Todays' Junk Electronics...

[Tim Russell]

I have a Roland Cube 40GX that sounds great (or used to, anyway). About 14 months old, I play this little gem a couple times a week in my home studio. Love the size, sound, features, really a great sounding amp in a small package.

Sat down to pick a bit over the weekend, and I am greeted with low power output, static, distortion coming from the amp. Troubleshooted with other cords, another guitar, etc. - it is definitely the amp.

$250 down the drain, unless I pay a local guy a hundred bucks or so to look at it. What a waste.

I don't normally "name" specific brands, but at this point I'm tired of buying brand name junk that doesn't seem to last any better than cheap knock off stuff. This will be my last Roland, although I suppose another name brand could just as easily give up the ghost on me as well.

[Steve Hotra]

Wow.... I just bought one of these a few months ago.
I like the small amp size, and the Roland clean sounds.
Did you contact Roland about the amp?

[Jack Stoner]

As a former amp tech, "things break". If they didn't break there would be no need for techs or warranties.
Doesn't matter the brand.

That doesn't make it any easier for someone with a unit that is not working correctly, but the way it is.

In this case, I would first contact Roland. If they are of no help then its a decision on whether to have an "authorized" service center look at it. I wouldn't take it to a local tech as they may not have a schematic for it and without that they are lost. The authorized service center should have needed documentation and either parts or access to parts from Roland.

But, I'm not a Roland fan after having my Roland Octa-Capture (recording interface unit) develop problems twice. The first time I was able to repair it with a soldering iron. The second time it crapped out in the middle of a recording session. It required replacing a cheaply made headphone jack, which I had to rob (fortunately) from an old unused device as Roland either wouldn't sell me the part or didn't have it.

[Tim Russell]

I did not contact Roland about the amp...I may. I'm also venting about the current crop/movement of everything being "throwaway junk" seems to break shortly outside of warranty.

@ Jack, I understand your comments, but this is a different situation other than "things break", in my opinion.

We purchased amps/equipment in the 70's/80's that we hauled all over the place, got beat up going to gigs, left in the extreme cold/heat in trailers and yet worked flawlessly for years.

This amp sits in the same place in my practice room, is not moved, I don't play it loud/overdrive it as this is a small room, and yet it breaks down before it's even broken in, really.

I will contact Roland to see if they offer some sort of flat rate repair that's reasonable.

[Alan Cannell]

I'm sorry , Tim , you have had this problem , I would always advise anybody to contact the supplier first then manufacturer second. However in your case Roland should be contacted as its possibly their help that is needed. Here in the UK , Roland have always been very efficient and helpful. I have a Roland Cube 80x that once packed up and after contacting Roland they got a local service centre to repair it. Roland isn't my first choice for gear but as I said , here in the UK , they seem to be more helpful than other brands.

[Jeff Bollettino]

Tim, consider this - those 70s/80s amps cost A LOT more than this roland. In 1972 a low-end Marshall amp was $400, that's $2300 in 2016 dollars. Maybe it wasn't Marshall gear you were hauling around but something half the price, so $1200 in today's dollars. Would you spend $100 today to fix a $1200 amp? Probably yes. It's not that today's gear is throwaway junk as much as it is that today's gear is so inexpensive compared to the cost of labor.

On the practical matter, did you try rotating/pushing all the pots and buttons to make sure it's not just dirty? Also, what are you getting from the headphone jack on the back?

[Jack Stoner]

As a "hard headed Pennsylvania Dutchman" I'll agree that the relatively low cost of many items and the high cost of repair makes them "throwaway", I don't see any less general reliability. A majority (all that I've seen) of current recording studio electronics is made in China, even the high $$ stuff.

I worked as an amp tech, in Nashville, in the early 70's. I repaired a lot of Fender amps. Also Standell, Emmons, Kustom, Ampeg (I was the Ampeg factory repair tech), etc. Another well known amp tech in Nashville, "Carl" (I forget his last name) that was a block away from me stayed busy repairing amps.

[Bob Hoffnar]

Jack,
I just looked over my recording and playing gear and almost nothing comes from China. We live in a golden age of being able to buy the best electronics ever made directly from the inventor / builder. The equipment does cost more money though.

Alan,
If I lived in the UK I would look around for local builders that I could work with. The tradition of building the highest quality musical electronics is a part of the U.K. The BBC has standards that set the bar for this. There seems to be hundreds of small electronics guys building amazing equipment out there.

Once you start playing through gear that was made by an inspired craftsman instead of the disposable stuff you can't go back. The sound is on another level. Like comparing "sunny delite " with fresh squeezed OJ from a tree in the backyard.

The money is a big deal. A Roland amp sounds pretty good and is super cheap. They are amazing as far as consumer electronics go. It will end up in a landfill in a couple years though.

[Alan Cannell]

You're correct Bob , there are some excellent builders in the UK.
Unfortunately these so called boutique builds are at prices a lot of Musos cannot justify.
I have Fender, Peavey,Carvin, Gallien Kruger and Roland S.S. and tube amps and these have served me well over the years and some of these are not exactly cheap.
Maybe I would sound better with boutique built equipment and I have approached one of my best friends , an electronics wizard , to build something for me but so far the cost involved is high.
At present I play more guitar than steel and play through a vintage Carvin which is 100watts all valve with a specially voiced Eminence speaker and this is the closest I have got to a dual purpose workhorse , but I know at a cost I could benefit from a custom built amp.

[Jack Stoner]

Bob,

I looked over my home recording studio hardware.
Roland Octa-Capture is made in Japan.
Frontier Tranzport (wireless controller) is made in China.
Behringer X-Touch control surface is made in China.
Presonus Studio Channel preamp is made in China.
Art PRO MPA II preamp is China.
JBL LSR 308 studio monitors are made in China.
All my headsets, Sony, Audio Technica, Shure are all made in China.
Behringer Powerplay Pro 8 headphone amp is made in China.

I used to have a Focusrite Saffire Pro 40, it was made in China.
I used to have a Presonus Dual Bluetube preamp, made in China.
I used to have a Behringer BCF-2000 control surface, it was made in China.

I have a new MOTU 896mk3 Hybrid recording interface unit on order. It is made in USA.

[Bob Hoffnar]

For me

Neve. USA
RME. Germany
Adams Germany
D.A.V. Broadhurst U.K.
Lawson mics USA
Royer. USA
AKG. Austria
Neumann Germany
Sarno V8. USA
Grado headphones USA

[Bruce Derr]

I don't know how their customer service is, but my impression is that Roland makes some of the more reliable, well-engineered amps available these days. I have several of them and no problems yet (knocks on wood). As Jack said, no brand is immune from at least occasional failures. What really counts is how the manufacturer handles it. Telonics, Peavey and some others seem to understand the value of good customer service. I hope Roland treats you right in dealing with this issue. I, for one, would be interested to know how they respond.

[Joe Ribaudo]

It will end up in a landfill in a couple years though.

I have a friend that refers to this sort of stuff as affordable electronics but expensive door stops.
However, it is sad how we've come to accept ANY level of equipment failure as a matter of course.

[Tim Marcus]

I am going to say this and then prepare for the fallout:

there is no such thing as junk electronics - there is only junk consumerism

There are plenty of reasonably priced well made products out there for musicians - but if you do not do the research and you are not willing to make an investment, you will get stuck with a lemon.

[Bruce Derr]

I agree with Jeff. Failure rate probably isn't the issue. Amps have always failed. It's just that now the cost of repairs are often very high compared to the cost of the amp, which is low only because of cheap overseas labor and automation. This has consumers spoiled. Also we've gotten used to rapid advances in technology and preferring the latest features. Plenty of good repairable electronics get thrown out for these reasons. Doesn't mean it's all "throwaway junk" although some surely is.

[Jim Newberry]

I build my own junk, thank you! I have one Tim Marcus-supplied capacitor in one of my amps and if that fails, he'll hear from my lawyers!

[Chris Lucker]

..I may. I'm also venting about the current crop/movement of everything being "throwaway junk" seems to break shortly outside of warranty..

There are options in the market. You can choose to buy less expensive and likely less well made items or better made items that are likely to cost more. We are fortunate to have disposable items that serve a temporary purpose. Or we may seek out better made items designed and built to last. I have never had a problem with my Walter Woods amp, for example, and have never known anyone else to have a problem either. Sure it costs more, but you can sell it for more than you paid for it.

$250 is cheap for an amp. How much were you paying in the 1970s for the amps you refer to?

[Tim Russell]

I don't know how their customer service is, but my impression is that Roland makes some of the more reliable, well-engineered amps available these days. I have several of them and no problems yet (knocks on wood). As Jack said, no brand is immune from at least occasional failures. What really counts is how the manufacturer handles it. Telonics, Peavey and some others seem to understand the value of good customer service. I hope Roland treats you right in dealing with this issue. I, for one, would be interested to know how they respond.

Update on this, Bruce.

Roland's bench repair rate is 80.00 per hour, parts additional. I would have to pay the shipping to them.

The closest authorized repair shop to me is 110 mi. round trip, and they charge a $40 diag. fee, which gets included in the total cost of the repair if I decided to proceed.

Not going to beat this topic to death with any more comments - just wanted to update the thread with the potential repair costs. My main issue with this is that something like this that costs $250 new should last longer than a year, seeing limited use in a practice room.

That is all...

[Donny Hinson]

Jacks are a really sore spot for me on most new amps made by big manufacturers. The old Switchcraft jacks would last a lifetime, and if they lost tension, they could be tightened up easily. The new "made in some foreign country" plastic jacks are crap. Big manufacturers will do anything to save a buck.

[Steve Hinson]

Jacks are a really sore spot for me on most new amps made by big manufacturers. The old Switchcraft jacks would last a lifetime, and if they lost tension, they could be tightened up easily. The new "made in some foreign country" plastic jacks are crap. Big manufacturers will do anything to save a buck.

A sore spot with me:

Jacks mounted to the PCB...I've seen several amps with an upgrade consisting of Switchcraft jacks wired to the board...jacks mounted to the PCB are an accident waiting to happen...

Steve

www.brandxcases.com

[Tim Russell]

Agreed on both points - Plastic jacks and PCB mounted jacks...

[Bill D. Terry]

For me

Neve. USA
RME. Germany
Adams Germany
D.A.V. Broadhurst U.K.
Lawson mics USA
Royer. USA
AKG. Austria
Neumann Germany
Sarno V8. USA
Grado headphones USA

Myself as well, very little Chinese gear in the recording studio...x32 for live, but very little for serious recording. My recording chain from microphones, preamps, eq, compressors and digital convertors are nearly all USA or German built. I do use Sony 7506 headphones as part of the normal chain. The Chinese gear is extremely affordable, however; most of it is not designed to be repaired.

[Tim Marcus]

Jacks are a really sore spot for me on most new amps made by big manufacturers. The old Switchcraft jacks would last a lifetime, and if they lost tension, they could be tightened up easily. The new "made in some foreign country" plastic jacks are crap. Big manufacturers will do anything to save a buck.

the new production switchcraft jacks are junk too. They changed the coating a few years back to be ROHS compliant, and the failure rate went through the roof. Not all plastic jacks are junk - and not all of them are mounted to a PCB if you see them. Thats a bit of a generalization

Spend good money on good - not good money on bad. $400 will only buy you "junk electronics" and every dollar you spend is a vote cast to the manufacturers of audio gear. You can spend your vote in china, or you can spend it here in the states on proper instrument grade equipment.

[Rich Santucci]

Tim,

Have you tried the headphone output on the rear of the amp? Does it sound good from there? My experience says that sometimes these jack get dirty from non-use and simply running a plug in and out a few times helps clear it up.

Hope this helps.

Rich

[Mark Fowler]

Roland has good products.

I build my own amps too and I didn't know Tim Marcus was selling capacitors

I use a lot of Cliff UK solder tab jacks for input and output source.

Switchcraft jacks are also used as well and as Tim said we are experiencing problems with the new jacks.

Contact seller first, Roland 2nd and finally the authorized repair center.

Mark