OK, i have been all creamy over getting a tube amp. I found a guy that has a Fender hot Rod Deluxe in great shape for $350.... there was some back and forth with him so i started to look elsewhere and found a nice Bugera V22 for $350 everywhere. My question to you all is which should i get? New Bugera (which has a lot of very good ratings) or a used Hot Rod Deluxe?

I demoed the HRD a few weeks back, I fell in love with the sound. I'm saving my pennies, plus the Blues Jnr NOS is going for the trade in against it. I can't wait to have it here, although some costly vet bills have put me back a few weeks. I'll get her eventually though, I can't comment on your other choice to be fair.

did you say vet bills or gambling debt from the dog betting on billiards?
hope everything is ok with the pet, last year i got rung up for over a grand for my cat. but it was worth it cause the old fella is still hanging around with me.

Thanks Zen, the pup has a nasty paw wound. Poor wee guy is to be kept close to home for the next few weeks, we're both getting a bit stir crazy. Let us know what amp you go for, good luck.

I have been planning on getting the V22 for a while... my youth minister plays on one and it sounds amazing and is fairly priced.

Just need to find a job... No one wants to hire a high school student in my town.

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Kid: "Hey Smokey! Where did you get your name?"
Smokey the Bear: "Well..."
(former user jimbo612)

Snowy,

What ya asking for the Blues Jr.?

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I Can't Explain

Used HRDlx or New Bugera V22 for the same price--tough choice for me. I own a Blues Deluxe Reissue (predacessor of the HRDlx) and just got a new Bugera V22 last week.

The Fender is more sparkly clean on the clean channel but I like the Bugera's drive channel much better. Do you need 40watts or is 22watts enough? For me, the 40watt is hard to control and the 22watts can be mic'd if playing a large venue. I think that unless you are in a band playing large venues (and outside) and do not mic the amps, a 22watt amp is a better choice.

Many people on various internet forums are bad-mouthing Bugera and Behringer for anticipated reliability issues, but I've had my share of defects with the three Fender amps I own. Quite a few people bad-mouthing the HRDlx over on Fender's Modern Amp forum, also. Any warranty left to transfer on the Fender? The Bugera has a 1 yr. warranty whereas Fender new warranty is 5 yrs.

If I could see into the future and know that the Bugera V22 is highly reliable, I'd recommend it if mic'ing is an option.

If you have questions on the Bugera's sound, go to this demo and you'll be impressed: http://www.frugalguitarist.com/Frugal.a ... gera%20V22

For sound alone, It's hard to beat the 22 watt Bugera V22!

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The quintessential sound of 60/70's R&R:
Fender Tube Amps
Gibson Guitars

Sorry, neither.

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Just think of how awesome a guitar player you could have been by now if you had only spent the last 10 years practicing instead of obsessing over pickups and roasted maple necks.

wit da... HUH?!? would you elaborate before i spend my hard earned cash?

Anyone in particular?

I've never been fond of the Hot Rod Deluxe. It sells well but I figure that's because it's inexpensive compared to good amps. If you search the guitar forums long enough you'll read about the HRD's shortcomings. The Deville is better but it's way too much amp for most people.

Experience has taught me to stay well away from anything with the Behringer name on it. I bought a Behringer mixer about 9 or 10 years ago. It was rich in features and really inexpensive compared to everything else. A couple months after the warranty expired it crapped out. The repair estimate was higher than the price of a new one so I bought another one. Guess what? Same thing happened. Different repair issue but still useless and off warranty. In the end I could have bought a Mackie for the price of the 2 Behringers and it would have still been working. I ended up buying an Allen & Heath and vowed to steer clear of all Behringer products for life. I do have a pair of 2 year old Behringer 1X18 subs and they haven't broken yet but they were a gift; I didn't buy them. Bugera is made by Behringer so ...

Save some more money and get yourself a good amp. The amp is the thing you hear. It's what makes the sound that gets to your ears. It's the important part. A $10,000 guitar will sound like crap played through a cheap amp. An inexpensive Squire or Epiphone will sound like a million bucks played through a high end amp. $350 is a down payment on an amp, not the purchase price.

It is always my custom to try to discourage people from this lifestyle if they are squeamish about spending money. Being a guitar enthusiast costs money. Period. There's no getting around it. If you're on a lower income that means you have to be more patient, save longer and be much more selective when you do buy something because it has to last a while.

I'm sorry but I don't have a recommendation in the $350 price range except may an old Silver Face Champ but even then I don't know if $350 would cut it.

My 2¢

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Just think of how awesome a guitar player you could have been by now if you had only spent the last 10 years practicing instead of obsessing over pickups and roasted maple necks.

BMW-KTM, top of the line Bro, thank you for posting a real answer, zenbone now you know but while you are getting that money together check some stuff and keep on the look out for some other stuff, you know what you want that gives you the advantage a Bro walked in to the buy sell shop down stairs today and bought 5 amps 2 Fenders a Kustom and 2 Crates why because August priced them so low this Bro can take them back to his shop and sell them at a profit. keep your eyes open for a Mesa Boogie cab, head or combo you would be surprised how little is known about these outside of the guitar community, actually add Marshall to that, I have been seeing these fly in and out of the pawn shop on Division in the last 2 months not so good for some, so good for some. You are going to get an amp Bro, smile

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you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.

The advice to buy neither and save more money and buy a "better" (more expensive) amp isn't necessarily bad advice, but everyone doesn't have the wherewithall to do this.

The HRDlx is one of Fender's biggest selling tube amp. Can thousands of people be wrong? Behringer's past quality/reliability issues are well documented, but they also have a lot of product out there that has given good service for many years. My personal experience has been good with several Behringer products (PA sys. and amps) and I've had several failures with Fender products. You can find negative feedback on all brands and manufacturers and the people who have had a bad experience are usually the most vocal!

Should everyone "save their money" until they can afford a Mercedes or buy a new Chevy Cobalt which they can afford and can make good use of now? Until the last several weeks, Toyotas were considered very reliable. They weren't when they first came to this country 50 yrs. ago and are now having major image problems.

The best advice is to buy the best amp you can afford in the short term. Listen to everyone's feedback, but put it all in perspective. This isn't an irreversible process. You can get something else a year, two, or three, down the road if the interest remains. Maybe then you'll have a thousand or two $ to spend.

The HRDlx has a very good (and loud) clean sound; the Bugera sounds...well, listen to the demo I referenced in a previous posting.

Just another viewpoint for another 2 cents.

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The quintessential sound of 60/70's R&R:
Fender Tube Amps
Gibson Guitars

dunno.....

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riley

oops

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Just think of how awesome a guitar player you could have been by now if you had only spent the last 10 years practicing instead of obsessing over pickups and roasted maple necks.