40 Guitar Amps With Switchable Wattage – And My Favorites

Last Updated on May 18, 2023 by Teemu Suomala

Looking for an amp that can serve you well in your bedroom/apartment and in larger venues? A guitar amp with switchable wattage might be just what you need.

I have been using an amplifier with switchable wattage for a while now…I fell in love with Blackstar HTR series tube amps (I don’t currently own one) and my current workhorse, Boss Katana 50 Mkii has 0.5W, 25W, or 50W options. It’s so convenient. You can play loud if you want, but you can practice in your bedroom with just barely bearable volumes but still strong distortion.

And because of my love for guitar amplifiers with switchable wattage, I was happy to put together this article listing most of the available amplifiers with power level control for you. If you have any questions, check the FAQ section or leave a comment.

Let’s get started!

Author: Teemu Suomala

I first grabbed the guitar in 2009. I started this website in January 2020 because I couldn’t do window installation anymore due to my health problems. I also noticed that most guitar websites don’t do a really good job, so I decided to just go for it! I got lucky and managed to get awesome people to help me with my website. I also got lucky because I have you visiting my website right now. Thank you. I do all this for you guys. If you have any recommendations, tips, or feedback, just leave a comment, I would love to chat with you. I have been fortunate to produce content for several large guitar websites, such as Songsterr, Musicnotes, GuitarGuitar, and Ultimate Guitar. I spend my spare time exercising and hanging out with my wife and crazy dog(I guess that went the right way…).

• LinkedIn
• Mail

40 Guitar Amps With Switchable Wattage

If you are in search of an amp with switchable wattage, tons of features, versatility, and a computer app that makes playing with the settings easier (Catalyst Edit), Line 6 Catalyst 200 might be the right amp for you. It’s an all-around solid workhorse and can handle any kind of music and almost any situation.

Price Range Icon Meanings:

$= $149-299

$$= $300-599

$$$= $600-799

$$$$= $800-1199

$$$$$= $1200-

*Consider all links in this post to be affiliate links. If you purchase, at no additional cost to you, we may earn a small commission. It helps us to keep the lights on, thanks! 🙂

Our Favorite Music Store in The World!

Why?

– Excellent Customer Service (4.7/5 Trustpilot Score)

– Fast & Free Shipping

– Gear is Inspected, Tested, & Ready to Play When it Arrives to You (We love this)

– Fair Prices

Visit Sweetwater:

Browse Guitar Amps

Check Today’s Guitar Deals

3 Best Guitar Amps With Switchable Wattage – My Favorites

Best Budget Tube Amp With Switchable Wattage – Bugera V5 Infinium

What I like

• Big bass response from the Celestion A-type 12-inch speaker
• Redesigned preamp circuitry improves tonal depth
• “Fat switch” pumps up your low end and gain
• Tube amp tonality in a low-watt combo
• 3 power settings to take you from practice to mini gigs
• Basic controls and on-board Reverb

What I don’t like

• Single tone control limits versatility (no 3-band EQ)

Who is it for?

If you are after an affordable tube amp that is suitable for home use and has switchable wattage, Bugera V5 Infinium is one of the best options. Sure, the lack of 3-band EQ is a bummer, but you still get solid versatility and great-sounding tube tones, especially when you keep the price of this thing in mind.

Check Today’s Price on

Best Overall Solid State Amp With Switchable Wattage – Boss Katana 50 MKII

What I like

• Versatile as amp comes (especially with the app)
• Excellent metal tones
• Easy to use
• Switchable wattage makes this BOSS a great bedroom amp (loudness-wise)
• 5 great sounding ready presets
• Loud, rich, and room-filling open-back sound

What I don’t like

• The BOSS app is not the simplest to use
• Not the most attractive amp look-wise
• Different amp modelers would be awesome

Check the review of the newest BOSS Katana 50 MKII EX version:

Who is it for?

BOSS Katana 50 MKii is the best guitar amp under $500 to me (I’ve owned one for almost a couple of years now). If in search of simple usability, excellent all-around tones, full sound, and tons of available effects in the app, BOSS Katana 50 Mkii is my go-to solid-state amp with switchable wattage.

Check Today’s Price on

Best Overall Tube Amp With Switchable Wattage – Blackstar HT-20R MkII

What I like

• Very clean, clear, sparkling, and articulate sound
• Excellent for classic rock
• With pedals can provide amazing distorted/overdriven tones (MXR M193 GT-OD is an excellent pedal choice)
• Easy to use
• Can choose between 2W and 20W power (can be played pretty quietly)

What I don’t like

• Requires pedal for heavier stuff

Who is it for?

If you are after a mid-priced tube amp with switchable wattage with crystal clear cleans and crunchy rock riffs, this Blackstar delivers. But what about heavier stuff? It’s true that this amp requires a pedal for really mean riffs, but the sound you can get with a pedal…it’s outstanding (I have used MXR M193 GT-OD with this). Blackstar HT20R is the best guitar amp under $1000 to me.

Check Today’s Price on

Best Premium Tube Amp With Switchable Wattage – Orange Rocker 32

What I like

• Half Power mode for reduced volume, great for in-home playing
• 2×10 speaker layout with stereo effects capabilities
• Two channels: clean and dirty
• Super-versatile — jazz, rockabilly, blues, country, rock, metal, etc.
• Can be very loud, up to 101dB

What I don’t like

• No EQ on the clean channel
• Pictograms designating each control knob; no words — takes getting used to

Who is it for?

If you are in search of a relatively small tube amp that still packs a punch, handles a great variety of genres well, and is a good choice for guitar players who are looking for an overall versatile amp, Orange Rocker 32 is a rock-solid option. It’s easy to use, and provides crystalline cleans, with glimmering highs & sultry lows, and offers dirty tones that handle stuff from crunchy fuzz to metal.

Check Today’s Price on

FAQ

What Guitar Amp With Switchable Wattage Means?

If you can switch the power level & wattage of an amp, this means you can adjust the output wattage of the amplifier. Usually you’d do this by flipping a switch or by pressing a button. All this enables you to tap into the full distortion and other tonal qualities of the amplifier without loud volume.

Switchable wattage is most commonly used with tube/valve amplifiers but can be found from transistor/solid-state amps too.

Are Guitar Amps With Switchable Wattage Worth it?

If you want the ability to alter the power and in some sense the loudness of your amp without losing the tone and distortion, a guitar amp with switchable wattage is most likely worth it for you. I personally enjoy playing my Boss Katana 50 Mkii with full distortion, 0.5W power setting, and apartment-friendly volume.

Pros and Cons of Guitar Amps With Switchable Wattage

Pros

• You can practice at home with small-apartment-friendly volumes and small wattage, but you can still unleash the full power when needed
• You can easily adjust the wattage according to the environment, training partners, band members, etc.
• Switchable wattage doesn’t really add extra cost to the price of the amplifier

Cons

• Many guitar amps don’t have switchable wattage, power level settings, or attenuator

How Many Watts is Enough?

This depends completely on your situation, needs, and playing environment. Personally, I have never needed more than 25 Watts during my home-guitarist journey. You can get help on choosing the right wattage from this guitar amplifier wattage guide I wrote.

Conclusion on Guitar Amps With Switchable Wattage

Some real gems. Amps from budget and bedroom-friendly tube boxes to versatile solid-states to powerful stage-worthy tube amplifiers. Amp for almost everyone and to almost every situation.

I hope this article helped you out, and maybe you even decided to get one of the amps featured. If you have any questions, leave a comment, I and the GND team are here for you.

Now go, my son, and Rock!

You might also like:

5 Best Hollowbody Guitars Under $1000 in 2023 – Great for Jazz & Blues

5 Best Electric Guitars Under $200 in 2023 – Budget Guitars In-Depth Tested

5 Best Metal Guitars for Beginners in 2023 – Kickstart Your Shred Journey

Yamaha Pacifica 112V Review – In-Depth Tested

5 Best Electric Guitars for Small Hands in 2023 – The Only Guide You Need

Ibanez GRX70QA Review – In-Depth Tested