lonestar special 1x 12 live (does it cut it?)

[bsoul]

does it ever suck!! - i think it might have to do with price and backing the 5 year warranty here would cost too much money. oh well it still isnt gonna stop me lol. ill let my ears judge this little beast.

edit: this is his reply via email.
Hello Bill,



The Lonestar series amps are awesome. They both offer unique sounds and cater to different needs. The Special is a pure Class A amplifier designed around the Blues. It sound’s much like that Stevie Ray, Gary Moore, Billy Gibbons type of sound and offers a 5/15/30W power selection for each channel. The Classic series are Class A/B and are designed around the smoother style of players like John Scofield, Andy Summers and John Petrucci and it offers 50/100W power selection for each channel. Both Special and Classic 1x12’s are $4295 and 2x12’s are $4595. Billy Hyde’s are our dealers in Melbourne and we also have repair agents there as well. The amps come with a 12 month warranty and the valves come with a 3 month warranty.

 

[Brewski]

When you were being quoted prices was $4295 in Australian currency or American dollars? Just curious, because of the exchange rate. They are nice amps, but you'd better be sure! Used ones go up on E-bay every now and then, which might save you some money, if you're not getting the 5 year warranty. Just thought that I'd mention it. But if the exchange rate is working against you, that might not be as appealing either. I'm also not sure if you have import duties to worry about.

Well, keep us all posted.

 

[bsoul]

the price is for AU dollars- our dollar hovers around 75% of yours so we suffer a little there but the biggest hit is import duty, then take out transport fees. plus our amps have to run on different power so im not sure how much extra that costs mesa to do. ive been checking on ebay too for SH ones, very rare to see an amp like that go on sale here and when they do theyre so rare it wont be much different in price. i might save a few hundred dollars so its not worth the wait that might take six months or more.
edit: how much is the lonestar 1x 12 and 2 x12 going for in the US inluding tax.

 

[Brewski]

how much is the lonestar 1x 12 and 2 x12 going for in the US inluding tax.

Tax varies by state here. Some states do not have sales taxes, but California is sitting at 8.25%. Some places in California have county taxes, and taxes for the sake of having taxes tax, which can make it vary a little. The list price here is $1699 for the 1x12 and $1799 for the 2x12. That is in it's stock form. You can have one custom made with with wood cabinets or leather covering and that is additional, depending on what sort of option you want.

It is somewhat reassuring, though, that the Mesa factory is only about an hour and half drive for me, if I ever needed to get service on either of my amps. BTW- I have an F-50 and a Road King head. I bought both of them used and haven't had any problems other than replacing tubes in them.

 

[bsoul]

is that $1799 for the 2x12 then add tax to that of 8.25%?
if i lived in the states i would have so much stuff- i love australia but when it comes down to gear we get shafted big time in choice and value. do mesa boogie do tours of the factory? that would be interesting to check out. my ex GF lives in the states- i could get her to buy me one and send it over but if something goes wrong ill be realy pissed.

 

[Brewski]

Yup!

 

[bsoul]

ok i did a big music shop test on the LSS and WOW!!!
they decided now not to lone me the lonestar to take home (the junior sales man made a mistake GRRR) so i went the music shop and while waiting to set it up i had a good talk with the sales man there (who is a also a working / recording musician, you can tell he knows his onions ) and pointed me over to the retroverb - said that he tried the LSS but bought the retorverb. he was worried about the head room in the LSS (it was my exact concern originaly). being 30w class A he says it might struggle fighting above the band AND KEEPING CLEAN WHEN NEEDED. live the rectoverb had the head room he needed, and its there that the amp really shined for him. the cleans stayed really clean and didnt mud up. but the rectoverb had to wait cause i was hanging out to try the lonestar FIRST!
all they had was the 1 x 12 so i set the master volume about half way and and went for it. WOW!!!! doing classic blues or soul licks with the LSS is dream like - i have to say its creamy smooth, like malt whistky! the best tone ive heard. - i couldnt believe how much it suited what i was playing - i was high on its sound and really lost myself playing in the sound room, i couldnt get over how brilliant this amp was until i decided to start playing a few chords! it didnt do too well with note separation. my marshall plexi kills it in that department (but thats a one trick pony). once i started to rough it up a bit this muddyness got worse!
i have to admit it might take me a while to learn how to use the darn thing, i have to test it again just to make sure. then i tried the rectoverb and one thing for sure it has a little bit better note seperation to my ears - but not as soulful- it had a great tone, but it didnt have that creamy malt taste of the LSS. i can see what the sales man was saying about headroom - but my heart was telling me get the lonestar special. the lonestar just sold me on those tones it did so well.
i am now leaning towards the LSS 2 x 12 - (hopefuly this will give me more headroom) the advice of the forum members here is fantastic, thx everyone!
standouts-
* this thing really shines when playing chords one string at a time ( i know it sounds funny but u know what i mean).
* really rewards a player who plays with soul and feeling.
* i like the reverb a lot.
* it looks cool!
* first time ever ive been THIS blown away with a sound from an amp (if i can sort out this muddyness this would have to be one of the best sounding amps ive played)
im going back tomorrow to test it again and then decide weather to put an order for the 2 x 12.

 

[Brewski]

Glad to hear that you like it! I warned you on the muddiness, and to go easy on the mid and bass. It will thicken up with volume. Since you only have a year of warranty, if you buy the amp, you might want to try JJ tubes when it gets close to changing out your power tubes. It might help with the muddiness.

Keep in mind that the LSS is meant to be a "vintage" sounding amp, it isn't a recto. That's a whole different animal. Again, best of luck on whatever you end up buying! Cheers.

 

[SabuJSE]

JJ tubes in a LSS is a must, imo. Nice upgrade in overall tone.

 

[Mick]

The more you play with the LSS the more you'll love it. Right now I'm stuck on the 5W setting on both channels. Been thru countless guitars/amps over the yrs and this is by far the best sounding amp I've ever played thru. (LSS 1X12 combo with 1X12 ext cab)

Take some time in the store going thru the manual - it'll definitely shorten up the learning curve as far as figuring out what the LSS is capable of. Good luck man!

BTW, I play a G&L ASAT 90% of the time and a LP deluxe the other 10 and I always have to back off the bass and mids with the LP's humbuckers.

 

[bsoul]

if i do end up buying a LLS ill change the valves for sure, there must be something good about those JJs if everyone is talking about them.

mick do you gig with your setup?

update: fender have released a new amp called super-sonic, seems interesting.

 

[Mick]

Hey bsoul, I haven't yet had occasion to gig with it but going on past experience I think my rig has enough headroom/power etc to handle playing bars/clubs without having it dimed.

I'm not using any effects, just guitar and amp. Also, heard a guy demo-ing a Supersonic for just a few minutes. Had that big Fender clean but sounded harsh when he dirtied it up but since I didn't see the settings, I can't say that the amp was at fault.

 

[TheRazMeister]

Fender still doesn't have the high gain stuff down.....

Hey bsoul, I haven't yet had occasion to gig with it but going on past experience I think my rig has enough headroom/power etc to handle playing bars/clubs without having it dimed.

I'm not using any effects, just guitar and amp. Also, heard a guy demo-ing a Supersonic for just a few minutes. Had that big Fender clean but sounded harsh when he dirtied it up but since I didn't see the settings, I can't say that the amp was at fault.

 

[bsoul]

therazmeister, have you tried the supersonic?
what a pain in the *** it is just to get a new amp, well only because im buying something that will last me for ages.

 

[TheRazMeister]

They got one in at Guitar Center and my buddy there demo-ed it for us. The cleans didn't sound as good as the twin reverb and the gain didn't sound as good as a Mesa. It's a nice amp but I just don't care for the overdrive tones of ANY Fender amp. (heck I don't like the overdrive of some Mesa's either :lol: )

therazmeister, have you tried the supersonic?
what a pain in the *** it is just to get a new amp, well only because im buying something that will last me for ages.

 

[SixStringThing]

if i do end up buying a LLS ill change the valves for sure, there must be something good about those JJs if everyone is talking about them.

mick do you gig with your setup?

update: fender have released a new amp called super-sonic, seems interesting.

I was considering that next to a twin reverb, a bad cat, and my LSS. I took the special, but the super sonic would of been my next choice. The cleans are quite nice, its got 2 clean modes, one to simulate bassman and I don't remember the other one. They both sounded pretty good. The gain was alright when I used a few of those presets, but it was harsh and not smooth enough. Its a nice amp, but I'd go with the LSS without a doubt.

 

[bsoul]

ok after some more research lol,
my choices have increased ,
lonestar S.
fender super sonic
matchless chieften
fender 65 deluxe reverb (R.I)
anyone have any comments on any of these other amps?

 

[Mick]

Stick with the LSS...buying one of the others will be like kissin' your sister.

 

[picnic]

bsoul, just my .02

lonestar special great on the dirty side, weak on the clean volume

Fender SS I heard one at a Fender jam, I was not at all impressed. Only three songs were heard, but the tones the guitarist played left me scratching my head. Jury is still out
matchless demoed one at GC $3200 is way too much money for what you got. The LSS next to it at $1800 was better IMHO
DRRI Great amp, almost bought one. Still might someday.
TRRI another great amp super clean tones but you WILL go deaf trying to get it to break up with out a pedal.

Lonestar Classic still my main(only) amp now. It's a TRRI and a DRRI in one cabinet. Boogie Quality build. Not a a Santana/shredder Mesa amp
I love what it can do

 

[strumminsix]

Stay away from a TRRI! They were great clean machines but the current production runs from 2005 forward are awful and produce some sort of phase oscilation problem.