Practice Makes Perfect

We round up six options for home, practice and live use

FENDER MUSTANG LT40S £205

The latest addition to Fender’s popular Mustang range, the LT40S fires 40 watts into a pair of specially designed four-inch full-range loudspeakers. There are 20 amp types and 23 effects that cover everything from vintage Fender to modern high-gain tones. A cool colour display and an equally cool editing app make the Mustang great fun to use. There’s no shortage of storage with 30 pre-loaded patches and another 30 user slots to store your favourite sounds in. The Mustang LT40S is value for money, too. www.fender.com

YAMAHA THR10II £325

Yamaha can claim to have invented the ‘third amp’ desktop combo idea with the original THR. These models have been around for some time now and have been updated with improved software and a wireless option, as well as built-in rechargeable batteries. The retro-modern styling still looks cool to us and the sounds are as good as ever, with scope to cover any musical genre and a handy editing/librarian app. Other features include a tuner and extended stereo field technology. https://uk.yamaha.com

POSITIVE GRID SPARK 40 £259

Positive Grid’s Spark arrived on the scene to universal acclaim in 2019, largely thanks to its revolutionary jam-along app experience. There are just four programmable presets available here, but you have a choice of 33 amp models and 43 effects, so you’re unlikely to run out of inspiration in the tone department. The Spark isn’t lacking for power, either, as it boasts a powerful 40-watt power stage that feeds a pair of four-inch speakers in a bass reflex cabinet, which sounds a lot bigger than it actually is. https://uk.positivegrid.com

NUX MIGHTY SPACE £349

The Mighty Space is another battery-powered wireless desktop modelling amp with a host of features tucked in behind its cool-looking control panel. It has a 30-watt power stage driving a pair of four-inch coaxial drivers. The app is everything for the Mighty Space and lets you play drag and drop amp and effects chains with over 60 models to pick from, saving your favourite sounds in seven memory slots. Definitely worth a look at and positioned at a very competitive price. www.nuxaudio.com

VOX ADIO AIR GT £299

Vox’s little desktop offering packs a surprising punch with a 50-watt amplifier powering a pair of three-inch speakers, 23 types of amp models and 19 effects (11 for FX1 and eight for FX2). The amp models are very realistic, including possibly the best clean and overdrive ODS models in any digital amp. The Adio features a surround sound setting, battery power and wireless for streaming and app control. Perhaps not the coolest-looking amp out there, but if you can get past that, the Adio’s tones and features are great value. www.voxamps.co.uk

BOSS KATANA-AIR EX £544

Recently reviewed in these pages, the Katana-Air EX is a stereo combo producing 35 watts (dropping to 20 watts on batteries) into a pair of five-inch loudspeakers. It offers five different amp voices with a plethora of effects and EQ/mixing options via the Boss Tone Studio app. The Air EX’s big selling point is its wireless capabilities; with a builtin wi-fi guitar transmitter, Bluetooth for streaming and effects pedal connection, and optional battery power, it’s a truly cable-free solution. www.boss.info