Best Guitar Amp Under $500

We will show you how far your $500 can take you with our selection of the best guitar amps under 500 bucks.

No need to go above your budget, these sub $500 guitar amps offer sound, functionality and looks that can rival more expensive amps. As a bonus, we've included video demonstrations of the amps so you can see and hear for yourself how the amps sound and perform.

Vox Valvetronix VT80+

You will be surprised that your $500 can now buy you a full featured hybrid tube amplifier with enough change to buy accessories or even a good effects pedal. You get modeling technology combined with a power amp circuit that uses a 12AX7 vacuum tube. This 120W combo amp has 99 preset programs - 8 user (2 banks x 4 channels), 33 amp models and 25 effects models which will cover a wide variety of musical applications. The amp also features a power attenuator for cranking up the amp in low volume levels. This makes it usable in live, studio and room situations.

Vox Valvetronix VT80+ Video Demo:

Blackstar HT-5R

Blackstar amplification has gained popularity especially among high gain enthusiasts. And rightfully so as their amps are built to give off awesome high gain tones that many metal and rock fans adore. The smaller 5 Watt HT-5R combo amp is designed for practicing and recording. It has two channels powered by an ECC83 preamp tube and a 12BH7 power tube and features the same preamp used in the popular Blackstar HT Pedal series. The clean channel is nice, but it shows its true black color in the gain channel where you can get various tones by adjusting the gain.

Blackstar HT-5R Video Demo:

Peavey Vypyr Tube 60

The Vypyr Tube 60 is Peavey's very own hybrid amplifier, combining tube driven preamp and power amps with digital modeling technology. They literally packed this amp with as many effects and amp models that they can - 12 modeled amps with 2 channels each, 11 stompbox style effects and 11 rack effects - and you can run up to 5 effects simultaneously thanks to its 32-bit floating point Sharc processor. It can also work as an audio interface for computer recording. Bringing the digital models to life are two 6L6GC and one 12AX7 tubes, which produce impressive tones. This amp brings amazing value and performance for its price.

Peavey Vypyr Tube 60:

Fender Pro Junior III

The Pro Junior III gives you excellent Fender tube tone for blues and rock guitar playing in a compact size. This 15 watt amp offers fat mid tones that is characteristic of EL84 output tube, warm 12AX7 preamp tube overdrive and real spring Reverb. To protect the tubes, the amp feature rattle-reducing shock absorbers. What this amp lacks in features, it makes up for with straightforward great tone. Finally, the controls and layout are set so you won't get lost and instead you can focus on making soulful music, this is a highly recommended amplifier for tube aficionados.

Fender Pro Junior III Video Demo:

Line 6 Spider IV 150

The Line 6 Spider IV 150W is probably the best guitar amp under 500 bucks. The Spider IV model is currently the top selling amp in the US, and this is because of its respectable sound and its overwhelming features. For instant playing, you get 300 signature guitar tones dialed in by rock stars themselves, and you also have 200 song-based presets for easy access to familiar guitar tones. If that is not enough, you can play with 16 amp models and its 20 built-in effects to create your own signature tone. With the Line 6 Spider IV 150, your $500 is well spent.

Line 6 Spider IV 150 Video Demo:

Peavey Bandit 112

The Bandit 112 is a popular workhorse amplifier that carries on the over 30 year legacy of the Peavey Bandit amp series. It is designed to produce the various tones used in various styles of music, so you won't have to carry extra amps to a gig. This two channel amp comes with EQ controls, as well as a pre and post gain knob which lets you dial in the tones you need. It also comes with a reverb and boost level knob. If you are playing music that crosses musical genres and you are looking for a reliable amp that will get you through the day, this is for you. .

Peavey Bandit 112 Video Demo:

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