Fair trade?

[tle4]

I have a Lonestar Classic 2x12 v2.0 and someone wants to trade me a Mark IVA short combo with the EV speaker for it. I love my lonestar but am thinkin. the Mark iv may be a little more versatile for my passing rock cover band.
My questions are......

1. Is is an even up trade?
2. Can the Mark iv do classic rock as well as the lonestar?
3. Which amp would you rather gig with?

My logic is that I need an overdrive with the lonestar just to kick it up for more saturation on leads.... The extra gain on the Mark iv may let me get away with not having to use an overdrive

 

[knotts]

I have an LSC V1. I'm looking to purchase a roadster for versatility. I do classic rock and lately, the Lonestar w/ pedals isn't killing the crunchy stuff. I'm not getting rid on my lonestar, just giving him a friend. I couldn't tell you if a MKIV is a better choice. It's kind of personal as far as what sound you hear in your head. From everyone I've talked to, they always say those things are great. I know what you mean about the lonestar and OD pedals.

 

[djw]

Depends on how much you value that luscious Lone Star clean tone. If you spend all your time in the dirt, it's a tossup I think, but you can't recreate those cleans with a pedal.

 

[tle4]

Well I am probably 50/50 between the two channels. The clean channel is incredible. I like to set it a little dirty. I turn the gain up till it starts to get fat on the clean channel.... Maybe 1:00 with a tele or strat. The dirty channel I set the drive and gain around 3:00 and I still need an OD for lead

The Mark IV has 3 channels and 2 eq settings.I hear the cleans are nice.... maybe not Lonestar nice but if the gain channel is nicer.... It may be an even tradeoff. I guess I am after punchy Marshall gain tones and glassy Fender cleans in one amp...... And Carlos Santanna lead tones would be nice too.

 

[djw]

Well... clearly, I am biased. Truthfully, I like the LSC's drive as much as I like the cleans, and when I am playing at reasonable gigging levels I don't need anything to push the drive channel (sometimes I use a little clean boost). It gives me just the right amount of compression and attack so that I can get great sustain, but still really pop through the mix. My drive settings are usually closer to about 1:30-2:00.

But it is what it is, you know -- does it do metal? Not without pedal help. If I played metal, I'd drop for a Mk IV in a heartbeat, or better yet a Mk V. But I don't... I play classic rock and R&B. So the LSC does what I need it to, and again, that clean channel is irreplaceable. From what I hear the Mk V apparently can cop the LSC cleans, but as far as I know the IV cannot. That would be a deal breaker for me, but that's just me.

Whatever the case, have you played the Mk IV? I wouldn't agree to a trade like that unless I knew what I was getting into.

 

[tle4]

Yea.... I would definitely have to play em both side by side. I am just trying to find out if it is even worth the time to check it out. I dont want to have the guy bring his amp up to even check it out if it is not a fair even trade and if the Mark IV will not do classic rock well. I was hoping maybe someone might have played both side by side and could give pros and cons of both