After 40-odd years of playing through
a lot of different amps, I've settled on two that I simply love-- each for a specific purpose.
First, when I just want to sit down and play for the joy of it, or if I'm out jamming with friends:
Top favorite is a Boss "Nextone Artist." It's 80 watts (selectable at .5, 40, 80) features a Class AB analog power section that changes the output circuitry and the way in which the preamp and speaker interact with it. It is designed to function independently, or if so desired it can be connected to a computer and tweak all kinds of details using an online editor. After nearly a year, I've yet connected it to a computer; I just plug straight in, tweak the knobs to taste and enjoy. There's a multi-function foot-switch I picked up when I bought the amp, but I've yet to even take that out of the box... which I feel kind of bad about as it wasn't exactly cheap.
For practice sessions, fun with effect chains and recording, my favorite is:
Another Boss product! This one is a Katana MkII-100 Artist. Different than the normal Katana, this one has a Waza speaker, slightly larger cab, and
-- most importantly-- a front facing control panel. As much as I love my Nextone, it was a real PIA not being able to easily access the controls when seated, working in my "studio." Having the controls on the front solved that problem. Having the online editor really opens up the possibilities with this amp, so it feels more like a companion to the Nextone, rather than duplication of effort.
When buying these amps, I intended to get something along the lines of a nice Mesa Boogie, or Fender Deluxe/Super/Twin/etc. All of which I've had before. However, these two fit my specific needs, sound fantastic, weigh significantly less, and are very affordable.
Next time you're out, give one of these two a play through-- they're a lot of fun