Roland BC-30 BluesCube

Not much for features. LOL. If you buy for tone then it will not disappoint. Channel volumes and master volume. Presence control. Works with a simple footswitch to change channels. Sensitive to guitarist's playing.

Too good to be true. Plenty loud. Both channels are good. Other people say you don't need pedals with it. True. You almost don't want to spoil it with a pedal. LOL. But it works real good with pedals if that's what you like.
I can't praise the tone of this amp enough. It doesn't need nothing added. Wow.

I always wanted a blues cube since they came out. When I saw this for sale I thought maybe I should wait for a BC 60 instead. I took a chance anyways and bought it. I'm so glad I did. It's the BEST amp i own overall. I own a few Fender tube amps-vintage and modern. They might have a slight edge in tone but the BC 30 is dependable, needs no maintenance and ALWAYS sounds great so its the best-overall-in my opinion.

I copied / pasted this from the next review. Sue me.

Solid State, thirty watts, 12" Roland Vintage 45 speaker, two channels-clean and overdrive, master volume, presence and mid/bass/treble. The eq is shared for both channels. TubeLogic circuit, nice cab in blonde with brownish grille and top mounted controls. Open back cab that weighs about 30 pounds. No reverb, no loop, no headphone jack.

Here's the moneymaker-how does it sound? I run Les Pauls and Strats directly into this amp. No pedals. Using the OD channel I can move from almost clean to roaring OD with my guitar volume. This amp reacts so well to guitar volume and oick attack that there is no need for pedals when I run it this way. On the other hand...if you want to use pedals the BC 30 reacts very well to pedals, so have at it. I have used BOSS overdrives, Metal Zone, chorus compressor, and delays, Digitech Bad Monkey, Fulltone OCD, MAXXON OD 808 and others. No problems-all sounded great. Personally, I use a guitar and a 10 foot cable with mine and I'm very happy.

This amp is the best solid state amp that I have ever played. It will fool even dyed in the wool tube snobs. I have played the BC 60 amps but they are not as good as the BC 30 in my opinion even though they have more features. Believe me, the BC 30 is the best of the whole Blues Cube line. Once you hear it, you'll forget about the lack of reverb, effects loop or whatever. I'm rating this amp as dead stock. It needs nothing to improve the sound. Nada. Roland could make a fortune by reissuing this amp with zero upgrades or changes. Seriously...it doesn't just sound good "for a solid state amp." It sounds great compared to any amp.

Roland = Good quality / built to last.

No Opinion.

I don't know how old mine is. I think they came out in the 80s. Never had any issues. I stand by my statement: BEST solid state amp I ever played through. If you get the chance to try one...you'll buy one.

I bought this a few years back as a practice amp, mainly because it came recommended and it was cheap. Mainly because it was cheap, to be honest. It quickly moved to the head of the class in my stable of amps despite its lack of features. Speaking of which: Solid State, thirty watts, 12" Roland Vintage 45 speaker, two channels-clean and overdrive, master volume, presence and mid/bass/treble. The eq is shared for both channels. TubeLogic circuit, nice cab in blonde with brownish grille and top mounted controls. Open back cab that weighs about 30 pounds. No reverb, no loop, no headphone jack.
It's quite loud for a 30 watt amp. The tone of this little amp is why it is so popular. Yes it is shy on features but once you plug in to it you will forget about features.
Clean is Fender-y. Overdrive is Plexi Marshall-y. Not for high gainers. Just sweeeeet tone, tone, tone.

Let me say something here; I know people will pump up their review to justify the purchase. I know that people post reviews after playing their "new" amp for all of 15 minutes. That ain't what I'm talking about. After three years I know this amp. After 35 years of playing in bands I think I know about good tone. So take this review with that in mind.
I'm using it with a Fat Strat and a Les Paul standard. The Strat is dead stock. The Les Paul is stock with 490 and 498 pickups. Both guitars kill with this amp. Even going straight in with no pedals this amp sounds real good. It's quiet but it hums with single coils just like all my amps.
The BC 30 likes pedals, too. I use a Tonebone classic, Barber Burn Unit (great pedal) and some BOSS pedals depending on my mood. Straight in is fine, too.
Honestly, it can compete with tube jobs-no problem. I realize a lot of people say "It sounds just like a tube amp." when describing their SS amps. I challenge anyone to take a soundcheck comparison test with a BC-30 and any tube amp of comparable size and wattage. It blows away my Blues Junior and kicks butt against a Crate Palomino V 32. Seriously.
I have heard and played the 60 watt Roland Blues Cube amps-112 and 3 x 10 versions. Love them, too. But IMHO the BC 30 is the best sounding of the BC line.

If it says Roland or Boss on it, you can count on it. Never had a single glitch with it, or any of my Roland/Boss stuff over the years.

The only problem with these is availability. Roland quit making them years ago. I got mine for 100 bucks in pristine, MINT condition. Just FYI Roland put the same "TubeLogic" circuit into their little 405 and 408 ministack amps. These go on ebay cheap and they are the next best thing to an authentic Blues Cube.
I would recommend the BC 30 to anyone wanting superior tone in a SS amp. I consider myself to be lucky to own one. I have a Fender Blues Junior, a Peavey Prowler, Vox AC 15 reissue, VOX pathfinder (great SS amp) and a Fender Princeton Reverb silver face. The BC 30 goes everywhere with me as a backup or as a main amp.
This amp will suit you to a "T" if you are in to classic rock, blues or hard rock.

I think the Blues Cubes were made in the 80s and 90s. Really I'm not sure. Not much on this amp feature wise but everything its got is good to go, baby! Plenty loud, good tone controls, presence control and bright switch. OD channel is good too. Compared to a Trademark 60 it makes the Trademark seem like a 25 dollar danelectro honeytone with a weak battery. The Trademark 60 has many more features but the BC 30 has features for the ears. It's louder, too.

Guitars are Les Paul standard and Epiphone Byrdland. Look, at one time or another I have owned the BC 60 1X12 and 3X10 models too. These have more features but the BC 30 kicks butt for overall tone. See all these guys comparing it to the Deluxe Reverb? And the BC 30 doesn't even have reverb! You'll get sick of hearing this as you read on: "THIS IS THE BEST SOLID STATE AMP IN THE WORLD!"

It beats the pants off at least half of the current crop of tube amps-probably more like 75% of current tube amps with a MSRP under a grand. Anyone who appreciates <<< SERIOUS >>> tone should get one. Remember folks...no reverb, no-name speaker, no separate EQ for each channel, no boutique anything and it still kicks the high priced tube amps to the curb and craps all over them!

Roland made it. That means it will be around for 100 years, assuming it is only terribly abused every day. Treated with respect it will survive for millenia.

Let's cut to the chase. If you've never heard one with a decent guitar then you really have no idea, so if you get the rare chance to pick one up, just do it. See all the comparisons with the Fender Deluxe Reverb amp? That should tell you something. There is nothing that approaches it in the solid state world. Few tube amps are this good.

Players who have used the best tube amps for decades could not tell this amp's sound from the ones they use. I'll guarantee that to be a true statement. There are hundreds of tube amps that don't get close to this.

I would never sell it unless I received an offer that would allow me to design and build another 30 watt tube amp with a reputable designer, using top shelf components ($50.00 capacitors, etc).

I already own three vintage Fender tube amps so I really am not motivated to ever sell this particular solid state amp to "upgrade" to a good tube amp. AS IF there is a solid state amp that is its equal.

Which amp gets the most play time of the 4 I own? Hands down it is the BC 30. If you pass up one of these you are crazy, no matter how many boutique amps you own.

Everything you need to produce dreamy sound in a solid, reliable, lightweight package. Some have knocked the shared eq. It's not a problem for me. If you are used to single channel Fenders and Marshalls from yesteryear, the shared eq shouldn't be an issue. I use pedals for my heavier stuff on the clean channel or in conjunction with the OD channel for a little more ooomph, when needed.
This amp's best feature is its tone. It will hold its own with most tube amps costing 3-4 times as much.

For classic rock and BLUES (DUH) it is the best sounding solid state amp on planet earth. I run teles, les pauls and strats through mine. The sound is beautiful. I use some pretty nice pedals with it and the amp responds very nicely. Fulltone, Barber and Tonebone all add to the natural sparkle and sweet tone. It's a classic truism: Boutique pedals will not make a crummy amp sound better. They will add to and enhance a good amp in a favorable way. I often run my guitars straight into the amp, too. You don't need pedals with this amp, but good pedals will shine with it.
There's a reason you don't see lots of these on ebay: Owners will not sell them! I would choose this over a Fender Deluxe or Blues Junior. I have a very nice Fender reissue Blues Deluxe amp too. The Roland Blues Cube isn't quite as rich sounding but it's close. Very, very close. It sounds better than my Blues Junior and is way more versatile and easier to operate.
I keep my guitar volumes at 9 or 10 with this amp. It doesn't sound as good with the guitar volume down like my tube amps. Who cares?
It's a simple amp. It's pretty loud and it sounds way too good. Roland doesn't make it anymore. They should reissue the whole line. Simply the best solid state amp for rock and blues and jazz or country. Roland Blues Cubes-There is no substitute in the solid state amp world.

No issues, ever.

I've been playing semi-pro since the late 80s. Gear includes several les pauls, telecasters and strats. Besides the Blues Cube I have the two Fenders I mentioned. I play classic 60s and 70s rock, blues, jazz and some modern rock. This amp knocked off the Blues Junior as my main gigging amp for small and medium sized venues. Not just because it's louder, which it isn't when miked up, but because it just sounds that much better. I'm not knocking the BJr. Great amp. I save my Blues Deluxe for outdoor venues or large halls but in a pinch I would use the Blues Cube with a SHURE SM 57. It always rides along when i take the Blues Deluxe, just in case of failure. I never bring a backup for the Blues Cube and I don't think I'll ever need to.
I paid 150 bucks for this and I would pay 300 for it if necessary because it is that good. Good luck finding one in good condition on the web. You would have to be very hard up or just stupid to let one of these go.

See below. It gets a 7 for shared eq.

This is a solid 10. I don't give to many out. The BC-30 earned it. I've owned mine for about 3 years and I have many amps, mostly tube, mostly 60's Fenders. I was reading the reviews for this amp after looking all over the net for a schematic for it and it's brother, the BC-60. I can't find any documents anywhere for these amps...anyway, I got to reading the reviews and so I pulled mine out because it's been a while since I last played it. I had forgotten how great it sounds, not just for a solid state amp, but just as a Guitar Amplifier, Period. I couldn't believe how great it sounded. I pulled out my Fender 1967 Deluxe Reverb and plugged it in side by side with the little Roland. I am blown away by the comparison. I have great tubes in the DR, and it is biased and tuned to perfection. And the BC-30 stood right up to it blow by blow. The Fender beats it out in complexity of tone, but all in all I can't give an amp a higher compliment. Roland, Roland, Roland...why oh why did you quit making this amp?

I have had zero issues with it. Controls are perfectly quiet, no hum, buzz, or other untoward crap comes out. Just tone.
I sure would like to find a schematic for these amps, cause if it breaks I want to be able to fix it.

I'll let you know. I ordered schematics or service manuals from the Roland web site a couple of hours ago. Stay tuned.

I've been playing for over 40 years and I've been studying electronics for as long. From a player's and an engineers point of view, they did a great job on these Blues Cubes (I also own the BC-60 1x12). If it did go away, I'd sure want another one. I love the way it sounds. The clean sounds stand right up there in blackface territory. The overdrive is good too, but the clean is where this amp does it for me.

The features are very limited...not even reverb, which would make a big difference. There's no speaker out, no effects loop and only a shared eq section...these features and more are part of the BC-60 models, so shame on me for being too eager on ebay.

What is lacking in features is certainly made up for in tone. This is a beautiful sounding amp. I have the 2x10" speaker model. The lead channel is a little thin and I find that the eq is very subtle, so it takes a bit to key in a great tone. The clean channel is pristine...clear, crisp and precise...it also handles pedals very well. I use the lead channel for bluesy stuff and handle heavier stuff with pedals run through the clean side. I'm a fan of solid state stuff and Roland really hit a homerun with this line...too bad it was discontinued...it's hard to find a good solid state non-modeling amp, but this may be the best I've heard...a little cabinet buzz here and there, but nothing serious.

Too soon to tell.

Doubt I'll ever use it.

I'm a tone nut who likes solid state amps and effects pedals, with that in mind, this amp allows you to really key in your own sound. It is very clean and pure...it will bring out the positives and negatives to your technique and your instrument. I really wish it had reverb, but I must say, it is a real solid player and is quite handsome with it's vintage look.

Thirty watts, 12" Greenback clone speaker, two channels that work with a footswitch, one set of EQ for both channels and a presence knob. Master volume. Weighs about 35 pounds and comes in a beige tolex with a brown grillcloth. Nice looking amp, sort of like the old tweed fender cabs. Discontinued by Roland. (DUMB decision, Roland.)
There are few features beyond the basics, not even a reverb. The best thing is the amp's tone which is good enough that you won't miss any other features.
I play Telecasters with neck humbuckers, neck P 90s and neck SC pickups, and overwould bridge pickups from GFS. My current band is into classic rock and classic oldies, plus a few modern tunes tossed in. I play it clean for most tunes. The BC 30 is perfect for those styles using the Telecaster guitars.

The sound without pedals is decidedly high quality old school rock and blues. The EQ is very responsive and the amp reacts to guitar volume changes. I can get a sparkley, early Beatles, AC 30 tone or a Fender clean and even a Roland JC-type clean for my oldies tunes-no problem. As for blues, cranking up the clean channel's volume and backing off the Master volume will give you the ability to control the slight breakup with the guitar volume and or the pickup selection. The overdrive channel is good for dirty blues and rock. You can also play with how hard you pick the strings to get clean and gritty tone. The preamp on this thing is sensitive and the BC 30 "almost" seems like a good tube amp. I say almost because it does not have the 3-D depth of my Fender tube amps. That's the only thing that's missing from the Blues Cube and i only hear the difference when i'm rehearsing alone. When rehearsing with the band or playing live, you really wouldn't notice this 3-D ambience is missing. I agree with the assertion that Roland's Blues Cube amps have a particular lock on the "sounds just like a tube amp" title. As a gigging amp, this one does me proud.
When I do coffeehouse gigs by myself, I use small Fender tube amps because there is a difference that is noticeable when playing solo in those venues. Call it a dynamics and depth thing but the sound of a Fender Blues Jr seems less fatiguing to my ears when playing solo with a drum machine.
I hardly ever use distortion pedals but I can get a nice crunch from the overdrive channel that resembles the Marshall type crunch. It rocks for straight ahead heavy blues solos and 70s classic rock solos. It's pretty sensitive to the guitar's volume. No good for shred or metal. There is no lag in the sound when changing channels but there is a sort of morph process that is very, very cool and eliminates the abruptness that some amps have with switching.

Never had a problem. Don't think I ever will.

I play Telecasters mostly because I love the clarity and sparkle. I have a Strat and a Les Paul too, but my Teles are by far my favorites. With the bright switch on the clean channel will give those Danny Gatton or Roy Buchanan sort of tones. The amp can be EQ'd for just about anything though.
Overdrive and distortion is the sort you would hear on classic rock records. It's not geared for 80s, 90s tones but a pedal could cure that.
I bought my Roland Blues Cubes after hearing a friend's band. He plays standard Strats and slide resos through one. I was blown away by the tone and clean power. Bought one on eBay and went back for another. These are very, very good amps and i would only use Roland Blues Cube amps for my solid state choice. They really nailed the tone of tube amps except for that elusive 3D quality. For me there is no substitue for what the BC 30 can do. It's the best of the solid staters, period.

Not much on the features side. Shared equalization on two channels. No reverb but it has a good presence circuit.

Ibanez guitars with sc and hum pickups...solid bodies, hardtails, shredders, jazz boxes. I have a boatlod of Ibanez guitars. I'm using a Boss ME 50 with the Blues cube as my practice rig at home. This amp has a very tubey sound and it is pretty loud too. Both channels rock pretty good. For a solid state amp it is the perfect size and has a tone that will leave you shaking your head. Sounds too good to be true.

Musicians Friend sold out their whole stock of these for $200 so I bought one. I'm very very glad I did. I'm another 35 year player...I hope that when today's young players reach their 50s they have such fine equipment to choose from. These are damned fine amps at any price. For 200 bucks it was the deal of the century. Get one.

Year it was made? Who knows? Here's a little amp with two channels and that's about it. It acts like a tube amp and sounds like one. That's the standout feature on this amp. You want a bunch of computers and lights and buttons then get a modeler. Modeling amps can make all kinds of sounds. When you get serious about actually PLAYING the guitar you'll get something like this.

I use Teles. This little amp brings out all the brightness and character of the Tele vibe. It is sensitive so you can get a little overdrive with the volume up and back off for a nice smooth clean. I almost never use the overdrive channel but it sounds fine to my ears. This is a player's amp. Even with the overdrive it is clear and bright. No good for metal but perfect for rock, blues, country, jazz or rockabilly. Not much variety but enough tone control to play almost any style with your guitar of choice. Get a modeler if you want a million sounds. Get one of these if you want THE SOUND...capice?

Roland and Boss are the tops in quality.

Simple. Get one. It's a Deluxe Reverb with solid state innards.