Roland BC-60 BluesCube 112 Combo

This amp has some nice features, a few very good points, and some shortcomings, from my point of view. I purchased it because of all the glowing reviews below as I was curious to try it out. I purchased it locally and it was in good condition and everything worked as it should. First off, let me state that I was comparing it to my current fave amp, a Vox AD50VT combo, to see if I preferred the Blues Cube. The short answer is no, the Vox absolutely blew it away. If you want to know why, read on. On it's own the Blues Cube has some very nice features, 2 channels, decent spring reverb (although not that deep even though it's a 3-spring model), very nice clean channel with 3 "crunch" selection preset switch, and the 2nd channel is more of an "overdrive" option with a boost switch. The whole preamp section has lots of gain, the EQ is sorely lacking on both channels, and the amp gets pretty loud. It appears to be very well made and rugged (no tubes of course), and it's pretty heavy at 48 lbs (I think that's the weight). It has a nice effects loop with controls for input/output gain, no headphone or external spkr out. Very nice blonde tolex and brown grill, knobs are sturdy, and Roland did an overall nice job. The shortcomings of this amp are the speaker and the complete lack of bottom end tone-wise. This wasn't apparent to me until I tried the Blue Cube side-by-side with my Vox AD50VT.

I tested this amp with my 73 stock strat. Again, plugging in to the Blues Cube at various gain stages and volume, and then plugging right into my Vox and approximating the same settings. The Roland is reasonably quiet (more quiet than the Vox actually) but had a lot less tonal character. It's quite a bit more on the treble side no matter where you put the EQ controls, and unfortunately it almost has a complete lack of lower end and bass enhancement. I think this is due to (1) the poor tonal range of the stock 12" speaker; (2) the open-back design of the cabinet (the Vox is closed back); and (3) the emphasis on highs and upper-mid range EQ, with no push or boost to any of the lower frequencies. The amp has a very good clean sound and overdrive as well, and before comparing it to the Vox I thought it sounded pretty good and usuable in a stage setting, but after playing the Vox it was easily apparent that (even without the amp modeling settings on the Vox), the bottom end, overall "push" and character of the Vox amp just eclipsed the Roland. There was just no comparison at all. And once I added in the various amp modeling capabilities of the Vox which changes the complete tonal character of the EQ and gain stages, the Roland didn't even come close. Not to say that it's a one-sound amp, it has some variation and is decent, but not great. I was expecting much more from it. Perhaps with a real good speaker replacement it would come up more to the tone range and capabilities of the Vox but in it's current stock form, it's almost like the whole bottom third of the tone range of the Strat was just lost and it sounded thin and lacking in punch compared to the Vox.

Built like ton of bricks, I wouldn't expect any issues. The amp was 9 years old and functioned perfectly.

Never dealt with Roland but believe they offer good service.

Been playing since the 1960s, tried and just about owned every amp I ever wanted to. Current rig is (2) Vox AD50VTs and using a Vox Tonelab as a preamp/efx input to the AD50VTs, with the amps set on a clean tone-flat setting. I think the Roland Blues Cube 60 would be a decent amp if the speaker is replaced with something that offers a lot more bottom. Now, I don't play heavy metal or high-power guitar music very often, being a classic rock type guy, but I expect an amp to be able to replicate a variety of tone and gain, with a round energetic sound, and the Roland Blues Cube just doesn't do it. Mods might do the trick, but why bother spending $200-300 to buy the amp and put in a high-quality speaker for another $100 when you can get a Vox AD50Vt and blow the Roland away with tone, versatility and gain. Now I admit that the Roland may be more reliable than the Vox (although I've had no issues with any of the Vox equipment I've owned for the past 5 years), but some other folks have had problems that are documented here on Harmony Central. My money still stands on the Vox modeling amps over this Roland - too bad I was hoping for more.......

What a shame they discontinued this amp. It IS the quitessential Fender sound on the clean channel (including the overdriven Fender sound, using crunch 1 & 2) and the quintessential old-school Marshall crunch (plus the JCM 800 C-R-U-N-C-H using the boost) on the gain channel. Great EQ packages for both channels, active presence, decent reverb and a cool solid-state/tube rectifier circuit. Reacts very well to pedals and the effects loop is adjustable with a "mix" control. Stock speaker is pretty cool...modeled after a greenback 30. Sixty LOUD watts. The pedals needed to switch channels and reverb (on-off) are conspicuously missing when these amps were purchased new...they are optional, actually! Got to swipe a point for that one.

Les Paul.
I play the blues, texas blues, chicago blues, old school blues, modern high gain blues, blues rock and straight ahead blues. This amp delivers all the blues tones a boy could ever want. All of 'em.
Pretty quiet actually. Dead quiet on clean...near dead quiet on gain channel.
This amp produces a quiet, clean, highly adjustable tone suitable for jazz, country, surf, old school rock, modern rock, high gain rock and (dare I say?) BLUES! Howz that for variety?
Clean stays clean to about 8 with the Les Paul. When it goes, it goes just like a Fender with a nice overdrive that's like a nice edge around the note instead of a mushy, fizzy sound. Roll the volume back and it cleans up. This amp IS touch sensitive to a large extent. Very similar to the dynamics of tubes.
The distortion is way adjustable, from a light overdrive to a flat out JCM 800 super-crunch.
If you love Fender and Marshall tones then you will LOVE this amp. Period.

I feel like I got a good deal on this amp at 220 bucks. It has a bad master volume knob-some of the early wiper is missing on the Master Volume taper and there is a nasty tear in the grillcloth that has been sewed up, butt ugly! I got a double button switch for the reverb and the channel switching that looks brand new. It's chrome and looks too cool. Actually it's the nicest part of this deal except for the TONE of this amp.
I started with the electric guitar in 1969 with a used Super Reverb. I've owned a lot of Fender products-Deluxes, Twins, Supers, Pros, Champs and Princetons. Never really played through Marshalls of my own but I like em. The Roland delivers a wide variety of tones mimicking both amps at decent volumes with a decent reverb for a little color. It reminds me of the good old days of my early playing career when I owned a bunch of different Fenders and played them out in clubs and bars. Great nostalgia factor for old timers like me. The Marshall side is a blast and sounds very authentic. Both channels sound way bigger than the size of the BC 60. I recently swapped the Vintage 12 for a Wizard by Eminence. Has about the same sound as the stock Vintage 12 but is almost twice as loud and has a bit more tight bottom end. Nice fit for a "Greenback" sounding replacement.
This amp will really surprise you with its excellent tone and flexibility. Although I primarily use it for blues, the gain channel's Marshall sound makes it lots of fun for doing Van Halen tunes like Panama, Hot for Teacher, Beautiful Girl...etc. Best SS amp I ever heard...beats a lot of the tube jobs, too!

Two separate channels with separate volumes and eq. Master volume and presence. Single 12: VINTAGE speaker. Nice package...very retro and classy looking. Needs a speaker out jack.

I bought this as a backup to my Fender Hot Rod DeVille. Now the DeVille is the backup amp because the Blues Cube 60 does Fender clean/dirty/very dirty (usig the 3 position crunch switch) on the clean channel and a perfect Marshall crunch on the other channel. Beats the pants off the DeVille for distortion and overdrive. I'd say the clean is about equal to the DeVille. This amp is as loud as my Hot Rod DeVille. The shame of it is that it also sound better. Goodbye Fender...welcome home Roland Blues Cube.
This amp does a wicked distortion if that's what you like. Sounds more like a Marshall than a Boogie but the OD is very smooth. It sounds more like a Marshall than a Marshall, actually!
I give this little guy top marks for sound. I'm a blues player. I use an Ibanez artcore and a Strat with this amp. The BC 60 does them proud.

Long time player. This is the quintessential tone for blues, either clean Fender Twin type or raunchy overdriven blues type. Great for classic rock, southern rock and even country rock.
For $260 plus another $35 to ship it, it's a steal.

Wow! 34 reveiws and a solid 9 + on the tone rating for this amp. Pretty darn good for any amp, let alone a solid stater!

Others have done very well in explaining the features, so I'll revert to them.

This is a feature laden amp though. Some very well thought out ideas came to fruition in this little beaut. Others...like the inability to foot-switch the two crunch settings and lack of a speaker out are unfathomable.

Still, the feature/dollar/tone factor earns this one a big fat 10 in my book.

This is where the BC-60 shines. It seems to be an equal opportunity employer treating teles, strats ,335's, Lesters, PRS's and 60's Japanese imports with the same tonal respect.

I play blues for the most part and this amp certainly lives up to it's moniker. Whatever style I play, ( jazz, blues, rock, gospel, clean, overdriven of fuzzed out whacky, commie pinko stuff ) the BC-60 excels. The clean headroom it provides ( for a single 12! ) is amazing. Loud ( clean loud ) enough for small to medium club dates.

This amp loves pedals. Overdrives, distortions, delays, you name it, it takes it. I have yet to use the well heeled effects loop,
( prefering to go straight in ) but many really seem to like it.

As others have implied, the clean channel does a smashing job of classic Fender Blackface tones. Others have cited the tube like feel of this amp. While it does have some "sponginess", I find it falls short in matching with a real tube amp. I don't hold it against the BC in any way however, cause as far as SS amps go, this is about the best I've encountered.

The overdrive channel seems to capture a nice Marshall flavor. Even though I rely on various dirt pedals for my overdrive tones, the occasions when I have used the BC's distortion channel were rewarded with killer crunch and searing lead tones. I keep telling myself to take the time to dial it in and use it as another tone option. So far though, myself has not listened!

I have a few very nice tube amps that sound wonderful. Even though it's not fair to compare a ss amp to a tube amp tone wise, I'm giving the BC a solid 9. Where the tubes have it over the BC is with the very fine distinctions between solid and semi-hollow bodies, single coils vs humbuckers....and most of all, various pickup settings. The tubes just have that something that is so lush and beautiful.

The BC-60 has nothing to be ashamed of though. I'm sure it sound a lot better than 80% of the crapo they pass off as tube amps these days.

Never so mush as a fart, blip or strange noise out of this thing. I have gigged with out a backup and it's never let me down.

??????????Never used them. This thing was out of warranty when I bought it!

In my not so humble opinion, one of the BEST ( in it's price range of course...it's certainly no Pritchard! )solid state amps of all time. I would love to have two and run them stereo....or three run in trereo. I've compared this thing to several tube amps and it seems closest to the Traynor VCY 40. Very similar in tone and power. Comparisons to a Deluxe are also on the money, although I find the tones more 6L6'ish that 6V6ish.

I see these amps carying on the Lab Series mantle and becoming somewhat of a collectors item in years to come.

This is Roland's take on a solid state, analog version of the tube amp tone machine. Two channels and reverb. Presence, boost and bright switches. Single "VINTAGE 12" speaker with a 75 watt rating. Tube Logic circuitry for the tube tone. Very nice blonde tolex with a nice brown grillcloth and top panel controls for a vintage vibe. Weighs in at around 40-45 pounds. Knobs go to 12.
Average features for a single 12" amp.

Well, as the name implies this is built to be a blues players amp. It does the job very effectively for either blues or classic rock of the 60s and 70s. These are the styles that I play. I had my doubts but after owning it (bought used) for two weeks I'm really high on this amp. Using a Les Paul and an Ibanez with sing-sing-hum pickups with her and a Boss compressor (which is set to minimum levels), plus a Crybaby wah-wah.
This amp really does sound like an overdriven Fender Deluxe on the clean channel, with the Crunch knob on 1. I'd defy any player to tell it apart from a Deluxe in a blind taste test. It's that good. Well, maybe the reverb isn't as good as Fender's but the tone is certainly there. The clean channel has three different levels of gain; Clean, Crunch 1 and Crunch 2. Clean is pretty damn clean to about 9 on the channel volume. It breaks up with a quick decay after that, just like a tube amp at the very edge of clean headroom. Very Fender-y clean, and Fender-y vintage with the bright switch on.
The overdriven Deluxe sound is what you get with Crunch 1. Play softly and get very-edge-of-clean-hedroom clean; dig in and get that classic Fender overdriven-clean sound. Chords can be strummed softly for a clean sound or strummed hard for overdrive. Fantastic dynamics for *ANY* amp, let alone a SS amp. It's uncanny how they managed to get it to respond to the pick attack but oh baby...they did it. Crunch 1 is very musical without any SS harshness. My favorite setting on this channel is definitly Crunch 1.
Crunch 2 is a little different and using the tone controls you can actually make this channel sound A LOT like an early plexi Marshall in overdrive. Lots and lots of bite but it retains clarity. Very versatile Clean channel.
Move to Channel 2 and get overdrive-through Van Halen brown sound. You can engage the Rectiflex button for SS or Tube rectifier "feel." The difference is audible at high gain levels; subtle at lower gain levels. If you like the insane crunch of the venerable JCM 800 you can have it with the SS setting; it's "bitingly fast", in-your-face crunch. Switch to the tube setting and the overdrive / distortion is smoother and more compressed. Engaging the boost seems to add a lot of upper mid content, mixed with a little more gain.
On both channels the harmonic content is there. How do they do it??!?!

Roland / Boss is reliable gear.

I've played since 1968. I own a lot of gear but the standouts are Silverfaced Twin, Blackfaced Deluxe, Peavey Classic 20, Peavey Bravo. I have some solid state amps too, including this one. I feel like I got a great price on this unit but I would buy another one for maybe 250 or so, and I probably will, eventually. I love the crunch modes, consistant tube tone without having to fiddle around with tone controls and volume settings, and the rectiflex switch plus the speaker sounds excellent. I hate that there is no footswitching for the crunch modes...bummer!
I compared the sound of the BC 60 to a new Trademark 60 by Tech 21, at the local Sam Ash. To my ears the BC 60 sounded more like an old, vintage tube amp, which I'm more accustomed to listening to than the more modern types. I was especially impressed with the Crunch settings on the clean channel and I think the reverb is just slightly better than the Tech 21 amp. To be fair, the Tech 21 has a lot going for it too; it just wasn't my personal favorite and they sell for a lot more, used.
The BC 60 would be perfect if there was a way to engage the crunch and boost settings from a footswitch. As for the rest of the features on this amp...I wouldn't change anything. Overall I'll give it a 9.

Year unknown.

I had my doubts about the versatility of this amp before I bought it sight unseen / unheard on eBay, but I am truly impressed with the features and range of tonal possibilities.

2 channels, effects loop, spring reverb (a little week), no HP jack, no speaker out jack, but a ton of useful knobs and switches like presence, pre and post gain on the lead channel, boost, bright switch, and I agree that a switched reverb is a little strange and indeed useless for my purposes.

I use the amp for weekend jams, and to drown out the voices in my head. Plenty of volume and headroom for jamming with a bass player, drummer and another guitarist.

I bought this used on eBay, and the previous owner replaced the stock speaker with a sweet Jensen P12N. I wish I could have played with the OEM speaker for comparison, but I'll have to imagine that this Jensen is better.

I could not believe my ears when I plugged in and turned it on. After I played through it with my ProTone Strat (best Strat under $2K I ever played) and a couple of my Telecasters, I put the covers back on my Traynor YCV20 and my Marshall, and put them in the closet. I don't want to sound too hyperbolic, but this is the finest sounding solid state amp I ever heard or played through. It's so much easier to dial exactly what I'm looking for in than my other amps, from squeaky Fender Deluxe clean to gritty overdriven Marshall stack tones.

The pre/post gain and the presence controls really work like they're suppoosed to, but the reverb isn't exactly what I would expect from a TUBE amp, but it's so close to correct I shouldn't even mention it.

I really can't find anything about this amp's sound and tonal range to complain about, and the predictability and ease of use of the solid state makes it my first choice from here on out.

Built like a tank, and Roland is known for it's quality, so I can't imagine anything worthy of note to mention here.

My favorite amp, and I doubt that this will change anytime soon. Perfect for my playing style - blues, 60's hard rock, and jazz. I couldn't be more pleased with it in very way.

I know the tube purists will doubt that any SS amp can reproduce what we all love about tube amps, but this amp gets as close to anything I've heard without a pedal farm. You have to hear it to believe it. It's also nice to not have to wonder if a tube is going to drop, or worry about all of the other potential drawbacks of a nice tube amp. Check the price, too. I'm going to get a second one just to have if something happens to this one.

Just bought it new from MsF.

I won't repeat all the same comments on features....Two ch switching from clean to as much crunch as you want. Has an effects loop with gain control. Reverb is good and "wet" when cranked up.

The reverb is switched, which is stupid, in my opinion. I wish the boost button on the lead chanel was switched instead....It's tuff to have it all! LOL

It's not real heavy. That's a GOOD thing for an old guy like me.

I use a Les Paul Standard and a Strat most of the time, but have several guitars of many varities.

I play traditional blues and some classic rock thrown in from time to time depending on the crowd.

I've been using a Blues Jr mic'd through the PA for a bit over a year. It's tone is great. Even better after I put a Weber in it, but it's always been a little light on headroom by the end of the night.

This BC60 has as much tone, and plenty of swat. Plus it has some pretty good crunch on the Lead chanel.

You can get all the chime you want for the Strat and all the balls you need for the Paul. I'm very happy with this little amp!

I'll have to get back to ya on that, but it seems to be put together pretty well. I wish the case was wood, but no rattles and is finished well.

It's new......

I've been playing since 62. I've played through them all....

This little amp has plenty of fat tone. It will sustain for ever. It will get great over-tone harmonics and is very sensitive to picking or plucking (I play with my fingers a lot). It has enough headroom to get you over the stage noise with no problem. This is a damn slick little amp!

I have been looking at them ever since I heard Mike Henderson play through one at a gig. I think MsF is the only place you can buy a new one now. It's a great little amp.

I'm glad I bought one!

While lacking the standard array of sci-fi digital effects one finds on most amps these days, the Blues Cube is rich in features that are actually useful for creating good tone. Two-level, authentic sounding crunch, pre and post volume controls, brightness, presence, reverb, effects loop with the ability to mix clean and effect sound as desired. And this doesn't even count the lead channel, which I hardly use. Like other users, I question why Roland wasted a footswitch jack on reverb switching. Surely there had to be a better use for that space on the panel.

Judging from the reviews, most users seem to like this amp a lot. So do I. Some people feel that the amp doesn't really respond to picking dynamics like a tube amp. I've had the opposite experience. Playing with SD jazz and HB humbuckers, and with the crunch knob on either setting, I can easily go from a clean sound to tube-like distortion just by digging in a little. While I have a tube amp, I prefer the Roland for performing because I can have tube-like sounds at any volume. I hardly ever use channel two, but I play mostly jazz and blues.

The amp is very ruggedly built. My only two reservations are (1) a single wire has come unsoldered twice (see customer support, below) and (2) the amp is made of particle board. But Roland fixed problem 1 and 2 hasn't actually caused any problems. But I don't think you can bang up a particle board cabinet like a plywood one and not expect to break it.

The main reason I'm writing this review is to compliment Roland's customer service operation. I notice that a lot of people who own this amp haven't needed service. I did. A wire leading from the reverb tank to the board broke twice at the board, once when Musician's Friend shipped it to me and once again when Roland fixed it and shipped it back to me. Both times Roland fixed the amp in a few days, no hassle at all. I wish all manufacturers took their warranties this seriously.

At $279, Musician's Friend's close-out price, this amp was a steal. Since it's discontinued, it might be hard to find another. If I couldn't replace it I would probably but a Fender Deluxe Reverb or a Traynor at more than twice the price.

not sure what year, but it was brand new in box from musicians fiend, i play rock, blues, country ,punk, oldies, whatever the job calls for!its a 2 channel affair, brite boost on the clean channel, and a 3 position crunch knob that goes from scalpel clean to od crunch, i really dig the 2nd setting, it seems to capture the fender deluxe sound! reverb and channel switching have two seperate jacks, can be switched by any simple one button pedal. the fx loop is great, it has a button for pedal or rack f/x, plus a wet/dry mix knob, i patch my dan-echo thru this, great slapback, and i leave it on most of the time!!, don't need headphones, my ears ring enough as it is!!, wish it had a speaker out jack, but thats easy to put in!, the o/d channel has that great old school crunch, and a boost button, which is cool, but i dont use it much. i use this amp at small clubs, it can get loud, 60 watts of solid state power. love the tan tolex, and the ox-blood speaker cloth--classy!!

i mainly use a reverend slingshot custom, with p-90's, and a g@l asat classic semi, and a customized ibanez rt-450, with tone zone and carvin ap11 pups. i get some buzz from my guitars, but not as much as some of my tube amps produce! i like the clean on od-2, i back off on guitar vol it cleans up--punch it and it spits out some pretty good blues and crunch rhythm!,the lead channel sounds x-cellent! it has that great zz top, old school crunch, just enough to make your leads sing, but not so much so that the fuzz washes out your fingers!! i think the older pickers know what im talkin about!, if your into 7-string death metal, YOU'RE IN THE WRONG REVIEW, DUDE!!" i covered the clean channel on features, this amp is for a player, not really a beginners amp!

any of the boss stuff i've ever owned, has been drop-dead reliable, i always bring amp backup, only a fool travels 60 miles to a gig and has his one and only amp blow mid-set!!, i always have a backup guitar also, after almost 37 years of playing, i have learned to"EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED"!! cover your ass yunguns!!!

have never dealt, but i heard good things about, i think a lot of the roland repair people sit around like the maytag repairman and wait for a trouble call!! arf! arf!

playing 37 years, have owned marshalls, mesas, ampegs, fenders, laneys, stacks, half stacks, randall, peavey,-- i'm 48 my wife says that if i had kept all that i have owned for the past 20 years, i could open up a good size music store, she's right!! i have an orange-ad-15 1-12 tube amp, a 64 gibson skylark tube amp, 2 roland cube 30's, light and great for quick gigs!, a vox pathfinder, and a line -6 flextone plus that i'm sellin very soon! for cheap!! i was going to get the bc-60 around 1995, but got a laney gh-50L head instead, the laney was a great sounding amp, loud as hell!, so now i'm scaling down for my ears sake, the bc-60 can get loud, but it does'nt leave mer with a huge noise hangover!!, i am going to take the vintage-30 out of my line-6 and put it in the bc-60, it most ceartainly deserves it! i heard roland stopped makin them, get them while they last, theyre about as close to a tube as you're gonna come! without all the broken glass!!

To add to my review just below, here is the website for my boost mod:

http://bcsixty.tripod.com/