Time To Move On?

I've been toying with the idea of selling my LSC 2x12 combo. I use it solely at home and gig maybe once a year. It has the features I want but it's simply overkill because I am unable to crank it. I love Channel 1 but I believe Channel 2 is a lost cause. I've done both Reeder mods and it still won't overdrive properly. It just gets dark and flubby. I've tried all sorts of settings to no avail. I've searched YouTube endlessly trying to see how you guys do it. I'll use the following video as a reference:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbG5YGNAf64&feature=relmfu

I have NO idea how he's getting that tone. I know his 4x12 with V30's will sound a bit different than my 2x12 combo, but the difference is drastic. I employed his settings for Channel 2 and mine sounds almost clean! What am I missing?

In all honesty, I can't really justify buying an overdrive pedal to get some gain going. I basically have a $2000 practice amp, haha. I'd rather sell it and buy something smaller/cheaper that can do it all. If it helps, I play Mayer, Hendrix and SRV type Blues with some ACDC thrown in once in a while. I'm partial to 6L6/6V6 amps and I would prefer something with reverb.

What do you guys suggest? As always, any and all input would be greatly appreciated.

Sounds like you just can't play the LSC loud enough to fill out the overdrive. The amp really wants to be gigged, it's pretty hard to get it going at living room levels. Sounds frustrating! I'd probably move on if I were in your shoes. I voted "other" because I would recommend the 5:25+. It's EL84, but more American-voiced, and the new Express Plus series sounds pretty darned cool... sounds like they really went to town on it. The old 5:50 would be my second choice I guess.

What version do you have? 10 watt power setting in tweed mode gets me there at lower volumes. Maybe try some higher gaiyn preamp tubes in v1 and v2 also.

Another thing to note if you read his comments... He has a Duncan jb in the bridge of that Tele. You won't get that gain with those settings with single coils

Yeah, that's what I was gonna ask. What pickups are you using? A medium output humbucker in the bridge will get you where you want to be I bet. Low output single coils are awesome for clean and very low gain, but are crap at higher gain settings (my opinion of course). I personally wouldn't give up on the LSC. It's an awesome amp. If anything, put a high quality overdrive in front of the clean channel. Or, and this is the best idea, I'll trade you my Deluxe Reverb Reissue for it. :twisted:

Thanks for the replies! I have the LSC V2 with the 10W setting. I don't have much difficulty getting great tones with my Les Paul. I'm actually able to coax out some fairly convincing "D style" amp tones with my Les Paul. The issue is with my Strat. I am able to get an overdriven tone but it lacks definition and punch. I think the Strat brings out the worst in Channel 2. However, the cleans sound fantastic.

I've thought about throwing in a quad of 6V6's. Would they help this issue?

I have an LSC 2x12 as well. I love CH1 and hate CH2. I play a strat with Kinman AVn Blues pickups in there. I have EL34's in there and I do recommend an OD pedal. I'm not one for bedroom volumes. I use it at rehearsal and gigs, however it does take the back seat to my roadster lately. I recently changed the V1 preamp tube in my roadster and it made a huge difference in sound. If you're out of warranty, I would mess around with the preamp tubes in your LSC. Contact Eurotubes or Dougstubes and see what they suggest.

You will still need to turn it up to make it sound great, but at 10W you should be able to do it without going deaf.

I am curious what your EQ Settings are..... I find it easier to dial in single coils with my LSC than humbuckers.

I'm always trying to find the right tone so my EQ settings are always changing. I've tried all of the settings in the manual. However, I'm just starting to realize how sensitive and interactive the controls really are.

I think channel 2 is excellent for a creamy lead, I just use an OD pedal w/ almost no gain, a slight volume boost and then adjust the tone to get the required sound. I generally use other amps for distorted rhythm though.

Check out the Yamaha THR. I got one for convenience. You can run our iPod right in the amp, mix it with your guitar, onboard effects, headphone out, PC recording software, direct PC out, gets quite loud. It has a Modern mode that is very metal, acoustic simulator, a few crunch modes, and awesome Yanaha reverbs.

And it runs on batteries! The ultimate convenient small gig and practice amp. I just put it of the armor the couch and jam.

Guitar Center here keeps selling out of the two speaker model.

Try one... It is freakishly good.

I get everything from mild OD to full on Marshall raunch in CH2 depending on how the gain / drive combo is set, and use an FD2 pedal for added spice where required

Get a good attenuator to open up the master vol and fill out raunch for home use. Works well at 45W setting

I may be asking the obvious here but are you using a compressor with your strat? Unless you are Eric Johnson and can play at earth-shattering volumes, you need a compressor for the strat. Check out a YouTube vid by Brent Mason (can't remember the link but google Brent Mason Studio) You need a compressor to fatten up that signal going in to the front end of the amp.

I play a strat with EMG SA's and also have the fat control and STILL use a compressor plugging into a MK III and DC-5.

Just don't use the compressor with humbuckers. It squashes the openness of them.

Try the compressor first if you haven't already. Let's see what you get after that test run.

Good luck.

UPDATE!

Instead of starting a new thread I figure I'd just resurrect my old one. Shortly after posting this topic I picked up a Fender Supersonic 22. It was everything I wanted and I was happy. I put my Mesa Lonestar up for sale. Unfortunately, however, the Supersonic was plagued with that dreaded "hiss" problem associated with the amp. I couldn't stand the hiss and ended up selling it. I picked up a Fender Deluxe Reverb Reissue and I was happy once again. But I missed having an overdrive channel and a mid knob. I didn't have much luck selling my Lonestar so I pulled it out of the closet last night, plugged it in and...

I can't believe I wanted to sell it! I forgot how full the tone is. I recently purchased a Gibson SG and it sounds amazing through the Lonestar. I think I can get used to how my Strat sounds through Channel 2. My Deluxe Reverb Reissue is going up for sale tomorrow

I have a question about the Lonestar. It's not as bright as I would like it to be. Which speaker would you recommend I purchase to replace one C90? Perhaps something from Warehouse Speakers? Nothing too expensive, please :mrgreen:

Not sure about a speaker, the LSS sounds good with a Gold. Maybe a 1x12 cab would be a greed choice. I just wanted to say you made the right choice keeping it.

I apologise if you've already done this, but have you tried swapping in a new preamp tube or two?

Personally, I find the JJs that Mesa currently uses a little dull sounding. My Roadster sounded really disappointing until I swapped the V1 for a brighter sounding Tung Sol.

I had a LSS that lacked top end bite but I never experimented with different tubes and I've always wondered if it would've helped. It's a relatively cheap experiment compared to a speaker purchase.

I haven't swapped out any of the tubes but the thought has crossed my mind more than once. Maybe I should try that out. I was going to sell the C90 I replace so I wouldn't lose any money.