Best Amp for Stratocaster &#8211; buyers guide 2023

FENDER Mustang LT-25 was launched by Fender after conducting a poll among guitar players. It was Fender’s follow through to the verdict for an overall compact amplifier. The Mustang LT-25 features digital amp modeling, with customizable onboard presets and a simple user interface. The amp allows you to save your presets and utilize the 5-step signal-processing chain path with effects.

Sound Performance

The Fender Mustang LT-25 is a versatile workhorse with 20 amp models to choose from, including the Fender’s own Champ, Twin Reverb, and other popular choices. With multiple effects, modulations, delays/reverbs, Mustang LT-25 is the ideal beginners’ choice over a large variety of genres. Be it blues, jazz, hard rock, or funk – the 8” Fender speakers deliver a great sound especially combined with Fender Stratocaster.

Design Specification

Power: 25 W.
Amp type: Combo digital amp model.
Line Output: Not available.
Weight: 15lbs.

Pros

Digital amp modeling – 20 amp models to choose, customize, and save from.
30 artist-inspired onboard presets that remain faithful to the original.
Stereo aux input. Contains a chromatic tuner, tap-tempo, and other features that make it a must-have.
Moderately priced.
The footswitch is compatible. And USB connectivity.

Cons

The available wattage is insufficient for regular gigs.
No Line Out/mic-in Jack Options.
Bluetooth connectivity unavailable
Can not be run by batteries.

Recommended: Yes, especially for beginners.

To check the current price of Fender Mustang LT-25, Check Price on Amazon

Fender Blues Junior III Lacquered Tweed – A Miniature form of a versatile classic

Fender blues junior III tweed guitar amp

The Fender Blues Junior Lacquered Tweed gives you all you need in a solid practice amplifier for rock and blues styles. This amp has a vintage look and has everything you need to start practicing and learning guitar.

The Blues Junior Lacquered Tweed Is a tube powered 15-watt amplifier. It features a Jensen speaker for authentic tones and it also two El84 Groove Tubes and 3 12Ax7 preamp tubes. This is plenty of to power in a small practice style amplifier. You will be able to create vintage sounds for rock, blues, and classic rock styles. When you plug in your Fender Stratocaster or other Stratocaster. The amplifier comes with the Fender reverb which is famous for its sound. You can also buy the amplifier with an optional footswitch. To improve the tone there is a FAT control button. The amplifier also has vintage styling as well as the old pointer style control knobs that older Fender amplifiers have.

Specs

15 watts
Tube-powered
Jensen speaker
Fat switch
Reverb
One Channel

Pros

All tube powered
Jensen Speaker
Reverb
15 watts for quiet practice
Fat switch

Cons

Lacks power for gigs

The Fender Blues Junior Lacquered Tweed has what you need to play rock and blues with your Fender Stratocaster or other Strat-style guitars. It has enough power for practice sessions and you can sculpt your sound with the reverb and the fat switch. It’s all tube-powered so you get authentic and vintage tones out of this amplifier. For anyone that needs a solid amplifier for rock, blues, and similar guitar styles, this is the amp you want to own.

Vox AC30 – Excellent Tube Amp

For those looking for an alternative to the Fender Twin Reverb, the VOX AC30 is a good choice. The amp produces great tones thanks to the tubes. Many top performers rely on the Vox amplifier to provide them with the sound they want.

The VOX AC30 has a lot going for it. This 2 x12 combo has both a clean and a dirty channel along with a Celestion G12M speaker which gives the amp top-notch sound. You get 30 watts of power so it’s perfect for small gigs where you need a bit of extra power. It has an effects loop in the back so you can hook up your guitar pedals for even more tonal variations. There is an option for an external speaker via a jack. On the amp is a tone cut knob which acts as another EQ so you can set the power section of your amplifier and not the pre-amp. You get more tone control this way. It also has the standard middle, treble, and bass controls. Other controls include tremolo and reverb.

Specs

30 watts
Celestion speaker
2 channels
Reverb and tremolo
3 12AX7 preamp tubes
4 EL84 power tubes
Bypass effects loop

Pros

Great reverb and tremolo
Nice clean tones
30 watts for small gigs
Effects loop

Cons

Lacks distortion punch for hard rock
Footswitch sold separately

The VOX AC30 is a good alternative to the Fender Twin Reverb. You get 30 watts of power which is ideal for a small coffee house style gig. The amp is tube powered so you get authentic tones and it features excellent reverb and tremolo. The AC 30 is another great amp for the Fender Stratocaster or other Strat style guitar that you own.

To check the current price of Vox AC30, Check Price on Amazon

Fender Twin Reverb – The Best Overall Amp For Your Stratocaster

If anything, the history of the Fender Twin Reverb is a testament to its legendary performance. The amp is a versatile favorite and built to last, with a Tolex covering and a birchwood enclosure. It is famous for its clean tone with a 3 band vibrato EQ and an overhead that prevents the gain from overpowering the signal purity. The dual-channel amp can also be operated with a footswitch.

Sound Performance

The Twin Reverb sound profile is characterized by powerful cleans running through twin speakers. Depending upon the reissue, the vintage amp may house a pair of either Celestion or Jensen 12” speakers. The solid-state amplifier has an all-tube circuitry. The 85W Twin Reverb even gives 100W amplifiers a run for their money. Toy with the “Bright” switch option to get the extra shimmer. Plug in an overdrive pedal- if you want the dirt.

Pros

Dual-channel solid-state tube tone powered by 2 12” speakers.
Legendary clean sound with a lot of power at 85W.
Included footswitch for quick-changing.
Lush Fender spring reverb, with vibrato and tremolo control intensity knob.
Rotary output power attenuator.

Cons

Too loud for bedroom practice – perfect for clubs/recording.
Limited effect and modulation/delay options.
Expensive.
Depending upon the year of the issue(or reissue)- there may be slight differences in the Fender Twin Reverb.
The tubes may require replacement at times.

To check the current price of Fender Twin Reverb, Check Price on Amazon

Marshall DSL40CR – ‘Heavy’ in the truest sense of the term

The Marshall DSL 40CR is a solid workhouse for those that need to practice need a dependable amp for smaller gigs. This amplifier has the tone that you want as well as plenty of functionality that isn’t too difficult to use for the beginner. These amplifiers have plenty of new features that you’re going to love.

One of the new features in these amplifiers is an adjustable power setting. You will get the power of tubes and the feel but at any volume that you wish. this means you can have a very low volume suitable for practice in your bedroom or loud volume suitable for your gig. Even on the amp is at a low setting you’ll get a dynamic and articulate range so everything that sounds great.

EQ settings

The EQ circuitry in this amplifier is also been tweaked so you have more flexibility in your EQ settings. Another feature is the emulation output. Both the line-out and the headphone out will give you an accurate emulation based upon a 1960 Marshall cabinet so you’ll get a great sound. For each channel, you also get the discreet master volume. You have resonance controls as well as built-in Reverb for both channels. You also get the great distorted sound of the Marshall amplifier which is perfect for rock, blues, metal, and other styles of music. This is an exceptional amplifier for your Stratocaster guitar

Specs

40 watts
2 channels
Emulation
1 x 12 Celestion speaker
Low and high output
Tube-powered – four 12AX7 (preamp); two EL34 (power amp)

Pros

Enhanced equalizer settings
Celestion speaker for Great Sound
Tube powered
Two channels

Cons

Reverb a bit weak when compared to similar amps

The Marshall DSL 40C will give you the Marshall sound that you crave. It has many enhanced features and sounds great in both the clean Channel and the distorted channel. The equalizer settings have been enhanced so you get even better sound out of your amplifier. If you’re looking for the ultimate amplifier for practicing or for small gigs, this is one you want to buy.

Orange Crush Pro CR120C – Underrated Power And Versatility

The Orange Crush Pro CR120C is a tone machine beat with plenty of wattage for large gigs. This amp has everything that you need for larger gigs where you need extra watts and power. This amp is a solid-state powerhouse made with high-grade components

If you need a lot of power for a gig, the Orange Crush Pro CR120C is a good option. It features 120 watts and it is also a solid-state. You get three reverb settings for varied sound out of your amplifier. You’ll get rich and warm tonal characteristics out of the amplifier as well as plenty of versatility to make the sounds you want to make. There is a global master volume so you can play this amplifier at low levels if you prefer.

Channels

The dirty channel on the amplifier is excellent and you get more range possibilities as there are four stages of gain. You get plenty of sustained out of this channel and the clean channel has plenty of brilliance so chords will ring out a nice and clear. It also comes with 2 x 12 speakers which are 60 watts each. There is also a footswitch and an effects loop for hooking up your pedals.

Specs

120 Watts
Solid stage
3 reverb settings (plate/hall/spring
Footswitch
Effects loop

Pros

Various gain stages for blues to metal guitar styles
3 types of reverb for more variety
Plenty of power
Effects loop and footswitch

Cons

Not quite as nice sounding like a real tube amp but close

I want a very versatile solid-state amplifier that has plenty of power, The Orange Crush Pro CR120C is a good choice. It has two speakers with 60 watts of power each and this is more than enough for even a large gig. It’s nice that this amplifier has three different types of Reverb as well as various gain settings because it gives you more versatility and you can create a wide range of different sounds with this amplifier. It’s also made with solid birch plywood construction so it will last you a long time. It has both an excellent clean channel in addition to the distorted channel. For a professional musician looking for a great solid-state amp, this one is a solid buy.

Marshall JVM Series JVM410C – Classic crunch for rock and heavy metal

The Marshall JVM Series JVM410C is a monster of an amplifier. It has enough power for professional gigs in one compact unit. The amplifier has plenty of great features for any musician.

The JCM series JVM401c by Marshall features 100 watts and 4 channels. It’s a 2 x 12 combo and uses tubes. You get a clean, crunch, and two overdrive channels with the amp. Each channel has three modes which can also be accessed by a footswitch. This gives you plenty of tonal variations in your playing. The 100 watts also gives you enough for professional gigs.

You get an effects loop as well as a digital reverb and each channel has a level control. The amp features two master volume levels. The master controls also have resonance and presence controls for even more sound options. Sculpt your sound with treble, middle, bass, volume, and gain settings. The amp has great clean tones as well as the distortion that Marshall amps are famous for.

Specs

100 watts
2 x 12 combo
4 channels
footswitch
Effects loop parallel/ and series
Channel modes green/orange/red
Tubes: 5 x ECC83 (12AX7s) preamp and 2 x EL34s in the power amp

Pros

All tube power
100 watts for gigs
Celestion speakers
4 channels
Footswitch and effects loop

Cons

A large number of knobs may confuse beginners

The Marshall JVM Series JVM410C has everything you need in a professional sounding amplifier. The four channels give you a lot of options. It has Celestion speakers for great sound and it’s all-tube powered. You get a 6-way footswitch and an effects loop. For professionals looking for great tone, this amp can’t be beaten.

Blackstar Fly 3 Bluetooth – Bit-sized revolution for everyday practice

The Blackstar Fly 3 Bluetooth is an amazing amplifier for practice. It’s a small and compact unit with a big tone and sound. Here is what this amp can do for you.

For those that need a dependable amplifier for practicing, the Blackstar Fly 3 is ideal. This portable amplifier is powered by batteries. the amplifier sounds amazing even at a very low volume two. The tone is enhanced with the infinite shape feature that has been patented by Blackstar. You also get a tape delay effect to help sculpt your sound. For a private practice, there is a headphone output and you can stream music through your phone or another device with the Bluetooth setting. The amplifier is also lightweight and compact so you can take it with you.

Channels

You get two channels for both clean and overdrive sounds. perfect for many different styles of music. You get all of this any small 3-watt amplifier. Can even hook it up to the Fly cabinet which is sold separately and turn this small amplifier into stereo speakers.

Specs

3 watts
2 channels
Bluetooth
Overdrive and clean settings
Stream music
Line out
Battery Powered

Pros

Battery-powered
Clean and distorted channels
Bluetooth ready
Tape delay effect
Compact and portable

Cons

lacks power for live settings

The Blackstar Fly 3 Bluetooth is an exceptional small amplifier for a practice session. you can take the amplifier with you since it is portable and runs on batteries. You get both overdrive and clean sounds so you can play a wide variety of music. Lets’s add the dimension with the tape delay and you can also hook it up to your favorite smartphone or other device and jam along with the music. Great black star style tones with the 1 x 3 t speaker. For those that want to practice guitar in style, this is the one you want to buy.

Fender Bassman 1957-1960 – Colossal blast from the past

The Fender Bassman is a bass guitar amp but because of his great sound has been sought after by guitar players worldwide. They are hard to come by in good condition but you can still find them on the market. There have also been reissue Fender Baseman’s based upon the original model. Many players consider this to be the greatest amplifier ever created.

The amp doesn’t have a lot of settings but it has amazing clean tones and will distort naturally as you turn up the volume. You get a lot of power out of the 50 watts. The amplifier is more sought-after by guitar players than bass players due to the sound it produces with an electric guitar such as the Fender Stratocaster. This amplifier is all to powered which all amplifiers were when they first came out. The amplifier has all pine cabinet which enhances the tone. There are no extras with this amplifier such as reverb your other controls. To get distortion out of the amplifier you simply turn it up.

Specs

50 watts
2 channels

Pros

Amazing sound
Tube-powered
2 Jensen speakers

Cons

Hard to find and expensive

The Fender Bassman Is an amplifier you should pick up if you can afford it and if you can find one. It’s the perfect amplifier for blues, classic rock, and other styles of music for your Fender Stratocaster. It has minimum controls but it sounds amazing thanks to the power and the Jensen speakers. if you’re into vintage style amplifiers and want one that is going to sound amazing, try to find yourself a Fender Bassman.

Yamaha THR 5 – Superb usability with high fidelity

Smaller brother of the THR10- the THR5 by Yamaha is the perfect option for practicing. The amp operates using Yamaha’s famous Virtual Circuitry Modelling(VCM) technology. This allows the amp to simulate an almost identical digital copy of the analog output. In addition, the well-built amp functions efficiently as a recording interface, with excellent software support provided by Yamaha.

Sound Performance

The THR5 produces a high-quality output signal that can be described as warm, responsive, and reflective of good dynamics. The available 5 amp models are all based on iconic amplifiers. Along with highly accurate copies, there is an array of effects that make your practice twice more fun – modulation, reverbs, delays. The THR Editor software also allows compressor and noise gate tweaking.

Design Specifications

Power: 10W.
Amp Type: Digital Amp Modeller.
Line Output: Available.
Weight: 5 lbs.

Pros

High-quality stereo output using VCM technology and 2×3” speakers.
Extremely lightweight – easy to carry around.
Ideal for practice – with Cubase AI recording and playback.
5 superb amp models, along with tons of cool effects.
Can be run by an AC adapter or 8 AA batteries (up to 7 hours)

Cons

Lesser amp models and effects compared to the Mustang LT-25.
As it is ideal for off-stage practice- the amp is not suitable for large gigs.
No preset options; thus, no preferred settings save option.
No options for a footswitch-control.
SIngle input channel.

Recommended: Yes, a very good alternative for the Fender Mustang LT-25

To check the current price of Yamaha THR5, Check Price on Amazon

Top 5 Fender Standard Stratocaster Upgrades

Since its release in 1954, the Fender Stratocaster has remained one of the most popular electric guitars. Its iconic double cutaway body shape and triangular headstock with all six tuning keys on one side is one of the most copied electric guitar designs. The Fender Standard Stratocaster has a distinct tone, and there are a few simple upgrades that expand on this basic sound to improve the versatility and playability of the guitar.

Fender Standard Stratocaster Pickups

$Fender Standard Stratocaster Pickups$

The Fender Standard Stratocaster has three single coil pickups, referred to as the neck, middle, and bridge pickups due to their placement on the body of the guitar. Each of these produces an individual tone, and the five-position switch determines which pickups are in use.

Regular Fender Strat pickups have a crisp, clear tone, but are prone to feedback and electronic hum.

Changing one or more of these pickups radically changes the sound of the instrument, and adding dual-coil humbucking pickups to the configuration extends the tonal range of the guitar significantly. In addition, custom 69 Stratocaster pickups recreate the vintage Stratocaster sound of the 1960s.

Fender Standard Stratocaster Switching Configuration

Fender electric guitars feature a signature five-way switch that controls the pickups by turning them on and off in a set series of configurations.

The three pickups this set up allow the player to either use the pickups singly or to activate pairs together.

By adding a single-pole single-throw switch to the configuration, the player can access every possible combination of pickups on the guitar.

This switch can either be a push-pull potentiometer, or pot, on one of the existing knobs or added as a mini toggle switch somewhere out of the way on the pick-guard.

The five-way toggle switch configuration activates a set of specific Fender pickup combinations.
This arrangement does not allow the activation of the bridge and neck pickups together, as it does on the Telecaster.

The five-way toggle does not have a setting for switching on all three pickups, either.

Fender Standard Stratocaster Machine Heads

Fender Standard Stratocaster Machine Heads

The Fender Standard Stratocaster has cast-sealed machine heads with a low tuning ratio of 14:1.

This ratio is determined by the number of turns that the tuning key must make for the string post to make one complete revolution.
A higher tuning ratio of the machine heads results in more accurate tuning.

Changing the machine heads for a set with a 16:1 or 18:1 ratio ensures that the instrument stays in tune for longer and improves the accuracy of the tuning. Before buying replacement tuning keys, it is important to research the manufacturers’ specifications to be sure to choose a set that fits the holes in the headstock.

Fender Standard Stratocaster String Nut

The Standard Stratocaster comes with a synthetic bone string nut at the top of the neck.

This nut guides the strings from the machine head posts over the fingerboard to the bridge, and because it forms one of the anchor points for the strings, its condition and the choice of material have a significant influence on the tone of the electric guitar.

Bone is a popular choice because it produces good sustain and broadens the guitar’s dynamic range.

Graphite is another good material because it is hardwearing and allows strings to slide easily through the nut slots, keeping the instrument in tune when bending the strings and using the tremolo bar.

Fender Standard Stratocaster Bridge

The die-cast six-saddle tremolo bridge saddle used on the Standard Stratocaster has as much influence on the tone of the instrument as the nut at the other end of the strings.

Original instruments use sheet metal bridge saddles, which give Standard Stratocasters a vintage tone.

Other materials, such as brass and stainless steel, are also good for modifying the tonal qualities of a Stratocaster.

Similarly, replacing the die-cast bridge with a metal version improves the tone of the Fender Strat. The inertia bar on the Fender Standard Stratocaster is also die-cast, and replacing it with steel improves the playability and tone of the instrument when using the tremolo.