fishman Loudbox Artist price and customer reviews at Amazon.com

Genz Benz Shenandoah Shen 300LT

Genz Benz Shenandoah Shen 300LT

Genz-Benz gained popularity by adding a touch of vintage warmth to the acoustic guitar amplifier equation. The resulting tone is more akin to the sound of acoustic guitar on old records, carrying a characteristically analog sound while still having the clarity and dynamic response required by acoustic instruments. The Genz Benz Shenandoah Shen 300LT delivers this unique amp’ed acoustic sound in a 300 watt, 2-channel stereo combo amp ideal for medium to big venues.

This is a class D amp that powers two 10″ neodymium cast-frame loudspeakers and compression bullet tweeters. To deal with feedback, the Shen 300LT comes with impressive feedback resistance and enough headroom so you can use its full capacity. Although it lacks the bells and whistles found on other amps, it makes up by providing you with convenient rig integration via the effects loop, tuner out, input phase reverse circuitry and controllable tweeter levels. These premium features however come with a premium price tag, but all things considered, the Genz Benz Shenandoah 300LT is well worth the investment. Manufacturer: Genz Benz.

We are pretty sure we got all the best acoustic guitar amps covered, but if you know of other amps that our readers should know about, you can share it through the comments.

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8 thoughts on “Best Acoustic Guitar Amp”

  1. Small Speakers
    iSchneggs

    Yes, combo amps are using small speakers with terrific effect. Speaker size is relevant to amp output power: to get the same dB volume, an amp has to work harder to move the smaller cone. Think of larger cones as more efficient, however, smaller cones have more detail and refinement in the mid- to upper-ranges. Andrew Jones for example is kicking butt with 6.5″ inch cones in his newly designed Elac Debut speakers which rival the sound quality of substantially larger and more expensive cones. And with new materials like neodynium, and efficient class-D amplifiers, why not minutiarize and lighten the load?

  2. Why do acoustic amps have small speakers?
    JazzyJ

    Why do most/all of the acoustic guitar amps have small speakers? To find a 10″ or 12″ speaker in an acoustic amp seems rare…..

    I know that speakers have developed in recent years, but I’m if the understanding that a bigger speaker gives a fuller sound.

    What’s the story folks?

    1. Portability
      Alexander

      I can’t speak for the them, but my hunch is that manufacturers are probably just trying to keep the weight low for portability. Also the added low-end of bigger speakers can be problematic for feedback prone acoustic-electric guitars.

  3. Acoustic amps
    Anonymous

    I would like to know which acoustic guitar amp would best meet my needs. I like to record my own sound track with back up instruments, transfer the track to my phone or ipad and play the track through an amp and sing the song with my own back ground music.

  4. Acoustic Guitar Amp value
    Dan Martin

    Every acoustical guitarist should seriously consider the value offered by Carvin’s “AG” line of acoustic guitar amplifiers. Carvin’s AG amps begin at about $400.

  5. Choosing an acoustic amp
    Anonymous

    Help!

    I’ve spent a very long time researching acoustic amps,playing them in stores and reading everything I can find on the internet.Like Goldilocks,some are too expensive,some too heavy,some lack the features I’d like.So,here’s my question:Between Fishman Loudbox artist,Marshall as100d,Roland ac90 and fender passport pro 300,what do you recommend?I will use it with a shure sm58 mic,and a Jumbo guitar with a Fishman matrix infinity pick up,and hope to find something around $750 or less

    I’d appreciate your advice,as I’m a novice with amps.

    1. Roland AC90
      Alexander

      If you can, it would be best to bring your main acoustic guitar when you test amps in a store, you can then easily pick out which one responds well with your playing and your instrument. My best bet among your selection would be the Roland AC90, although you will have to extend your budget a bit, you will find that its versatility and sound (especially its mic input) – is worth the extra cost. Fishman Loudbox would also be a great choice – specially since your guitar has Fishman pickups, plus you get to save some money for whatever else you need.

      Good luck!

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