Lonestar living up to its reputation

This amp is making me play more.

You should post a clip/video of it in action!

I have yet to hear a LSC in 4x10 form.

If I'm able to do some recording this summer, I will certainly post some clips. 8)

Awesome!

I'll stay tuned.

BTW, do you think a Lonestar, in any configuration, can nail Fender cleans?

mandoismetal said:

Awesome!

I'll stay tuned.

BTW, do you think a Lonestar, in any configuration, can nail Fender cleans?

Click to expand...

My LSS cleans are as good as any Fender out there. That's right, I said it 8)

The only Fenders I've owned are the reissue stuff, and I haven't heard one that beats the Lonestar.

jmontgomery said:

mandoismetal said:

Awesome!

I'll stay tuned.

BTW, do you think a Lonestar, in any configuration, can nail Fender cleans?

Click to expand...

My LSS cleans are as good as any Fender out there. That's right, I said it 8)

Click to expand...

+1. I'll back you on that with my LSC.

Awesome!

Thanks for the responses.

Many posts on the various amp boards are full of complaints...not this post.

I was a bit unimpressed by the Lonestar's drive channel; that is, until I put some overdrives in front of it. With the drive activated, there are 4 tube stages going on; and it shows with a little nudge out front.

I've also been experimenting with different tubes. Right now I'm running some 6V6s at about 75% max plate dissipation, and they sound very nice! The cleans are a bit more compressed than the 6L6GCs, which is actually pretty cool. And the distorted stuff is just off the chain.

Wasn't sure how I'd like 6V6s in the Lonestar as they worked wonderfully in my former Roadster but just sucked in my Egnater Tweaker. I'm running Groove Tubes 6V6s rated at #7 on the EL34 setting with the tweed setting and a GZ34 rectifier. Don't run #7s - or any 6V6s, for that matter - in the bold setting with the EL34 switch activated.

jmontgomery said:

mandoismetal said:

Awesome!

I'll stay tuned.

BTW, do you think a Lonestar, in any configuration, can nail Fender cleans?

Click to expand...

My LSS cleans are as good as any Fender out there. That's right, I said it 8)

Click to expand...

I've got to agree here, my LSS 2x12 has some of the finest cleans I've heard, anywhere!

Yep, the is the longest time I've owned any amp and not modded it. The DRIVE channel takes a bit of tweaking but is worth it when you find it.

I just feel the need to post positive vibes as many posts are criticisms or complaints.

talltxguy said:

Yep, the is the longest time I've owned any amp and not modded it. The DRIVE channel takes a bit of tweaking but is worth it when you find it.

I just feel the need to post positive vibes as many posts are criticisms or complaints.

Click to expand...

I've got to agree, but I suspect that most people who don't get on with a Lonestar are likely searching for that more traditional Mesa super saturated hi-gain tones and my view is that that's not what this amp's vibe is all about.

When I first got my LSS 2x12, new, almost exactly 5 years and one month ago: after I got it home and ceased marvelling at the beautiful clean tones, I did kick it into Channel 2 and wound up the wick to see how high it could go in the gain department and, initially, I felt somewhat underwhelmed. I did try various things, like winding up the Treble and taming it on the power amp Presence, thereby "dumping" more top-end gain into the Middle and Bass tone controls... obviously the LSS with the EL84s has quite a different bass and low-mids response to big-*** 6L6s as per the LSC, but to my ear, higher levels of gain in Channel 2 always seemed to have something missing!

However, the lack of super-saturated hi-gain in the amp wasn't actually any kind of a problem to me because I have an abundance of gain and dirt options on my pedal board, so, I set the amp Channel 1 for sparkling, chiming, clean rhythm tones, and Channel 2 for moderate crunchy rhythms, and when I want soaring, molten lead tones, or aggressive overdriven riffing, I'll just kick in some extra dirt from the pedal board.

If I were a regular recording guitarist, which I'm not, then perhaps this would be some kind of limitation in the studio as the amp wouldn't, alone, cover all the possible necessary bases I'd need, but then again I have a TransAtlantic TA15 head for more Marshall-y/Mesa-y higher gain tones if I ever need it. I am however regularly playing and gigging with a blues/rock covers band, and for that the LSS is perfect: two great-sounding base rhythm sounds, which can be boosted or added to as required from my pedal board: it takes pedals brilliantly!

So, for my purposes, I actually can't think of a better sounding, more suitable amp that I've played through! I personally think the Lonestar is a work of pure genius! Any amp with cleans like that gets my vote, and once I'd worked out how Channel 2 works and how the controls respond (i.e. NOT like a Marshall with everything set to 10!), I realised I'd found the perfect match for me.

I love my LSS. I'm using a 1x12 with a Celestion Gold in the cabinet and the stock Black Shadow speaker in a 1x12 closed back extension.

The cleans are very good indeed. But they are NOT as good as my 1964 Fender Super Reverb. But then, I'm not hauling that around to gigs.

I'd like to hear that '64 Fender!

But yeah, so far as the Lonestar goes, she is much happier when ran through a 2X12 instead of a 4X10. I've decided to put a jack on the 4X10 and sell that cab as it just doesn't do it for me.

The drive channel was quite a chore with 10" speakers but is easier to play through with 12" speakers. And the cleans breathe so much better with 12" speakers.

I'll stay tuned.