Fender Bassbreaker 15 Amp, G&L ASAT Classic, Se Electronics X1 Ribbon Mic Demo
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 12 ม.ค. 2017
- My Buddy Brant let me borrow his new Fender Bassbreaker 15 amplifier and see what I could do with it. It's a really cool tube amp for not a lot of money! It can do warm jazzy tones, crunchy rhythm sounds, as well as saturated marshall-esque stuff!
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Rig Rundown:
1998 G&L ASAT Classic sweetwater.sjv.io/EK0g2X
Bassbreaker 15 sweetwater.sjv.io/VmOvQR
sE Ribbon Mic sweetwater.sjv.io/75X9yA
Cloudlifter sweetwater.sjv.io/k041az
Art Tube Preamp sweetwater.sjv.io/DKWZbn
Tascam Field Recorder sweetwater.sjv.io/PyzvrY
Thanks for watching!
Thanks for this Eric! I've been looking at a bunch of different amps on TH-cam and your demo was super helpful! One of the best vids on the bassbreaker 15!
Thanks! I really like that amp -it's super-versatile!
Excellent job at monitoring the mic clipping! Really allowed this amp to shine
Thanks! Nothing worse that shooting a whole video and then finding out the mic was clipping :P
The best demo of this amp. Keep up the good work Eric.
Thanks!
I agree, I played one the other day, its a combination of Fender, Marshall and VOX. Unique amp for sure.
Totally! They did a great job cover quite a lot of sonic real estate with this one!
Great review - really like your style of communication and great player too. Definitely engaging and informative!
Thanks so much, Keith! I try to balance the talking:playing ratio to keep things interesting 😎
Possibly the best review/demo I've ever seen in the history of TH-cam
Thanks so much, Don!
Hey man best demo of this amp on youtube. thank you. I have the same amp and I've been trying to figure out how to record it. I've tried direct, fx send, mooer radar etc etc but nothing beats what you did. omg
Thanks Luis!
I agree - cab sims are useful in a pinch, but nothing beats an actual mic in front of an actual speaker!
I love the tone you get in this video (and all videos) I Keep coming back to it. Best clean on TH-cam. Love the ASAT
Thanks so much, man!
Fantastic demo, Eric! Thank you!
It's my pleasure, Brock! Thanks for watching!
I own this amp and can honestly say it’s my favorite amp I’ve ever owned. I get great tones from all my guitars, including my Tele, Strat, PRS Custom 24, and Ibanez RG. It does both blues (medium gain structure setting) and rock (high gain structure setting) very well!
Totally! Fender did a great job of cramming in a lot of different sounds into this amp!
Nice guitar collection too - btw!
yeah I love it too! the medium structure with brightness off is my go to .... for metal and hard rock I stay in middle and add a pedal.
I fell in love with this amp from day 1. Best drive channel out of any fender I've ever heard--including the Prosonic, which I owned.
I have this amp and love it sounds great nothing to change except the guitars that plug into it.
Yeah! I think Fender did a really good job with these.
Great Demo Eric, best I've seen on this amp yet.
robert scott Purse agree! Fender need to see this
Thanks Robert! That amp really surpassed my expectations! Whoever designed that circuit was some kind of genius!
ditto
Check out johann segeborns demo of 15, 18/30 and 45 for overdriven tones
good demonstration, great quality sound from the ribbon mic too
Thanks man!
I love how squishy ribbon mics sound - much more natural than my beloved sm57.
Quality video and great playing man. Keep doing this
Thanks so much, Jacob!
Don't worry - I have no intention of stopping. This stuff is fun for me!
Best review I've seen on this amp, thank you!
It's my pleasure, Will! It's a real fun amp to play!
Fantastic Demo with a real "twangy" Sound!
Thank you Eric.
Thanks Marc! I love the sounds of a rockin' tele, or in this case, ASAT.
Oh man, I'm totally sold ^^ I was looking for my first tube amp in lower price range and this thing sounds awesome! Guess it's time to start saving the $$. Thanks Eric for great demo!
Cool!
It's a real versatile amp!
Some folks complain about them being noisy, so you might want to try one out in person first :-D
Eric Haugen I will try it, for sure :) Considering the fact that I use Fuzz Face for overdrive, I feel like 'noisiness' won't be a problem :D
Such a good demo!
Thanks Kyle!
most things you could ask for from a review! great video sir!
only problem with it is I wish it was longer :D
Ha! Thanks so much!
It's a real fun amp to play with :-D
Man, you made the best clean sound test for that beautiful little BB15. Lookin the others videos for the same amp i almost stayed disapointed about the CLEANs on that beauty. Most of them are so 2D...notjing like Fender Blues JR or some solidstate Fromtman...etc...
I have the Bassbreaker and have been looking at G&L ASAT! My Bassbreaker is a Limited Edition which means a Greenback and Chicken head knobs. Thanks for posting this Eric!
Thanks for a really good demo
It's my pleasure, Simon!
Great Review! Helps a lot. thanks for the good job
Excellent! I had fun playing that amp - it's quite versatile!
Great demo!
Thanks Jose!
Great playing Eric.
+Sonic Superantihero Thanks so much!
Nice sound. The x1r sound very smooth!!!
Fantastic review!
Thanks Chase!
Really like the sound of this mic, gives a good "amp in the room" sound. I also think the amp is really underrated.
People need to know how good that cheap ribbon mic is!
I've used lots of other expensive ones but that X1r holds up really well!
Love the recording with that mic !
Thanks! I really like ribbon mics - I think they do a really good job at capturing sound the way our ears do. Very natural, room-sounding.
Great review and playing 👍
Thanks Jonathan!
Very cool demo!
Thanks!
Just the review I needed before heading to buy one over a PRS Sonzera 20 or a Blues Junior IV. Thanks! Subbed too, great video.
Those are great amps too! I'm not sure what I would pick between those 3!
Looks like the Blues JR is the only one with spring reverb, but I can't be sure.
Which one are you leaning towards?
I'm thinking of buying one ...Great info ....you have a really nice approach(touch) to music .....Thanks
I love G&L so much, I have an ASAT Deluxe that I will never get rid of
Yeah! They're super teles!
I’ve had this amp well over a year and I’ve really enjoyed it. I’ve been playing mostly my Strat and Tele Reissue without any pedals while using guiar volume to control gain, and I’ve been able to get a wide variety of great tones IMO. Only criticism I have is it would’ve been nice to be able to footswitch between channels. I got mine for $525 new from Sweetwater, so I don’t think you can beat it for the money.
Yeah that seems to be the common complaint. I bet they'll change that on future models!
Man! That sounded sweet! Never heard of that amp. Cheers!
Yeah! Those are good little amps!
As you can tell by now, I'm mostly loyal to Fender-style guitars. But I'll play ANY amp :-)
Great demo
Thanks Bruce!
I've always been a Fender fanboy - and those Bassbreakers look great, and sound damn fine to me!
Sounds GREAT!
Thanks friend!
Love the King Crimson, man. Not many guitar players on You Tube even know who they are. What a world, lol.
I know! I teach a lot of teenagers, and am always shocked at the holes in their classic rock knowledge. Luckily, most everybody knows who the Beatles and The Stones are. But that's about it!
Phuk yea man!!!!
I bought one for €200 last October and it’s easily one of the best amps I’ve ever owned. Great allrounder with superb tone.
I also own a BB007 combo and 007 head/cab.
The high setting is best avoided on the 15 because it’s noisy and unnecessary.
If these things have issues then you’re in trouble as they’re hard to work on. The caps are not the best quality, I’ve had failure on my 007 combo, it cooked a tube.
Great amps but some of the parts are low quality and prone to failure.
I use mine for recording and generally playing at home. It’s fantastic miked up but the line out isn’t worth talking about.
You can add the BB 15 can to it too for gigging.
I run a Boss BP-1 Pre Amp/Booster/OD and a Boss DM-2w into mine and can get any tone I need. The best amp in its class.
And before anyone says Blues Junior, I’ve one of those too but the BB is overall a better sounding and more useful amp.
Great review. So nice to hear those few seconds of Vince Guaraldi's 'Christmas Time Is Here.'
Thanks man!
Ya gotta love that tune - the saddest christmas melody ever!
Nicely done.
Thanks Daniel!
Excellent demo. Fender should fork over some $ to post this on their site.
That'd be so cool!
I'd love to get some kind of Fender hookup - I've been a Fender guy my whole life ;-D
That SE X1R mic is a great mic for guitar amps (and drum overhead), it's the first time I had the experience that the playback sounded just like when I played the amp in the room. Get two of them and do some M/S recording with the other one placed 3 feet from the amp pointing to the side (they are figure 8)
Yeah! Combined with a cloudlifter, the X1r can really capture a good amount of transients in a non-harsh way.
Now I really wanna try a mid/side thing like you said. I've also got a Rode NTR active ribbon - maybe I'll try with that and the X1r.
Thanks for the idea!
That is the best sounding Indonesian made guitar I’ve ever heard. I am a fender fan, but am definitely picking one of those ASAT up
Those Indonesian G&Ls are solid! In general, I find most Indonesian guitars to be quite lovingly made. More So than China for sure.
This ASAT is actually American, so it's even nicer! It's got the best neck I've ever played - 1 5/8 nut, 9.5 radius, slim C profile, jumbo frets - it's comfy!
@@EricHaugenGuitar All G&L Guitars are awesome, no matter where they are made. I like Fender, but love G&L.
I just got my first G+L a couple days ago... I have the 'Fallout' though... Fun guitar, mines a tribute series so it's the bottom end and believe it or not it plays exceptionally well, I will say that the switches are suspect but other than that for 350$ it's a really nice guitar...I am quite happy with it... G+L is making and licensing some decent stuff
Oh yeah, all the G&L stuff is really solid, regardless of country of origin!
great snappin sound, seems like a great versatile amp for the money. Interesting Demo Eric!
Yeah it surprised me! I was like "there's no way this mass production pcb amp could sound as good as my tweed or my silvertone!" After I shot the demo I was like "I need one of these in my life."
Eric Haugen I hear Ya;) Hope I'll get the chance to try one out, it would be cool. Ive been looking at the Blues junior Tweed and Roland JC40..there are just too many amps out there. But Thats a good thing I guess hehe ;) Your demos are great because its the type of stuff one can, and will, listen to!
Thanks man! I dig your style too!
I love this amp!
Yup it's not too expensive, versatile, and looks cool!
Stellar review and playing! Why the hell does this amp sound so good? For the money it shouldn't sound this good.
Thanks!
I'm a firm believer that gear doesn't have to cost a million bucks to sound like it :-)
I love fancy boutique stuff, but if I can get equally good tones from something more affordable, then great!
love this amp! great review mate!
Thanks!
I think Fender did a really great job packing in a bunch of different sounds into this one :-)
I think it might be my next amp purchase when I can afford, I sadly had to sell my 2 amps (mesa boogie MK1 and Fender Hotrod Deluxe) recently. I was planning on getting another Fender Hotrod, but I'm liking the variety of sounds on the Bassbreaker which seem really good for the price!
Yeah, the overdrive is definitely better on the Bassbreaker. The only drawback for me is that it doesn't have true tube-driven reverb.
yeah that's my only concern too, the whole reason I got the hotrod deluxe was because I loved the reverb! maybe a strymon Big Sky with the Bassbreaker would make up for it?!
Almost certainly! There’s no substitute for the real thing, but a good reverb pedal can be magical in its own unique way 🧙♂️
Fantastic review . ...the way they should be . ..with a variety of sounds and styles.....something for everyone . .thanks .
Thanks Jeff! That amp really can do it all! It was hard to make sure I covered all the possibilities :-)
Never seen someone do Search and Destroy in a demo before. I tip my hat to you good sir. The Stooges rock.
Thanks man!
Yeah - Raw Power and Fun House are two of my favorite albums from that era. So unique and powerful!
+1 for Christmas Time Is Here !
Ha! It's been so long since I made this I forgot I played that!
Nice sound Eric! I have also have an G&L Asat Classic with signature!
Great minds think alike! I love that ASAT! It's got a really thin and fast neck! Plus those MFD pickups are so clear and powerful!
Look at my video i play with the G&L Asat the song (I'sn she lovely made for me)
Great review best one out there mate. Sub...
Thanks Ryan!
Welcome to my chill and informative guitar hang zone 🥃
Picked mine up today. Love it so far
Congrats!
These amps pack quite a lot of tonal options into a very giggable package!
Unfortunately I have to get the effects loop fixed as mine is an early run before the fix
Ugh! what a drag!
I got it pretty cheap and Fender will cover the repair
Good deal! I love it when a company treats it's people right !
Superb demo Eric one of the most useful demos I’ve seen on TH-cam. Was thinking of going Bassbreaker route but noticed your reply to someone else with regard to Princeton 68 . Have tried out both but still divided in my thoughts ...any suggestions . Cheers . Rock on , Gary
That's a tough call!
I think that depends on how much gain you need from your amp, and at what volume. I haven't had the pleasure of playing the 68 Princeton, so I can't speak about it. But generally, I like Princetons.
Eric Haugen Hi Eric thanks for your input , yesterday I went into my local store and found a second hand Vox handwired AC4 , tested against a Princeton , an Orange amp and a bassbreaker and the cox sounded great also bought a second hand Keeley Aurora reverb pedal and the two together sound awesome ....rock on and good luck with the videos , I’ve mentioned your channel to all of my guitar students .
I've got a Bassbreaker 15 combo, and it's every bit as good as it seems from this video..
It's so versatile! I really like the speaker in it, too.
Yeh..i got one too, clean and dirty tonal nirvana ..really stoked on making the right buy.. totally confident i wont ever part with it, thx fender!
same boat. Saved up enough for a cool fender guitar, now it's time for a great fender amp!
Are you able to switch between gain structures with a pedal?
Best amp I have ever had. I have had them all. Amazing sound. Wish it had channel switching
Hey, just found your channel through this video and you have a new subscriber! Really like your playing and this is the best demo of this amp I have found. You've really showcased what it can do. Nice work!
Thanks so much Tom! I really appreciate it!
I've listened to a few other demos, and you puling the mid way back makes this amp sound so much better (to my ears). I'm going to have to go check it out in person.
Yeah, I always pull the mids back. I feel like all mids add is a boxiness to the sound. At the least for the style I play :-)
Interesting, I always equate low mids with getting lost in the mix. I really must trust my ears more than my eyes when I EQ an amp haha
I wish you lived in Berlin and then I could bribe you to be my guitarist. Your whole ethos and attitude is fantastic. Also your playing.
My good friend Jeremy Black is an electronic music producer in Berlin!
Really nice not what I expected almost that mad scientist tube tester vibe lol, I have no idea what that means, great job !
Ha!
You're not the first person to notice my "sciency" vibe. I think it's the glasses :-)
LOl yeah maybe , your awesome dude I like the way you go about your business. I am looking to get an amp a real amp I have a fender mustang I like the bassbreaker but I think im going for the same price the Hot Rod deluxe III what do you think about that one ?
Ooh that's a tough choice!
The main advantage of the Hot Rod is that is has real tube driven reverb. If you're really into authentic drippy Fender Reverb that's the way to go. On the cons side, it's pretty dang heavy and the overdrive channel isn't as good as the bassbreaker.
Ok I get it, on either side as far as the cons go you can offset with a peddle like you said you use a strymon flint for like tremolo/reverb I guess maybe an external drive pedal maybe. I just subscribed I appreciate the help - Man I do have one question no one seems to know maybe you do, I just bought a mexican strat but have a Squier 51 (not the 2011-12 fender- just a squire) I want to put the original fender pickups in it, Enforcer bridge and Texas special strat pick up neck- is that neck pick up a regular Texas special neck or is it the middle pick up ? could you use any position tex.spec. in the neck configuration ? Alright thanks take care!!!! david
Hrmmm I'm not sure. I know that typical strat middle pickups are wound reverse polarity (whatever that means), so that when combined with the other pickups they cancel hum.
I'd *guess* it's a neck pickup, and not a middle.
That king crimson lick was so bad ass
Thanks Collin!
I gotta do a lesson on that song - it's full of so many great riffs!
Just got mine! 15W Combo like this, bought it with a Tweed Blues Jnr, got a suberb deal on both and & I'm running them wet/dry).
It's great! Reminds me a little of a Marshall Astoria.
Sounds like a killer setup, Matt!
Eric Haugen Thanks! I'm happy. Although it doesn't like my OCD which is a shame.
What pups are on that Tele? They kill it!
Those are the stock G&L MFD Pickups. They've got ceramic magnets, so they're very bright and loud, and yet very low noise. Almost noiseless. Interesting design.
Eric Haugen Bassbreaker15 like Tele. This, I have discovered.
Came here for the Bassbreaker but screw that, lets hear the Twin Twelve behind you!
Thumbs up for A Charlie Brown Christmas ;) Nice review, you covered all the bases
Thanks! That amp really does it all! It's hard to stop playing it!
I’m kinda torn between the Blues Jr and the head version of this amp which I have a Orange cab with a Vintage 30 in it. Any opinions on how to decide?
oooh that's a tough one!
I'd say it mostly depends on how much you like real tube driven spring reverb. If you gotta have it, then it's the Blues Jr.
If you don't really need the sproingy-ness of the Blues Jr, I'd recommend getting the head version. In general, I think it's more fun/versatile to have heads and cabs to play around with.
Eric Haugen Even then the spring reverb in the Blues Jr is driven and boosted afterwards by op-amps. Like you put a Carl Martin real spring Reverb pedal in the fx loop of the BB I guess...
Hi. Great demo by the way.
Does this amp suffer from the farty/flabby bass like a blues junior? Couldn’t detect it in the demo.
Thanks FuzzBen!
I didn't notice any fartiness either, but I keep my bass set pretty low on my amps. Usually at like 3-4.
Doesn't surprise me at all that Fender could pull off an amp that's kind of like a Fender, kind of like a Marshall, since Fender was the source of the original Marshall sound when Marshall based his first amps off the Bassman circuit, :)
Totally!
I love the classic tweed bassman sound - it's everything you want a tube amp to be. Great for rock, jazz, blues, funk, soul, - everything except metal :-)
Eric, Fender should send you commission. Also - what are you doing at 07:35? sounds familiar! or are you just jamming around? Superb vid as always.
If only that were true!
That riffy bit at 7:35 is just me messing around with an open d string and some mixolydian-esque ramblings :-)
Very good review! So I have been on the hunt for a new 15watt tube amp for about a month straight non stop research! When I heard this amp I was like THIS IS IT! I can't afford something like a MESA but to me this has that kind of versitiliy beautiful cleans and heavy crunches. Thanks for the review but before I buy it would you recommend anything thing else in the $600 price range?
There are so many options these days!
I really like Vox and Orange as well, so it's worth checking their websites to see what's cool too :-)
Hey Eric or anybody how does it clean up with the guitars volume knob?
Hi Julia!
You know, I didn't actually test that - oops!
Though, typically as you reduce volume at the guitar it chokes the gain, so I'd expect it to clean up well, but that's all conjecture :-)
Great review, Eric. Was considering getting a Blues Junior for at home but I think I prefer how this one is voiced
+Pete Clarke Hi Pete! That's a tough call. Both are good amps!
Dare I put another idea in your head - I recently got amplitube 4 for at home playing/ recording and it's really fun! It's like having a whole recording studio full of amps in your computer!
Eric Haugen this might come as a shock but I've gone one step further and bought a Helix. I'd been disappointed with modelling up to now but holy cow it's phenomenal!! I use it much like an artist uses a palette, endless sonic colours :) I can practice late when the family is asleep and even record directly into GarageBand on my iPad. I still love real amps though and my Princeton Reverb will never leave me. Your tweed fascinates me!!
Exactly! Digital quality has really gotten to the point where it's really really close to analog! And the convenience is truly wonderful! I can crank up my Hiwatt emulation and crunch away and my wife can be in the next room on the phone with our accountant and not be disturbed at all :)
But yes, real amps are still the best thing. I love Princeton Reverbs, btw. But you know me - I love all tube amps.
いい音ですね
Can you use this amp also as a practice amp at home without bleeding ears since it has separate master and gain.
Exactly!
Van this be plugged into a 2×12 cab,to make it sound bigger??
Yup! I just checked - it's got external speaker outs.
Very cool amp, Fender is putting out decent sounding amps that are not breaking the Bank.
Dare I say it - I might like it more than the trusty Deluxe Reverb Reissue!
That's a bold statement lol
Eric. I saw you mentioned that you love Princeton Reverbs. I have a 68 Custom Princeton Reverb on order currently but it's delayed about 10 days. I still have time to change my order. Do you have any experience with that amp? The jazz tones from that bass breaker you demoed sound amazing and I'm partly tempted to switch my order to one since those are in stock. The 68 is pcb anyways but has real tube Reverb. Btw, Sturgill Simpson brought me here. Keep covering those tunes!!!
+The Hester Show Hrmmm tough choice! The Princeton will be more touch sensitive, and have tube reverb, as you pointed out. But the Bassbreaker has a master volume and more crunchability, and $250 cheaper.
Eric Haugen I spent 3 hours today in GC comparing amps. Between the bassbreaker, 68 custom Princeton Reverb, 65 Princeton Reverb, Marshall DSL40, and Orange OR15H, the 68 Princetons cleans sounded the best. The gain on the orange was insane and the Marshall was surprisingly pleasant to play. Sticking with Princeton though!
I respect your scientific method! Now you can rest assured you got the best amp!
Hi, how the mustang react with this amp? Can you easily reach the breakpoint without make the building fall? Thank you for the infos, I hope you’ll make a video about it
It'd be about the same - the master volume on the bassbreaker works great for dialing in the crunch!
I want a bassbreakerrrrrrr
Hey Eric, do you get any white noise increase when you turn up the reverb on your bassbreaker 15? I just noticed this happening on mine today and was curious. I'm doubtful that it's tube related, but who knows. Thanks!!
Hrmmmm I didn't notice that but I do think generally as you increase reverb you get more noise. I'm not sure if the reverb on these amps is tube driven, being that it's digital - so my un-expert opinion is "I dunno!"
@@EricHaugenGuitar Thanks for the reply!
I know it's now 2021 and Eric plays from his kitchen setting now, but do you reckon he painted this room "Tweed" colour?... just a coincidence ? that amp is well-camouflaged over there...
hahahaha I used to paint houses for a living!
That color is Behr "Townhouse Tan" - such a PERFECT yellow/mustard
Something weird happening: there's a low-frequency thump that shouldn't be there with some chords and even single notes, isn't there?
Hi, would you say this amp is kind of boxy sound like the Blues junior??
Similar, for sure. This one has more gain on tap, and a lot more bass - definitely more british sounding.
Wow Eric, great job getting those tones with the amp and mic! I play a strat but that tele sounds awesome, can I ask what tele it is and whether the pickups are stock?
Thanks AJ! That guitar is a USA G&L ASAT Classic. The pickups are the stock G&L MFD pickups. They're a slightly different design that regular Fender single coils. They're higher output, with ceramic magnets, adjustable pole pieces, and somehow almost noise-free.
Thanks Eric! I realised my question was a bit dumb when I researched G&L. I wasn't aware of them until now. It sure goes well with that amp. Are you still playing it without problems? I'm cautious about buying because they are mass produced and are probably difficult to service.
Yeah, mass produced amps are always risky. This one actually belongs to my buddy Brant, and it's giving him no problems. I have read there can be noise issues with the effects loop on this model.
bright switch i always kept on because i used the first gain setting
It needs el34s to have that Marshall mid-scoop, creamy, clean and an effects loop to get that BLUES - Tone. If it has those basics then it is in the ballpark. If it has cathode biasing you have the ability to drop in el34s. I don't like the el84s as much as the 34s as I strive for the creamiest bluestone without a pedal. Although, I am liking what I am hearing.
Oh yeah it gets pretty close with those lil el84s - I think they worked some magic with the tone stack to get it British-ish 🇬🇧🤷♂️
Hi, Eric. 6 years later-how do you feel about this amp versus things you may have played more recently? I'm in need (want) of a smallish 'sofa' amp with tubes, and if my primary need is 'luscious cleans/slight overdrive' and my secondary want is versatility, what would you suggest?
I recently picked up a Supro Amulet and it's really good!
Actual Tube Reverb and Tremolo + power scaling!
@@EricHaugenGuitar thank you, Eric. That’s the first Supro I’ve had a positive reaction to. But I think I need more of that classic Fender clean thing.
Hey Eric. I was wondering if you can offer any advice on how to add a bit more warmth / bottom end to a brighter sounding valve amp. I recently purchased a Bugera V22 and love it, though it's a bit bright and lacking in bottom end with higher gain playing.
I'm now torn on what route I should go. I was thinking about returning the Bugera and maybe going the route of a Blues Jr or a Bassbreaker. Though if I can achieve a less bright tone with my Bugera through use of some pedals on the clean channel, or tube replacements, I'd prefer to keep it.
I like your taste in music and your guitar tones, so I figured maybe you could offer me some quick advice. I play blues and rock and like to have a good thick thumpy / crunchy palm mute tone when needed, but I also play at relatively lower volumes in my living room. Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you.
I haven't gotten to play with one of those amps, but one of my students has one and she likes it a lot. I think there's definitely some things you can try before returning / reselling it.
1) Speaker Swap. In my experience, the number one way to change the voice of an amp is to swap out the speaker. It's relatively easy to do, and changes the tone drastically. For thick low end and good punch, I'd recommend Eminence Speakers. They're affordable, durable, and sound great. I've got one of these in a Mesa Boogie Studio 22 and I love it www.eminence.com/speakers/speaker-detail/?model=Legend_GB128
2) Pickup Swap. What guitar are you using? Another way to drastically change your tone is to switch out your pickups.
3) Tube Swap. I've done this a good bit, but found that it doesn't really ever yield dramatic results. My amp tech told me that it's because the tone comes from the circuit itself, not just the tubes. Until you start tinker with resistors and capacitors, the tubes won't change the sound too much. They will change it a little, though.
4) Pedals. Another good solution. Just stay in the clean channel and use a good overdrive for crunch. I love my Strymon Deco, even though it's not really an overdrive. Also, the Paul Cochrane Timmy is as good as everyone says it is. Very versatile and transparent.
I hope that helps!
Wow...thanks for the in depth reply! I've considered a speaker swap. There is a speaker swap demo for a V22 on TH-cam, but honestly the stock speaker sounded just as good to my ears. I'll look into the Eminence speakers.
I'm using a strat, a frankencaster and an epiphone les paul through the amp. I found that my fuzz pedal gives a nice thicker tone, so I'm guessing the overdrive will help as well. Still waiting for my OCD overdrive to arrive in the mail. I'll have to explore pickups further.
I recently replaced the tubes in my Blackstar HT-1R and it seemed to help some, but I've also read what you mentioned regarding the resisters, etc. I'll have to consider a tech for that. I'll also have a look into the Strymon Deco, the Paul Cochrane Timmy and the other pedals in your pedalboard video.
Thanks again for your time and valuable videos Eric.
Hrmm yeah maybe the overdrive channel on that amp is just a little too bright. I think you're really gonna like the OCD - it's a great pedal and might be just the thing for you!
Thanks for the demo! Maybe a dumb question, but is it normal for the amp to hiss a bit more each time you turn up the gain structure? Mine goes from no hiss at all on low gain structure, to some hiss at mid gain structure, to pretty serious hiss at the high gain structure. Trying to figure out if that's just normal, or if I need to take it in for a repair.
Hrmmm that's tough to diagnose! As gain increases, noise usually will increase too. However, exactly how much noise is "normal" and how much is "ain't right" can be debatable. Are you using single pickups? Also, have you tried plugging it into to other outlets? My amps are very quiet in my living room, where I shoot my vids. But if I plug them into my office, they're buzzy as hell!
Eric Haugen thanks for your reply. I'm using noiseless pickups. The hiss happens even with no instrument plugged into the amp. Just switch it over to the mid or high gain structure, and the hiss kicks in. It may have always been there, and I just didn't notice it, since I tend to play at low volume (apartment living, you know). If i make a video of it and post it on TH-cam, would you take a look and let me know what you think? Thanks again! Love your videos and your playing. Learning a lot from them.
Yeah post it! One of my students has this amp, and he said he did have to take it in to get repaired, so maybe there is a bad cap in there. Also, some folks complain about the effects loop having a noise problem.
@@Zhames I heard in other channels that there were some quality control issues with early models so they should fix it for you free of charge
So is there a foot switch for the different gain structures?
Unfortunately not. Seems to be the number one complaint about this amp.
Hey. Are there any hum issues with this amp? It seems that there are a lot of complaints regarding a hum issue while using the efx loop. Maybe Fender addressed this issue and fixed it.
Darn! That's the one thing I didn't check! I'll ask my buddy Brant about it - it's his amp.
Eric Haugen thanks I was thinking of buying this amp but I am not sure cuz of that hum issue
There is a hum in the efx loop but it is a common defect and Fender will fix it under warranty. If you bring it to your nearest authorized repair shop they will swap out one of the metal jacks for a plastic one and this corrects the problem. Also, I believe all the newer released versions come with the modification done already. I am bringing mine in next week to have this done.
Please tell what the neck pick up is that in your guitar.....I want for my tele!
Just the stock G&L MFD pickups - they're very loud, clear, and yet low noise!
Do you like it better than the Tonemaster Deluxe Reverb?
Hrmm good question!
Kinda a pros and cons thing - this amp has better overdrive, but the Tonemaster is light as a feather. Also this amp is a bit cheaper, and real tubes. So if you've never owned a tube amp, and wanted to know what that feels like this would be a good place to start.
King Crimson!
You're so cool
Thanks Gina! I think of myself as a bit of a nerd, but hey, the line between nerd/hipster is a hazy one anyhow :-)
Eric Haugen There is nothing nerdy about your skill😎 Keep it up!
Daaaaaanm!!
It sounds too good. But, for home use I guess I should get an attenuator...
Gain structure 1 sounds like it can yield broken smoky jazzy tones a la Julian Lage with his tweeds.
You might not need an attenuator - I find you can get a good edge of breakup thing happening with the preamp gain!
Eric Haugen That’s some seriously good news. And may be a novelty for a Fender :-)
It's a Hall reverb.
Which do you suggest? Marshall DSL or Bassbreaker?
oooh that's a tough call - they seem pretty similar. I haven't had the chance to try out the DSL, but I bet it's pretty good!
Personally, I like the aesthetics of the Bassbreaker a tiny bit more - but that's just my personal taste.
The Celestion V Type speaker isn’t American voiced, that would be the Celestion A Type. The V Type is a classic sounding 12” Celestion in the same family as Greenbacks and Vintage 30s.
Aha! Thanks for the info!
No problem. Great demo on the amp, I have the head and cabinet version, I think the 15 is going to become a classic.
It's funny, but with my tele (with P90s), i really like getting a similar mid-bright tone with the structure on low with a bit more bass and a tone of middle. took me weeks to find a setting i liked for more than a few days.
Yeah, I find this amp changes character a lot depending on the room it's in. It can be tricky to dial in a tone because there's so many options!