Bugera?

sdbrit68

Student Of The Blues
I'm looking at J&J tubes.

Are they good?

Some people like them, I actually like groove tubes myself. But congrats on the Buggera, out of all the amps I have owned, its been my favorie, and unless it blows up, I aint letting it go
 

Elio

Student Of The Blues
I'm looking at J&J tubes.

Are they good?

I used a set of JJ's in my Carvin Nomad and am really happy with the results. I got mine from Eurotubes com. They have quite a few pre-assembled tube combinations depending on the sound you are going for. They are based in San Diego and spent a fair amount of time in the one with me discussing the options.
 
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Shodai

Blues Junior
I checked it Eurotubes. All three kits they have for the V22 contain J&J Tubes, so I guess that's pretty standard. Thanks for the input. As always, very helpful!
 

Shodai

Blues Junior
Well, day two...

Amp is still running great, no indication that the tubes have any issues at all, and it actually sounds pretty good.

For some reason it sounds better when my brother plays through it... I wonder what's up with that...

Anyway, used it at Jazz practice this morning for about two hours, (well, our guitar guy used it) absolutely no issues.

I'm calling it $200 will spent.
 

mountain man

Still got the Blues!
A little late to this thread but I thought I would chime in. When I first started playing at open Blues jams the guy that lead the event played through a 22 watt Fender and he had all the clean headroom you needed and was always heard cutting through the mix. He had great tone and knew just how to set his EQ and OD on that amp. So 22 watts could be just right. I've read about the difference between the triode or pentode operation looking to see what the different power rating are for your amp. I couldn't find the power rating for your amp but here goes. You might want to read up on the technical discussion but basically what it does is switches to 1/2 power in the triode mode. I've got a Carvin Vintage 16 that when I switch to triode mode it's 5 watts. There are discussions where purest's don't like this mode on amps as it's mushy or breaks up earlier. Other peoples like this mode in different amps due to different circuitry that keeps it tighter and less mushy and still allowing that wonderful tube break-up at lower power. None the less it will be at much less power. For me on my Carvin 16? I find that the 16 watts is far too much power at home. I prefer to get the OD tone from the tubes and not as much from foot pedals so I play that amp mostly in triode mode. I also find that the 16 watt full power is not enough to cut through the mix when someone who is playing a 22 watt Fender that knows how to set it up can utilize all that headroom. That's when I got a Carvin Vintage 33....... great power for small Sports Bars open jams. And then I discovered the Nace Pro-18........

By the way, It's nice not having to deal with biasing the power tubes. You don't have to bias the tubes on the Nace Pro-18 nor do you have to on the Fender Blues Jr. On these amps I always buy the "matched" power tubes. I think it makes a difference on the tone and probably allows them to last a little longer. I also use the JJ's and they are stock with the Nace Pro-18. Having said that the new Joe Bonamassa 59 Fender twin re-issue I just put a deposit down for delivery when they are through production uses Tung-sol tubes. With the purchase of that amp includes tickets to one of Joe's shows (my choosing which show) including a meet and greet. I will be asking Joe why Tung sol and how about JJ's.......... good luck!! It sounds like a great amp with multiple use......... :Beer:
 
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Shodai

Blues Junior
Thanks for the feedback. So far I like it, but it's definitely a learning curve.

Until now I've been using a modeling amp with built in effects, just seen it to the program and play. No further adjustment needed.

Always fun to get new toys!
 

CapnDenny1

Student Of The Blues
The matched sets are intended to keep the bias current through both or all 4 of power tubes close to the same current. That minimizes the hum from the B+ ripple that is on that first stage of the B+ voltage. Earlier stages in the pre-amp have more filtering, so they are more DC and less AC ripple. But the B+ that goes to teh Output Transformer, and then the power tubes plate voltage, has a couple of volts of AC ripple. But in a push-push amp configuration the ripple current on each tube cancels out the ripple on the other tube, provided they are matched.

Some amps have separate adjustments for each tube, so you don't need to buy matched tubes.

Just because you don't have an adjustment for the bias current, doesn't mean you don't need one. It also doesn't mean you can't adjust the bias. I have changed resistors to fine tune the bias in fixed bias amps without adjustment pots, and also in cathode biased amps, where the current was just not acceptable. The Egnater Tweaker 15 is cathode biased, but was set way too hot, so I had to change the cathode resistor. Most Blues Jr's are also too hot, even though they are fixed bias, there is no pot to adjust it. Mt Fender Princeton also does not have an adjustment, but the bias current was OK last time I checked.

Some of the newer amps have computer controlled biasing. I believe the newer Bugera Infinium has that. and so does the The Fender Bassman 100T I have and the Hughes and Kettner Tone Meister 15W. In those amps you don't need to worry about matched tubes, or adjusting the bias at all.
 

matonanjin

Chubby, old guy trying to play some blues.
I had never heard of Bugera. To be accurate, I had forgotten the name. One of the guys at my weekly jam has a little tube amp. It is probably the size of the Orange 20 watt amp. It sounds absolutely awesome. Several times I or the 3rd guy in our group has commented on what great sound it has. After I saw this thread it jogged my memory and I asked the guy again and he confirmed it's a Bugera. He doesn't even know what model or how many watts it is. I think he bought it online at Guitar Center.
 

Shodai

Blues Junior
Gotta admit, it sounds good. I think I like it.
The "replace tubes" lights came in again, so I guess it will need a set after all. Going to order a complete set of J&J and start fresh.
 

JohnHurley

Rock and Roll
Bugera seems to have a good lineup of amps speaker cabs and some other stuff. Price is low build quality seems ok ish.

I have a bugera power soak ps1 attenuator that works really well. As far as i know its all chinese made.

So is ( i think ) my PRS MT15 tube amp.
 

matonanjin

Chubby, old guy trying to play some blues.
To me, this looks really cool. I was thinking about the little combo like my jam buddy has for when I go to the jam. The little combo would certainly be more compact and mobile. But I am really toying with the idea of this head. Get a Celestion Super 8 in a cabinet?

When you think about it most people, I would think, getting an amp head are going for a huge wattage and a stack. This has to be for a really niche market. Who gets a 5 watt head for a practice amp? Still......

 

JohnHurley

Rock and Roll
To me, this looks really cool. I was thinking about the little combo like my jam buddy has for when I go to the jam. The little combo would certainly be more compact and mobile. But I am really toying with the idea of this head. Get a Celestion Super 8 in a cabinet?

When you think about it most people, I would think, getting an amp head are going for a huge wattage and a stack. This has to be for a really niche market. Who gets a 5 watt head for a practice amp? Still......


Yeah its supposed to be a lot louder than 5 watts ... plus a handy built in attenuator. Lots of great reviews for it.

Bugera also has a really nice looking bare metal cage T5 that also has some really nice reviews.
 

OG_Blues

Guitar Geezer
To me, the idea of a micro sized head style amp makes a lot of sense, and there are many to choose from. It allows you to utilize a variety of speakers, and especially larger speakers that you may already have in order to get far greater tone and volume than you would from the typical speaker in an inexpensive small combo style amp. For those occasions that require a small portable amp, just make yourself a small speaker cabinet to go with it.

As far as Bugera amps go, a few years ago I went to inspect a guitar I was interested in buying. The seller turned out to be at the office of an apartment building. He brought out the guitar and the little 5w Bugera combo amp, which I had never seen before. I was IMMEDIATELY struck by the fantastic sound from that little amp. I tried to buy the amp instead of the guitar, but he wouldn't let it go. I have heard a couple other larger Bugera amps (the 22w I believe) that also sounded great. Clearly, they have something good going for them IMO.
 

sdbrit68

Student Of The Blues
To me, this looks really cool. I was thinking about the little combo like my jam buddy has for when I go to the jam. The little combo would certainly be more compact and mobile. But I am really toying with the idea of this head. Get a Celestion Super 8 in a cabinet?

When you think about it most people, I would think, getting an amp head are going for a huge wattage and a stack. This has to be for a really niche market. Who gets a 5 watt head for a practice amp? Still......

I know right ?

Thats why I have a 120 watt tube practice amp, well, all around amp


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