Chicago Blues Box Roadhouse 410 Combo

Mine was made in February 2005. The general features are your typical single volume knob, 3 band EQ, trem controls, and reverb control. There's also a bright switch on the front and a harmonic boost switch on the back.
It's a purely single channel amp, no effects loop, nothing fancy at all. The only thing which could be dubbed an unusual feature would be the harmonic boost, which I will explain later.
I use this amp at home, at the studio, and at gigs. It's plenty of power, being 50 watts and all.
It's all tube. It came with Sovtek power tubes and rectifier tube, and JJ's in the preamp section.

Not a whole lot of features, but you don't need any thing else. I rate this a 9. I would have really enjoyed the harmonic boost to be footswitchable, but I'll have to see what I can do to mod it.

And by the way, this thing is dressed to the nines: Purple tolex and purple abalone knurled knobs, baby! The thing is the most sexy amp I've ever seen. The grille cloth is like this wicker material. It's applied perfectly and matches the motif of the amp very well.

I am primarily using this with customized Fender Strats and telecasters.
I'll go through the tone with you.

Well, stock, with the sovtek power tubes and JJ preamp tubes, this amp was alright for the price. It was better than your typical lower priced tube amps (Peavey Classics, Fender Hot Rods, etc), but it wasn't up to par with the 3 grand retail price. It sounded a little brittle, with not enough punch. Since I got it for half price, I sprung for it, hoping that some new tubes would bring it to life.
And my hopes came to fruition!

A week after owning the Roadhouse, I got some JJ 6L6's in it. This really helped the sound to get closer to where I wanted it. It definitely shifted the amp from alright to great. There was still something missing though. I searched around for a good V1 preamp tube, and I decided on a NOS RCA 12AX7. This was the missing link in my tone!
The amp now has cleans to die for, and remarkably punchy overdrive.
The cleans are chimey and punchy, with plenty of body to them.
The overdrive is incredibly colorful, with the perfect blend of grit, chime, and fudge.

I can describe this amp like a Blackface Super Reverb, but with extra attitude and tonal mojo. The harmonic boost allows you to get some dirt at lower volumes, and it blows the tone wide open. It opens up the top end, while adding some crunch and sustain.
I seriously cannot say anything bad about the tone.

Anyways... The bright switch adds a shimmering top end which is great for getting traditional Fender cleans on this amp. With the bright switch off, the cleans are smoother, a bit more like a british amp, but still excellent. And when cranked, it still maintains that smooth voicing.

The harmonic boost switch is essentially a 4db gain boost I believe, but it seems to add some treble and just more body in general, as stated before. It also changes the texture of the overdrive from smooth to somewhat more gritty.

The EQ controls are very responsive, especially with the RCA installed. My favorite EQ settings essentially are a slightly boosted treble band, a maxxed mid band, and a moderately boosted bass band.
This provides me with a nice dynamic tone which cuts through a band mix like a knife. The well constructed open backed pine cabinet only helps with the tone.

The trem and reverb are excellent too. The trem is nice and smooth, and can go from very subtle to choppy and deep. And the reverb is huge sounding with great drip.

10 for this category. Although, I think some people may not like the Jensen C10Q speakers in it. I thought they were kind of brittle when I first played them, but they started to smooth out with playing, and the top end really calmed down. I am now satisfied with the speakers.
If you want a huge amount of low end, these speakers may not get it, but they're a good match for the amp.

The thing is very tank-like. I haven't abused it much yet, but everything looks very solid.
The tolex is very durable too.
But, it seems like a very durable amp. And, the warranty is great.
I'd just keep my Peavey Classic around to have as a backup, in a worst case scenario.

I've only talked with Dan Butler a little bit. That was just discussing specs, and stuff like that. I know if I ever had a problem with it, Dan and the rest of the people at CBB would be glad to help me.
The warranty is lifetime I believe, and it covers any flaws in manufacturing.

Just to sum up:

The Chicago Blues Box Roadhouse 4x10 is a simple tone monster. No fancy knobs or effects, just pure tube tone.
It's on the expensive side, but I see these monsters popping up in craigslist ads and local stores once in a while. But, they're most common in the states around Illinois.

I played dozens of higher end amps (including Bad Cats, vintage Fenders, Buddas, amps like that), and the Roadhouse has this certain something in it's tone which I found irresistible. Perhaps it was the superior reverb, perhaps the incredibly colorful tone or maybe the incredible dynamics. The wonderful cosmetic appearance only sweetens the deal.
I haven't even wanted another amp after i've gotten this. This nails the tone I am hearing in my head.

If you're a bluesman tone freak like me, and you would like stunning clean and overdriven tones, go for a Roadhouse!

This is a 50 watt 2004 model based on the ?Blackface? Super Reverb. These amps are hand made all tube designs, using point-to-point construction, by Butler Custom Sound. It sports five 12AX7s in the pre amp, two 6L6/EL34/5881 etc. in the power amp, and a 5AR4 rectifier. Four Jensen C10Qs are mounted on a solid wood baffle. (The cabinet is solid wood as well) Controls are typical to a classic Fender design, volume, 3 band EQ, presence, tube driven reverb, and tremolo with speed and intensity. There is a high low treble cut switch along with a bypass-able master volume. The final touch is the harmonic boost switch. This is a no frills amp. You?re not going to find channel switching or an effects loop on this piece. It produces THE blues tone and that?s it.

I play the blues with an American Strat strung with .013s. The sound that I get now is nothing short of orgasmic. The amp has tons of clean head room. Even with the volume at about two o?clock the natural tube distortion is focused and clear but not over the top. This amp won?t do heavy metal but will produce some nice rock sound. The reverb is sweet and huge. It gets to be a bit much for me but I find it superb.
The harmonic boost switch pushes the power tubes a bit harder and seems to fatten up the sound significantly while adding a few more decibels. I don?t ever switch it off. The amp cleans right up when you back down the volume on the guitar and is amazingly responsive to the variations in your pick attack and pickup settings.
I use a Teese RMC Picture wah into an Analog Man modified TS-808 into a Fulltone Octafuzz. The 808 sounds fantastic for lead and the octafuzz works especially well, producing real punch.
This is the best blues tone I?ve ever heard. ?Rich and complex? are clich? I know, but it is true. The dynamics of this amp are still surprising me when I plug in.

This amp is built like a tank. I can?t really say much about reliability as I?ve had it about a month. I can say I?d gig without a back up. Not too worried about this thing breaking down.

Where do I start. I bought this amp used from the Music Gallery in IL. They were great people to work with, friendly and knowledgeable. The Music Gallery is a dealer for Chicago Blues Box and work closely with Dan Butler, who makes the amps. He found out I was buying the amp and did a complete re-tube, bias, overhaul, and modified the power filtering circuit FREE OF CHARGE. He offers a lifetime warranty on his amps and stands behind them 150%. He responded promptly to my emails and class and is a real class act. I can?t think of many people who are as dedicated to their craft as he.

I?ve been playing for 12 years and I?ve had a legitimate addiction to gear and tone ever since I started plying. I?ve owned and played Fenders, Marshalls, Peaveys, Dr Zs, Komets, Brunos etc and I can say this is my favorite amp. I don?t think I?d be able to afford another one if it got stolen, as I can only afford McDonalds for dinner. Tone or food?? TONE!! Do yourself a favor and get one of these bad boys.

The amp is a 2005 model single channel, 50watt, 6L6 based 4X10 (ceramic Jensons) combo, which I ordered. Standard features of volume, treble, middle, bass, reverb and vibrato with two seperate footswitches to control reverb and vibrato. It also has a high/normal switch for added presence if needed. It does not have an effects loop and I have never used one. In my opinion, the secret to this amp is the harmonic boost switch in the back of the amp. It is hard to describe the sound it produces you just have to experience it for yourself!

I play blues and use a '69 hardtail strat and two relic strats through this amp and the dynamic sound that comes through with the harmonic boost switch turned on is really hard to describe. Full, bright and three-dimensional are words that come to mind. The amp is not noisy and I have played in a variety of clubs. As you turn the amp up to about 5 or 6 it really comes alive with a transparent overdrive that sounds better than any pedal I have owned. It then cleans up with the volume on your guitar. I have also used a Hamer Monaco III with P90's and it sounds just as sweet! The way I would describe the sound of this amp is that it is the best Super Reverb you have ever hear multiplied by 10.

I have only used the amp on a dozen gigs but it is built very solid and seems like it should hold up very well. It has consistently sounded very good every night I play. I use this amp without a backup.

I spoke with Dan Butler on a couple of occasions and have also corresponded with him through email. He is very professional and really cares about his amps! He explained his amp and its components to me in great detail and has always been willing to answer any questions that I have had. I will do business with him again. I also have to give great kudo's to Paul at Junior's Music. All of the staff at Junior's are great to work with and are very helpful in helping you with your equipment.

I have nothing but praise to give for Dan Butler and his Roadhouse amp. If you have not heard one of these amps, do yourself a favor and take a listen. I have been playing for 38 years and have been looking for the sound of this amp all of my life. Yes, I own and have played many other great botique amps that sound great, but this amp has a personality of its own that I have not found. Yes, I would replace it if it was stolen.