If you are not familiar with guitar amp heads, you should know that they are not an amplifier that has a speaker; they are used to transmit the signal to an attached speaker cabinet.  Guitar amp heads are often included in combination amplifier sets, which usually contain a cabinet of several speakers.

So when you need to project your sound through a set of amps, you would use a guitar amp head.  This is obviously crucial to have the sound pass through all amps simultaneously, as well as several reduce the tedious work that would be needed to adjust sound levels on several speakers.  They are also sold as individual pieces and are often bought separately from other amplifiers.  A musician of any experience level can find use in a guitar amplifier head, whether it’s used for a guitarist in a high school band or a recording artist on tour.

You can find guitar amp heads for sale at any major music store, like a Guitar Center or J&R Computer and Music World.  Be careful when browsing different products because they range vastly in price.  They range vastly in price, with the lowest quality ones starting around $100, and can easily cost thousands for record label studio level guitar amp heads.

Blackheart produces some of the best affordable guitar amp heads around.  Their products are often stylish, while still maintaining quality sound.  The Blackheart Little Giant BH5H is a great value at $150.   The Little Giant has 4 dials allowing a guitarist the ability to control his amplifier cabinet from a central location: the bass, treble, middle and overall volume.  If you’ve never dealt with guitar amp heads before, you hopefully can hopefully imagine the benefit of having controlling all your sound from a single panel.  Another great amp head on the less expensive side is the Vox AC4TVH, which has a more classic look with a tan front and white leather casing.  This amp head has been pretty much untouched for the past 50 years and has a very distinct sound that is reminiscent of music of the 1960s.

When people buy guitar amp heads, it’s also common to get a guitar amp head case.  If you’re a traveling musician, it may be a good idea to protect your investment by getting a steel case.  Some of the guitar amp heads on the market have them included, so that is something you want to look out for.  Guitar amp head cases can be expensive, with some of the cheaper ones being about $200.   So if there’s a amp head with casing included, all the better.

When purchasing an acoustic guitar amplifier, there are several things to take into consideration.  First, how loud does it need to be?  If you are a traveling musician and will be playing in large venues, you will want to look at acoustic guitar amps that are around 60 Watts – 80 Watts of power.  One of the best larger-scale acoustic guitar amps is the Fender Acoustasonic SFXII.  One thing to be careful of is the size of the amp.  If you are purchasing an amp that is too heavy to lift, you should probably reconsider unless you have another way to lift it.  If you will be playing in smaller venues or in the backyard, impressing family and friends, then a smaller acoustic amp will get the job done.   One of the better options on the market right now is the Crate CA15 Cimarron Acoustic Guitar Amplifier.  With 15 Watts of power, it is loud enough to entertain while still being small enough to carry anywhere.

From personal experience, I would say an important factor to be aware of is the pick sensitivity of the amp.  Since acoustic guitar amps have a cleaner sound, your flaws as a guitar player are more exposed.  You most likely will not have all the fancy effects to hide behind!  I have noticed that, with many of the acoustic guitar amps I have plugged in to, the sound of the hitting against the string is very noticeable.  This phenomenon is known as picking transients.  Be aware of this when testing out acoustic guitar amps and look for amps with effects or qualities that minimize picking transients.

Of course, when purchasing any sort of amplifier, you will want to hear the sound for yourself.  Make sure to test out the amplifier you are interested in buying.  Just because an amp may be manufactured by a brand you are familiar with does not mean the sound is necessarily right for you.  If you have questions about a specific  acoustic amplifier’s features, it is worth asking an employee at the store for help.  Also, be sure to ask an employee about the max volume before you test it out for yourself.  I would not recommend ever going past 85% of maximum volume for any acoustic guitar amps.  You risk blowing out the amplifier, which could result in permanent damage.

When purchasing electric guitar amps, you have to think about what you need it for.  If you are in a band and will be traveling a lot, you want to look at electric guitar amps that are loud enough for a big show, but also are not too big that it will be impossible to carry.  I was in a band in high school and had an amp that was bigger than I was.  This was great for band practice, but when it came time for a weekend show, it was not worth the hassle of getting the amp out of the basement.  Not only was it incredibly heavy, but also it did not fit in the trunk of our SUV!  So if you are looking to purchase electric guitar amps that pack a punch, try to find the right balance of sound and size.

If you are going to be playing in larger venues, then you should look for electric guitar amps in the 80W-100W range.  Any louder than that and you will either disturb the neighbors or risk hearing damage to yourself!  If you are a casual player and will be playing mostly in your bedroom or in smaller venues, then an amp in the 30W-50W range will get the job done.

When purchasing electric guitar amps, make sure to test it out first.  You want to be happy with the quality of your sound, so make sure you know how the product sounds.  Play around with the bass, treble, gain, reverb, etc.  Don’t be afraid to ask a lot of questions to the salesman if you are purchasing in a store.  Also find out if the electronic guitar amps you are looking at are built with tubes or transistors.  Tubes tend to be more expensive, and in general, audiophiles prefer the sound of tubes to transistors.  I would recommend playing around with both types of electric guitar amps and decide for yourself which sound you prefer.

Another thing to take into consideration is your predominant style of play.  If you are playing a more laid back style of music such as blues, reggae or jazz, then you will not want to buy the same type of amp as a heavy metal rocker.  If you fall into the former category, then you will want to look at vintage electric guitar amps.  These amps have a warm, brighter sound and put more emphasis on returning to the sound quality of music of the 50s, 60s and 70s.  Most electric guitar amps that fall in this category would be considered low-gain amps.  If you are looking for more of a rocker sound, then be sure to check out amps that have good distortion, such as high gain amps.

When it comes to USB guitars, Behringer has become the authority.  You know what you are getting with a Behringer USB guitar because USB guitars are their specialty.  While other guitar companies have begun to create their own lines of USB guitars, Behringer has been doing it the longest and to no one’s surprise, does it the best.   It’s the same reason Lexus builds the best hybrid cars (according to the commercials at least).

There are currently four models of Behringer USB guitars.  The standard model is the Behringer IAXE624.  This guitar has a traditional black and white design and is very affordable at $119.  If you are looking for a more stylish guitar, then you should take a look at the Behringer iAXE629 Metalian.  This guitar is a double cutaway electric guitar with more of a rocker feel to it.   This USB guitar is slightly pricier, but still a good deal at about $180.  Since

Every Behringer USB guitar comes equipped with recording software with easy to follow instructions and does not require any additional purchases.  The USB cable is included as well, along with a guitar strap and three picks.  If you want to hook the guitar up to an amplifier, you have that option as well since it has a port to connect a guitar cable.  The whole setup process takes about five minutes and all it involves is inserting the included cd into your computer.

You are most likely to find the best deal on a Behringer USB guitar directly fmor their website at http://behringer.com, however you may want to take a look at other stores, such as Sam Ash and Guitar Center to see what their prices are like.  Big guitar stores like those often have special sales.

If you are a dinosaur when it comes to computers, then one question you may have is “how do I know if I have a USB drive on my computer?”  Take comfort in knowing that the majority of computers built in the last 10 years have built-in USB drvies.  All new models of PC’s and Mac’s have built in USB drives.  If you have an older computer and still are not sure if you have a USB drive, consult your computer’s manufacturer.

If you don’t know how to play guitar, but are looking to pick it up or have a child that is eager to learn, good news.  A USB guitar is a great method of learning to play guitar.  I know when I was learning to play guitar, I was always self-conscious of my other family members hearing me.  This made it difficult to practice because I would only play when no one was home.  If you have a USB guitar, you can simply plug your electric guitar into the computer and have the computer act as your amplifier.  Since electric guitars are pretty quiet instruments (until they are plugged in to an amp), a USB guitar is a great way of playing without much noise.  You simply can put headphones in, turn up the volume on your computer and play as loud as you want without bothering anyone.

Are you a prolific songwriter who always has new songs and melodies coming into your head?  If you are, then I strongly recommend a USB guitar.  When I was in college, I would constantly come up with new songs, but wouldn’t have the time to set up my recording system and record all these songs.  Once I purchased a USB guitar, it became a breeze.  All you have to do is plug the USB cable from the guitar into your computer and open whatever recording system you use (many USB guitars come with recording software) and strum away!

If you happen to be on a tight budget, even more of a reason to invest in a USB guitar.  They are usually much cheaper than a standard electric guitar with some of the best models available starting at $119.  The iAXE393 by Behringer is a great USB guitar for a musician of any level.  Some of the best places to purchase a USB guitar include Guitar Center and Sam Ash.

Maybe you fall into the category of a guitar owner who has recently become convinced that connecting your guitar to your computer is incredibly efficient for recording and songwriting.  If this is the case, then you probably don’t want to purchase a new guitar.  Not to worry, because you can purchase a guitar to USB interface.  The UCG102 by Behringer is the most popular model and is available for $30.  The only other additional purchase you would have to make is a guitar cable.  Quality guitar cables can be purchased for about $20.