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The best Roland Guitars reviews

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Roland Jazz Chorus JC-77

poy974's review
2x35-watt solid-state amp with standard connections UTILIZATION It's very easy to use! You only need to read what the controls say! lol! SOUNDS The clean sound is perfect, it's almost like listening to an acoustic! lol! It's a standard! It's easy to start playing clean and forget about the distortion! The distortion isn't the best! You can't change it much with the EQ, but it's nevertheless a nice distortion. Jazzmen will certainly rejoice playing it. Personally, I play rock and to play with distortion you only need a pedal! It's way more powerful than I expected, it's surprising! The mark I gave it is for the amp as a whole, but the clean sound deserves a 10! OVERALL OPINION I've had it for six months and I want to buy a Vox ad50vt, but I really like it for its power and clean sound... It's old, but it's loud! It's an awesome deal!

by poy974 6 6/4/06
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Roland Cube 60 Chorus Vintage

« An excellent clean sound solid-state amp »
I use this amp with my pop rock cover band Easy to transport in spite of its weight which is important compared with its size. The sound volume is sufficient to rehearse with a drummer, likely to be unsifficient for live performances but it has an 8-ohm output for an additional cab as well as a preamp out for use with a mixer (I have not tried it). Its clean sound very round and soft, not aggressive at all even with trebles cranked up, and that’s the amp’s main asset. The 12” speaker certainly has a role in it too. Overdriven sound is OK and mostly affects the low and mid-low frequencies, not so much on trebles. I use it as a mid boost essentially on song choruses that need slightly more punch. Putting an OD box in front of it and works very well (I tried it with a BB prem amp or a Box of Rock, you get more punch and harmonics just like with my all-tube ENGL). Spring reverb is efficient with a rather trebly tone (no tone correction is possible for the reverb). Beware, if you move your amp while still on and hit it, the reverb will get heard – which is quite normal, by the way! 3-band EQ is usable all along. Chorus effect is efficient and musical-sounding, but no settings are included – it’s either ON of OFF ! Additional output : reverb + chorus. I guess you can get this out to an external mixer for separate EQ/mixing from the preamp out (haven’t tried it though). Note: with a homemade controller (on off switches), the reverb, chorus and overdrive can be foot-controlled.

by matowar 5 7/31/16
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Roland M-Cube-RX

« nice practice amp! »
This is basically the same amp as the regular cube but with a few missing and added features. Extremely familiar tone wise but just different ways of achieving that tone. Roland MICRO CUBE RX Compact Guitar Amplifier Features Stereo power amplifiers and four newly developed 4" speakers Eight COSM amps, six digital effects, and chromatic tuner built in Rhythm Guide function for practical rhythm training Stereo aux input for CD/MP3 players, Phones/Recording out Battery driven (6 x AA, maximum 13-hour continuous use) AC adaptor included Compact enclosure with carrying strap UTILIZATION Details Type Solid State Number of Channels 1 Power 5W Speakers 4 x 4" Effects Reverb EQ Tone Amp Modeling Number of Models 8 Preamp Tubes No Tubes Power Tubes No Tubes Inputs 1 x Instrument 1 x Aux (1/4"), 1 x Aux (1/8") Outputs 1 x Rec Out/Headphones (1/4") Footswitch I/O No Effects Loop Height 11.97" Width 11.65" Depth 8.15" Weight 14.11 lbs. SOUNDS What I really love about this amplifier is the ability to plug in your ipod, Mp3 player, or cd player to jam along with your favorite songs. This makes practicing at home so much more fun because it then teaches you to play in time with your favorite bands. I like playing this amp with a Fender Strat or a Charvel guitar. Since the majority of this amp is based off of high gain channels I like to get a lower to medium bodied wood like ash or alder to gt that sizzling grind that is so familiar with 80's metal rock. Another cool thing is how good the effects processor is in this amp. The flanger and delays sound superb. They mix quite well with the metal distortions and extreme distortion. OVERALL OPINION One thing that I absolutely love about this this amp is the recording output. This enables you to go direct with headphones or run straight into a sound mixer. At new these units come in at around $260 which is a steal of a price. I would recommend this amp to anyone who needs a solid practice amp and doesn't want to break the budget. The ability to have a tuber and all the effects you want to go along wit a clean and dirty channel makes it an all in one amp.

by iamqman 4 6/1/11
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Roland GC-405

Audiofanzine FR's review
(Originally written by SlapKid/translated from Audiofanzine FR) Interesting concept with two 4 x 5" cabinets. The big sound reminds me of a 4 x 12" cabinet with strong low-mids and a high output power. The illusion is perfect: rock sound with dynamics. It's the mini version of the 408 which is not conceived for apartment use. Serial FX loop, phones output, footswitch for channel selection. Very easy to use. It has Roland's rock sound written all over it, including the back panel: made in R.O.K.! UTILIZATION How do you get a bad sound? Not with this amp... The Tube Logic circuitry is more than a tube simulation, it's the emulation of a rectifier tube whose typical compression is well reproduced. My Roland Blues 60 (3 x 10") has the same circuitry and the sound is great. The modern digital Cube models produce the same type of sound. SOUNDS The response is quite linear except with high output levels, when it turns warm and very dynamic. At first sight, the shared EQ doesn't seem very effective on the distortion channel but you'll change your mind as soon as you turn up the volume. The current Cube 20x has this same particularity. The clean sound is quite fresh and accurate, and the crunch is progressive. Given that I need a clean sound, I only use the second channel for distortion sounds. And it does a very good job at that. The gain setting is progressive (much better than a Marshall whose distortion goes from nothing to extreme between 0.5 and 1). OVERALL OPINION I bought it this year secondhand, it was in a very good shape. The only weak point is a strong AC hum noise (but it's even worse with my brand new Ibanez TBX15R and my previous Marshall MG15). Interesting amp concept with a high-class sound. The current digital Cube series comes quite close to it. I can fully understand Roland's decision to replace the GC405 and 408, as well as other Bluescube with these small black boxes you currently see everywhere... It's only a matter of speaker configuration.

by Audiofanzine FR 4 12/6/08
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Roland Jazz Chorus JC-55

« Huge sound from a lightweight! »
Jazz Chorus series with the JC-77 and JC-120. Manufactured from 1987 to 1994 Features: 2 X 25 watts 2 x 8" (8-ohm) speakers, ROLAND Heavy Duty Transducer Inputs: High/Low jack Controls: distortion/Volume/Treble/Middle/Bass/Reverb Effects: distortion, reverb, chorus 1 x 3-way "chorus" switch manual/off/fixed 2 chorus controls (rate, depth) Connections on the rear Footswitches with FS1/FS2 option Chorus, Reverb and Distortion 2 line outs: effect/mixed (recording / console / other amps / monitoring ...) Weight: 26.4 lbs Dimensions: 20" x 15.7" x 8.2". UTILIZATION Classic configuration. You can easily find the manual online to make yourself an idea. I only regret that the controls on the front panel are placed vertically and if you put the amp too high up, you'll have a hard time dialing in without groping. SOUNDS I use it with and without a Digitech RP 1000 + Fender Stratocaster signature SRV guitar. Music: rock/blues OVERALL OPINION I only got it recently, but I'm very happy with my purchase. Clean sounds are awesome (especially for blues), the amp distortion is average, but pushing it you can get pretty decent results, contrary to what others have written. It's also very good with the effects pedal because the amp doesn't alter the sound of the pre-modeled amps, which is what I was looking for.

by Geoffrey Smartpunk 4 5/16/13
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Roland Cube Lite

« Best Practice Amp Ever »
The Roland Cube Lite is a small 10 watt stereo practice amp designed to fit almost anywhere. It is made to look like a home stereo speaker to compliment your living room. The connections and knobs are all hidden near the back of the amp so that you can put this on a bookshelf or entertainment system without anyone noticing that you have a guitar amp sitting there. The casing is plastic and there is a soft mesh screen over the speakers. Everything on the amp itself is well-built and comfortable. The knobs are nice and weighted and allow you to control Drive, Volume, Bass, Treble, Chorus, and Reverb. The power source is a "wall wart" of sorts. It takes up a bit of space but gets the job done. UTILIZATION In use, the Cube Lite is a dream. The knobs feel wonderful in your hands when you turn them. This is something that impressed me about the amp because most small practice amps have weak and loose knobs. These feel like you are dialing in a sound on a professional amp or analog synthesizer! There is one 1/4 inch input for your guitar, a special 1/8 inch input for an iPod, and an 1/8 inch output for headphones. The iPod connection is interesting because it allows your amp to communicate (to an extent, it sends and receives a stereo and microphone signal)with an app called "Roland Cube Jam." With this you can slow down audio files and play them back through your amp to help you learn. It also allows you to use the speaker for normal audio playback on your portable music device. The cable for this connection is included with the Cube Lite, though mine broke after some moderate abuse. SOUNDS I use mine with a Godin Multiac guitar and the results are fantastic. The amp is equipped with 3 COSM (Composite object sound modelling) modes that you can cycle through at the click of a button. Which you are using is indicated by a led light above the button. These modes are JC Clean, Crunch, and Extreme. These sound much like the name implies. Clean, Crunch, and Heavy Distortion. They are all super impressive considering the tiny amp. They sound so good I have used them in many recordings in favor of my more expensive guitar rigs. You CAN'T get a better sound from another practice amp, I promise. The sound is perhaps the greatest feature. The loudness perception offered by this amp is equally impressive. As long as you aren't playing with a drummer or guitarist with a half-stack amp, you should have no problems hearing yourself. It's more than enough for practice in your living room. OVERALL OPINION This is a perfect practice amp. You get a fantastic sound for the price. I purchased it for use in music lessons I teach in a small studio and it never made it to a lesson- I loved it so much I kept it at home. I do wish there was a better way to output the sound to my audio interface such as 1/4 inch stereo outputs, but Roland never marketed it to do this so I can't really complain. The unit is small, light, and powerful. If something happened to mine I would replace it with another Cube Lite right away.

by aswilliams 2 7/25/14
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Roland Cube-30

« Cube 30 Great Practice Amp »
Solid state 30 watt with input, footswitch, headphone and output jack. UTILIZATION Suits my personal needs just fine. The manual is English and good to go. SOUNDS I use this amp with Flying Vs--Ibanez VBT 700, Schenker, and a couple of Gibsons. I play thrash, melodic death, speed and technical styled metal. The tone of this amp is pretty close to the larger amps I play live. I purchased the Cube 30 for its size and tone. I put a pedal board in front of the Cube 30 to duplicate my stage tone. It does this very well. OVERALL OPINION Precision and sound quality are on point. Works well for technical playing. I don't use any of the various models or effects. I prefer my own floor effects to get as close to the amps I use when playing large gigs. Currently gig with Krank, Marshall or JSX heads through Marshall 4x12 slants. The Cube 30 supplements my tone when practicing quietly at home. Occasionally use the rectifier model but I mostly leave it set to metal. The amp is great for intense practice of technique i.e., sweeps, lead work, harmonics, tapping and power chords. Amp has a beefy enough sound, works well with my floor effects, and maintains killer tone at low volumes without excessive power draw experienced with larger amp heads at home. Would buy again based on simplicity and tone. I tried smaller Marshalls, Voxes etc. but the tone wasn't consistant. The Cube is the closest to my personal tone without the need for constant dialing in.

by ace111 2 7/23/13
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Roland Jazz Chorus JC-120

nickname009's review
* Legendary “clean” amp with two separate 60 watt RMS power amps (to allow for true stereo chorus) * Classic silver-cone speakers for vintage Roland Jazz Chorus sound * Two input channels (Normal/Effect) * Three-band EQ per channel * One high and one low input per channel * Reverb, distortion, adjustable vibrato and true stereo chorus * Stereo effects loop This is a clean solidstate amp with 2 channels, one of which you can add distortion to that's onboard. * Footswitch jacks control chorus, reverb, distortion UTILIZATION Quite simple, all the controls are clearly labelled, and considering its a clean amp, there isn't much to tweak most of the time compared to distortion. The chorus is one of the most amazing sounds I've ever heard. True stereo chorus within one amp is hard to come by and this amp has become legendary for that reason alone. The vibrato effect is also quite cool as well. It's very easy to get a good sounding clean with this amp, even with all the EQ knobs at noon, it sounds great! SOUNDS The jazz chorus is known for great cleans. It has been around for at least 30 years for being known as such and has been used by almost everybody at one point in time. I of course, used it for strictly cleans for my good ol' numetal phase and metallica phase when I was totally into Wes Borland's clean sounds as well as Hetfield's live clean tones. I couldn't believe the sound I was hearing, it was an electric guitar with these very high quality woody sounding, almost acoustic-esque cleans. It almost always dazzled me, the clean sound from this amp along with the very thick and shimmery chorus was always the clean sound I'd imagine a clean sound to be! There is one thing that lacks of course, and that is the distortion. It is nearly impossible to get any good distortion sounds from the onboard distortion it purely there as an afterthought, to add a bit of clipping and slight dirt at most and almost never sounds good. You would need a distortion pedal, and even then you would need to find the RIGHT distortion pedal as the speakers in the jazz chorus are especially made for that awesome clean tone and not distortion. So most pedals plugged in would sound really harsh, sterile and super fizzy. I have once plugged in my tube preamp morr-tone pedal through it and was somehow able to get a very usable sound. I was pleasantly surprised at the abilities of this pedal, the fact that I can plug it into such an amp and still get a very smooth and usable distortion is GREAT! OVERALL OPINION Overall, legendary for cleans and very nice chorus. Of course the chorus is adjustable on the amp but not for live purposes. But this amp is well known for a reason, that is providing great clean tones! Yes it is warm, but it is bright as well and has an almost acoustic-like character which some players may define as sterile and tinny. Though I find this amp to be quite usable, clean and bright and the acoustic quality is definitely a bonus!! The JC120 is also VERY loud with more than enough headroom anybody will EVER need. You won't need to hook this up to another cab. Trust me.

by nickname009 2 8/23/11
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Roland Cube-20XL

« Great amp modeler »
Between the Peavey Vypyr and the Roland Cube series these are my favorite amp modeler amps on the market. As far as clean tones from a solid state amp modeling amp there isn't another contented with the Cube series. With there JC clean tone modeled after the highly sought after Roland Jazz Chorus this amp is great. Then with the ability to go direct into a mixer or recording device this amp pacts quite a punch. Roland CUBE-20XL 20-watt Combo Amplifier Features: * 20 watts * 8" high-performance speaker * 2 channels: independent JC Clean and Lead * Solo boost function * 6 lead types, including Metal Zone and Extreme * 9 effects, includeing Heavy Octave and COSM vintage spring reverb * Convenient audible tuner * Power Squeezer for full gain at low volume * Aux In jack to connect portable music players UTILIZATION Details Type Solid State Number of Channels 2 Power 20W Speakers 1 x 8" Effects Yes Reverb Yes EQ Bass, Middle, Treble Amp Modeling Yes Number of Models 6 Number of Tubes 0 Preamp Tubes No Tubes Power Tubes No Tubes Inputs 1 x Instrument, 1 x Aux (1/8") Outputs 1 x Record Out/Headphones (1/4") Footswitch I/O Yes No Effects Loop Height 15.16" Width 15.16" Depth 9.45" Weight 19.84 lbs. SOUNDS The clean tone from this amp is worth the price alone. If you need a solid clean for recording then I would pick this up for that reason alone. But the amp doesn't stop there. It has 6 more distortion and acoustic sounds to go along with it. I personally love the tone from the Extreme model. It is very heavy and metal based with a screamer midrange for solid lead lines. The flanger is another well built sound too. Stick this in with a nice lead tone and you get some great metal or 80's tones. Couple it with a mild chorus and your get a solid beefy 80's rock tone. OVERALL OPINION This is one of the best if not the best amp modeling amps out in the market. At new these amps come in at around $160 which is an amazing price for what this amp can do. The distortion tone is amazing and the clean tone is just flat out amazing. I will be using the clean tone on my next recording for sure. The ability to go direct into a mixer is just easy and simple. I highly recommend this to anyone who is on a budget and needs a solid recording amp or practicing amp. It goes silent too with the headphone hookup. Just great!

by iamqman 2 4/25/11
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Roland Cube-80XL

« Not Bad »
This amp produces some nice and very usable tones. The cleans are just out of this world good. Arguably the best clean amp that has ever been produced in the Roland Jazz Chorus. This amp has been sued the world over. One big user was James Hetfield from Metallica. All of his clean tones came from that amp during recording sessions. So in this amp they have modeled the clean after that highly sought after tone. Wow does this thing produce some fantastic cleans. It is almost worth owning this amp just for that application. Roland CUBE-80XL 80-watt Combo Amplifier Features: * 80 watts * 12" high-performance speaker * 3 footswitchable channels, including JC Clean, Lead, and Solo, with memory capability * 11 COSM amp models, including Extreme amp * 8 effects, including Heavy Octave and COSM vintage spring reverb * 80-second Phrase Looper * 3-band EQ, presence control * Aux In jack * Built-in tuner * Hands-free channel switching via footswitch (sold separately) UTILIZATION Details Type Solid State Number of Channels 2 Power 40W Speakers 1 x 10" Effects Yes Reverb Yes EQ Bass, Middle, Treble Amp Modeling Yes Number of Models 11 Number of Tubes 0 Preamp Tubes No Tubes Power Tubes No Tubes Inputs 1 x Instrument, 1 x Aux (1/8") Outputs 1 x Speaker, 1 x Line (1/4"), 1 x Record Out/Headphones (1/4") Footswitch I/O Yes Effects Loop Yes Height 17.32" Width 17.32" Depth 10.43" Weight 35.27 lbs. SOUNDS The clean is probably the most impressive tone from this amp. Since it is based off of the best clean channel amp in history. However, the dirty channel and the solo channel are excellent plu you have the 11 amp model to choose from. This amp produces some good lead distortion for soling and chugging rhythm tones. I like this amp will a Les Paul or other humbucking style guitar. The clean is so good that it makes a bulky Les Paul tone seem chimey like a Fender Tele. OVERALL OPINION At new these units come in at around $370 which to me is a bit high. This is still an amp modeler and doesn't have any tubes. So the price to me seems a bit steep. If I were to get one I would go for the 15 watter since I just want the practice aspect of the amp. This amp is 80 watts and is intended to be more than a practice amp. They want you to gig with this amp. It does have good tone ad so i you wanted to run in into a PA system or recording device for line use. If that were the case though I would get the 40 or 15w version.

by iamqman 2 4/21/11
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Roland AC-60

phraseland's review
Roland says this stereo amp delivers 60 Watt. As with any transistor amp this doesn't really say a lot about the sound it actually projects. You can connect two separate sources to this amp (1 mic input with phantom power and 1 line input) and separately dial in Reverb and Chorus. You also have the option to add an MP3/CD player via the RCA input. On the back there is a Direct Out (XLR) and the amplifier is sold in a nice carrying bag. The EQ section has the usual treble/mid/high and is ok - don't expect too much though. It is good for last minute shaping but doesn't feel very precise. UTILIZATION The amp is very sraightforward. I have sold the AC60 a lot because it doesn't force people to have a degree in audio engineering to get it to sound good. The effects are very useable and especially chosen for acoustic instruments. You can either have reverb or delay and you can add an additional Chorus. The amp can be tilted upwards which helps in projecting the sound to the player or the audience. Roland is pretty good about its manuals but then this amp is really pretty easy to understand. SOUNDS As with the Schertler David (which I describe in another User Review) this one sounds pretty good with classic guitars, violins and mandolins. If you play fingerstyle add steelstring guitar to that. It doesn't sound as nice as the David but then it is not in that price range either (I don't know how the bigger versions fare against the competition as they are more expensive and bigger in size). I really like that Roland has put out a good amp with professional features in a price range that is not so saturated. I feel like the sound is nice and warm but I feel like it is lacking a bit of punch. The highs could have definately been a bit better. OVERALL OPINION I think this amp is a very good option for practicing and performing. You get everything you need to take your acoustic sound on the road and it doesn't blow your budget. This amp is not cheap however. I think there is not really a competing product in this price - most amps are either half as cheap or twice as expensive. I really like the versatility it offers and the overall quality leaves nothing to complain about.

by phraseland 2 12/11/08
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Roland Mobile Cube

« One Of Best Amps For Money/Purpose »
There's a lot of battery powered portable amps out there, or at least enough to do some serious comparisons. I own a Lunchbox Jr. and have played several others. The Roland is loud for its size but I wasn't able to use it when traffic noise got too loud in a street performance environment. It's got huge utility for its size with inputs, effects, etc. The battery life is great. What I wanted to write a review for is that it it has tone. The actual sound quality you get from this amp is better than the other battery powered amps I've used. Lunchbox JR. is impressive but it's heavier and has very few options. It does not have the same kind of tone. An Lunchbox Jr. has its own thing but I like the Roland sweetness just as a guitarist. Without any effects I can play through the Roland and it's going to work. I am putting Behringer tube and delay through the LB soon, it's going to be awesome but the Rolands have a little bit of something straight from the factory worth considering. I played with it for hundreds of hours in live street situations, made a good bit of cash using that Roland.https://soundcloud.com/dana-graham-phelps/pier-839-performance-jan-or-feb-2016-7-dana-phelps

by Dana Graham Phelps 1 8/27/18
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