If you are reading this, you might be in the market for a good quality, good sounding amp that won't break the bank. So i'm going to recommend a few good ones, and a few to stay away from.

Good Amps:
Vox Valvetronix series
Vox has been putting out the valvetronix series, which I REALLY like, it is a hybrid amp(which I usually stay away from, since they are gimmicks and basically solid state, like Marshall AVT's which I will talk about later), has decent built in effects, and amp modelling. Rolling off your volume a little on your guitar will get you a great clean on some channels, and some models give you a great crunch. If you play classic rock, this will be your best bet for this price.


Roland Cube series
Like the Valvetronix, the Cube is a modelling amp. The cleans and crunch are not as good as the Vox's, the distortion is where it's at on a Cube. It's got some great models, and in my opinion, it is to metal as the vox is to classic rock, the best in the price range.


Bad Amps:
Marshall MG
Please, and I mean PLEASE, stay away from the MG series. All Marshall is doing is selling the Marshall name on the front. They are horrible, overpriced amps. The cleans are sterile, this distortion is bland, and you will want a new amp within a few months, if not weeks. Don't listen to Zakk Wylde, he's an endorsement whore, stay away from MG's.


Line 6 Spider II
This is another to avoid, another bad amps that new players are suckered into buying, because of the pre-sets. THE PRE-SETS ARE HORRIBLE! So is everything else on it. The cleans are cold, lifeless, sterile, and tinny, as is the distortion. While this is a slightly better buy than the MG, it should still be avoided.


Marshall AVT
Like stated before, this is a hybrid amp, which is basically solid state. Don't be sold on the fact that it has ONE pre-amp tube, especially when tube amps sound good when their POWER AMP tubes are pushed. While the AVT is better than the MG, you can still get WAY better for the price of an AVT.


Last Words

Mainly, don't buy a halfstack just for the sake of looking cool with a halfstack behind you. Most of us rarely need a halfstack, and would be MUCH better off with a tube combo for the same price of a solid state halfstack.


If you find anything that I have said here to be untruthful, dumb, closed-minded, anything like that, go to www.ultimate-guitar.com, go to the forum in Guitar Gear and Accesories, and ask about any of these amps, or read up on them, as all of them have been covered, it is an un-biased site that will suggest the best tone over looking the best.