Bass-Thing

[quote name='bassman7755' timestamp='1455443452' post='2979051'] I have no problem with behringer/bugera gear in terms of value for money and yes sometimes they produce kit of such good value that its frankly embarrassing to other brands [b]however [/b]I do have a problem with the ridiculously inflated power rating they use on the amps and cabs. If I were on a tight budget and wanted decent sounding reliable bass gear that was power rated with some reference to reality then peavey would be my go-to brand. [/quote] Odd really because the inflated power ratings are only applied to some things. I personally think this might be to avoid making too obvious a copy, but I can see how some folks might find it confusing and misleading. I think a good way round that is to check out what the copy is of. The power ratings will be pretty much identical. I agree Peavey is good gear. I've a couple of great practice amps.

[quote name='tauzero' timestamp='1455379663' post='2978633'] You say this from experience or merely following the herd? [/quote] Baaaaaaa.... Seriously though it's easy to understand why Bugera gear gets peoples backs up. They scrimp and save to buy the rig of their dreams and then along comes something just as good for a tiny fraction of the price. I feel the same way about spending a grand on a new American Marcus Miller Fender Jazz only for Sire to come along with basses supposedly just as good if not better, that only cost Squier Affinity money. Thing is my Marcus Jazz is a fantastic bass and I love it to bits. I think the thing to remember is that with high end brand names, you are paying a lot for extensive research and development. Music Group don't spend any money on this (they just copy everything) so they can pass on the savings to the buyer. They also invest a lot in the quality of their gear and customer service. My experience of Ampeg's customer service however, is utterly dire. Whatever I only just noticed this thread was started about 2 years ago so it's probably all moot anyway. I really must get in a habit of using my reading glasses.

I suggest you try both and go for the one that you like the sound of best. If you can't make up your mind based on playing through them both, get the Bugera. It's cheaper and more powerful. I have a feeling though that you'll prefer the Markbass sound (and it sounds like your cabs will be more comfortable with it). Follow your ears.

[quote name='LayDownThaFunk' timestamp='1455303084' post='2978081'] Are you a rep? [/quote] No. It's just that after several years of being let down by brands like Ampeg, Trace Elliot, Hartke (not their cabs) and Ashdown, I've finally found brilliant amps and cabs that are ridiculously inexpensive.

[quote name='Bass-Thing' timestamp='1453825836' post='2963176'] Personally I don't think you can fault Bugera. I have 2 bass amps that are brilliant and sound as good if not better than the amps they are copied from (Ampeg SVT Classic/Genz Benz Streamliner 900). I've just ordered their BT210TS cabinet and let you know how it sounds. Bugera/Behringer have never let me down, whereas my Ampeg PF500 PF210HE rig gave me nothing but grief. I didn't go for their BN410TS because I already have a Hartke Hydrive 410 which is brilliant. One of these would be perfect for your Orange and second hand they are very reasonable. I got mine a while ago on ebay for £300. Lightweight too. [/quote] I've played my Bugera BVV3000 through the BT210TS and it sounds bloody amazing! As a rig it would look a bit comical because the cab is only a little bit bigger than the head but the sound is epic and it can handle all 300 valve watts easily. It's also fine with my Veyron Tube which is similarly specced to your Terror. The BT210 cost me £184 from here https://www.bax-shop.co.uk/bass-guitar-speaker-cabinet/bugera-bt210ts-2x10-1-000w-bass-guitar-speaker-cabinet and that is a major bargain. I think however you'd be fine with the BN410TS which you can get for a great price here: http://www.woodbrass.com/en/bass-cabinets-other-bugera-bn410ts-p185915.html

[quote name='Lw.' timestamp='1453827397' post='2963197'] Zzzzombie... [/quote] Trolllllll.....

Personally I don't think you can fault Bugera. I have 2 bass amps that are brilliant and sound as good if not better than the amps they are copied from (Ampeg SVT Classic/Genz Benz Streamliner 900). I've just ordered their BT210TS cabinet and let you know how it sounds. Bugera/Behringer have never let me down, whereas my Ampeg PF500 PF210HE rig gave me nothing but grief. I didn't go for their BN410TS because I already have a Hartke Hydrive 410 which is brilliant. One of these would be perfect for your Orange and second hand they are very reasonable. I got mine a while ago on ebay for £300. Lightweight too.

Sold it for parts or repair. It's being used as a pre amp now and the new owner is happy as a pig in poo poo! Don't you just love a happy ending?

[quote name='Chienmortbb' timestamp='1451412219' post='2940300'] I am not clear where the caps are, in the mains side or secondary side but either have the same issue. Increasing the cap values will increase inrush current and is likely to cause problems elsewhere. The first thing to do is find out what revision your board is and then find out if it can be updated to the latest revision. Contact Ampeg as it was a manufacturing defect and they may/should help even though you did not buy it here. Finally or maybe firstly, check the labels to ensure it was designed to work on 230V 50Hz [/quote] Thanks for that. It's definitely designed for 230V because the fuse has a selector switch. Anyway I'm going to pass it on now and sell it for parts/repair. It's not as good as the Bugera amps I have anyway. Shame because the flip top is a great idea.

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1450943296' post='2937147'] From what I have seen, these amps are extremely fussy about what cab(s) you plug them into especially when running into a 4Ω load, where one setup may work fine and another will keep cutting out. IMO the amp is only worth the time and money it will take to fix it, if you intend to keep and use it as your main amp. In that case get it repaired by Ampeg and get a guarantee on the repair. Otherwise sell it for "spares or repair" on eBay. You'll be surprised by how much non-functional equipment sells for on there, especially that with a well-known brand name. I had a similarly poorly Ashdown Superfly (sported all the classic Superfly maladies - high pitched whistle on the output, random failure to power up) and it still sold for £75 which considering it was EOL'd at £199 was well worth my time and effort to get it listed. [/quote] Thanks for that. Very sound advice indeed (no pun intended honest ). I am going to sell it on for spares/repair. The main selling point will be that it still appears to be working normally which is bonkers but there you go. I've now got a Bugera Veyron Tube as my portable option and it's so much better than the PF500 in every way, so I wouldn't want to spend more money on it when ultimately I want to sell it on regardless. Thanks for all your help on this one folks. Much appreciated! Happy new year!

[quote name='Bigwan' timestamp='1450334973' post='2931722'] It's maybe not rated to a high enough voltage. You could try replacing it with a higher voltage one. [/quote] Thanks for that though I'm not really sure what you mean. Do you mean a higher voltage capacitor? Incidentally I've had a good look through the site and although there are lots of references to PF500 'horror stories' I can't find any of the stories themselves. Maybe I'm not looking back far enough. I bought the amp new from the USA on eBay about 4 years ago so it would have been one of the early ones that were prone to problems.

[quote name='Mudpup' timestamp='1450301472' post='2931580'] PF500s have a bad rep for blowing up unfortunately - do a search on here or the USA site...... You may struggle to move it on here [/quote] Their terrible rep is something I've picked up on and I wouldn't try to sell it on here. I'm just trying to ascertain whether or not it's worth fixing. If there's a way of stopping the capacitor from blowing that's not ridiculously expensive, I'd like to know.

[quote name='Chienmortbb' timestamp='1439903229' post='2846624'] Sorry to hijack the thread buy. Peak is 1.414 * RMS in voltage or current. Most people multiply the two together to get RMS watt (slightly wrong but hehe). So at 100W into 8R (R is the correct abbreviation for Ohms) the voltage is 28.25V and current is 3.54A. Multiply each by 1.414 and we get a Voltage of 39.94V and a current of 5.0A. multiply one by the other and you get just shy ot 200W so double. Peak to Peak is twice peak so gives gives 80V * !0A and so 800Watts. Easy to see how the marketing department can get excited. [/quote] I have the Veyron Tube and I think this assessment is spot on. This amp is WAY more powerful than my Ampeg PF500 which I've had to test recently at full volume and gain. Basically the Buggerer sounds the same as the full volume Ampeg at half volume/gain, and if I ramp it up to full it sounds similar to my BVV3000 at full power (and as we all know 300 valve watts equals 3 time the amount of transistor watts) so 800/900w sounds right to me. Great tonal variation and versatility as well plus it looks gorgeous and is very affordable. This amp is bloody amazing and I can take it with me wherever I go!

I've got a PF500 that has been causing me problems for ages. I used to play it through the flip top PF250HE and it used to cut out at high volumes. The tech who tested it reached the conclusion that there was something wrong with the cab because the amp would only cut out when it was attached to the cab. If you left the lid off and played it through the cab it was fine, likewise played through other cabs. Anyway I was satisfied it was in very good nick so I sold it on eBay. To cut a long story short it was returned to me and had clearly been damaged. There were deep scratches on both the top and bottom of the amp like it had been dropped down a concrete stairway. Something was rattling around inside. The buyer claimed he had started playing through it and it had blown up. I assumed the fuse had been blown but weirdly enough, it fired up ok and seemed to be working fine (through my Hartke Hydrives (410 &115). I had it checked out. The rattling was a blown capacitor. The input transformer also appeared to have been 'super hot' at some point. The capacitor was changed twice and each time it blew again shortly after power up. Weirdly enough it still works!!! I'm not sure what to do. Can anybody tell me what the f*** is going on??? I feel inclined to sell it again for parts or repair with the added caveat that it still actually works. Any advice on what to do would be much appreciated. I have already considered taking a sledge hammer to it...

Not been on here for a bit so sorry if I've missed anything. Anyway after umming and arring and a lot of farting around I finally bought one of these. I got it from here http://www.woodbrass.com/en/product_info.php?currency=GBP&products_id=189015& and I don't know a lot of places that do a top quality 300w bass valve amp for £350 but whatever. I have to say that to date it's the best bass amp I've ever had. It's got monstrous range and tonal variation and it's seriously f***ing LOUD! I bought it to replace my Hartke LH1000 which was good but timid in comparison. Anyway I'll update in a while but so far so bloody marvelous! At a price like that how can you go wrong really? I've played Ampegs, Oranges and Hiwatts etc and this sounds just as good. Word of warning... it weighs 35kg.

Interesting that there's still hardly anything about these online. I'm still going to get one though. For that money it would be rude not to. My last Behringer amp was excellent and I've always had good service from Thomann. http://www.thomann.de/gb/bugera_bvv3000_infinium.htm

Sorry to be a pain but I just want to fit them correctly. My bass came with them already fitted.... in the wrong place! When the new body arrives I want them to be exactly right. Thanks folks.

It did and I'm so grateful. Thank you. Problem solved!

[quote name='kevin_lindsay' timestamp='1381064870' post='2233877'] Actually, PM me your address and I'll post you a tracing of my plate. The screw hole will still be in the correct place in relation to the neck pocket. [/quote] That is a GORGEOUS bass! I've ordered a new body for mine in Candy Apple Red and it would be rubbish without a tugbar. Thanks so much Kevin. I'll PM you now.

[quote name='kevin_lindsay' timestamp='1381059612' post='2233796'] Just buy one without the hole, and use your existing plate as a template to mark where the tugbar hole is located. It's only a 2 minute job to get it sorted. [/quote] Thanks Kevin but the thing is my existing plate doesn't have a hole. I need a pickguard with a hole already drilled, or a template that shows me where to drill one.

Can anyone help with this? I have a Japanese RI 51 p-bass with a matte black pickguard. Ideally I would just buy a new pickguard in gloss black with the hole there already, but I can't find one of these anywhere. Apparently Fender sell one on their website.... but only to USA customers! The early Japanese RI 51's had a hole in the pickguard so you could add a tugbar but these are quite rare. Thing is I just don't want to drill the hole in the wrong place! It would send my OCD off the scale.