A Junkie....

After selling my beloved DC-3 w/a 2-12 Half-back cabinet and a Duel Rectifier 5 years ago when I moved... **** I never realized how much I loved the DC-3 until it was gone. I also loved the DR but I'm a Rock/Blues man and played the DC-3 out more 'cause it Worked. In all my tube amps I kept a Fender Blues and bought a Vox VT-100 used since I'd turned into a Closet player. A couple of weeks ago my Son was here and asked "Anything on Craigs List"? Looking I see a Dr Z Maz-38 and he goes "Oh Man... That's the Amp right now". It has EL-84's.... Hummm???? So I thinking DC-3 sounds. Grabbed some Cash and headed South to Murrells Inlet. We both played it, he Loved it and I thought it was OK. Made the guy an offer and he balked. After about 30 minutes of telling lies we met in the middle. Coming home my Son LOVES this amp. Me, I just ain't feeling it for a closet player. (He gets the Dr Z for Christmas.) Last Wednesday I see a "MESA LONE STAR Special" on CL, No Price. "Make Offer". After a couple days of pondering it I sent him a message, "CALL ME". I asked him some questions and he answers everyone wrong. "Nope, not supposed to play it on 5 watts... etc" and gives me a Price". I said OK, thanks. Talking to my Son, he says "Dad I was going to give you my Rectoverb for Christmas. The Lone Start is Cool but...". So I sent the seller a Text mgs, "I'm Out". Sunday I'm back to thinking about the Lone Star.... Still on CL. I send the guy a message, "Still Got The LSS"? He calls me, "Yea, still got it but I have someone coming later today and someone else tomorrow". (Me,) you take a grand for it? (LSS 1-12 with Road Case). "Yea, I can do that". I can be there in 45 minutes.

Brought it home, plugged it in and Instantly Blew the Rectifier Tube (and fuse) Sunday in 15 seconds! Ran down a GZ34 Monday locally and put it in (and a fuse). I've also read quite a bit here on the early LSS problems. (Ordered 2, JJ 5Y3's Sunday. Just didn't want to wait on them.)

Well, I'll tell you... I've owned a Truck load of tube amps but I'll never sell this one. Tone to the bone and dirty as I ever need. I read about the "Hard ByPass" this weeks and was amazed when I switched mine. I was totally satisfied before I switched it but even more now.

Haven't told my Son I bought the LSS yet. He's coming this weekend for Christmas. I'm curious to play the Rectoverb.... hummm? (I think he's going to take the VT-100 back with him. I'm sure he has a Pal or Student that will LOVE it.)

I had an LSS. If I were a blues man I'd have hung on to it come hell or high water.

Those rectifiers are funny things. I played mine for years with zero issues, then I sell it and it lets go on the new owner within a day.

screamingdaisy said:

I had an LSS. If I were a blues man I'd have hung on to it come hell or high water.

Those rectifiers are funny things. I played mine for years with zero issues, then I sell it and it lets go on the new owner within a day.

Click to expand...

Interesting!

I know through years of direct experience that tubes can blow anytime, but I wonder how much of the LSS rectifier issues are down to combination of settings rather than "design" problems, wrong timing or bad tube luck?

Like you, I know someone who had one for years without issues - stable and rock solid, but it seems some owners have recurring problems

I've read all I could find on Switching the Watts with Power On/Off. When I called the seller he said, "Nope, Never Supposed To Switch The Watts With The Amp ON.... Didn't you read the Manual"? Hell, I read the manual and I Didn't See Anything stating On or Off. The first couple of days I'd flip it to Stand-by then yesterday I figured WTH (after the other two 5Y3's arrived) and switched it numerous times without using Stand-by or Off. No noise, didn't blow up nothing.

I have not pulled the board to see if R101 and R103 are still on the board. I have a blown Fender Hot Rod DeVille that "junior" has blow up again I need to pull the board out of it before I start dicking with something that Works.

The blown rectifier bug was a tube issue -- the rectifier tubes they'd shipped with for the first few years of LSS production were shaky, at least in this amp (so it was at least *partly* a design issue too). The newer LSS' ship with a better rectifier and the older amps are easily stabilized with a new rectifier tube. I forget what the criteria was -- old Russian tubes were bad, new Chinese ones were good?? Other way around?? This is findable around here if necessary -- but as you've seen it's an easily solved problem. It seemed like it took a while for everyone (including Mesa) to figure out what was up at first, but it's old news at this point.

So, the good news is it has nothing to do with settings. Also, you're right about this: switching output power settings with the amp turned on is a complete, 100% total non-issue. Where do people get this? :roll:

Mesa does advise that players refrain from cranking the gain and treble all the way up, because it's hard on the pre-amp tubes and reduces their life expectancy... but that's about it.

Otherwise, congratulations and just go ahead and rock the hell out of that amp!

The Rect-0-Verb landed this past weekend. I like it and it sounds pretty good at low volume. This morning I plugged the LSS back in and I think the Rect-0-Verb will be looking for a new home.

I might list it here For Sale.