Adding some warm break-up to a Roland cube 20

**Gladders** · 08-09-2021, 01:36 PM

I'm very fond of my little orange Cube 20 from the pre-COSM days but I'm struggling to get that warm edge-of-break-up sound you'd be able to get from a tube amp. I don't really want to get another small amp. Can anyone recommend a pedal that can be set very lightly to deliver just a little tube-like warmth and harmonic richness?

There are plenty of demos on you tube but none with very light touch settings.

**mr. beaumont** · 08-09-2021, 01:46 PM

Tech 21 Blonde/Joyo American Sound

**citizenk74** · 08-09-2021, 02:51 PM

I'm using an El Pescadoro by Nocturne to warm up my solid-state amps. One side of it is the Jr. Barnyard pre-amp for nice octal throb, the other is a collection of tweak-friendly pre-spring-reverb reverb/echo emulations. Very cool pedal. The JB is available stand-alone of course. It's just that I can never resist a good boingulator.

**bluejaybill** · 08-09-2021, 04:19 PM

I use a Bluesbreaker variant for this (King of Tone). Klon variants can work as well. Depends on the eq curve you like, and all are different in this respect.

**pingu** · 08-09-2021, 05:01 PM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont;[URL="tel:1139594"

1139594[/URL]]Tech 21 Blonde/Joyo American Sound

ive got a clone of one of those ,
a Harley Benton American ,
and to be
honest I’m not loving it ....

but hey it’s just taste , others do love it

I’m still searching ....

I fancy trying an Ethos TWE 1
and the new quilter superblock
(yes i know it’s got an amp in it)

**Gladders** · 08-09-2021, 05:21 PM

Cool suggestions guys. Thanks.

I was wondering about a Soulfood or the Keeley DDR. I guess I might have to go on a bit of a pedal safari until I find the right one.

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**fep** · 08-09-2021, 05:47 PM

I have this Tone City Sweet Cream, an inexpensive but really nice pedal. Can't get these now in the U.S. but since you're in the UK... At 5:25 he demos light overdrive.

**Tal_175** · 08-09-2021, 09:06 PM

If you're looking for the tube sound, amp simulator pedals intended for direct out or PA usage are your best bets with SS amps. Overdrive pedals generally rely on tube amps for their best sounds. They are more about shaping a tube amp then being tubey all by themselves. They also work well as distortion pedals with SS amps for heavier sounds.

Amp in a box pedals (like the marshall pedal), generally are still overdrive pedals centered around the eq of the target amp. Of course most overdrive pedals can be adjusted to get a slight clipping compression that might warm things up a bit. Basically you're getting a lower resolution sound out of an otherwise more HI-FI sounding amp. Nevertheless, self contained amp simulators would do the best job. There are always exceptions of course. I've gotten good tones using analog pedals like Tech 21 clones or the more modern digital modeler pedals with SS amps.

**maxiim** · 08-09-2021, 11:10 PM

Tube preamp pedals are your best bet here

anything from Reussenzehn but its made in germany so i doubt theres a huge market outside europe or even german spoken countries

**maxiim** · 08-09-2021, 11:34 PM

tubescreamers sound creamy on some amps! my first pedal was a clone which i would use over a pa system and it sounded pretty rad actually - i could imagine it would work on a roland too since they sound really transparent

**Herbie** · 08-10-2021, 12:43 AM

Those Rolands are nice amps!

I have one pedal for that slight break up in my pedalboard. JHS Morning Glory V4.

It is very low gain od so it does this slight break up thing very well. Many ods have too much gain and hair even in the low settings.

Good luck in the hunt! Lots of pedals mentioned already…!

**Gladders** · 09-11-2021, 04:39 AM

Originally Posted by fep

I have this Tone City Sweet Cream, an inexpensive but really nice pedal. Can't get these now in the U.S. but since you're in the UK... At 5:25 he demos light overdrive.

This was a great call. The Sweet Cream, I think quite unusually, allows you to blend the overdrive and clean signal to get a real range of tones. Thanks!

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**nevershouldhavesoldit** · 09-11-2021, 07:14 AM

Originally Posted by citizenk74

I'm using an El Pescadoro by Nocturne to warm up my solid-state amps. One side of it is the Jr. Barnyard pre-amp for nice octal throb, the other is a collection of tweak-friendly pre-spring-reverb reverb/echo emulations. Very cool pedal. The JB is available stand-alone of course. It's just that I can never resist a good boingulator.

Octal throb can be a serious distraction on a gig. When we were young, the only available relief was a boingulator - and it didn’t work that well. But I hear that there’s now effective medication.

On the other hand, you may have given me a new name for my blues band.

**st.bede** · 09-11-2021, 12:19 PM

I have a bunch of pedals. I think the one that works best for what you are describing is my Origin Effects Revival Drive. I also really like my Catalinbread RAH. At work I use a line 6 amp (not my choice), and the RAH does not work well with that. I use Lovepedal Amp11 with that amp. Another pedal that I have had good results with is Earthquaker Devices Plumes. Any AITB should have some ability to add an amp like breakup. Another brand that I really like is Menatone.

**DonEsteban** · 09-11-2021, 05:54 PM

Donner Boost Killer does the job, but is currently sold out (I have 2 units, that's how convinced I am)

They say it's a clone of the Xotic RC Boost pedal, see for yourself:

Edit: I have the American Sound and it's a fantastic sounding tool to get all sorts of cleans in the Fender tradition. Plus a killer 3-band EQ (where my DV Mark amps suck)

Only button I'd never touch is gain, always set to zero. Once you turn it up noise starts and the distortion might be the opposite of a "warm breakup", I'd call it ugly, well just my opinion...

**Gitfiddler** · 09-11-2021, 07:10 PM

Any of the variety of Ibanez Tube Screamer should work.

Also, the lowly RAT is an inexpensive 'sleeper' for your intended purpose.

I like the way these two pedals interact with my Roland Cube 60 and newer 80GX.

**st.bede** · 09-11-2021, 09:51 PM

I would second RAT.. I used mine a lot. Wampler makes a mini rat pedal that is almost as good as my VFE Alpha dog. (The VFE allows for me mix in some clean which is really useful for jazz dirt type sounds. The Wampler does not have that option). Another pedal I use is a boss blues driver. That could also work. For that you can probably go to almost any guitar store and plug it into a cube amp. That might be helpful.

**rabbit** · 09-12-2021, 08:49 PM

I'm with nevershouldhavesoldit.

'Octal Throb' is 'Very Good.'

**marcwhy** · 09-12-2021, 10:48 PM

Sarno "Earth Drive" could be helpful. They have an octal tube pre-amp, too, but it's fairly pricey.

**jazzfrog** · 09-13-2021, 12:38 AM

Originally Posted by Gladders

I'm very fond of my little orange Cube 20 from the pre-COSM days but I'm struggling to get that warm edge-of-break-up sound you'd be able to get from a tube amp. ... Can anyone recommend a pedal that can be set very lightly to deliver just a little tube-like warmth and harmonic richness?

Explore the Catalinbread Formula 55.
I just got it and it does a very nice Fender clean tone.
And then, it has the knobs to get you on the edge of the tweed break up, or full break up for that matters.
I was surprised at how much of a nice preamp pedal it is.
It is also very dynamic so it works great for that push from time to time.