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Bugera 1960

bassvi

bassvi

Jul 12, 2005
856
90
Iowa
#1
Been gassin' for a Marshall Superbass forever, or a HiWatt.
Guess What? I caved and bought a Bugera 1960 for 20% off this week from Musician's Friend and it arrived today. I am more than impressed with this budget tube head. It should be billed as a bass head, it is simply amazing for bass. More power than my V4BH, competes easily with with my VB2. The tone is just...... hard to describe. While it doesn't appear at the onset to be the greatest amp for fingerstyle funk, it responds extremely well to a pick and aggresive rock style playing... if you chain the bass and treble channels together, it is like you have built in bi-amp capability. This amp is a rock player's dream!
It sounds like Chris Squire or Lemmy with the pick, I s*** you not!!! I cannot believe I got this amp for $360 new w/warranty. Will have to see how reliable it is with continued use but it seems really well built. I just can't get over the sound of this amp. I never thought I would play a stupid Behringer/Bugera, but heck, it is a really amazing sounding amp!! I still don't believe it! It's a keeper.....
 
#3
I'm a real fan of the old '60's/early '70's Marshall valve heads for Bass. Doesn't really matter to me if it's a Guitar or Bass model; just have to watch the gain structure a bit on the Guitar ones.

It's not a versatile "use for any gig whatsoever" sound, but for classic power rock I love 'em so I've been wondering about the Bugera 1960's...
 
#8
The 1960 and 300T are completely different animals. I prefer to be able to crank an amp and get grit from the power tubes, rather then the preamp, but, i was never able to do that with my sunn or svt due to the amount of power in them. I feel that the 1960 has the perfect amount of power and volume, slightly more than a V4 but less than the 300 watt-ers. Plus it just sounds right to me, I need to do a proper video with it and my stingray now...
 
#9
you're not helping my gas. I use my 1975 Marshall Super Lead sometimes and love the grind, it's weak in the bottom end though. my Hiwatt DR-103 has waay more bottom end than the Marshall. would you say the Bugera keeps up with the V-4 in the low end department because that's my only concern.
 
#10
I'm going to Chicago tomorrow for the Cubs/Cardinals game, but I'll be home Sunday and try to find a way to post clips.

Running my 1960 through 2 GK Neo 212 II cabs I find it has plenty of low end (4x12's @ 4 ohms). I'm not sure it can do Ultra-Low like my V4BH but it is a robust, full bottom. You have to use the low channel mostly to get the low end, but it's there. Where it excels to me is the grindy top end. It also sounds really good through one of my GB 212 Neoxt cabs. It doesn't go lower than 4 ohms, so I can only use one of the Genz cabs but it is pretty full sounding to me. I'm also experimenting with preamps like my MXR M-80 and a Sansamp BDDI. It seems to sound better without the pre's to me so far.

I'd really like to post clips because this is what frustrates me when I'm interested in an amp and need information. I'm just an old guy though, and not the most computer savvy but I'll try. It is a heck of an amp for $360, I'll tell you that. I got my VB2 for $399 plus shipping too and it is also an amazing deal, but they went back up...
 
#11
I LOVE me 100w tube amps.

I have a 71' V4, and a Marshall Superbass Copy i built.

Sounds fantastic... asides from some oscillation when the BRIGHT channel gets turned up all the way. But i never use it, anyways.

Just figured i'd add that.
 
#12
taurus1 said:
you're not helping my gas. I use my 1975 Marshall Super Lead sometimes and love the grind, it's weak in the bottom end though. my Hiwatt DR-103 has waay more bottom end than the Marshall. would you say the Bugera keeps up with the V-4 in the low end department because that's my only concern.
Click to expand...

The bugera has PLENTY of bottom. It actually produces so much low end that it distorts camera mics. I definitely would not consider it anemic in that department...
 
#14
I've been playing in clubs with around 500 person capacity and have not even got the amp into overdrive yet. I have to put a stomp-box in front to get any heavy breakup @ volume. I play in a hardcore punk band (think bad brains / minor threat) with 2 100 Watt Marshall half-stacks (4X12 Cabs) and a heavy handed drummer with no pa support (Normally)
 

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