Polytone Mega Brute vs Roland Cube 60

**tgee** · 08-29-2010, 10:36 AM

Given the choice, assuming both are used and in excellent condition for about the same price, which would you choose? I would be playing an Eastman archtop (solid top) with a single humbucker, looking for a clean sound with a touch of reverb and wouldn't use the other effects on the Cube.

I'm currently using a Fender Blues Jr that I don't really care for. The bottom strings sound way too muddy. I also have a Fender Princeton 65 DSP that just doen't sound right to me, like it's missing something (plus it's noisy).

Thanks.

**BigDaddyLoveHandles** · 08-29-2010, 11:25 AM

I would choose the MegaBrute. Classic tone. And it doesn't sound like you're going to use the bells and whistles on the 60. But if weight isn't an issue, I'd think about supersizing to MiniBrute with a 15" speaker.

**tgee** · 08-30-2010, 08:35 AM

Thanks for the reply.

**barrymclark** · 08-30-2010, 08:48 AM

This was actually my question as well. I had an opportunity to get a MiniBrute IV used or the Roland Cube 80x barely used at the same price. I played a MiniBrute II and it sounded great like you would expect. I also played a Cube 80 and, in my ears, it sounded different but just as great. Since the price was the same for me, and they were both great, I had to go with reliability and customer service as the deal breaker. After all I have read about the Polytone's customer service, I figured I would go with Roland only because I know they are built like tanks.

Keep in mind that all I know about Polytone's customer service is what I have read online... and we all know how reliable that can be. Roland I have a great deal more experience with and was already a fan of the JC type of sound.

**medblues** · 08-30-2010, 10:49 AM

You could not hear a difference between analog vs digital ? Did you have a chance to compare for loudness and headroom ?

Originally Posted by barrymclark

This was actually my question as well. I had an opportunity to get a MiniBrute IV used or the Roland Cube 80x barely used at the same price. I played a MiniBrute II and it sounded great like you would expect. I also played a Cube 80 and, in my ears, it sounded different but just as great. Since the price was the same for me, and they were both great, I had to go with reliability and customer service as the deal breaker. After all I have read about the Polytone's customer service, I figured I would go with Roland only because I know they are built like tanks.

Keep in mind that all I know about Polytone's customer service is what I have read online... and we all know how reliable that can be. Roland I have a great deal more experience with and was already a fan of the JC type of sound.

**barrymclark** · 08-30-2010, 12:57 PM

Originally Posted by medblues

You could not hear a difference between analog vs digital ? Did you have a chance to compare for loudness and headroom ?

Didn't say there wasn't a difference. Just that they both sounded great. For what I want, 80w is more that enough juice.

**BigDaddyLoveHandles** · 08-30-2010, 01:09 PM

Point taken about Polytone's customer service -- they don't have any!

Roland also wins the reliability contest, although there are a lot of old Polytones out there still working, apart from their reverb tanks

**Susan Palmer** · 08-30-2010, 04:02 PM

I have used the Cubes in my teaching studios for years and I really like them for teaching. They are reliable, fairly nice sounding and they offer some cool effects that the kids (and all of us are kids from time to time) seem to enjoy.

When I was gigging (before injury), I preferred Polytones. I have a couple of them that I still like. I have the Mega, which can fit under an airline seat, and is light enough for a small person like me to carry to my gigs. They sound classically nice to me.

**barrymclark** · 08-30-2010, 06:47 PM

Originally Posted by Susan Palmer

I have used the Cubes in my teaching studios for years and I really like them for teaching. They are reliable, fairly nice sounding and they offer some cool effects that the kids (and all of us are kids from time to time) seem to enjoy.

When I was gigging (before injury), I preferred Polytones. I have a couple of them that I still like. I have the Mega, which can fit under an airline seat, and is light enough for a small person like me to carry to my gigs. They sound classically nice to me.

Guitar and amp choice is just such a personal thing. If I had a Poly, I wouldn't gripe for sure... but I wouldn't trade my Cube for it. Great sounding amp, just not me... if that makes sense.

Accident? Well, whatever it was, I am sorry to hear that. I didn't have one big one, just a mess of little ones (me being a guy... a lot of "hey, watch this...") got me NICE and arthritic in my knees at 35! Gotta love it. No more heavy amps for me.

Not unless I can pay someone else to move them!

**tgee** · 08-30-2010, 06:50 PM

Thank you all for your help. Sounds like for my purposes, which is just playing around the house, either amp would fit the bill. As others have pointed out, I'm also a little concerned about Polytone service. The Cube 60 (or even 30) would probably be fine for me.

**kolio_k** · 09-27-2015, 09:47 AM

I like both a lot, dont know how a new Roland Cube will sound, don't have much experience there!

p.p. Sorry, just realized I am 5 years late :-)

**Greentone** · 09-27-2015, 02:13 PM

Polytone (the company) is gone. The amps live on. That said, I think that a Mega Brute is a better sounding amp than Roland Cube 60 and that a MiniBrute IV is a better sounding amp than a Roland Cube 80.

Any tech who isn't a doofus can repair a Polytone amp. They aren't complicated. Sourcing a 4-ohm CTS or Eminence speaker (depending upon which vintage Polytone you are looking at) that matches the original equipment item isn't always easy, but it can be done. I have back up speakers for my amps, for example--although the original speakers keep working, just fine. [Full disclosure: I did blow an 8" driver in an old Polytone Baby Brute about 25 years ago, when I used it to jam with a bunch of rock guys--d'oh!]

**neuroscan** · 09-30-2015, 12:13 PM

Originally Posted by Greentone

Polytone (the company) is gone. The amps live on. That said, I think that a Mega Brute is a better sounding amp than Roland Cube 60 and that a MiniBrute IV is a better sounding amp than a Roland Cube 80.

Any tech who isn't a doofus can repair a Polytone amp. They aren't complicated. Sourcing a 4-ohm CTS or Eminence speaker (depending upon which vintage Polytone you are looking at) that matches the original equipment item isn't always easy, but it can be done. I have back up speakers for my amps, for example--although the original speakers keep working, just fine. [Full disclosure: I did blow an 8" driver in an old Polytone Baby Brute about 25 years ago, when I used it to jam with a bunch of rock guys--d'oh!]

Anyone could repair a Polytone - OK, except that my understanding is that some parts (ICs?) are no longer available? I recently picked up a vintage minibrute 2 with busted reverb tank, and that particular tank model (8FB for on-end position) is impossible to find, despite extensive internet search.

Also, I have so far owned three 70/80s SS amp models (Roland Cube 20/40/60, Session Rockette 30, and the PT) and the PT is *by far* the hardest to work on, and it's not just the fact that the chassis is stuffed with fiberglass... to remove the reverb tank one has to pretty much disassemble the whole thing... the Rockette had by far the best construction, the design with the circuit board mounted on the back panel is just pure genius...

Having said that, the PT is the best-sounding amp (for jazz guitar) that I have heard so far. Dark sounding, boxy, fat, mid-rangy, even at very low volume. The other amps needed a bit more volume to warm up. Perfect pairing with my Gibson.

N.

**Franz 1997** · 09-30-2015, 12:54 PM

Originally Posted by neuroscan

Anyone could repair a Polytone - OK, except that my understanding is that some parts (ICs?) are no longer available? I recently picked up a vintage minibrute 2 with busted reverb tank, and that particular tank model (8FB for on-end position) is impossible to find, despite extensive internet search.

Also, I have so far owned three 70/80s SS amp models (Roland Cube 20/40/60, Session Rockette 30, and the PT) and the PT is *by far* the hardest to work on, and it's not just the fact that the chassis is stuffed with fiberglass... to remove the reverb tank one has to pretty much disassemble the whole thing...

N.

'Not easily available' would be more accurate. I have managed to source all the ics ( 'chips) needed for 80s polys by googling around. In any event, as a last resort a tech can wire in a modern equivalent for all the chips except for a particular driver chip in 80s models. Basically, it can all be fixed somehow by a tech.

I had the same issue with a broken tank on an MB11. As a hack repair, I temporarily threw in a generic 3-spring tank from another tranny amp. It sounded considerably better, with no noise. You can wiggle the tank out over the speaker, with care. Apart from that, polys are simple to repair and easy to access, just like any other amp. I agree, the fibreglass is a pain - but it's there for a reason. I think they are worth the trouble of maintaining, because they sound great!

**Archie** · 09-30-2015, 02:21 PM

As much as I am a huge fan of the 2000's Cube 60 (not the new one because its absolute crap imo) I would go for the MB every time. As long as it was a 90's onwards MB2. The old PT's imo are also terrible amps.

**Franz 1997** · 09-30-2015, 02:26 PM

Originally Posted by ArchtopHeaven

I would go for the MB every time. As long as it was a 90's onwards MB2. The old PT's imo are also terrible amps.

I'm baffled by this. The later megabrute is a baby brute in different packaging. What old PT's have you tried?

**jorgemg1984** · 09-30-2015, 02:27 PM

You must be the only guy on this entire planet who likes new Polytones more than old ones

**Archie** · 09-30-2015, 02:31 PM

Originally Posted by Franz 1997

I'm baffled by this. The later megabrute is a baby brute in different packaging. What old PT's have you tried?

Sorry I was making a bit of a blanket statement and didnt mean to confuse the issue. I have tried many 70's and early 80's (ones that didnt have the metal grill front) polytones and never thought they were special in anyway, I actually disliked them greatly. So if the toss up was between a pre 90's poly (ruffly), then I would go for the Cube 60.

I wasn't being model specific about ploys either. The MBII shown in the you be clip, is the one to get imo.

**Archie** · 09-30-2015, 02:33 PM

Originally Posted by jorgemg1984

You must be the only guy on this entire planet who likes new Polytones more than old ones

Haha actually 90's ones are my fav. I dont know about new ones but I haven't heard great things, which is backed up by your comment :-)

I actually have almost no experience with Polytone apart from finding old foam fronted ones that were shockingly bad, you know the ones with the three knobs but a guy at uni had a 90's MBII and he sounded awesome and he played a 335, go figure.

Im confusing the issue my bad.

**jorgemg1984** · 09-30-2015, 02:38 PM

Ha ha man old Polytones are AMAZING, with red knobs and all. I love my digital rig but if I found a good decently priced 70s or 80s Baby Brute I would not hesitate. You need to try another one!

**Archie** · 09-30-2015, 02:41 PM

Originally Posted by jorgemg1984

Ha ha man old Polytones are AMAZING, with red knobs and all. I love my digital rig but if I found a good decently priced 70s or 80s Baby Brute I would not hesitate. You need to try another one!

I've tried a few lol You just wanna make me suffer some more

Personal taste I guess, you might well be right.

Oh and PS how many of those had the reverb or inner knob broken? Like every single one lol

**jorgemg1984** · 09-30-2015, 02:45 PM

Ha ha you're right, personal taste

**neuroscan** · 09-30-2015, 04:35 PM

Originally Posted by Franz 1997

'Not easily available' would be more accurate. I have managed to source all the ics ( 'chips) needed for 80s polys by googling around. In any event, as a last resort a tech can wire in a modern equivalent for all the chips except for a particular driver chip in 80s models. Basically, it can all be fixed somehow by a tech.

I had the same issue with a broken tank on an MB11. As a hack repair, I temporarily threw in a generic 3-spring tank from another tranny amp. It sounded considerably better, with no noise. You can wiggle the tank out over the speaker, with care. Apart from that, polys are simple to repair and easy to access, just like any other amp. I agree, the fibreglass is a pain - but it's there for a reason. I think they are worth the trouble of maintaining, because they sound great!

I don't see how you could get to the screws which mount the reverb tank onto the side wall without removing both the pre- and the poweramp? I can reach exactly one out of the four screws...

Would you perhaps know the correct reverb tank model? I am starting to have the suspicion that the one in my PT is a replacement, and not the correct one. It states 8FB2C1D, with the final "D" as far as I know indicating the "mounting plane" and suggesting "vertical connectors down". But that's not right, the mounting plane is clearly "on-end", so the final letter should be either "E" or "F". Either someone replaced it with a similar but incorrect model, or perhaps Polytone didn't care about mounting position?

The model is the 70/80s Minibrute II, with checkerboard vinyl covering, a disintegrating front foam cover, and very simple controls: bass, treble, volume (with the infamous red knob), reverb, and a "brite/dark" switch. Mine seems to have lost its badge with serial no. etc.

I am really grateful for any help! Would be fantastic if I could restore this beauty to its original state. This is really quite a dark-sounding amp: I am running my Gibson with the tone control fully open, and when the "brite" switch is in the middle (neutral) position, I have to open the "treble" control beyond the mid position otherwise it sounds a bit too dark. That's remarkable, normally I always tend to have to fight "trebliness" by rolling the highs off.

**Franz 1997** · 09-30-2015, 06:09 PM

Sorry, I have only ever seen original reverb tanks mounted above the speaker in polys. Maybe, as you say, this is an amateur repair. Red knob MB 11 models definitely have them above the speaker.

It shouldn't sound that dark; the normal position has easily enough treble for jazz purposes IMO, with a Gibson arch top. Red knob polys are considered the best-sounding by many, so well worth repairing. Don;t know the original tank spec., but maybe the schematics have the details. It's not a particularly unusual spec tank, so others will work

**Herbie** · 09-30-2015, 08:47 PM

The reverb tank screws in my early 80's Mini Brute IV are a pain in the a** indeed. Had to take a lot of fiber glass away and make new holes. My original reverb tank had the code on it. Some of the numbers /letters in it are crucial but others just mean how many springs You want. Accutronics's site is very informative in this. I ended in buying TAD 8DB2C1B and I am quite pleased with the result. Be careful with the cables going to the tank: if You install them in a wrong way to the new tank You can destroy it!