Roland Cube 80x vs. Fender Mustang III V2

**dtfan4ever** · 12-17-2014, 10:34 PM

I'm looking for some opinions and hopefully from people with first hand experience using both of these amps.

The Roland Cube 80x and Fender Mustang III V2 are about the same price, but have some different features. etc.

Which one would work better for a jazz/blues type situation?

Also, is it worth holding out and waiting for Roland's new Blues Cubes to hit stores?

**Jabberwocky** · 12-18-2014, 07:45 AM

If you like finagling it in FUSE and like the Fender sound, the modelled Fender amps sound great. The Roland 80GX has that Roland sound. Pretty much plug in and play. It is either your cuppa or it is not.

For me, I kinda like the modelled Fender sound and open-back cab better so my choice was and is the Mustang 3 V2.

**Al_F** · 12-18-2014, 11:24 AM

Yep, think that's good way to look at it, Mustang really does a great Fender sound, really good cleans. I have a III, really like it.

**medblues** · 12-18-2014, 11:33 AM

Quilter or Evans.

**snoskier63** · 12-18-2014, 12:13 PM

I recently purchased the Mustang IV, and overall I like it a lot! The highs can be a little shrill on some settings, but those are more high gain settings that I won't use anyway. The twin and other vintage amps are excellent, ast are the onboard effects. There is also a pre-amp setting that I love for jazz as it allows the tone of each individual guitar to shine through without coloring the tone. The IV is about 45 lbs, but the dual speakers are worth it.

I also own a Henriksen Jazz Amp 112. For pure jazz I have yet to find an amp I like better. It is more expensive than the Cube and Mustang, but it's worth every penny!

I am very interested in trying the new Roland Blues Cube amp. It is priced comparably to the Henriksen, it has a similar weight, but is likely more versatile. There is a great YouTube demo by Chuck Loeb, who was involved in the design process. He gets a very nice jazz tone with this amp, but utilizes a special switch on his guitar to achieve that jazz tone. I can't wait to try this amp!

Chuck Loeb talks about the Blues Cube guitar ampl…:

And here is a rather long, but very good and detailed review...

Roland Blues Cube Combo Demo - Does it win?:

**dtfan4ever** · 12-18-2014, 12:35 PM

I had not seen that Chuck Loeb demo of the Blues Cube. Fantastic! I think I'll wait for that to be out in shops. In the mean time it looks like the Mustang is winning.

**docbop** · 12-18-2014, 12:46 PM

I have a Henriksen Jazz Amp 110 and it is so versatile, they used to make a Blues version of the amp, but it was just a speaker change. I also have AI Claris head and a small Orange speaker cabinet that gets a nice gritty sound, since Orange amp are voiced for the Rock market. So you could go with a SS head then get a couple different speaker cabinets.

**Jabberwocky** · 12-18-2014, 12:53 PM

OP, you should not base your buying decision on this poll. Go plug into them and compare them for yourself. I have a Mustang 3 V2 and I am thinking about adding the Roland 80X/80GX.

**matt.guitarteacher** · 12-18-2014, 03:20 PM

Originally Posted by Jabberwocky

If you like finagling it in FUSE and like the Fender sound, the modelled Fender amps sound great. The Roland 80GX has that Roland sound. Pretty much plug in and play.

Haven't messed with one in a few years, but that was my experience with the Mustang. A lot of monkeying around to not really get a sound I was happy with, but I wasn't all up into the software either. Maybe they have better "clean" presets now? People that know their way around them seem really pleased with them. The Rolands are easier to quickly get a passable jazz sound for meat heads like me I guess.

I definitely agree with trying them out in person before deciding.

**docbop** · 12-18-2014, 03:27 PM

Fender with it newer amp designs are really going over board with the Sparkle sound as mentioned earlier. I would lean towards the Roland of those two. The Super Champ X2 or whatever it's called is a good amp be sure to try one of those out before you commit.

**barrymclark** · 12-18-2014, 05:44 PM

I won't lie... I have been waiting for the new Blues Cube to come out for a several months now.

**snoskier63** · 12-18-2014, 10:57 PM

Originally Posted by barrymclark

I won't lie... I have been waiting for the new Blues Cube to come out for a several months now.

I heard they are due out very early in 2015, perhaps January. Others may have more details.

**barrymclark** · 12-18-2014, 10:59 PM

Originally Posted by snoskier63

I heard they are due out very early in 2015, perhaps January. Others may have more details.

I've heard that. I actually have another amp that I am really after but I really do what to hear this.

**Longways to Go** · 12-18-2014, 11:36 PM

new blues cube looks promising -- if expensive!

I don't get the Fender Mustang for jazz. Might work if they modeled a Polytone or something, but really not even close.
the Roland Cube, heck yes! neither of these amps are super great, but Roland is a good jazz amp.

I've owned both . . . and sold them off. I could be happy with the cube, the Mustang . . . not so much

**0zoro** · 12-20-2014, 05:18 AM

My only real experience with the Mustang was when I went to the store to try one. When told that I was interested in the clean tones the salesman told me that there were about 100 "styles" available, turned the machine to "durth ultra gritty bingo morph" setting and told me I could experiment myself from there. I decided then and there I wanted the Roland. This does not say so much about the Mustang as the helpfulness fo the salesman, who I havent been back to see. I have switched stores, and being in Europe order some things from the net.

Happy Holidays to all!

**monkmiles** · 12-20-2014, 09:14 AM

If you want modeled fender amps, go with the mustang. Models specific ones like the Princeton, deluxe, twin, bassman, etc. I believe the v2 mustangs have a jazzmaster voice too which is more flat.

The cubes model a Roland JC for their clean channel and also a couple fender amps in the other but not nearly as much or quite as well as the mustang.

Both amps to me are of similar levels and tones in general.

I'd prefer the fender because of the more specific fender amp modeling as that's the type of cleans I prefer.

Originally Posted by docbop

Fender with it newer amp designs are really going over board with the Sparkle sound as mentioned earlier. I would lean towards the Roland of those two. The Super Champ X2 or whatever it's called is a good amp be sure to try one of those out before you commit.

I like the scx2 too but in comparison with the mustangs, the scx2 has the same preamp technology as the mustangs. Mainly just different power amps obviously which does make a difference.

**Woody Sound** · 12-21-2014, 01:19 AM

Originally Posted by Longways to Go

new blues cube looks promising -- if expensive!

I don't get the Fender Mustang for jazz. Might work if they modeled a Polytone or something, but really not even close.
the Roland Cube, heck yes! neither of these amps are super great, but Roland is a good jazz amp.

I've owned both . . . and sold them off. I could be happy with the cube, the Mustang . . . not so much

I had an original Blues Cube. Very nice amp, but pretty heavy for SS.

**snoskier63** · 12-21-2014, 03:45 PM

Originally Posted by Woody Sound

I had an original Blues Cube. Very nice amp, but pretty heavy for SS.

The new BC amps are 30.12 lbs for the Stage, and 35.5 lbs for the Artist, so they are quite a bit lighter than the original BC.

**monkmiles** · 12-22-2014, 12:36 PM

Originally Posted by Woody Sound

I had an original Blues Cube. Very nice amp, but pretty heavy for SS.

Originally Posted by snoskier63

The new BC amps are 30.12 lbs for the Stage, and 35.5 lbs for the Artist, so they are quite a bit lighter than the original BC.

I had one of the original BluesCube 1x12 combos too and it was very heavy for a solid state amp. It's interesting that the new ones are significantly lighter. Makes me wonder what the significant changes were to reduce the weight so much.

**snoskier63** · 12-22-2014, 03:51 PM

I just checked the weight of the original BC models:

BC-30: 32 lbs
BC-60: 42.5 lbs

Compared to the new BC models:

Stage: 30.75 lbs
Artist: 35.3 lbs

The original BC models also came in multi-speaker formats that were much heavier, but the new models have single speakers, so that is a more legitimate comparison. The difference between the BC-60 and Artist is 7 lbs, but between the BC-30 and the Stage the difference is only 1.25 lbs, so technological advances can easily explain the differences in weight (imho).

Fyi... The BC -30 210 is over 43 lbs which is a huge difference.

**vinlander** · 12-24-2014, 09:44 AM

I personally voted for the Cube 80X since it is very close to the 80XL I got and like very much.
My favorites are the clean Jazz chorus 120, the black face and the tweed to an extent.
As I also play a lot of Rock and Metal the Marshall stack, Mesa and extreme models also get their use.
However I would stay away from the new 80GX has there is no longer an onboard looper (handy for practicing) and no speaker out anymore to connect an external cabinet. I could also not care less about IOS connectivity they have introduced...

**barrymclark** · 12-25-2014, 12:19 AM

Originally Posted by vinlander

I personally voted for the Cube 80X since it is very close to the 80XL I got and like very much.
My favorites are the clean Jazz chorus 120, the black face and the tweed to an extent.
As I also play a lot of Rock and Metal the Marshall stack, Mesa and extreme models also get their use.
However I would stay away from the new 80GX has there is no longer an onboard looper (handy for practicing) and no speaker out anymore to connect an external cabinet. I could also not care less about IOS connectivity they have introduced...

Had no idea they took the looper and ext speaker out away for the GX. I rather like those features in my 80x.

**bob32069** · 12-25-2014, 09:08 AM

Just purchased a III v2 and really like it but it kind of depends on what type of sound you are looking for. Fender amps can get a great jazz sound (but it is a certain sound, distinctive fender), and I don't think it will ever sound like a polytone or jazzkat or henriksen.