Hey, I am considering this amp as a possible purchase, but I have read on harmony-central that MANY people have had several different serious issues with it. I have heard that Mesa has worked out the kinks, but that doesn't help the older LS's. Any idea WHEN they fixed the problems (what year model)? I was looking into buying a used one to save money, but if there are issues with reliability, I'm not sure it's worth it. For that money, it should work quite smoothly. And for those of you who have one, have you had any of these problems with your LS? Perhaps the Special is a better choice...
Lonestar problems anyone?
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regotheamigo
Well-known member
I just purchased the Lonestar Head with the Classic 212 blue cab, and it sounds a works great! Hopefully I won't run into any of these problems 
regotheamigo
Well-known member
regotheamigo said:I just purchased the Lonestar Head with the Classic 212 blue cab, and it sounds a works great! Hopefully I won't run into any of these problems
Of course I had to put my foot in my mouth
Either its just something in the room, or a tube has come loose, but there is some rattling noise on my amp when played at higher volumes?? It sounds like some screw has come loose or something, I don't know? What ever it is, it should't be a big deal to fix. I am going to take it to the Mesa Boogie store in Hollywood on Monday and have them take a look at it. Has anyone ever experienced this before? :?NoGlassNoClass
Well-known member
I'm gonna bet it's something in the room. While I have never tried the Lonestar, my Triple has a habit of re-arangeing the contents of wife's china cabinet (which is upstairs and at the other end of the house!)
regotheamigo
Well-known member
NoGlassNoClass said:
RussB
Well-known member
When I play loud in the house, I get all sorts of things to rattle excessively. The electric baseboard heaters are the worst, followed by a myriad of other things!
Lone Star State
Well-known member
I'd bet it's something in the room. Also, if your footswitch & cable are in the pouch in the back of the amp, you may want to see if a cable tip is rattling against the casing of the footswitch.
Lone Star State
Well-known member
I'll just add one thing: Most of the problems I've read about with the Lone Star usually ended up being atrributable to a bad tube, or (considering the many different switches on the LS), user error i.e. unknowingly having the effects loop engaged and not getting any sound because the output knob was turned down. Or generally something like that.
These things are built very well and I would highly doubt that you'd encounter a serious problem. But if by chance you did, the people at Mesa are really dedicated to taking care of their customers; a class act all the way. I can vouch that they would do everything in their power to rectify the situation.
The Lone Star is a great amp.
These things are built very well and I would highly doubt that you'd encounter a serious problem. But if by chance you did, the people at Mesa are really dedicated to taking care of their customers; a class act all the way. I can vouch that they would do everything in their power to rectify the situation.
The Lone Star is a great amp.
Lone Star State
Well-known member
....Oh yeah,...The special is an awesome amp, too. I'm partial to the 410 combo; amazing tone.
RussB
Well-known member
Hey, isn't this how internet BS can take on a life of it's own? Define "many" and "serious issues"
What specific problems have been encountered?
RussB said:
Nevermind about that. Besides, I figured if you're interested enough, you could read for yourself at harmony-central instead of me paraphrasing. I splurged yesterday and bought a Special, which sounded amazing in the store. It was the last one they had, so I snatched it up. Over my budget, but I fell in love with it. Well, when I took it home, it gave a loud humming sound when I turned it on. For some reason, it's less noticeable with my acoustic. It's really loud on channel 2 with the drive switched on. Now, there were other guitarists in the store playing, so maybe they drowned it out in the store...but I could've sworn it was very clean and there were no noises coming out of it that weren't made by me. I tried 2 different outlets in the house in case there were some signal noise coming from other devices, to no avail. I wonder if it might be my pick-ups, as I didn't use my guitar at the store (mistake). Anyway, I plan to call MB tomorrow and see if they know what's up. I really like this amp, but for $1600 I don't want humming and buzzing going on when there should be silence. Hopefully it's a simple fix or something I've done wrong.
I played an F30, F50, a rectoverb II, a Lonestar, and also a couple of Marshalls and I really dug the Special the most. I like the 5w setting, but my roomate LOVES it.
RussB
Well-known member
Well, I did read though the reviews at HC...I saw nothing specific, and most seemed to be a simple tube issue, but that's just a guess on my part... :roll:
Did you try another guitar cord? Were you playing near a computer monito or a TV? Try removing all the tubes and plugging them all back in.
Did you try another guitar cord? Were you playing near a computer monito or a TV? Try removing all the tubes and plugging them all back in.
Lone Star State
Well-known member
Not to insult your intellgence, but if you're playing the amp next to your TV (that's on), htere will be loud humming...also if there are any incandescent lights on the same circuit, especially freestanding ones that are plugged into a light switch-operated wall socket.
If that's the case, shut them off and I'll bet the humming goes away.
If that's the case, shut them off and I'll bet the humming goes away.
RussB said:
Yes, I tried a different cord.
The first socket I plugged into did have a computer also plugged in, so I moved to another socket that was totally empty in another room.
I will try removing the tubes and see if that helps. Thanks.
Lone Star State said:
See above. Although your tip about the incandescent lights may be the culprit. I didn't think about that. In the second room there are some inc. lights that are switch-operated (with a dimmer). I guess they could be on the same circuit...the socket I used was on the wall opposite the light switch. Most likey, this is a user error...thanks for the suggestions.
LONESTAR1x12
Member
I've got one of the first Lonestar 1x12's made..(serial# in the low 400's)..and I literally took it out of the box, and have been gigging with it every weekend since Sept./04.....not a problem....zero.....nada.....
I do prefer the amp loaded with EL34's though...ya..I know personal taste...
I do prefer the amp loaded with EL34's though...ya..I know personal taste...
regotheamigo
Well-known member
regotheamigo said:regotheamigo said:I just purchased the Lonestar Head with the Classic 212 blue cab, and it sounds a works great! Hopefully I won't run into any of these problems
Of course I had to put my foot in my mouth
It turns out that it wasn't the amp
It was a combo of something rattling in the room, and fret buzz on my guitar. Just to be safe, I took it down to the Mesa store in Hollywood, and it sounded perfect with those noises gone.regotheamigo
Well-known member
LONESTAR1x12 said:
I think I may of asked you this before, but just wanted to know how much it changes the tone once you switch over to the el34's. Does it distort easier? have more compression? etc,
LONESTAR1x12
Member
I find that the EL34's do distort a little easier..and I also think they have little more top end "sizzle" to them...not as "bassy" as the 6L6 either....which I like as well...I mean it's a guitar amp ..not a bass amp..lol...besides..I'm not a 7 string , 1 finger chord , down stroker anyway....lol...I hate that ****...."not that there's anything wrong with that"!!!
regotheamigo
Well-known member
LONESTAR1x12 said:
LOL Believe me I aint that dude either :roll: Yeah I am going to try out some EL34's real soon. I love the bottom end that this amp produces with the 6L6's but I think I would like the clarity and higher end sound of the 34's for playing faster shred stuff. Just out of curiousity. which EL34'S did you end up going with.
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