In order to play an electric guitar, first you must have a guitar amp. You don't need an amp for an acoustic guitar of course, although some can be hooked up to an amp to make sure that those listening can hear.
Guitar amps can be expensive, and if you have a learner guitar player in your home, you might not want to buy an amp until you know what you are getting into. There are two types of amp you might want to get, for practice and performance. However you should not invest in either of them unless you know your learner is serious about playing for the long run.
A really good performance guitar amp can cost over a thousand dollars or more. These are the amps that those who play professionally use because they need the best sound they can get. One brand of guitar amp that many professionals rely on in Marshall, but there are also other good brands available. However, buying that type of expensive guitar amp for a child that may or may not continue to play might not be a wise investment.
Other than the larger guitar amp that most performers use to play, there are smaller ones that many use to practice. These do not sound very good if you are performing, but they are perfectly adequate for practicing at home. They don't play too loud, but they might go louder than you might think when you look at them. The practice size guitar amp is usually about a foot tall and a foot wide, and are easily carried where they need to go. They also have a jack for headphones when someone needs to practice around others. For the new guitar player, this is the way to go until you realize they are serious about their endeavor and want to perform. At first, buying a second hand practice amp that has been used, or an introductory one that is not that expensive to being with, might be the best idea.
What parents should also remember when buying a guitar amp is that they do draw a lot of power. They may also have parts that must be replaced on occasion, and they can be a bit pricey. Tack that on to the price of a full sized performance guitar amp, and you can have quite an investment on your hands. If for some reason your child gives it up, you could always find someone to buy your used amp, but you almost certainly won't nearly recoup your purchase price if you bought new. That is why it is always a good idea to buy a practice amp first, and then the larger one only when it appears the hobby is here to stay.