Hi, I am a full time busker in the UK and I think all you people bashing the use of amplifiers are totally wrong.

Without an amplifier, you will not make much money busking. For one, most town and city centres have so much background noise...e.g. pedestrians walking and talking, music from shops, traffic from roads, street cleaners, etc.

Also, if people see you with an amp then it's obvious you're a professional musician and not just a 'beggar with and instrument'.

I have been busking full time for 2 years, and without an amp you will struggle and you will be very limited as to where you will be able to play.

I rarely get 'moved on' or 'told to turn it down'...in fact, quite the opposite...people seem to enjoy very much what I do.

I make a VERY good living busking...far more than when I used to work full time for an employer....so all you people critisizing buskers using amps are way off the mark.

The bottom line: to make a good living busking and to make yourself heard clearly, YOU NEED TO HAVE AN AMPLIFER.