Roland Cube Club (all models)

[RevMike]

Originally Posted by RevMike

I have a BC-30. I like it very much. I may still be selling it soon however. I really want another Deluxe or Vibrolux. So therefore, pretty much every amp I own except my Blues Jr. will have to go.

I posted the above back in April...and frankly I've kindled a newfound love for this amp. I've been using it more and more, and at this point, I guess I'm keeping it.

[jefrs]

Cube20X.

Handy little thing. My vacation amp. More than just a practice amp.

[Tony474]

Originally Posted by jefrs

Cube20X.

Handy little thing. My vacation amp. More than just a practice amp.

I've got one of these as well, in addition to my Cube 60 and BC-60 Blues Cube 1x12 (wish I'd been able to keep my 3x10 too). As you say, certainly more than just a practice amp; in fact I've gigged it just the once as an experiment in a quietish social club and it coped reasonably adequately.

However, I do find that its tonal gamut is much more restricted than that of the Cube 60 - pretty middly, a decent "bark", but without a great deal of either top or bottom available. Still fairly good standing alone but, to me at least, found wanting compared with its bigger brother.

[Bob_H]

It's Christmas in September. I just got my 40xl at the office today.

Labor Day weekend will be fun. Now, all I need is footswitches and an a/b switch to go between scxd and 40xl.

[K Scott]

I'm extremely tempted - I've been wanting something smaller to practice on, and have had my eye on a Blues Jr, but is this thing worth it?! Stupid deal of the day!

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/stupid/?_requestid=21444

[Boblets]

The Cube 80X for that price is absolutely worth it. It is the superseded model replaced by the 80XL which has a longer loop time and additional amp model but it is still an excellent amp.

[krueger]

I have an old Cube 60, made between '79 and '84 I have been told (orange tolex). Fixed the scratchy pots with some electronics cleaner. Great clean sound and usable OD too. Loud!

I also have a Micro-Cube in the living room both for guitar (it sounds good) and for the kids to sing on (they really dig delay and reverb :) )

[Sollophonic]

Originally Posted by CostaRicaJones

I really like my 30, but I have a hard time seeing how you could gig with it in a bar?

Well I gig with mine in a 9 piece soul band and its loud enough for the gigs we play.

I use the JC Clean setting mostly, with a switch to the Brit Combo for a bit of crunch on certain songs.

Maybe Ive got a louder one, but mine seems to cut through.

[metropark15]

Absolutley love my 80 XL. you can get any sound you want from that thing. Mostly use the JC channel but really dig the Blackface. i was seriously considering selling my Deluxe Reverb reissue and getting another Cube 80XL and use both of them together :-)

[Astro1176]

Microcube here for my at-home and practice amp - sounds really great.

[JohnSS]

I also recently picked up a Micro-Cube. Nice for practice, outdoor busking and songwriting sessions, especially when playing with an acoustic or piano and portability is important.

[harlycarly]

I've had a Micro Cube in the bedroom for several years. Fun little rig, batteries seem to last 4ever. I was in a local music store a few years back before Christmas and was checking out a tele thru one. 4 different people stopped and inquired about it and ended up buying one. The owner was pleased.

Also have an older Orange Cube 40. I was looking around for a Solid State amp to take to jams during the winter and not worry about tubes. Same music shop got one in about an hour before I showed up, and I walked out with it for $50. Very nice sounding little amp. I just spent the last 2 months with it and a 50's Classic Tele at a cabin on a lake. Really enjoyed playing thru it. Fits the bill for my needs.

[gtrplyr335]

OK...I'm a very weak person....what can I say.
Last week Musician'spal had their "Stupid Deal of the Day" for a new Roland Cube 80x and before I knew it I had clicked on "send" and it was on it's way.
The box arrived yesterday and I proceeded to set it up right along side my
5+ year old Roland Cube 60. The 60 has given me zero problems and sounds great in any setting I use it.....jazz trio...big band....musical orchestra pit...you name it. So I thought while I can still afford to I would purchase the 80x new for $219 shipped.

I read all that I could about the 80x and how it compared to the 60. Some were spot on...some not so much. The effects do seem more refined in the 80x. The chorus is more "shimmering" and I like the spring/modern reverb choices. The looper I could take or leave. And unlike the Cube 60, I like the fact that I can have reverb AND delay on at the same time. I use very little reverb anyway so it's nice just to kick in the delay when needed. And the 80x delay is more fine-tunable as well. OK....here's what I would like to ask the Amp Owners Club about the 80x.

Side by side the Cube 60 sounds more powerful than the Cube 80x.
I was hoping for just a bit more headroom on the JC clean and the Black Face amp sounds. I did take the time to tweak the EQ like some have suggested and started at ZERO on BASS, MID, Treble, Pres. and raise them slowly until Tonal Bliss was achieved. And those setting were differnt for differnt amp mods. I just felt that if I were A/B-ing the two amps for the first time I would chose the Cube 60 right away. The 80x by itself was great...but the 60 was warmer....louder....better?

The 80x has two small slot ports at the top in the front... above the 12" speaker. If I drilled one....or....two....ports below the 80x speaker (same size ports as the Cube 60) what difference in sound and tone should I experience? I know sometimes it's all in the "ear" of the beholder but would love any of your feedback should you care to share.
I'll probably keep the 80x but would like to somehow feel better about the purchase. Oh, by the way. My wife came home while I was playing both amps and she didn't even notice that I had "cloned" the Roland. Even after telling her she was fine with it. Then she went on line and bought $200 worth of shoes........just kidding.

So what say you? ? ? ? ? Should I Drill Baby Drill ? ? ? Or leave well enough alone? Thanks in advance.

[Tony474]

One possibility might be to swap the chassis temporarily so that you could hear what the 80X sounds like in the 60's circular-ported cabinet. The only obstacle - provided they are the same size - may be the sticky stuff they use to prevent rattles, but with a bit of care I should think this can be dealt with. Mind you, it occurs to me that warranty issues could arise. Anyone who knows of other problems with this idea, please chime in.

[BigDaddyLH]

Do you think the speaker needs to be broken in first, too?

[Swee_tone]

I wouldn't drill holes in my brand new amp, but that's my personal preference.

It is what it is, I would say that if you aren't completely happy, return it.

I'm amazed by how many have said the 60 sounds better, I wonder on the reasons why...
I was skeptical at first, but now I really believe it to be true.
Too bad really.

[Tony474]

Originally Posted by Swee_tone

I'm amazed by how many have said the 60 sounds better...

I can't say myself whether it does or doesn't, as I haven't actually played through the later 80 models - having been put off by certain comments when the 80X first came out. All I know is that the COSM Cube 60 sounds bloody terrific. As I've pointed out umpteen times before, I originally bought it just for fun and soon came to be using it for very nearly all my guitar gigs; that's 100 a year or more.

[flag72]

BTW Tony is your Cube 60 100% stock= speaker ;0)

[Warm Gums]

Got a '80's model

Those things are a tough as old boots, I had a beat up 20 watt one years ago that only had ONE spring left in the "verb tank & it still sounded killer. I remember someone in the Netherlands posting about having one fly off his bike & land in a canal..after fishing it out & letting it dry it still worked!!
I taught at a local school that had the KB version, it looked like it had been drug behind a car for oh say 500 miles..still worked & sounded fine.

[Tony474]

Originally Posted by flag72

BTW Tony is your Cube 60 100% stock= speaker ;0)

Hi, Daniel. Yes, 100% stock.