- Looking for the best combo metal amps under $500?
- Need advice on which metal amps will get the job done?
- Find out which budget amps are best for your music.
Your amp is a massive part of your sound as a guitarist. And if you are going to play metal, you need to make sure the amp you get is up to the task. After all, not all amplifiers will work as metal amps. We’ve created this guide to help you narrow your search to a range of options, across various sizes, all under a price point of $500.
All these best metal amps were selected based on the following criteria:
- How well these combo amps reproduce high-gain distortion, a staple for metal.
- Their ability to take a variety of distortion pedals without maxing out the amp’s headroom.
- Their overall build quality and sonic characteristics (for the price).
While you’re here, consider checking out our guide on the best 2×12 Guitar Cabinets For Metal & High Gain.
What Are The Best Combo Amps For Metal Under $500?
In this article, I’ll review the 7 best combo amps for metal under $500. Below you will find the amp that fits not only your budget but also the specific type of metal you play, along with other features that may appeal to you.
Without further ado, the best 7 combo amps for metal under $500 are:
- Peavey Bandit 112 Transtube (Best Overall)
- Fender Mustang LT25 (Best Value)
- Blackstar HT-5R MKII (Best Premium)
- BOSS Katana 100 MKII
- Marshall CODE50
- Orange Micro Dark
- Line 6 Spider V120 MKII
1. Peavey Bandit 112 Transtube
The Peavey Bandit 112 offers plenty of punch from 80 watts running through a bold 12-inch Blue Marvel speaker, while an external speaker jack lets you connect to a bigger cab if necessary.
- 100 watts of Transtube power
- Silky smooth cleans
- Handles both vintage and modern tones
At the famous 1995 NAMM convention, people crammed into the Peavey booth for a demonstration. Players, media, and dealers witnessed a blind A/B comparison between Peavey’s newly released solid-state amp TransTube Bandit and a real tube amp. According to Peavey, nobody could pick apart which amp was the tube one and which one was the solid-state. And that’s how the Bandit’s reputation started.
Features
- 100 watts of Transtube power
- Silky smooth cleans
- Handles both vintage and modern tones
- Peavey’s patented Transtube Circuitry
- Solid weight, but portable
Review
Peavey’s engineers wanted to create a guitar amplifier that offered all the advantages of a solid-state amp but with the sound of a tube amp. And for 25 years the Bandit 112 Transtube has been a favorite among players that need a 100 Watt amp on a budget.
This amp features two channels and Peavey’s exclusive TransTube technology, which emulates the sound of tube amplifiers with the convenience and reliability of a solid-state design. It also has a vintage/classic switch on the clean channel and a classic/modern high gain switch on the lead channel to change its tonal character.
It is considered by many to be the hottest little amp in this price range. It will give you a run for your money and deliver serious metal sound with a lot of power in a solid-state combo that sounds like a tube amp. This is our pick for the best choice among metal guitar amps under $500, especially for genres like metalcore.
2. Fender Mustang LT25
Think of this tiny 25-watter as a "greatest hits" of the Mustang amp family, pre-loaded with 30 hand-selected presets spanning decades and continents of beloved amp tone.
- 8" Fender Special Design speaker
- Versatile delay and modulation controls
- Lightweight
If budget is your main concern for your metal amp, look no further. The Fender Mustang LT25 is a modeling combo amp with USB connectivity that is one of the best choices for cash-strapped metal players. It is of course backed by Fender’s stellar reputation, so this is already a good sign.
Features
- 25 Watts of power
- 8″ Fender Special Design speaker
- Versatile delay and modulation controls
- 20 amp models, 25 effects, 50 presets
- Light and easy to store
Review
The Mustang LT25 is Fender’s solution for the metal guitarist with a tight budget. This is one of the most affordable solid-state amps that will work wonders for metal guitarists. In addition, it is quite light, at just 14.9 lbs. That makes it very easy to store and carry.
It features 20 amp models, 25 watts of power, and 25 effects to help you reach your desired high gain tones. Given its compact size, the Mustang LT25 can be that handy amp that you take everywhere. This makes it one of the best guitar amps available for practice, busking, and gigging.
A headphone out and aux-in are also featured to make this amp usable with tracks, and at any time of the day or night, for practice and small gigs.
Overall, The Mustang LT25 is one of the best metal amps for those on a tight budget.
3. Blackstar HT-5R MKII
The HT-5R MkII’s upgraded clean channel epitomizes the modern boutique tone, while its drive channel serves up a muscular array of distorted textures.
- 5 Watts of uncompromised tone
- Blackstar’s power reduction circuit
- Beautiful clean to screeching distortion
Blackstar’s HT-5R MKII is a tube amplifier and the best premium option for a metal amp under $500. It is capable of a full sound even at low volumes. It features all the warmth and killer tones we’ve come to expect from tube amps, but without the bulkiness and high price.
Features
- 5 Watts of uncompromised tone
- Full sound at low volumes
- Blackstar’s power reduction circuit
- Beautiful clean to screeching distortion
- Onboard reverb
Review
Blackstar developed a premium guitar amp capable of screaming metal tones but to be used at all times and places. The HT-5R MkII tube combo amp features a power reduction circuit that takes your wattage down to a bedroom-friendly 0.5 watts. All of this while keeping the crunch and break-up characteristics of a traditional 100 W output.
This is one of the best guitar amps under $500, especially for those that don’t want to sacrifice tone and feel while practicing. It comes in a compact package and is light enough to carry around. You can jam, record, practice, and get a killer tone with ease with the HT-5R MKII.
You can count on this guitar amp to cover all your practicing and jam needs, whether you need to work on a clean part or one with screeching distortion. The HT-5R MkII also features onboard reverb, USB output, an effects loop, and more. This is one of the best metal amps for those that play classic metal, in the vein of Tommy Henriksen from Alice Cooper.
4. BOSS Katana-100 MkII
Katana MkII takes the acclaimed Katana guitar amp series to the next level, turbocharging the core platform with more sounds, more effects, and more features.
- Vintage, Modern, and Deep cab resonances
- 60 effects
- Endless tone-shaping
Features
- 100 Watts of power
- 5 modeled amp voices
- Vintage, Modern, and Deep cab resonances
- 60 effects
- Endless tone-shaping
Review
The Katana-100 MkII is your best option for a metal amp if you want seemingly unlimited possibilities. It features five characters in clean, crunch, lead, brown, and acoustic. There are also newly voiced variations for each! In addition, this amp comes with five independent effects sections, each with three variations.
In other words, if you would like a world of options, this might be the best guitar amp for you. You can even select how many watts of power you want (0.5 w, 50 w, or 100 w). All of this without sacrificing sound, especially when it comes to aggressive distortion. If you’re looking for a guitar amp under $500, regardless of genre, it’s really hard to imagine better value in terms of features.
The Katana-100 MkII allows for dual amp setups and features a dedicated pedal FX for foot-controlled wah and pedal bend. In addition, it features three cab resonance options (Vintage, Modern, and Deep). The
5. Marshall CODE50
Fully programmable, CODE combines authentic modelling of classic and contemporary Marshall tones with professional quality FX.
- Perfect blend of tradition with modern technology
- 50 Watts of power
- Modeled British sound and quality
You cannot talk about a list of the best metal amps under $500 without having Marshall in it. The CODE50 features a plethora of classic Marshall amp and cab combinations in over 100 presets. This modeling guitar amplifier combo is the perfect blend of tradition with modern technology, making it one of the most versatile metal amps under $500.
Features
- 50 Watts of power
- Modeled British sound and quality
- 14 Preamps, 4 Power Amps, 8 Speaker Cabs
- 24 effects, 5 simultaneously
- Optional remote control via the app
Review
The Marshall Code 50 is the British manufacturer’s take on a budget amp that is one of the best options for a metal amp at this price point. With 50 watts of power, this guitar amp offers any sound you might need, from sparkling clean to vintage Marshall crunch and high gain metal madness.
It features quite a variety of digital effects including reverb, chorus, overdrive, and more. Additionally, you can control the Code 50 remotely via the Marshall Gateway mobile app.
The Code 50 is a good choice if you are after that Kerry King Marshall tone that made Slayer one of the top metal bands in history. Overall, this is a fantastic choice for a combo amp under $500, with everything from old-school sounds to modern metal.
6. Orange Micro Dark
The Micro Dark offers the same searing gain and tonal versatility as its big brothers but boasts the same tiny format as the Micro Terror.
- Pint-sized, but packs a ton of tone
- Clean tones
- Versatile
After the success that Orange had with their Dark Terror and Dual Dark amps, customers asked for a mini valve hybrid head version, and thus the Micro Dark was born. The result was so impressive that guitarist Nico Santora (Suicidal Tendencies) stated that the Micro Dark is a game-changer.
Features
- 20 Watts of power
- Orange’s CabSim Circuitry
- Extremely portable and light
- ECC83 (12AX7) valve
- Pair it with an 8 – 16 Ohm cab
Review
The Micro Dark uses a tube/solid-state hybrid design to make the most of its small size. It’s also very lightweight at just 1.72 lbs. The preamp uses a single ECC83 (12AX7) valve and produces a wide range of tones with warm cleans, smooth overdrive, and crushing distortion, making it great for modern metal.
Thanks to its solid-state output section, the Micro Dark can be paired with any 8-16 Ohm cabinet. It also features a fully-buffered effects loop, a headphone output, and Orange’s CabSim circuitry.
The Micro Dark features a Shape control that varies the midrange response whilst interacting with the bass and treble. The effect of Shape becomes even more pronounced as you push the gain control. The Orange Micro Dark is a fantastic amp head and a solid choice, especially at this price range!
7. Line 6 Spider V 120 MkII
Step onstage or in the studio with an amp that can deliver almost any tone your music demands.
- Killer presets
- Packed full of useful extras
The Line 6 Spider V 120 MkII is a 1×12″ modeling guitar combo amp powerhouse. It comes loaded with amp models, a metronome, drum loops, and a 60-second looper. This is a great choice for metal guitarists looking for a guitar amp under $500 that offers tools to practice as well as live performance features.
Features
- 120 Watts of power
- 200 modeled presets
- Mac/PC, iOS, and Android connectivity
- Over 100 effects models
- 78 amp and 24 cab models
Review
The Line 6 Spider V MkII offers a myriad of choices to dial in your sound. You can also use it as a practice amp, for direct recording, miked, or onstage.
It is loaded with over 200 presets that include classic rigs to more experimental options. You can dig into its models and options to find the tone you’re after.
This amplifier offers 78 modeled amps, 24 modeled cabs, and 4 modeled mics, with a 3-band EQ. It is compatible with the Line 6 FBV control pedal and features Mac/PC, iOS, and Android connectivity. Overall, this is a good budget choice for death metal in the vein of Alex Skolnick of Testament.
What To Look For In An Amp
Ultimately, the right amp is the one that covers all your needs and fits your budget at the same time. In the past, guitar players have heavily favored tube amps given their warmth, power, and force.
However, tube amps tend to be pricey, and there aren’t many available under the $500 mark. The good news is that technology has come a long way, and solid-state amps can now offer a similar experience to tube amps, but at a fraction of the cost.
Additionally, amp modeling has also improved drastically over the years, to the point that most won’t be able to tell the difference between tube and solid-state in a blind test. High-quality gear tends to be expensive, but with the right information, you can make the right choice for your own needs that doesn’t break the bank.
(Metalheads need to head on over to our roundup of the 7 Best Passive Pickups For Metal for more great guitar gear tips!)