Roland Blues Cube Hot

ToTal GuiTar november 2016
102
£495
£509
Should I be worried that this thing doesn’t have valves or not?
Nope. Roland’s onboard ‘Tube Logic’ technology mimics the
performance of a vintage tweed valve amp so well, we reckon more
than a few solid-state cynics would be fooled in a blindfold test.
Turn up the volume and just like a tube amp, you get more overdrive
and convincing valve-like compression.
I see you only get one channel...
Well, technically yes, but don’t forget that there are footswitchable
boost and tone functions to give you more gain and top end at your
Bassbreaker? It’s a guitar amp I’m looking for...
Stressing about what amp you’re going to buy? Well just sit back
and relax, friend. This single-channel, 15-watt, 12-inch speaker
and reverb circuit-loaded combo is squarely aimed at guitar geeks
just like you. The Bassbreaker name tag references a very special
slice of Fender history, the 5B6 Bassman – a 50s bass amp that
actually ended up becoming one of the greatest blues guitar combos
ever made, and the Marshall 1962 model aka the ‘Bluesbreaker’.
The latter is the combo used by Eric Clapton to defi ne the sound of
British blues in the mid-60s.
stomping convenience. Figure in the usual three-band EQ suspects
[bass, middle, treble] and the digital reverb, and there’s a fair bit of
tonal variety available. The versatility doesn’t end there. You’ll also
fi nd a USB output on the amp’s rear panel for direct connection to
your computer-based recording set-up.
That’s handy, but can I actually gig with this thing?
The Blues Cube Hot pumps out 30 watts through its 12-inch
speaker, more than enough for rehearsals and small gigs. It’s also
the most compact and lightest amp in this group test, so you get
valve-like tone without the backache.
But why are Fender name checking a Marshall amp?
Well, it’s no secret that Marshall based its 60s circuitry on the
Fender Bassman. The Bassbreaker 15 acknowledges that crossover
with three 12AX7 preamp tubes and two EL84 power tubes...
Hang on... I don’t really get the significance of the valve names...
Long story short, using these valves adds up to more of a classic
British ‘crunch’ sound than you’d usually expect from a Fender.
That tonality is tweakable via the bass, mid and treble knobs plus
the three-position ‘Gain Structure’ control that dials in a range
of overdrive sounds.
rolaNd BlueS
CuBe HoT
Convincing tone, without the tubes...
FeNder
BaSSBreaKer 15
The Yanks perfect their British accent...
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TYPE Solid-state 1 x 12 combo
POWER 30 watts
KEY FEATURES 12” custom speaker,
single-channel with boost and tone
function, three-band EQ, reverb,
power output selector [0.5, 5, 15
and 30 watts] and USB output
CONTACT Roland UK
01792 701702
www.roland.co.uk
at a glanCe
TYPE All-valve 1x12 combo
POWER 15 watts
KEY FEATURES 1x12” Celestion
speaker, 3x 12AX7 preamp valves,
2x EL84 power valves, gain, Gain
Structure and master volume
controls, three-band EQ, reverb,
power amp mute switch and XLR
output for recording
CONTACT Fender 01342 331700
www.fender.com
at a glanCe
TGR286.gear_test.indd 104 10/10/2016 11:02