Roland Blues Cube Fan Club

[Grateful Ape]

Thanks guys.

My one issue with the BC is the midrange. There's a quality you just can't dial out - like you're using heavier strings than you actually are. This was brought home to me on a recent gig where our other guitar player was using a plain old Blues Jr, which had clarity in spades.

 

[ruger9]

Thanks guys.

My one issue with the BC is the midrange. There's a quality you just can't dial out - like you're using heavier strings than you actually are. This was brought home to me on a recent gig where our other guitar player was using a plain old Blues Jr, which had clarity in spades.

On the dirty channel, I can agree with that. It's fine if you are the only guitar, but if you are not, it can get lost in the mix. And turning up the treble/presence doesn't really help.

 

[Grateful Ape]

On the dirty channel, I can agree with that. It's fine if you are the only guitar, but if you are not, it can get lost in the mix. And turning up the treble/presence doesn't really help.

Yep, exactly. The Sparkle Clean helps, but is pretty harsh in anything but a gig context. And it's also not clean!

 

[Blrfl]

The stock firmware models an amp that's kind of dank and short on headroom to begin with, which are the two reasons I put a UBTC in mine.

 

[ruger9]

The stock firmware models an amp that's kind of dank and short on headroom to begin with, which are the two reasons I put a UBTC in mine.

I have a UBTC in mine as well. While I think the dirty channel sounds great, I agree with the above that it doesn't always cut great, especially with another guitarist.

 

[Owen Yamoney]

Not an intrusion at all! In fact the thread was started a long time ago before the current Blues Cube range was even thought of.

Tony, the BC-60 must be sweet! Reverb, and loop! With how much you can get these high quality American made amps for, one day!

As regards the speaker, it’s almost certainly an Eminence build. The speaker in my original BC-60 is said to be very close in spec to the Eminence GB128 and that’s pretty efficient already, with an excellent tonality. To “smooth out the high end”, as you put it, and retain the efficiency, I think an Eminence Cannabis Rex might be a good place to start looking.

Roland being who they are, I imagine did extensive research before making final specs on the speaker. I’ll give it a look over. Thanks Tony!

 

[Owen Yamoney]

Dang! With my luck, I’m gonna slide into a reply that shows up after the convo has moved on! Haha! Thankfully one sees the replied to text!

 

[Owen Yamoney]

Not yet, but am giving serious thought to replacing my Blues Cube Artist with a TM Super Reverb. Only thing holding me back: no effects loop... and for my band (which is why this amp would be for) I need an effects loop to run a harmonizer pedal; they sound awful when going into the front of an amp...

FWIW, all 3 (Roland, Quilter, Fender TM) all have their "fan boys". None of these amps are "better" than each other, just different. The BCA has served me well, but in my band I could use more speakers/coverage, because the other guitarist plays a 4x10... while the BCA is LOUD enough, it's not moving as much air, so it's hard for it to keep up with his 4x10.

Ruger9, I have a BC 30, no effects loop, and just recently got a harmonizer pedal that sounds good as a chorus, and an low octave, are you saying it sounds awful in the upper octaves? Like emulating 12 string stuff?

I don’t know if I’ve had a harmonizer pedal before to be honest. I had the TC electronics sub n up that reminds me a lot of what the pedal I have now does. But the upper octaves sound very tin pan-esque. Not necessarily bad but weird. I might be able to rock some overdriven sitar!

 

[Grateful Ape]

Ruger9, I have a BC 30, no effects loop, and just recently got a harmonizer pedal that sounds good as a chorus, and an low octave, are you saying it sounds awful in the upper octaves? Like emulating 12 string stuff?

I don’t know if I’ve had a harmonizer pedal before to be honest. I had the TC electronics sub n up that reminds me a lot of what the pedal I have now does. But the upper octaves sound very tin pan-esque. Not necessarily bad but weird. I might be able to rock some overdriven sitar!

Tip: run Sub n Up in polyphonic mode before drive pedal with mostly dry and sub 1, a touch of sub 2 and Up.

 

[ruger9]

Ruger9, I have a BC 30, no effects loop, and just recently got a harmonizer pedal that sounds good as a chorus, and an low octave, are you saying it sounds awful in the upper octaves? Like emulating 12 string stuff?

I don’t know if I’ve had a harmonizer pedal before to be honest. I had the TC electronics sub n up that reminds me a lot of what the pedal I have now does. But the upper octaves sound very tin pan-esque. Not necessarily bad but weird. I might be able to rock some overdriven sitar!

Not an octave pedal. A harmonizer. it does major/minor 3rds, 5ths, 6ths, whatever you set it to. When the amp is providing the dirt, a harmonizer going in the front is unusable. MUST go in a loop.

Here's a quick a dirty demonstration why: (not me, I just found it on YT):

 

[Owen Yamoney]

Not an octave pedal. A harmonizer. it does major/minor 3rds, 5ths, 6ths, whatever you set it to. When the amp is providing the dirt, a harmonizer going in the front is unusable. MUST go in a loop.

Aaah! I see! That even made the Bogner sound bad. Haha! I used to have the sub and up. Wish I never had to sell that thing. I have a donner harmonic square now though. Kind of a take on octave, and certain harmonic frequencies. I like it. Doesn’t track like the sub n up though. I also liked mixing on the sub and up.

 

[Owen Yamoney]

For the life of me, I will learn how to reply on this site without having the extra threads not referenced tagging along! Geez…

 

[Grateful Ape]

I just replaced my strat's neck pickup with a lower-output alnico V. That, into the UBTC clean channel w/channel vol @ noon and guitar controls down to six or seven.... that's the sound....

 

[Grateful Ape]

No, but I’ve just ordered a Quilter Aviator Cub, which is reportedly better in many respects than the Tonemaster and also the Blues Cube Hot. In addition, it’s very light in weight, important for my bad back!

Tony - how is the Cub working out for you?

 

[Tony474]

Tony - how is the Cub working out for you?

Only had the chance to do one gig with it so far, with three more to come in the next short while. But early indications are extremely positive, with plenty of power in reserve and great voicing. I’m delighted with it at this point and I’ll update as I get to use it more and know it better.

 

[Tony474]

Only had the chance to do one gig with it so far, with three more to come in the next short while. But early indications are extremely positive, with plenty of power in reserve and great voicing. I’m delighted with it at this point and I’ll update as I get to use it more and know it better.

I've now had the chance to do some more gigs with the Cub, including one with a rather, erm, enthusiastic drummer, and I'm very satisfied with it. No lack of clean headroom, it's a splendid pedal-platform and the different pre-amp voicings suit my various guitars perfectly. I think it's a worthy competitor for the Blues Cube Hot and also for the Award-Session BluesBaby/Rockette, at which I've looked closely. It's lighter in weight than either of them and for what it's worth comes with a basic but fairly decent cover as well. Overall I'm a happy boy indeed.

 

[markal]

Hey y’all. An old Roland BC 30 is available locally for $300. Looks quite clean. I already have and really like the newer BC Artist, but I’m curious about these older ones. So it’s just GAS and curiosity.

For those who have played both the newer and older ones, is it worth it? Should I go check it out? Or is it too similar to the one I already have.

 

[archtop_fjk]

Hey y’all. An old Roland BC 30 is available locally for $300. Looks quite clean. I already have and really like the newer BC Artist, but I’m curious about these older ones. So it’s just GAS and curiosity.

For those who have played both the newer and older ones, is it worth it? Should I go check it out? Or is it too similar to the one I already have.

BC-30s are nice amps. No reverb or effects loop but great clean and overdrive tones. I used to have one but sold it and instead picked up not one but TWO mid-nineties BC-60s! One is fully working while the other needed some repair (power section) but now works great. You can improve the reverb on the BC-60 by replacing the tank with a three spring modern tank.

$300 is a little high for a BC-30 but if it’s clean maybe negotiate a slightly lower price. Good luck and let us know if you get it.

 

[Grateful Ape]

Quiet round here.....

Just got an NYTC..... interesting.....I think I could do a whole gig just on the clean side....although it's a 'dirty clean'