Roland Cube 60 (Orange)

[Durban]

The Cube 20, 40 & 60 all came out in 1978, White/Ivory Orange Black/Dark Grey they were derived from the CA-35 & CA-40 both a compact-ish forerunner to the Cubes


Cube 100 1981 Orange

Cube Chorus 60 1983 Greyish


Super Cube SCL-40 SCL-60 SCL-100 Silver/Grey 1984


I am not entirely certain, but think the Rolands made in the USA started in 1980

[EC335]

Roland serial number decoder and Roland manufacture date finder. jc-120, jc-160 and all jazz chorus amps, V-drum devices

[Durban]

Cube-40 1979 Orange White SilverGrey 10.5Kg
Cube-60 1979 Orange White SilverGrey 13.5KG


Cube CH-40 Chorus 1983 SilverGrey 10.5Kg
Cube CH-60 Chorus 1983 SilverGrey 12.5Kg


Cube Super SCL-40 1984 SilverGrey 10kg
Cube Super SCL-60 1984 SilverGrey 14kg

[MalMac7]

I thought I'd post my experience with a Vintage Orange Roland Cube 60 built in 1981.

1) I bought this amp used (and well used at that!) about 10 years ago for $45. The reverb was not working. I found the schematics online and replaced the reverb driver IC that had vibrated enough to break its leads (it's a loud amp, the driver IC part number is TA7200P - a 10 pin SIP device - it's hard to find this part).

2) The schematics show that the tone stack for this amp is different from the typical Fender style. I modelled Roland Cube 60 tone stack in spice and compared its response to a Fender tone stack. The Mid knob does not operate the same. I decided to change the mid pot to gain more range by using a 25K pot instead of the stock 10K. Now to get to close to the "magic six" tone settings one would adjust from the following settings on the modified Orange Cube 60: Treble at 7, Mid at 4.5, Bass at 4. You can "almost" get there with the stock Mid pot set at 1, but not quite...

(Note: the Grey Roland Cube 60 Chorus tone stack is different and looks very much like a Fender topology.)

3) The speaker failed about 3 years later and I tried an Eminence Legend GB128 (it was a drop in replacement, no routing or part repositioning required). It sounded OK to me.

4) Last year the amp started fading in and out on loud notes. I cleaned everything and it did not help. So, last month I replaced all the electrolytic caps, problem fixed. (Mouser has the parts.)

5) While I was replacing the caps I decided to try an Eminence Cannabis Rex. This speaker is also a drop in replacement. It is definitely darker but MUCH nicer sounding. I will see how it breaks in but for now, I'm liking the following settings: Treble at 7, Mid at 3, Bass at 2 (Oh! Imagine that...) I think Mid at 8 to 9 might work the same for a stock Mid pot, YMMV.

6) I very much like the amp and tryed using a Boss CE-2 via the Pre Amp Out/Main In ports. That's a bit noisey. Overall the amp now sounds great. A Tube Screamer into overdrive input sounds great too. I typicaly set Reverb to 3.

[Gitfiddler]

Here's my Roland Cube 60 saga:

Back in the mid-80's an L.A. bass player friend of mine gave me his Orange Cube 60. It had been given to him by his boss, guitarist Steve Miller.
The amp sounded great and I used it for many years. When I started playing out more, I needed a larger amp, preferably with tubes. So the little orange amp was relegated to the closet or garage.

I ended up selling it to another gigging guitarist buddy of mine, who used it regularly until last year. He recently passed away and his wife asked me if I wanted that dirty little orange amp in her garage. Sure! I paid her for the amp, cleaned it up and to my amazement, it still sounds great!!

Now I own two Roland Cubes, an 80GX and the dirty little orange Cube 60. Neither are going anywhere anytime soon.

[MalMac7]

Very cool story! I'm just a hobbyist and the 80's Cube 60 is my "clean" amp.
For tube amps I was gifted a 1976 Fender Princeton Reverb. Eventually, I am going to try to build a Reverb Deluxe derivative (probably starting this summer).

[P.J.]

I had one that was really noisy so I gutted it and use it as an extension speaker. I put a V30 in it and it sounds great.

[HerMes57]

Hello, I am a hobbyist too, I bought a Deluxe Reverb II, I would like to see if I can convert it to a Deluxe Reverb AB763, or do you think it would be better to buy a Mojo or another kit to start it from scratch, I would like to know if you finally made your version of the Deluxe. Warm greetings.

[Gitfiddler]

Hello, I am a hobbyist too, I bought a Deluxe Reverb II, I would like to see if I can convert it to a Deluxe Reverb AB763, or do you think it would be better to buy a Mojo or another kit to start it from scratch, I would like to know if you finally made your version of the Deluxe. Warm greetings.

That might be quite a challenge since the DRII has a channel switching (shared) circuit and uses a solid state rectifier.
As one of the so-called 'Rivera era Ed Jahns designed amps, it is a high quality, point-to-point build. They are also not that common, and becoming more desirable on the used market.

Part of the magic or mojo of an AB763 Deluxe Reverb is its 5AR4 tube rectifier and its two channels. There is zero 'sag' in a solid state rectifier circuit amp like all of the Rivera era amps. They're great rigs and I'm a fan of them, but converting them should be checked out with a pro amp builder.

[pcjazz]

@BDLH. Yes, Ed did use them in the 70's and 80's. I moved after that so I don't know about later.

Lorne Lofsky still uses one from time to time.

[Grigoris]

Found a vintage orange 60 online for 170 EUR, I already own the new version black 40GX.

Is it worth it?
Is there a difference in tone between the new and the old cubes? Is the old one "better"?
I know it's an old tired subject here but I can't find a definite answer