Bugera v55

[HailToTheBlues]

Hi guys,
I've found a guy who's selling a Bugera v55 for good price, and i wanted to know what was your opinion about this amp. It is for a clean sound, a more vintage blues sound. Does this amp can get close to a sort of tweed flavour? Also, what about taking pedals?

Best regards

[jkokura]

Isn't Bugera the Behringer tube amp brand? If that's the case, I wouldn't touch it with a 49.5 foot pole.

Jacob

[HailToTheBlues]

yeah, i think it is, but there's many people out there saying very good things about those amps, so that's why i wanted to hear your thoughts.

[Govmnt_Lacky]

Can you rock it before you box it? 

[HailToTheBlues]

ahahah, i think i can, the guy lives a bit far, but i think i could do the trip if it was worth it.

[GermanCdn]

IDK, for the right price it's probably not a bad amp, there seem to be enough Bugera followers out there in the ether.  It is just a rebranded Behringer, so it would need a tube job most likely, and I haven't had the greatest reliability experiences from my limited exposure to Behringer, but if it was just for around the house that shouldn't be that much of an issue.

As far as sounding like a Tweed?  Probably not, I think Bugera's were typically voiced more on the Marshall side.

[HailToTheBlues]

IDK, for the right price it's probably not a bad amp, there seem to be enough Bugera followers out there in the ether.  It is just a rebranded Behringer, so it would need a tube job most likely, and I haven't had the greatest reliability experiences from my limited exposure to Behringer, but if it was just for around the house that shouldn't be that much of an issue.

As far as sounding like a Tweed?  Probably not, I think Bugera's were typically voiced more on the Marshall side.

Well, they have a model, the v22 that comes with EL84 tubes, which is more british voiced, and the v55 comes with 6L6 tubes, which are more american voiced, but the tubes don't make miracles.
Well the head is selling for 190 euros (240 dollars), and i was currently looking for my first good amp, on a budget, since i've been using a frontman 15g for practice for a couple years now, and maybe soon i would gig with the new amp. I was looking for that vintage tweed sound, 59' bassman kind of sound, but i didn't want to go there again, since i had started a thread about the bassman a couple months ago.

[bela1961]

I own a Bugera V5. I am very pleased with it..... for what I use it for, which is home, bedroom ,etc. It has three output levels all of which sound quite good. The stock speaker was a bit dark sounding so it was replaced with a Weber which livened things up a bit. It is well build and pleasing to the eye and it takes pedals amazingly well. I have NOS replacement tubes for it but I have yet to try them, there's been no need. For the money this amp cant be beat. That being said I have no experience with the V55, but I'm sure they are similar. I also understand the comments on Berhringer Garbage, I would tend to agree. This amp however, was a pleasant surprise.

[slimtriggers]

I have a friend with a V22 and he loves it.  That doesn't really answer your question, but that particular model has been reliable for him.  Maybe he got lucky, IDK.

[rullywowr]

Berhringer has been doing some good stuff lately, most notably the x32 mixing desk which is gaining a good reputation across the industry. It appears they are branching out rather than just cloning existing designs.  If you asked me about anything they made 5 years ago I would have said "no way." If it sounds good and it's reliable...then why not? 

[jkokura]

If it sounds good and it's reliable...then why not? 

Because their ethos is 'disposable' and 'impossible to repair'. Every time I've opened up any piece of Behringer gear I soon rediscover how shoddily it's built, and it's made to be thrown away, not repaired.

I've used lots of great sounding gear, but there are some items and companies I want to support, and some I refuse to. A couple good items from Behringer do not make up for their long reputation of poor ethical business approaches and poor technical and customer support.

You can find equally good sounding gear for the same price that doesn't come from Behringer.

Jacob

[jtn191]

If you like it, go for it if you like the features. Behringer HAS come a long way...I heard that one of their digital mixers was basically made by Midas ($$$ brand) but made with cheaper enclosure hardware. This amp's price/quality/design reminds me of Peavey which is underrated as well

[Tangle001]

I have a v22, similar to a v55 in philosophy.  It will play clean or bluesy but is powerful so it's easier to get the clean.  And that is stock.  Then again if you have the space air it out and you get all the tone you want. My 2.  Now for the Behringer question, The Behringer corporation owns the Bugera company, but Bugera is a separate operation with different products, you all.

[rullywowr]

If you like it, go for it if you like the features. Behringer HAS come a long way...I heard that one of their digital mixers was basically made by Midas ($$$ brand) but made with cheaper enclosure hardware. This amp's price/quality/design reminds me of Peavey which is underrated as well

This. I've read the preamps are basically the same as Midas but they aren't transformer balanced. To dismiss all Behringer products because they copy others designs or some $30 pedal has poor smd work, is missing out on the good products they do have.  It's similar to buying Chinese tools - maybe not the best, but if it works for the intended application then go for it. 

I've played some Marshalls that were just horrendous sounding as well as some Fenders which have serious mechanical/electrical design flaws. Doesn't mean all of them are crap.

Besides, doesn't most every pedal company copy or is inspired by previous designs?  I'm more offended by companies who copy designs from good people like runoffgroove and claim they invented them by themselves 

[HailToTheBlues]

Thanks for all the replies guys, really appreciate them. I still don't know what i intend to do, but with all your advices, that's a good starting point. I'm going to read more reviews, and hear more demos to see if it is worth the money, or if i'm better of raising a little more. Then i'm sure the guy wouldn't mind if i try the amp without the need to buy it right away.