Since I start working in this industry and as a musician 20 years ago I always noticed that people married the brands, because quality of course, but then brands like bugera star doing things cheaper but with almost that quality like the big brands and people just hated because the old school said that if it wasn’t a good brand it isn’t a good product. Videos like this make me happy, cause musicians, producers and people in this industry now search and compare products objectively and it makes that brands big ones or not star doing quality caring the prices for all.
I have a lot of amps. Some are high dollar boutique amps, some are flagship marshalls, and some are highly sought after vintage amps. My point is, I play what I like and I don't pay attention to the brand or the price, I have a 1983 JCM800 and a splawn nitro sitting next to two gen 1 bugera 6260s. I've been seeing a lot of amps lately that people used to crap all over but now they're suddenly a, "Amazing affordable sleeper amp!" I find myself thinking, "Those amps always sounded good. You just read online that they didn't and never gave them a chance."
My 6262 blows my 6505 and 5150 out of the water. With no pedals. Its tighter and more exacting with string contact. It just feels better. You definitely should have adjusted presence and upped the gain a lot. With the 6262 its like a boutique amp as far as the more you push the gain the better it sounds. Most amps have a lower sweet spot then just get muddy af. Not my 6262 tho. Best amp i got
Nice work trying to control as many variables as possible. I think the Bugera sounds very much like how I remember the 5150 II sounding. Thank you for the video!
I still have both of my first gen 6260s. They're great sounding amps and loads of fun to play, but I've found over the years that they're an amp that you really need to match to the right cab and speakers. Mine sounds awful through my 1960a 4x12, but fantastic with a 1989 jackson usa 4x12. I like my 50 watt 5150-3, its probably the amp I use the most these days. It sounds great, is plenty loud, and far easier to transport. But.. there's a wildness to the 6260 (that the OG badboy 5150 had) that my 5153 just doesn't have. I describe it as cranking it up and then hanging on for dear life.
Wouldn't the original be the Peavey 5150II? I just recently acquired a 6260 and it's about 80% the 5150/6505 tone. It doesn't have the resonance control, so that's a big difference. Both of yours there sound great.
I just came across this video. First of all, you’re a great guy for offering up studio support. I have a Bugera 6262 and was thinking of getting a 5150. Based on your demo, I think I might stick to my 6262. Do you know if the Bugera 6262 can be modded for an extra pre-amp Tube? Are there better tubes for the Bugera that would improve its tone?
I’m not sure if it can be modded, I’ve never modded an amp myself so I’m not really sure what’s possible and what’s not. As for changing the tubes, different tubes aren’t really going to make any difference to the tone of the amp unless the tubes in it are already shot. Glenn Fricker did a great video on whether or not different tubes affect the sound of the amp (they don’t), I’d encourage you to go check that video out
If someone wonders: You can play it with 2x12 v30 at 4am (even in a small flat) and it actually sounds amazing (dual rectifier style) I was a little/ or maybe even more disappointed when I have opened up the volume later that day and it was much much brighter... lol/ But still, no master volume, no attenuator needed. It actually is almost exactly the same as my Marshall DSL1 in terms of volume and it sounds godly before the valves open up (the irony of it...)/ So yea... There's literally no reason not to pick up any big boy beasts, unless their volume knobs suck. 6262 infinium on my end; knobs feel very solid and easily controllable. I can easily set it @ 85db and below; whisper volume and it sounds as I have mentioned before, absolutely massive lol/ It's big and heavy @+-21 kg, looks fantastic/ For recording, I would go modellers, plugins, etc. for the ease, convenience and versatility but for practice and fun? Nothing else gives me personally so much fun. Actually almost everything digital after a while kills my will to play... I prefer the sound from modellers/plugins but it just rubs me in a wrong way, annoys and ultimately make dissatisfied with playing... go figure... I just wish the 6262 sounded as fat as before you open up the volume knob. I honestly thought I have finally found the amp of my dreams when I first played it super early in the morning... I still like it but... this is not what I've fallen in love with in the first place/. Actually I think the tone might be still there but I run my amps the worst way... all (except for gain and volume and reverb) at noon. I have fiddled with knobs and I think it was rather easy to actually make it very similar but my o.c.d. and probably other sh1te won't really let me set it this way lol I just need something naturally fat and muffled. Yea... I am messed up/ But still can't get my head round the fact that the amp sounds absolutely massive, full and bassy at super low volume and then brightens up a lot. But as I have said, equalisation knobs are very responsive and you can easily shape the tone you want. I still have a few days to make up my mind what to do with it. So far, two things bother me: 1. the footswitch is not available to buy anymore; when it craps out... you lose your channel switching ability and you cannot really substitibe it without anything else wildly available 2. I think a spring or preamp shield was rattling while standing on my 2x12 directly. It is supported with kitchen sponges now and the problem is gone but still... 3. When moving out... There's no way I am taking it with me lol... same for my 2x12; just too big and too heavy. But I would definitely buy 4x12 and big arse amp again if I had my own house/flat and didn't have a threat of being forced to move out. The magic of owing a 100 and above full valve amp is definitely real. The look of it alone is making me want to keep it...
I also noticed that all bugera amps I’ve owned have had tons of low end, another reason I absolutely love them lol. Not to say that I’d turn down a 5150 or jcm900, just expensive lol
In most cases, for recording purposes I am using the red channel, I feel like it’s a bit tighter than the blue channel. For live purposes though, a buddy of mine has one as well and he stays on the blue channel for the most part and uses the red channel as his solo boost
I've had my Bugera 333xl infinium for about 6-7 years, play it loud (a lot!) and is going just like it did on day one. I haven't even had to replace a tube on it either. If you want, you can throw any tubes you like in the infinium range without biasing. Best amp I've ever owned and I've owned expensive ones!
By the end of the video I agree completely, but the first test the bugera had a bit of an edge on it. Once they were both dialed in the 5150 was a clear winner, but the 6262 is still pretty damn good considering the price
