Bugera v5 update
OK, finally got to play one, and I'm in love, or at least infatuation.
I don't know if it would be loud enough to pratice with a band (I doubt it, but for a 3 or 4 man blues band, it's possible). It would get loud enough, but you'd probably have to be on full overdrive, which would severely limit your tonal possibilities.
If what you want is a bluesy Fender tone at whisper quiet levels, IMO this is the ticket. It even has a headphone jack, but you might not even need it.
I did not get to a/b it with the Vox ACTV8, which I was also extremely impressed with, so I'm going to wait until I can do that. From what I remember, the Vox had a darker overdriven sound. Think Robin Trower on 'Daydream'. I also did not get to put any pedals in front of either one, so keep that in mind, although in my case, I don't think you'd need an overdrive/distortion unless it was for metal, and I don't really think either would be a good metal amp anyway.
Both amps are pretty much one-trick ponies, but if that's the trick your looking for...
I tried a whole bunch of different guitars (with the Bugera). I don't think it fared so well with humbuckers. They were all stock off the wall, so if you've got a hot-rodded humbucker, or a splittable one, YMMV.
This amp was made for blues with a Strat, imo. I really loved the overdriven sound, especially considering the volume. I also loved the clean sound, and even kinda liked the reverb. Take into consideration that I also like my Blues Jr., which a lot of people don't.
As far as using one to experiment with mic technique, I don't know that any really small amp will fit the bill, but that's just my opinion. That being said, there's no reason you couldn't use this to record, and get a decent sound out of it. You might have to experiment with different mics, which would be way more expensive than getting a different amp. On the other hand, you won't have to build an iso-cab for it.
Summary: A couple of different good sounds, but a one-trick pony. But if that trick is blues with a strat at bedroom levels, with a headphone out no less, I give it two thumbs up. A Vox ACTV8 would be a good alternative. I may have to get both. I haven't heard the Fender 600 yet.
As a point of reference, I also have a stock Blues Jr. that I'm planning on upgrading in case I want to play with a low-volume blues band in a practice situation. If I ever get a good recording space, I've got my '65 blackface Vibro-Champ.
