Bugera- Junk or Jem?

[DetroitBlues]

I recently was defaulted with a Bugera V22. I dislike Harmony Central as well as the Evil Empire of music stores forums. Guitar Center, Musicians Friend, and Harmony are all the same company. On here I can get a true opinion from people who truely value quality with no compromise. I like this amp and was able to compare it to a Vox AC15. I liked the Vox a little more, but this amp was a 1/3 of the price. What's everyone else's opinion?

[yoslate]

Since an amp is a tool, I'd have to see how it does over time. Can you haul it around, gig after gig, in and out of the car, and have it do what it was ostensibly designed for. Or does it do fine, until the first time it barfs at a gig, three months after purchase, and then present nothing but persistent problems?

[Hfan]

I recently was defaulted with a Bugera V22. I dislike Harmony Central as well as the Evil Empire of music stores forums. Guitar Center, Musicians Friend, and Harmony are all the same company. On here I can get a true opinion from people who truely value quality with no compromise. I like this amp and was able to compare it to a Vox AC15. I liked the Vox a little more, but this amp was a 1/3 of the price. What's everyone else's opinion?

 

Sorry, I am still in the dark ages regarding amps. I'm very surprised to hear about Harmony Central, thought it was legit.

[tulk1]

Rebranded (or co-branded?) Behringer. Bugera was the B's entry into speakers a few years back. You could get a 4x12 cab, loaded for $250. What's that tell you? And now they have amps. Hmmm.

 

A very intelligent person once told a group of us (paraphrased) "you buy a $2k guitar and then use a $10 cord to hook it up to your amp and expected it to sound like $2k guitar". <---------- That says bundles right there. You might want to apply that to amps.

 

We do have members that work in instrument retail. Perhaps one or two of them will chime in with real world experience with Bugera. But until they do, I'd suggest saving $$s to get something else.

[GuitArtMan]

Sorry, I am still in the dark ages regarding amps. I'm very surprised to hear about Harmony Central, thought it was legit.

Harmony Central was purchased by Musicians Friend a few years back. Sometime there after their product review data base mysteriously disappeared. I haven't logged on there in years (it was already on the way down hill be MF bought it) so I'm not sure if my old scathing reviews of products they sell are still there or not. There have been rumors of shill reviews over there for years, even before MF bought it.

[Sparky]

One company owns Guitar Center, Musicians Friend, Music 123, Woodwind Brasswind and Harmony Central.

Five years ago, Music 123 had their own in-house brand (Fullerton), and would also have more of a selection as far as lefty guitars went.

I bought a lefty Washburn WI64DL "B" stock about 3 years ago for $300.

Now they've pooled the inventory to such a degree that MF is selling the exact same "B" stock items M123 is. I was looking at a smashed up MIM Tele

on M123, and the exact same guitar was for sale on MF. Freedom of choice was what we wanted, freedom FROM choice is what we got.

As far as Bugera amps are concerned, I've been tempted to buy one of their lower wattage tube amps just because the prices were stupid cheap.

I'm not buying anymore chinese products. Vietnam, Korea, Indonesia sure.

[golferwave]

I have a Bugera V55 head upstairs in the dormer room in case I'm up there watching TV and want to plug in and play. It sounds real decent and looks to be pretty well made. On the other hand I wouldn't depend on it weekly for gigs. Like Rob said...how will it stand up over time? I guess we'll know when someones opinion we value lets us know. Until then I'd do as Kenny suggests and save your quarters until you can buy something that's already been tested over time.

[DetroitBlues]

I have a Bugera V55 head upstairs in the dormer room in case I'm up there watching TV and want to plug in and play. It sounds real decent and looks to be pretty well made. On the other hand I wouldn't depend on it weekly for gigs. Like Rob said...how will it stand up over time? I guess we'll know when someones opinion we value lets us know. Until then I'd do as Kenny suggests and save your quarters until you can buy something that's already been tested over time.

 

 

But then again, every amp model has to start somewhere. Worst case scenerio KBP can just make me an amp!

[Steiner]

Worst case scenerio KBP can just make me an amp!

 

I believe you mean best case scenario! Return the Bugger and buy a KBP810; I bet you never have trouble getting it modded or serviced

[pegleg32]

Had a 5 watt combo, gave it away.

[DetroitBlues]

I believe you mean best case scenario! Return the Bugger and buy a KBP810; I bet you never have trouble getting it modded or serviced

 

Can't I just have both??? I'd never gig with KBP810's amps, they're too pretty for a smelly bar!

[erictheweasel]

Can't I just have both??? I'd never gig with KBP810's amps, they're too pretty for a smelly bar!

 

 

I'm sorry, but I'm totally in the dark here. KBP810?

[JeffB]

Bugera is junk. Cheap junk. A waste of human endeavor and earths resources. I vote junk. I hate the name and all it implies. Only good thing I have to say about them is...............no, theres nothing.

Useless and land fill and you cant burn them with out polluting. To light for a boat anchor and too heavy to throw in the midst of battle. Im not sure why they even exist.

Ive profiled Bugera owners. Its not pretty.

[tulk1]

I'm sorry, but I'm totally in the dark here. KBP810?

He's an HOC member. He builds his own amps. Here's a thread on one.

[erictheweasel]

Bugera is junk. Cheap junk. A waste of human endeavor and earths resources. I vote junk. I hate the name and all it implies. Only good thing I have to say about them is...............no, theres nothing.

Useless and land fill and you cant burn them with out polluting. To light for a boat anchor and too heavy to throw in the midst of battle. Im not sure why they even exist.

Ive profiled Bugera owners. Its not pretty.

 

 

The name always makes me think of the bear from Jungle Book.

[erictheweasel]

He's an HOC member. He builds his own amps. Here's a thread on one.

 

 

Ah, sorry. Thanks for the clarification.

[DetroitBlues]

Bugera is junk. Cheap junk. A waste of human endeavor and earths resources. I vote junk. I hate the name and all it implies. Only good thing I have to say about them is...............no, theres nothing.

Useless and land fill and you cant burn them with out polluting. To light for a boat anchor and too heavy to throw in the midst of battle. Im not sure why they even exist.

Ive profiled Bugera owners. Its not pretty.

 

Do you speak from experience or just hearsay? Tonal wise, its a great sounding amp to me. If its a matter of durability, then there is another question.

[JeffB]

Do you speak from experience or just hearsay? Tonal wise, its a great sounding amp to me. If its a matter of durability, then there is another question.

Some people dont have any problems with them. Ive never seen one at a gig or after 2yrs of gigging. Maybe they do fine in a less stressful home amp situation where it is barely turned up. Some people enjoy modding them. New speakers, tubes, few circuit changes etc.

Heres a link to a previous Bugera thread. I posted under the name tomdread.

Previous Bugera thread

Im not trying to diminish yours or anyone elses good experience with them. Just state my own. I have developed an irrational hate, more than Im comfortable with, for the company and all its products.

[Steiner]

DB, Tully works in the "business". He sees the flow of gear that most of us have to personally experience and does very well articulating here. Albeit harsh, I take his word with credence. This is the first time I've heard (read) such a strong warning. caveat emptor.

[DetroitBlues]

DB, Tully works in the "business". He sees the flow of gear that most of us have to personally experience and does very well articulating here. Albeit harsh, I take his word with credence. This is the first time I've heard (read) such a strong warning. caveat emptor.

 

Buyer is most definately beware on this amp. But for what I had, I couldn't ask for a better amp at the time. I thought about asking them to order me a Jet City 20w combo, but I needed a amp right away. I hoping that this amp will be fine until the day comes I can get something better.

[JeffB]

Buyer is most definately beware on this amp. But for what I had, I couldn't ask for a better amp at the time. I thought about asking them to order me a Jet City 20w combo, but I needed a amp right away. I hoping that this amp will be fine until the day comes I can get something better.

I was with a customer today who loves modding the Bugera amps, the 5 22 an 55. He is aware of the problems they have but thinks most are an easy fix and upgrade(for him). Also, apparently Bugera has made a few revisions along the way and some of the major problems with the V series are not so bad anymore.

My main gripe is my wasted time organizing repair authorizations, repairers, pick up and drop offs and trying to keep disgruntled customers happy. If a repairer has a week worth of warranty and private repairs to get through before he gets to the customers amp there is little I can do about that. He has his own schedule to keep. But being on the front line, so to speak, I have to absorb the customers wrath.

So to save my self the aggravation and the prospect of seeing the undignified side of a customer I am upfront about the down time they may experience if they purchase a Bugera. I will recommend other products not as an up sell but as an alternative. I do the same with other products/ brands as well.

I think the v22 is a cool little amp for the money. They could even use better components and raise the price slightly and it would still be a cheap good value amp but without the fail rate.

[DetroitBlues]

I'd be interested to know what kind of mod's your customer is doing. I found a bunch of older youtube reviews of the amps and asked for some feedback now the owners had the amps for a few months. I still love the amp, its worked like a champ, but I still have my worries.

[JeffB]

I'd be interested to know what kind of mod's your customer is doing. I found a bunch of older youtube reviews of the amps and asked for some feedback now the owners had the amps for a few months. I still love the amp, its worked like a champ, but I still have my worries.

He lives 97kms away and I see him maybe once every 6mths. He talked about transformers and caps and things that made me really have to look like I was focused and interested. (tech talk. Over my thick head)

I did question him about the over capitalization aspect of what he did. Its his hobby, he enjoys doing this, so sourcing parts and spending again what the amp cost(how much does a s/h g12m cost) is not a big deal but a part of the whole experience I guess. If he comes by again soon I will tax his brain for information and pass it on to you.

[barrymclark]

My two cents: Sound great for their price point. Plenty of power and all that. But, from listening to my friends who work in music stores, they do get a high number of returns for issues or warranty work. Sounds like they are prone to break down.

[DetroitBlues]

My fears came true last night. I have been playing the amp for 45 minutes or less at a time since I had it. Last night I was well into an hour when the I noticed a change in tone. It sounded like the reverb became a little quiet. So I turned the reverb all the way up. Nothing. Turned it off and on. Nothing. Turned the amp off and came back 20 minutes later and the reverb came back. So I have discovered when this amp is heated up, the reverb fails. I previously sent out some requests from real users on youtube (not the store front guys that are one and done users of amps). Of the five or six I sent messages to, a few responded with mixed results. Two people loved them and two people got rid of them. One of them went through three before he gave up. One person had the footswitch problem which may have been the problem with my amp last night. So off to Guitar Center I go and I'm placing an order for a Jet City Ampliciation JCA2112RC. I haven't found a bad review of this amp yet, so I'm going for it. If Soldano puts his name on it and his rep is 1/2 as good as I've heard, I shouldn't be disappointed.