New LoneStar Special, with a small problem

[fox5150]

Hi All,

I've recently purchased a LoneStar Special - had no intention of buying it, just wanted to hear what it sounded like - and I fell in love with it. I'd bought a Fender Telecaster 52 Re-Issue the week before and tried it through a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe. Bought the guitar (30th birthday present to myself), brought it home and played it through my Boss GT-8, which I am a massive fan of. I've got a really good setup with the GT-8, which I've been gigging with extensively (and happily) for several years, but after trying the Tele out, felt that it was just lacking that *feel* that the Fender amp had. So, week later, went back to the store to try out a range of 30W-50W valve amps, to see which one I liked the best and foolishly asked to try out the LSS to see how they compared. Needless to say, there was no comparison and I am now a very proud LSS owner. I use it with my Gibson Les Paul 2002 Standard, Fender 50th Anniversary American Series Stratocaster and the new Tele.

As much as I am adoring this amp, there is one small niggle that is bugging me. I get the most annoying resonant noise coming from the amp when I fret certain notes high up the neck. To make sure I wasn't going loopy, I took it back to the store and demonstrated it to the guys (PMT@Southend, brilliant, brilliant, brilliant) and they confirmed that it was making the noise and sent it to the local authorised Boogie repair centre, which is fortunately 5 minutes from home. After the guys at the repair centre heard the noise, they promptly went to work and ended up stripping the amp down and putting it back together again and it had appeared to have cured it. However, playing it tonight and the resonant noise is back, but only when I fret an E on the 9th fret G string, or the same note played on any of the other strings, only at the same pitch, other E's don't trigger it. When I picked the amp back up, the guys in the store said that if it's still there, the only option is to swap it with another. Now I'm not sure if all LSS's sound like this, but I *adore* the sound of this amp and don't really want to swap it, but this resonant noise is driving me bonkers. Has anyone else experienced this, or maybe have some advice on how I can cure it. It's definitely coming from within the chassis, not something else in the room resonating. The amp's been stripped down and put back together by authorised Mesa Boogie repairers.

If anyone could help, I would be grateful.

Thanks,

Fox

 

[zappaslaughter]

can you please define the "resonate noise">?

Is it tube rattle in the key of E?

or is is microphonic sounds?

Overtones? Static? Poping?

Got a clip?

I know my LSC combo has tube rattle in the key of E untill it warms up about 20 mins.

 

[fox5150]

Hi,

The resonant noise certainly sounds like it could be tube rattle, although this being my first tube amp, I can't say for certain. I can say that it's not microphonic sounds, as the guys in the store ruled that out, and it doesn't sound like it could be overtones, static or popping.

Unfortunately, I'm not in a position to post a clip as I haven't got anything to record it with at the mo.

I was playing the amp for about an hour on Channel 1 @ 15W with my Les Paul on the neck pickup. The amp wasn't loud, as it's around midnight here in the UK - just fancied a late night noodle!

Thanks for your help,

Fox

 

[zappaslaughter]

Does it sound like somthing rattling in the chassis? I called mesa about my rattle, I figured I shelled out 2 grand, the amp should make my bed every morning for that kind of cash.

the mesa tech told me this was common on combo amps. You can buy these little "wings" that support the tubes, but my rattle goes away after the amp warms up and the pins expand. It is just one of the draw backs of owning the combo and not a head / cab mix-up.

I ensure this is what I heard by unplugging the combo speaker and pluging in an extension cab I had, and placed it about 10 ft from the combo. Sure enough, not more tube rattle.

Now it doesn't bother me with the combo speaker in use. It goes away after about 20 mins of warming up.

 

[fox5150]

Hi,

Thanks for the quick reply. I hadn't considered that it could be that kind of problem but it certainly sounds that you experienced the same thing. I haven't got a cab to try it through so will pop into the store tomorrow and try it through one of theirs. I'll post back with the results.

Thanks again.

Fox

 

[Bill11]

Hi fox5150,

I have had my LSS for almost three months and have played it extensively. I love it, and so far, I have not experienced this type of problem.

Good luck and I am interested to see what you learn.

 

[madryan]

Get yourself some cotton work gloves, or a clean rag, although gloves are easier and have a buddy play while you press the tubes into their sockets. My LSC had a rattle in one power tube and the rectifier tube. Mesa sent me new tubes and problem solved.

 

[fox5150]

Thanks for the replies and advice. I'll post back later today when I've tried it with the cab and I'll also try the new tip about supporting the tubes.

I love this amp - it's so close to perfect, which it will be once this rattle has gone.

Thanks for all your help,

Fox

 

[timmerel]

Try recording the same note onto mp3 or disc, then play it back at volume through your stereo near the amp. If there is a physical resonance going on you'll know it isn't the ciruitry, and hopefully will be able to pinpoint the exact location of the problem.

 

[fox5150]

I wasn't able to take it in yesterday as I got caught up at work. Taking it in later this afternoon and will update with the results.

Fox

 

[fox5150]

Well this is typical. Pop the amp in the car and drive it round to the shop. Set it all up on their workbench and the resonant noise has gone away...

I chatted with their guitar and amp tech about the responses from you guys to the problem and agreed that it is probably tube rattle. He's given me a spare set of tubes to take home with me, to swap out if the rattle starts again. They're only their test set, so they're going to order in a full replacement set, just in case.

It's really convenient that they're only round the corner from where I live (5 minute walk) and they're being really great about sorting this out for me. None of the "well you've paid your money so tough" attitude, quite the opposite in fact. I highly recommend Professional Music Technology (PMT) and in particular the Southend store, they are all a great bunch of guys.

They've let me borrow one of their handbuilt overdrive pedals for a week to see what I think. I went in to get their opinion on the BB Preamp and they said that I had to try this pedal. It's handbuilt by one of the guys that works there, and so far, I'm really loving it. It adds just the right amount of dirt and "fatness" (for want of a better expression), without changing the tone of the amp or guitar. It's a great clean boost, but will also drive the amp insane, and it's *so* transparent!

Anyway, thanks for all your help.

Fox

 

[shawnpurcell]

I'd say it may be a power tube.

 

[fox5150]

I was playing away yesterday and it started up again. Didn't have a chance to fiddle around to diagnose it and so had to wait to do it until today. Took the back off and identified which power tube it was (2nd one in from the right). Powered it down, took the tube out, swapped it with one of the spares the store had lent me, powered it back up again and that annoying rattle had gone. Popped the original one back in and the rattle was there. Called into the shop and ordered a complete power tube replacement set, so should be all sorted now.

Another twist in the tale though, I think one of the tubes has gone microphonic - I'm getting a high pitched, squealing noise, that is not pleasant. Is my diagnosis correct? Is this symptomatic of pre or power amp tubes?

Thanks,

Fox

 

[steveman69]

I bought a express 5:50 2X12 and it rattled like that. I immediately recognized it as tube rattle. I wrote Mesa to ask for some new tubes but they said I had to buy a set so I did. When I got them in the mail I installed them and the rattle was gone. They shipped out this express with bad tubes.

In any case, I am in love with my express 5:50. I had a 5:25 and the 5:50 is a totally different amp. Sounds 100% different. The 5:25 was muddy, dark and mushy. The 5:50 has 90% of the lone star cleans with some great crunch and slam as well. I ended up with the 50 1X12 as I found it sounded the best and was a decent size.

Anyway, my rattle is 100% gone with the new tubes. Glad you found the issue.

 

[469RoadKing]

When you guys are speaking of rattles and noises, do any of them sound metallic?

 

[fox5150]

The "rattle" that I was experiencing I would characterise as glassy, but could be interpreted as something metallic on glass...