Today’s addition to BPB’s free VST directory features a list of the best free guitar amp sim VST/AU plugins for Windows and Mac.
The list below is split in two parts – the main section with my favorite plugins and the bonus section which features some older or more peculiar plugins which are still pretty cool and definitely worth checking out.
IMPORTANT: Please keep in mind that some of the amp sims listed below come without built-in cab sims. That is like listening to a guitar straight through the amp, without using a cabinet. Which is actually a good thing, since it gives you the opportunity to use your favorite virtual guitar amp with your favorite cabinet.
I will soon be publishing a list of free guitar cab sims and IR loaders. Until then, I advise you to install LeCab2 or NadIR (both are zero latency and work well for tracking and live performances) and pair them up with the IRs listed in BPB’s round-up of the best free guitar cabinet impulse responses. Place the cabinet emulation after your virtual guitar amp and jam away!
Follow the links for screenshots & download info:
- 7170/8505 by Nick Crow (Windows)
- Amplifikation Lite by Kuassa Amplifikation (Mac, Windows)
- ampLion Free by Audiffex (Mac, Windows)
- Amplitube Custom Shop by IK Multimedia (Mac, Windows)
- Boogex by Voxengo (Windows)
- Dirthead by Ndzeit (Windows)
- Grind Machine Free by Audio Assault (Mac, Windows)
- Guitar Amp 2 by Plektron (Windows)
- Guitar Rig 5 Player by Native Instruments (Mac, Windows)
- Juicy77 by BTE Audio (Windows)
- LePou Plugins by Poulin Amplification (Mac, Windows)
- NoAmp! by Mokafix (Windows)
- NRR-1/The Anvil by Ignite Amps (Mac, Windows)
- SimulAnalog Guitar Suite by SimulAnalog (Windows)
- TSE X30 by TSE Audio (Windows)
Extended list: AradazAmp2, Brackenbury-1 Tube Amplifier, British Valve Custom, Combo, Cortex Stack, Saro, SoftAmp GT, Soldano SLO-X88, Tube Amp.
HyBrit and SoloC are my two favorite Poulin Amplification plugins, but pretty much everything in the LePou Plugins series sounds absolutely amazing! That’s why I’ve simply included them all in the list and I recommend you to try them all. Definitely among the best free amp sims out there!
HyBrit by Poulin Amplification.
TSE X50 by TSE Plugins is a freeware emulation of the Peavey 5150+ guitar amp with a fantastic sound and some pretty cool features like changeable tubes! The plugin is still in beta, but this doesn’t affect the functionality apart from a somewhat higher CPU hit.
TSE X50 by TSE Plugins.
Plektron has done an amazing job with the free edition of their Guitar Amp 2 virtual guitar amplifier. It is a superb little effects suite for guitarists, with great sound and enough features to make high quality guitar tracks. It comes with a built-in british amp, a cabinet simulator, several effects, and also features a full blown bass amp!
Guitar Amp 2 by Plektron.
NRR-1 and The Anvil are two brilliant freeware guitar amp sims developed by Ignite Amps. The Anvil is basically my number one choice for cleaner tones (although it has a great high gain tone, too!). The clean channel sounds very convincing and you can hardly beat it when paired up with a proper cabinet IR. NRR-1 works great on high gain settings.
NRR-1 by Ignite Amps.
AcmeBarGig have been perfecting their guitar amp sim programming skills over the years and the Shred suite is their current flagship plugin. It is a collection of six unique guitar amp heads which you can combine and create your own FrankenAmp.
Shred by AcmeBarGig.
Amplitube 3 FREE, Guitar Rig 5 Player and POD Farm™ FREE are free versions of well-known commercial guitar amp simulation plugin suites. When going for classic guitar tones, I do prefer using individual amp sims and cabinet impulse responses – but when I’m in the mood for experimenting and building crazy effect chains, these three plugins and their built-in amps and pedals are great fun to work with!
Guitar Rig 5 Player by Native Instruments.
I must also mention the SimulAnalog Guitar Suite which used to be THE freeware guitar amp simulation suite until a few years ago. The competition is much larger nowadays, but it’s still a very cool set of plugins with decent guitar sound and ultimate ease of use.
There are many demos on YouTube showing most of the amp sims listed above in action – I’ve selected this one by CharlesOnABoat, showing what NRR-1 can do:
And that’s all for today! What are you favorite guitar amp sims? Favorite guitar cab IRs? Any secret tips you’d like to share with us? Leave your answers in the comments section below!
Also, please support BPB by spreading the word on your favorite forums and social networks! Thanks everyone and happy guitar playing!
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16 Comments on "Best Free Guitar Amplifier VST/AU Plugins!"
I have been searching for hours and I haven’t found such awesome work.
Mr Le Pou’s work is above all. Be sure to send him $$ if you use his stuff. Mixed with the right cab IRs he hits it out of the ballpark … check out his ENGL …
Another +1 for LePou. My fav of his is the Le456.
please take an istrument sogtware fer elementry ejucation…basic ones
Hey Tomislav,
you mentioned SimulAnalog Guitar Suite, but did you know that there is an excellent skin for it, & stereo versions of all the plugins? I swear it makes it sound better having an awesome GUI, LOL! ;)
You’ll find links to download them here; http://requietus.blogspot.co.uk/2008/12/simulanalog-guitar-suite-gui.html I opened both RAR files & they’re clean & safe.
Breath new life into the excellent SimulAnalog Guitar Suite with these top notch GUIs!
Regards,
Jack.
I was using the lepou lecto and the lecab in logic X and they don’t sound right at all. I’m hearing allmost exactly the dry guitar tone as if the plugin wasn’t there or wasn’t on. Yes im sure it is on.
as for the lecab, as soon as i turn it on it explodes ( in a bad way.)
if i turn the volume all the way down it’s silent but if i creep it up it will stay silent untill it blows up again.
anybody else getting this?
maybe i should reinstall it
Line 6 POD Farm Free is now available on the Mac.
Sadly, AcmeBarGig is no more.
I’m having some issues getting these into FL Studio. I simply drag and drop the .dll files, correct?
To get em working in FL studio, drag the DLL files to C:/Program files/Imageline/FL studio/Plugins/VST/here.
Then open FL studio, open Channels tab in the menu, then click on Add one. click on Refresh(fast), now find your plugin. tick the checkbox and close the window. Now in the mixer, while choosing the plugin, click on Add one and follow the previous process again. you’ll be finding your plugin now :)
Fantastic piece , I learned a lot from the info , Does anyone know where I could possibly get ahold of a template MD Comptroller MW508 version to edit ?