Roland GA-120 212 Combo

I have had this amp since 1988 and it was probally 8-10 years old when I got it. I have had mant chances to replace it and have always decided to keep it. The clean sounds and ability to overdrive make it perfect for the Stones type sound I alway shoot for with ny Tele.
I use very few effects so the features it lacks, such as effects loop and chorus have no bearing on my opinion.
"Does it have enough power for you?" Are they kidding? This has to be one of the loudest combos I have evr heard that can maintain a high volume without breaking up.

Using this amp with a touch of overdrive, reverb and chorus provides a great sound. Playing clean with a dose of the reverb and the bridge pick up gets a nice surf tone. I also like the way it sounds with the wah pedal, overdrive and the bright gain turned on.

This thing has fell off the back of trucks, had beers spilt on it, been knocked over by argueing drunks in overcrowded bars and suffered many first degree burns from cigs. I have never had any service done to it, EVER! The ripped grile cloth and burned viynl add to the look.

Never needed it.

An excellent value for a non-tubed throwback to other days.

There are no particular markings giving the manufacture date but from what I've been able to gather, this particular amp was built from 1979 to the very early 80's.

Same features as previously reviewed (compressor, EQ, over drive, reverb)
Dual input but 1 solid state channel @ 120w
Convenient 300w power jack in rear

I intentionally acquired the amp for a clean side to my stereo effects processor and I was pleased with the way it handled the effects (clean). I was very surprised how versatile the GA-120 was when my main amp (dirty side) went down and I ran the heavily distorted effects through. This amp has an incredible low end without bottoming out. I expected the amp to perform clean but it's rare to find an amp that will perform well both clean and dirty.

I haven't experienced the grounding or shielding issues mentioned by some of the previous reviewers and I have been using the amp with shared walls (apartments, dorms, condos, etc) for over 10 years now.

This amp is bullet proof and consequently extremely heavy. The magnets on the speakers are enormous and it's no exageration to say that they don't make them like they used to. The amp has never broken down or given me any trouble in the 10+ years I've owned it. All it's ever needed was the pots cleaned when they encountered enough dust.

Never had to contact them

I traded a Roland JC-120 and and some other miscellaneous gear for the GA-120 and I'm still glad I made the trade. I could be mistaken but I believe the GA-120 was the predecessor to the JC-120 and I find the EQ on the GA more useful than the chorus on the JC since I channel the effects anyway.

I would recommend buying one if you get the chance. They must be somewhat rare as I have never seen another aside from the one I own.

I checked a bit so I think the Amp is from 1979. I found a price of 995,- USD I think, so its not a cheap amp!!!!
Reverb, Distortion, 2 X EQ (graphic and regular) Compressor. For each of these there are own pedaloutputs!!!
I believe its a 120w amp. The old speakers where totally blown out, so I bought a Marshall G12 Celestion Heritage and G12 Celestion Vintage! Futures of the amp is exactly what I need!

I use different guitars, but I agree that the clean sound is very nice and the distortion fits perfekt for Hendrix kind of thing! I also use a AX1500G wich serve the GA120 with additional cool sounds!
Overall this amp, espesally with my custom celestion elements, is really good!!

Solid as a rock!!!!

Bought it used... i changed the elements myselves. Otherwise i use the local shop.

I just love this amp! I use it to play: heavy, blues, jazz, rock and so on, and the sound is incredible anyway!!
Does anybody know what its worth??? Maybe any other information??
Send me mail!

The amp has alot of features like the Built in EQ, line out, headphone jack, reverb and distortion for an older amp.... But the only one that matters is the built in eq and i don't even use that very often.

CLEAN WARM AND SMOOTH. I am playing an early eighties american strat and the amp chimes like a bell. I play in two bands, one a 50's and 60's rock band and a New rock band (lit, simple plan, big sugar etc) The amp responds well to distortion and other effects. But the reason i like the amp so much is the clean sound. You can really crank it up and not get a hint of distortion, just make sure to keep the main volume down and the master volume up. Maybe someday i will upgrade to a fender tube amp but it will be a sad day when i have to part with my roland. Oh and it can defiantly be noisy but i've had the pots replaced and cleaned as well as regrounding (i forget exactly what its called).

The amp has been bulletproof for the 5 years i have had it including a nose dive off a four foot stage. But last year the amp sounded like it had a blown speaker, further examination showed that only one speaker was working. I was switching the speakers between the two channels and both speakers worked fine, then both channels worked fine. I switched the speakers left to right and have never had a problem since.. VERY WEIRD!

There is a really great mom and pop amplifier repair place where i live (ellingsons organ service, Lethbridge Ab). I take it in broken and dirty, i pick it up working perfectly and all clean. So i've never had any problem with parts or having to contact roland for anything.

I was 16 and needed an amp for my first gig. My fast food job din't pay very well so i ended up in cheapest pawn shop in town looking for the biggest amp i could find for the money. I found the amp filthy dirty and crammed in a corner under a bunch of guitar cases. I payed $325 canadian (just over $200us) for it. I've always planned on upgrading and have test drove at least 3 various amps (peavey 5150, fender princeton and line 6 flextone) all to no avail. Not to say those amps were any better or worse they just didn't have that clean tone i was looking for. Whatever i find i will definatly be sad to see my ol' roland go.

I bought the GA120 R&P model cheap ,as an alternative to the vint. jc70 that was stolen. It has heaps of built in stuff (comp. dist. rev ect) but for the most I just use external effects and keep the cool clean tone of the amp. I'm told it early to mid 70's ,the r&p stands for roland & pioneer (the manufacturer of the speakers).Made in Japan
but not a common amp, not a common sound.

I have a Epiphone les paul standard gib pick ups and AX1000g Toneworks pedal board .Sounds cool just with the guitar plugged into the amp though. The noise is mostly linked to the hi gain input ,this is better used for keyboards .I run a Ensoniq mirage through the hi gain input for recording but the pickups are going to cause radio problems .The lo gain input has better tone and less noise ,(as long as some cowboy hasn't done some job on your input wiring

My roland is so crusty ,it's been dinged ,dropped ,pulled apart repaired, put back 2gether ,but it still works.

One time I was told that the price of the parts ,had to be converted from pounds to dollars aus. Hard to find some one who understands the wiring, but when you do easy to get things fixed

I'd rather have my old JC70 that thing was awsome .Good alternative to the JC series if your still after that full clean tone(ie jc 120 ,vox ,fender)

I belive is an early eighties model, Im not too sure. This is a very versatil amp! Sounds great with a distortion pedal and I really like the way you can shape the tone with the EQ.

I am playing usually with a 76 Tele with a Semour Duncan Hot Rails Pickup at the neck and I mainly play Pychobilly and Punk Music. It suits my style as my musical interests are very broad and I am often playing with many different sounding groups. Is it NOISY??! Yes, very noisy! I often pickup radio stations even after sheilding greatly. Once I even had someone I assume on shortwave ask, "Geeze, can't you ever stay in tune? I hear you evry night and you are always off key" That was very odd! Distortion is always as brutal as I need it.

I can depend on it as I have never not been able to turn it on? The amp has never broken and I am suprised to see it sat out of its box in the Oregon weather for 2, yes 2 years getting everything from rain to snow on it because my freind got a Marshall and never used it again. I finally got it a few months ago and except for cleaning a few leaves it has never needed anything( although I am planning on opening the pots and jacks and srubbing them)I would gig with it soley.

I have never attempted warranty work or having someone repair it( Im the only one that goes under my hood!

I have had it for a few months. I have a 67 Bassman Amp, A 72 Kustom amp, another early 70's Roland practice amp and A few acoustics of various makes.I would not replace it.Couldn't if I wanted to. I wish I had a Fender Tone Master Head and Half stack and I really wish I had a doghouse jazz bass, I guess just a fetish for Rockabilly?

Im just adding to my review of the GA-120. Throughout this year i have added to my effects board. I am now running a Boss NS-2>Vox wah>Boss BF-2>Boss DS-1 (these in the effects loop of the NS-2) then to an electro harmonix deluxe memory man. When all these are added to the amp it cant really handle it. I took the amp up to my local music shop (the owner i am good friends with) and he told me that the wierd sounds it was making was from the amp. He said the electronics were pretty old hat and were not shielded up to todays standards. This is a problem as the noise it makes is horrible. I am not going to bother getting the electronics re-earthed and so am now looking for a new amp. This is a bitch cos i dont have n e money. Keep this in mind if you are going to buy the amp. If you are juz running it by itself or with 1 or 2 effects it is sweet, but once u start looping n stuff it dont like it.

I bought this amp for $495 Aus. and it was a real bargain. It was second hand, circa 1980 i think, im not quite sure. I play in a rock/alternative band and this amp is perfect for this style. It has a beautiful clean tone, and with my Boss DS-1 the distortion sound is really awesome. It basically only has the one channel, but there is footswitch-able overdrive, reverb and EQ on/off. I really like the EQ, u can fine tune ur sound till it is perfect! There is an extension cab output and a headphone jack and line in/out. I think that for a vintage amp it has alot of good features, but it would be good if it had some built in chorus, like the JC-120. This amp has a max output of 120 watts, so it is easily loud enough for the gigging i do. If it isnt, running it through the PA doesnt hurt the sound at all, if not making it better by increasing the bass. It is a solid state amp and does have a bit of hum, but overall its one of the best amps (for this style and price) i have had the pleasure of playing through in a very long time!

My guitar is a 1976 Gibson Les Paul Jnr. Special with P-90 pickups. The amp is awesome for my haevy rock alternative style that my band plays. The amp can pull out some awesome sounds in the distortion, as there is an EQ built in. I have the highs really high and the Lows really low (funny about that) and the sounds are sweet. In the clean u can manage too get jazz sounds and with a bit of chorus there is a beautiful sound. Sometimes if cranked really hard, the clean can get distorted if the volume (there is a volume and a master) is up. But as long as this doesnt go above about 4 it is fine. With my DS1 the distortion is really awesome.

I can easily depend on this amp and can use it at a gig without a back up. It is very strong, it fell out the back of my car and was fine, if not better!!!

I cant find anything at all about this amp on internet. It was bought second hand so if there was any repairs it wouldnt have been under warranty. If anyone has any information on this amp would u be able to email it to me at groundfloor4211@hotmail.com

I have been playing guitar for about 3 years, and I am doing grade 6 this year. I own a gibson les paul, a DS-1 pedal, and a cheap strat type guitar. If it were stolen i would want to replace it but i dont think id find one. I love the tone and the EQ and the look, and i hate the fact that the overdrive increases the volume sooo much. As i said i would love to have some inbuilt chorus, but it cant be. I think this is an awesome amp and if you see one, BUY IT!!!!