Ordered on of these yesterday (Bugera content inside)

[jaybones]

Bugera V5 Infinium



Needed a low watt tube amp for home recording, and was considering a Peavey Classic 20 MH with a 112C cabinet, but this will do everything the Peavey does for about $500 less.

Also a smaller footprint, lighter and easier to transport.

Got an email today that FedEx had created the label. Coming from NJ so I'm hoping the bad weather in the northeast won't cause any delay.

[Steve DeRosa]

Picked up one of these last year at GC's Washington's Birthday sale, as a companion for my first-series "blue-light" V22; lots of nice tones in there (mostly of the British variety in stock trim) - it's my go-to amp for our band's "skull sessions" (hammering out basic vocal/instrumental arrangements) and community uke group back-up duties, and it's got enough kick (and a small enough footprint) to handle coffeehouse/open mic work on a crowded stage...

Some suggestions from a satisfied owner:

• Bugera V-Series amps, in any incarnation, make excellent platforms for low-skill/low-tech DIY mods - even more so with the implementation of the Infinium self-monitoring/self-biasing circuitry; rather than hauling around a few hundred dollars' worth of stompboxes, get yourself a handful of preamp/power tubes and experiment with various combinations at home until you find something(s) you like - there's no need for either an expensive bias job (~$100 in my neck of the woods) or the added weight/space/complexity of a pedalboard, and the built-in second-generation digi-verb is one of the best OEM units I've heard...
• The gain/tone/master volume controls are highly interactive - more so than any other amp I've ever encountered - and, coupled with the three-level attenuator, can produce a surprising variety of tones; add the aforementioned no-hassle tube-swapping capability and, depending on which instrument you use (FWIW V-Series amps love single-coil and mini-bucker PU's - should be a good match for your Strats), you can cover anything from supper-club jazz to face-melting solos, at volume levels that won't have the townsfolk beating down your door with pitchforks and torches...
• If you're looking for a more "American" tonality than the OEM Turbosound speaker provides (not a bad little speaker BTW, and a definite improvement over the Celestion wannabe fitted to the first-gen models - just not my personal cuppa tea) the Eminence Patriot 820H - a scaled-down version of the well-known/respected Cannabis Rex 12" - is a great option; while an 8" speaker in a small open-back cabinet will never have the visceral impact of a larger unit (FYI the V5 can drive a larger cab with no problem - Bugera produces 1x12"/2x12"/4x12" boxes that sound good and won't break the bank - if you're so inclined) the 820H will give you a smoother, more balanced tone well-suited to cleaner styles, that morphs into a nice "brown" crunch when pushed into breakup (particularly if you use the attenuator along with a low-output EL844 - a JJ exclusive - power tube)...

Bottom line: don't be afraid to experiment; build your own signature sound - and let everyone wonder how you're getting all that tone/volume from just a guitar, cable, and that little box...

Use it well, often, and LOUD...

[ParisStarlight]

Originally Posted by jaybones

Bugera V5 Infinium



Needed a low watt tube amp for home recording, and was considering a Peavey Classic 20 MH with a 112C cabinet, but this will do everything the Peavey does for about $500 less.

Also a smaller footprint, lighter and easier to transport.

Got an email today that FedEx had created the label. Coming from NJ so I'm hoping the bad weather in the northeast won't cause any delay.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the stock speaker. I’m debating ordering the 1x12 cab for my Ampeg GVT5 head. I’ve read good things. Congratulations on the amp! I am entirely in the under 10w amp club. My 9w keeps up with a drummer, and either of my 5w amps will keep up with a quiet drummer or can be mic’ed. Plus, as you said, perfect size for recording. I can crank a 5w amp without going deaf or making the neighbors hate me.

[rdawsoniii]

I also have one of these....you won't be sorry, jay!

Definitely swap out the stock tubes. I use JAN Phillips 12AT7 and
Tung-Sol EL 84 (I believe you can get both for around $30 at Tube Depot).

I love my V5...great sounding amp, and best tube amp value (as is the V22) out there today.

Enjoy!

Also...you might want to check out the "Bugera V5 Club" over at tdpri.com. 92 pages long going back to 2010. There are a lot of mod examples there.

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by rdawsoniii

...you might want to check out the "Bugera V5 Club" over at tdpri.com. 92 pages long going back to 2010. There are a lot of mod examples there.

Thanks for the heads-up - sounds like it's right up my alley...

[Dru Edwards]

Congrats! Have fun with your Bugera. Steve D has praised them many times here so I'm sure it's a great amp.

[aknow]

Congratulations on your new amp. I got a V-22 last year, it's had a lot of play since then. You'll love it.

[MBDiagMan]

I too bought a V22 late last year based on Steve’s recommendation and I couldn’t be happier with it. If the V5 is anything near as impressive as the V22 then it is for sure worth having.

[Steve DeRosa]

- and the list of happy owners just keeps growing...