i have a fender frontman 25w, and i thought it was ok, until i jammed with the guy who is now the lead guitarist in my band. he has a marshall amp, i'm not sure what wattage, but the tone and warmth from his amp whipped mine. i think it's worth it to spend a little extra and get a cheap marshall than to spend less on a good fender or other lower-priced amp.

hope that made sense.