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Bugera 1960
& 1990 Amplifier Mods (Marshall 1959
Plexi clone) upgrade Output to Magnetic Components, Inc.
100 watt Output Transformer
40-18026 The Ultimate Marshall 1959 Super Lead Plexi, JMP, Clones, JCM 800, JCM 900 Upgrade! The Bugera 1960 is a clone of sorts of the Marshall 1959 Super Lead amplifier made famous by Jimi Hendrix at Woodstock in 1969. However, the 1959 which is still re-issued today in stock and hand wired versions, is rated at 100 Watts RMS while Bugera states that the 1960 is 150 watts "peak power" which is somewhat confusing since most amp makers no longer list peak power since peak power is to my understanding, is a measurement of burstable sound with the amp at maximum volume, while Marshall rates their amps at RMS turned to 4 when there is still clean headroom with no breakup. This, a Marshall 100 watt amp is probably more like 180 watts peak power. The Bugera is part of a whole new line of amps and they will not give out specs supposedly due to arrangement between them and their service center repair locations around the U.S. So there really isn't sufficient specs or literature available to indicate the true RMS output, though I can say with certainty that it is very loud! It's at least twice as loud as my Marshall 2466 100 watt Vintage Modern head. In comparison to a JCM 800 50 watt combo I recently sold that was beefed up with KT88 output tubes, the Bugera, even with 2 tubes pulled to reduce output by 50% still seems much louder than the 50 watt Marshall. Bugera claims this is due in part to their own brand of over-sized EL34B brand of output tubes vs the traditional EL34s found in most EL34 based amps and their beefed up transformers. The amp head sounds great when plugged into Celestion Vintage 30 speakers or Greenbacks, but overall, it kind of has a hi-fi stereo type sound. Someone on youtube said he thought the output transformers to be a clone of Soldano's extended frequency range output transformers which he stated have a 20Hz to 20Khz frequency response. While it sounded kind of stereophonic, it also did not seem to have the kind of low end chunk or definition or Marshall type "roar" that I'm accustomed to hearing, or that you would traditionally associate with the Marshall sound in general. Apparently, Bugera is able to cut costs by producing the Power and Output Transformers en masse and for use in several amps ranging from the super hi-gain Peavey 5150 (6260 their name(XXX) down the line to a Marshall JCM 900 called the Bugera 1990 and finally the 1960 you see here (1959 Super Lead). So for $450 you really can't go wrong in that the head case is probably worth around $200, circuit board components $150, power transformer which really doesn't have much to do with how the amp sounds and tubes $150, tubes $150. For another less than $100 investment, you can get the Marshall sound by upgrading the output transformer to a Marshall or good Marshall clone for around $70 which is the route I chose. So being the uber tweaker and knowing that the 2 main things you can do to improve an amp's tone is the output transformer and signal caps, I decided to go with the Magnetic Components, Inc. Marshall 100 watt Output Transformer replacement. After studying all the rest I found their manufacturing processes second to none, far advanced and truest to vintage spec from even the costliest ones available. Don't believe it? Here's a little proof from the Granger Amps sound clip comparisons between theirs against Weber, Heyboer, Mercury Magnets and Magnetic Components was clear that Magnetic Components had the best tone and upper mid harmonics. That said, after I had already decided. I called my amp tech and he said he was already familiar with this Magnetc Components and had put one in a JCM 900, and 800 and transformed them from weaker and anemic sounding to roaring beasts. Then he put the same OT into a Fender Super Reverb and said it did the same with that amp. This is probably because 900s and any Marshall late 70s on for that matter, began using plastic bobbins instead of the original paper ones as told to me by Joe Janisch, President at Magnetic Components, who I believe learned it from one of the top clone amp kit sellers online. By the way, Joe is an amazingly personal guy I found, who is passionate about his transformers being built to exact specs of old school Marshalls from the 60s with machinery and processes that precision re-create these heavy iron behemoths to exacting old school standards. When it arrived yesterday, I thought it was a dumb bell because it weighed 9.5 pounds in this rather small box about the size of a gallon of milk. I peaked inside the outside bells from the base and saw this beautiful brown varnished paper while the outside iron plates were precision machined to perfection and the whole unit dipped in a special varnish-resin formulation and then vacuum sealed with an air bubble sucking machine, probably to eliminate microphonics, but rather than listen to my take, check out everything they do to make these bad boys here Clips Below setup
info... We shall see how it sounds with the transformer upgrade as soon as it comes back from the shop with all the same settings! Update: Upon return of the upgraded Bugera 1960 using the Magnetic Components, Inc. 100 watt Output Transformer 40-18026 installed by my amp tech, I flipped on the switch and instantly I was carried back to the late 60's to mid 70's. The bottom end Marshall Roar was there in spades and the overall character of lead tones, singing highs, fat, honey sweet dripping mids and transparent highs that sustain like endlessly and sing like a bird. If someone had told me to close my eyes and listen to someone playing the amp, I would have immediately said it is a 1976 JMP Master Volume but at times it sounded just like a 1959 Super Lead as Jimi used at Woodstock. The cleans are just beautiful, chimey, pristine and transparent with a fat "Wind Cries Mary" low end. Crank up the volume and you're in Purple Haze territory with all the raging dynamics, nothing missing.
In summary, I can't say enough about this upgrade
and for those who know me on the forums as a straight shooter and well versed in
tone overall, I do not make this statement lightly. If your Bugera 1960, 1990,
JMP clone, 800, 900 or Fender sounds anemic, don't hesitate to get one of these.
There's lot of comments on the below youtube clips from guys who did that are
floored as well. Most there is to lose is your old anemic tone because it
definitely will only sound much better!
Check out the Holy Grail of Guitar Effects Pedal Boards
Here!!!
http://www.areyouexperienced.net
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