# Bugera 333xl combo a honest review



## ShredBaron (May 3, 2010)

I recently received a Bugera 333xl combo and I am going to give it my honest review as I am about to sell it. I am not selling it because I think it is bad. I have selling it because I played a Peavey 6505+ that I like a LOT better.

I will first tell you what I like about the 333xl and then what I do not like.
It seems to have a almost high fidelity tone to it like you are listening to a cd.
It has unlimited gain and it has a very good clean channel. The gain it has makes playing legato playing very easy because every note picked or not stands out. It has seem cool features and it as a cool price.

Now here is what I do not like. First I I have a esp mh-1000 with a jb in the bridge and a seymour 59 in the neck and it is a good guitar and one that I believe is good enough to base my review.

What I do not like about this amp is that it has a very high trebly thin sound in the lead that just does not go away. I have turned the treble down to 3 and the bass up to 7 and put the mids at different ends of the spectrum. When I am playing chords or pinch harmonics it is great.
It also seems to have to much gain. I have cranked it up pretty loud and I still had the same experience but to a lesser extent than when it was quiet.
I had a Peavey xxx and It was not my favorite amp but it was never thin sounding in the lead. I was curious if anyone else had this experience or shared my opinion on this Bugera 333xl?
I even ran the combo thru my cabinet which has g-12 75 and while it sounded better than the bugera combo speakers but, it was still missing something that i have had in other amps I have played.

I am not putting this amp down I think it is cool. I just rather sell it and put that money towards something I like better.

This amp reminds me of a modelling amp with tubes. I know it is a real tube amp and I would like to record with it but to me it is lacking for really heavy music. 

If you agree or disagree share your experience. I am not here to disrespect this company. They offer affordable tube amps to people, but I am comparing this to amps like the 6505+, Engl Savage, and even the XXX and JSX to a lesser extent. It is my opinion but the the lead channel when doing solos with the JB pickups was thin,trebly, and bright. If you are happy with this amp that is awesome but this is my opinion for what it is worth. I wanted to love this amp and If I did not need to sell it for another amp I would keep it just to have for a different sound and to experiment with. I would not want to gig with this based on what I have heard so far but I never played with a band with it either.
I think the 6505+ head will be a much better choice


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## JPhoenix19 (May 3, 2010)

I played a 333xl and a JSX (both head versions) side-by-side and I will say that they sound similar. I will also say that the core tone in both is not up my alley at all.

I had a similar experience to your review when I played the 333xl head.


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## Ben.Last (May 4, 2010)

I owned a 333xl head for a few months before it got stolen, I wouldn't say it was thin at all. Maybe it just worked incredibly well with my Avatar cab and not so much with the stock speakers of the combo and whatever cab Jphoenix played through. I actually like the tone more than that of the JSX.


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## Isan (May 4, 2010)

Lern2swim said:


> I owned a 333xl head for a few months before it got stolen, I wouldn't say it was thin at all. Maybe it just worked incredibly well with my Avatar cab and not so much with the stock speakers of the combo and whatever cab Jphoenix played through. I actually like the tone more than that of the JSX.


same here  it is VERY thick
You just have to fiddle with it and you can get some decent metalcore tone stock.
With a boost and eq you can djent like a mofo


Sudden thought edit : 

It may be a bad preamp tube ...


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## JPhoenix19 (May 4, 2010)

Lern2swim said:


> I owned a 333xl head for a few months before it got stolen, I wouldn't say it was thin at all. Maybe it just worked incredibly well with my Avatar cab and not so much with the stock speakers of the combo and whatever cab Jphoenix played through. I actually like the tone more than that of the JSX.



I played both heads through a Line 6 4x12 with vintage 30s


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## ToniS (May 5, 2010)

I play my 333XL head through a HB cab with V30's, and the sound isn't thin at all!


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