specialk

Carl, the Bugera was okay by my book. Good bang for the buck. I just couldn't pay that money and "hope" the Bugera performed for the long haul. My personal experience follows: Okay, here goes.... I know there are a fair number of pro players on this board with megawatt heads and 4x12 cabs out the wazoo. So you may or may not be interested in this review. Cool, but for anyone wanting to get a real bedroom amp here is my experience. Bugera: $150. 5 watt, vol/tone/gain/reverb. 1x8 combo, Bugera speaker. EL84/12AX7 tubes. Attenuator allows for 5, 1 or 0.1 watt out. Headphone out. Vox: $250. 4 watt, vol/tone. 1x10 combo, Celestion speaker. EL84/12AX7 tubes. Attenuator allows for 4, 1 or 0.25 watt out. 16 ohm external speaker out. Both combo amps were demo’d with a Special FM with 2 buckers, bridge WCR Fillmore and neck Bare Knuckle Mule. For me: The Bugera had a headphone out which was nice (but I’m not a can man). Decent, but to me a “compressed” sound (and not in a good way). Tinny and shallow sound, if that makes sense. The clean wasn’t bad, just not good. The reverb was digital and it sounded like it. Not good. The gain was pretty much the same. A little was good, but beyond say 3 not so good. Changing pickups was kinda blah. The Vox was very responsive and “organic” sounding. Tube saturation was incredible, exactly like what I was hearing in my head. Where this amp really shined was at the lower power settings. Living in a duplex, I can’t always crank the volume, but on the 1 watt and especially the 1/4 watt settings the Vox killed the Bugera in tone. And the pickup selector switch just made such a difference with the Vox. The different characteristics of the pups was crystal clear with Vox. $250 for a 4 watt amp sounds nuts. See the smile on my face? It’s still there. All I can say is try it before you buy it. The Vox was worth every penny to me.

VOX ROCKS! More later....

Z: Thanks for the info. I came across that Bugera = Behringer connection somewhere on the web. I dunno if it's just distribution or manufacturing too, but maybe something to avoid. backinit: Thanks! This is what I'm looking for, direct head-to-head comparisons. And I trust you guys here a LOT more than the faceless monkeys that post on harmony central or other sites. And it'll be all stock amps. I don't want to be buying an amp then have to turn around and put new tubes/speakers in it. That's part of the allure for me of SS amps. When I go back there next week, I will be sure to give tone reports here on both. All three, if I can find that Roland Cube 15x. I'm not a tube snob, I'll use whatever gets me to where I want to be. Decent tone at low volumes, can it really be so hard to find? Seems like it is....

Just wishing I was there right now!

Ken, I don't think the 8" Vox is available any more. I checked a couple of online sites, and they said they were either out of them or it's been discontinued. A shame if true, as I know I read somewhere that the 8" components were better than those in the 10". I know squat about Bugera. I've seen their ads, but that's it. Until I walked into the store I had no idea they made small amps. I had about 5 minutes to mess with it before the youngsters came in to shred. So when I go back, I'm taking my own guitar and giving each one a fair shake. The main reason I was looking at the Cube 15x is because it has a power-squeezer switch that drops the output to 2 watts. Oh well, I'm keeping my ears open and may the best amp win. That Blackheart 5 watter is cool, but for me the convenience of a combo is a bigger deal. Plus I'm on a budget. Anyone know if there is a big sonic difference between a 10" speaker and a 8" speaker? I'm guessing not, at least not at bedroom volumes.

So I finally made it to the local shop today. I was planning on choosing between the Vox AC4TV and Roland Cube 15x. They didn't have a Roland, but they did have the Bugera 5 watt amp. I've never heard one and don't know anybody with one. So I got to looking between the Bugera, here: http://www.bugera-amps.com/EN/products/V5.aspx And the Vox, here: http://www.voxamps.com/us/modernclassic/ac4tv/ They both run 12AX7/EL84 tubes, and both have built-in attenuators. The Vox has a 10" speaker, the Bugera 8". Vox has a vol/tone, Bugera has vol/tone, plus gain and reverb. I really like the cleans of the Bugera over the Vox. The Bugera is $100 less than the Vox. I'm going back Monday or Tuesday with cash in my pocket. Anyone here care to comment one way or the other on either of these?

To everyone going: Be safe. Have a very cool time. Make some noise. Remember, pics or it didn't happen.

Jaw-droppingly cool, literally!

Congrats on getting the BK pickups. I am sure you will be pleased. The neck one in my Special FM is as good as it gets. Love it!

Thanks for clarifying the Max moniker, guys! The bass was a little beat up, but still looked like a good one for the money. I hope someone here got it.

Chris, I meant to ask earlier. What model is the "Max"? Sorry for a stupid question, I just wasn't sure what model Hamer bass this is. Thanks for any info!

Still pretty cheap at $405 with a half hour to go.... BTW, Not mine and I have no affiliation to it.

Quilt and boomers: http://cgi.ebay.com/1980s-Hamer-4-String-B...#ht_2978wt_1070

P've got a Bare Knuckle Mule pickup in the neck of my Special FM. The previous owner put it in. It kills. Very sweet at lower volumes, and nice and throaty when the volume comes up. I'd call them high end pickups. And damn good ones, too. Edit to add link: http://www.bareknucklepickups.co.uk/ZH-themule.html

Ehhh. What's in a name anyhow?

Okay, I figured it out. Steve Miller at Red Rocks! I've always liked him (even in the Joker-Abracadabera stage, kinda) and I expect that, with age, his playing is super tasteful these days. But still ROCK!

Mine got here today! My wife left, my car was repossessed and my dog got run over. Oh wait..... I was holding them upside down, Serious, they feel and sound really good. Thanks cmatthes and the HFC!

Happy Birthdays!

+1.

How about a set neck T-51? Not that I could afford it, but....

No detail too small. Love it!

Very inspired! And it blew me away when I read there were no keyboards used. Wild. Thanks for sharing, ZMB!

Any updates on the latest shipment?

Hamer (used) gets my money until I finds something better. I haven't yet, at least not for the money.

Not yet sure who I'd want to see, but I know I'd want it to be at Red Rocks Amphitheatre: http://www.redrocksonline.com/