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6 Lunchbox Amps That Pack a Punch

lunchbox guitar amps

Need big tones in a small setup? Here’s a collection of lunchbox-sized amps that pack a punch.

Not every gig requires a pair of 4x12 cabs and a 100-watt head. (Sadly.) We’ve rounded up a handful of lunchbox-sized heads that can deliver crystal-clean tones, dirty crunch, and ripping lead tones—all in a very portable package.


6 Lunchbox Amps that Pack a Punch | Tools for the Task

PRS MT15

The MT15 is a commanding two-channel amp with balanced aggression and articulation, designed with PRS Signature Artist Mark Tremonti.

prsguitars.com

PRS
$799

Hughes and Kettner GrandMeister Deluxe 40

The GrandMeister Deluxe 40 combines all-tube tones and smart control features in a supremely playable package. Every knob and switch setting can be easily saved, stored, and recalled.

hughes-and-kettner.com

Hughes & Kettner
$1,479

Orange Rocker 15 Terror

Capable of 15, 7, 1, or 0.5 watts of output, the Rocker 15 Terror is a two-channel, bedroom-friendly, all-tube amp that you can legitimately gig with!

orangeamps.com

Orange Amps
$699

Peavey Invective.MH Mini Head

Designed with Periphery's Misha Mansoor and packed with all-tube metal mayhem, the Invective.MH delivers the ultimate metal tone with legendary gain, pristine clean, and the advanced functionality modern players demand.

peavey.com
Peavey
$799

Mesa/Boogie Mark Five: 25 Head

The Mark Five: 25 delivers 2 channels, 6 modes, and a collection of the renowned Mark Series preamp circuits served up with a brash attitude packaged in compact format.

mesaboogie.com

Mesa/Boogie
$1599

Revv G20

Inside this high-gain powerhouse sits embedded Two-Notes technology, Revv’s classic purple channel, three different aggression levels, and tons more.

revvamplification.com

Revv Amplification
$1199

The two-in-one “sonic refractor” takes tremolo and wavefolding to radical new depths.

Pros: Huge range of usable sounds. Delicious distortion tones. Broadens your conception of what guitar can be.

Build quirks will turn some users off.

$279

Cosmodio Gravity Well
cosmod.io

4.5
4
4
4.5

Know what a wavefolder does to your guitar signal? If you don’t, that’s okay. I didn’t either until I started messing around with the all-analog Cosmodio Instruments Gravity Well. It’s a dual-effect pedal with a tremolo and wavefolder, the latter more widely used in synthesis that , at a certain threshold, shifts or inverts the direction the wave is traveling—in essence, folding it upon itself. Used together here, they make up what Cosmodio calls a sonic refractor.

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The author in the spray booth.

Does the type of finish on an electric guitar—whether nitro, poly, or oil and wax—really affect its tone?

There’s an allure to the sound and feel of a great electric guitar. Many of us believe those instruments have something special that speaks not just to the ear but to the soul, where every note, every nuance feels personal. As much as we obsess over the pickups, wood, and hardware, there’s a subtler, more controversial character at play: the role of the finish. It’s the shimmering outer skin of the guitar, which some think exists solely for protection and aesthetics, and others insist has a role influencing the voice of the instrument. Builders pontificate about how their choice of finishing material may enhance tone by allowing the guitar to “breathe,” or resonate unfettered. They throw around terms like plasticizers, solids percentages, and “thin skin” to lend support to their claims. Are these people tripping? Say what you will, but I believe there is another truth behind the smoke.

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Featuring a preamp and Dynamic Expansion circuit for punch and attack, plus switchable amp simulations.

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Photo by Chuck Brueckmann

Creed extend their sold-out Summer of ’99 Tour with 23 additional dates.

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