Recommended Modifications to Bugera V5 Infinium

If you’re looking for Bugera v5 Infinium mods, you’ve come to the right post!

Bugera Amps

For quite a while now, Bugera amps have been conquering the market. However, there seem to be some divisive opinions about this amp brand. This is mostly due to the fact that they’re way cheaper than your regular tube amp brands out there.

But let me be clear. Bugera amps, for the most part, sound pretty awesome. As far as the tone goes, they’re on par with some of the bigger brands. The only issues might be around their build quality.

In my opinion, they’re a pretty safe bet for home and studio use. That said if you need something to take on the road, Bugera might not be the best choice. On the other hand, there are plenty of positive reports of taking this amp on the road. Just be cautious if you’re looking for a workhorse amp.

Regardless, they have a pretty decent choice of amp models. Whether you’re looking for a vintage or modern sound, you should be able to find something for your needs.

Bugera V5 Infinium

One of their most interesting amps is V5 Infinium. This is a single-channel 5-watt all-tube monster. Seriously, this little amp can deliver some serious tones.

It’s vintage-oriented. But with its EL84 power tube, you can achieve some pretty interesting distorted tones. There’s not a lot of headroom with this tube, which makes the amp a great option for those who love organic tube-driven distortion.

Also, it has a pretty simple configuration. Input gain, output volume, tone, and reverb are all that you need. Additionally, the amp comes with output power attenuation control. You can use it as a 5-watt, 1-watt, and even 0.1-watt amp.

Overall, the amp brings some serious vintage vibes. Obviously, it’s not super versatile. But it gets you covered for those saturated British-style tones. If you’re into blues, hard rock, and classic metal, this one is for you.

Recommended Bugera v5 Infinium Mods

For the most part, I’m against modifying amplifiers. This especially goes for tube amps. In a way, they’re delicate. And one wrong step could completely ruin their tone. But you still have some pretty basic easy stuff that you can do.

Plus, Bugera’s V5 Infinium is an affordable amp. So even if you’re doing something serious, it’s one of the best amps to do it on because the stakes aren’t too high if you break it.

Despite the amp’s qualities, there are some modifications that could improve V5’s tone. At least, these mods could take it in a different direction. So let’s take a closer look at the matter.

Speaker Replacement

You’d be amazed at how a speaker replacement can reinvent the tone. We mostly focus on preamp and power amp, forgetting that they both drive the speaker.

Bugera V5 Infinium comes with a single 8-inch Turbosound speaker. You’ll usually find info praising that it’s British-engineered. It’s a decent speaker, but don’t expect much from it.

Bear in mind that this is a 4-ohm speaker. So it should be at least a 4-ohm load on the amp.

The simplest way to make an upgrade is to use an external speaker cabinet. But you could replace the amp’s speaker. And it’s a pretty easy modification.

Among all the brands, I’d recommend Jensen’s MOD 8-20. It brings a solid tight punch in the bottom-ends. And this amp could use some of that.

Overall, there are so many options to choose from. You can change the amp’s character with a simple replacement. Adding in anywhere between $50 and $100 will turn your Bugera into a beast.

Preamp and Power Amp Tube Replacements

Another very simple modification is tube replacement. V5 comes with the standard 12AX7 in the preamp and EL84 in the power amp.

As far as preamp tubes go, there are so many great variants on the market. You could even try 12AU7 or 12AT7. Neither of these would make the tone better or worse. But it would just bring a different twist to your amp.

There are, of course, different brands making EL84 tubes. So there’s a lot to choose from in this area as well. However, you could potentially try some of the alternatives. This includes valves like 7189, 6BQ5, or 7320. But, in all honesty, if you’re looking for that saturated tone, EL84 is irreplaceable.

Circuit Tweaking

Before I go any further on this, bear in mind that I don’t recommend any advanced amp modifications. At least not if you’re not familiar with electronics. If you’re really keen on doing something with your Bugera, consider taking it to a professional.

With that said, there are a few things that people have tried doing with the amp. For instance, some have replaced power amp tube sockets. This allows for use of other tubes.

6V6 is a potential alternative as it would match some of the specs. They’d also bring more headroom. However, it’s a major operation and I don’t recommend that.

A common modification includes some capacitor replacements. For instance, there’s a 47 pF capacitor labeled as C22. Some have simply removed it. The same goes for the C13 capacitor. This can help you bring some clarity to the tone with more high-ends in there.

Just bear in mind that these require some previous experience with electronics. I’m in no position to advise you on this since I lack the experience needed. If you want to try it, please consult a professional. And bear in mind that you’re doing it at your own risk.

Is Amp Modification Worth It?

Before you go out there tweaking your Bugera amp, you’ll need to think things through. Are modifications worth it?

If you ask me, it’s better to purchase an amp that you like. But if you’re really up for some experimenting, Bugera’s V5 is a great platform for that. Sure, you could potentially damage the amp. But at least it’s a cheaper one so it would minimize the costs.  

Bugera v5 Infinium Mods: Conclusion

I hope this article has helped you think through ways you could hot-rod your Bugera v5 Infinium amp.

And if you have more questions about this or another guitar-related topic, feel free to leave a message in the comments below!