What to do with a wounded SS amp?

Hi folks!

I picked up a Roland Cube-60 a few years back (the original orange version) that's in pretty poor shape: reverb tank is gone, original speaker was at some point replaced with a Radio Shack one, and the distortion channel doesn't seem to work at all.

Here's my question - I'm getting interested in tube amp building, so would this likely be worth more to me in parts (gut it and re-use the cab), or should I try and sell it? I'm leaning towards using for parts, but I don't want to destroy something that might be useful for someone else.

Thanks!
P

The malfunctioning distortion channel is probably a bad switch. Replace the switch and see if it works. If you buy a reverb tank and a new switch and a new speaker to restore it, you might be upside down on a cost/value basis. Another SS amp in better condition could be had for less money. There are tons of them on ebay and craigslist.

In any case, it is unlikely that the value of that particular amp (like many similar low end, mass produced SS amps) is very high. I could be wrong. Check ebay for going rates.

If this is the situation, then reusing the cabinet to install a 5e3 kit or something similar would be retro cool and desirable.

I like the orange tolex cabs.

I'd see if it can be recusitated before tearing it apart, those were very nice amps back in the day...

Reverb tanks can be had for ~$25 these days, and you can pickup a Eminence speaker used for under $50...just see if you can get the drive channel working first before sinking the cash in.

On the plus side, that Cube 60 in fighting trim is a great backup amp-I sure wish I had one like that!!!

Franc Robert

An old orange Cube with no reverb, no distortion and a replacement speaker? Sign me up!

I'm not kidding, actually. The distortion on those things sounded horrible, and the reverb wasn't much better.

Great jazz amp.

Thanks for the feedback, folks! I don't really need another SS amp - I have an original BC60 for my superclean needs - so the only reason I'd try and rebuild this one would be to sell it, but it doesn't look like they're worth much on the used market. OTOH, looks like a cab that size (14.5 x 15 x 9) would run me about $150...

Looks like time to build an orange champ...

There you go. Cabs are costly and that cab will be put to good use. A Champ in that bad boy will be cool like Orange Julius.

For a tube amp, you need a PT with tube-amp voltages on the secondaries (i.e.: some sorta high tension secondary of several-hundred volts rated at up to about 150mA for most type of 2 x PP tube amps - e.g.: 325-0-325 @ 100mA for a 5E3), and a 6.3VAC heater winding rated at 2-5A depending on the tube compliment (a 5E3 uses a 2A winding here), and if you want tube rectification, a 5VAc winding rated at 2-3A (depending on the rectifier you plan to use).

You could go to SS rectification, in which case you don't need the 5V winding, and your high-tension winding wont need to put out as much voltage as it would for a tube-rectified amp (say 270-0-270@100mA if you want an SS rectified 5E3).

You will also need an OT (for a 5E3 this will be about 12-15W rated push-pull OT with an 8kOhm primary load resistance). Then you will need tube sockets and tubes, and probably new input and output jacks, and definitely new (highish voltage) caps, and probably a few robust resistors, and probably new pots, and a new board for wiring everything to, as well as several other miscellaeous bits and pieces, as well as and some wire, solder, tools etc etc.

In other words, it will soon add-up. But if it were me, I would just do it and don't tell the wife.

Also beware of shock hazard - tube amps contain lethally high voltages.

Thanks for the feedback, folks! I don't really need another SS amp - I have an original BC60 for my superclean needs - so the only reason I'd try and rebuild this one would be to sell it, but it doesn't look like they're worth much on the used market. OTOH, looks like a cab that size (14.5 x 15 x 9) would run me about $150...

Looks like time to build an orange champ...

I have the same idea, but I'm using a Peavey Vypyr 30 cabinet to build a 5E3 Deluxe. Keep us posted, I wanna see what you come up with.