New Electra Dyne... left my Marshall. Sold My LoneStar

After years of playing a Marshall JMP Master Volume half stack, I sold it for the portability of an Electra Dyne 1x12 wide body combo. I knew from the instant I plugged into one in the store, that it was what I was looking for. I bought a used one in a very cool tan color.

I have not missed the Marshall for a second. I like the beefier bottom end on the ED. It's what I was always missing on the Marshall. Channel switching has never sounded so good. Having an effects loop is pure gravy. I put a boost pedal in it for solos.

I also acquired a LoneStar Classic around the same time, but I let it go because I just don't need 2 75lb combos. The LoneStar was nice, but I didn't like the gain channel so much. I'm sure I could've gotten where I wanted to go with maybe some mods, but I figured, WHY, when the ED is everything I want? The extra features on the LoneStar were nice, but I'd just sit there and tweak instead of playing. With the ED, I get a great tone I like and am not really tempted to change it much at all. It doesn't seem to like some of my gain pedals quite as much as the LoneStar, but I don't really care because I love the amp's gain sounds. I'm gain pedal free for the first time in years.

It doesn't have quite the clean as the LoneStar, but I play rock and don't need the pristine clean. I liked the liquid Boogie gain channel on the LoneStar, but I just couldn't get it to be what I wanted. It was either muddy, or when I dialed out the mud, it just didn't have the low end. With the ED, you get both cut and low end beef. I've never heard anything like it.

After gigging it (in a huge airplane hanger--cool gig), practicing with it, etc for over a month, I don't think I'll ever sell it. My band raves about it almost as much as I do.

My only challenge now is finding something to complement it that is a little more portable and a little better at low volumes for smaller gigs. I'm thinking Express 5:50. Anybody know how that compares tone-wise? It seems like the right size & features for me.

Anyway, I just had to share how much I love the Electra Dyne. This is my first post on the Boogie Board, I just had to share.

My past amps: Mesa Single Rec, JCM 900, JTM45 reissue, Orange AD30TC, Orange AD15, JMP Master Volume, Gibson GA15RV, Fender Rivera Era Concert 1x12, Egnater Tweaker... the only one I wish I could have back is the AD15. It'd be a nice portable complement to the ED, but I'm thinking hard about the Express 5:50. Your input on how they compare is appreciated.

I really like the ED. My moods change every once in a blue moon but at the moment it's probably my favourite amp.

I really liked the LoneStar Special I had, but I agree about the lead channel. I thought it excelled when used as a true lead channel... big, fat tone... but it really struggled to produce rhythm sounds I found satisfactory... too fat. Killer for ZZTop type stuff and electric blues, not so great for pounding out palm muted riffs.

I like the ED because it reminds me a lot of my Recto; it's an amp that really responds to changes in picking dynamics and aggressiveness. Only, where my Recto excels at clean and high gain with a weakness for mid gain, the ED really excels at those mid gain sounds while lacking a true high gain option.

screamingdaisy said:

I really like the ED. My moods change every once in a blue moon but at the moment it's probably my favourite amp.

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SEE!!????
I was happy with my Recto until I made the mistake of trying one of these. SO. ****. AWESOME!!

I really liked the LoneStar Special I had, but I agree about the lead channel. I thought it excelled when used as a true lead channel... big, fat tone... but it really struggled to produce rhythm sounds I found satisfactory... too fat. Killer for ZZTop type stuff and electric blues, not so great for pounding out palm muted riffs.

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You need to AB a Lonestar with a Recto for good clean, lead, and rhythm tones!! =-o

I like the ED because it reminds me a lot of my Recto; it's an amp that really responds to changes in picking dynamics and aggressiveness. Only, where my Recto excels at clean and high gain with a weakness for mid gain, the ED really excels at those mid gain sounds while lacking a true high gain option.

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The 'Dyne has ample gain on tap imo, but it doesn't have that massive mid scooped raw tone with the rich upper partials like a Recto will do. Oh, I forgot you didn't have the gain trim switch installed. That little gadget changes everything and allows me to use high gain with the 'Dyne. Believe me, these tones are brilliant and why I bought the amp. That being said, I've found great balanced tones with the gain trim switch set to clean, normal, and lo/hi. This allows for low gain tones, mid gain tones, and vintage style high gain. No BROOTALZ though!

ksms said:

It doesn't have quite the clean as the LoneStar, but I play rock and don't need the pristine clean. I liked the liquid Boogie gain channel on the LoneStar, but I just couldn't get it to be what I wanted. It was either muddy, or when I dialed out the mud, it just didn't have the low end. With the ED, you get both cut and low end beef. I've never heard anything like it.

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For cleaner cleans, select 90 watt output and set your gain trim switch to 'clean'. This will increase clean headroom!

I hate high gain these days and love Alternative rock like bands like Manchester Orchestra and so on, so the Dyne is perfect for that! With a boost pedal it will do high gain better than most high gain amps and respond better to playing!
I chose the head because combos are a PAIN!!!

papersoul said:

I hate high gain these days and love Alternative rock like bands like Manchester Orchestra and so on, so the Dyne is perfect for that! With a boost pedal it will do high gain better than most high gain amps and respond better to playing!
I chose the head because combos are a PAIN!!!

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I LOVE High gain but this becomes a question of just how much gain people need. The Electra Dyne has loads of gain but I appreciate how my Volume knob is so wonderfully useful for getting many shades of gain and tone while playing. Nothing like responsive boutique hand would pickups into a boogie!!

YellowJacket said:

papersoul said:

I hate high gain these days and love Alternative rock like bands like Manchester Orchestra and so on, so the Dyne is perfect for that! With a boost pedal it will do high gain better than most high gain amps and respond better to playing!
I chose the head because combos are a PAIN!!!

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I LOVE High gain but this becomes a question of just how much gain people need. The Electra Dyne has loads of gain but I appreciate how my Volume knob is so wonderfully useful for getting many shades of gain and tone while playing. Nothing like responsive boutique hand would pickups into a boogie!!

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You don't need boutique hand wound pickups. I spent thousands on hand wounds and am back using mostly stock pickups. Just as good in many cases.

Pickups all depend on what you're doing. The Gibson Burstbuckers were rather underwhelming and they were not calibrated well. I found with some new pickups and electronics, I'm coaxing a lot more tones out of my guitar these days!!

My favorite are PRS Dragons, Gibson HB-L and R, Duncans, Rio Grande, Wolfetones and WCR. You???

With the ED I really like P90s (stock Gibson).

I also like the 57 Classics that came in my SG.

screamingdaisy said:

With the ED I really like P90s (stock Gibson).

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I f you ever get a chance try some Fralin p90s.......wow :mrgreen:

Birdy said:

screamingdaisy said:

With the ED I really like P90s (stock Gibson).

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I f you ever get a chance try some Fralin p90s.......wow :mrgreen:

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Everything I've read says the Fralin's are more tame/refined while the Gibson's are more raunchy. The latter suits me more.

Beyond that, I'm not that interested in boutique pickups. I've kind of come full circle in terms of buying gear and these days I'd rather just play guitar than obsess over my tone.

Yes. Endlessly tweaking or sitting on a forum reading about guitar gear is not particularly profitable when that time can be used to play instead!

I still like my boutique pickups but when something is not broken, don't fix it.

My Ibanez Blaze 7 pups are a good match with the Dyne. They're PAF-ish. The Evo has not been a good pup with the Dyne for me.

elvis said:

My Ibanez Blaze 7 pups are a good match with the Dyne. They're PAF-ish. The Evo has not been a good pup with the Dyne for me.

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I second that. If you have high output pickups with lots of compression, they're no good with the ED. I dislike the Duncan Custom in my Charvel, whereas the BareKnuckle RiffRaff in my PRS is great. The RR is a very open, medium output, PAF style with good high end content and a tight low end, which complements the big and slightly compressed nature of the ED.

I guess most people also like Singlecoils with the ED for the same reason.

I love hotter pickups with the Electra Dyne, think Duncan Custom Custom or Bare Knuckle Rebel Yell. When less oomph is needed, I recruit the volume knob. My sets are generally a vintage / modern hot in the bridge with a more PAF style neck, something that allows me to cover a large breadth of tones. Keep in mind that I usually run the gain trim to 'clean' and the volume up at about 3:00 - ish, so I prefer rock tones with thicker gain and a bit more compression. The 'low to mid gain' tones are more of a neck pickup thing for me.

Don't get me wrong, PAF style humbuckers and single coils ROCK with the Electra Dyne as well, but it is all what we need.

I find the ED covers bands like Tool, APC, Fuel, STP, and Alice in Chains very well. That is the type of high gain I go for.