Roland Cube-60 112 Combo

This amp has a wide variety of basic canned (and mostly useless) dsp effects, two channels. It has a bunch of tone models.

As some other reviewers have said, the clean channel is great (its supposed to be the famed jazz chorus circuit so figures). But the amp models are severely lacking and consist of a single crappy tone at varying different degrees of input gain. The distortion is mechanical and lifeless and siphons the highs right off anything you play into it. I use a fulltone OCD pedal (of increasing fame) and can get a much more responsive tone out of this by playing channel 1. The delay effect is mildly useable but all of the effects offer only a single tweak making it impossible to get that perfect sound.

It would deserve a better rating if it diddn't pretend to have all these models.

If you like to play soft and clean, get this amp.

It's a tough little bugger and heavy, but I haven't abused it so no comment.

fender american standard fat strat with custom emg 18v 81/s/s pi2/ spc.
esp ltd ex-50 with ahb2-b blackout in the bridge, emg exp, pa2.

various boutique pedals.

2008 Roland Cube 60
Very versatile, especially the clean JC channel and the Clean models.
2 cheannels, separate output for tuner, or another amp
wish you could disable the internal speaker
used for home recording and possibly for gigs

I use this guitar for many styles, rockabilly, alternative rock, surf, 50s-60's. It does a very good job at all of these styles. I like boomy extension cabinets and to get that sound you will need an extension cabinet. It has the classic "mid pushed" 12" sound, but the "mostly sealed" back helps with the low end. The amp is quiet even run through a pedal board. This amp shines on the JC clean channel and the Black Face and Tweed models on the lead channel. I wish it had separate eqs for the channels though. That would make life a lot easier. The clean channel stays clean even at high volumes. I have A/B'd the clean channels vs my Fender Blues Deluxe and although the warmth of the tube isnt exactly there, it is the closest model to a tube amp I've heard. The distortion is good as long as the volume is kept below 11:00. After the I feel the speaker "flurbs" out.

Roland has the history of being a high quality company. I have not owned the amp long enough to say but based on other reviews I'm sure it will be fine for many years as most Solid State amps are. They are known to be very reliable and consistant.

Not needed yet.

I have been playing for roughly 6 years. I own different amps. Fender Blues Deluxe, Roland Cube 60, Kustom KMA35DFX, Vox AD15Vt practice. The Roland is by far the most versatile. Better models than the Vox, less transparent than the Kustom and it is feature rich. I love the clean channels, I like the line out option and the external cab option. This amp shines with single coil pickups and needs some tweaking if your guitar has Hot humbuckers...I wish you could disable the internal speaker when using a cab. I wouldn't mind getting another one in the future!

Mine is a 2004 model I think.
It is a very versatile amp, can go from clean to blues distortion to rectifier in 2 seconds.

It has two channels, one clean channel and a lead channel. Lead channel has 8 different modes. The effects include reverb & delay which are decent. I'm not too happy about the tremolo, but I guess that's due to me otherwise being spoilt with spring-tremolos in my other amps. I don't use chorus/flanger/flanger so I won't comment on them.

Also, this amp does not take pedals very well, it keeps the same tone character whatever pedal you put on it pretty much. Using a pedal won't add any new sounds to this amp from what I've experienced.

For the price I paid for the amp, I can't complain.

This amp is plenty loud.

I play about 70% blues, 25% 60s/70s classic rock. Alvin Lee & Ten Years After, SRV, Michael Bloomfield, Fleetwood Mac, The Allman Brothers, Taj Mahal. This amp generally fails at making the sound I want.

I play a Strat plus deluxe and Les Paul Standard. The clean channel and the acoustic simulator is where this amp is at it's best. The clean channel is where this amp really shines, nothing short of superb. Though it has something in it that says "not tube".

The acoustic simulator sounds very well, perhaps especially when playing chords using the bridge & middle pickup simultaneously.

The drive is where this amp falls short. It has the same cheap sound to it whatever you dial in. I don't know how to explain it, but if you compare it to any tube amp you'll get what I mean. Then again, considering the price and how good the clean channel is, it's ok.

10 for the clean, 9 for acoustic, 4/5 for the drive channel.

It's always been very solid, always been working, but I have treated it very good and never gigged with it. It seems to be built for a nuclear war and I'm sure you could knock it with a hammer without making a dent in the front cover (which is mad out of metal by the way).

Only complaint I have, is that the inputs and outputs is partly made of plastic which isn't very solid. I broke it once and repaired it myself.

Never dealt with them. No special warranty as far as I know

Overall, this is a lot of amp for the price you pay, and I rated it accordingly. If this cost three times more, I'd give it a 3.

For someone starting out that do not want to spend a fortune on an amp this is a very good option. For metal it's OK. Though when you've played a bit you will probably feel this amp is not sounding as well as you'd like it to and purchase a more expensive tube amp such as peavey classic or blues junior, unless you play metal those can perhaps be better alternatives for a starter.

Very well known amp so I won??t comment again what everybody knows.
Please read previous comments for this info.
As it offers enough for the bucks, I give it a 8.

I have this amp for three years now and I tried the following guitars with it:
an Eagle from The Heritage, a Gibson 335, an Ibanez GB15, a Gibson 125t, a Godin Multiac Jazz, a Parker PM20 pro, an Epiphone Les Paul, a Yamaha pacifica, a Godin Multiac Steel, among others.
I only liked its sound with the 335 and with the Epi.
Maybe it is especially well suited for 57 classics PUs.
Hotter magnetics like the Godin mini-humbucker don??t sound very well with this amp.
However, the creamy bluesy sound you can easily (and cheaply)get from it makes it a vey good value for the bucks.
Choose the COSM channel, select Tweed, don??t open drive, rise volume at comfortable spot,turn down to 9 o??clock treble and bass, leave medium at 12 o??clock, add a gentle touch of reverb and chorus, and you??ve got a very nice sound for fusion jazz.

No problem at all at this time

dunno

I am 52, I began to learn music when I was 7, and to play guitar when I was 10. I??ve had a lot of gear, some was average, some definitively bad and some (the less) very good.
Actually, this one is only a good value if sound quality doesn??t matter that much, or if you have a guitar equipped with 57 classics. All others will lack in some deficiency, with a cheap, undefined, hollow sound. (At least, to my taste, indeed)
At the present, its only use is when a friend of mine who has a 335 come to play with me and use it. This way, he carries only his guitar and can leave his own amp at home.

The cube 60 has 2 channels, JC clean and overdrive. A great selection of amp models, headphone jack, footswitch inputs on the back, and is built like a tank.

The sound this little amp produces is amazing. The JC clean channel is nothing less than superb and the gain channel is all the overdrive you'll ever need. The different amp models can give you any sound you are looking for. The Mesa rectifier setting is the best overdrive setting I've ever played through on a small amp. I tried out quite a few amps in this price range and the cube 60 killed them all hands down!!!!!

I've only had it a week and it seems to be a rugged and dependable little amp.

Have not had to contact Roland.

I've been playing almost 30 years and for the money this has got to be the best practice amp on the market. This thing kicks the Marshall MG series and the Vox modeling amps in the ass. There is no tap delay settings to mess with. It's an easy to use no ******** amp. If it were stolen I would not hesitate to buy another one. It's the best grab and go amp out there. I play a gibson 61 reissue sg through it and the combo will melt your brain!!!!!

Bought the amp new this year because my new tube amp puked after limited use. I won't give the make. Needed reliability. Fortunate to play with a former Grammy winner and also one of the country's best guitarists and CANNOT afford failures. Excellent reproduction from the direct out. Clear, clean, even "warm", for a SS amp. I expect the mystery speaker might be helping there. Powerful. Excellent models. Unfortunately, cannot switch between models. No efx loop, but that can be overcome. Chorus is not variable enough, comes on too strong. Exf management not versitle. But a small price to pay for the overall amp, especially considering the cost. Could afford lots of amps, but this one (having heard it used by other players I respect in the business) was a clear choice. Nothing here that can't be overcome, but odd for anything Roland to miss these "so obvious" needs. Would suggest anyone use a Weber (or other) beam blocker on this or practically any amp.

Excellent. Modeling is great, excellent clarity, clean, unusual warmth for a SS amp. With your favorite pedals, there is practically no sound you can't get. The gain is very nice. I run it straight up (1/2) and it seems to be very managable, allowing for playing technique and pick-up quality to make a difference in the sound. Very important for control, from my point of view. More than enough power for anyone. PRS, Schecter Classic C-1 (poor man's PRS w/Seymour Duncans), Parker (Taylor acoustic, but not played thru this amp). Playing origional, some covers, etc. Rock of the old (but not southern) style. Very powerful and direct.

I have always loved Roland gear. Used many various pieces on my solo CDs, and continue to count on Roland in the studio. Most guys I know use the expression "It's Roland. You can drop it off the back of the truck and then plug it in and it's OK." Not that I want to try....

Never much need to call on any of my Roland gear. The times I did, got bad info only once, and continue to believe strongly in Roland support and their products.

I have played for over 30 years, own tons of gear for my studio and playing out, and won't try to list it all here. If lost or stolen, would immediately buy another. It's not the ONLY amp anyone would need for EVERY application, but don't want to be without it. Love the sound, the weight, the dependability, the gain, the direct out quality, the modeling, the dependability, the look, the power, did I mention the dependability? I compared the amp to about everything available, and made a point of listening to and talking with other players whose opinion I respect. Listed some of it's faults in "features". Still surprised Roland didn't cover these things. This is professional grade gear for working, professional adults.

I got this amp about a week ago and was mainly sold on the Mesa Rectifier sound and the Dyna Amp. The amp covers a lot of ground from chiming clean to mega saturation. I play pop rock, rock and hard rock and it has no problem covering that territory.

Most of the features have been covered by other reviewers. The reason for a 7 on features is because of the lack of an effects loop, common EQ shared by both channels and lack of control over the lead models; it would be nice if they were foot switchable. As it stands now, you can switch from clean to lead with a foot switch but not, for example from Dyna Amp to R-Fier when using the lead channel. I bought it solely for studio work so the lack of model switching is not a major problem for me but could be if used live.

The amp covers a lot of tone ground. It is very loud; more power than I typically need. The clean channel remains clean at very loud volume. The distortion is the main reason I bought it. The models have been crafted very well and the amp runs almost completely quiet no matter what gain setting is used. I'm pretty sure they have some kind of gate on it.

As with any solid state or modeling amp, at least the many I have played, the tone is a bit on the harsh side. Although the models are very nice, I have to give it an eight for the harshness.

The plus for me is that I use the recording/headphone output and run it into my 120W tube head then through a Marshall 2x12 with the back removed. I have never been happy with the distortion tone from my tube head and the marriage between the Cube 60 and my tube head is perfect. Sound quality is a 10 with the two amps running together. The nice thing about this amp is that it sounds good enough on it's own for small gigs; just not quite there for recording without some help.

I've only had the amp for a week but it is built like a tank. Very solid construction and all of the knobs are smooth.

If I was a gigging musician, I'd feel very comfortable using this amp without a backup.

I have never dealt with Roland directly but have used there website. When I bought the amp it didn't have a manual. I wasn't able to find the manual through the rolandus.com website but found it on the roland.com site. Kind of weird.

I have been playing for about 25 years my set up includes a JMF H120T 60/120W tube head, Marshall 2x12 with Celestion G12T-75s, Line6 Delay modeler, MXR Phase 90, Voodoo Lab Microvibe and Analog Chorus, Tube Screamer TS9DX, ProCo Rat, Yamaha AES620, Ibanez RX 352, Taylor 315ce, Edenhaus custom.

It's hard to say if I would replace it with another Cube 60. The tone I am getting now is awesome and can be quickly dialed in. But, I've had my eye on a Mesa Dual Recto for some time and would probably take that next step.

The price on this amp is excellent and overall the amp is very nice, especially in conjuntion with my tube amp. I wasn't planning on even considering a SS amp or modeling amp but after explaining to the guitar tech what I was looking for, he suggested giving the Cube a try. I was demoing a Peavey Valve King at the time and was disappointed in the gain channel. The Cube can belt out some great tones.

The addition of separate EQ for each channel, an effects loop and a way to switch the lead channel model from a foot switch would make this a better amp.

You know all the features. I just want to mention about:

Closed back cabinet - makes this amp sounding more boxy than all Jazz Chorus amps I have (JC-50, JC-77, JC-80), but it also makes it very loud for 60W. Not my cup of tea but may work fine for hard rock stuff.

It has everything you really need - the only useless thing is Direct Recording that sounds crappy (hisses a bit) compared to Roland Micro Amp.
The best feature is size and weight.
I like reverb and delay but other effects are not really usefull.

If you think it's clean can sound like Jazz Chorus you probbably have newer played one.
It's good for a jazz stuff but my AER alpha souns way better (and it's 6,5kg!)
Roland Cube 60 sounds to cold and digital compared to both AER and JC Rolands I have - all solid states.
For alternative rock I prefer my JC-77 with two 10" speakers. This amplifier responses to your pick better and has warmer more natural sound (almost tube like - you can not say it about Cube 60)
Cube 60 is much better soulution for hard rock to metal stuff (more punch). Cube is also more versatile working horse.

It's a Roland!

No need to repair, just asked them about an age of my JC apms and got prompt replay.

Sounds not as good as my JC choruses and you can not really compare it to my Fender 65' Deluxe Reverb (or any tube amp).

But if you want a new amp this is the best workhorse you can get for the money, nothing more - just very practice to rehersal to backup amp.

Much better amp than all those voxes valvetronix considering their poor reliability.

Mine is made in China I think.
I'm sure you know all the features already.

Good: Amp modeling is awesome. Very responsive to picking dynamics. Almost like tube. Acoustic simulator one of the best that I came across. Super loud. Loads of outputs.

Bad: Can't switch between amp models, only between channels. (Clean & amp models). Effects level are too high and too aggressive. Reverb does't sound sweet enough

After using it for quite some time, the overall tone of this amp seems a little 'boxy' compared to my Fender Champion 30. The clean channel is quite decent but not shimmery. However, the EQ and Contour helps somewhat.

Like I mentioned, the amp modelings are really cool. I like the Brit combo which was suppose to emulate a Vox AC30. Very nice sound, I use this a lot in my church choir as well as other small gigs. I put the gain to almost middle, and control the volume. It really respond to your picking strength and dynamics. I love it!

I use my one and only Fender Strat, Mexican made. It seems to like this amp. Can't wait to try a humbucker into this baby.

Is it noisy? Only when you want to! This thing is freakin' loud! It even matches with our church 100 watts Peavey Bandit.

Only been using this like less than two months.

Sturdy, protection all over and one look you know this amp was meant to be hauled over, shoved in and out of the car boot or your truck bin. This thing should last you like a lifetime.

No comment. I'm sure they are up to the expectation. Hey it's Roland!

I have been saving some moolah to get a bigger amp for gigs and practice. Was considering very seriously for VOX AD50VT. (Maybe next round?)

I have been using small practice amps like PARK 10 watts, IBANEZ Tone Blaster 15 Watts. Tone Blaster was traded together with my ZOOM 505II for a Fender Champion 30 Watts, Solid State. I love that amp. However it's not loud enough for some practice sessions not to mention gigs. This new love of mine will cut through any sound settings or volume settings of the band and the surroundings.

I like the Acoustic Guitar simulator. Too bad I can't switch between amp models or else this would have been superb!

Overall, I feel I have had a good buy. A very satisfied owner indeed.

I bought this through an individual seller. I git it at a much better price compared to buying fro a store.

Bought the cube 60 amp after hearing a friends cube 30. Read up on spec and took a chance. Feature packed, powerful, portable. I was impressed.

This amp was to serve 2 purposes. Home practice and gigging. I have to say I was disappointed with the sound. The set up was fiddly and I initially blamed myself for not adjusting the controls correctly.
I have owned many amps vox,marshall,orange, so I wasn't particularly a novice, but I found the soung muddy and felt I couldn't find a clean compromise and lose the 'dodgy' effects altogether. Using it at home on lower volumes resulted in 'wind, cymbal, shushing noises which were very distracting.

Had a few musician friends check it out and we all agreed it was a faulty one. I couldn't believe how efficient Roland were. It was collected and returned to the service depot and I enclosed a letter explaining the problem. I have since recieved communication stating that the amp is working perfectly and there never was a problem.
So comparing it to my friends cube 30 and my neighbours Fender modelling amp it really dosn't cut the mustard, so I have to accept that it is just not right for me but maybe others might love it. I think I may sell it and buy a marshall, always loved the tone they produce.

As I explained the service dept were really efficient. The internet store where I purchased it were not so helpful. Would recommend buying locally, you can always hump it back to the store.
The warranty on this item is three years.

I have been playing in bands for forty years and used all sorts of equipment.
If the cube 60 were stolen it would probably make my day.
As I explained I chose this item as I was after power and trasportability.
Did consider the Peavey valve king and the 50 watt marshall stack but the cube seemed a better option.
I woold like to be able to convert this amp into a bog stadard no frills lead guitar amp at the flick of a switch (this has a 'clean' setting but in reality the modelling seems to cross over) so it dosn't operate as advertised.

This is the newer version of the amp made in the last couple of years. It's a loud 60 watt solid state amp. It's light and portable and can be hooked up to an extension cab (max 8ohm).
No Effects loop - poor omission but there is a line out/headphone. Apparently you'd use this to daisy chain another Cube 60.
Effects - are usable but only on very low settings as they're slightly over-cooked. The sharing of the delay and reverb is a great shame as I like to use both.
Essentially, it has 2 channels. The first is the clean channel and the only amp model available is the Roland JC. The bright switch adds flexibility to this. The second channel features several amp types which include acoustic, Black Panel (Fender), Tweed (Bassman), a Vox, Marshall, Peavey 5150, a Rectifier model and the Dyna Amp which responds to the sensitivity of your picking or volume knob to go from clean to dirty.
This is a great amp but I would've loved to have seen the following improvements to turn it into a superb amp and would not have minded paying more for this. Seeing as Roland have now introduced newer versions (X Range) of the smaller wattage amps, perhaps we'll see some of this much-mentioned improvements in a new model:-
Effects loop
Inclusion of a 3-way switch (nothing included and the amp is redundant for live use without them). I use piano sustain or unlatch pedals. They're cheap and work well and you don't need the Boss ones, which are good but expensive. The Behringer equivalents which may tempt some do not seem to have good reviews on Harmony in terms of reliability but I have other Behringer items and they have proved reliable and good. Just make sure that whatever you buy are the UNLATCHED ONES as other pedals will require 2 depressions to change channels etc and many people here have fallen foul of that. Switching is instant.
Models available - all the models available on 2 identical channels so that you could have a choice of clean and dirty amps or different versions of the same amp. I like to the JC model very much but I wish I could pick another clean amp like the Black Panel and still use the Metal Model (5150 amp) and that way get the best of both Worlds. Of course, I can't as they're on a shared channel.
I play in a function band, so I require a certain degree of versatility and use the amp effects with some Boss pedals. It works well and I've heard a Boss ME-50 plugged into the amp as well and that works very well.

I look to emulate certain signature sounds with an amp and a standard pedals like a wah, compressor, delay and chorus & they are as a jazz lead sound (G.Benson), a good crisp Fender Deluxe-type clean, a funk sound (aka nile Rodgers), Andy Summers chorus/delay sound, Bryan Adams crunch (think "it's only love), ACDC crunch/Marshall rhythm and a big articulate AOR lead sound like Steve Lukather or Neal Schon. This amp does all this with just the aid of an outboard compressor pedal. Ok, I can't get them all at the same time and some of the combinations I like, but it's all there and at useable stage volume.
I have actually used the Acoustic model with success and it works well on a strat but also on my Taylor acoustic (it's more of a piezo sound) but once again useable.
The cleans are great on this amp and I underdstand alot of funk and jazz players use them. The lead/distortion sounds are big and I found that they do respond to guitar volume changes very well. There is a slight degree of digital clipping when you wind the volume down but it doesn't interfere with my sound. I only have the gain at 1/2 way and that's enough.
I use the amp with a PRS Custom 24, a customised Fender strat and Taylor acoustic. They all work well but the biggest surprise is the humbucker-loaded PRS. It likes this amp enormously, almost stratifying it on the clean channels.
Noise levels are minimal and the sheer volume on tap here for it's weight and size (32lbs) is incredible. I do connect it to a Mesa Boogie 1X12 Celestion-loaded Vintage 30 cab) and it takes on a rounder, fuller more mature quality and it's louder. However, I do like the speaker in the Cube although I do not know what it is and I understand that Roland were careful to "marry this up" with the power amp thus creating more volume closer to the 60 watt rating (not something alot of solid state amps can do).

I've had plenty of Roland/Boss gear for ovcer 20 years and it's the best. I currently own various compact pedals, a portable digital recorder the amazing 2 watt Micro-Cube. The latter has been well used over the last couple of years without any problems.
As a back up, I normall take a Behringer V-Amp2 along and/or some pedals and a DI box/speaker simulator.

Roland UK are incredible and I'm surprised to read that the same level of service and courtesy isn't seen all over the World, in particular in the US. I receive quarterley magazines, e-mail updates and have had all my questions answered fully and succinctly either on the FAQS site or by phone and by a professional.
Their 3-5yr warranties are also superb and I wish other manufacturers would offer more than the standard year!
I've also encountered Roland reps in music stores who've been superb to deal with and have influenced my decision to buy their products.

I've been playing for over 25 years and have been through all sorts of amps, both expensive and cheap and rack systems. The Cube to me is really what I've been looking for. Yes, I do hear individual sounds from amps that are better like the clean from a Fender Deluxe Reverb or a Rivera but try getting all that under one hood and in this size package for the incredible price of ??150 ($300).
I overlooked this amp a couple of years ago because of the restrictiveness of the pedals and sharing of amp models (see above for improvements) and bought a popular American amp which was more versatile in a live situation. However, sound-wise it failed to deliver and I sold it and went with my initial instinct. Lesson learnt - USE YOUR EARS!
If Roland take on the common improvements that are all over these reviews, it would be a monster product.
The following link may help answer some questions for users:-
http://www.roland.com/products/en/_support/faq.cfm?ln=en&prd=CUBE-60&dsp=0&iCncd=479

the best amp ever light and moveable. easy to use but you need footswithes to changes your fave sound effects.

its crystal clear compare to to those bigger amps. thanks to roland they made such a beautiful amp. i have no problem with this amp. EXCELLENT AND VERSATILE .

FOR SURE U CAN DEPEND ON IT big or small band its worth having one of these.

As noted in other reviews, good for clean sound channel and some of the rock tones are good (VOX, 5150 are good, Mesa is ok, acoustic emulation good if gain is pulled back a bit). Reverb is good, and chorus effect can be useful. Don't use others like phaser, flanger, tremelo, echo). Dyna-touch mode seems like useless novelty.

Unlike prior review, the 12" speaker is not Celestion, I pulled mine (logo'd Roland China, with light magnet) and put in a Celestion Vintage in place. Some mounting mods required ... smoother tone and much more bottom end for extra 100 bucks.

Wide variety of sounds for any style, very loud although effects decrease punch through. Use it with both Fender and Gibson ... higher gain modes are bad with Gibson but excellent with Fender.
Gibson is best with VOX emulation mode, nice tone and resolution.
A compressor pedal adds extra gain/sustain when needed (not included). Not noisy at all, in fact even the line out to PA and ext spkr cab are silent.

Very solid construction. I am guessing it will last forever under normal use.2 years without problem or glitch.

No idea, although owner manual could be more comprehensive.

Played for 25 years, various guitars and vintage -- have used this amp for practice and gigs of all sizes, useful as monitor and hook up to PA via DI box from the line out makes it totally versatile. Loud enough for almost anything. Only thing I had to do is replace the speaker with a Celestion but that was a personal choice. The stock Roland spkr is ok but a bit harsher and thinner than the Celestion Vintage replacement I put in (although it is quite a bit heavier now to carry!).

I just have to knock the features rating on this amp. If you read the reviews below, even though they are mainly favorable, many list features they wish the amp had, or features they wish were implemented differently, but nonetheless give a fairly high rating in the features category. I don't think that having more features should necessarily warrant a high "features" rating--implementation of features is very important, too. The "features" of this amp can be quite limiting and frustrating. Since a rating of 1=Very limited, I'll give it a 2 (quite limited in my opinion). A couple of thoughts:

"IT DOES NOT HAVE CHANNEL SWITCHING". It is essentially a single channel amp. What?? Of course it has channel switching!! Well... to my way of thinking, it looks like this: WE AT ROLANDCORP. U.S. HAVE DECIDED FOR YOU. YOUR CLEAN CHANNEL WILL BE A MODEL OF OUR JC-120 AMP. THE ONLY CORRECT CHOICE FOR CLEAN ELECTRIC GUITAR SOUND IN MUSIC. Now doesn't that sound ridiculous? This is one of the most absurd, stupid design decisions I have ever seen Roland make. In many of these reviews, users mentioned preferring a CHOICE for the first channel. Perhaps the amp, as designed, should be marketed as "A portable 112 combo version of our JC-120, with the addition of a second modeling channel". At least Roland wouldn't APPEAR so arrogant...

Other "features" previous reviewers have noted: No Effects Loop. To use all footswitchable features, you need 3 cables running from your footswitches. Footswitches not included. You can choose Delay OR Reverb, but not both (not uncommon on amps like this, but it's inclusion would make for a better feature set). Make sure you weigh the features you desire against what it offers.

I'm confident all the previous reviews are sincere, and should give the reader a good assessment of this amps desirability and value. Thanks to all who took the time to write reviews! I may go ahead and buy one of these amps for myself (used--Roland doesn't deserve the sale of a new unit to this ornery customer), but to me as well as some of the previous reviewers, it will likely be used as a basic single channel amp, probably with pedals in front.

See below for many thoughtful reviews

After years of useless, uninformative websites, Roland is finally getting its act together. Haven't had dealings with the people at Roland...

It really is a pretty nice little amp--but with an extremely frustrating, illogical implementation of features.

2006 model, bought it new in Brisbane, Australia. Immediately got rid of my Peavey JSX combo, as after the Roland I could not stand the weight, noise and poor power/weight ratio of the Peavey. I have no idea whether Satriani actually plays this JSX, but I am sure that if he does, then his noise gates are the best of the best. Roland kills. My other amp is a Carvin SX200, which is a bit better than the JSX, but still had to repair it a couple of times whiole new. The Cube could do with some more channel versatility, but then it is simplified for a purpose. It is loud, clean and I get by most gigs up to 500 seaters. For larger venues I run a stereo setup with the Cube and the SX200.

Sound really great. I play mostly classic rock and contemporary stuff in the Pink vein, but have tried it a few times in the downtuned growling-howling sort of "Disturbed" mode - did not let me down. Also sounds great with my Ibanez Tolman accoustic, surprisingly. My guitars are Ibanez, Westone and Fender, all equipped with either DiMarzio or Seymore Duncans, and all sound good on the Cube. The noise is much less than any american amp i have owned, and to be honest - never again will I buy anything else but Made in Japan, when it comes to electronics or cars!

Not yet sure, but I am blasting the hell out of it and still smiles back at me!

I have dealt with Roland - Boss most of my life - always satisfactory!

Guys, buy Japanese electronics, unless you want to look sheepish on stage when your Fender, Marshall, Mesa or other overpriced crap fails! Low cost too, and better design! I would certainly stick to Roland, and probably get rid of the Carvin for a JC or something.....

I preface this review with the fact that I've owned Line 6, and Vox modeling amps prior to purchasing the Cube 60.

As one reviewer said...just the right combination of features and simplicity. I gig with this amp, and I don't have time to read the manual in the middle of a song. It's very straight forward to make adjustments with it. Now..having said that...there are a few suggestions I have. First of all...Roland should include a footswitch with this amp. If you want to take advantage of all the switchable features, you'd have to buy three seperate foot switches...that's not cool Roland! In some aspects, the amp's too simple. One or two patch bays would be great. If Roland couldn't include any patch bays, then seperate tone and effects controls for the dirty channels would be just fine. I would pay more for that.

I love the size of the amp and it's not too heavy. It seems to be constructed well. I love the different output options (line level, headphones, tuner).

I first heard this amp over a year ago in a music store...I couldn't believe the sound quality. I went through a Line 6 Spider II, and a Vox AD50VT before finally purchasing this amp. A music store salesman, who's opinion I highly regard, told me he owned one of these amps and he raved about it. That was enough for me. The Vox was put on eBay and I purchased the Cube 60. I'm not let down by any means. My other working amp is a Fender Hot Rod Deville. I also build tube amps. I'm really impressed with the sound of the Cube 60. So much so, that I've been leaving the Fender at home on gigs. The Black Panel and Tweed models are outstanding. The distortion models are awesome too. It's not quite as loud (on clean)as my Deville, but has more than enough volume for any of my applications (I play in a 9 piece band!).

I have no opinion on reliability yet, as I've owned it a month or so. Seems well constructed though.

No opinion here, but I like Rolands website. Getting to manuals for download is easy.

Overall rating a 9. Would like a different arrangement in the channel switching or a patch bay or two. Other than that...it looks to be a keeper!

This amp has a lot of features, but unlike some modeling amps, they're not overwhelming. It is exactly the right combination of versatility and simplicity for my needs, which are oriented toward diverse classic rock covers. I love the fact that there's only one knob for each effect (no need to twiddle two or three parameters), and no menus to scroll through.

As others have mentioned, the one significant shortcoming is the lack of an effects loop. However, the built-in effects cover most of the obvious bases.

I'm not going to review all the models; others have done that well enough. They do cover what I need more than any other single amp I've gigged with.

This is my main reason for posting today: To anyone who says, "This thing is built like a tank; I would gig without a backup", think twice. Mine crapped out on me without warning right in the middle of a practice session. Turns out the power amp IC blew. It's a $20 item but cost another $70 labor to troubleshoot and replace. That's not excessive as far as cost goes, but my point is that these amps CAN fail, and I'm damned glad I wasn't gigging without a backup at the time.

Before I turned the amp over to a qualified service person, I had the idea that I might try to troubleshoot it myself. So I ordered the "service notes" from Roland. What I got was a parts list and a schematic, and it turns out that it wasn't for my amp but rather for ANOTHER solid state "Cube 60" that they manufactured in like 1982 (no modeling capability, of course). I called them about the error and they sent me the correct copy, which still didn't turn out to be useful to me personally, but no matter. Overall, my dealings with Roland were satisfactory.

I've been playing electric guitar since I began teaching myself in 1990; I've been gigging with a "weekend warrior" classic rock cover band for about five years. I play a modded Strat (humbucker on the bridge for one), and my main amps until now have been a Fender Deluxe Reverb Reissue and a Gibson Goldtone GA-15RV, both 1x12 combos.

One thing I really like about the Roland Cube-60 is the very low weight to power ratio. It's the easiest amp to carry around and yet it gets pretty loud (recall, however, that 60W on a solid state amp are more like 30W on a tube amp .. not sure why). I would probably replace it if lost or stolen, because of that exceptional sonic versatility in a surprisingly simple, convenient package. I just hope it doesn't blow again, as that would really dampen my enthusiasm for this model.

60 Watt modeling amplifier 1 x 12 made in China. I play mostly classic rock, 80's rock, etc. There are 9 amp models and 6 built-in effects. This amp is very versatile. You can get a sound for just about any style of music from this amp. It is a very loud amplifier, loud enough for gigging, practice, etc. It sounds great at bedroom volumes as well. I wish there was a footswitch included for channel switching. I am going to buy one. I am not going to go into too many details since the other reviewers have done it already. There are enough inputs and outputs to do anything you want to do.

My main amp is a Mesa triple rectifier half stack. I use a 1993 PRS Custom 24, a 1987 ESP Mirage, and a USA Fender Sambora signature Strat. I have been playing for 22 years and have owned many amps, both tube (5150, double rec, triple rec,tremoverb, mark4, jcm800, jcm900, DC3, ETC.) and solid state (peavey, marshall, etc.). I am not going to get into the whole tube vs. SS argument because they both have their purpose and I just want to talk about this Roland. This amp flat-out rocks. I can get great sounding cleans, to extreme gain, and everything in between. The amp models are great. In fact, at lower volumes, this amp sounds better than my $3,000.00 Boogie set-up. The two I use the most are JC clean and metal (5150 model). I use a little bit of the built in reverb or delay to fatten things up. I am SUPER picky about my tone. In fact, I am a real freak about it. For this kind of amp, I think the cubes are the best. I had the 30 watt version of this amp previously. It was also a great amp and perfect for home jam sessions. I compared these to the vox ad30vt, ad50vt, and the new line-6 spider 3 75 watt combo. The roland's are built like a tank and don't feel as cheaply made as the competitors. Also, according to the reviews here, the vox seems to have some reliability issues. I just think the cube sounded the best and seems to be the most reliable. Roland has an excellent reputation. The other's had more effects editing capabilities and so forth, but reliability and tone are more important to me. I don't care what is the most popular, I care about what sounds the best and what will last.

I had the cube 30 for a year without any issues. It sounded great and worked flawlessly. I upgraded to this one for the extra power. I will use this for small shows instead of bringing the big rig everywhere. This thing kills when miked-up for recording or through a PA system.Built like a brick outhouse. Never gig without a back-up, no matter what amp you have. You will regret it at some point.

I called once to ask some general questions and they were very nice.

I have been playing 22 years and if this were lost or stolen I would buy it again. I feel it smokes the competition. These can be scored pretty cheap because they are not the "sexy" amp right now. Show the cash and your local retailer will probably be happy to give you a deal. I have seen them priced all over the net and in stores at $345.00 which is a fair deal for what this amp has to offer. I got a brand new one in the box for $269.00. There is nothing that can touch this amp at that price. Or actually at the $345.00 for that matter. If you can compare this to the others and judge them based soley on the tone, I think many would choose the Roland Cube 60.

BTW*****
this is an update on a previous review of this product.

Its been nearly a year since ive had this amp. Still good, still diggin the sound.

This is a 60 watt solid state modelling amp. It's got 9 amp moddels all together. I dont really like to count to the acoustic as a moddel but, eh.

i really just wish the delay was separate from the reverb.
cuz there are times where i like to use delay and verb at the same time, but cant with this amp. if the delay was controlled with the FX knob that'd be cool. people keep wishing for an onboard tunner, but i really dont mind just using a patch cable and resting my tunner on top of the amp and pluging into the tunner output. thats a really good feature. the sound comes out clean always, which is good for tunning.

Heres a list of thing that'd make this amp alot better:
.a single footswitchable boost for the OD channel.
.the delay on a separate controll than the reverb
.a fx loop would be cool, but if you had the boost and the separate delay, i wouldnt see any need for any fx that'd have to be put into the preamp.
.a storage of 3 presets.
.a tripple footswitch

the features are good, but it seems like they kinda just wanted to tease you. each good feature has at least one downset.

With this i am using my main guitar, a Fender JAP Antigua Strat with a SD lil 59 in the bridge, soon to be a JB in the bridge.

i like to treat this amp as if it were a tube amp. i use one distortion moddel, the same amount of verb always, no effects, and use a delay and an OD pedal with this, plus my wah.

as for clean, i like lowering my neck pup on my strat way way down, making it very quiet, and giving me an almost clean sound. and switch to that position while playing live. I dont like using a completely clean tone, exept for a clean jazz song, or when recording clean guitar. live, a tad bit of gain on a clean sound works well.

The distortion moddels all sound pretty good, very realistic. I allways use the Classic stack moddel. I think this is supposed to moddel a marshall plexi. The Blackface, brit combo, and metal models are good too. For certain types of music different moddels work better.

I can get a really good beatles tone using the brit combo. thats what it's supposed to moddel i gues. and the blackface with alot of gain sounds pretty good too. when i want alot of gain i use the metal model, not live just when i feel like shredding. live i use a digitech bad monkey for a gain boost. as most have said, boost pedals dont really do much with this amp. but i still use it. the boost pedals do alot more if you use less gain. as i do. with the classic stack model i use about half gain, sometimes more, sometimes less.

really i think good pickups are an important tone factor when playing this amp.

its really tuff. its dropped out of a friends car. still fine. id certainly gig without a backup. ive gigged with this thing a couple dozen times. Plus tons of band peactice. When using this thing live, put it on a chair or stool. or buy an amp stand. you really get more volume from smaller amps if you elevate them so the speaker isint pointing at the ground, and you loose half your volume.

its good. its no flextone. so its not so easy to use live on its own. i play alot of old rock (zep, allman bros, jeff beck, clapton, srv), sometimes i like to crank the gain and play some harder rock. Im also heavy into blues. Jazz as well. The band im starting will be sortof funkjazzbluesrock-ish. this is a very versitile amp. id way sudgest getting it. the absoulte best amp for under 500 bucks with all these features. just do as i said, and treat it as a tube amp. buy a good OD, a delay, and a wah, and you're set.

In theory this amp seemed perfect for me - I had to order it because I couldn't find it in stock. I wanted to get a light SS amp that was punchy, warm and verstile. I was dissapointed. The cabinet, although closed backed, was not large enough to get some resonant warmth out of it. Although the JC clean sounded OK, I really wanted to be able to use the black panel at low gain for a sweet clean tone - this was not possible due to the digital clip present even at low gain - a nasty clip sound really. The best gain to my ears was the stack with the metal and rectifier modes being too fizzy. The tweed was also dissapointing especially when driven - very ugly sounding distortion. I wasn't looking for a tube sound out of this amp. I almost traded my Crate XT-65R for this - glad I didn't. I think the Crate, though less expensive, has much better tones and feel than this amp. To be fair, the Crate doesn't have chorus, delay or flange which sounded OK on this amp. So in conclusion - a barely adequate clean and unusable distortions to my ears. I don't own any tube amps because I generally like SS for my type of playing and rely on pedals for my OD sounds. I also own Evans and Ultrasound amps. Keep at it Roland - I KNOW you can do better than this - I really liked the Blues Cube series - now discontinued (why???). Maybe you need to lose the COSM or at least up the bit rate to get rid of the jagged distortion sounds. Analog wouldn't be a bad option....

Bought new in '05. Gives about 9 amp models to play with. On one side of the amp you have the clean Roland sound. On the other side, there are 8 amp models. Reverb and delay share a knob, and chorus, flange, phase and tremelo share a knob. The EQ knobs and effects are shared by both sides. No footswitches or built in tuner, but I could care less. It's loaded with features. Totally closed back cabinet. Kind of "industrial" looking and Roland should consider packaging this amp in a warmer, more vintage look.

I love the sound and versatility of this amp. I have been playing electric guitar for 30 years and have owned some excellent guitars amd amps over the years. I am particularily fond of the Classic and Blackface models for serious work, although other models are usable too. The Cube 60 works well for small venues and I've used it miked at outdoor gigs with good results. It works well for recording too; clean tones come through very well with the 'direct out' option, but I would recommend cranking it and miking it for loud crunch or distorted leads. I prefer to select a specific model such as Classic, and use a pedal for more drive, chorus, etc., thus, don't care that this thing lacks channel switching or presets. It sounds very natural on clean settings, and when drive is added, it crunches up nicely with a tube-like sound. No transistor gritty fuzzy overdrive here that gives solid state amps a bad name - just a smooth and fluid drive. Works best with humbuckers and P-90's, or single coil neck pickups. It sounds a litte shrill and unnatural with single coil bridge pickups on my strat and tele except on very clean settings. My number one gripe with this amp is that the effects (chorus, flange, phase, tremelo) are way to "in your face" even at their lowest settings, therefore I find them unusable. If you want just a touch of chorus from this amp....... forget it. It's a very quiet amp and must have a built in noise gate.

So far so good after one year on fairly demanding use.

Don't know.

This amp sounds huge, loud and natural if played right, and can definitely fool the ears of tube guys like me. I have seen in other reviews that this amp is very popular with experienced players who have played professionally and owned many fine amps. That speaks volumes for the Cube 60. Sure, it's a fun and capable practice amp, but it also works well for live work and recording. I'll never give up my old Fender and Boogie amps in favor of the Cube 60, but I'm open-minded enough to say that solid state amps can sound killer too.

Effect, ODs, Clean, Delay, Reverb

LOVE IT ! had the amp for 3 years, still amazed how good it sounds.
WHAT WOULD I DO TO IMPROVE THE AMP ?

1. The effects are too much at low settings. Change the range....
2. Be able to save 5 presets.
3. A foot switch to change to different ODs.
4. Built in Tuner

I think its the sold state amp ever designed. For small venues (20), its good enough in volume. For a practice amp, you can't beat it.

NO PROBLEM

DON'T KNOW

LOVE IT ! I have many expensive tube amps that I never play. i play the ROLAND. Its just a FUN FUN amp to play.

This amp has many usable sounds and features. In order of importance, here is what I find lacking and could use some improvement. (I hope Roland is listening)
1) There are not enough control for the built-in effects. There is no way to control the amount of the effect and I find that the amount that Roland has selected for you is way too much. This will be subjective for and different for each user. Please add an "level" control for the effect in addition to the parameter. Make this 2 knobs instead of 1.
2) A build in tuner would eliminate an extra thing to carry along. I suspect this is coming since Roland has recently introduced a Cube 15x and 30x amps that have this feature.
3)A 3way footswitch instead of 3 single footswitches.
4) The ability to store presets would make this amp a total winner. (This feature may be a stretch for such a small amp).

I love the small compact size and the light weight. Do not change this.


If Roland adds 1 and 2, I will trade up right away.

Surprisingly good for a small amp. Much more powerful than I expected. I use a Godin Acs Nylon String and I am amazed at how good the guitar sounds through this amp. I am replacing a Fender Prosonic and not looking back.

2006 Roland Cube 60 watt transister with built in effects.
Wish it had an effects loop! Just Purchased it very happy with the flexibility of this amp. It is five Amps in one. This Amp is Very Loud, I think 60W is a conservative rating, Am playing this Amp through a 4x12 Quadbox - it is louder than my 50W Valve Combo! The Effects are all I will need. Had to buy footswitches (Bummer) worst than that need three cables going back to the amp from the pedals.

I love the sound of this Amp. Clean Channel is Rich And Full with sparkling top end, never tried a JC120 before but I can see why now people love that clean sound. Terrific headroom up loud, havent found this amp's limit yet, the clean channel very slightly dirtied so giving a warm tube like tone. Love the COSM dirty sounds, You can get a some very tube like tones - this is a tube killer amp, unlike alot of Transister Amps it does sound as good as it does Loud & Live as it does in the shop. Through my Quadbox the sound is huge, Really if you think its loud on its own try a Quady! thought it might blow it up but Roland recommends it. My band plays a lot of ACDC & general rock type stuff and this amp cuts it. Great Stevie Ray Sounds As well. Reacts to Different Guitars Like A good Amp Should.

Have one Huge Gripe that no seems to have mentioned before, I cannot find a boost pedal that boosts the volume on the dirty channel for Solos. Tried lots of preamp & EQ Pedals - all they do is make the sound distorted. It seems to load up the input like its high impedance or compressed. An effects loop would solve this - stupid Roland! Anyone got an answer please let me know!

Thought I would need two for reliablity & Power - I was wrong.

Not Much in Australia

Have been playing for 27 Years this my first Transister Amp. Its the first amp to convert me over. Allways loved combos - great for small gigs, need to be louder plug into ext speaker. This is more Tube like than my last Amp, would love to have Randall RM100C Combo but too Expensive.

Had the amp for about 19 months. Bought 2 of them. Lots of features...already covered. This review is based on my personal tastes..... Let your own ears and fingers decide. I play evrything. Blues with one band. Chick music (Sara Evans, Sara Mclachlin, Etheridge etc) in another band. Hendrixy SRV stuff in another as well as rearranged classics kicked up for a 3 piece power trio.

This amp models many amplifiers. For me, the jc120, blackface, acoustic, and their marshall clone is all I use. I am not a heavy distortion user, however, the other amp models do produce a very good replica of some of the boogies and early marshalls. I have a corral of vintage tube amps and was able to tweak this amplifier very close and in some cases what I would call exact sound copy. These amps are: fender deluxe reverb, fender deluxe reverb II, fender super champ, fender pro reverb, fender pro junior, fender bassman. I have some boogies, traynor, crate vc and Z but I only tried to match my fender stuff. The guitar "Feels" decent but not quite like the real McCoy. It is definitely usable though. It has a built in noise gate of some sort that quiets things down once the guitar output drops below a certain point. I would suggest turning your guitar volume knob down between songs when using the gainier amps. For guitars right now I am using Strats. Ranging from 1965 to AM Dlx Anniversay models. Stock pickups, new S1 type pickups and REAL handwound Bill Lawrence pickups...from the old guy in PA, not the crap from the CA company that won the lawsuit. It works for me.

Does it handle pedals? Some. Ofcourse it will handle any of the time-based stuff okay but who knows about the gain and overdrive pedals. I only tried it with what I use gigging which is the Prosound Communications Xotic AC and RC booster. It works with them acceptably, especially on the blackface setting. Keep in mind that those pedals will make ANY amp sound better IMO.

I have very nice gear, others have great gear. You sit there in a room and tweak an amp and you get it to sound incredible. You have these expensive amps and they sound great. Then you go to a gig with a lousy sound guy or you play a room where you can't turn up the amp.... so what good are they. They're wonderful for your own enjoyment or you can brag about them to another musician.

The only people that really hear the "awesome" tone are usually you and maybe a few musicians that show up at a gig to see your stuff. The average person in the audience couldn't tell if you were using a gorilla practice amp or dumble.

Uh oh..... I went of the path somewhere... no actually I was at GC on my lunch break and just was amazed at the BS a sales guy was selling a mom looking for a rig for her kid to start playing..... sorry.

I have two. I gig with it. Rehearse with it. No problems. Sometimes I use it in conjuction with a Fender tube amp with my Morley A/B/Y switch. The only issue I have with the roland amps is that the female jacks are crap. If you put any presure on them, the plastic nut cracks. It doesn't cause a faulty connection, but the jack forever gets loose. Everyone is moving to these dirt cheap female 1/4 inch jacks...it's so sad. BTW, it stays in my trunk and gets knocked around a lot!

Roland, for me, pretty much makes a good product but I have had issues with them in the past.... had to deal with an arrogant phone rep trying to order a keyboard manual...... they used to charge for their manuals rather than let you download them... I think they have finally reached the present day and are letting you get documents for free. How nice. Other than that, like it has been said before, their stuff is solid (cept for the jacks). It will out last me I'm sure.

Been playing for 40 years. I have mostly old Fender tube amps, boogies, Z, Roland micro cube. I usually use a Deluxe or Pro Jr or this amp. It's solid! It's Roland. Flat out, this works and if anyone complains about it, they're a snob or they have never gigged in the real world. I gig with this thing when I feel like to prove a point to the snobs that show up at some of my gigs. I try every modeling thingy that comes out. Soundwise a lot of the modeling gear works but they just don't make the guitar "FEEL" like the real thing. If you grew up on tubes, you know what I mean. Many of the newer players that never had tubes have no problem with the solid state and digital stuff. I wish that was the case for me.

It won't get stolen or lost. I wouldn't replace it. I have another one so I would try something different. I don't love anything about it. I really like it and it serves me well. If you have ever played a Z, that is an amp to love. The cube 60 works with my fingers. If you know how to play, you can use any amp and make it work for you. I hate the jacks. I know a number of guys with the same background I have musically and they have started using the roland cube amps. These are old school fender guys also. I have gigged with the Roland microcube with an sm57 on it and direct to board also. Believe it or not, I like the microcube the most. I also like the cube 30 version more than the cube 60. That's just me.