Maybe it's not what you're looking for, but I highly recommend getting a pair of headphones and a modelling unit instead of a practice amp. I use the Line6 POD almost exclusively, but the Johnson J-station is great too- they're discontinued now, so you can get one for under $100 with a little searching. There's a lot of other inexpensive choices...I know a lot of people who love their Korg Pandora, for instance.

They're more versatile and sound better than any practice amp at a comparable price. Plus, if you do eventually get into a performing situation, you can pick up a power amp and a cabinet and still keep the sounds you like. I know for a fact that the POD sounds better than most amps when it's run through a 4x12" cab. 

Whoops...I could have been a little clearer, huh?

If you don't mind the fact that nobody else will be able to hear you (unless you let them borrow your headphones or plug into something with speakers), the headphone amps are great choices. Almost all of them have things like "amp and speaker simulators" which make it sound like you're playing through much more expensive equipment, and you can wail to your heart's content in the middle of the night even with people sleeping a few feet away. And if you stick with the guitar, a good headphone amp can still be useful later on...whereas you'll probably outgrow a little practice amp pretty quickly.

The ones I've liked are the Line6 POD (the new ones are probably over your price range, but used ones are much cheaper and there's thousands of them on eBay, for instance), and the Johnson J-station (used, under $100 US).

There's also the Korg Pandora: they have a few different models..the newest is the PX4...the PX3 is a year older but still very cool and probably right around your spending limit, and the older PX2 is even cheaper...probably about half of what you're willing to spend.

And Zoom has the 505II which is even cheaper (around $50-60 US) and will definitely do the job.

But if you don't want to wear headphones to hear yourself play, I recommend the Line6 Spider II practice amp. It's right on the edge of your price range, but it's got good sounds at any volume and a headphone jack (just in case it's still not quiet enough to keep the parents happy).

I totally agree - Line 6 Pods are AMAZING - with a capital AMAZING.

It's like owning a set of great amps (and effects) - and you can stick it through any cheap practice amp and it'll still sound great. Plug it into a computer running almost any sequencing software and it sounds utterly professional.

I haven't checked out their Pod/Amp combis, but I'd bet they're pretty unbeatable for the pirce.

You can buy a 1W Marshall for $35 - guaranteed not to annoy the parents!

http://www.samedaymusic.com/product--MSHMS2 - http://www.samedaymusic.com/product--MSHMS2

/edit: I've got one and it's not bad - just not very loud!

Have you tried plugging the synth into your PC and listening through the PCs speakers?

redbar89 wrote: I am the proud owner of a Fender Hot-Rod Deluxe.

Cool redbar. Got a pic to show us? 

sigod wrote: redbar89 wrote: I am the proud owner of a Fender Hot-Rod Deluxe. Cool redbar. Got a pic to show us?

Sorry I don't. I have neither a digital camera or a scanner to get a picture of my beasty amplifier, but here's one I found on Google image:

SCHWEEEEET!!!!

Here's the gear I use in the studio (we don't do live work at the present - I'm too busy being a daddy!)

click the pictures for technical info...

My current guitar setup

http://www.line6.com/podxtpro/US/">

My bass setup

I don't know what are you going to play (only prog, or hard rock, or something else?) but I can say that Fender Deluxe or (better) Deville are really good, but I'm a Marshall man!

I play bass and I use a Marshall Superbass JCM800 combined with a 100W case and the sound is great. I can say the same thing for guitar, using JCM900 Lead.

I'm don't like too much digital effects as used by "Certif1ed" but I'm a raw freak rocker (I use big muff, echoes, phaser and so on)!

For clean, it's hard to beat the Fenders...I personally love a good Twin. Fender distortion never really did it for me on its own, though.

For 'natural' amp distortion, the best thing I ever played was a Carvin Legacy. But I didn't spend too much time with it, so I don't know how it that well.

Certif1ed wrote: I totally agree - Line 6 Pods are AMAZING - with a capital AMAZING. It's like owning a set of great amps (and effects) - and you can stick it through any cheap practice amp and it'll still sound great. Plug it into a computer running almost any sequencing software and it sounds utterly professional. I haven't checked out their Pod/Amp combis, but I'd bet they're pretty unbeatable for the pirce.

I would definitely go for the POD. As stated, with this thingie you can get really great sounds and not disturb anyone (and plug your CD into it and jam with your fav records).

AND, when/if you think you need an amp in the future you have great set of stomp boxes and other cool effects!

James Lee wrote: I do know I have to turn the bass way down on my Line6 POD or eveything sounds way too 'boxy'. The Marshalls aren't quite right, and I think it's the upper mids...a little extra EQ up there might help you out. I've also found that running through a gain stage (like a preamp or EQ pedal or even just a distortion pedal) really beefs up the POD sounds, though you lose a little smoothness on the heavy tones.

I've been noticing that too - mostly we just add some top in post, as we only do studio work, but recently I've been getting more adventurous in what I ask from my Pod, and have to kill the bass as there's just too much.

My current setup was "orchestrated" by my dad (although i can play well, i dont understand the techniqualities of gear): a Fender SuperAmp from the late 60's (like this, but better condition):

He then somehow runs this through an overdrive pedal and an old Korg synth....I dont get it but it works well!

I've got an old, old Vox AC30 and it just about does it all as far I'm concerned. Bright, glassy clean tones with just the right amount of edge through to super-creamy overdrives. To boost I use an Ibanez Tube Screamer.

I do have a Fender Stage 112SE solid state 160w monster I used to use for some live work and i must admit I like the clean tones and even the gain stage on it (though solid state) is quite nice, definitely different but quite usable - they were doing something they called 'tube tone' or something at the time (mid 90s)

For recording at home nowadays though, I use a Korg AX1000G - as a modelling processor it's a bit long in the tooth now but I can work it and get some nice tones, though the wah pedal is pretty rubbish.

One of the best amps for a beginner is the fender bullet, its only 15 watts, but has a good sound for a little amp. If you are planning on playing in a band then you will better off with something a bit bigger, look at aroung 50 watts to start.

I use a Laney Linebacker 100watt with twin celestion speakers, has a great sound especially when I use my old Zoom 4040 with it!!!!!!!!!