Best Amps for a Stratocaster: 5 Perfect Pairings

If you’ve recently invested in a Fender or Squier Strat then you’ll want to pair it with a good amplifier to make sure you get the most out of it. But which amps work well with Stratocasters?

In this article I’ll take you through 5 of the best amps to pair with your Strat to get the best tone on different budgets.

Best Amps for a Stratocaster

  • Fender ’68 Custom Princeton Reverb
  • Vox AC15
  • Fender Hot Rod Deluxe
  • Marshall JTM45
  • Fender Mustang GTX50
FeatureFender ’68 Custom Princeton ReverbVox AC15Fender Hot Rod Deluxe IVMarshall JTM45Fender Mustang GTX50
Head/ ComboComboEither ComboHeadCombo
Power Options12W15W40W30W50W
Channels/ Models1 Channel2 Channel3 Channels2 Split Channels40 Models
EQ2-Band 2-Band3-Band4-Band3-Band
EffectsReverb
Tremolo
Reverb
Tremolo
ReverbNone73
FX LoopNoNoYesNoYes
Aux In/OutNo NoNoNoYes
Pre-Amp Valves3 x 12AX73 x 12AX73 x 12AX72 x ECC83, 1 x ECC83N/A
Power-Amp Valves2 x 6V62 x EL842 x 6L62 x 5881N/A
RectifierTube (5AR4)Solid StateSolid StateTube (GZ34)Solid State

Fender ’68 Custom Princeton Reverb

The Fender ’68 Custom Princeton Reverb is a mid-size valve combo which means you can practice with it at home, but also take it to gigs if you put a mic in front of it. It’s a fuss free amp that keeps things simple with its single channel and 2-band EQ.

You will also get the classic spring reverb control as well as speed and intensity controls for the tremolo effect. This is a very good plug and play amp if you want those classic Fender cleans.

Key Features

  • 12W Combo amp
  • 10″ Celestion Ten 30 Speaker
  • Single Channel
  • 2-Band EQ (Bass and Treble)
  • Reverb and Tremolo Effects
  • 3 x 12AX7, 1 x 12AT7 Pre-Amp Tubes
  • 2 x 6V6 Power-Amp Tubes
  • 34 lbs (15.4 kg)
  • 19.9 x 16 x 9.5″ (W x H x D)

Image links to Amazon

Why It Works Well with a Strat

If you’re looking for iconic Fender clean tones then this amp is perfect. It has a lot of headroom meaning you can get crystal clear cleans through your single coil Strat pickups. It also works great as a pedal platform if you want to crank things up a bit as well.

Check the current price of the Fender ’68 Custom Princeton Reverb on Amazon.

Check out this YouTube video to hear the Fender ’68 Custom Princeton Reverb and Stratocaster in action.

Vox AC15

The Vox AC15 is a very iconic amp which is ideal if you want a bit more grit and British crunch from your Strat. It is playable at home but works really well for smaller venues and a mic can be placed in front of it for larger venues where you need cleaner tones. You can also connect it to an extension speaker.

Key Features

  • 15W Combo or Head
  • 12″ Greenback or Alnico Blue Speaker
  • 2 Channels
  • 2-Band EQ (Bass and Treble)
  • Tremolo and Reverb Effects
  • 3 x 12AX7 Pre-Amp Valves
  • 2 x EL84 Power-Amp Valves
  • 48.5 lbs (22 kg)
  • 23.7 x 18 x 10.4″ (W x H x D)

Image links to Amazon

Why It Works Well with a Strat

If you prefer to use your Strat for blues and rock then the AC15 is ideal. It produces crunchy overdrive which works great for lead tones when you pair it with the quacky, bright single coil pickups on the Strat.

Check the current price of the Vox AC15 on Amazon.

Check out this YouTube video to hear the Vox AC15 and Stratocaster in action.

Fender Hot Rod Deluxe IV

If you’re taking your Strat gigging in large venues then the Fender Hot Rod Deluxe IV with its massive 40W of tube power is perfect. It’s not suitable for at-home practice (unless you use an attenuator), but its great for gigging.

The 3 channels make it really easy to switch between tones using the footswitch and the FX loop is very handy if you plan on using modulation and delay effects.

Key Features

  • 40W Combo
  • 12″ Celestion A-Type Speaker
  • 3 Channels
  • 3-Band EQ (Bass, Mids, Treble)
  • Reverb Effect
  • 3 x 12AX7 Pre-Amp Valves
  • 2 x 6L6 Power-Amp Valves
  • FX Loop
  • 41 lbs (18.6 kg)
  • 23.5 x 18.8 x 10.4″ (W x H x D)

Image links to Amazon

Why It Works Well with a Strat

You can get plenty of tones out of a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe and Stratocaster using the three channels which means you can go from crystal cleans to searing gain tones using the “more drive” channel. This amp really allows the player to get the most from the single coil pickups to suit a wide variety of genres.

Check the current price of the Fender Hot Rod Deluxe on Amazon.

Check out this YouTube video to hear the Fender Hot Rod Deluxe and Stratocaster in action.

Marshall JTM45

The vintage reissue JTM45 is perfect for players who want to get those vintage tones of the ’60s. It’s very loud so a great option for gigging, but you’ll need to use an attenuator if you plan on using the amp at home.

Key Features

  • 30W Head
  • 2 Split Channels
  • 4-Band EQ (Bass, Mids, Treb, High Treb)
  • 2 x ECC83 and 1 x ECC83 Pre-Amp Valves
  • 2 x 5881 Power-Amp Valves
  • 32 lbs (14.6 kg)
  • 26.2 x 10.4 x 8.1″ (W x H x D)

Image links to Amazon

Why It Works Well with a Strat

The Marshall JTM45 works great with most guitars but it pairs fantastically with the Strat. It’s a true vintage-sounding amplifier that’s pretty clean and very warm. This pairing really excels for classic rock lead tones when you use it on the edge of break-up.

Check the current price of the Marshall JTM45 on Amazon.

Check out this YouTube video to hear the Marshall JTM45 and Stratocaster in action.

Fender Mustang GTX50

If you’re looking for an amp which gives you tonnes of versatility but won’t break the bank then you can’t go wrong with the Mustang GTX50. This modelling amp has 40 different models which allow you to emulate the tones of classic amps and the 73 built-in effects are great if you don’t want to invest in loads of pedals.

You can also connect this amplifier to the Fender Tone app using either WiFi or BlueTooth to save all your presets. This amp is loud enough for small venues but can also be turned down for at-home practice.

Key Features

  • 50W Combo
  • 40 models
  • 3-Band EQ (Bass, Mids, Treble)
  • 73 Effects
  • FX Loop
  • Built-In Tuner
  • 19 lbs (8.6 kg)
  • 19.3 x 17 x 9″ (W x H x D)

Image links to Amazon

Why It Works Well with a Strat

If you’re looking for versatility out of your Strat then the Mustang GTX50 is a great amp to pair it with. It takes a bit of getting used to but you can get a huge range of tones and effects using this amp and really explore what the Strat is capable of.

Check the current price of the Fender Mustang GTX50 on Amazon.

Check out this YouTube video to hear the Fender Mustang GTX50 and Stratocaster in action.

Heather

Hey, I'm Heather. I started playing an electric guitar when I was given a Squier Strat for my birthday around 15 years ago. I now own an acoustic guitar and several electric guitars including my personal favourite, a PRS SE Custom 24.

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