please don't jump to conclusions, you say this is your first manual transmission. And the STV has a very "tight" clutch.
Manual transmission differ very much. Mainly that the auto trans, are driven through a "buck dampening" hydraulic coupling [the torque converter] where the manual has nothing of the sort, when the clutch is engaged the only thing between the engine and tranny is a set of springs or rubber bumpers that prevent shock loading the crankshaft.
In other words, please don't be offended when I say this, but when reading your post I thought that it may be your driving habbits that are the problem, not the clutch or transmission. In any Manual transmission viehicle, if you straight up gun it suddenly it will buck. If you ease the gas pedal down it will not happen. This phenomenom does not occur with auto transmissions because the torque converter will "slip" when you floor it, (allow engine RPM to rise above tranny input shaft RPM) So instead of 'dropping the hammer' try easing the gas down, and go a little easier on the clutch and see if the problem goes away. Besides, it is better to drive smooth in the long run, your differential and clutch will last much longer.
-JSmith
