NAD/First impressions - Roland Blues Cube Artist

[Crobbins]

I've had one for awhile now, and like all the features.

 

[Cleantone]

I have been using the Ultimate Blues capsule for a bit and really like the headroom and more mid-scooped sound. To my ear it isn't as bright as the stock voicing.

Last night I put in the NY Blues capsule and it felt and sounded amazing! But I was under the influence of a significant amount of bourbon, so I will need to go back to that in a clear state of mind.

 

[Robert H.]

I’ve had the BC Stage for a few years. It took me many months to dial in the tones I wanted - which were generally warm, clean and bell like on the clean channel. Keep playing with it. I did find my spot where the guitar vol is about 8 and no breakup on the clean channel. Another turn to 9 or 10 and it’s a nice overdriven sound. I play with a humbuckers generally. I use a foot switch to get a higher gain lead tone when I want.

 

[ruger9]

I don't use the Roland footswitch at all with mine. Honestly, it's just too big for what it does. I have no need to turnt the boosts or fx loop on/off... I have a single footswitch I use for channel switching, then use my pedalboard (dirt, auto-wah, etc in front... and delays, harmonizer, volume boost in the loop.)

 

[cycler]

I have the stage versions (65watts). Couldn't be more pleased as its main use is my bedroom amp. The attenuator works very well, and when I do get the chance to play loud, very clean tones are easy to dial in.

 

[Grateful Ape]

I don't use the Roland footswitch at all with mine. Honestly, it's just too big for what it does. I have no need to turnt the boosts or fx loop on/off... I have a single footswitch I use for channel switching, then use my pedalboard (dirt, auto-wah, etc in front... and delays, harmonizer, volume boost in the loop.)

Exactly my thoughts. Cheap latching footswitch for channel, reach over and tweak amp for tremolo.

 

[AndrewG]

I had the stage version for a while, played a couple of small gigs with it. Plenty of power, but ultimately it sounded only good to me, not great. Something about the midrange didn't sit right with me, hard to say what.
It's a well made amp for a reasonably price, and a lot of people seem to get great sounds out of them.

Likewise my experience; although I found that the built-in 'sag' was too obvious and lent the amp a 'spongy' feel, lacking the immediacy and attack I prefer. Lovely tones though, but I preferred my old Bandit (why there appears to be such antipathy toward what I regard as a classic Peavey amp, is beyond me).

 

[Cleantone]

Exactly my thoughts. Cheap latching footswitch for channel, reach over and tweak amp for tremolo.

I’ve begun to appreciate this idea. Not sure what my real need for an FX and tremolo on/off is. I use the boosts less and less, I tend to forget if they are on or off and like the tone either way.

 

[Cleantone]

Likewise my experience; although I found that the built-in 'sag' was too obvious and lent the amp a 'spongy' feel, lacking the immediacy and attack I prefer. Lovely tones though, but I preferred my old Bandit (why there appears to be such antipathy toward what I regard as a classic Peavey amp, is beyond me).

Nota bandit but my other amp is a Peavey Bravo. I upgraded the speaker to a Warehouse and the Clean channel is amazing! It would stand up well against a Fender any day. I don’t love the inherent EQ in the lead channel, it leans more towards hard rock or even metal. I find it hard to get good low/mid gain without being too loud for home use. Even the Clean channel really needs a good bit of volume and warmed up tubes to sound best.

 

[LGOberean]

@Cleantone NTL;IDRI. (Not Too Long; I Did Read It.)

I've long been interested in this very amp. I don't record, and I wouldn't need it for home use. I don't really need it for gigging purposes, either. But if money were no object...well, space for gear is still a problem for me. But then again, in a money-is-no-object scenario, I'd just get a bigger house.

 

[tfarny]

Likewise my experience; although I found that the built-in 'sag' was too obvious and lent the amp a 'spongy' feel, lacking the immediacy and attack I prefer. Lovely tones though, but I preferred my old Bandit (why there appears to be such antipathy toward what I regard as a classic Peavey amp, is beyond me).

Never heard any antipathy towards the Bandit, they get a lot of love here. I've used one and it just had scratchy pots but was otherwise good.

 

[AndrewG]

Nota bandit but my other amp is a Peavey Bravo. I upgraded the speaker to a Warehouse and the Clean channel is amazing! It would stand up well against a Fender any day. I don’t love the inherent EQ in the lead channel, it leans more towards hard rock or even metal. I find it hard to get good low/mid gain without being too loud for home use. Even the Clean channel really needs a good bit of volume and warmed up tubes to sound best.

Wonderful little amp! I had one back in the late 1980s.

 

[Grateful Ape]

I’ve begun to appreciate this idea. Not sure what my real need for an FX and tremolo on/off is. I use the boosts less and less, I tend to forget if they are on or off and like the tone either way.

I just can't be bothered dragging the GAFC around. It's another thing to remember/carry/plug in

 

[Happy Enchilada]

I got my Stage used in pristine condition from Reverb for under $500. It's my favorite amp. Does a lot of things well.
You might try running an OD pedal into the clean channel - the "distortion" that most amps are supposed to provide is almost always hard to control or weak. The dirty channel on this on, however, is great IMHO. And I love that I can turn it down to "bedroom" volume (who really plays in a bedroom?) or up to "stage" volume and everything sounds the same. Great amp.

 

[Cleantone]

@Cleantone NTL;IDRI. (Not Too Long; I Did Read It.)

I've long been interested in this very amp. I don't record, and I wouldn't need it for home use. I don't really need it for gigging purposes, either. But if money were no object...well, space for gear is still a problem for me. But then again, in a money-is-no-object scenario, I'd just get a bigger house.

Given that you (like most everyone) have constraints on money, space and you already own other gear that serves a purpose, I would say only get this to fill a specific need. It doesn’t do anything you can’t get from other options you may already have. After all, the amp and tone capsules are emulations of specific items that are widely available. I listed my reasons. Maybe you don’t want to carry a Twin Reverb around or a vintage AC30 is too valuable to take to gigs. Valid reasons to get the Blues Cube. Don’t get me wrong, I’m very happy with it. Grab one!! But I don’t think this is needed to round out a collection.

 

[Cleantone]

With more time spent, I wish there was an option for the Ultimate Blues clean in one channel and NY Blues in the other. Which I guess means I need another Blues Cube for a dual amp set up!