Is a Micro Cube giggable?

[Faber]

Looks like I'l be doing some duo/comping behind a singer gigs in the future. I'll need something small and portable that will sound good without being too loud for an unamplified singer. I'm thinking about picking up some small used Roland. Is the Micro Cube loud enough or should I go with a cube 30 or 60?

[docjeffrey]

 

Looks like I'l be doing some duo/comping behind a singer gigs in the future. I'll need something small and portable that will sound good without being too loud for an unamplified singer. I'm thinking about picking up some small used Roland. Is the Micro Cube loud enough or should I go with a cube 30 or 60?

 

 

What have you got now? Honestly, if it's unamplified coffee house stuff, I'd go for something that's capable of producing a wider frequency range, like a 1 x 12 combo. Maybe spend your money on an attenuator instead of a little amp that's gonna compete with the frequency range of the female voice. A Vox AC15 of some kind would be cool; or a tweed Fender Deluxe style amp (12 watts, 1 x 12).

[docjeffrey]

Something I saw in a couple of London Tube stations--the buskers would use a little battery powered modeler like a Pandora through one of those Crate Taxi amps that were also battery powered.

 

The Cube 30 would work. The 60 would be overkill. There are a lot of low powered, cheap tube amps out there these days. I think you could get by with a Champion 600 even though it has a 6" speaker. It puts out great sound with a good amount of bass. I haven't gotten decent tones out of my Vox AC4 yet without a big cab attached. What else is there?

[Some-Dude]

I'd go for a larger Cube amp. The speaker on the Micro Cube is a little weak and very midrangy. If you're going to backup an unamplified vocalist you're probably going to want nice clean tones, in which case I'd want a better quality speaker that won't fart out on you like the one in the Micro Amp does.

[Faber]

Thank - sounds as if the MC might not be the best choice. My smallest amp right now is a 30W Rivera that doesn't sound very good at qute so low volumes as I suspect we'll be gigging at. Besides it's a bit big and cumbersome to haul around.

 

An AC15 or Tweed Deluxe would be awesome but both are well outside what I'm willing to spend. The bigger cube amps may be the way to go.

[knotty]

Vox AD30VT and turn down the wattage?

[csm]

I've used my Micro for 'acoustic' gigs by taking a line out of the back and running it into the PA.

[YOUTUBE]d2Zx1sd3xIA[/YOUTUBE]

[Frets99]

In a small environment 30 to 50 people, I've used a microcube to play my tele through while my partner played an acoustic and we both sang. More than enough clean power for that. In a larger environment. I've done what Charles has done.

[linusâ„¢]

if using the line out it would be fine, if not you just can't get the appropriate amount of bass, either that or it gets all farty.

 

i changed the speaker out on mine, it is better, but not fixed.

the cube series are fantastic amps though- i've long been debating whether i should get a cube 30 just to have in my living room.

[Brian May]

 

I'd go for a larger Cube amp. The speaker on the Micro Cube is a little weak and very midrangy. If you're going to backup an unamplified vocalist you're probably going to want nice clean tones, in which case I'd want a better quality speaker that won't fart out on you like the one in the Micro Amp does.

 

 

I hear many say this that the micro cubes lil speaker is its weak point. Well, that mid range thing was the very thing that caught my ear! I love it! I had the Cube 30 first (and thought it was great!) and as I am a mobile guitar teacher the microcubes portability and weight were a big plus...but the sound I was hearing (as a few students had them) was very enticing. I was carting the 30 around and hearing to my taste a better sound (those rich mids!) and a fraction of the weight and size but all the power I needed for teaching with. So I sold the Cube 30 shortly after aquiring my microcube.

 

Now the point of whether the amp is loud enough for the OP...well if the singer is unmiked then yes it IS LOUD ENOUGH...think of it like "is it as loud as an acoustic guitar?" And the answer IMO is YES! But then if the singer is going through the PA then I'd say the amp on its own isnt! I'd say if singer is PA'd mike the lil micro cube also...otherwise go for the Cube 30. It will have plenty volume..and a few extra amp models.

 

I like the Cube series...I think for the money and mostly non band or no drummer and home practice they are fantastic! And listen to Seasick Steve! Thats a little Cube 30 he's getting those nice tones with!!

[bdegrande]

I have used a Micro Cube to play solo in front of a few dozen people with no problems, I think it would easily be loud enough for you and a singer. When I need a louder small amp (like with a drummer), I use a ZT Lunchbox.

[metallica_00]

I guess you could use it if you ran it out into a PA or something. Not with the built in speaker. Nor would you want to - it's really not capable of producing a full frequency range.

 

They're very functional little amps, but if you only need a few good tones from your gig amp as opposed to a wider variety of tones/effects, I would definitely go with a medium/smallish tube amp.

[jamdogg]

i have yet to meet a bigger micro cube fan than myself - and if i was looking for a gigging solution i would look elsewhere.

[Misha]

Have you thought about the Vox Pathfinder 15R???

 

Cheap, (around 120$ brand new), good sounding, loud if needed, analog unit, decent reverb and tremolo!

 

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Vox-Pathfinder-15R-Guitar-Combo-Amp?sku=481948

 

Of course, it doesn't sound as a tube amp but for the price, it's really good and it even looks good!

[mister natural]

roland cube street

 

might be the finest "next step-up"

[snowaie]

just run it throigh the PA and you're all set

[StillRock]

Not any real bass response from the MicroCube, but I've played with it in Highschool and College auditoriums and it's got sufficient power.

[aloha]

If your singer is going to use a small PA, then why don't you just use a POD?

 

Z

[jonPhillips]

And listen to Seasick Steve! Thats a little Cube 30 he's getting those nice tones with!!

 

Seasick Steve FTW

[Ratae Corieltauvorum]

 

And listen to Seasick Steve! Thats a little Cube 30 he's getting those nice tones with!!

 

 

No way does SS use a Roland amp, he uses an old wooden box with crabs, stones n pixies in it:mad:

[orourke]

I saw someone using a Micro Cube for a acoustic guitar amp on one of those VH1 Unplugged or Story Tellers or something. Can't remember which show it was, Paramore? Katy Perry? something recent.

[Faber]

Thanks for the replies. After the replies to the effect that I needed something bigger I went home and had another shot dialing in my Rivera - It'll never sound incredible at this volume but I figured I'd rather save my money and settle for passable than throw alot of money into getting something better sounding that may only be applicable for these few gigs. Part of the appeal of the MC was that they are dirt cheap used

[Brian May]

No way does SS use a Roland amp, he uses an old wooden box with crabs, stones n pixies in it:mad:

 

 

 

!

 

check out 0.54 to see his Cube 30!!

 

http://www.dawsons.co.uk/news/2008/12/seasick-steve-and-the-roland-cube-30x/

[DrBolt]

A vote in favor of the micro: I had a surprise gig of sorts at a conference of professors last weekend. A guy had a set of "folkie" songs he needed backup on, and asked around about who had guitars with them. I was traveling with my steinberger spirit GT-Pro and my micro-cube (he was looking for acoustics, I think), so I said, "Sure! I'll sit in." We played to 300 people in a college cafeteria (with the horrid acoustics that entails), yet I was easily heard by all. (and volume was around 7).

YMMV

[harold heckuba]

I saw a band called the Felice Bros. play an outdoor gig and they used a Micro-cube run thru some off brand cabinets.