The Steel Guitar Forum

any one stil using one of these with pedal steel? thanks

Oh yeah. Still lovin' it.

Both of my pedal steel guitars sound great through these amps.

Mike, I use my Cube 80x (generation before 80xl) on most gigs and at home. Still have Nashville 400, and it does have slightly beefier sound than Cube. But the difference is probably not noticeable to most in the crowd.

The Cube 80x sounds good, is light and convenient. The 400 comes out for most outdoor gigs and such. I use the Cube in the studio, also.
John L.

I have a Roland Cube 80XL and a Peavey Nashville 1000 and have used either one on gigs (separately) or played through both of them together. Good combination....Either Amp is a quality product. I like all the built it effects on the 80 XL.. I did replace the speaker with an Altec-Lansing 12 inch which made it a bit better (not that it needed it)

I have three. I always take two to any engagement (just in case) but I've never had a failure in six years of using them on a pretty busy work schedule.

I like their compactness, their light weight, the on-board effects and the price! It's not the best steel guitar amp on the planet but, for me, it's way more than adequate.

thanks guys i use to play six string 52 tele through mine dont get to play much anymore 2 of us had cancer mine is supposed to be gone our singer and rythem player still does have not played steel in a little while out got a nv 1000 and sd 10 mullen rp thanks again

I have an 80X and an 80XL and they both sound really good for steel and guitar both. I don't use the built in effects, I like my Zoom effects better, a G3 for steel and a G5 for guitar.

I have an 80XL and like it best when I add a 15" extension speaker to it. (Of course, that sort of spoils the lightweight, grab-and-go aspect of it)

I have had 2 80XLs from pretty much the time they first came on the market. As one of the Tele/steel brigade, my cubes did the job really well. As has been attested, the amp is ultra reliable, and the on-board effects are very useable. I toyed with the idea of putting a neo speaker in each of my cubes, but.......the existing speaker is fine so I didn't bother. I much prefer the 80XL to the Peavey Nashville 112, and bought my 2 cubes for less than a single NV112 would have cost me.

I imagine that their main drawback is that, like so many modern electronic items, they're not an 'economic repair' should something fail.

I have Ken Byng to thank for the 'heads up' a few years ago. I'd been using a pair of Nashville 112s and had become increasingly dissatisfied with what I felt was a slightly 'boxy' sound and he suggested I try a Roland.

With my theatre work I always have a line out to their sound-desk; the 80XL is then my monitor. I have no need for masses of 'headroom'.

As I don't seem to be able to 'kill' one of these amps I suppose I could have got away with only buying two of them.

thanks guys i like mine a lot

Is there a Roland amp made today that is good for pedal steel since they don't make a cube xl80?

As much as i liked the 80xl it has failed the rugged test for me. I turned it on all the lights comes on but at one show no sound after about 15 minutes of playing. Completely quiet. I thought it was the jack but apparently it was fine because after cleaning the jack its still not making a peep tho it is on. I can't figure out why it has gone completely quiet. Yes i tried multiple instruments and cords. So to my dismay it goes to a pile of broken amps. I bought it when they first came out and have no idea what's wrong with it. Big disappointment on the failure and unreliability factor and don't have a clue who or where can fix it without investing money to send it away. Wondering if this has happened to other 80xl users? thx

Mitch - I guess you could pull the amp out and have a one 12 speaker cabinet.

I recently bought a 60xl as a bass amp and I use it for steel as a rehearsal amp in other people's houses. Not loud enough for the gigs I do though. I'm too in love with 2x15 stereo.

In my opinion there is a Roland/Boss amp that is worth considering. I have a Roland Cube 80x , a Peavey Session 400 and have used a Katana 100 for the last year but now have a Roland Blues Cube Tour and Telonics 1x15 Cab which I use with GFI 12 String Pedal Steel and Gretsch guitars. Don’t be mislead by the “Blues” tag as this amp has as much clean headroom you’ll need. Both amp and cab are super lightweight but I still use a Profex for Delay and eq for guitar.OK I’m a sucker for Tweed!
ju

Forgot to mention that I tried the Jeff Baxter tone module in the Tour but found it too thin sounding......sorry Jeff.... good job we’re all different.

Mitch Adelman wrote:As much as i liked the 80xl it has failed the rugged test for me. I turned it on all the lights comes on but at one show no sound after about 15 minutes of playing. Completely quiet. I thought it was the jack but apparently it was fine because after cleaning the jack its still not making a peep tho it is on. I can't figure out why it has gone completely quiet. Yes i tried multiple instruments and cords. So to my dismay it goes to a pile of broken amps. I bought it when they first came out and have no idea what's wrong with it. Big disappointment on the failure and unreliability factor and don't have a clue who or where can fix it without investing money to send it away. Wondering if this has happened to other 80xl users? thx

Hi Mitch...
Page 18 of the User Manual says that the "Rec Out/Headphone jack" MUTES the speaker... ...That is the jack (it's a switching one) that I would be checking out....

Also...no sound is put out while the "Tuner" circuit is in operation...

HTH

Peter

(owner of two Cube 60s...)

I have the same problem, but my sound is not cutting off.
When I power on, all off the effects light up and are on.
I fixed it once by plugging a regular 1/4" instrument cable into the footswitch jack, then shorting the cable. Now that doesn't work.
Any ideas?

Chris Schlotzhauer wrote:I have the same problem, but my sound is not cutting off.
When I power on, all off the effects light up and are on.
I fixed it once by plugging a regular 1/4" instrument cable into the footswitch jack, then shorting the cable. Now that doesn't work.
Any ideas?

Do the lights stay on even when the effects knobs are turned fully counterclockwise to the off position?

Hi Chris,
As stated earlier, I use Cube 60s on my rig, and that is where my expertise (if I have any!) is mainly centered...however I am involved in a number of areas of Roland stuff and am used to trying to sort out problems for other people.

I had a look at pages 8, 9 & 10 of the (combined 40 & 80XL) User Manual, and it appears that:-

A: You must use TRS plugs into the footswitch jacks on an 80XL (NOT a TS guitar jackplug)

B: You probably have now "set" the amp's internal switching circuitry to "ON"

C: On Page 10 (under Foot Sw Type Setting FOR THE 80XL) it states that the setting you specify is REMEMBERED EVEN WHILE THE POWER IS TURNED OFF



...I think you need to get hold of the appropriate (specified) footswitch with a TRS jackplug, and actuate it to reset the circuitry inside the amp.


Admittedly, just my own take on all this, but I wouldn't be surprised if this was your answer to the problem.

HTH

Peter

Lee Baucum wrote:

Chris Schlotzhauer wrote:I have the same problem, but my sound is not cutting off.
When I power on, all off the effects light up and are on.
I fixed it once by plugging a regular 1/4" instrument cable into the footswitch jack, then shorting the cable. Now that doesn't work.
Any ideas?

Do the lights stay on even when the effects knobs are turned fully counterclockwise to the off position?

Yes

Peter Harris wrote:Hi Chris,
As stated earlier, I use Cube 60s on my rig, and that is where my expertise (if I have any!) is mainly centered...however I am involved in a number of areas of Roland stuff and am used to trying to sort out problems for other people.

I had a look at pages 8, 9 & 10 of the (combined 40 & 80XL) User Manual, and it appears that:-

A: You must use TRS plugs into the footswitch jacks on an 80XL (NOT a TS guitar jackplug)

B: You probably have now "set" the amp's internal switching circuitry to "ON"

C: On Page 10 (under Foot Sw Type Setting FOR THE 80XL) it states that the setting you specify is REMEMBERED EVEN WHILE THE POWER IS TURNED OFF



...I think you need to get hold of the appropriate (specified) footswitch with a TRS jackplug, and actuate it to reset the circuitry inside the amp.


Admittedly, just my own take on all this, but I wouldn't be surprised if this was your answer to the problem.

HTH

Peter

Are you saying that I need the matching footswitch for the Cube?

Mitch: You could try to open it up just to look at the PCB (circuit board)see if everything soldered onto it looks solid and if there's damage from it (PCB) being flexed. prime suspects are the attachment for the power plug and in/out jacks and anything else soldered to the perimeter.

But if you're not experienced w/electronics, DON'T POKE YOUR FINGERS IN THE POWER CAPS. In fact, just to be safe don't touch anything inside the amp, take it to an amp repair guy, they should be able to give you a free or low cost estimate.

Chris Schlotzhauer wrote:

Peter Harris wrote:Hi Chris,
As stated earlier, I use Cube 60s on my rig, and that is where my expertise (if I have any!) is mainly centered...however I am involved in a number of areas of Roland stuff and am used to trying to sort out problems for other people.

I had a look at pages 8, 9 & 10 of the (combined 40 & 80XL) User Manual, and it appears that:-

A: You must use TRS plugs into the footswitch jacks on an 80XL (NOT a TS guitar jackplug)

B: You probably have now "set" the amp's internal switching circuitry to "ON"

C: On Page 10 (under Foot Sw Type Setting FOR THE 80XL) it states that the setting you specify is REMEMBERED EVEN WHILE THE POWER IS TURNED OFF



...I think you need to get hold of the appropriate (specified) footswitch with a TRS jackplug, and actuate it to reset the circuitry inside the amp.


Admittedly, just my own take on all this, but I wouldn't be surprised if this was your answer to the problem.

HTH

Peter

Are you saying that I need the matching footswitch for the Cube?

Yup!

...the manual says that these are TRS Jacks...(Tip, Ring & Sleeve) in short, they expect a 1/4" STEREO Jackplug to make contact with the THREE conductors attached to the Jack.

If you haven't got the User Manual, it is downloadable for free from the Roland site...just Google it. ...and have a read of the pages that I quoted from.

HTH

FWIW, I built my own footswitches to change both input channels and effects on my two Cube 60s simultaneously..(I use a stereo setuo for live work) ...and the 'Roland philosophy' in THAT model remembers how the amp was switched from the last time it was powered up.
...That's what makes me think that when your shorted the contacts on the other end of the (mono) guitar lead, you simply tripped the electronic switch inside the amp, and it has remembered that 'setting'..... it's probably just waiting for you to insert a STEREO LEAD and short the RING and the Sleeve...

Cheers,
Peter