The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    I am a beginner in jazz guitar still in the process of getting my gear. I got a second hand ibanez AFS75T guitar.

    For the amp i am considering the Roland Micro Cube vs. Cube 15X. I plan to use it mainly in my appartment.

    Your suggestions and comments are highly appreciated.


    Roland Micro Cube vs Cube 15X-roland-micro-cube-gx-jpg

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  3. #2

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    The Microcube doesn't have any low-end frequency response to speak of. You might find that limiting in your search for a jazz tone.

  4. #3

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    I agree. I've got the Cube 30 and bought the Micro Cube for it's portability. It's OK for boosting electrics to jam with acoustics; but, with a 5" speaker, has a very limited bass response. If this isto be your only amp I would stick with the 15.

  5. #4
    The salesperson from my local music store said that the 15X lacks many of the "features" that the Microcube has... Is that really true? I assume those extra features and settings are not useful for Jazz guitar right?

  6. #5

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    Hi there,

    I have the micro-cube. It is actually a great amp for what it is. It's good for practicing in an apartment but it doesn't cut it if you need to turn it up loud (the sound breaks up quickly). The batteries are a + because you can take it around with you and you don't have to worry about plugging in.

    With that said, I recently got the Cube 60 and it is MUCH nicer. I use that for playing with others because it has great volume without losing clarity or tone.

    Enjoy your journey!

  7. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by ashitaka
    The salesperson from my local music store said that the 15X lacks many of the "features" that the Microcube has... Is that really true? I assume those extra features and settings are not useful for Jazz guitar right?
    Yes, it's true. Take a look at the Roland web site. The 15X doesn't have effects. It does have more power, a larger speaker and a three-band tone control. As much as I like reverb, if one of those was going to be my only amp I'd still go with the 15X.

    The 30X has effects. The quality of the 30X effects is passable. The 30X is a nice grab-and-go amp. It weighs just 20 pounds and has everything you might need (tuner and effects) built-in. For the price it's tough to beat.

  8. #7

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    Get the 20. Has the great tones of the 30 and 60, and some of the effects, but small and low volume. Much better tone than the 15. I've played em all, and the 20 is the best for you.
    smitty

  9. #8

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    I have the 20 and also really like it. I like it better than the 30, the 8" speaker seems to project better than the 10" and has plenty of bass.

    The micro-cube is a great amp too. It depends what you need volumewise. No it doesn't have anywhere near the bass. But it won't bother the neighbors either. It has a nice tone at low volumes and being battery operated it is very nice to take outside. I played on the rocks at Lake Superior for a church service and the chorus and volume worked real nice.

    I have both and use both. If you don't need/want the battery option, the 20x is definitely work the extra $50, and while it can be played at low volume it is NOT a low volume amp, it is loud enough for most jazz situations, certainly loud enough to get you kicked out of your apartment.

    Between the Roland and the Ibanez you have a perfecty adequate jazz setup.

  10. #9

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    i kind of see the two amps as very different entities...

    the cube 15x is a practice amp, something for a beginner who's playing in his bedroom/living room/basement. and for that, it's a fine amp. not really loud enough to compete with a drummer or play to a crowd much larger than a living room.

    the microcube is something that can be used by anybody from a beginner to a pro. i myself use it for private lessons...i sling it in one hand (guitar in the other) when i teach out of students homes. it allows me to approximate just about any style i need to. it's still a practice amp, but i think of it as a kind of "swiss army amp" that anyone could find a good use for. at loud volumes, bassy settings will cause the speaker to fart out. at practice volumes, i've never seen a problem. you don't gig with a microcube, but if you were being mic'd or going thru a PA, you could probably pull a gig off just on it's versatility.

    the cube30 and 60 are actually really good amps, with the 60 supplying enough juice to play with just about any group. i've owned nicer and larger amps, but i really like the portability, reliability, and frankly, the economy of the cube--if somebody swiped it or it broke in some bizarre accident i could buy i new one and not even have to wait till next paycheck! for the gigs i do (private parties, wine tastings, gallery openings) it's perfect, and truly, i never touch 90% of it's features.

    the cube 20 and 30 offer all of the same features. i like the 12" speaker in the 60 best, and i never have to worry about having enough volume with it. the 20 and 30, as steve noted, are plenty loud to get you evicted-- but i'd worry about not having enough juice to play with a drummer with anything other than brushes...

    so it comes down to what you need the amp to do...good luck in your search, and i can happily give a vote of confidence on quality on anything in the cube line.

  11. #10

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    I have a microcube which does the apartment job ok but when I joined some friends who played brass it was completely lost. I have recently bought a Line6 Toneport GX and do most practice hooked up to my computer (with Band in a Box) with headphones. This is an alternative for practicing at home, but there are lots of wires!

    John

  12. #11
    Thank you for all your valuable comments and suggestions guys. After reading all of them it seems that i should be considering the Microcube vs. the 20X (instead of the 15X). I am only planning on getting one amp. I do not plan on playing with others (not in the near future). But since I would like a nicer jazz tone... i suppose i should go for the 20X?

  13. #12

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    Quote Originally Posted by ashitaka
    ... since I would like a nicer jazz tone... i suppose i should go for the 20X?
    You don't sound too convinced, but it sounds a sensible choice to me. It seems they are changing some of the specs on the newer amps so it might appear that you are losing a couple of amp 'models'; but you are not likely to use these as part of a jazz tone, and the larger speaker and three EQ controls (the Mini only has one basic tone control) will be far more useful to you in the long run. I like the Mini, but not as an only amp. Are you able to try the amps out with your Ibanez before you buy, that ought to convince you. There are lots of interesting routes you can take later on, I hope you find jazz guitars as interesting as I have - I'm a beginner too and am completely hooked.

  14. #13
    hi guys i finally got the Cube 20X.
    Sounds very nice.
    Just what i needed.
    Thank you all for your input!!

  15. #14

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    I have a Roland Micro Cube. A street cube and a Roland 30x. I also have a Ibanez AK85 and many other Ibanez archtop guitars as well as having a resonable collection of well known archtops. Archtops I collect.

    Because of the responce you have received from retailers and others etc about what you should use I don't want to join in this conversation on line. I am aso not a musician but make my living as a full time sound engineer and have worked with all kinds of Jazz musicians as I specialise in that area.

  16. #15

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    I have the Roland Cube 30 and feel that it is a cracker of an amp though I've only used it for noodling around. I play an Ephipnone Flame Kat Ltd with mini-New York Humbuckers and get a pretty good sound from both. However, for those that are further down the jazz road than myself, I'd be very interested to hear of you e.q. settings for the JC clean and especially for the Black Panel simulations (do you use the gain much etc).
    I'm always looking to improve my tone and input from those of you who know your stuff would be really appreciated.
    For those nylon players check out Bola Sete on You-tube. That cat really belts out a hell of a tune and a real inspiration.

  17. #16

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    I have the 30 also, but I'm not very far along the jazz road either. I have an Artcore AG95, I use the blackface setting. Bass 9:00 Mid 9:00 Treble off. Gain Full, Volume 9:00. Guitar, neck pickup only, Full treble, volume between 5 and 7. Result is nice sustain and no noticeable distortion. Just a tad of reverb

  18. #17

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    I actually bought my 30x first but did consider the 60. I am not a gigging musician but even so the thirty is quite adequate to gig with. I have seen some good Jazz musicans gig with amps only this big. I then purchased the Micro cube and was blown away with the clean Jazz sound I could get out of such a small amp, so then I went an bought the Street Cube when it first came out and I was just as impressed. Now I am thinking of getting the new Micro cube with the 4 speakers. When it come to tone and sound it is a very personel thing and I don't want to get into a discussion on this as many a musician are not aware of damage the lower frequencies can do to their sound. When you are playing alone in your room that is one thing but when you are playing with a band that is another. The lower frequencies do some pretty strange things when mixed with other instruments frequencies. All you bass players out there if you know what happens when a piano/KB player plays the same note (Root) as you then I rest my case. So be careful about this big fat Jazz sound people try and sell you and remember that bass frequencies are longer so what it sound like in front of your amp will sound different 20mtrs away. That's why some Jazz guitarist sound very muddy. Thats much more than I had intended to say.

  19. #18

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    I think the regular "old" micro cube is better........and cheaper

  20. #19

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    Hi Steve, Do you have both the original older microcube and the new one with the four speakers. If you do then Iwould be very interested to know what you feel is the difference in the two. I use my original micro more than I use the street cube but I wanted to buy the new four speaker one to try becausew I am impressed with them all. As I have said before it is the sealed back that makes a lot of difference to me. Sealed back just make better clean acoustic amps.

  21. #20

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    I was going to buy the new one, cause I loved my old one so much, but it just didn't have the bass and overall sound of the old one. The stereo chorus effect was kinda cool. They wanted $229 for it and I thought heck I could buy another old one for for $125 and have stereo. Then is saw the Cube 30x for $245, $16 more; which was loud, had a powerful bass, and I liked the sound to the models better so I got it. Its not a tube amp but its got a good Jazz Chorus and Blackface sound. Now the 30x doesn't have battery power but at $125 for the old one that's what I'd buy if I wanted another battery amp. The new micro cube isn't twice as good as the old one, if at all. Its nice enough but too expensive. The rhythm function sounds cheesy. If you have the old one then you know what a great amp it is and how reliable and how easy on batteries.

  22. #21

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    Hi Steve,
    I just love my little Micro too. As I said before I also have the 30x which I use in my work room for testing and trying guitars. I use the Micro mostly for my own pleasure around the house etc. I play mostly Jazz and latin style music etc. The micro is just the bees knees for that. For some reason even tho the Micro is not a gigging cube because of the size of the speaker and output the sound however is very well balanced. My archtops just sound great on it and for playing at home it is the best little cube or rig I could ask for.