Can anyone tell me more about the Lonestar?

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nosajwp

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I'm looking for great cleans and nice crunchy leads. I've been looking at Riveras (mainly M-series), the Stiletto, and others, but I've been told by a few people not to pass the Lonestar by. Any comments you guys can spare would be greatly appreciated!

BTW - I'd be using my PRS CU24 with it.
 
I recommend you go to a Mesa dealer and try one out for yourself. Take your guitar with you.

I bought a used Lone Star Classic 1x12 combo recently, and it turned out to be the perfect amp for me, sound -wise.

I play classic-rock (ZZ Top, Zeppelin, Hendrix, AC/DC, Doobies, Santana, a little Sabbath). The Lonestar Classic gives me those sounds. I play mostly with distortion, less using "clean". But the Lonestar has a reputation for doing "clean" really well too.

-Gary K
 
The Lonestar Classic is an excellent amp. The Clean Channel is super easy to dial in great tones. I found Fender Blackface cleans in seconds. I like to run mine with at 100watts for max headroom and punch. It is very pedal friendly and there are a host of features with this amp, (Tweed switch to "brown" the input voltage) 100W/50W switch for EACH channel. Footswitch for Clean/Dirty Channels and a Solo Switch that is post Pre-Amp, so you just get a volume bump, not affect to tone. You can switch out the effects loop, warm/bright reverb switch and two levels for Clean and Dirty channels. Anyhow, I won't bore you with all the details you can find on the Mesa website.

My challenge with this amp were two items. The size of the cabinet is like the size of a Fender Pro Reverb. Mine only had 1x12 construction. From what I read, that is possibly a better "open" sound than the 2x12 config. The 1x12 combo was heavy at 72 lbs, (2x12 is listed at 75lbs). I felt the size was too big and too heavy for a 1x12 combo. I opted to buy a Lonestar Special cabinet, (4" narrower) to reduce the weight and make it more convenient, (excellent change BTW). Now it is under 60lbs, with casters and is around 22"wide.

The other was the lead channel. I found that with the drive circuitry, (switchable) that the tone was dark and not enough highs with humbucker guitars. I found a solution with the Drive switch OFF and the gain maxed. This removes the Drive circuitry and yields a more open sound. To my ears more Marshall sounding. I use the Thick switch.

Anyhow, it is a swiss army knife of amps. There are other Mesa amps with more features, but I find them overkill. A two channel amp with all the bells and whistles you could ask for. If I could "tweak" the circuit, I would just look for the lead channel to be brighter and more open, (less compressed) with the Drive switch engaged.

Right now, I find the amp perfect. Clean channel VERY versatile and the Lead Channel less so, but a TWO trick pony for the lead side, (a little dark and compressed with tons of sustain with Drive engaged and Marshall-ish tones with the Drive circuit unswitched). Lead channel is then very recptive to pedals with Drive circuitry off.

Anyhow, I got mine for $925 so I find it an unreal value. Even at $1300, I would consider it EXCELLENT.

The other amps I own are Marshall JTM45 and a 1965 Fender Super Reverb. I find the Lonestar to be the portable two-in-one version of these two amps, (more or less).

Jack
 
You should definitely try out both Lonestars (Classic and Special). They sound quite different but share a lot of features (versitality, wonderful cleans, etc.).
 
tiger roach said:
You should definitely try out both Lonestars (Classic and Special). They sound quite different but share a lot of features (versitality, wonderful cleans, etc.).
Hey there Troach, what happened to your cable and telecaster? :D
 
I have had my LSC 2x12 since last November. It flat out thumps any amp I have played and I have made a lot of comparisons. I did have have a LSS 1x12for a couple of months. Nice, nice amp but not enough clean headroom. 30 watts unmiced and it would break up too soon. Beautiful breakup tone, but I needed a cleaner sound. My TRRI was the nicest clean but no natural breakup. I just got a DRRI and it's a great little amp. It has some cool tones but it can't be compared to the LSC IMHO.

Decide if you like a 6L6 tone or a EL sound. Sound clips are all over the net. The Lonestars were designed to emulate the Texas dirty sound. But they are different animals in how they do it.

I lean towards the LSC since it is so tweakable to alot of different tones. Not a shredder's amp, but just about anything else is in it.
 
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