Roland Cube Amps

Henry Matthews · Post by **Henry Matthews** » 5 Nov 2011 10:26 pm

Has anyone tried playing steel out with a Roland Cube amp. I tried my steel thru one tonight. It was a cube 30x and the sound was amazing to say the least. It is only a 30 watt but understand they also come in a 40, 60 and 80 watt version.
Just wandering has anyone tried a gig with one..

Michael Remming · Post by **Michael Remming** » 6 Nov 2011 6:10 am

Henry see this link http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=203409

Johan Jansen · Post by **Johan Jansen** » 6 Nov 2011 10:29 pm

Many of my students have one, and to me their sound beats the Pea--- Nas.... 112.
and that for under 200$ !

Jim Gilliam · Post by **Jim Gilliam** » 7 Nov 2011 8:19 am

I just bought a Cube 80XL and have used it on one gig. I love the tone of it and it has a direct out if you need to run into the PA. Highly recommend.

Henry Matthews · Post by **Henry Matthews** » 7 Nov 2011 9:10 pm

Thanks very much guys. I'm considering getting one for the house and small venues. The one I played sounded great. Do you all think the Cube 80 sounds as good as the smaller ones? Would like to have the bigger speaker.

J Hollenberg · Post by **J Hollenberg** » 8 Nov 2011 7:46 am

I have a Roland Cube 80 and i am very pleased with it.
The 80 has a bright switch, a presence knob and a 12 inch speaker. It also have a lots of effects onboard which are not bad at all. I like it a lot better than the Nashville 112 which i had for a week.

Fred Glave · Post by **Fred Glave** » 8 Nov 2011 2:46 pm

Just got my Cube 80 Friday, and it's everything anyone could want (JMHO). It has all the effects, equalization and any kind of tone you want. What, 32lbs.?? My back is thankful. It's crazy and powerful. It has line out for PA and external speaker for a 15". It does great on smaller rooms all by itself, but with the External speaker and line out, you play anywhere.

Earl Briggs · Post by **Earl Briggs** » 10 Nov 2011 5:39 am

Henry. I have been using 2 roland cube 80 amps at the wylie opry. were i play . for about 3 months now all i can say is i wish i would have tried them sooner.both amps are going into the board.the price are about 365.00 i like them so much i sold my 2 evans amps.plus they weigh a lot less than my evans did...Earl

Henry Matthews · Post by **Henry Matthews** » 10 Nov 2011 10:42 pm

Thanks Earl, I've heard your tone on a DVD of the show and it was super along with your picking too---Henry

Paul Gavic · Post by **Paul Gavic** » 11 Nov 2011 5:35 am

Im a guitar player, Fender all the way guy, but my Deluxe Reverb was breaking up with the steel and my Super Reverb is in a band trailer and so after much debate I went with the Cube 80XL and for the money, I think its great, plus the guitar sounds pretty good through it and its easy to switch sounds between guitar and steel. When I picked it up at the store I had to wear sunglasses. Another guitar player at the store said, "If I told my buddies I was buying a Roland, it had better be a drum set"

Fred Glave · Post by **Fred Glave** » 11 Nov 2011 8:10 am

I used mine last night at rehearsal with my stratocaster, and it was great. I kept the same settings for steel on the clean channel and then I was able to go over to the dirty side and get what I needed there too.

Doug Garrick · Post by **Doug Garrick** » 12 Nov 2011 4:39 pm

I use a cube 80xl and couldn't be happier. I generally use it like a monitor and either mic it or run direct. It's very clear and full sounding at medium volumes so I am not knocking myself off the chair plus I get to hear myself quite well. I don't have a foot pedal for it yet but that's on the wish list. (I do like the cube better with the carter/alumitone than with the emci/lawrence 710s, i stll use the nv400 for that)

Kevin Mincke · Post by **Kevin Mincke** » 19 Nov 2011 11:42 am

I have the 60 Cube & it's great for quick plug-n-play, and it's light! Reverb/delays are good, don't use the chorus/phaser/flanger/tremolo. JC clean mode and I keep the lead for distortion or blackface, or the acoustic setting for my dobro.
No western hat shops out that way fellas

Robert Mayo · Post by **Robert Mayo** » 19 Nov 2011 11:45 am

we have the street cube and the cube 60....

Billy Murdoch · Post by **Billy Murdoch** » 22 Nov 2011 6:58 am

Hi,
These amps seem pretty impressive and I am curious as to why they are good for Steel as well as regular guitar.
We always hear the phrase "voiced for Steel"
Most (if not all)the U Tube demos have accent on heavy overdrive sounds.
What is YOUR preferred amp simulator?
Best regards
Billy

Doug Garrick · Post by **Doug Garrick** » 22 Nov 2011 5:40 pm

Billy, The JC Clean is the most versatile for me and is my preferred setting (so far). I do use the tweed and the black panel for a different feel in places but I haven't spent a lot of time tweaking them yet.

-doug

Michael Remming · Post by **Michael Remming** » 23 Nov 2011 5:09 am

Billy, I agree with Doug the JC Clean is what I am using for steel. Why is this amp so good for steel? I'm not sure maybe it's the speaker and the way Roland has it mounted in the cabinet. The amp is not perfect.. for my taste I have the bass cranked all the way I am still using my rack effects for reverb but I am starting to use the delay on the amp. With that being said I can take the amp to practice and just use the on board reverb and delay without hauling my rack which is nice. I wish the controls were on the front rather than the top. I have even thought about taking the amp out of the case and putting it in the my rack but then you lose some portability that way. I had considered going to a Nashville 112 but price and comments about the Cube 80XL are what convinced me to buy the Cube. Last weekend I had a retired steel player at the club who owned a Randall Steelman he couldn't believe the sound I was getting out of this small amp. It really is amazing what you can get out of such a small unit.

Billy Murdoch · Post by **Billy Murdoch** » 23 Nov 2011 6:35 am

Thanks Doug and Michael,
I purchased the Cube 80xl yesterday and I am pleased with the results at home volumes.I will be doing a small pub gig tomorrow night and will get a chance to hear it with a bit volume.
I will also be using regular guitar.I will post My thoughts later.
Billy

Kevin Mincke · Post by **Kevin Mincke** » 24 Nov 2011 8:40 am

From Roland Manual:
EXT SPEAKER (External Speaker) Jack
You can connect external speaker here.
When connected, sounds are played from both the CUBE-60 and the external speakers.
* When connecting to an external speaker, make sure the speaker
conforms to the following specifications.
Impedance: 8
Ω
maximum
Allowable power input: 60 watts minimum
* Only use speaker cable to connect the speaker. Do not use any
shielded cable designed for use with guitars.
* No sound is output from the CUBE-60’s speaker or any external
speaker when the RECORDING OUT/PHONES jack is in

David Higginbotham · Post by **David Higginbotham** » 24 Nov 2011 2:30 pm

I hope to share the same enthusiasm when my Cube 80 arrives next week!
Dave

Doug Garrick · Post by **Doug Garrick** » 24 Nov 2011 3:09 pm

I had an advantage when I bought mine. One of the groups I've been working with rehearses in the basement of a music store and the owner told me I could borrow one of his demos instead of lugging around the nv400. I picked an 80XL and after a couple of rehearsals I had it dialed in. I took it to gig last February and I was sold and that's all I've used ever since. There's a definite advantage to playing in a band with the owner of a music store. -doug

Henry Matthews · Post by **Henry Matthews** » 25 Nov 2011 10:02 pm

Just got my Cube 80 in this week and played a gig tonight. After I got it dialed in it really sounded good. The more you punch the little amp, the better it sounds. I was sorta disappointed in it hooked up at the house but wasn't punching it. It still sounded good at home but highs were a little harsh sounding. My den really soaks up highs so had them set too high. Don't think much of the chorus. Sounds awesome on my Tele too. Haven't tried it on fiddle but sure it will sound good.

Here's setting I wound up with to get sound I liked. Is this close to what some of you are using? Was playing a 94 Zum D-10 with BL 710's. C6 sounded awesome too. Thanks-Henry

Bass. Full on
Mids. 9 o'clock
Highs. 11 o'clock
Presence. 11 o'clock
Gain about 1 o'clock on JC clean channel
Was using a touch of the plate reverb

Billy Murdoch · Post by **Billy Murdoch** » 26 Nov 2011 1:03 am

I did My first gig with the cube and was very pleased with the result.
Like Henry,I found the highs had to be rolled off quite a bit for steel but brought up again for Strat.
I used the J.C. setting with a little delay and plate reverb.
At home I tried the Tech 21 "Blond" after the volume pedal and it adds a nice "tubey" type tone if used subtly,I am looking forward to trying this set up at a gig.
Best regards
Billy

Doug Garrick · Post by **Doug Garrick** » 27 Nov 2011 7:10 am

Here's what I use With the S10 Carter/Alumitone;

Bass - 9 o'clock
Mid - 3 o'clock
Treble - 11 o'clock
Presence - 10-11 o'clock

I like the Echo around 12 o'clock (about the middle of the clear band) and a bit of the Plate for reverb.

-doug

David Higginbotham · Post by **David Higginbotham** » 2 Dec 2011 7:05 pm

Well, got the Cube in and it's a great steel amp! Had plans to change the speaker to a Blue Marvel from a Nashville 112 but nope! Will not fit because the speaker frames hits the chassis. But it is a great little amp!
Dave