7 Best Portable Guitar Amps

We guitarists love our amp stacks. But at some point, convenience (and age) plays a factor in what we’re willing to schlep around town for that sideman paycheck. Fortunately, great amps are getting smaller by the minute, and today they can be found packing some surprising maturity, features, and output. Sweetwater guitarists have compiled a list of some of our favorite amps to toss in the back of the van or just pick up and jam with.
Roland JC-22 Jazz Chorus
Icy-cool 30-watt stereo amp with twin 6.5″ drivers

If Robert Smith could have dreamed his beloved 60-pounder would one day be available in a compact combo with looks so cool and layers so lush, he may have gone on to write some cheerier music. Roland’s JC-120, along with its pedal-format derivative, the BOSS CE-1 Chorus Ensemble, is behind some of the most iconic crystalline cleans of the ’80s and ’90s. It’s from this “Cult classic” that the Roland JC-22 drew its inspiration.

The JC-22 is a true stereo combo, with twin 6.5“ speakers driven by two independent 15-watt power amps, a stereo FX loop that’s perfect for taking on pedal effects, and buckets of that famous Dimensional Space Chorus on tap to create three-dimensional results. Even if you only use this amp for its headroom and stereo reverb and chorus, the JC-22 makes a great front end for any type of sound your stomps and modelers can provide. There’s even a headphone out to facilitate private practice.

BOSS Katana Air
Wireless operation and stereo speakers in a mini-head format

BOSS has created a fully wireless jam solution in the head-style Katana Air — born from the class-leading series of Katana modeling amplifiers. Not only is the Air battery powered, making it so there are no power cords to trip over, but it comes with its own low-latency, motion-activated wireless system, so you don’t even need to plug a cable in or flip a switch when you’re ready to rock. It’s truly as convenient as picking up and playing. Inside, you’ll find two custom-tuned 3″ stereo speakers, over 50 BOSS FX to stoke your creativity, and five amp models spanning American cleans to British high gain. USB connectivity and recording-emulated output also make the Katana Air the ideal centerpiece for your home studio.
Not only is it a solid performance platform, but thanks to its Bluetooth media-streaming capability, the Katana Air also makes a sweet little boombox or theater system for any room in your house. Eight AA batteries (you may want to invest in some rechargeables) power this amp and its wireless system for 7+ hours — quite enough for a full day’s warming up, rehearsing, and gigging. And if you need extra output for the stage, using AC power equips this Air with an additional 50% output.

Here’s satisfied owner Nick Bowcott (Grim Reaper) on his Katana Air:

It’s easy to dial in, fun to play, and sounds really good!
It can be 100% wireless — in all ways possible! What do I mean by that? Well, not only does it come with a wireless transmitter for your axe (so no more of those annoying cables causing clutter, getting tangled, or tipping over your drink), but it can also be powered by batteries so you can put it literally anywhere without a pesky power cable.
You can control and edit it wirelessly via a free, easy-to-use app — so you don’t have to get up — not that I’m lazy or anything!
You can play your favorite music (or backing tracks) on it via Bluetooth, and it sounds good that way too.
It’s pretty small, sleek, and inconspicuous so could well stop those annoying “get that darned, ugly guitar amp outta here — NOW” demands from those you live with!
The transmitter has motion-activated transmission, and when the amp is in Standby mode, it will automatically switch on and off — so, once again, you don’t have to get up!

Friedman Pink Taco Mini
Handwired 1 x 10″ tube combo from the man himself

We’re convinced that any amp from Dave Friedman is going to sound great. But color us impressed with the sheer output and variety of textures you get from the handwired Pink Taco Mini — a 20-watt, 1 x 10“ master-volume tube combo derived from Friedman’s world-class stage heads. This single-channeler’s USA custom transformers and 12AX7/EL84 tube complement handle verge-of-breakup Goldilocks tones with the grace and poise of a much larger amp, while still giving you plenty of range to drive that front end well into crunch territory. The Pink Taco Mini’s interactive 3-band EQ section is well matched for the open-back 10“ Celestion Greenback. But for those occasions when you need to fill an aircraft hangar, additional speaker outs let you add more speakers to push more air. Two features we really dig in the Pink Taco Mini are its 3-way gain structure switch, which goes a long way in appropriating vintage and modern tones, and its onboard FX loop — unusual for an amp this straightforward — for positioning reverb pedals and rack gear exactly where you want them in your signal chain. Factor in the undeniable sex appeal of that black Tolex and gold logo plate, and the Pink Taco Mini is likely to earn a permanent place in any Friedman lover’s gigging arsenal.

Orange Rocker 15
Sporty 2-channel tube amp with tube FX loop

Here’s another potent portable that packs some seriously sought-after tube tones. Cleans to means, the Rocker 15 nets you buckets of genre-defying Orange chime ’n’ grind. Two channels and a custom-voiced 10“ Orange speaker are equipped to bring out the best of whatever guitar you plug in — P-90s to humbuckers. In addition to its extra-wide gain range — which really does scream — onboard power scaling, which dials back the output from the full 15 watts to a more bedroom-friendly ½-watt with several stops in between, allows you to engage in the heaviest hard rock savagery without blowing out your family or neighbors. In place of spring reverb, you’ll find a tube-driven buffered effects loop to support your favorite ambience pedals. Especially when you consider the price, the Rocker 15 is a formidable amp in a compact package.
If you’re not big on the black vinyl? The Rocker 15 is also available in classic orange.

Fender ’65 Princeton Reverb
Sweetwater’s exclusive Tweed ’65 Princeton Reverb combo

At 34 pounds, the ’65 Princeton Reverb pushes the envelope for what most would consider a “portable” amp. But take it from Sweetwater — when you consider all this little 12“ combo can do, you’ll soon realize what an open-ended solution it is for the stage and studio. Its 15 watts of high-headroom Blackface quack, cluck, and spunk, driven by a septet of tubes and a highly interactive tone stack through an upgraded 12″ Cannabis Rex, make this amp the perfect platform for pedal lovers. And then there’s the FX: that glorious tube-kissed long-spring reverb and lopsided photocell pulsating tremolo that have been at the heartbeat of American surf, funk, and rock ’n’ roll from the very start. It’s all tucked inside a lacquered tweed open-back cab with a gold-stripe grille cloth, for a package you won’t find anywhere but Sweetwater.

Blackstar Fly 3
Battery powered. Heaps of tones. Ultra-portable.

The smallest and most affordable option on our list is the lunch pail–sized Blackstar Fly 3. No, it won’t fill an auditorium, but it can sure fill a bedroom, office, or subway depot with a touch of Blackstar’s both-sides-of-the-pond signature breakup. One of the Fly 3’s strengths is its straightforward control set. Every function on this amp is represented by a knob or switch right on top of the chassis. But that’s not to say the Fly 3 is limited in range. This amp packs a punchy little clean sound (without a ton of headroom) and a wide range of musically diverse distortion. And, according to Ola, it even chugs.
In place of an EQ control, you’ll find Blackstar’s ISF control, which appropriates the mid-scoop of some high-gain American amps or the mid-boost of some famed British stacks. An 1/8“ aux input on top lets you play along to backing tracks, while a speaker-defeating headphone output lets you jam in whisper silence if you choose.

Yamaha THR10 Standard
Stereo 10-watter — makes a great study amp and audio interface

Yamaha’s THR10 series outlines a full range of 10-watt modeling amps with onboard FX and 3″ stereo speakers. Whether stereo-miked for gigging out, connected to your laptop for convenient USB recording, or filling your living room or jam space with a compendium of classic guitar tones, the THR10s are real workhorses for the home, stage, and studio.
For the most versatile tones covering the most ground, Sweetwater’s pick of the litter is the THR10 Standard. This one amp gives you the bones to re-create tons of tasty amp tones: a chunky, sparkling American clean, a trio of coveted British classics, and a mid-scooped modern American stack that’s great for heavy leads and pummeling rhythms. Classic and Hi-gain versions of the THR10 are also available. Each model includes an easy-dialing selection of stereo chorus, reverb, delay, and more.

Still searching for the perfect portable? Hit us up!
You’ve read about some of our favorites. Now it’s your turn to tell us what you’re after in a portable amp. Give your Sales Engineer a call at (800) 222-4700. We specialize in helping our customers find the perfect gear at the right price.
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