Best
Headphone Amp
Vox amPlug 2 Guitar Headphone Amp
JAM ANYWHERE
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Overall: Provides Up To 17 Hours Of Battery Life. -
Best Feature: Nine Selectable Effects (Delay X 3, Chorus X 3, Reverb X 3) -
TedScore™: 8/10
Best
Micro Amp
Marshall MS-2 Micro Amp, Black
UNLEASH YOUR ROCK ‘N’ ROLL RIFFS ANYWHERE
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Overall: Powered By 9V Battery Or Detachable Power Cable, -
Best Feature: Jack Instrument Input, Volume And Tone Controls -
TedScore™: 8/10
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Winner
Best
Budget Amp
ORANGE CRUSH 20RT
BEST SOUND FOR A GREAT PRICE
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Overall: Perfect for Beginners And Intermediate Players Who Like Rock And Metal -
Best Feature: 20 Watts Of Power, Lightweight, And A Built-In Reverb Effect -
TedScore™: 9.5/10
When it comes to playing electric guitar, you may wonder if you need an amp. Do electric guitars need amps to work?
Well, technically no! You don’t need an amp to play the electric guitar. After all, electric guitars produce sound by amplifying vibrations from the strings. But if you don’t have an amp, only you and the mice nearby will hear you!
Electric guitars need some form of amplifier to produce their sound.
This article will explore why electric guitars need amps, how you can play electric guitar without an amp and what type of equipment you need to get the best sound out of your instrument.
Table of Contents
Why Does Electric Guitar Needs Amp?
The strings vibrate and create sound waves when you play an electric guitar. These sound waves are calm, so they need to be amplified to be heard. An amplifier takes the weak electric signal from the pickups and boosts their volume so that other people can attend them.
An amplifier adds colour and depth to the sound of the acoustic-electric guitar by changing its tone. This allows guitarists to shape their sound in various ways, making it more unique and distinctive. An amp also helps to create effects such as distortion, reverb, and delay. These guitar effects can add texture and interest to a guitarist’s playing.
Can You Play an Electric Guitar Without Amp?
Yes, it is possible to play an electric guitar without an amp. However, you won’t get any audible sound out of it unless you use one of these techniques:
How to Play Electric Guitar Without an Amp
(4 Simple Ways)
Playing Unplugged
Playing electric guitar unplugged is a great way to practice electric guitar without an amp. To do this, remove the output cord and play bass directly on the instrument’s pickups. This will give you an electric guitar’s classic, raw sound without plugging into a real guitar amp or speaker system.
When playing the electric guitar unplugged, pay attention to your technique, as you may not be able to rely on volume or distortion for effect. Instead, focus on developing clean articulation and clarity in your guitar playing for optimum results.
Using Headphones or Speakers
If you want more versatility than just playing unplugged, you can plug headphones or a small speaker into your electric guitar. This is a great way to practice amp without disturbing anyone in the house and will provide you with more options for tonal variation.
Be sure to use a guitar headphone amplifier designed for electrical instruments, as regular stereo headphones may not handle the higher voltage.
Playing With Headphones
Playing with headphones is one of the easiest ways to play without electric guitar amps. All you need to do is grab your favorite pair of guitar headphone amplifiers and hook up your guitar. This method can be used for practice and recording as it provides superior audio quality compared to other methods.
Jam Anywhere with the Vox amPlug 2
DESIGNED FOR: Intermediate to Advanced guitarists
FEATURES: Nine selectable effects (Delay x 3, Chorus x 3, Reverb x 3), Authentic cabinet simulation and VOX’s proprietary analog technology for tube amp distortion.
OTHER INFO: Provides up to 17 hours of battery life.
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8/10
Vox amPlug 2 Guitar Headphone Amp
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
PROS
-
Lightweight and easy to transport -
3 channels offer 3 distinct amp tones -
Folding plug mechanism rotates 180 degrees for easy storage -
Fastest way to get an authentic bass amplifier sound -
Ideal for jazz and fusion sounds -
Automatic power-off feature to conserve battery life
CONS
-
Not ideal for heavier distortion tones -
Awkward design makes it difficult to access all controls easily -
Switching between each effect’s 3 unique parameters can be tricky to manage
The TedScore™: 8/10
The TedScore™ is our unique system of scoring products.
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
Playing Using Speakers or studio monitors
Using speakers or studio monitors gives you the fullest sound possible and lets you get the most out of your instrument. Speakers and studio monitors are also great for mixing music, as they provide a more accurate representation of what your mix will sound like when played back on other systems.
However, speakers can often be expensive and require bass guitar amplifiers or receivers to use them effectively.
Studio monitors also tend to be more costly than speakers but offer an even more accurate representation of the sound you’re working with.
Hear Crystal Clear Audio with the Eris E5 Monitors
DESIGNED FOR: Home or Professional Recording Studios
FEATURES: Peak SPL: 102 dB
OTHER INFO: 1/4″ TRS, Balanced XLR input and unbalanced RCA line-level input.
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9/10
PreSonus Eris E5 Active Studio Monitors, with Stands
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
PROS
-
Powerful sound quality -
Compact size -
Multiple connections for various audio sources. -
Adjustable height and angle for the optimal listening position. -
Includes powerful software suite to enhance your production.
CONS
-
Expensive compared to other studio monitors of similar quality. -
Need for more bass response when not positioned correctly. -
Not suitable for monitoring at loud volumes.
The TedScore™: 9/10
The TedScore™ is our unique system of scoring products.
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
Make Use of Multi-Effects Pedals
Multi-effects pedals are easy to use and require no additional setup or special gear. They offer a vast range of tones in one convenient package, allowing you to achieve anything from vintage tones to modern metal sounds easy.
Whether you’re playing at home or on stage, the multi-effects pedal provides a flexible solution for getting the perfect tone every time.
Unbeatable Tone and Versatility
DESIGNED FOR: Beginners and Pros Alike
FEATURES: Premium built-in looper
OTHER INFO: Record and re-amp via USB, MIDI input/output, guitar headphone amplifier output
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9/10
HeadRush MX5 Multi-Effects Processor
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
PROS
-
Easy-to-use interface -
Mighty processing power with an ever-growing library of effects and amp/cab models -
Multiple connection options for various setups -
Ability to add your external muilti effect pedals or IRs for unique tone customisation
CONS
-
Limited impulse response compatibility. -
No built-in tuner.
The TedScore™: 9/10
The TedScore™ is our unique system of scoring products.
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
Use Computer/Laptop Software or DAWs
Using computer/laptop software or a digital audio workstation (DAW) is the perfect way to hear yourself play guitar. The Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (3rd Gen) is an excellent choice for those who want to practice and record their playing.
It offers two natural-sounding mic preamps with low latency to capture every nuance of your performance and instrument inputs so you can connect your guitar directly.
Step into the Studio with Focusrite Scarlett
DESIGNED FOR: Beginners and Intermediates
FEATURES: I/O: 2 x 2
OTHER INFO: A/D Resolution: 24-bit/192 kHz
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8/10
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2
(3rd Gen)
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
PROS
-
Compact design for portability -
High-performance audio converters -
USB-C Connectivity -
Easy to set up and use
CONS
-
Not ideal for very high-end recordings -
Lack of additional inputs and outputs.
The TedScore™: 8/10
The TedScore™ is our unique system of scoring products.
The professional musician who wrote this article combined many things,
from the product build, manufacturer’s reputation through to feedback
from other users, to create our famous TedScore™.
Use Smartphone/Tablet Apps
If you’re looking for a more casual and convenient way to play electric guitar without an amp, smartphone or tablet apps are a great option. Plenty of apps available offer high-quality tones and guitar effects as well as lessons and tutorials so you can learn how to play the instrument effectively.
Get Professional Quality Audio and Video with iRig Recorder
DESIGNED FOR: Beginners to Experienced Users
FEATURES: Compatibility: Requires iOS 11.0 or later.
OTHER INFO: 16 studio-quality effects
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8/10
iRig Recorder LE
When you check the price above, you’ll see there are loads of great places to buy this item. Our personal favorite is Gear4music.
It is the largest music retailer in the UK and fast becoming the most respected online music shop in the US too. Their customer service is excellent, they have competitive prices, really fast shipping, and usually have the longest guarantee.
Most professional musicians use Gear4music, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t too!
PROS
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One-Touch Recording -
Non-Destructive Editing Tools -
Waveform Editing -
Voice Optimization Effects -
Easy-to-Use audio Interface -
Support for IK Multimedia Audio Interface, which allows you to transfer guitar signal
CONS