Roland Cube-30 Combo

Features already covered by other reviews. A line out (or even better a DI out) socket would be useful, but for the price, who's complaining? In any case, it is clearly an amp for practice, rehearsal or very small (folk-club, back bar of pub) venues. If you want to plug into the Live8 PA in Hyde Park and start rocking, you may need to open your wallet a little wider.

Great fun for home practice with humbuckers, single coils or even the piezo p/u on my acoustic. I'm sure the rectifier and 5150 models don't sound a lot like the real thing but they are very entertaining. The reverb is OK at moderate settings, the other digital effects ar fun to play with - the tremolo is actually quite usable if you get the setting right, but the phaser, flanger and chorus are all a bit vulgar (but fun to mess around with at home). Out in the real world of performance, the clean (JC) channel is fine for jazz and even for acoustic guitars, and the blackface, ac30 and bassman settings work well enough provided you keep the gain down a bit. I use it as a backup for a 500-quid 40w Class A all-tube amp and it just about cuts it - which it pretty darned impressive for a ?170 small square solid-state digital modelling box. I'm particularly taken with the depth and control of the bass. Maybe it's the closed-back cab, but for a 10" speaker, it is remarkably good.

It fell out of the back of the car onto he (brick) driveway after a gig. Plastic corner protector smashed - but it protected the corner so I suppose it did its job. The amp itself is still working absolutely fine. Rather impressive, really. Corner now protected with gaffer tape while I decide what to do long term...

Not used.

I've been playing for over 40 years, and hope to start improving soon. This is a super practice amp, and is also usable for small gigs, but don't expect to fill the Shea Stadium. If lost, stolen or strayed, I'd certainly buy another.

This is a follow up review now that I've had the amp for about 6 months. I still love this little amp and think it will be with me for sometime. For a practice amp (that what it is ..a practice amp ...see the headphone jack, kind of a give away right?) I think it's one of the best out there. The reason I'm writing this follow up is because I want to let potential buyers that play single coils know that there is a big difference between humbuckers and singles when playing thru this amp. I experienced this myself and it has been noted in guitar player magazines review of this product. See the link below to read this yourself. Since I no long own any guitars with single coils this really makes no difference to me but thought I'd share the info. Good luck, and remember it's only $225

http://www.guitarplayer.com/story.asp?sectioncode=6&storycode=4375

The JC is great with a little reverb, the Black face is nice and the Recifer is a lot of fun. The Reverb and delay are decsent the other effects are not so good but are fun to play around with. This amp is very quiet, not very much hiss. This thing can get fairly loud too, the speaker handles well at all volumes.

Rock Solid

Never used

Top 5 practice amps of all time

UPDATE!!

i forgot to mention the acoustic setting. this setting isn't meant to simulate an acoustic as much as it recreates the sound of an electric played through an acoustic amp. roll of on the gain and play from the middle switch and up....WOW!! sensational!!

the amp in a whole is very open and flat in response. the eq isn't as strong as i would like, however you can go from a mid heavy classic rock sound to a scooped out metal sound, all the way to a california crunch, to a bluesy vibe, a crisp jangle, a throaty gutsy overdrive....this amp covers all the bases.

another benefit....this AMP can handle ACOUSTIC GUITARS!!! due to it's flat response...play in the JC CLEAN setting, roll back the mids and set your mid parameter on your acoustic eq to 0. WOW...no feedback, no swelling...this amp is just amazing!!

although i still wish this amp had independent EQs....you can't have it all.

the effects...mehhhh, it seems to overwhelm the lead channel on a few of the high gain settings at quiet settings(volume set to 3). however this is all solved when you really open it up and let the amp really sing!

nothing but high praise for this amp, it's well worth the money and sounds better than anything in it's class.

i know some may say this amp sounds "good for the price"....WRONG, this amp truly does sound good regardless of price. the sound is strong, pronounced, and the COSM does an excellent job. this may be a modeling amp..but you can put the sound quality of the roland above line 6(i owned the axsys 212), marshall dfx, tech 21, behringer....etc. it truly is a fantastic amp!!

This is simply a GREAT amp! Great features as have already been discussed.

VERY great clean sound along with a tremendous gain as well. Can be overdriven and will not break up as do others in it's price range. The speaker is of the highest quality I have found in because I have A/B tested ALL of the amps in this price range.
Great for Blues, Classic and Country.

VERY dependable! Made of the highest quality from the cabinet to the speakers all the way down to each and every screw that holds it together. I know because I have taken it apart and inspected the quality.

I would not own one of these damned amps!
I don't see how a man can run a full service guitar amplifier company and put out a product like this!
How can a man do that. SIMPLY USELESS AND WORTHLESS.
You would not find one of these in my house!

See other reviews - covered 100 times already...

I am basically playing an old Les Paul copy at the moment which I would say is as good as an Epiphone but no way a substitute for a Gibson.

I play jazz, blues and rock, and this amp is fine for "bedroom guitar hero" versions of all three. A quick runs down of the amp sims:

JC Clean - gives a nice clean sound, good for jazz or turn up the treble and good for a bright "poppy" clean sound

Acoustic - sounds a bit like an acoustic while strumming but not while fingerpicking really

Black panel - nice for jazz, blues and a 50's chuck berry type sound on the bridge pup

Brit combo - gives a reasonable fuzzy 60's sound with the gain up but with the gain down no decent clean sound

Tweed - don't use this much. sort of OK sound for blues etc but the black panel is better

marshall stack - good rock sound for zeppelin, lenny kravitz, sabbath etc

peavey stack - 80's metal sound for all you iron maidens fans.

r'fier stack - metallica and beyond. more distortion than a burning church full of norweigian goths will ever need

To cut a long review short, plenty of sounds, tones and power for bedroom practice or a rehearsal room for an amateur band. Probably lacks enough power for anything but small informal rock gigs or less "aggressive" forms of music. If you miked it up thru a PA this wouldn't be an issue.

I should probably mention that the onboard effects are OK but not great but I hardly use them. Don't buy the amp for them alone - buy the individual stomp boxes for whatever you need.

This thing is very solidly built. I have had no problems with it and if you take care of it it will last decades. It could probably stand a lot more abuse than some other practice amps. Throw this and a Fender Frontman down a flight of stairs and I'll tell you which one will work afterwards (or probably anyway).

Never needed it.

This thing is basically a heavy plastic brick with "Roland" on the front. I like the ways it looks and it is way better than the Marshall MG30. The two aren't even in the same league. If you have to have "Marshall" on the front of your amp to feel happy then go ahead and get an MG30 but you are wasting money. Don't get me wrong, I would take a "proper" Marshall valve amp over this anytime, but this costs 20% of the price.

I paid 110 pounds (about 170 USD) for it on eBay and consider it a bargain. If it was nicked I would buy something more powerful as I would like to start gigging one day, but if I wanted something just for practice I would get this.

This doesn't get 10 out of 10 because
i) it would be nice if they threw in a footswitch instead of charging 30GBP ($50) for one (and you need two if you want one for the effects as well as the channels)

ii) The effects aint great (chorus=OK,phaser=OK, flanger=not enough scope to adjust frequency/depth,tremolo=as flanger, delay=as flanger and tremolo, reverb=quite good)

Features already well covered.

Well now, this is the point of this review. It's amazing how you can build up a rosy picture of some piece of gear by reading the reviews on Harmony Central, and then be disillusioned when you actually try it out.

On the strength of the glowing reviews here, I'd almost decided to buy one of these amps -- pending listening to one, of course.

I usually play through tube amps: a Laney LC-30 (like a Vox AC-30 plus an overdrive channel) and a peculiar old Ibanez tube amp with a Bassman-style circuit. However, tube amps are heavy and high-maintenance, and tend not to sound great at low volume. I was hoping that the Cube 30 would live up to its billing as a lightweight solid-state digital modelling amp that had finally come of age.

I'm by no means a tube snob: I'd far rather play solid-state if I could get the right sounds out of it. Lord, I've tried -- I've got a Pod and a GT-6 and they're cool, usable devices, provided you understand them, play to their strengths and tolerate their weaknesses.

And so off I went off to the local guitar shop to try out a Cube 30, taking two of my guitars -- a Fender Tele with Texas Specials and a stock Ibanez 540S. Spent about two hours in the soundproof room playing and tinkering with the knobs.

The clean channel wasn't bad. Amazing headroom for such a tiny amp, I must say. I haven't played through a JC-120 for decades so I can't comment on the similarities, but I can say that although the Cube 30's clean channel was clean and pleasant-sounding, it lacked character. Possibly this is why jazz players like this amp: a rather colourless clean amp with decent headroom seems to be what turns them on.

But the clean channel certainly didn't flatter my Telecaster. Tube tone is hellishly hard to describe, but a Tele going through a nice clean tube amp sounds like heaven (to me). The Cube sounded pleasant enough, but without any of the complexity that tubes and transformers impart.

Strangely, the clean channel sounded better with my pointy rock stick, the Ibanez 540S. Positions 2 and 4, which give a fairly credible quacky Strat sound, sounded excellent. The neck and bridge humbucker positions sounded as if they could be useful in a mix, too -- but again, the impression was of a rather lifeless, hi-fi-ish rendering of the natural tone of the guitar. Which is a good thing for some people, I'm sure.

So, clean, I'd give the Cube a cautious thumbs-up for those who want a certain kind of clean channel.

The distortions are another story. They are (to my ears) fizzy-sounding and unimpressive. For sure, they capture the sound of the modelled amps in a cartoonish sort of way, but they're no better than that and, bejeezuz, do they ever fizz. Can't hold a candle to the Pod. People have written here about how the Cube is capable of that tube holy grail, the "edge of breakup" sound. Well, it isn't. On the Blackface setting it can almost do a pastiche, but not a particularly convincing one. Again, nowhere near as good as the Pod or the GT-6 (which ain't particularly awesome in that department either).

In fact, I'd rate the distortions, on the whole, as unusable -- unusable by me, anyway. I actually thought the floor-model amp might be defective so I asked to try another one. It sounded the same.

For such a tiny amp -- it's really small -- it does produce a humungous amount of sound. The clean channel stays clean most of the way up, but the speaker (or something) starts to break up just before full volume. The amp isn't loud enough to keep up with a loud rock drummer, but is probably loud enough for a reasonably restrained and tasteful one.

I reckon the bigger Cube 60 must be the way to go if you intend to use the amp with a noisy band; unfortunately the shop was out of stock of 60s so I can't compare.

I do plan to go back to the shop armed with my GT-6 in the hope that a Cube's clean channel might do well as a basic amplifier for the GT-6 (one of whose standard output settings wants to see a JC-1

Not a clue. I've got various other bits of Roland stuff and it's never failed, so let's hope this one will live up to the corporate reputation.

No idea. Never needed Roland/Boss support, which goes to show how reliable the stuff tends to be.

Ok, time for the grand summation. My credentials: been playing rock, blues and pop for 25 years as an amateur, in and out of weekend-gigging bands. Have owned more gear of all kinds than I can remember. Like lots of us ageing chaps, I'm trying to carry less to gigs and practices, which is why I was looking at the Cube.

The Cube 30 is cheap. I suppose that enticing fact has coloured people's view of it. "Wow, look at all these sounds and functions for only $220!" And that's true.

Unfortunately, it also sounds cheap. Not quite as cheap as its cost, so in that sense it's good value. But I do hope beginners don't get the impression from the reviews here that the Cube is a miraculous device that renders tube amps (and better digital modellers for that matter) obsolete. Far from it.

What you get for your small outlay on the Cube is a nice-enough clean channel, some half-decent effects and some yucky distortions (with one or two almost-honourable exceptions, such as the Blackface and, oddly, the Rectifier, if you like that sort of thing).

I suppose the clean channel alone is worth the price. Jazz players, rejoice. Everyone else, buyer beware.

by now you already know

It sounds sweet and I love it. Here?s why. A.) You?re practicing at home and you have neighbors. The Cube is loud. Here?s where the output jack comes in handy. Run this thing through a decent home stereo (1/4 inch output to RCA input) with accurate speakers. It spreads out the sound more and gives you much more control over lower volume levels. It beats getting beamed by the main speaker from the Cube when you?re trying to jam at home ? I doubt you?ll mind the fact the main speaker switches off when you plug it in. Run a drum machine or whatever through the input jack of the Cube and you?ve got a sweet home practice rig. B.) It?s band practice time. Grab guitar. Grab Cube. You?re out the door with both in hand and your back isn?t about to snap. You?ve got your basic effects, amp modeling, and plenty of power right there in one hand. The Cube is tough ? don?t worry about him sliding around back there in your trunk. He?s just a little guy ? so when you?re rocking out ? do him a favor and set him on a chair so he can see everybody. You will be pleased. C.) You?re back home and want to record some stuff on your 4-track or whatever you have. Run this little guy directly into the recorder. There you go. Amp modeling?effects?a lot of basic but versatile stuff for laying down demos or ideas or whatever. And REMEMBER it only cost $225.

Solid, sturdy, made by Roland.

not yet needed

This is a great practice amp with Roland quality effects at the right price. I like the way it sounds and love its functionality - but if you?re looking for more ? look much deeper into your wallet and buy yourself a nice tube amp. There?s nothing better in between.

by now we all know the features....but is it too much to ask for a separate eq for the lead and a footswitch?!?!

i do love the closed cab design, it's compact size, the cord rounder in the back, and it's rugged look. the aux-in, recording out features are also nice...an excellent jam box.

most amps have a lot of wasted space and bulky size...roland did an excellent job of creating a compact cab where no space was wasted.

i don't care for modeling amps, however the roland cube 30 reminds me of the generic brands of cereal...taste like the real thing, smells like the real thing, resembles the real thing. by golly it must be.....wait a minute?!?

it takes on the most noticable qualities of the amps it models after, it did an exceptional job with the "jc clean" (jazz chorus), "black panel" (fender twin), and the "brit combo" (vox ac 30). these amp simulations have a nice jingle and sparkle to them with the abilty to get a touch dirty.

i really dislike the "tweed" (fender bassman) setting. i'm biased because i never cared for the real thing...so you can imagine i much i detest the modeled version. (just my opinion)

now onto the hi-gain amp simulations. the "classic stack" is their take on a marshall jmp, and it sounds fantastic, nice crunch, shimmering highs, and a nice fat midrange. the metal is a take on the "evh 5150"....now i am hard to please in this department because the there are somethings that a solid state amp just can't do....it doesn't respond the way tubes do...5150 is a very dynamic and responsive amp. now roland....they did their best with the compression and saturation aspect of that particular setting but as far as response....very hard to duplicate(they tried their best, and still is a great sounding distortion, especially for being a solid state). the "r-fier" mesa boogie....i never cared to much for rectifier amps...i like my mids scooped, but mehhhhh....it is functional and has it's place.

the effects channel is very nice, but be careful, it can overwhelm your lead channel amp simulators. the delay and reverb are nice as well. WE ALL WISH THE REVERB COULD BE DEEPER!!

for a 30 watt solid state, good luck finding a better sounding, affordable amp. this thing sounds very VERY good....i wish it had a separate eq for the lead channel GAHHHHH!!!, but oh well....job well done roland, a job well done!

the cab things to be constructed rather well...the closed back is a nice touch and the metal grill....well, it's more cosmetic than it is functional...but a very nice touch!!

because it is a modeling amp i worry about the reliability. but roland and boss both have been in the field for quite sometime, so i don't worry about the reliablity.

never have, never will....it's roland....which means a customer service rep, which means most likely, HORRIBLE support.

i've been playing for about 11 years and due to my living space(apartment)...it was pointless to have a tube amp that you couldn't turn past 2. i decided to get a smaller sized practice amp to better suit my current living arrangements.

i looked at the marshall avt series...however those proved to be overpriced and were lacking in features. the salesperson tried to push the crate combo amps on me....and crates are garbage. i stumbled across the roland cube 30 and fell in love with it.

i play a heavily customized 40th anniversary fender strat, coil tapped duncan 59 in the neck, wire tapped duncan distortion in the bridge, tbx controls and telecaster switching.

the roland cube 30 is an amp anyone can appreciate...it's well sized, suprisingly light, pumps out a VERY loud 30 watts. this amp sounds amazing...and not just for a 240 dollar amp, it sounds good in general. the effects channel is a nice touch, although hardly used....the reverb is decent for an amp in this class, and the clean...you'd be hardpressed to find a better clean tone in this class.

i wish it had a separate eq for the lead channel, however it's not so much a drawback considering the no-frills approach roland has to their amp design.

if you are looking for an affordable, well made, high quality sounding amp...do yourself a favor and check out this amp. if anything thing else...the amp is a blast to play!!

The amp is a 2005 model and the features are all described below.
The little thing has more than enough power for band practice and small gigs.
I must admit that I never showed any intrest in the Roland cubes, but as someone before me said, this must be a man thing.
Switch on the power plug in your guitar and the little bugger proofs that it is full of steroids.
The only thing I don't like is the footswitch that doesn't come standard is is way to expensive. I read somewhere that any switch wil do, so you can build them yourself.

Did I write a review a couple of weeks ago about my Marshall MG50 dfx wich I rated fairly good, after spending more time with that amp it just dawned on me that it was impossible to get the sound I wanted. It just kept sounding to hars.
So back to my music store where I told the guy that I would like to trade the Marshall in for A Line 6 Spider.
He advised me to take the cube 30 home with me for the weekend and give it a try.
It took me one hour to sort this thing out. The sound just blew me away. My strat sounded just the way it should sound (to me) and evrything was possible from warm Jazz to screaming metal.
Especcialy the Tweed, moddeled after the Fender Bassman is very much my cup of the. The slight crunch I like is veryu easily dialed in.
Looking at the price, this is the best sounding amp I ever heard.

No experience there but the cub shows no weak signs. The knobs and switches feel very solid.

Have not delt with Roland except through their website. Downloaded the manual but could not print it because it was protected. Silly thing to do.
The 10 I put here is for the support and advise of the guy in my local music store.

I've been playing for 30 years. I own a Tokai strat 1984 and A Epiphone les Paul Custom.
I compared the Cube with, of course, the Marshall MG50 DFX wich after all turned out to be very disapointing in the sound departement, the Line 6 spider, wich is still a great amp for the money, but sounds more "dull" in the lower gain settings compared to the Cube.
There's not much to hate about this amp and after all it is the sound that counts and that is love at first sight.

this is a 2005 model cube 30. i find it has the flexabilty to play all the music we currently play which is rock from the 70s to present.the features are covered pretty well in previous reveiws.it would be nice if roland would provide a single foot switch rather than the setup they recomend in the owners manual which is two switches and a special cable.i made my own foot switch using two momentary switches in a plastic box and a modifided stereo cable. it has plenty of output for the band situation i am in now, and i will be using it to gig with along with a cube 60.

i am using a standard strat. the amp does make a hissing noise that might be a problem for those using this amp to record with. it happens at the end of the notes. but i don't notice it when playing loud and live. i use the classic stack mode of the distortion channel with the volume and gain about 12 o'clock. i also find that this amp does it's best work in the band setting as apposed to playing alone in a room. i find that it has the stange ability to put alot of edge and attack on single notes and still have what i call a clear distortion when playing chords.

no problems during the past few months of abuse i have thrown at them

i am waiting for roland to make the owners manual available for the cube 60 on the web site as mine didn't come with one

i have been playing for 30 years and i traded all my other amps towards the purchase of these cubes. if my cube 30 was stolen i would immediatly replace it, but i will never let it out of my sight. i like the tone for such a small amp, the light weight, and the elimination of the need for stomp boxes for effects. i don't like the foot switch situation.[roland did such a good job on the rest of the package-a good foot switch should'nt be an option]