Best Marshall amps: Our pick of amps for rock and beyond from Marshall's full range

Close-up of a Marshall DSL40 amp
(Image credit: Future)

Fewer brands epitomize the essence of rock and roll more than Marshall. For decades, they’ve been the choice of players around the globe, but what are the best Marshall amps? If you’re just starting out and learning the guitar in your bedroom, then it’s likely to differ from what a gigging musician would choose.

Jim Marshall started the company in the 60s and actually used a Fender Bassman as a guide amp. Due to the different materials available to him at the time, the amp he ended up making – the JTM45 – was a very different animal from the Fender it copied. The components he used meant the amp’s voicing sounded different and, arguably more importantly, broke up sooner than the Fender. It’s this breakup sound that eventually helped Marshall gain (pun intended) the reputation it’s so well known for today.

You can trust Guitar World Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing guitar products so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

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Richard Blenkinsop

After spending a decade in music retail, I’m now a freelance writer for Guitar World, MusicRadar, Guitar Player and Reverb, specialising in electric and acoustic guitars, bass, and almost anything else you can make a tune with. When my head’s not buried in the best of modern and vintage gear, I run a small company helping musicians with songwriting, production and performance, and I play bass in an alt-rock band.