Pignose Amp 7-100 Legendary Portable Guitar Amp Review

If portability tops your priority list when getting a new house amp, but you’re still in need of at least a somewhat powerful device, Pignose 7-100 might be just the thing you are looking for.

Featuring an old-school appearance and overall vibe, this portable guitar amp will bring you back to the glory days of rock ‘n’ roll in a matter of seconds. And it’s not just the rock domain the Pignose 7-100 has covered, as we’re talking about a quite versatile device able to cover a vast array of genres and playing styles. Whichever type of magic you have in your fingers, the amp has it covered.

Used by such greats as late Frank Zappa, the amp features a dominant rock tone; hence the delivered audio always features at least a slight bluesy overdrive. The 7-100 has plenty of pros to brag with but also drags along a few cons along the way. But seeing it’s a $75 device we’re talking about, we can easily say that it’s an investment you simply won’t regret. Check out the detailed review below.

Sound

As noted, this is a bluesy rock amp we have at our hands. Although the amp features only 5 watts of power, it delivers a surprisingly loud performance. Audio-wise, the sound is typically described as more on the overdriven side, making it most suitable for blues or classic rock sound. The clean guitar sound is also on a fairly high level, allowing a solid performance without much hassle or tweaking.

If we were to name other greats that had their guitars regularly plugged into one of these apart from Zappa, we could single out blues legend Johnny Winter and The Rolling Stones axeman Ronnie Wood. If their kind of vibe is your kind of vibe, buy Pignose 7-100 without hesitation. If it’s not, well, it will still work like a charm. More details in the features section, so venture forth.

Features

It’s portability plus solid power with this one, so the device’s 6.25 x 5 x 9.5 inches size is fairly small but still enough to fit a 5-inch speaker packing a total of 5 watts of power. The device runs on 6 AA batteries and can be powered via an optional AC adapter, which is not included in the initial package. Along with the given specs, the 4.6 lbs (2.1 kb) weight turns the 7-100 into one of the ultimate portable amplifiers.

As far as additional features and tweaks go, the Pignose 7-100 doesn’t really have one, there are just an input and a handle for easier transport. Along with a speaker and sturdy casing, there’s not much a musician needs really.

Musicians single out various types of use for this amp. Of course, there’s house practice, smaller band rehearsals without a drum kit, studio work and busking. Many stress the ease this Pignose model brings when it comes to busking, due to portability and natural reverb created in such environments as subways and passages. If you happen to be one such musician, the 7-100 should be among your top picks.

Durability and reliability

Old-school vibe brings along old-school sturdiness, a feature many modern products simply don’t have, and it’s not just the amp domain we’re talking about, but electronics in general. The 7-100 is strong enough to withstand rough transportation and even an accidental punch or two. Being a great busking amp, it’s also fairly resistant to different outdoor conditions such as cold air temperature and humidity.

The same goes for reliability, as the amp is not prone to breaking. You do of course have to deal with batteries and their constant replacement, unless you’re willing to spend a few extra dollars on an adapter, which you most definitely should in our opinion, especially if you intend to use the 7-100 at home as a practice amp.

But the batteries are still a great choice and give you additional freedom even with house jams. With only a single cable attached, you are more mobile while you’re jamming, allowing you to find that perfect playing spot and strum until you drop.

We didn’t discuss the looks that much, but we can’t resist pointing out how gorgeous this amp is. Classic modern or somewhat bulky amps work great of course, but this kind of charm is really something.

Overall: Pros and Cons

To sum it all up as briefly as possible – Pignose 7-100 is a good amp. It’s a great amp if its features match your demands properly and it’s definitely a purchase you wouldn’t regret, not by a long shot. Being a portable house amp, it’s a type of product equally useful to both aspiring young musicians and seasoned guitar veterans with hundreds, if not thousands of live gigs under their belts.

You always need a good amp to jam at home, as you know perfectly well that powerful amps don’t cut it for quiet jams. They’re also typically a bit too complicated for simple plug ‘n’ play jams, so a good small device is a must. Finally, join us in the pros and cons rundown below.

Pignose 7-100 Portable Amplifier Pros

• Portability – A very portable device with enough power to back it all up. High-quality sound is guaranteed and so is durability, but the portable aspect makes the little guy stand out even more.
• Price – With a $75 price tag, this is a definite bargain. For the given amount you can typically get decent miscellaneous equipment such as pedals and effect, but hardly a crucial playing device such as a portable guitar amp.

Pignose 7-100 Portable Amplifier Cons

• Bluesy rock amp – As noted by various customers, the amp isn’t the best choice for players preferring the clean tone, as a certain dose of distortion is always present. And this goes to the niche crowd; if you need the clear sound occasionally this point will hardly be a problem for you. Furthermore, the sound stands as the amps stronger side, so if it’s the bluesy rock you need, Pignose 7-100 will more than deliver.

This Guitar Amp is Featured On Our The 5 Best Guitar Amps Under $100 Article.