Amplifier

Vox AD15T($180ish) or AD30T($240ish)........
These are Valvetronix amps meaning part tube, part transistor. I own the 15 and absolutely love it. It has a dozen preset sounds ranging from super smooth to rip-roaring intenese. It comes with a foot pedal so you can change tones or volume levels during a song. The presets are completely programable too. Technology these days are unreal. I cannot believe the sound this amp delivers. I bought this amp and sold my 25year old 50watt 2x12" Marshall and my 30year old 160watt Peavey Renown. The best feature with the vox amp for me was the louder I cranked it up, the clearer it sounded. This amp fills a room nicely. Here's a link;

http://www.music123.com/Vox-Valvetronix … 5.Music123

Maybe sound silly to ya'll, but I've got a little Roland Micro-cube that I absolutely love...it's battery operated, easily portable and has amazing sound. I use it at home a lot and often take it to church and places. It's plenty loud enough for home and when using it at church I just mike it into the sound system. Yes, I've got several much bigger and more expensive amps but really like the little Roland.

VOX - sounds like the real deal

a nice little 50 watt dean. they go for 250, and pack a whallop for playing with others with much bigger amps

- Crate GT212 Guitar Combo Amplifier 120 Watts 199,95$
- Instantly access hundreds of killer sounds designed by the world's most notorious rock stars. Line 6 III Spider.
- Crate GTX212 Guitar Amplifier with Digital Effects (120 Watts) 249,95$
- Crate Guitar Amplifier Half Stack with GLX1200H Head and G412SL Cabinet 419$
- Behringer ACX1800 Ultracoustic Acoustic Guitar Amplifier (180 Watts, 2x8 in.) 299;95$
- Kustom HV65 Guitar Combo Amplifier (65 Watts) 399,99$

I hope that this list has an amp like you want. They are solid, and within your budget.
I only looked for strong amps, and not 30W amps, because, having a strong amp gives you more opportunities.
My personal interest goes to the Crate with digital effects. I have 3 amps, a Marshall Valvestate, no tubes, but a monster, a Marshall Acoustic, you can play electric on this one, allowing you to hear a "crystal sound", and my TOP OF THE BILL: is a FENDER CYBERTWIN 2x65W, containing a lot of existing Fender amps, like the Bassman, meaning: almost every Fender Amp is in this HYBRID amp, using and Digital and tubes. Add there a lot of effects, select one, and the knobs will turn automatic to the desired amp or effect. You choose sound A in Amp A, and you can regulate the knobs manually, providing you that particular sound you want.