Introduction: A Foreword about the Best Fender Amps

1. Fender George Benson Signature Series Twin Reverb

George Benson is a US musician, jazz guitarist and singer-songwriter. Benson uses a rest-stroke picking technique similar to that of gipsy jazz players such as Django Reinhardt. Because of that, this amp is suited for jazz players, but also for rockers and country players using fingerstyle. Jeff Back songs, for example, would sound amazing with this piece of gear. This amp has all the qualities of a good Twin Reverb model, but it is slightly lighter and the settings are a little bit easier to adjust, especially the volume. Because of that, you can dial-in nuances very precisely. Most importantly, you have a lot of different knobs, which results in a lot of tonal possibilities. A 12AY7 preamp tube adds clarity to the Normal channel. The amp includes a reverb and a vibrato/tremolo function. This is an ideal amplifier for players with a sensitive ear, but beginners might want to stay away from it as they might be confused by all the different settings.

For more about Fender George Benson Series, check out customer reviews on Amazon. 

Alternatives for Rock / Blues: Fender 68 Custom Twin Reverb Amplifier/Fender 68 Custom Deluxe Reverb

While the George Benson Signature is an amazing amp, some blues and rock players might prefer a different approach. These two amps are an amazing addition to any guitarist’s kit and will provide amazing results, as well. The differences between the two 68 Custom models are small but can be significant. The Twin Reverb has more settings and allows for more nuanced settings, similar to the George Benson Signature. On the other hand, the Deluxe Reverb is the most beginners-friendly guitar amp in the high-end range, having fewer settings, but retaining the important features of the Twin Reverb. The second important difference is the size and the exact dimensions of the two amps. Anyhow, both of these amps are suited for hard-rock players and dirty blues solos, as they offer more gain and less negative feedback. The Twin Reverb is suited well for metalheads as it works great with pedals and has a mid-control. The deluxe reverb might be a bit easier to dial in and is great for a somewhat easier, sweeter sound. All in all, they are both great and the differences are subtle so just go ahead and you are very unlikely to regret getting one of these.

For more about the Fender 68 Custom, check out customer reviews on Amazon. 

2. Fender Rumble 200 v3 Bass Combo Amplifier

Best Fender Amp For Bass Guitars:

Bass strings seem to cost a fortune, but at least bassist can enjoy an affordable bass amplifier that is great for nearly all genres. In this lightweight combo amp, you got everything a bassist may need. The Fender Rumble 200 comes with a 15″ speaker. It lies in the middle between practice and touring amps, but it works great for both. With the headphones plug, you can enjoy nightly practice sessions without waking up the neighbours.  

The configuration is quite beginner-friendly, yet offers a lot of tonal possibilities. The switch to turn on the horn adds more high frequencies and the 4 band EQ is very intuitive. The amp also comes with some overdrive, which will come in handy if you have to do a Motorhead tribute gig. While the sound is pretty decent, you might want to invest a bit of spare cash into a decent bass compression pedal to even out the tone slightly more. No matter what style you’re going for, the Fender Rumble 200 will not disappoint you.

For more about the Fender Rumble 200, check out customer reviews on Amazon. 

3. Fender Acoustic SFX Guitar Amplifier

The design impacts the tone, of course, and you can clearly tell that this amp was designed by acoustic players for acoustic players. The Acoustic SFX looks totally different compared to any previous Fender amplifier, and even more unique compared to other amps on the market. The design impacts the tone, of course, and you can clearly tell that this amp was designed by acoustic players for acoustic players. Two independent channels with combo quarter-inch XLR inputs, Volume, reverb, phase, effects level, and three-knob EQ on each channel is what this great amp has under the hood. Each channel has buttons for engaging four effects—two delay types, a chorus, and a vibrato effect. This amp is balanced well and it is also portable. There don’t seem to be any problems with this amp, except for some slight problems with feedback on some acoustics, though this issue might be caused by the guitars themselves. In short – great amp for a moderate price.

For more about the Fender Acoustic SFX, check out customer reviews on Amazon. 

4. Fender Champion 100-Watt Electric Guitar Amplifier

Best Fender Amp Under 400 USD:

If you want all of the Fender sound in an affordable package, the Champion 100 will please you. Two speakers, 100-Watt and a lot of tone settings, along with some modern features, make this a great amp for gigging, practice, studio and home.

With the Champion 100, you can do anything you can do with more expensive Fenders and a little bit more. For example, you can switch between the clean and mean of the 2 channels with the kick of a footswitch during a stage or studio performance. Or you can jam along with your favourite songs by using an auxiliary cable and your phone or MP3 player. The Fender Champion 100 provides you with a slew of built-in effects to polish your tone, including reverb, delay/echo, chorus, tremolo, Vibratone, and more. This is a modeling amp that has a lot of EQ settings and will be useful for a lot of genres. That being said, it is by no means a true valve amp, so some aficionados might not enjoy it as much as beginners and intermediate players. While not a real high-end amplifier, it is still an affordable and good practice amp that can act as a quick “grab and go” if you are in a pinch. Also, the amp is available as a hot fiesta red limited edition model.

For more about the Fender Champion 100, check out customer reviews on Amazon. 

5. Fender Champion 40-Watt Electric Guitar Amplifier

The amp has decent sound considering its size and price, but by no means a cluster of great reverb. This amp was made for players on a budget who need a decent practice cool and something they can record with without busting the bank. The amp has decent sound considering its size and price, but by no means a cluster of great reverb. Metalheads and punk rockers might enjoy this one a bit more than the average blues player or jazz cat. It is also more suitable for beginners who need something to play around with. The good thing is that it is also quite affordable in the long run because you won’t have to change any tubes. The effects are quite decent, as well. Upgrading the speaker is recommended as a decent speaker, even if it would cost as much as the amp itself, could improve sound and be used later on with a different amp, as well. Until you do that, it is still very good for headphones practice and jam sessions with friends.

For more about the Fender Champion 40, check out customer reviews on Amazon. 

5. Fender Frontman 10G Electric Guitar Amplifier (BONUS)

Best Affordable Fender Amp For Home Use Under 100 USD

If you are a beginner or are searching for a very affordable amp that is good for home practice, then the Frontman 10G is the most affordable and satisfying solution. The amp is small, simple and gets the job done. This is a very simple and straight-forward amp that is quite good for home practice and headphones-play.

It is one of the best low-end models on the market and offers a durable solution for players on a budget. Considering the very small size and incredibly low price, this amp offers amazing overdriven sound with the push of a button! That being said, you can forget about any serious musicianship with this amp. Keep it in your car as a travel-amp or besides your bed for sudden inspiration surges, but don’t bring it to a recording studio or a concert. It can also act as a Christmas present, but that’s where the cool features end. All in all, this is an affordable amp that is good at doing what it’s meant to do – being affordable and amplifying sound. Nothing less, nothing more.

For more about the Fender Frontman 10G, check out customer reviews on Amazon. 

What amp should I buy?

The answer to this question is rather complicated. There are numerous things that you need to consider, ranging from the style you’re playing, whether you’re playing live or practising at home, and your budget.

The good thing about Fender amps is that they are generally good for a plethora of genres, ranging from blues and R’nR to R’n’B and some harder rock styles.

They often have a built-in reverb, chorus and/or distortion, so that is a nice bonus

Which one is right for me?

The first thing you need to consider is what kind of instrument you’re playing – an electric, acoustic or a bass guitar. Generally, you should get an amp designed for your specific instrument as the amp will contain elements and features most often used with your kind of instrument.

Keep in mind that some guitarists use a bass amp, especially if they are playing hard rock and metal, because a bass amp handles the low-end better.

This generally doesn’t work in both directions and you should not use a guitar amp in combination with a bass guitar, as the lower frequencies can damage the speaker.

There are some exceptions to this, but if you are not sure that you know what you’re doing, just go with an amp designed for your instrument.

Should I use a tube amp or a modeling amp?

While modeling amplifiers have definitely gained a lot of popularity and evolved from the early days, there are still numerous elitists out there who swear on tube amps.

That being said, Fender is a very traditional company and as such, getting a tube amp might be the smarter choice. If you really want a modeling amp, there may very well be much better options out there.

But if you want a great tube amp, Fender is the way to go.

I don’t have a Fender guitar – should I still use a Fender amplifier?

This question, again, has to be answered considering your style and instrument of choice. Generally, a good amp functions equally good with any guitar.

But again, if you are into electronic music, country or metal, you might want to avoid amps that are, for example, designed specifically for blues – and Fender has quite a few of those.

As you can see, there are very many questions that you need to think about before cashing out the price.

There are many great amps available. Hopefully, this guide was useful for teaching you what you need to look out for and we hope that you’ll get yourself a Fender amp soon. Make sure to let us know in the comments below what your favourite Fender amp is. But before you go – and while we’re still talking about guitar amps – you might want to check out our latest top 5 Marshall combo amplifiers review to get even more insight on what to look out for on an amp and to see what different approaches different amp companies use. Have fun!