333 Review

With 120 Watts, three channels and eight blazing vacuum tubes, the BUGERA 333 practically bleeds rock and roll. Everything from furious metal to sparkling clean jangle is waiting inside this performance vehicle.

Features:	8.3
Sound:	7.7
Reliability:	6.3
Impression:	7.3
Overall rating:	7.4
Users rating:	8.4
Comments:	24

overall: 9

Featured review by: hammers, on september 05, 2008

Price paid: A$ 799

Purchased from: CC's Light & Sound

Features: The Bugera 333 is a 120 watt, 3 channel valve head, comes with a 4 way metal footswitch, switching between the 3 channels (clean, crunch and lead and the FX loop). The 333 is exactly the same as it's big brother the 33XL minus the Master Presence and Noise Gate knobs, and has a single input, rather than the Low Gain and High Gain inputs present on the 33XL. Bugera are a relatively new entrant into the amplification market, with their distribution being funded by Behringer. However, do not let this scare you, these amps were not built or designed by Behringer, they are completely Bugera unique, and bleed Bugera power. The head comes with 4 6L6 valves and 4 12AXL valves for the preamp. However at the flick of a Switch located next to the 6L6's this head comes ready to swap straight to EL34 valves for the more contemporary player with a British sound. The head has a FX loop with a level control for both the send and the return jacks. A line out with a level knob is also present. A damping switch is also on the back, switchable between high, mid and low. This is a boost for EQ, I.e. high gives more treble definition. The 333 has 3 channels, clean, crunch and lead. The clean channel is bright and gives a nice warm sunny feel. The EQ is simple to use with volume, treble, mid and bass dials. The volume acts as a gain switch, the higher the volume, the more gain, to get a nice crystal clear and clean tone, run the volume high but the master volume low. The mid range doesn't effect much so Bass and Treble tweaking is vital. The crunch channel is by far one of the heaviest I have heard, with a lot of gain available to use to get that classic rock sound. Channel is controlled by a volume, gain and treble, mid and bass eq. Lead channel also controlled by a volume, gain and treble, mid and bass EQ. Lots of gain also at the players disposal to get a real metal and heavy grind out of this amp. The Amp also has a reverb control which gives a top quality reverb. // 8

Sound: I am a very mixed player, I play everything from Vai to Blues, Jazz, contemporary rock to Heavy metal to melodic death metal. Especially a lot of Metallica and Arch Enemy and Annihilator. This amp gives great coverage of everything except the death metal sound. I like the harsh staccato attacking distortion which this amp doesn't give off the main channels. However, the distortion is great for playing Metallica style music and all other forms of alternative rock and metal. The 333 is basically a budget Marshall yet gives off a fiercely competitive and maybe better sound than a Marshall JCM-2000 for less than half the price. The amp has great grind on the lead channel. The Crunch channel is one of the best I have ever played through. You can get as little gain as you want out of it or you can get as much as you could imagine out of a crunch channel, great for old school rock sounds or blues riffs. The clean channel is good, gives nice bright and warm tones but the EQ lets it down a little in the lack of mid range control. // 9

Reliability & Durability: The Head is a brick. It is rock solid and the tubes are protected by hard metal mesh. The plastic decorations on the side extremities of the face of the Head look like they may fall off easily but they won't if you look after it. Like any amp look after it and the 333 will never let you down. As I said before, the Bugera range's distribution is funded and and controlled by Behringer. However, Behringer did not design or produce or manufacture any of the Bugera amps so you can expect a reliable amp. Valves should last 18 months if cared for properly, however if one set blows, a replacement set of 4 of either 6L6's or EL34's or 12AXL's are part of the Bugera range and are easily accessible through a Bugera dealer. // 9

Impression: This is a great amp. For such a small price you get a better sound than that of a Marshall JCM-2000 which is $2000 upwards. The 333 gives a very harsh grinding sound, heavier than a Marshall yet with tweaking you can get a classic Marshall tone, or a Mesa/Boogie tone. If this amp was stolen from me I would definitely buy a new one, considering the range of tones and the range of uses for such a small price, and considering the fact that it's valve. I think this compares to the Peavey Satriani head, yet gives a better tone for a better price, and also the Marshall. But a better price for just as good if not better sound. // 10

overall: 8.8

Reviewed by: ASClark, on december 04, 2008

Price paid: $ 450

Purchased from: Musicians Emporium

Features: The Bugera 33 is a 120w tube amp with great versatility. I play in a heavy metal band, but also really love playing blues and even reggae. This amp can do it all. It has 3 channels, all with independent EQ and volume, a master volume, and reverb. It also has a fx loop with indep. send/recieve levels. It also comes with a 4 way footswitch(lead/crunch/clean/fx loop on). I use this amp for band practice, as well as on stage. It is **ckn loud! This thing has way more than enough power. I have it hooked up to 2 mesa cabs (yes, this amp has stereo output) and I couldnt ask for a better tone, especially for the price. // 9

Sound: I play through this on an ESP LTD EC-1000 with EMG 81s/60s.
It suits my metal playing style perfectly, the heavy chunk is prevalent, the harmonics are screaming, and the pick response sounds amazing. This this has amazing amounts of gain, and it's amazing how easily you can change your tone with the EQ. Even just on the lead channel, you can go from Amon Amarth distortion to EVH crunch with the change of the EQ and Gain, or just rolling back the volume on your guitar. The crunch channel is awesome for rythm guitar or blues/rock (GnR and the likes). The clean channel sounds really good up to a certain volume, and then it starts to break up a little, but I found that if I leave my guitars volume around 7, the sound stays clean at much higher volumes. // 8

Reliability & Durability: I've only had it for 4 months, but no problems yet. I don't plan on having to change the tubes for a couple more months. I don't have much info on how reliable it is yet, but it seems to be working like a tank. // 9

Impression: Overall, this amp was exactly what I was looking for. I needed an affordable metal amp with a badass tone, and this is exactly what I got. If your looking to play strictly blues or reggae, this amp may not be perfect for you, but it certainly will work.
I have been playing for 2 years, and I own an ESP LTD EC-1000, a DigiTech RP250 multi effects pedal, a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe, Dunlop Original Crybaby, and an Epiphone Les Paul Custom.
I love this amps distortion, it just takes the cake. And the picking dynamics always sound amazing, pinch harmonics are a breeze!
I would compare this to a Mesa Boogie rectifier, and it certainly stacks up. If you want to play metal, this amp was made for you.
If it were stolen, I would buy it again in a second. // 9

overall: 4.5

Reviewed by: sesstreets, on november 17, 2008

Price paid: $ 650

Purchased from: SamAsh

Features: Amp was made in 2008 in china. The amp was versatile. It went from a very nice clean to an old school over driven tube sound. 3 channels, clean crunch and lead. Lead is just the crunch channel with more lead. It had a nice effects loop and a fairly decent line out. 4, 8, 16 ohm selector with the possibility to use two cabs. I kept the master volume at.5 anything louder would be too loud. // 8

Sound: I used mine with a Schecter hellraiser outfitted with 81/89 emgs. It suited my style of melodic metal mostly. If you crank the gain past 4 on the lead channel you start getting that annoying hum. The clean channel the only worth while thing. it's worth it just to buy it for that channel. The clean doesn't really get distorted till WAY loud. Distortion isn't brutal at all. it's just loud. // 6

Reliability & Durability: I wouldn't ever use this amp again. Twice in a row I had tube/fuse/whatever failures. People have complained about what I've said on these forums stating that all you need to do is replace the tubes/speakers/fuse/everything in order to get a dependable amp. I say that if I spend almost 700 dollars on something it should work for more than a week. Sadly I cannot say that it performed more than 10 hours of service before dying on me. Twice, one I returned because it blew a fuse the second I turned it on and the second died without any warning about a day ago. // 1

Impression: I liked the sound. I can't lie about that. About 2 years now. I used it with an array of Boss and MXR pedals. I wouldn't care if it got stolen since I would know that it would stop working. I hate that it died on me after a week. Bugera needs to get their quality control... under control. I'm glad it had a warranty, that's about it. Overall it left a bad taste in my mouth. // 3

Comments

[HighwayHawk]

how can you get a classic marshall tone and a mesa tone from the same analog head? they are quite opposite sounds. anywawy, nice review.

[Billy Picken]

This is a versatile head and gets a Marshall like mid range punchy tone, or a Mesa like thick bottom end tone and eveything in between. Like tones, not exact.

[Shinozoku]

HighwayHawk wrote:

how can you get a classic marshall tone and a mesa tone from the same analog head? they are quite opposite sounds. anywawy, nice review.

Tweaking the EQ and using different power tubes (EL34's for the Marshall, 6L6's for the Mesa).

[HighwayHawk]

i think it cannot achieve something like that. as usual here on ug,people tend to use their eyes more than ears.

[zzpot21]

i have the 333xl it is awesome

[xAODx]

I have to agree with zzpot21. I bought the 333XL over the 333. The XL feature gives it a bit of a tighter punch.

[xAODx]

I have to agree with zzpot21. I chose the 333XL over the 333. The XL feature gives the amp more of a tighter punch.

[CapnKickass]

I attempted to play this amp in the store, but I sucked too much and had 'riff amnesia' so I decided I will try again later instead of annoying people.

[xXLuciusXx]

CapnKickass wrote:

I attempted to play this amp in the store, but I sucked too much and had 'riff amnesia' so I decided I will try again later instead of annoying people.

O yeah that happens to me when i go to guitar center. I feel like all I want is for me and only me to hear the amp cause i don't want to annoy people

[filthylittleboy]

I heard that these amps give a LOT of gain... which would be good for death metal and such...

this review says otherwise, but i think some people just don't what what they're talking about

[nutinpwnsgibson]

xXLuciusXx wrote:

CapnKickass wrote:

I attempted to play this amp in the store, but I sucked too much and had 'riff amnesia' so I decided I will try again later instead of annoying people.
O yeah that happens to me when i go to guitar center. I feel like all I want is for me and only me to hear the amp cause i don't want to annoy people

me 3

[Connah]

if you're wanting to play a little heavier style of metal, check out the bugera 6262. it's a beast.

[jamie[wls]]

crap review, wtf is a 'sunny warm clean sound'

you could write exactly the same review about any amp, noone would have any idea what the actual amp is like, you just said it has an eq and gain and volume knobs and it sounds good

not helpful at all

[rayurrea]

nice review though

[qotsa1998]

HighwayHawk wrote:

how can you get a classic marshall tone and a mesa tone from the same analog head? they are quite opposite sounds. anywawy, nice review.

A big part of Marshall's sound is the thick midrange and using EL34 tubes. Mesa's have alot of bottom and use 6L6 tubes. This amp can switch between the two tube types, and with some eq and gain adjusting, im sure you could get very similar sounds for either.

[HighwayHawk]

you're right, theoretically speaking. the problem is,many amps have the tube switching feature but none of them can achieve perfeclty both sound styles. i checked this head out some time ago,and i assure you its sound gets close to marshall's,but a lightyear away from mesa's.

[enselmis]

true, but i dont think this amp needs to sound like a different amp, it can just sound like itself and people will like it.

[shockdoctor92]

i am looking between the bugera 333, 333xl and 6262. any opinions on what i should get. i wanna do some more research this time i seem to be an impulsive buyer when it comes to guitar stuff.

[Stretch_Wilson]

check out this review from world music supply
coz it is really interesting and helpful for making a decision about the amp
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=_MWCwhCRAcA

[tigerking615]

Hey sess, sorry to hear bout ur amp troubles

[minchew]

I tried this today and didn't really care for it. I took my PRS with me, and the clean tones were great, but distortion was lacking. I'm going to take my Schecter with EMGs next time and try it again.

[joey arce]

Talking about achieve the british tone vs american tone, then just go checkout a blackstar. There overdrives and some of the amps have an isf control (infinite shape frequency) whcih allows you to change teh shape of the wave.

[Deanwings79]

ok sesstreets said that he had the volume on ".5"

it's a tube amp, it has to be pushed higher volume for a better sound, for a guitar center or sam ash you can get away with at most a 3 on the master for a 120 watt tube amp, but half of a notch won't give a good sound on any tubed amp.

[smudgertom]

i am looking between the bugera 333, 333xl and 6262. any opinions on what i should get. i wanna do some more research this time i seem to be an impulsive buyer when it comes to guitar stuff.

Me 2