Best Small Tube Amps (top two picks)

We've consistently recommended the Fender Blues JR and Marshall DSL series as two of the best small tube amps on the market. They're always in the upper ranges of the best-seller lists on Sweetwater and other major retailers, and they're at a price point that's affordable for most mid-range budgets.

For small tube amps, we're looking at a pretty simple list of must-haves:

• Smaller size/weight
• Combo (with single speaker)
• Tone quality (duh)
• Flexibility
• Style context

Of these two amps, the Blues JR is the more mellow and bluesy, while the Marshall is a lot more aggressive and hard rock-ish.

The Blues JR is definitely less flexible than the DSL amps, but it's well-liked for bluesy leads and clean tones. It's a good minimalist amp. If you have some pedalboard flexibility to bring to the table, the Blue JR can be a good companion, and a workhorse of an amp that's easy to use and move around.

Guitar rig minimalism at its finest.

Compare Popular Small Tube Amps

This comparison table includes the DSL40CR, Fender Blues JR, and a couple other popular small tube amps. You can compare more amps via the box below this table.

Note that smaller versions of the DSL are also available in lower wattage combos. The 40, five, and one watt versions are the most popular.

Live Pricing Tables

This price guide includes the Marshall DSL40CR and the Fender Blues JR. Keep in mind that prices and availability are always subject to change, even with real-time updating. Note that we've also included the lower wattage DSL5CR and DSL1CR so you can compare pricing.

Prices updated Mon, September 25th, 2023.

Amazon Pricing

Pricing from Popular Retailers

Price Alert (lowest price among all amps listed)

Price History

How do we choose our recommendations? (methodology)

All of the recommendations on this website are made by me (Bobby) or other guitar players and musicians I consult/work with. My wife and I are primarily responsible for running Guitar Chalk, but when we do get third party recommendations, they are always from avid musicians that know the market.

To recommend specific pieces of gear, we focus on the brands that we're most familiar with and that are most reputable. 

From there, we aim for products that we've played/used ourselves, or know someone who has and can vouch for them.

We never make blind recommendations or base our reviews on other people's reviews.

If you have questions about this process, feel free to ask.

Are these good beginner amps?

These amplifiers might be a little expensive for a beginner, but they are small and portable. We'd probably recommend them for those who are on the tail end of their beginner journey, perhaps getting ready to move into more of an intermediate guitar player category.

For true beginner amps, we'd recommend being in a lower price range. We cover some lower cost options here.

Read more: Best Guitar Amps Overall

Which one is better for indoors? 

Keep in mind that you cannot disconnect the speaker cab from a tube amp, unless you have an attenuator. While some amps have a built-in attenuator (they're usually pretty expensive) these amps do not.

So if you're looking for a way to play silently, perhaps with headphones, you'll either need to go with a different amp entirely or buy an attenuator.

Most of the amps that are good for headphone use are solid state.

Having said all that, both of these amplifiers are good for indoor use and practice, especially the lower wattage Marshalls. Five watts is a good landing spot for a quieter practice amp.

Which one is better for pedals?

Both of these amps are excellent candidates for pairing with a pedalboard. While both have reverb, they aren't the most flexible options. The Blues JR, in particular, might actually need the flexibility of the pedalboard since it only has one channel.

What wattage should I get?

As I mentioned earlier, the wattage you get depends on the situation you want to use your small tube amp for. I'd recommend somewhere in the 15 to five watt range, but the bigger the room, the higher wattage you'll need. If you're using it to play live, perhaps with a microphone, 40 to 20 watts is a good place to land.

Small Tube Amp Honorable Mentions

Here are a few small tube amps that you might consider in addition to the Blues JR and DSL series.

• Bugera V5 (Infinium series)
• VOX AC Series
• EVH 5150 Iconic
• Supro Delta King

Questions and Wrap Up

The best small tube amp for you will depend a lot on how you want to use it. If you're just practicing or even recording in a living room or small studio, go with a lower wattage option. And keep in mind, smaller amp size and lower wattage can save you a lot of money when it comes to any amp purchase.

It impacts pricing a lot.

But for playing live, you can still use a small tube amp. I would just recommend getting something that's a little bit higher wattage, around 20-40 watts or so.

If you have questions, feel free to reach out via the comments section below.

We appreciate you guys trusting our content, and want to help out as much as possible.

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