Thank you for using the Vintage 22 amplifier. Putting something sitting on top of the amplifier like a coffee mug or a beer really is a good tip to give a better quality of the sound. Discussing the qualities of each features on the lead and clean channel to show the difference in order for others to know is appreciated. Will adjust the brightness of the Reverb as well so that it won't hurt the eyes of the buyers.
I toured for 2 years with my V22 across the USA = I've had it now for about 5 years - It still works, i still gig with it, and it's by far been the best Tube Amp purchase I've ever heard of. If you're reading this considering buying one, holy shit, best $400 you could spend on an amp and thats no shit. One small thing is the DSP on Reverb, it's digital and not Tube. A Fender verb tank simply has this certain "sag" to it that's to die for. But hey....Reverb isn't everything. Like most amps, the "Drive" channel is B Grade. I run a Boss GT8 or ME70 in front of it and it pushes it just right.
It's been almost 3 years since your initial review of the V22. How about a follow-up? Does the amp continue to hold up after all this time? Any changes of opinion? Any new observations to add? Thanks!
It's probably the most rewarding amp I've ever heard on very low volumes ... very warm & juicy ... the pentode/triode switch actually works very well on this amp.
Hard to get the full picture of what it sounds like on crappy computer speakers but watching Mr Skow's has taught me more about tone than anything I have ever seen or read. I have been playing for almost 30 years. If he says it sounds good, then it sounds good. I am sold.
Thanks Vaughn. Your vid, with its excellent representation of the Bugera V22's sound, led me to plugging in to one at the local GC. After a couple months of hunting for anything equivalent I couldn't find anything that compared at twice the price. I picked up my V22 yesterday and couldn't be happier. I have to agree that the clean channel is it's strong point. Nicely voiced and beautiful breakup with the volume around 6-7. So thanks again for making such an aurally informative vid!
Vaughn: Absolutely agree with you on removing the tube cage! I got my brand new V22 yesterday...and a tube was bad when it arrived. Damn! I had to remove the speaker to get to one of the screws on the cage! Anyway...did that and the amp works fine with the new tube. And...the tube cage is in the bottom of my closet. It will remain there forever. Love this amp! Best $400 I've ever spent. I'm a believer!
Vaughn, I have the same amp and replaced my stock speaker with a Celestion Vintage 30. Surprisingly, I didn't get much change on overdrive, but the clean channel really came alive. I too, LOVE this amp. I have a full Marshall stack that never gets turned on because of my V22...
I put a couple pieces of painter's tape over the pedals blue led. It takes the brightness off,but allows enough blue to shine through. I recommend to change tubes first thing. I had issues w/mine
Your video convinced me. I have found one locally for $175.00 that I am picking up tomorrow. I have a Bugera V5 Infinium that I love but it is a single channel amp and I am looking forward to having a 2 channel amp, especially with the footswitch.
I had the Laney Cub 12r in mind, but now I stumbled upon this amp. Is it better for a 19 year old guitar playing looking to play in a rock n roll band, but also shred some jazz standards with a sax? If there are any other suggestions please advise me!
One of best Amps I've got. I had Fender TwinAmp ProTube, Peavey Classic 30 and MG Vulture 100W (Polish company). Very vintage sound and this price!!!! Love it!
Great review. I put some chewing gum over the blue led.. dampens the birght lights a lot ;-) I've been using it for over a year now giggin as well as rehearsal and I can say it's as reliable as any tube driven amp. No problems what-so-ever. To support what you're saying on the amzing tones it produces, I've sent a small hint of what direct plugin in to the v22 sounds like in a 50's style vintage blues band Thanks for this review man!
Have one of the new Infinium versions coming in from Sweetwater primarily because of your review. Thanks for the sweet jams and honesty, looking forward to giving it a run.
wow,,no wonder a lot of people and mags are now starting to bow to the fact that Bugera has pulled their act together and producing good amps at a fraciton of the price!!
Also, I'm definitely buying this amp, could tell me what the settings are to dial in that "Marshally sounding" tone at 7:34. I fell in love with this amp when you played that.
Thanks for the review man. After a 6-7 year hiatus I've taken up playing again. I just got back from guitar center and picked up a Bugera V22 on your demo vids. Thanks! Let's see how it hold up for the 30 day home trial.
On the other end of the question scale, as an engineer, please can you divulge what mics, and other gear you used to record this please. As a recording hobbyist I'd love to know
I own a DSL 100 tube half stack and I love it... As for a good combo amp I can carry around I bought a Blackstar 150 watt combo and returned because of the low quality speakers and inability for the amp to cut through a mix. I Then turned to a Fender Deville but had problems because of the soldering issues and melting of the pods. Also, my tubes were burning out much too quickly. I traded a guitar for a 130 watt Vox and although it was great on the clean channels it sounds a bit to nasally congested on its overall tone. So, finally I bought this Bugera and its great on the cleans and adds just enough gain for when I want to play hard rock. Its crisp and clean and clear. When I add my pedals delay, chorus its quality for studio recording projects. I think some listeners do not understand or can tell the difference when an amp on youtube is being reviewed through mixers. Most of these videos are actually produced by the companies themselves but try and pass them off as a regular guy in his bedroom trying out an amp. Dont make that mistake and learn the difference. Go to your music store and plug in before you buy.
Great Guitar Combo Bugera V22 my question whether the house is not too loud?Whether these 22 watts are not too loud home or apartment? thanks for the information greetings
This amp has been rocking my freaking World, man!.. I'm so crazy about this amp... you're so funny, buddy... LoL... I've just bought one... What a rock freaking amp, man!
i was a marshall guy for a long time until i did my first recording with my tsl 100 in studio which i spent 1300.00$ just on the head alone then to find my self completing the project with mesa and a bugera 55hd.most things in life you get what u pay for but be careful in the music industry because marshall is like nike shoes....1300$ tsl 100 head from marshall 1000$ for the name and 300 for the amp.and yes ive been a victim of this because ive always loved marshall up until i played a bugera.....yes a 400$ bugera..they even sound better on a mix when recording a rythym or lead more full than a marshall tsl 100. newer marshalls sound like all highs ans lows even with the mids turned up.i will never dump that much money on a new amp head ever again with out trying out other ones...cheaper doesnt mean crappier SOMETIMES.
Hi Vaughn, Thank you for the informative demo. I was wondering if you know when the quality control got better with this line of amplification? I have read that the early versions had a few issues with channel reverb/switching, overheating, etc. I was wondering what year on is safe to purchase. Thank you in advance.
Standard recommendation for tube amps in general: Turn it on to standby for 15-30 seconds to allow the filaments to warm up before taking it off standby ...
Great review, just got the amp today and couldn't be happier.Great Amp!! I have a VOX AC 15C 2 and I end up playing the Bugera V22 more than the VOX!! Thanks for the great review, helped me to decide on getting one and it's the BOMB!!!
Thank you Vaughn Skow for a great review 😊. You got me confirmed that i need to buy this amp. Getting it next week 😊. Happy owner of one bugera already the 1960 head 😊. Cheers 😊 .
Very helpful videos Vaughn. I recently purchased a V22. I'm happy with it, though I'm really wishing it wasn't quite so bright and lacking of that thicker bottom end crunch. I was going to go with the Fender Bassbreaker, though I found it to be too loud for home use. Can you recommend any way to thicken the sound of the V22? The Jet City amp is close, but sounds a bit flat and lacking of that special tone the V22 has. I've watched some tube and speaker replacement videos for the V22 but it's tough to hear much of a difference. I was thinking maybe an overdrive pedal could help, but am unsure what route to go. Any suggestions? Thanks.
Great review, You are nice and enjoyable to watch because of your positivity and the honesty that your bring to the table p.s I found this was the best review on youtube of this amp
Would you recommend throwing one of the BlackHawks straight into the amp, or would it be better to leave it in a 1x12 cabinet and run it through the v22?
So to get that good clean sound you crank your clean channel and then use the master to set your volume? V22 is my first tube amp so I'm just trying to learn how to make it sound good
Was sold as soon as you put it through the bright channel. Was fairly sold from the beginning. Pity about the reverb not being a proper spring. But yep, doesn’t seem to matter, it’ll do that 60’s surf sound. Haha😂👍 Personally I would say it was more Vox like than Marshall sounding when turned up, but that is no bad thing. There is more of a Brian May Tone, rather than AC/DC tone. Sort of confirmed when you went into Brian Adams stuff. Been looking for a Fender, but cannot afford Fender amp money. The alternative speaker sounds great, but wondering about the cabinet dynamics having something to do with that. But boy is that WGS Blackhawk a doozie...!👍🖖👍🤟 wondering what sort of Celestion or Eminence would be a good alternative, keeping in mind I’m in the UK and wanting Richard Thompson and Jerry Donahue stuff. I will check the prices of the Blackhawk this side of the pond. Cheers Dude, great vid, great playing.
I'm definately buying this amp. I have two Eminence speakers, a Governor and a Wizard that I'm yanking out of my Valveking 212. Would this amp benefit from putting either one of these speakers in? Nice vid btw. Thanks.
Thanks for the great review!!! How is this amp at bedroom/apartment levels? I'm needing a practice amp for home and at reasonable volume levels. Regards!!!!
Love mine, and it sounds "decent" @ low volume (it comes with a 70 watt speaker that is just too stiff to be sweet at very low volumes), but for less $$$ you might consider the Bugera V-5 (5 watts of sweetness). The 22 is truly loud for it's size, and unlike solid state amps, tube amps "sound different" at different levels. They don't like being "choked out". I'm not sure, but the V-5 MIGHT even have a headphone jack or an aux in as many small wattage amps will nowdays. That would be invaluable for the insomniac apartment dweller. Good luck.
I bought my v22 about a year ago, and this is my go-to amp for everything. I got rid of my Mesa Boogie F-50 because this v22 is just so amazing for blues. It's like this thing was made for us strat-slingers. I had a JCM2000 rig before this as well, and I still like this amp's tone better. I like it more than most fender amps even. I suppose I could also go for a good fender tweed to get in the clapton neighborhood, but for under $400 sticker, this bugera is just jaw-dropping. Great review by the way, you had the same reaction to the bugera in the 2nd half as I did after gigging with mine for a while. CAN YOU BELIEVE THE PRICE ON THESE THINGS???? simply amazing. I can't afford too much in my current situation, so this amp was a dream come true
JesusRocks26 Well the only way to truly get his tones are to use his gear and his guitar set up, but this amp gets me closer than any other. I would take it over a blues jr any day but thats just my opinion. If you go to my page, you still see a video of me playing on this amp with a stray, memory boy deluxe delay, and a tube scream at the end. Very very good tones.
Thanks for posting this video and showing the possible tones that can be had on a stock V22. Being an at home guitar player, it makes my investment in my V22 feel that much more worthwhile...LOL!!!
Thanks for obviously spending some time to get a quality sound on this video. It's unfortunate that so many people who have interesting things to say about various amps neglect to actually get decent quality sound on their video -- so important for demonstrating an amp! Your sound is so clear it's like I'm in the room.
Thinking of getting this. I have a H&K which has a great clean tone but very sludgy dirt/lead tone. Going to be using my amp's drive more now and use pedals as a boost.
Hey great review, got a question for ya! Do you think that this amp could compete with a Jazz Ens? With plenty of headroom and such? or would it's counterpart the v55 be better for that?
I don't have this amp anymore, Its's been over a year since I got a Egnater, Bugera told me to call Behringer. Behringer owns bugera, which for years was their speaker plant, Bugera has been released to do more than speakers. They are part of behringer, made in the behringer plant, in Behringer, China. Behringer is one of the largest manufacturers of music equipment in the world, many brands source behringer for custom, oem or buy out products. Uli Behringer one good entrepreneur. -PK
Great review man. I bought one of these maybe two years and have never looked back. In fact my Marshall combo is more of a coffee table now. I am waiting on a set of JJ 12ax7s as OE are starting to fizz and pop and will post up any differences in tone. I use a VOX Brit Boost in front of this as it really pushes the gain on clean and on the dirt channel it goes thermo nuclear. It easy holds its own in front of a drummer and bass and second guitar.
You can see the settings on the vid. knobs across are: clean-gain-vol-bass-treb-mstr-presence-verb And, of course it's on the dirt channel w/mid boost on :-)
To anybody who's got that sweetsounding thing: I recommend changing tubes. The amp sounds good with stock tubes, but if you change them and put in some good tubes, then you'll see, it can sound even better. I put some high gain preamp and high output power tubes in it, so the clean channel doesn't have much headroom anymore. Now crank it up and you get a sound so fat and full of sustain... just pure poweramp overdrive. Try it! It's awesome!
+1 Jonas: I agree. OK w/ the stock tubes (I actually have the head instead of the combo), but a person can really fine tune one of these to taste with a little tube rolling.
OK, I know that this may sound kind of lame, but your video has really convinced me. I am seriously considered the Bugera V22 and the Blackhawk speaker. Every other review I have looked at makes this amp seem like a great little gigger and an even better deal. Thanks for sharing! (I already have an WSG speaker in one of my other cabinets, and I love it!).
Hi. Man nice demo i might get this amp tomorrow but what i really need to know is that will this amp be enough to play in a medium size gym without letting me down? I really really need to know that. Thanks in advance
vaughn, this is the best amp demo i have ever watched. yours was the 4th i viewed and i was skeptical until i saw this one. thanks a million for this most excellent review...i am getting one of these.
Agree on taking the tube "cage" off and leaving it off. Sounds fine with the stock tubes but it sounds even better with JJs or GTs so I highly recommend you replace the stock EL84 tubes straight away. Great amp for rock, southern rock, blues and country. I agree the stock speaker is fantastic and doesn't need to be replaced.
The blackhawk sounds a little crispier while adding some balls. Very nice. This is a great demo and I really appreciate you not wasting my time talking about the appearance of the product (as so many so-called "demos" do).
I think the V22 HD with a trial of various 212 cabs is the way to go. Great review ,awesome clean tones. One of my main players is a SG so really sucked in by the Marshall esk OD tone. Good looker as well.
Great video. I'm considering replacing the speaker with something less harsh sounding (less highs / tweedy sound). I've seen people put Celestion Blue speakers in those great MojoTone Tweed Deluxe Kit amps and they sound excellent. Do you or anyone think if I put one of them in my Bugera V22 amp it would offer a similar tone and be worthy of an upgrade? Also, what tubes would you recommend to lower the highs? The type of music I like is a mix of styles (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Soundgarden, Kurt Vile, Tool, etc). Thanks for any tips. I'm new to all of this. Thanks!
Hey! I have the same amp, it's nice but I heard you mention you swap stock speakers. What aftermarket speaker do you recommend. I play blues mostly. I notice some weird noises in my amp, I'm guessing that's due to the speaker. Thanks! Great playing!
the V22 and V55 have the issue where a voltage regulator overheats, then it starts with the channel switching, reverb helicopters and general weirdness. Luckily its a cheap easy fix, you can stick a heatsink on the existing regulator or replace it outright for one with a heatsink on it. Once that regulator runs cooler, no more wierdness. This video made me decide to buy v22. Had that regulator replaced and it was worth it - the amp is just g.r.e.a.t.
Great, great review! This is an amazing sounding and I am sold, for sure. Gotta say, both speakers sounded amazing. I couldn't really tell a difference. But then I'm not a connoisseur w/ boutique type speakers. The only thing I miss about my house is the ability to play my amps at volumes I want. Now in a townhome, I have to be conscious of my neighbors and I was lucky enough to end up with elderly neighbors that do not care for the loud amps. I'm wondering if this V22 is townhome friendly... or is it really loud?
Hey Vaughn great review and sweet playing man! I'm torn between the combo vs the head version. I already have a 12" and 212 cabs. I hear this badboy is a bit on the heavy side.
Is it worth paying 100€ more for the Infinium version? I have never had a tube amp and have no idea when and how to change the tubes and the Infinium could really help me with that. Or is it easy to know when to change tubes? Thanks
Love these demos that just focus on the amp's sound rather than describing how it looks for ten minutes. Excellent work.
Thank you for using the Vintage 22 amplifier. Putting something sitting on top of the amplifier like a coffee mug or a beer really is a good tip to give a better quality of the sound. Discussing the qualities of each features on the lead and clean channel to show the difference in order for others to know is appreciated.
Will adjust the brightness of the Reverb as well so that it won't hurt the eyes of the buyers.
OMG that response is epic 😂😂😂I just bought a V55 head and 2x12 cab, can't wait, it's my first real valve amp, just need to get the power soak.
I toured for 2 years with my V22 across the USA = I've had it now for about 5 years - It still works, i still gig with it, and it's by far been the best Tube Amp purchase I've ever heard of. If you're reading this considering buying one, holy shit, best $400 you could spend on an amp and thats no shit. One small thing is the DSP on Reverb, it's digital and not Tube. A Fender verb tank simply has this certain "sag" to it that's to die for. But hey....Reverb isn't everything. Like most amps, the "Drive" channel is B Grade. I run a Boss GT8 or ME70 in front of it and it pushes it just right.
It's been almost 3 years since your initial review of the V22. How about a follow-up? Does the amp continue to hold up after all this time? Any changes of opinion? Any new observations to add? Thanks!
Just bought one at a pawn shop the other day for $250. Looks brand new. Feelin like I got a great deal.😎
It's probably the most rewarding amp I've ever heard on very low volumes ... very warm & juicy ... the pentode/triode switch actually works very well on this amp.
I just picked up a V22 and it kicks ass! I have a Marshall JMP and this little amp has similar tones. This amp is great bang for buck.
Finally someone who does not expend half video explaining knobs, modes and connections and goes straight to the point
Hard to get the full picture of what it sounds like on crappy computer speakers but watching Mr Skow's has taught me more about tone than anything I have ever seen or read. I have been playing for almost 30 years. If he says it sounds good, then it sounds good. I am sold.
ha!!! that Bryan Adams tune sounds pretty sweet at the end there! I was happy to hear that!!!
Thanks Vaughn. Your vid, with its excellent representation of the Bugera V22's sound, led me to plugging in to one at the local GC. After a couple months of hunting for anything equivalent I couldn't find anything that compared at twice the price. I picked up my V22 yesterday and couldn't be happier. I have to agree that the clean channel is it's strong point. Nicely voiced and beautiful breakup with the volume around 6-7. So thanks again for making such an aurally informative vid!
Vaughn: Absolutely agree with you on removing the tube cage! I got my brand new V22 yesterday...and a tube was bad when it arrived. Damn! I had to remove the speaker to get to one of the screws on the cage! Anyway...did that and the amp works fine with the new tube. And...the tube cage is in the bottom of my closet. It will remain there forever. Love this amp! Best $400 I've ever spent. I'm a believer!
"its now set for optimum sound" literally laughed out loud
"set for optimum sound" lol. Great review. I might get this...
Vaughn, I have the same amp and replaced my stock speaker with a Celestion Vintage 30. Surprisingly, I didn't get much change on overdrive, but the clean channel really came alive. I too, LOVE this amp. I have a full Marshall stack that never gets turned on because of my V22...
I wish all amp demos would be made so well. Cheers to kudos, sir!
I put a couple pieces of painter's tape over the pedals blue led. It takes the brightness off,but allows enough blue to shine through. I recommend to change tubes first thing. I had issues w/mine
Your video convinced me. I have found one locally for $175.00 that I am picking up tomorrow. I have a Bugera V5 Infinium that I love but it is a single channel amp and I am looking forward to having a 2 channel amp, especially with the footswitch.
I had the Laney Cub 12r in mind, but now I stumbled upon this amp. Is it better for a 19 year old guitar playing looking to play in a rock n roll band, but also shred some jazz standards with a sax? If there are any other suggestions please advise me!
One of best Amps I've got. I had Fender TwinAmp ProTube, Peavey Classic 30 and MG Vulture 100W (Polish company). Very vintage sound and this price!!!! Love it!
Great review. I put some chewing gum over the blue led.. dampens the birght lights a lot ;-)
I've been using it for over a year now giggin as well as rehearsal and I can say it's as reliable as any tube driven amp. No problems what-so-ever.
To support what you're saying on the amzing tones it produces, I've sent a small hint of what direct plugin in to the v22 sounds like in a 50's style vintage blues band
Thanks for this review man!
Have one of the new Infinium versions coming in from Sweetwater primarily because of your review. Thanks for the sweet jams and honesty, looking forward to giving it a run.
wow,,no wonder a lot of people and mags are now starting to bow to the fact that Bugera has pulled their act together and producing good amps at a fraciton of the price!!
is it loud enoght for play with drum and a bass???
plz answer fast!!!!
Also, I'm definitely buying this amp, could tell me what the settings are to dial in that "Marshally sounding" tone at 7:34. I fell in love with this amp when you played that.
Thanks for the review man. After a 6-7 year hiatus I've taken up playing again. I just got back from guitar center and picked up a Bugera V22 on your demo vids. Thanks! Let's see how it hold up for the 30 day home trial.
One of the Best Demo's I've ever seen, great job, I'm a Buyer!
On the other end of the question scale, as an engineer, please can you divulge what mics, and other gear you used to record this please. As a recording hobbyist I'd love to know
Yep, still got it. I've only done a handful of shows, a few rehearsals, and some recording with it ... but no troubles...
I own a DSL 100 tube half stack and I love it... As for a good combo amp
I can carry around I bought a Blackstar 150 watt combo and returned
because of the low quality speakers and inability for the amp to cut
through a mix. I Then turned to a Fender Deville but had problems
because of the soldering issues and melting of the pods. Also, my tubes
were burning out much too quickly. I traded a guitar for a 130 watt Vox
and although it was great on the clean channels it sounds a bit to
nasally congested on its overall tone. So, finally I bought this Bugera
and its great on the cleans and adds just enough gain for when I want to
play hard rock. Its crisp and clean and clear. When I add my pedals
delay, chorus its quality for studio recording projects. I think some
listeners do not understand or can tell the difference when an amp on
youtube is being reviewed through mixers. Most of these videos are
actually produced by the companies themselves but try and pass them off
as a regular guy in his bedroom trying out an amp. Dont make that
mistake and learn the difference. Go to your music store and plug in
before you buy.
Great Guitar Combo Bugera V22 my question whether the house is not too loud?Whether these 22 watts are not too loud home or apartment? thanks for the information greetings
it has master volume so you can turn down to a whisper
sounds absolutely amazing. I really cannot believe the value in these amps. Great review with great quality audio and nice playing. Thank you.
This amp has been rocking my freaking World, man!.. I'm so crazy about this amp... you're so funny, buddy... LoL... I've just bought one... What a rock freaking amp, man!
Great review. Will this play over a drum kit without being mic'd up?
i was a marshall guy for a long time until i did my first recording with my tsl 100 in studio which i spent 1300.00$ just on the head alone then to find my self completing the project with mesa and a bugera 55hd.most things in life you get what u pay for but be careful in the music industry because marshall is like nike shoes....1300$ tsl 100 head from marshall 1000$ for the name and 300 for the amp.and yes ive been a victim of this because ive always loved marshall up until i played a bugera.....yes a 400$ bugera..they even sound better on a mix when recording a rythym or lead more full than a marshall tsl 100. newer marshalls sound like all highs ans lows even with the mids turned up.i will never dump that much money on a new amp head ever again with out trying out other ones...cheaper doesnt mean crappier SOMETIMES.
Hi Vaughn, Thank you for the informative demo. I was wondering if you know when the quality control got better with this line of amplification? I have read that the early versions had a few issues with channel reverb/switching, overheating, etc. I was wondering what year on is safe to purchase. Thank you in advance.
Can I use this amp in my room for 80´s Rock? Such as GNR MotleyCrue, but even 70´s sound and even 2000´s sound?
Standard recommendation for tube amps in general: Turn it on to standby for 15-30 seconds to allow the filaments to warm up before taking it off standby ...
Totally enjoyed the review. Made me go out and try a Bugera V22 Infinium. I bought it. Love it to pieces.
Great review, just got the amp today and couldn't be happier.Great Amp!! I have a VOX AC 15C 2 and I end up playing the Bugera V22 more than the VOX!! Thanks for the great review, helped me to decide on getting one and it's the BOMB!!!
Thank you Vaughn Skow for a great review 😊. You got me confirmed that i need to buy this amp. Getting it next week 😊. Happy owner of one bugera already the 1960 head 😊. Cheers 😊 .
Very helpful videos Vaughn. I recently purchased a V22. I'm happy with it, though I'm really wishing it wasn't quite so bright and lacking of that thicker bottom end crunch. I was going to go with the Fender Bassbreaker, though I found it to be too loud for home use. Can you recommend any way to thicken the sound of the V22? The Jet City amp is close, but sounds a bit flat and lacking of that special tone the V22 has. I've watched some tube and speaker replacement videos for the V22 but it's tough to hear much of a difference. I was thinking maybe an overdrive pedal could help, but am unsure what route to go. Any suggestions? Thanks.
Played with this live yesterday in a bar...this is defenetely the best amp i have ever played with! Even from an Engl Fireball....i like this better!
Great review, You are nice and enjoyable to watch because of your positivity and the honesty that your bring to the table
p.s I found this was the best review on youtube of this amp
I was very skeptical of Bugera amps before your video, now I am a true believer, the tone is in the hands! Great tone man!
Would you recommend throwing one of the BlackHawks straight into the amp, or would it be better to leave it in a 1x12 cabinet and run it through the v22?
So to get that good clean sound you crank your clean channel and then use the master to set your volume? V22 is my first tube amp so I'm just trying to learn how to make it sound good
Do you think this amp is capable of modern rock? Foo fighters, nickelback, anouk and so on?
Was sold as soon as you put it through the bright channel. Was fairly sold from the beginning. Pity about the reverb not being a proper spring. But yep, doesn’t seem to matter, it’ll do that 60’s surf sound. Haha😂👍
Personally I would say it was more Vox like than Marshall sounding when turned up, but that is no bad thing. There is more of a Brian May Tone, rather than AC/DC tone. Sort of confirmed when you went into Brian Adams stuff.
Been looking for a Fender, but cannot afford Fender amp money.
The alternative speaker sounds great, but wondering about the cabinet dynamics having something to do with that. But boy is that WGS Blackhawk a doozie...!👍🖖👍🤟 wondering what sort of Celestion or Eminence would be a good alternative, keeping in mind I’m in the UK and wanting Richard Thompson and Jerry Donahue stuff. I will check the prices of the Blackhawk this side of the pond.
Cheers Dude, great vid, great playing.
I'm definately buying this amp. I have two Eminence speakers, a Governor and a Wizard that I'm yanking out of my Valveking 212. Would this amp benefit from putting either one of these speakers in? Nice vid btw. Thanks.
Thanks for the great review!!!
How is this amp at bedroom/apartment levels? I'm needing a practice amp for home and at reasonable volume levels.
Regards!!!!
Love mine, and it sounds "decent" @ low volume (it comes with a 70 watt speaker that is just too stiff to be sweet at very low volumes), but for less $$$ you might consider the Bugera V-5 (5 watts of sweetness). The 22 is truly loud for it's size, and unlike solid state amps, tube amps "sound different" at different levels. They don't like being "choked out". I'm not sure, but the V-5 MIGHT even have a headphone jack or an aux in as many small wattage amps will nowdays. That would be invaluable for the insomniac apartment dweller. Good luck.
thanks for this nice video! do you think it is possible to plug 2 guitars? using the normal and the bright input? thanks in advance
Yeah....good idea Vaughn what better than to place a receptacle full of liquid on top of an amplifier. Great idea!
Why is the V22 *so much brighter* and "present" than the V5 Infinium (the little "bedroom" amp)?
I bought my v22 about a year ago, and this is my go-to amp for everything. I got rid of my Mesa Boogie F-50 because this v22 is just so amazing for blues. It's like this thing was made for us strat-slingers. I had a JCM2000 rig before this as well, and I still like this amp's tone better. I like it more than most fender amps even. I suppose I could also go for a good fender tweed to get in the clapton neighborhood, but for under $400 sticker, this bugera is just jaw-dropping. Great review by the way, you had the same reaction to the bugera in the 2nd half as I did after gigging with mine for a while. CAN YOU BELIEVE THE PRICE ON THESE THINGS???? simply amazing. I can't afford too much in my current situation, so this amp was a dream come true
HendrixRipoff can u get SRV tones out of this amp?
can u get srv tones out of this amp? im currently reviewing this and the blues junior
JesusRocks26 Well the only way to truly get his tones are to use his gear and his guitar set up, but this amp gets me closer than any other. I would take it over a blues jr any day but thats just my opinion. If you go to my page, you still see a video of me playing on this amp with a stray, memory boy deluxe delay, and a tube scream at the end. Very very good tones.
Thanks for posting this video and showing the possible tones that can be had on a stock V22. Being an at home guitar player, it makes my investment in my V22 feel that much more worthwhile...LOL!!!
Is this loud enough to play at a reasonably big gig ? with a mic?
That crunch would sound aaaawesome with a hot bridge humbucker.
Great for foo fighters tones, maybe with a pedal on the dirty channel for more distortion in some songs!
SOUNDS GOOD TO ME BROTHER, THINK IM GOING FOR THE V22HD INFINIUM VERSION.
Thanks for obviously spending some time to get a quality sound on this video. It's unfortunate that so many people who have interesting things to say about various amps neglect to actually get decent quality sound on their video -- so important for demonstrating an amp! Your sound is so clear it's like I'm in the room.
well its been two years since you posted this how is the amp holding? 'thanks in advance for your response
ed
Thinking of getting this. I have a H&K which has a great clean tone but very sludgy dirt/lead tone. Going to be using my amp's drive more now and use pedals as a boost.
Hey great review, got a question for ya! Do you think that this amp could compete with a Jazz Ens? With plenty of headroom and such? or would it's counterpart the v55 be better for that?
I don't have this amp anymore, Its's been over a year since I got a Egnater, Bugera told me to call Behringer. Behringer owns bugera, which for years was their speaker plant, Bugera has been released to do more than speakers. They are part of behringer, made in the behringer plant, in Behringer, China. Behringer is one of the largest manufacturers of music equipment in the world, many brands source behringer for custom, oem or buy out products. Uli Behringer one good entrepreneur. -PK
Great review man. I bought one of these maybe two years and have never looked back. In fact my Marshall combo is more of a coffee table now. I am waiting on a set of JJ 12ax7s as OE are starting to fizz and pop and will post up any differences in tone. I use a VOX Brit Boost in front of this as it really pushes the gain on clean and on the dirt channel it goes thermo nuclear. It easy holds its own in front of a drummer and bass and second guitar.
thank you for the great video!
have you tried to use a greenback speaker? if yes, how does it sound compared to either the stock or the blackhawk?
Wahnsinn dieser sound!!!
You can see the settings on the vid. knobs across are:
clean-gain-vol-bass-treb-mstr-presence-verb
And, of course it's on the dirt channel w/mid boost on :-)
To anybody who's got that sweetsounding thing: I recommend changing tubes. The amp sounds good with stock tubes, but if you change them and put in some good tubes, then you'll see, it can sound even better. I put some high gain preamp and high output power tubes in it, so the clean channel doesn't have much headroom anymore. Now crank it up and you get a sound so fat and full of sustain... just pure poweramp overdrive. Try it! It's awesome!
I think you can use a pedal for that, you can't cave too much head room, but thanks for the advice
But, but... I like more clean headroom.
+1 Jonas: I agree. OK w/ the stock tubes (I actually have the head instead of the combo), but a person can really fine tune one of these to taste with a little tube rolling.
OK, I know that this may sound kind of lame, but your video has really convinced me. I am seriously considered the Bugera V22 and the Blackhawk speaker. Every other review I have looked at makes this amp seem like a great little gigger and an even better deal. Thanks for sharing! (I already have an WSG speaker in one of my other cabinets, and I love it!).
wow thats an amazingly good mic! listening to this with sennheiser Headphones.
What experiments/changes have you tried? Did you try different speakers? Can this amp take an EL 34? I am a 34 guy.
Hi. Man nice demo i might get this amp tomorrow but what i really need to know is that will this amp be enough to play in a medium size gym without letting me down? I really really need to know that. Thanks in advance
another great demo. thanks for the speaker recommends.
vaughn, this is the best amp demo i have ever watched. yours was the 4th i viewed and i was skeptical until i saw this one. thanks a million for this most excellent review...i am getting one of these.
Agree on taking the tube "cage" off and leaving it off. Sounds fine with the stock tubes but it sounds even better with JJs or GTs so I highly recommend you replace the stock EL84 tubes straight away. Great amp for rock, southern rock, blues and country. I agree the stock speaker is fantastic and doesn't need to be replaced.
The blackhawk sounds a little crispier while adding some balls. Very nice. This is a great demo and I really appreciate you not wasting my time talking about the appearance of the product (as so many so-called "demos" do).
one of the best sounding vids...
Is it like Fender blackface cleans??
I paid 850 nzd new for the v55 as needed something for shows but im hoping it can sound good at practice volumes
I think the V22 HD with a trial of various 212 cabs is the way to go.
Great review ,awesome clean tones. One of my main players is a SG
so really sucked in by the Marshall esk OD tone. Good looker as well.
the blackhawk wgs has more bite/gain to it than the stock speaker but its probably not worth the money to change
How long should you let this amp (or tube amps in general) warm up before using them?
Yes, it's that much louder. The very inexpensive speakers in the V22 actually sound quite good, but are very inefficient.
You're hilarious man First review where I'm not annoyed and had a good time watching! Stay funky my dude!
Hello dear friend, quite liked yout presentation, I would like to know the name of the last song you play on the vídeo after ACDC, thanks
It's Only Love - Bryan Adams (w/Tina Turner)
Thanks brother
Certainly the 55 would have more headroom ... but yes, the V22 can hold it's own in that setting.
would you recomend the v 22 over a peavey classic 30
Great video. I'm considering replacing the speaker with something less harsh sounding (less highs / tweedy sound). I've seen people put Celestion Blue speakers in those great MojoTone Tweed Deluxe Kit amps and they sound excellent. Do you or anyone think if I put one of them in my Bugera V22 amp it would offer a similar tone and be worthy of an upgrade? Also, what tubes would you recommend to lower the highs? The type of music I like is a mix of styles (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Soundgarden, Kurt Vile, Tool, etc). Thanks for any tips. I'm new to all of this. Thanks!
Hey! I have the same amp, it's nice but I heard you mention you swap stock speakers. What aftermarket speaker do you recommend. I play blues mostly. I notice some weird noises in my amp, I'm guessing that's due to the speaker. Thanks! Great playing!
What a great review. Gonna make me buy one for pub jams.
the V22 and V55 have the issue where a voltage regulator overheats, then it starts with the channel switching, reverb helicopters and general weirdness.
Luckily its a cheap easy fix, you can stick a heatsink on the existing regulator or replace it outright for one with a heatsink on it. Once that regulator runs cooler, no more wierdness. This video made me decide to buy v22. Had that regulator replaced and it was worth it - the amp is just g.r.e.a.t.
Great, great review! This is an amazing sounding and I am sold, for sure. Gotta say, both speakers sounded amazing. I couldn't really tell a difference. But then I'm not a connoisseur w/ boutique type speakers. The only thing I miss about my house is the ability to play my amps at volumes I want. Now in a townhome, I have to be conscious of my neighbors and I was lucky enough to end up with elderly neighbors that do not care for the loud amps. I'm wondering if this V22 is townhome friendly... or is it really loud?
Definitely. The second mode gets really quiet. It also has a master volume. Sounds surprisingly well in the 11 watt mode.
Hey Vaughn great review and sweet playing man! I'm torn between the combo vs the head version. I already have a 12" and 212 cabs. I hear this badboy is a bit on the heavy side.
If i were u id get the combo , since u allready have a head cab version
Is it worth paying 100€ more for the Infinium version?
I have never had a tube amp and have no idea when and how to change the tubes and the Infinium could really help me with that.
Or is it easy to know when to change tubes? Thanks
Can you tell me the exact name of the black-hawk? id like to buy one so i want to know which one.
Blue masking tape works well for the LED too.
Liked the stock for cleans and other (darker) for crunch/lead. But hey, it's an awesome amp.
I use mine 4 jazz and it give a warm tone it is killer