Vox AmPlug AC30 Headphone Amplifier

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/amplifiers-effects/vox-amplug-ac30-guitar-headphone-amp

  The Vox AmPlugs are a series of headphone amplifiers that allow you to practice intensely without beeing a bother whereever you may be.  The way this works it that you plug straight into your guitar and plug a pair of headphones into the side of this device.  This amp includes a gain, tone, and volume nobs to adjust. This little amp includes effects within it like reverb tremelo, and chorous just like a standard Vox AC30 would have.  There is an aux jack so you can play along to songs or practice learning them through this.

This particular version of the vox headphone amp series sounds really well for blues, classic rock, and other similar genres and sub genres.  If you are looking for a metal sound, or just a really high gain distortion i would recommend there metal version of this plugin.  This amp is primarly for solid clean and crunch tones.  This amp is pocket sized and takes two AAA batteries, and the batteries can last up to 24 with this unit.

The quality of the sound projected from this little thing is amazing! Although that being said, it is not recording quality but then again that is not its purpose.  So if you are getting noise complaints for jamming out to loud, you may reall want to consider investing in the Vox AmPlug.  I have made the switch myself and I thouroughly enjoy it.

Rogue RM 100A Mandolin

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Rogue/RM-100A-A-Style-Mandolin-Sunburst-1275425409511.gc

I thought I would swtich things up and talk about some different instruments.  Here we have the Rougue RM 100A mandolin made by Rogue Fine Instruments.  I decided to add one of these to my collection a few months back.  If you are unfamiliar with the madolin it includes 8 strings and tuned like a violin.  

The RM 100A seems to be a lower end mandolin for beginners to use.  This instrument is made with Maple wood, the body is about 1/16th of an inch thick.  There are 22 frets on this little guy and of course as you can see this is a hollow body instrument.  I would recommend this instrument to beginners or as a beater/travel instrument.  The craftsmanship on this instrument is for sure not the greatest, but I would still recommend grabbing one these Mandolins!