Roland GC-408

This is a very unusual amp. It is shape like a slanted half stack and contains 4x8 speakers. I bought this amp in 1998 and it was made the same year. It cost CAN$ 495+ tax. One channel with high and low inputs, effects loop, channel switching, solid state with tube emulation and power attenuator ( 50% and 80% reduction). I love this feature ! ONE BUMMER ! NO SWITCHES INCLUDED for channel switching, reverb and gain boost. You must buy THREE Roland swithes if you want all the flexibility. Quite an expense. They should at least include one to go from clean to dirty. Also there is an odd button called bass cut. I found it usefull to get a tighter solo sound (brit circa 68-69) but you have to activate the thing with your fingers: it is not switchable. I play guitar since 1966 and used to play in bands from 70-78. We played Cream, Hendrix, Uriah Heep, Tull, etc. as well as some top 40 material. Stop playing for a couple of years in the 80's but missed it a lot. Played mostly at home but part of a quartet since Feb. 98. Therefore I use this amp. at home (great with power attenuator: love the classic early marshall style at low volume) and in small club- coffee houses venues. Can be very loud. I give it a 7 because of this crazy swithching setup.

Used to own a Marshall 50 watts with 8x10" bottom (70-78). Over the years I used peavy's, small Fenders and Marshalls mostly with Teles strats and SGs. I must admit that at low volume, this is the best sounding amp I have ever Used. With my SG, I can get a Cream (Crossroads) Type of sound that must be heard to be beleived ! If you want an excellent amp for low to mid volume , thi is it. The present band includes 2 guitars (myself mostly on a ricky 360 and another guitarist who uses a strat with a 2x12 fender chorus-2x65 whats), a bass - lead singer and a woman percussionnist-singer. We play 60,s material (Beatles, Byrds, Turtles, Dylan, Donovan) and this amp is just great ! The clean is wonderfull with the ricky ( think a cheaper 60 watts Jazz Chorus. The Fender does not come close. By the way, Roger McGuinn uses JC120 which gave me the idea of acquiring this thing. I love this amp with the ricky with a very clean sound. I also use an Xp100, XP200 and XP300 (digitech) on some of our psychedelic numbers and the sound is great. I plan to get the extra 4X8 for the look as it would go well with our image, material, etc. We are not a loud band but have 4 patrs vocals.

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Great sounding amp for specific tasks. Not recommanded for anything above hardrock. I am giving it an 8 (especially because of the switches. Would be nice if covers were available. Remember ! I live in CAnada were it snows, rains.