Lap Steel Amp - Roland MicroCube Bass RX Review

[Therman Jones]

I just bought one of these amps and posted a review on the 'Electronics" section under Ron Whitfield's thread. If you are looking for a good small amp for steel, this is the one!

I'll have mine at the Tulsa show this Saturday if anyone wants to check it out. Maybe we can talk one of the performers to demo it for us.

Therman

[Jim Mitchell]

I have one for over a year now I like the battery take it any where does not take up any room it ain't heavy and with a good set of head phones it sounds great and you do not bother the neighbors.

I use it with my SX RONDO 6 string lap steel

It has an input in the back and you can patch music thru it and play along or try like H%&& to play like
CREG CUTSHAW Creg has a lot of music to play along with and with his tabs it is easy

The effects,reverb are also great and the price does not kill you

[Sonny Jenkins]

A couple of months ago I bought a Traynor battery amp,,and after owning a Roland Micro (older one) and a VOX DA-5,,,I must say,,,this Traynor is the one I was looking for!!! It has the rechargeable battery,,as opposed to D or C cells that you install,,a charge is stated to last 10-12 hours,,but I know I've played mine 20+ since I've had it and it still goes!!! No reverb,,,but I play through an RV3 anyway,,,and with these little lap steels I build,,,and here in my garage,,it sounds as good as my NV112 (to my "tin" ear!!)

[Bill Creller]

It seems that different guitars get different results through the Micro cube. Must be the different impedance of the pickups. I haven't heard the other portable types.

[George Piburn]

edit

[Ron Whitfield]

How does it stack up as far as TONE goes on the various modeling settings?
Does the sound grit up on the modeling section as you turn the know clockwise, as does the original Micro Cube?

Which steels sounded best and worst, and why?

Wouldn't the RX's 'Aux. In' give the same advantage as the Street's 'Mic. In'?

Was there any distortion, or did it dirty up a bit at some point to give some grit in a good way?
What settings gave a clean sound without breakup?

How did it sound with the compression button engaged?

Did you try the headphone out? Did it stay clean when cranked?

Thanx for the info!

[Ron Whitfield]

Not too thrilled with my initial test of this amp.
Bummer.

[Denny Turner]

Well, ...since I've thought seriously about buying an MC BRX, ...and thus the reviews here rather "important" (and probably to Others too); I've carefully picked through the ample number of reports (some contradictory) in several SGF threads and considered the knowledge of a few folks I personally know that posted some (and made a couple of follow-up phone calls). I've come to the supposition that if someone can't get well over $230 worth of sound out of the RX's 5 watts and technology, then maybe the solution might be some books and lessons about what those little round thingies on top do and do to & for each other.

[Gerald Ross]

I tried the Roland RX Bass amp at Guitar Center a week or so ago and I also tried it at Elderly instruments.

I used my Fender Champion lap steel w/Lollar pickup.

I thought it sounded pretty good. IMHO the RX Bass sounds the best out of all the models in the Microcube family for lap steel. It has a nicer fuller bottom end than the other models.

[Ron Whitfield]

...my second attempt to hear what this lil pup can handle was more positive.

A purchase may be coming as soon as this Thursday.