The cheaper the better is what I say. That way you can buy MORE of them.
Speaking of cheap... Ty Tabor from King's X has used for many years and many recordings an old Lab Series L5. Remember those? Nobody ever claimed those had the holy grail of tone yet listen to any King's X album up to their latest "Ogre Tones". The boy has tone just dripping off of every cut and he did it with some cheap old SOLID STATE amp. Go figure, no tubes.
I don't buy the whole boutique amp thing either. It all comes from the player.
I've heard Roine Stolt from The Flower Kings through a Bruno (high $$ boutique amp) and through an old Fender Dual Showman, a fender Bassman and a 45 watt Marshall and he sounds exactly the same through either amp. But does he own a Bruno or Dr. Z? Nope. Cheap old Fenders and a Marshall.
I'm not advocating buying cheap, as in crappy amps, in any way. I just don't believe you have to spend wads of $ to get good tone. A well tubed and tuned cheap tube amp will floor you just as easily as a high $ amp (IMHO). Just like Nelskie says.
So save your money for candy, beer and MORE GUITARS.
"No Tele For you." - The Tele Nazi
Ha! Tele-ish now inbound.