Bugera R-fier

[guambomb832]

http://bugera-amps.com/EN/products/TRIREC.aspx

I really want to try this thing out, but after the first run so I don't get the crap of the crop. None the less, I am so stoked to hear it!

[Hellbat]

Or you could buy a Mesa have the real deal and not worry about reliability?

[lerxstcat]

At $1179 it's not even that much cheaper than a Mesa at $1899.

[markD]

this one seems pretty cool too...

http://bugera-amps.com/EN/products/MAGICIAN.aspx

but i have this one on the must have list. it will make a perfect amp for me to drag to the open blues jam i attend. WAAAAYYYY more appropriate than a rivera M100 combo with an EV!!! much easy to carry too, hahaha.

http://bugera-amps.com/EN/products/V22.aspx

[guambomb832]

Or you could buy a Mesa have the real deal and not worry about reliability?

Well whats wrong with buying from companies that have other countries make their products? And besides, every item has bugs that need to be fixed the first run, so it doesn't matter.

[lerxstcat]

Well whats wrong with buying from companies that have other countries make their products? And besides, every item has bugs that need to be fixed the first run, so it doesn't matter.

Nothing is wrong with that per se, but if the workmanship and materials used are inferior and it's not even much cheaper than a high-quality domestically made product that is the original time-tested desigfn, then what is the point? Their Peavey copies were half the price or less of the Peaveys, so there's a cost savings aspect on a new purchase. Their Marshall copies are a small fraction of the real thing. But their Tri-Rec is not much cheaper than a new Triple Rectifier and the price you can pretty easily get a used Recto for - that you can count on working for the next 20 years.

So when their prices are a fraction of the amp they copied, there's an economic feasibility that doesn't seem to be the same with this new model. Unless they have tremendously improved their build quality, I don't see the attraction of this one compared to a 333XL you can buy for $600. Seems like they may have jumped the shark pricewise.

[Inearthed]

At $1179 it's not even that much cheaper than a Mesa at $1899.

At $1179, I'd just buy a used Triple Rectifier. Resale on the Bugera kills it completely for me. If you get in a bind and need cash quick then you'll lose quite a bit on the Bugera.

[Hellbat]

When Bugera only had 3 or 5 models out and they were all copies I thought, hey if they want to knock off a couple designs and sell them ridiculously cheap it's their call. But now it seems like they have a goal of producing copies of any amp that has sold over 500 units. And they aren't as big a bargain as they used to be. It just seems to bug me more these days for some reason, I guess it should be expected though since the parent company has practiced making slightly lower cost/inferior copies of other types of products for years.

[Endrik]

"This product is currently not available for sale in the United States and Canada pending verification of compliance with applicable technical standards and regulations."

Mesa has a lot of patented stuff on their amps so there you go.

[lerxstcat]

"This product is currently not available for sale in the United States and Canada pending verification of compliance with applicable technical standards and regulations."

Mesa has a lot of patented stuff on their amps so there you go.

That makes a lot of sense. Maybe the relatively higher projected U.S. list price envisions having to pay licensing fees to Mesa for the things they've copied, IF they can negotiate such a thing. I still can't see paying almost $1200 when you can get a used Mesa Triple Rectifier for that price that doesn't come with the Bugera baggage and shitty resale value. You pay $1200 for a used Triple Recto head and you can count on getting your $1200 back if you have to sell it. Probably have to sell the Bugera Tri-Rec for $600 or less used, and have a lot harder time.

[bombtek]

Isn't that $1200 for the Bugera just the list price? I know I wouldn't pay list for anything gear related. I wonder what the "street" price is going to be (if that amp ever makes it to these shores).

[bombtek]

Oh yeah....and you guys saying that "I'd just buy a used Mesa as opposed to a new Bugera", why not just buy a used Bugera and save a HUGE chunk of change? That is, if it sounds as good or nearly as good as the Mesa does.

I have no issues (so far) of spending my money in the most thrifty way possible. If it is cheap, sounds good, and works.....then I'd go for that way before I'd go for something just because it has a well known name.

[lerxstcat]

Oh yeah....and you guys saying that "I'd just buy a used Mesa as opposed to a new Bugera", why not just buy a used Bugera and save a HUGE chunk of change? That is, if it sounds as good or nearly as good as the Mesa does.

I have no issues (so far) of spending my money in the most thrifty way possible. If it is cheap, sounds good, and works.....then I'd go for that way before I'd go for something just because it has a well known name.

I'm not against the idea of Bugera; that's why I mentioned the 333XL in particular, which is $600 new. But if you wanted a Tri-rec, which is not yet even available in the US, AND wanted a used one, you would probably have to wait quite awhile for them to appear on the used market at significant savings. And then you forgo warranty coverage which would be a factor.

My original point then was if you were willing to drop $1200 on the new Tri-Rec, which is an unknown quantity at this point, why wouldn't you drop $1200 on a used Recto which IS a known quantity instead? Even if Bugera has increased the quality of their products it's probably still quite safe to say that Mesa is building a much better quality amp.

[bombtek]

I'm not against the idea of Bugera; that's why I mentioned the 333XL in particular, which is $600 new. But if you wanted a Tri-rec, which is not yet even available in the US, AND wanted a used one, you would probably have to wait quite awhile for them to appear on the used market at significant savings. And then you forgo warranty coverage which would be a factor.

My original point then was if you were willing to drop $1200 on the new Tri-Rec, which is an unknown quantity at this point, why wouldn't you drop $1200 on a used Recto which IS a known quantity instead? Even if Bugera has increased the quality of their products it's probably still quite safe to say that Mesa is building a much better quality amp.

Yeah, my statements were entirely theoretical for those of us here in the states. If however they were available to the US market, and I was in the market for a new amp and was interested in a Boogie type of tone, I would not be against waiting that time. Both to see just how much of a savings could be had, and to research the amp via reviews on the net, maybe trying one out if there is a dealer nearby....the usual ways to conduct gear research nowadays.

Chances are (again entirely theoretical), that I would end up buying the used Bugera over a used Mesa or a new Bugera if it could be had for say $600, if it sounded like the Triple Rec, if the gear reviews were favorable if, if, if...a whole lotta ifs.

I will say that given the reviews of the last round of Bugeras (6262 and 3XL) I would definitely buy one of those used if that was the type of amp I was interested in before I bought a used Peavey (Peavey 6505 and Peavey XXX) and was in the market for one. As long as I was able to verify that the amp I was buying was made AFTER the factory fix its that were required due to faulty parts/assembly were applied. I trust that the mistakes that were made with the first few units sent out have been corrected according tho the reviews on the net.

[lerxstcat]

Given those clarifications I'd have to agree with you 100%. I'd be happy to pick up a used 333XL in good shape for $300, so if a used Tri-Rec in good shape were going for $600 the logic is the same, you can't beat the bang for the buck if it comes as close to the Recto sound as the 333XL does to the JSX. I tend to forget that some of us have the patience to plan ahead and wait, since these are not my own strong suits.