Bargain Nomad vs. Pricier Lonestar: advice please!

[pdks]

Great board! I’m a new potential MB user and was looking for some advice. I’ve been reading posts and have an idea as to the flavor the debate on different amps takes, but thought I’d post my particular dilemma.

I grew up on Fender product, but have been using a solid state modeling amp (Line6 Flextone III) for the past couple of years. I just ditched it – a coldhearted woman, that one. In my journey back to tubular warmth, I’ve had a chance to try various amps and was impressed with the Mesa Boogie’s I tried. Well built beasts you guys hang with.

In terms of the headroom I need, and the maximum weight I’m willing to live with (ie: a 1x12 combo or head/cab), a Lonestar or Lonestar Special looks right up my alley. From what I've been able to tell, probably the LS Special in tone terms.

Tonal versatility is important. We play classic rock through modern pop covers. (some country twang too). Main guitar is a PRS cu22. And I’ll lean on a VOX Tonelab, so the external effects loop is a bonus.

I’ve been offered a sweet deal on a Nomad 55, which I’ve never played. Is it worth the long car drive to try it? Or should I suck it up (and buck up) and make the best deal I can on a LoneStar?


Thanks!

 

[earachemyeye]

Never played through a Lone Star but Iv'e heard em. Great amp. I own a Nomad 55 and I like it. I play in a cover band doing pretty much what you describe and it works for me. The Nomad is capable of a ton of gain for the new stuff and cleans up nicely for older classic rock BUT it takes time to find the sweet spots. If you just walk up to it and dime the gain it gets muddy and sounds like crap. I never use the gain past 2:00. Mine is a single 12 and can be very bright in certain rooms so I recommend a cab or run an eq out front to tame it. I get compliments all the time.

Joe

 

[gunsmoke]

as a new owner of a Lonestar Special, I can say that it's the best sounding amp I've played through. I own marshalls and fenders and a MarkIII and The LSS gives me the best tone I've ever heard. I'm playing a LesPaul and a PRS Custom22. The mark III was my stage amp for ten years but now it's going to be retired from the road and replaced by the LSS. Good luck with your search.

 

[scottkahn]

I used to own a Nomad 55 1x12 combo and was very happy with it. It gets a good range of sounds from classic rock to modern overdriven tones...

but the Lone Star is a better amp. It is one of the best sounding amps that Mesa/Boogie has ever made. If you want to preserve some of the Fender clean in your sound, the Lone Star is the way to go in particular.

Here's a detailed review of it:
http://www.musicplayers.com/reviews/guitars/2006/0706_MesaBoogieLoneStar.php

But if budget is a concern and you can find a very deal on the Nomad 1x12 -- I'd say that a very deal places it in the $800 price area -- then you may want to go this route. A new set of tubes for it will run you around $40-50.

You can't make a deal on a Lone Star unless it's used. All Mesa/Boogie amps carry the same price no matter what dealer you buy them from which is part of what helps keep their value so high (that plus the great tone, of course). So a Lone Star 1x12 will be $1699 without any custom options. It's a big price difference, but it is a monster amp.

The thing I personally didn't like about the Nomad -- the knobs. Unless you use the included sheet of arrow stickers (one of the worst ideas Boogie ever had) and place them on the knobs, you can't see the settings in a dark club -- molded black arrows on the ends of black knobs... but the Nomad has many features that are now standard across numerous Boogies -- multiple voicing options on each channel, a solo/boost feature, etc.

 

[pdks]

Thanks for the insight all, and for the review link, Scott.

An aside that should be in a separate post, but in case someone picks it up here: the Mesa Boogie corporate site doesn't seem to have dimension and in particular, weight information on the various models anywhere. Even the product manual pdf's themselves don't like those specs (which seems odd, but whatever!)

Does anyone know where to find weight and size info on MB product? I know they're built like tanks, but I've never had to lug one around. Are they so heavy they're afraid to publish the info?!

 

[boogiemon]

Weight & price info is in the pronet price list

 

[Bikedude]

I have the LSC 1X12, and it is without a doubt the best amp I own. It sounds better than anythin I currently have, Line 6 Flextone II Plus w/ext.cab, Roland Cube 60, HRD 4X10, 73SFTR!! You cann't go wrong with this amp. Check my latest post on "Dialing" in the LSC.

Rock On
\m/

 

[jamme61]

I went with the LSC (100 watts) I think it's good to have a little more headroom and punch. Still the LSS is a sweet amp.