Best Acoustic Guitar Amp Under $300

Best Acoustic Guitar Amp Under $300

Whether you play acoustic or electric guitar, buying a good quality amplifier on a budget is challenging. When you narrow that to our choice topic (an acoustic instrument), the job doesn’t get easier. That’s why this list includes our selection for the best acoustic guitar amp under $300.

In the rest of this article, we will dig through five options you have for selecting a good acoustic amp. We’ll also provide you with things to look out for to ensure you choose one of superb quality.

Five of the Best Acoustic Guitar Amps Under $300

Here is our top five list for the best acoustic guitar amp under $300:

Fender Acoustasonic 40 Acoustic Guitar Amplifier Bundle with Instrument Cable, Picks, and Austin Bazaar Polishing Cloth
Positive Grid Spark 40-Watt Combo Practice Guitar Amplifier Electric Bass and Acoustic Guitar Amp with Spark Mobile App
Acoustic Guitar Amplifier, 40 Watt Portable Rechargeable Acoustic Electric Amp for Guitar, Keyboard with Bluetooth, 3 Channel, 2 Band EQ, Reverb, Black
Roland MICRO CUBE GX Portable 3-Watt Guitar Amplifier, Black
Huntington Acoustic Guitar Amplifier (AMP-G10)
Fender Acoustasonic 40 Acoustic Guitar Amplifier Bundle with Instrument Cable, Picks, and Austin Bazaar Polishing Cloth
Positive Grid Spark 40-Watt Combo Practice Guitar Amplifier Electric Bass and Acoustic Guitar Amp with Spark Mobile App
Acoustic Guitar Amplifier, 40 Watt Portable Rechargeable Acoustic Electric Amp for Guitar, Keyboard with Bluetooth, 3 Channel, 2 Band EQ, Reverb, Black
Roland MICRO CUBE GX Portable 3-Watt Guitar Amplifier, Black
Huntington Acoustic Guitar Amplifier (AMP-G10)
Price not available
$269.00
Price not available
$498.46
$44.11
Fender Acoustasonic 40 Acoustic Guitar Amplifier Bundle with Instrument Cable, Picks, and Austin Bazaar Polishing Cloth
Fender Acoustasonic 40 Acoustic Guitar Amplifier Bundle with Instrument Cable, Picks, and Austin Bazaar Polishing Cloth
Price not available
Positive Grid Spark 40-Watt Combo Practice Guitar Amplifier Electric Bass and Acoustic Guitar Amp with Spark Mobile App
Positive Grid Spark 40-Watt Combo Practice Guitar Amplifier Electric Bass and Acoustic Guitar Amp with Spark Mobile App
$269.00
Acoustic Guitar Amplifier, 40 Watt Portable Rechargeable Acoustic Electric Amp for Guitar, Keyboard with Bluetooth, 3 Channel, 2 Band EQ, Reverb, Black
Acoustic Guitar Amplifier, 40 Watt Portable Rechargeable Acoustic Electric Amp for Guitar, Keyboard with Bluetooth, 3 Channel, 2 Band EQ, Reverb, Black
Price not available
Roland MICRO CUBE GX Portable 3-Watt Guitar Amplifier, Black
Roland MICRO CUBE GX Portable 3-Watt Guitar Amplifier, Black
$498.46
Huntington Acoustic Guitar Amplifier (AMP-G10)
Huntington Acoustic Guitar Amplifier (AMP-G10)
$44.11

Fender Acoustasonic 40 – The Best Overall

Fender Acoustasonic 40 Acoustic Guitar Amplifier Bundle with Instrument Cable, Picks, and Austin Bazaar Polishing Cloth
  • Portable amplification for acoustic-electric guitar and microphone
  • 40 watts
  • The only Fender guitar amp to use a “whizzer” cone — a small supplementary speaker cone attached to the voice coil of the amps 6″ speaker
  • For extra ambience, the Acoustasonic 40’s instrument channel features built-in reverb
  • The Acoustasonic 40’s convenient dual front-panel inputs include a standard 1/4″ jack for an instrument and an XLR input for a microphone
ProsCons
Fender is a proven brand of amplifierFewer features than the previous Acoustisonic model
Includes two plugs for both mic and guitarIt has no onboard computer system
Solid sound at the priceNo Bluetooth
Great for your basement practice sessions 

If you know anything about Fender, you know that there’s no surprise that they find themselves at the top of this list. The Fender Acoustasonic might be slightly weaker than the previous Acoustasonic 30, but it’s still one of the best cost-effective amps on this list.

Everything from volume control to bass, treble, middle, and reverb you can adjust on the front. IF you were expecting something you can integrate with your computer system, that is untrue. Instead, this is great for your classic small-time garage band setup. For people who love to practice in their basement without computerized distractions, this is the real deal.

The 40-watt system includes plugs for both the microphone and instrument. It also has a built-in chorus effect for greater depth. While this smaller amp won’t fill a stadium, you can easily entertain a small group at a bar.

Positive Grid Spark Guitar Amplifier – The Best for Beginner Musicians

Sale
Positive Grid Spark 40-Watt Combo Practice Guitar Amplifier Electric Bass and Acoustic Guitar Amp with Spark Mobile App
  • Smart Jam learns your style and feel, generating authentic bass and drums to accompany you
  • Access to 50,000+ amp-and-FX presets on ToneCloud, powered by PositiveGrid’s BIAS realistic virtual tube amps and effects for Guitar, Acoustic or Bass
  • Import your music from Spotify, Apple Music or YouTube and Spark’s smart app will auto display the guitar chords in real time
  • Powerhouse 40 Watt combo includes onboard tone stack controls, effects, tone starter preset programs, a built-in tuner, tap tempo and more
  • Use Spark as a USB audio interface to record with your favorite DAW or recording software.
ProsCons
Great for musicians looking for something to integrate with their computerNot suitable for those who don’t prefer to work with their smart devices.
Allows you to have numerous presetsThe drum machine effect is a bit dated.
It has the option to include play-along tracks, making this excellent for beginners.It’s a bit more expensive than most on this list.
  

The PositiveGrid Spark Amplifier is more than just a guitar input for musicians. It’s a complete practice machine. Like the Fender, we see a return to about 40 watts of power, making this more suitable as a practice amp. It will also do well in a small setting, but its “practice amp” is heightened by its computerized features.

Its built-in effects include backing tracks that allow you to be a one-person jam session. The USB audio interface allows you to plug in backing tracks. If you want to practice following a beat, this is the amp and system for you. You shouldn’t expect any of those beats to be usable in a public setting.

The application has a system that allows you to import music from Spotify, Apple, or YouTube and displays the guitar chords in real-time. The sound quality suffers a bit as a result of their emphasis going elsewhere. Regardless, this is the ultimate practice experience at this price range.

Vangoa Acoustic Guitar Amplifier – Great Features

Acoustic Guitar Amplifier, 40 Watt Portable Rechargeable Acoustic Electric Amp for Guitar, Keyboard with Bluetooth, 3 Channel, 2 Band EQ, Reverb, Black
  • [Inspiring Sound] Equip a 8-in woofer and a 1.8-in tweeter, this 40-watt portable acoustic guitar amp makes your acoustic tone shine through with enhanced clarity and definition. A better sound performance will inspire you to practice more. With onboard reverb, it adds space to your tone and brightens up your stage with a glorious, transparent, natural tone
  • [More Convenient to Use] Acoustic amp for guitar has 1 input for guitar with 2-band EQ, especially adds 2 inputs for mic, keyboard with separate reverb, volume control, perfectly suits delicate sound adjustment. A suite of useful features makes it an ideal partner for home practice, busking, outdoor playing, and even live performance, such as 5.0 BT, USB, aux-in, MP3, DI out, 9V power supply, etc.
  • [Stable Powerful Battery Life] This on-the-go rechargeable acoustic guitar amplifier packs everything you need to perform and rehearse wherever you travel, lasting for 8-10 hours after 5 hours of charging, depending on the playing volume. Gigging players will love the red LEDs to warn you if it’s clipping
  • [Practical Durable] A built-in tilt aids projection further and is pleasing to ears. The ability to mount on a stand is very handy on stage. The guitar acoustic amp is compact and light enough to take on public transport, the easy-cleaning black, sturdy handle and sounded edge covers offer excellent protection and convenience
  • [Buy with Confidence] Vangoa offers a 1-year guarantee and lifelong after-sales service. The acoustic amp for guitar comes with an upgraded manual, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact us via the buyer-seller message, you could rest assured that you will receive our best care
ProsCons
Amp typically comes charged right out of the boxBluetooth has the potential to cause interference
It has an easy-to-use Bluetooth feature.Sound quality suffers from the third instrument
It allows for three instruments. 
It runs up to eight hours on a charge. 

As another little amp on this list, this little amp has excellent sound and is pretty easy to set up. Don’t expect any fancy practice features, but it does have everything you need for a 3-band EQ. This amp has room for three instruments which includes everything from electric guitar to mic inputs.

Another fancy feature behind this includes its ability to hold an extended charge. That means if you happen to be a three-person band in a small gig, this will handle all three of you. The sound quality does suffer if you have too much noise going on at once.

The amp is also known to support built-in reverb, Bluetooth features, and an included stand for public shows. With some excellent features, this could be a great addition to your home practice. It supports acoustic players, bass guitars, and any musical instrument with the right connections.

Roland Micro Cube GX – Best for Portable Use

Roland MICRO CUBE GX Portable 3-Watt Guitar Amplifier, Black
  • Ultra-compact guitar amp with custom-designed speaker (Best with Polaroid AA Batteries)
  • Eight COSM amp tones, including the ultra-heavy EXTREME amp
  • Eight DSP effects, including HEAVY OCTAVE and dedicated DELAY/REVERB with spring emulation
  • i-CUBE LINK jack provides simple audio interfacing with Apple’s iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch (interface cable included)
  • MEMORY function for saving favorite amp and effects settings
ProsCons
The ultimate in portabilityThe jack’s material is plastic
Memory setting for saving favorite presetsNot specifically an acoustic amplifier
You can use it with AA batteriesNot powerful enough for most uses
 Eats AA batteries at a high rate

With a power supply that relies on a whopping six AA batteries, The Roland Micro Cube is a unique beast on this list. While it wouldn’t be on a list of the best electric guitar amps, it’s also not specifically an acoustic amplifier. Still, this thing has a solid amount of power at three watts.

The cube has a surprising ability for natural sound. It also has reverb effects, which is unusual for an amp of this size. While it will enhance the overall noise of your acoustic performance, this amp is best at home. While it is easy to move, don’t expect to use this in any environment louder than a coffee house.

Everything on the control panel is up top (they had no room in the front). It includes the instrument input and your standard controls (bass, reverb, treble, etc.) You may also notice that the included jack is plastic, which is a concerning quality issue. Regardless, this thing is still one of the most portable and affordable options among amplifiers.

Huntington Acoustic Guitar Amplifier – The Best Budget Option

Huntington Acoustic Guitar Amplifier (AMP-G10)
  • Huntington 10-Watt Mini Amp
  • Includes 5 control knobs and gain
  • Includes volume and treble
  • Includes middle, bass, and boost option
  • Includes a headphone jack and guitar input jack
ProsCons
The least expensive option on this listTen watts is not enough to experience some loudness.
Has great upgrade potentialNot great for usage at venues
Has headphone jack and guitar input 
  

For those on an extreme budget, Huntington has an acoustic guitar amplifier that might suit your needs. While you can’t expect too much out of it at ten watts, the amp still is suitable for usage during practice.

The upfront control panel includes knobs for bass, treble, middle, and “boost.” Boost being an increase to gain, which quickly diminishes sound quality if abused.

Thankfully, you can easily replace the lower-quality speaker with another one. Those who don’t prefer to test their understanding of installing a speaker expect alright sound quality.

Overall, this speaker has much of what beginner acoustic guitar players need to get started. If you aren’t looking to blow a massive load of dosh on something you aren’t 100% certain on, this amplifier is excellent for you.

What You Need To Know Before Buying an Acoustic Amp

If you are in the market for the best acoustic amp under $300, check out this list of considerations you should have before making a purchase.

What is a Good Wattage for an Acoustic Amplifier?

The amount of wattage that plays determines the noise produced by the amplifier. This rule applies regardless of whether or not you use acoustic sounds. For acoustic guitar amplification, you typically should be looking for wattage from 30 to 60.

If you are trying to include backing tracks with your amp, go for a minimum of 40. Some of the amps on this list are at three and ten, which are only suitable for practice. As audio gets louder through a low-quality amplifier, you’ll find that the noise will distort.

What Does a Chorus Effect Do in an Amplifier?

A chorus effect is part of your effects loop, making a single instrument (tone) sounds like multiple instruments being played at once. It can make bass guitars sound thicker, electric guitar have more depth, and acoustic guitars come with a richer musical sound.

A chorus effect is most effective for guitar channels. These are among onboard effects found on a small number of amplifiers.

How Many Channels Should Be in a Budget Amplifier?

Typically, budget amplifiers come with two channels:

  • Channel 1 is for your guitar
  • Channel 2 is for your microphone

Budget amplifiers typically don’t go beyond this so that they can maintain a clean sound. A one-person band finds themselves benefiting greatly from the lack of additional noise, creating clean tones for audience members.

In some cases, you find budget amplifiers below 60 watts able to support up to three channels. Amplifiers run the risk of having too many instruments. Either way, amps have separate tone controls for each channel, be sure you familiarize yourself with them before starting a show.

Do I Need Bluetooth in my Amp?

Bluetooth sound transfer is excellent if you want to hook some Bluetooth device up to your amplifier. However, it is not entirely useful for an acoustic guitar amplifier. That’s because sound transferred via Bluetooth does not have quality acoustic tones.

Despite the best efforts of producers of amplifiers, wireless connectivity has always been a struggle for manufacturers. If you are a sound producer, you’ll need to drop some major bucks to have solid Bluetooth performance.

Do I Need Reverb in my Amplifier?

The noises coming from your guitar always have some natural form of reverb. Any sound without reverb might sound strange and unusual. But a reverb dial on the front of your amplifier allows you to enhance that effect, creating a unique feel to your music. While you don’t need it, some people enjoy getting unique sounds from their acoustic or electric guitars.

Rebert is the reflection of sound bouncing off of surfaces in your room. If you have a large, flat room with echoey walls, that’s where you get the most reverb. If you have padded walls, you might be in a recording studio where you may absorb the sound to reduce the reverb.

Some people add digital reverb in post-production during the mixing and mastering process. In amps, you can do this to individual instrument channels or entire tracks, depending on their quality.

Do I Need USB Audio in my Amplifiers?

As amplifiers have evolved alongside our computer-centric society, USB audio is becoming more typical of a thing. USB audio is an audio connection from your computer to a DAC or digital audio converter. The USB port on the side of your amplifier is one form of a DAC.

This DAC provides us with two significant benefits:

  • It allows music editors to transfer audio to their computers more easily.
  • It allows those who do music programming to take advantage of the more natural tones of a guitar.

If you have an at-home production setup, the new generation of USB amplifiers can be convenient.

Acoustic Guitar Amp vs. Electric Guitar Amp

Acoustic guitar amps and electric guitar amps are entirely different.

Both have built-in effects which seek to enhance the sound. However, electric guitars focus more on distortion, while acoustic guitars seek greater loudness. Enhancing an acoustic sound looks entirely different from enhancing an electric sound.

Acoustic amplifiers are also more likely to have vocal inputs. The independent channels are allowed because acoustic amplification isn’t incredibly overpowering.

These two different amps will have different effects. Check out this video for details:

Acoustic Amplifier FAQs

Below we dig into some of the most common questions associated with acoustic amplifiers. If you are looking for the best acoustic guitar amp under $300, check this out.

Do You Need an Acoustic Amp?

If you plan on playing a live show and want to experience the sound output, it’s best to use an acoustic amplifier before you start any show.

If you purely play for pleasure or only play for tiny groups, you don’t need an acoustic amp. However, there is still some pleasure in playing on an acoustic amp.

Can You Use an Acoustic Amp with a Distortion Pedal?

A distortion pedal is used primarily with electric guitars to distort the noise your guitar produces. To use them with your acoustic guitar would be an unusual choice. However, nothing is saying you cannot.

Expect to hear some pretty disgusting noises when using an acoustic amp with a distortion pedal. While you may find something unique here, it won’t be pleasant to hear without some work.

Do Microphones Need an Amplifier?

If you were to own a condenser microphone and plug it into some amps, you might notice they aren’t strong enough to use. That’s because mics require preamps, which aren’t always included in some amplifiers.

mic pre-amp increases the power of the microphone so that other equipment may hear it. These acoustic amps typically already account for that if they have a mic input. To hear and balance the sound, you can get a more detailed look with a headphone output.

Is it Better to Learn on an Acoustic or Electric Guitar?

Neither guitar is better to learn with. Instead of focusing on what guitar is easier to understand, it’s best to focus on what guitar you are most excited to play. However, if you want to test your finger durability early, invest in an acoustic guitar. Acoustic guitars have larger strings.

Final Thoughts

As a reminder, our favorite guitar is the Fender Acoustasonic 40. Fender has been doing this for a while. As a result, they know what they are doing. It would not be great if they didn’t.

If you are looking for a guitar amp that is better for practice, consider the Positive Grid Spark Guitar Amplifier. You may also be looking for a third input or added portability. Whatever your preferences are, we imagine there’s something for you on this list.

If you enjoyed this article, feel free to check out some of the affiliate links above. With your help, we can continue to produce high-quality content. Otherwise, keep your eyes on By The Barricade for exciting developments in the future.

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