I need your help Boogie users.. what shall I buy?

[Wightvanman]

Hi to you all. My first post.. and I want the benefit of your experience and knowledge.Let me have your tuppenth worth.
I am intending to buy another Boogie and I want to know your opinions.
Let me tell you what I think I am looking for and what I will use it for.
I am an amateur musician. I have played guitar for 30 years or so. I gig regularly in a covers band and we do a wide range of material from 70's classic rock ( Stones, Bowie, Zep, Deep purple, Free, Doobies, Bad Co) all the way through the genres to modern (cool) songs.We can also do heavy .. motorhead, metallica, QOTSA, and we do all points in between.So weezer, radiohead, killers, strokes, punk, disco, blondie, Who, Strokes.
I use a PRS McCarty rosewood, a Custom 22 or a Fender Strat. I have range of pedals including a Boogie V-twin, a compressor, wah, chorus, delay.. the usual sort of stuff. depending on the size of the gig and venue i may use an extension cab.. a vintage 1974 Marshall 2x12 cab. Also depending on the whatever i sometimes just plug straight in and use the two channels of the DC5.
So.. I want an amp which I intend to mainly keep in my studio and not gig with. So in between weekend gigs, I can rig up my pedalboard and various other assorted gizmos and practice/noodle around and generally fall in love with.. I want a nice very clean rich clean tone (don't we all) with the ability to raunch it up. Mega dirt is not essential because i can put the V-Twin in front if necessary.
I want lush big sound, a shimmering lovely Strat tone is essential.
So I'm thinking a Lonestar 2x12 combo or shall i find a Trem-o-Verb (again I want a 2x12). Or shall I go for a Mark 3 or 4. Or what? Dont want to spend the wonga on a Mark 5. I'm thinking 2x12 cos the two speakers definitely make the sound 'bigger', and cos it doesn't have to be so portable I dont mind the weight penalty. I will still gig with my DC5.
I dont want a 'head'.. it must be a combo.
So please .. any advice warmly welcomed
Or is there something else out there that I should consider?

 

[Jared Purdy]

I checked out a few of them before deciding on the Mesa LSS 112. The tone is beautiful. Like all Mesa amps with more than one channel, you need to spend time with the 2nd channel. I finally have mine dialed in so close to the first channel, that if I was to by-pass the drive, I'm sure it would be a twin of Ch.1 I find it more focused than the LSC, which has a beautiful BIG sound, almost the way a 1/2 stack sounds, but too big for house playing, I think. The LSS is less mid-rangy that the LSC too, which may or may not be an issue for you.

The 5, 15, 30 watt setting on the LSS is very convenient, and the sag of the 5y3 when in 5 watt mode, is pure, tone heaven. Physically it's a good size for a house, weight wise, well, you're not going to be running up and down the stairs with it's 60lb girth! The casters are handy. I take off the back two, and leave the front ones on creating a really nice tilt, aiming the speaker right at me as I sit in my chair.

I think the Mesa amps, along with Freyette and Soldano, put to rest the myth that PCB's are all crap. I have A/B'd this amps next to some pretty fine PTP/hand wired amps, and tone for tone, there is no compromise. I would advise waiting though, until the Royal Atlantic comes out. While it's a 100 watt amp, it's dialable all the way down to some thing like one watt! And, it's similar to the Eletrodyne, fewer controls, simpler, foot switchable 2 channels. But, from what I can tell, it's only available as a 212 combo or a head. 212 Mesa's are very, very heavy, and big. I hope this helps.

 

[MODD0682]

I have a Lone Star Classic 2x12 on order.

 

[Jared Purdy]

I have a Lone Star Classic 2x12 on order.

That sucker is a beast! I was playing one yesterday. After I finished noodling with it , I gave it a lift. Makes my LSS seem like a light weight.

 

[ifailedshapes]

I see you posted this in the Lone Star forum, which makes me think you're leaning that way. My vote, however, is for the Electra Dyne, though I think that once you get familiar with it, it won't be staying in your studio.

If you want to save a few hundred bucks and still have a great tone, the Express series is off the charts awesome. I'm selling my 5:25 1x10" and the cleans are very rich on that amp. I understand that you're looking for a 2x12", so I'm not trying to sell you my amp, but you're doing yourself a disservice if you don't check the Express lineup out in person.

 

[J.J]

I think the Electra Dyne sounds like what you want too. I would also say, don't limit your self to the 2x12. try the 1x12 as well as that has a different speaker and a more open back type cab and may suit you better. The ED has a very full sound and goes from Fender Spanky clean to classic hot rodded Marshall in terms of gain.

The Transatlantic combo may also interest you. I have not played one yet, but from what I hear it should have more tones in it than either the Lonestars or the Electra dyne.

 

[mAx___]

You have got to give the LoneStar Special a try. I've been looking for a tone this good for years until I found it in the LSS.
Guitar Center has it on the floor regularly, just bring your main guitar and enjoy.

 

[Wightvanman]

Thanks for advice ..keep it coming. Ok.. I am going to have to check out the electrodyne andthe express. My thoughts on a 2x12 is that a slightly bigger cab and two speakers is going to give a bigger sound with more projection , but do you know, I bet you're right. It's going to be tough to get a sound at home with a big lonestar classic. Maybe I need the ls special? Can you get a good sound at quiet volume from the classic? Anyone got a tremoverb? There is always a lot f fun in the chase, isn't there?

 

[ziehmrd]

I've got a LSC head and 1X12 cab and I think it sounds good at low volume. (Of course it gets better the more you crank it. ) It has a 10 watt mode for both channels and a tweed power setting, either or both of which really help in getting good tone at lower volumes.

 

[Chester]

LSC V2 is excellent at what it does, and would fit your needs, but the MKV is more versatile IF you spend time on learning how to use it

I have both, and am constantly finding new settings to match different styles and guitar pups (I have a bunch of PRSs)

 

[lespauljoe1]

I owned a 2 X 12 Electra Dyne and I currently own a LSC with a 2 X 12 ED cab.

Let me first say, I sold the ED only because I have 2 kids in college and I had to unload it along with more items to pay off a few bills. Once I payed off a few bills, I could afford another amp.

I ended up going with the LSC because it is a little more versatile with independent EQ, solo feature, etc. and I wanted a more Fender clean channel. The LSC gives me wonderful Fenderish clean tones, even with humbuckers. The ED cleans are very nice as well, but you will not get as clean with the ED. Depends on what you want.

The ED is voiced more like A British amp to me and the LSC more like American. Again it depends on what you desire. You have versatility with both since they can use 6L6 or EL34 pt's. I strictly used 6L6's and to my ear, the ED still had a tad of British tone, even with the clean channel. I don't have any single coil guitars, so I'm sure the ED can get cleaner tones if desired. The ED isn't exactly like a Marshall amp. It has its own thing going on imo. I have owned Marshall's in the past and the ED tends to be fuller sounding. The Marshall's are definitely brighter by comparrison. The ED has a huge bottom. This can be adjusted to suit however.

1 thing I'd like to add that has already been mentioned, is that I'm not sure the 2 X 12 sounds any bigger or spacious than the 1 X 12. The wide boy cab really makes the 1 X 12 sound huge. I use 2 X 12 cabs because I like to mix speakers.

I'd, try both amps, along with others mentioned here with your guitar(s) and decide. Either way, the LSC or ED are both super amps imo.

Good luck.

 

[twally]

I have a 5:25 Express 1/12 with a Mesa open back 1/12 cabinent (to set it on) that I play in Church. I also have a LSS head with 4/10 Mesa cabinet.

I used 6L6 amps for years, but the last five or so years I have really fallin in love with EL-84 amps. They don't have as much head room but (in my opinion) more than make up for that with their sparkle. They also are easier to "get in the zone" because of their lower wattage. Mesa's need to be turned up to cook.

JMHO

 

[MODD0682]

I play the same styles of music you do and I just got a Lone Star Special and have a Lone Star Classic on order. The Special is just that! I am so sorry I didn't get a Mesa amp sooner. I understand the EL-84's sound much different than the 6L6's. I will post back in a few weeks.

 

[Vogelsong]

I just recently sold my LSS for a Mark V. I just couldn't get a tone out of the EL84's as they always sounded too thin for me. My choice was a LSC or a Mark V. I chose the Mark V for more versatility, and the genuine third channel.

 

[Goerman]

Wightvanman,

My first post as well. I would be recommending the LSS as well. I love this amp, it is incredibly versatile and there is so much Tone in there! I have the 1 x 12, with a Mesa 1 x 12 extension cab,very nice set up. I recently acquired a Vox V212HWX cab with 2 Celestion Alnico Blues. Whether I use the Vox in tandem with the on board Black Shadow or in a stand alone configuration it is pure tone heaven. I definitely lean toward a "Fenderesque" sound but love British influences as well. I can pretty much say this set up is tone heaven....BUT WAIT..........I just picked up a Mark V combo and I am completely blown away. I have only begun to scratch the surface of tonal possibilities but have to say, this is the holy grail! From the chimey, beautifully blooming cleans of channel 1 to full on extreme grind of Channel 3 this amp covers it! I hear ya on the $ but if it is even a possibility, consider it. Over the years I have amassed a pretty nice selection of amps (in my never ending quest for tone) and I have never wanted to part with any of them. However I am now going to unload at least 3 or 4 (including a Fender silver face Super Reverb, Marshall Bluesbreaker, Fender Hot Rod Deville and possibly my Marshall 1974x). I won't be doing this out of economic necessity, its simply that what I love about each of these amps I have already been able to dial up with the Mark V. In other words, one could make a pretty strong "cost/benefit" argument in favour of the Mark V.

A couple of other thoughts. One of the things that I love about the LSS is that I can dial up really nice sounds at very reasonable volume levels, with the Mark V it clearly breathes better at higher volumes. To my ears and for my preferred tones the LSS definitely marries better with my Fenders, G & Ls, Gretches and Reverends. I have an early 70's Les Paul Custom which is a little darker than most LPs I have known and I wouldn't say I have found it a great match with the LSS and I can say the same for 2 Gibson ES's. However, with the Mark V, bring em' all on!

Bottom line is you aren't going to go wrong with a Boogie! Good luck.