Roland JC-22 or Blues Cube Hot?

[jazzplayer123]

Greetings! Cant choose between JC-22 vs Blues Cube Hot.
Which one would you choose for good clean tones and for pedal platform? (overdrive, octaver, etc)

I play mostly live/small gigs and I need an amp that has good clean tones, and, which can blend in jazz/pop/rock/funk bands well.
Main guitars: AR 2619 Ibanez (close to Scofield model), Fender Strat.

Trying amps is not an option, will have to order them from thomann.de

Thanks for your input.

[rpjazzguitar]

I gigged with a JC 55 for several years. The JC series has the stereo chorus, which is an advantage -- if you use that sound, which I didn't.

The JC 22 has two 6.5" speakers. Blues Cube Hot has a 12". The JC series has a reputation for sounding a little cold -- and playing through 6.5" speakers might not help. You'd have to do a comparison to be sure, but since you can't, you have to guess. My JC 55, btw, has two 8" speakers and sounds fine to me, although I don't like a lot of lower frequencies for most of what I do.

If you like warmth, you might be happier with the bigger speaker. I suspect, without knowing for certain, that the speaker size will make more difference than the amp circuit.

[Mecena]

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Blues I think it has that capsule stuff, which is pretty much like tube.
It does cost 150$ a piece.
And I think you need to change it from time to time like regular tube.

[Mecena]

Roland Tone Capsule UB – Thomann UK

This stuff.
I'm not sure how long do last this capsules.
Do you need to change them like regular tubes.
But surely - 150€ is like 7 tubes for tube amp. xD

Just another suggestion.

Try to find Peavey Bandit somewhere and try it if you have a chance.
I've heard they have super good clean.
And I've heard that they are good amps.

Since you did mention multiple stuff like funk and rock.

If you get a chance to try Peavey Bandit, try it.
Or Envoy 110, same amp. And they are both very common.

Ofc don't but it instantly, but if you have a chance to try it - for sure try them.

[jazzplayer123]

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Blues I think it has that capsule stuff, which is pretty much like tube.
It does cost 150$ a piece.
And I think you need to change it from time to time like regular tube.

capsules are only for Arist/Stage models.
looks like cube hot does not have any.

[Mecena]

capsules are only for Arist/Stage models.
looks like cube hot does not have any.

Aha, okey. Thanks.

I do know that big models do have them, I was not sure about this one.

But I know bigger models do have them.

[Boogaloo]

I think that both Roland amps you are considering are really practice amps. I owned the 30 hot which is voiced to resemble the fender tweed series and behave like a tube amp. It never quite did it for me. Always a bit bland and lifeless. The larger cubes use tone capsules however this should never be compared with real vacuum tubes. Two completely different animals. Why not a Little Jazz instead of these two amps. Never played one but others here love them.

[Alder Statesman]

I think that both Roland amps you are considering are really practice amps. I owned the 30 hot which is voiced to resemble the fender tweed series and behave like a tube amp. It never quite did it for me. Always a bit bland and lifeless. The larger cubes use tone capsules however this should never be compared with real vacuum tubes. Two completely different animals. Why not a Little Jazz instead of these two amps. Never played one but others here love them.

A Little Jazz was exactly what I was thinking. I have had one for a couple years now. Works great in the living room. Works great in coffeehouses and bars. Should be less expensive, too.

[rpjazzguitar]

A Little Jazz was exactly what I was thinking. I have had one for a couple years now. Works great in the living room. Works great in coffeehouses and bars. Should be less expensive, too.

I've used the LJ with 4 horns (octet) and with a full 19 pc big band (horns not amplified).

I figure that I need to be about as loud as a horn (which can be pretty loud). Maybe if there wasn't a piano, I'd need to be a little louder. The LJ will do that. The big band does a sound check and I've been asked to turn down as often as I've been asked to turn up, which, I figure, means I'm in the ballpark for volume.

If I was playing a loud, large bar with a funk band, I'd bring a different amp.

[sgcim]

I've used the LJ with 4 horns (octet) and with a full 19 pc big band (horns not amplified).

I figure that I need to be about as loud as a horn (which can be pretty loud). Maybe if there wasn't a piano, I'd need to be a little louder. The LJ will do that. The big band does a sound check and I've been asked to turn down as often as I've been asked to turn up, which, I figure, means I'm in the ballpark for volume.

If I was playing a loud, large bar with a funk band, I'd bring a different amp.

Can you cut through the band on solos?

[rpjazzguitar]

Yes. I can get loud enough for my solos. However, the guitar solos don't usually have horn backgrounds in that band. It's really a quartet at that point. But, unless the horns were really blaring, I think I could manage with the LJ. I just have to about as loud as a horn soloist. I do run a Boss ME80 in front of the LJ which adds a little gain.

Also, I often like to begin a solo very quietly, forcing the bass drum and keys to come down in volume, unless the bassist is right before me, which happens in some of the charts. Starting quietly is like whispering - it grabs attention because it's such a change from 19 pieces. As the solo progresses, I get louder (I control it with the volume pedal in the ME80 and my right hand). At that point, I can sound as if I'm playing loud, because I'm no longer being compared to 19 pieces.

Caveat. it's a pretty big band, but the room isn't that big. Maybe 10 rows of chairs for the audience. Wider than deep. But, I've used the LJ with an octet in a huge room and I was told later that it sounded fine.


I've played in other bands where the chart calls for the guitar to play a wailing rock solo over all the horns playing fortissimo. The LJ isn't going to do that.

[christianm77]

From my experience last night, I would say forget that and get a Peavey Bandit 112.

Great gigging jazz amp.

[Stevebol]

From my experience last night, I would say forget that and get a Peavey Bandit 112.

Great gigging jazz amp.

That's what I was thinking but the Bandit is quite heavy compared to a Blues Cube Stage. I'm parting with my Roland Street Cube EX. Never got around to busking with it. It sounds good but with the small speakers and cab it lacks some low end. That's one thing the Cubes do have thought they lack the 'character' of tube amps. The Tone Capsules seem to help with that but they're just memory sticks not vacuum tubes.
Bandits do sound nice. They're probably as good as any solid state amps out there.