It is always a good idea to take you own guitar when you test an amplifier - this is the only way you will really know if the amplifier is the right piece of equipment for you sound. Before you choose an amplifier, think about what you may want to do with it eventually and how loud you want to be able to play. If you plan to play at live gigs, you will probably need between 50 and 100 watts of power. Remember that high output wattage does not necessarily imply quality. Take care with amplifiers with lots of additional built in effects, make sure that you really need them.

More pointers:

- If you buy second-hand, avoid amps that are very battered. This is indicative of heavy use and/or bad treatment.

- Listen out for excess buzzing whilst you are playing. This may mean the circuitry is worn or damaged.

- Test all of the controls to make sure that they do as they are supposed to without producing crackling noises.

- Look at the speaker cone. Is it torn, dented? These will adversely affect sound quality.

- A good final text is to stamp your foot next to the amplifier. If it crackles, there is a good chance that there may be a loose connection or valve.