Overall User Ratings

"Great sound, LOUD, very versatile."

This reviewer purchased this item from Same Day Music.

Feature:
You don't get anything extra with this head except the footswitch. But, it's a really nice metal case heavy-duty 4 way footswitch. You can select clean, crunch or lead channels with the footswitch and also turn the reverb on and off. The XL function doesn't seem to do much - I was expecting a boost but what you get is more bottom end. There is so much anyway that it hardly seems necessary. Reverb seems to work well. The presence control is very effective and useful, moreso than many other amps. It has an effects loop with a level control on both the output and the return. I wish these controls were on the front of the amp but no big deal really, you don't change these very often. Also there's a line out with a level control on the back but I really don't use that. Overall I really like having three separate channels is a great configuration. I've always liked the Marshall TSL and this has the same basic configuration, has a wider variety of sounds and costs less.

Quality:
Bugera is Behringer - designed in Europe, built in China. They get a bad rap in my opinion. I have a few products and they've been very good, work well, no quality issues. This seems to be well made. Very heavy and solid cabinet. Everything works as it should. Many people grip about plastic knobs.... silly. If you're careless and hit the knobs on your $2500 Hiwatt you'll damage those, too.

Value:
I have a very high opinion of the value offered by Behringer stuff. I have lots of big name gear but you can't beat the bang for the buck of this. I didn't really need another amp but was swayed into trying it because I like the EL34 sound and this has a low enough price to make it hard to pass up.

Desirability:
OK... I am into heads and cabs that are large and look imposing. Having said that, if you want to impress people, you have to have Marshall, Hiwatt or Orange - but this Bugera looks good, very large and imposing piece of gear. It has "the EL34 sound", and pretty much anyone can afford it. Funny name, though... wish they came up with something that sounded a little less like "booger"...

Sound:
This amp sounds great. It has the HUGE, rich, room-filling sound that we buy tube amps for. I give it an 8 because to me an old Hiwatt is the "10" - this is good but different. The clean channel is very sweet sounding. There is no gain control on the clean channel, but if you really crank the volume up the tubes sound good even on this channel. But this will make you deaf - I'm using the 4 x 12 Bugera cabinet and this amp is LOUD. The crunch and lead channels have much more gain than I need - this is clearly aimed at the metal crowd. But if you turn the gain down you get rich, smooth classic Marshall rock sounds. The lead and crunch channels sound very similar, the lead seems to be a little brighter but not much. So to me what you get is two very similar channels that you can switch between, which is fine. I am used to turning the gain up all the way on other tube amps but on this one I set the gain at about 9 oclock or maybe 12 oclock max and the distortion is great. Also, the lead & crunch channel have active tone controls that provide 15dB of gain or cut, which is a LOT of tone control - maybe too much - but what it realy means is you have to learn that setting things on "10" like you do with a Marshall isn't always what you want to do - it sounds harsh when you do this. Again, maybe ok for metal. No problem, just roll it back a bit. This is NOT a practice amp but, unlike old Marshalls, which have to be cranked up loud to sound decent, this one sounds pretty good even at moderate volumes. Like all tube amps, though, it sounds best cranked up.

Ease of Use:
The amp is very easy to use, like most all tube amps. Compared to a modern digital modeling amp with a jilion modes and functions, this is dirt simple. I had to get used to not putting the gain and tone controls all the way up... it's just too much (especially the treble tone control).

Support:
I've never had a need to contact them, so I can't comment. The "5" is just the middle position, not a knock on them at all.

Overall:
Great. Nothing's a ten... this is darn good.

"Best amp in its price range (and maybe a couple ranges up too...)"

This reviewer purchased this item from Same Day Music.

Feature:
Heavy duty footswitch, good knobs. The front is made of plastic, but all in all you cant get an amp this cheap that sounds this good without cutting corners in places where it doesnt matter as much. Just don't throw it around or punch it and it should be ok. The inside seems sturdy, and it is still heavy and feels pretty tough, but just to be on the safe sad, be careful.

Quality:
I bet this could stand up mostly "on the road" but I would say this is best for the in-town gigging musician or bedroom use. It seems to be made well. Alot of people complain about the amps dying, but if you think about it, who is going to go out of their way to write that their amp didn't die? Very few, the complainers are so many because the non-complainers don't go out looking for people to disprove.

Value:
10++++++ This is without a doubt the best amp for the musician on a budget. Tube tone for the skinny wallet. I would have paid upwards of 1200 for this amp.

Desirability:
The look of it is pretty tight at well. At a glance it doesn't look plastic, especially if you were in a dark club or bar. You really have to tap it to tell. The front gate is cool with the "Bugera" symbol, and contrary to the pictures, you can see right through the front grate to the tubes and on the the back. It looks pretty tight in the dark.

Sound:
This amp sounds as though it should cost a lot more than it does. Every note is heard clear and the crunch channel is one of the most versatile I have ever heard. My brother owns a Mesa Boogie Road King that I have used and before that a Marshall, and I would match this Bugera up side by side with those any day and have a go.

Ease of Use:
Plug-n-play, nothing more. The EQ on all three channels is superb and offers a 15dB boost-cut so there is a ton of tweaking room.

Support:
Never had to deal with them yet. 5 is neutral, not bad.

Overall:
This is the perfect amp for any level guitarist looking for a cheap, good sounding amp. For any guitarist making the jump from solid-state to tube, stop searching and get this amp. The switchable EL34 to 6L6 make it versatile enough for any type of guitarist. All you who spent thousands on your amps, I'm sure they are great but for us who can't afford it this is the best alternative ever.