Skip to main content
Music Radar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Guitar Amps
  • Plugin Week 25
  • Guitar Pedals
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Artist news
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Controllers
  • Software & Apps
  • Drums
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About Us
More
  • Plugin Week A-Z
  • You Oughta Know
  • Fake AI band
  • 95k+ free music samples
  • Wrecking Crew
Recommended reading
Victory The Deputy Lunchbox Head: the British amp company has made its portable 25W head even more portable/
Guitars Victory Amps has reimagined Pete Honore’s Deputy tube amp as a super-portable lunchbox head
A Boss IR-2 amp modeller pedal
Guitar Amps Best amp modellers 2025: High-tech tone solutions for all guitarists
Laney Lionheart Foundry Supertop
Guitars Laney unveils the IR-equipped 120W Supertop head with onboard effects and matching cabs
PRS Archon Classic and Mark Tremonti MT 15 v2: the newly redesigned tube amps offer a host of new features and tones, with the Alter Bridge guitarist's new lunchbox head [right] featuring the Overdrive channel from his MT 100 head, and there's a half-power switch, too.
Guitars PRS refreshes tube amp range with the reworked Mark Tremonti MT 15 head and Archon Classic
Laney Black Country Customs Tony Iommi TI100: Long-time Laney user Tony Iommi is pictured with his new signature amp, which is limited to 50 units worldwide to mark Black Sabbath's final show at Villa Park.
Guitars Laney celebrates Black Sabbath's final show with a limited edition reissue of Tony Iommi's TI100 amp
Joe Bonamassa plays a Guild DE-500 Duane Eddy signature guitar at a Nashville show celebrating Eddy's life. Bonamassa wears a dark blazer embroidered with bright musical notation.
Guitarists Joe Bonamassa on how to choose the right amp for a gig
A Two Notes Reload II reactive load box on top of a guitar speaker cabinet
Guitar Amps “It’s honestly got me thinking hard about adding one to my own studio set up”: Two Notes Reload II review
  1. Guitars
  2. Guitar Amps

Six Of The Best: Full-sized guitar amp heads

News
By Guitarist ( Guitarist ) published 24 May 2012

Bucking the lunchbox trend

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Jackson Ampworks Atlantic 3.0

Jackson Ampworks Atlantic 3.0

The trend of late may be towards mini amps, but sometimes full-on wind-in-the-hair power is the only way to go. Here Guitarist magazine presents its pick of the latest and greatest…

www.jacksonampworks.com

Type: Single-channel 50-watt head with solid-state rectification.

Guitarist said: “One of the best boutique hand-wired guitar amps money can buy.”

Page 1 of 6
Page 1 of 6
Mesa/Boogie Royal Atlantic RA-100

Mesa/Boogie Royal Atlantic RA-100

www.mesaboogie.com

Type: Two-channel head with solid-state rectification.

Guitarist said: “A seriously well-sorted classic rock amp with excellent clean sounds to boot.”

Read the full Mesa/Boogie Royal Atlantic RA-100 review

Page 2 of 6
Page 2 of 6
Bogner Goldfinger 45

Bogner Goldfinger 45

www.bogneramplification.com

Type: Twin-channel head with valve rectifier.

Guitarist said: “This can easily be the cornerstone of a complex pro-standard rig, or it can work just as well with a simpler set-up.”

Read the full Bogner Goldfinger 45 review

Page 3 of 6
Page 3 of 6
EVH 5150-III 50W

EVH 5150-III 50W

www.evhgear.com

Type: Three-channel, all-valve 50-watt head.

Guitarist said: “Rock guitarists who hanker after Eddie’s tone, but need a versatile all-round amp into the bargain, should seek this out right away.”

Read the full EVH 5150-III 50W review

Page 4 of 6
Page 4 of 6
Orange TH100

Orange TH100

www.orangeamps.com

Type: All-valve two-channel head with switchable output power.

Guitarist said: “A pro-spec amp that’s both simple and tweakable, is loud enough for any stage on earth, but sounds good at sensible levels.”

Read the full Orange TH100 review

Page 5 of 6
Page 5 of 6
Laney LH50

Laney LH50

www.laney.co.uk

Type: 50 watt two-channel head with solid-state rectification.

Guitarist said: “One of the best-sounding amps we’ve ever plugged into, this Laney could change your world if you try one.”

Read the full Laney LH50 review

Page 6 of 6
Page 6 of 6
Guitarist
Guitarist
Social Links Navigation

Guitarist is the longest established UK guitar magazine, offering gear reviews, artist interviews, techniques lessons and loads more, in print, on tablet and on smartphones Digital: http://bit.ly/GuitaristiOS If you love guitars, you'll love Guitarist. Find us in print, on Newsstand for iPad, iPhone and other digital readers

The magazine for serious players image
The magazine for serious players
Subscribe and save today!
More Info
Read more
Victory The Deputy Lunchbox Head: the British amp company has made its portable 25W head even more portable/
Victory Amps has reimagined Pete Honore’s Deputy tube amp as a super-portable lunchbox head
A Boss IR-2 amp modeller pedal
Best amp modellers 2025: High-tech tone solutions for all guitarists
Laney Lionheart Foundry Supertop
Laney unveils the IR-equipped 120W Supertop head with onboard effects and matching cabs
PRS Archon Classic and Mark Tremonti MT 15 v2: the newly redesigned tube amps offer a host of new features and tones, with the Alter Bridge guitarist's new lunchbox head [right] featuring the Overdrive channel from his MT 100 head, and there's a half-power switch, too.
PRS refreshes tube amp range with the reworked Mark Tremonti MT 15 head and Archon Classic
Laney Black Country Customs Tony Iommi TI100: Long-time Laney user Tony Iommi is pictured with his new signature amp, which is limited to 50 units worldwide to mark Black Sabbath's final show at Villa Park.
Laney celebrates Black Sabbath's final show with a limited edition reissue of Tony Iommi's TI100 amp
Joe Bonamassa plays a Guild DE-500 Duane Eddy signature guitar at a Nashville show celebrating Eddy's life. Bonamassa wears a dark blazer embroidered with bright musical notation.
Joe Bonamassa on how to choose the right amp for a gig
Latest in Guitar Amps
Laney Black Country Customs Tony Iommi TI100: Long-time Laney user Tony Iommi is pictured with his new signature amp, which is limited to 50 units worldwide to mark Black Sabbath's final show at Villa Park.
Laney celebrates Black Sabbath's final show with a limited edition reissue of Tony Iommi's TI100 amp
Supro Airwave: the new 1x12 tube combo combines old-school looks and tones with onboard cab sim tech from Two notes Audio Engineering.
Supro teams up with Two Notes for the Airwave, a vintage-voiced 25W tube combo with onboard cab sims
Line 6 Helix Stadium XL: The new flagship amp modeller and multi-effects unit is a dramatic expansion of the Helix framework with a suite of state-of-the-art features
Line 6 debuts all-new AI tech as it supercharges its amp modelling platform with the Helix Stadium
Laney Lionheart Foundry Supertop
Laney unveils the IR-equipped 120W Supertop head with onboard effects and matching cabs
Kemper MK2 Series
Kemper promises more power, flexibility and effects from refreshed and souped-up Profiler Mk2 series
Joe Bonamassa plays a Guild DE-500 Duane Eddy signature guitar at a Nashville show celebrating Eddy's life. Bonamassa wears a dark blazer embroidered with bright musical notation.
Joe Bonamassa on how to choose the right amp for a gig
Latest in News
Close up of a person holding an acoustic guitar bathed sunlight
Ignite your inner guitar god for just 27 cents a day with TrueFire’s July 4th sale - save 60% on online lessons
caelum audio
"If your singing sounds like a dying cat, this finally kills the cat": This hilariously bad mic modelling plugin is free for International Joke Day
Freddie Mercury and Brian May at Live Aid
“We thought it was going to be a disaster”: Brian May reveals Queen had serious doubts about doing Live Aid
Phil Collins and Daryl Stuermer
“It was confusing to me": Guitarist Daryl Stuermer on recording Phil Collins' In The Air Tonight
Crazy Tube Circuits Mirage: the dual reverb features two independent DSP engines each equipped with 16 reverb modes – and there are flexible routing options.
With dual reverb engines, 16 algorithms, Crazy Tube Circuits’ Mirage is one serious reverb pedal
Liam and Noel Gallagher, back in 1997
“THEY’RE IN THERE!!! And they are LOUD”: Recordings of Oasis soundcheck are now online

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...