Roland Cube 60

The features have been covered below. Considering the price and purpose of this amp, I think they're generally beyond reproach, though I wish it came with the footswitches to switch channels and activate the effects. I bought these separately, and also use them with my Cube 100 bass amp.

Sound quality is very subjective, and in my view one must account for this amp's low price when commenting on its tone. I think Peter Hughes's thoughtful review below largely nails the essence: this amp offers fabulous clean tone that can't be beat for the price, but the effects don't measure up to decent pedals. The clean tone is an outstanding platform for good outboard effects, and is, in my view, a reasonable substitute for small tube amps at modest volumes. It has much more of a three dimensional depth of tone than most solid state amps, and "thumps" like a tube amp.

I, however, think the effects are okay and perfectly useable for experimenting and even for some gigs depending on your goals. The reverb and tremolo sound especially good in my opinion. The others are a little synthetic, but not too bad. If you just want to learn whether a particular effect would work in a specific track, they're fine. They might save lugging a pedal board to rehearsal.

I also like some of the models, especially "metal," which delivers an excellent hard rock tone. The "r-fier" indeed captures something like a Mesa tone, so if you're into that it would be cool. I like the "tweed" model, but think it sounds best when cranked hard.

The "dyna-amp," which is intended to mimic a tube amp's response to input volume, can be very useful under the right circumstances, and if I were playing without pedals I might use it the most. Basically, the higher you set the gain/volume ratio, the more easily it transitions from clean to distortion when you play harder or turn up your guitar's volume, and the deeper the distortion. I've found that keeping the gain relatively low allows a smoother transition, but even then it should be more progressive. It always has an "on/off" quality to some extent. But this means that with some guitars, it can be used like a pedal, which is cool. For example, I have a Double Fat Strat, which splits the humbuckers for a single/single "quack" tone in position two. I can keep that setting very clean with the dyna-amp, but get ripping distortion just by flipping my selector to the bridge humbucker. With my other Strat's Lace Sensor Hot Gold pickups (with the kickin' 13.2k bridge pickup) the effect is less dramatic, but also useful.

I've never played through this on stage, because I'm primarily a bass player. But in my last band, a "high-tech" sounding modern rock band, one of the guitarists used it, and we were all happy with the results. It really cut through our dense stage mixes at pretty high volumes in small clubs, and he grew especially fond of the dyna-amp setting once he learned how to use it. He also liked layering the Cube's effects with outboard effects or using the Cube's effects as alternatives. After a few gigs, he got a DiPinto Mach IV, which for whatever reason was a fabulous match for the Cube.

Did it sound like a good tube amp? No, but it sounded great. It's a durable, inexpensive workhorse that gets the job done and offers a huge array of sounds to play with. If I gigged on guitar in loud rock bands, I'd probably buy a decent tube amp, but this little sucker would always be in the trunk as a backup. (In fact, that might be one of its best uses.)

Considering the amp's purpose and price, and the corresponding limitations, I think it's a 10.

By the way, I also have a Roland Cube 100 bass amp, and I think its virtues and limitations are similar. I use it constantly. Unfortunately, 100 watts doesn't do as much for bass as 60 does for guitar, so it's less gig-worthy than the Cube 60.

It's been rock solid.

Haven't had to deal with this.

As mentioned, I'm more of a bassist than guitarist, and have gigged exclusively on bass for a long time in a variety of rock bands playing old-school metal, "indie" rock, punk, classic rock, etc. I have fairly serious pro-level bass gear, with U.S. Fender and G&L basses and G-K, Epifani, and SWR amplification. I haven't played guitar on stage since 1992.

But I do play guitar on my own for writing, arranging, and recording, and have come to appreciate great tone by working with great players who have excellent gear. I also have two outstanding guitars, the Fenders mentioned above.

So I can appreciate this amp's virtues, but also its limitations, which are more than acceptable for a small solid state amp that costs less than $350. I simply wanted a great sounding, reliable amp for playing at home, experimenting, and recording, that could work on stage in a pinch. The Cube 60 is actually more than that, because it's a great stage amp if: (a) the extra depth from tubes isn't essential; (b) you know how to use it properly and don't expect too much from the effects and models; (c) you don't need enormous volume from your stage rig, because, like most solid state amps, it can get harsh at high volume.

All in all, it's a winner.

I think it was made in 2005 but im not sure...
It is good enough for me in a lot of styles like metal, crazy technical melodic metal, classic, etc...
it has two channels ( the jc 120 and the lead part)
you can switch channels with a button on it or a footswitch (not provided) theres is also chorus, flanger, phaser, tremolo, reverb and delay and a headphone jack and stuff like that (i never use them)

The chorus is good, the flanger too but sometimes the phaser just sounds better as a flanger than the actual flanger, the phaser (when not used as a flanger) is pretty useless and the tremolo is probably the most annoying thing in the world...

i wish the phaser and the tremolo would disappear and simply have a better chorus and flanger (with other settings then ''more effect'' ''less effect'') the reverb goes from practically nothing to wayyyyy toooo much the delay isint powerfull enough and again, it would be nice to have more than ''more effect'' ''less effect''...

a compressor/sustainer would be extremely nice
thephaser and tremolo should not be included...

i use this amp in my appartment so i cant really play loud never more then 1/8 of the volume so yeah it is perfect and even if id play louder, 60 w is exelent

the jc 120 to me sounds just like a normal clean amp (i never heard the jc 120...) though it is nice with the chorus and delay/reverb

the acoustic dosent work at all (only sounds cool with distortion on)

the black panel is ''sweet-ass' even with the distortion cranked up it gives a nice smooth overdrive and with an additionnal distortion (pedal) it sounds great

the brittish combo, tweed and classic stack sound good
- brit combo sounds alike a real brittish dist.
- the tweed gives a nice, low toned distortion
- the classic stack sounds like a classic marshall amp

the metal is pretty cool though a bit useless since i always take the R-FIER in stead but still sounds cool

the R-fier sounds really good (intense dist.)

the dyna amp is cool too but dont work if you turn the knob too close from the extremes...

the eq section is good though it is still hard (like with any amp) to find the right settings...

never put the volume up so i dont know if it gets distorted or not on the clean channel...

the brutality of the distortions go in order

classic - nothing
black panel - smooth and subtil
brit. combo - depends on the setting
tweed - depends on the setting (is still more distorted than the B.C.)
classic stack - depends on the setting ( is still louder then the tweed)
metal - highly distorted
R-fier - crazy distorted
dyna amp - from nothing to highly distorted

i use it with a samick avion 3 (les paul kind) with two humbuckers

suits anykind of metal just fine

the chorus could sound a lot nicer
the flanger sounds good but you cant choose the rate, speed depth... same as in the chorus section

the phaser and tremolo are completely useless

the reverb is good but goes from not enough to too much
delay is not versatile at all; it goes from a practically muted slapback to a few ms... and is really not loud

the acoustic is completely useless because it sounds just like a normal clean channel... the js 120 with a low tone sounds closer to an acoustic than the actual acoustic

im being harsh because the acoustic simulator and the effects are a pain in the ass when you try to use them and yes you try to use them a lot... but the rest is 10/10

exelent, never broke, i use it in gigs

ive been playing for 7 years with the cube 30 a behringer amp, a samick guitar, a stratocaster and a roland od 20 (pedal) and yeah it is pretty good at the beginning but when you start to really use it you start to want to have the actual sounds... and this amp dosent give them (effect section and acoustic)

still i highly recommend it to anyone because it features a mass of great sounds and is very very versatile

a compressor/sustainer and a decent (by decent i mean that works) acoustic section, good settings for the effects, better delay...

Mine is a 2006 model. Very versatile amp if you use pedals or processors. Simple layout. Not too many frills. Other reviewers have discussed features. Big plus is jacks for external speakers / PA connection. Not many Amps in this range have em. I don't use the effects other than the reverb. Other reviewers here have criticised the effects on this Amp. They say they're crap - of course they're crap. Name one solidstate Amp on the market that has high quality internal effects. They're all crap and serious musicians never use them - so what else is new. Connect some good quality pedals or a top of line modelling processor like a Boss GT-8 and you're cooking with gas.

This Amp has a 12" Celestion speaker and a great clean channel and that's far better than any other solidstate amp on the market for $300. I tried about 30 different amps in the 30w to 60w range before buying this Roland and the Fenders, Marshall, Line6 and Peavey were all total rubbish compared to the Cube 60. THe only decent thing you can expect from a small solidstate amp in this price range is a decent clean channel.

I have noticed other reviewers here have compared this little Cube 60 with far more expensive valve amps. That's a totally unfair comparison and makes all their comments meaningless.

IMHO compared directly to 30 other amps I played in the 30W to 60W solidstate range this Cube 60 is by far the best on the market currently. It's the best for the folowing reasons.

1) Sound quality on the clean channel is excellent cause it has a top of the line 12" celestion speaker fitted.
2) Excellent volume levels for such a small amp. I use it live weekly for small venues in my jazz band and I've never had the volume past 5.5. I've had it on 7 with my rock band when my Marshall valve amp blew and I had to use it as a back-up. Another reviewer here said his tone brakes up past 5 - well mine doesn't.
3) The reverb is the only effect worth using on the Cube 60 in a live situation. But don't criticise this baby for that. All the other effects are pretty useless but they ALL are on ALL solidstate amps. THe effects are also rubbish on $1200 solidstate Fenders and Marshalls so don't waste your time with any of them. If you want good effects fit some pedals or a top of the line modelling processor and include a Radstone Harmonic Converger in the loop. Then you've got decent effects, everything else is shite.
4) As a home practice amp or a small venue clean tone amp the Cube 60 is fabulous. I wouldn't ever use it for a rock gig unless I was desperate and then it would have to be driving a PA with cabs both sides of the stage.

But be fair. This amp was never designed to do anything more. It only costs $300.

Built like a rock, padded in all the right places, heavy duty pots. It completely blows all its other competitors out of the water in this category. Check out the comparable Fenders etc. Fragile and tinny in the extreme.

Don't know. Hope I never have to deal with em.

I've been a professional musician on and off for 30 years. Have used a vast array of guitars, amps, pedals and modelling processors. Currently own 4 guitars (Gretsch, Gibson, Fender, Taylor) 3 amps (Marshall and Roland), a Boss GT-8, Zoom GFX8, a Radstone Harmonic converger (see spearate review for this) and a box full of pedals. I play in a traditional Jazz band and a rock/blues combo.

Comparing apples with apples I don't understand how anyone can criticse this amp. If you want good clean tones run straight thru the Cube 60's pre-amp. If you want quality distortion and effects connect up Boss pedals or a GT-8 (with Harmonic Converger).

So it doesn't sound as good as your $1500 Marshalls - duh. You can buy 5 Cube 60's for that.

Compare it on any point with a Fender Frontman, a Line6 Spider or a Marshall 50W solidstate amp and it's chalk and cheese. For $300 you can't beat it.

I purchased this amp new from AMS several months ago.I switch between the clean channel and "lead" channel using the BOSS FS-6 dual footswitch. I gig 4-6 times a month with this amp and also use it for rehearsals. The delay and other effects are somewhat adjustable with rotary knobs, but more control over the effect parameters would be nice. I play mainly 60s - 70s Soul and Funk music styles with Rock influenced solos.

The clean channel is "okay", but begins breaking up in an unpleasant "digital" way when the vol. knob is higher than halfway. I haven't found a useable tone beyond that point on the clean channel. I use the "Classic" amp model for solos. It sounds amazing with a Strat or Les Paul. Previous reviewers haven't mentioned one key factor to using this amp successfully on stage.. You have to use an extension spkr. cab to fully appreciate this amp! When connected to a 4X12 cab, this amp becomes a tone monster! A jaw-dropping Marshall eating lead tone! Don't believe me? Try it...

I've used it at a lot of shows with no problem.. If you use the BOSS footswitch, always check the condition of the 9 volt battery. If it drains, the amp will begin switching channels and effects on it's own! This amp works hard... I live in the Philippines and the tropical weather conditions here are BRUTAL on amps and guitars. I'm confident that this amp will serve me well for many years.

I haven't had to deal with them and therefore have no opinion.

I've been playing for 30 years. I also use a Line6 Flextone II For guitar, and SWR and Eden amps for bass. I had to leave the majority of my gear in the USA when I moved to Asia, and it is difficult to find good gear here in the RP. Without the Cube 60, I would go back to using the Flextone, which sounds almost as good. I would buy another if mine were lost or stolen (if I can find one!). My only complaint would be the lack of volume on the clean channel.

I bought this amp from new early 2006 by mail order on the recommedation of a friend and various reviews I'd seen. I thought I would like to have an amp with a few more chanels and a bit less weight than my Marshall 6101. Sure enough it had several amp models
but they did nothing for me. I suppose I should give it a good rating for features because it had them.But...

The only good sound in this amp jazz chorus and in a modeling amp
that's just not good enough. The other chanels were too digital.The overdriven chanels decay in steps. I absolutly hated it.

I play classic rock,Free, Bad Co.,Rolling Stones etc.
This amp might suit some of you young guys out there, it has a very modern sound but that's its flaw. It's kind of over produced like some recent music. Listen to the guitar on some old Rod Stewart tracks
then listen to Mc Fly or someone like that, you'll hear what I mean.

I have no idea about reliability. Sent it back after a week and bought a second hand Marshall 8080 valvestate fitted with a Mullard ECC81, I think, (brought down the gain a bit) and use it to jam with.

The company I bought it from accepted it back with no quibbles. I think I may have paid the carriage one way.

I'm 47,been playing for 33 years. I didn't keep this amp long enough for it to be stolen and wouldn't be seen outside the house with it to be lost. Gets a 3 for the jazz chorus.
My other amps are Marshalls. 6101 30th Anniversary with extention cab. I use that to gig with it cost 350GBP for the combo and 50GBP for the ext'n cab.
The Marshall 8080vs 150GBP I use to jam with the boys down the pub.
I have a selection of guitars including '69 Les Paul, '70s John Birch, Tanglewood and Fenix acoustics the rest of my guitars I made myself and are based on popular designs.

Amp made in 2004 I believe. It has 2 channels. It has these amp simulations and some effects like reverb, delay chorus, flanger etc. (you have already read other reviews). These are all crap. The clean channel simulates the Roland Jazz Chorus. This is the only decent thing about the amp.

I hate this amp. I would have preferred if Roland made the Cube 60 like the amp in the 80s. ie a clean channel, an o/Drive channel and a good spring reverb. I tried gigging with this amp and the simulations of classic amps were crap.

As I mentioned previously, the only sound I like is the clean channel which simulates the Roland Jazz Chorus. The other channel which simulates valve amps is rather useless. They are OK to use when practising at home. The head phone jack provides a reasonable recording into the computer. In a live situation, they do not work for me. I have just purchased a Fender FM 212R. It is simple, good clean channel, good distortion channel and a great spring reverb. The digital effects in the Cube are useless in a live situation.

The amp appears reliable. It is sturdy.

Never had to use

I use a Les Paul, Strat and Ibanez Artcore guitar. This amp is suited to a beginner whom cannot really play. The amp simulations are more of a novelty. I have been performing for 20 years. This amp does not suit as the effects are all crap and the amp simulations are crap. Roland should release a better version of the old Cube 60 without simulations with a clean channel, distortion channel and a good reverb. Roland you got it wrong.

I have now purchased a Fender FM 212R 100 watt. Much better sounding amp, spring reverb and more powerful

Pretty much every thing you could imagine except,and this is a big except, a depth or level mix control for the effects. Who ever had the bright Idea to have effects without the ability to adjust the amount is hopefully handing out french fries at McDonalds now. Oh yeah and a built in tuner would have been nice (WTF other companies do it on cheaper amps)but it does have a tune out jack (strange) another thing thats weird is the three seperate footswitch outs.

OK heres the deal. When I gig out I use a POD XT live into a bose PAS. Probably the best gigging set up you could dream of. But I wanted a small light weight simple amp I could take to jam overs that would be able to cut thru. It definetly has the volume but I picked up a single 12" Basson cab just in case I need to move more air,which definetly enhances the sound greatly.(Idon't use it all the time, it's just more to lug around)

The Clean Works.On the drive channels the gain knob acts like the effects knob,it does very little except it fizzes out when cranked. That being said, there are some kicking totally usable sounds.

Its tough to get a huge sound out of a small amp but roland does come pretty close here. For $330 It deserves an 9, for simpicity a 9 for size and weight a 10 but on the grand scale of all Amps probably a 6. so I'll give it an 8 .It's kind of a shame with another $50 in upgrades they could have had a homerun highly sought after amp.

alway have a backup even if it a roland. but it is pretty damn solid.

they're good for a big company. I've delt with them in the pa

Bought this brand new just this past month and this a very good value for the price (I paid about $350.00). Features are summarized in all previous reviews so no need to repeat them. They are sufficient for me and for what I believe this amp was intended for. Only thing I would add is a way to adjust the on-board effect levels and possibly an effects loop for pedals, etc...

I play mostly clean to mildly distorted stuff....big fan of Mark Knopfler/Dire Straits and all tasteful, bluesy stuff. I really love the Clean channels on this amp, specifically the JC Clean and Black Panel. Just use a footswitch to switch between the JC Clean and Black Panel along with a couple good pedals and you can pretty much get anything you need between those two channels...a real nice option. The EQ is very sensitive so you can fine tune/tailor the sound to what you like best (bass/mid/treble/presence). The amp has other, more distorted sounds (British Combo, Classic Stack, etc...) But I'm not really a big fan of those settings...I think they're geared to more "modern" players...I like a good clean sound to use a base and just add pedals from there, and this amp works great for that. Nice Reverb too and good bass response due to the closed-back design. Very lightweight so it's easy to carry around and LOUD---plenty of power for your average bar and you can always get an extension speaker too.

Haven't had mine for long but other reviewers give it good ratings. It is built like a tank--and pretty simple for a modeling amp...not like the more complex fender cyber amps with all the digital mumbo jumbo, which is a plus in my book. Nice metal shield in front of the speaker to prevent any accidental damage.

Never dealt with them.

Been playing for years...I was a drummer for most of them but have always played guitar on the side. I have a good ear for tone and have to say this really is a great deal for the price. Very nice clean tones. I have a LesPaul, Strat and semi hollow Ibanez that all work very well with this amp. The pedals I've heard with it (modified tube screamers, boss OD-3) all have very good results as well.