Is The LSS A Dependable Club Amp?

[Murphy Slaw]

Anybody really gigging one on a weekly basis? I'm reading about a lot of problems.

My Blue Angel has been bulletproof. But I'm a spare freak. I've been on the fence about a LSS for months, even though I haven't heard one yet because a dealer is a day trip away.

I like the smaller wattage EL84 design, and it'll fit my flight case (by design) but have been hearing and reading that they are failing, have no headroom, ect.

I play every weekend (almost) and my amp will take all the abuse of a major act on tour, maybe more because it'll be subjected to heat, cold, and roll across crappy parking lots in it's flight case vibrating more than anything Samantha Sampson ever dreamed of. Okay, maybe not.

Ahem.....

Where was I?

Anyhow. How many of you are gigging a LSS on a regular (40/50 gigs a year) basis, with zero problems?

Best of luck.

Murph.

 

[twally]

I have only played mine at bedroom levels. But from my experience and what I have read on various Forums youshould carry a spare 5Y3 Rectifier Tube. This tube is the LSS archilles heal. This tube is the only problem I have seen or experienced with this amp. Otherwise, it is a great amp.

Enjoy.

 

[Barry]

I suspect headroom could be a problem in a bigger venue or with a loud band around you .

 

[fishyfishfish]

O.K, Here goes: I had kind of a rough start with my LSC, but then again I was playing in a band that played and practiced A LOT!, and when I was not doing that, I was playing in a musical with killer long Saturday/Sunday rehearsals that made a root canal seem like a breath of fresh air, and if that wasn't enough, I also played for the worship service at church, and I packed that heavy mutha everywhere with no case, and the only problem I had was tubes....lots and lots of tubes. On the other hand, my trusty F-30 has just gone through two pre tubes, and this is the amp I use when I do very loud jams and parties, and never a problem. I feel that about thirty watts is good for anything short of a huge outdoor arena with no PA, and you can use the full power band of the amp, whereas the LSC sits on three facing the corner like a child on time out with a mic stuffed in it's face. ALTHOUGH you are asking about the LSS, I don't think you will have any more problems than any other tube amp, less so with a road case. Just smile and think about the five year warranty! I still think Boogie is the best you can get.

 

[twally]

I wouldn't listen to the posters talking about how the LSS doen't have enough headroom. UNLESS, they have actually played the amp at loud, gigging volumes. Even at 5 watts, the sound can be quite loud. Kick in the boost, and the mojo (and loudness) is there in this amp. I can give you an absolute after I have gigged with this amp. But I really don;t see any problems with gigging with this amp.

 

[ricardo loma vista]

I've been using my LSS since April 2005--gigs about once weekly and practice at band volume once weekly. I use it at lower volume several times during the week.

Although I have a backup with me on all gigs, I've never had to use it. The amp takes a little tweaking, but once you understand how it works it is a great sounding amp. I'm the guitar in a three piece (guitar, bass drums) so it gets a workout.

I changed the power tubes at the one year mark, and kept them as spares. No problems with set #2 yet either.

The only problem i've had is a couple of the preamp tubes went microphonic this past summer and gave me some intermittent squeals. I replaced all the preamp tubes, and the squeals went away.

The amp is pretty loud and can keep up with the band. I did start using the speaker in my backup amp as an extension speaker and it makes quite a bit of difference-opening up the amp somewhat and moving more air.

 

[SixVeeSix]

I took a long hard look at the LSS too Murph. It is a great sounding amp but I am phobic about mini toggle switches. 9 is too many, I am scared away completely. I replaced many when I was doing guitar repair, they are fragile and easily broken. Have you played on a Maverick yet? The 1-12 is smaller than the BA so will fit in your case with room to spare. There are two mini switches on the 1-12 model and the short head but they are tucked away in a back corner. It is easy to remember which is which and once you set the Fat/Bright switch for your axe and plug in a foot switch you are done.

Things I like about the Maverick:

It sounds great and is simple to dial. Just crank the mids on the dirty channel and it's a great lead tone. The clean channel is like the BA so you already know it.

YOU choose whether or not to go SS or tube rectifier, not the amp. This also means you have a spare built in. Tube rectifier fails, just switch to SS and keep playing.

Some preamp tubes are dedicated to one or the other of the channels. This increases the odds for you, if you blow a preamp tube you may be able to just switch channels and make it to break time.

If you like your Blue Angel, you will like a Maverick. They don't turn up that often in 1-12 but they are around. You will get it way cheaper than an LSS too. Just my 2 cents. Good luck, SixVeeSix

 

[212Mavguy]

Things I like about the Maverick:

It sounds great and is simple to dial. Just crank the mids on the dirty channel and it's a great lead tone. The clean channel is like the BA so you already know it.

YOU choose whether or not to go SS or tube rectifier, not the amp. This also means you have a spare built in. Tube rectifier fails, just switch to SS and keep playing.

Some preamp tubes are dedicated to one or the other of the channels. This increases the odds for you, if you blow a preamp tube you may be able to just switch channels and make it to break time.

If you like your Blue Angel, you will like a Maverick. They don't turn up that often in 1-12 but they are around. You will get it way cheaper than an LSS too.

sixveesix provides lots of great points...A couple of mine to add to them FWIW:

It is your BA's first cousin! Wouldn't it be great if the backup amp had some major similarities to your main amp? Less trouble adapting than something way different from your main squeeze amp.

Can be had on ebay for about 2/3 price of LSS.

When the bright switch is used on the clean channel, there is tons of headroom available. Using the fat side of that switch will yield a gradual breakup reminiscent of your BA when the tone controls are set right.

That lead channel in the Maverick likes Mullard, Amperex, Philips (euro, not US), or Siemens 12ax7 shortplate in v2 with Tesla e83cc following in v3. Know you like VOS tubes. Best of luck to you!

 

[simonich]

It is your BA's first cousin! Wouldn't it be great if the backup amp had some major similarities to your main amp? Less trouble adapting than something way different from your main squeeze amp.

Question to Murphy, I'm curious why you don't just get another BA for your backup amp? If you are looking for redundancy that would sure do the trick.

Or are you hoping to also widen the tones available in your amp collection? If yes, then I could see looking at the LSS (or Maverick, or whatever)...

 

[Murphy Slaw]

Simonich, you are brilliant! I've pondered this myself, but you are right. I've never bought the same amp twice. I have considered hording Blue Angels, and may yet.

I really can't answer that question, except to say, you're right again!

I like different tools at my fingertips, and my amp collection is very small. I've got a 96 Fender Prosonic 2;10 combo and a 71 Fender Champ that was just re-capped and Weberized. And the Blue Angel. My Bass rig is a Carvin R1000 (buckle up and hold on) with the 410T cab.

Fishyfishfish, I couldn't agree with you more. I LOVE the 30 watt rig for live bar use, and I, at one time, used a Marshall 100 watt JCM900/4100 half stack. I hated it. By the time it sounded good to me, it was killing people 20 feet in front of me.

SixVeeSix, I really like your thinking on the 1;12 Maverick. I'm not really in the market right now with Christmas coming and stuff, but may lean that way next spring.

I just really wanted to like the LSS, and hear from people actually gigging them weekly, bangin' em up, you know.

Thanks Ricardo.

Best to ya'll.

Murph.

 

[Murphy Slaw]

So I'm guessing not a lot of people here actually GIGGING the LSS?

The mini toggles don't scare me much because it'll live in a flight case, and nobody would dare touch my amp.

I'm STILL gonna make a road trip to hear one. Eventually.

 

[Leroy the Massochist]

Once a week for he last 4 months no probs, but it is certainly not being banged around. My LSS is now 18 months old and no probs.

I stumbled on a 3rd channel recently.

Without realising I put the channel selector only half way in. Switched to Channel two and got this fat clean sound. Went over to my amp, turned the gain to full, didn't make any difference. The clean was much fatter than chanel 1, and the lights all send I was on channel 2. I didn't have time to experiment to work it out but it was clearly a great sound and different to channel 1 and channel 2.

I must again comment for those that say the amp is muddy, they cannot be playing the amp at band volume as I find the amp very bright and play with the treble and presence below 12 and my bridge pickup tone at about 6 to keep it clean, fatter and not too bright.

 

[RoadKinger483]

I've been gigging my LSS 2x12 combo since the first week I got it about 6 months ago and I haven't had a problem yet. Nor do I think I will anytime soon. I owned a RK 2x12 combo before this amp and that amp was nothing but A PAIN IN THE A@#!!!!!!!!! I choose my LSS over that amp anyday. I've never had headroom or volume problems either in the band I play in. The other guitarist in the band I play with uses a Roadster 2x12 combo and I keep up just fine. Actually alot of people tell me my tone cuts through better than his. :wink:

 

[fishyfishfish]

After all being said, I really wish I had purchased a LSS. Maybe I am getting old, or spending years hauling tons of pointless crap to shows, you want to just bring a guitar and a amp and go. My bass player brings a DI box and a tuner. Im not at that point yet, or never will be, but I would like to point out that the boutique craze that has been going on for a while now that all these small high end builders are from 18 to 30 watts average. Look at the power ratings of the Bad Cats, Z's, Top Hats, Victorias, Carr, they have a more realistic power section for a band setting. When amp shopping, I checked out all these beauty's for about a month and bought my LSC for sound and then price. But in a weak moment thought of the "Horsepower" and turned down the LSS. FOOLISH! 100 watts for what? opening for Hendrix?

 

[Monsta-Tone]

100 watts for what? opening for Hendrix?

I love my Blue Angel and DC-3, but the cleans on my DC-10 (although not as shimmering as the Blue Angel's cleans) are thick and authoritative. They have so much headroom and sustain that I almost don't want to kick in the distortion.


I think it all comes down to taste of tone. I really love the EL-84 tone because it cuts through any mix and they are easy to overdrive.

BUT...In my humble opinion, the 6L6 clean tones are MUCH beefier and just seem to sound fuller to my ears.

That's why I always use the Blue Angel on Simul-Link, which is 2 6V6 & 4 EL-84 tubes. It just sounds more full and brilliant than either tube alone. I get more of an 'American' tone out of it. It's too bad these amps were so under rated.

 

[AJ_Newkirk]

I picked up my Lonestar Special 2x12 around a year ago. Since then I have played the amp in clubs (or other various gigs) and have never had any issues with it. I immediately retubed it with tubes that were recommended by others in this forum and it made a HUGE improvement in the tone.

I carry around an extra tube of each type, 1x 12AX7A, 1xEl84 and 1x rectifier tube just in case.

I did get turned on to the sound of Celestion Gold speakers shortly after getting the amp, and have since installed 2 in my LSS. WOW what a difference. But regardless..i'd be happy with the amp bone stock if I had not came along these very special speakers.

In short.. no issues of any sort gigging with this amp after over a year.

 

[GeoBull]

I immediately retubed it with tubes that were recommended by others in this forum and it made a HUGE improvement in the tone.

What were the tubes you retubed with?

 

[AJ_Newkirk]

I used Mullard EL84 & 12AX7 (both new production) and a NOS Sylvania 5Y3.

 

[Monsta-Tone]

Have you had any problems with the new production 12AX7's?

I bought a bunch earlier this year and all of them sounded incredible for a few minutes, then started squealing like a pig.

 

[AJ_Newkirk]

Yep I had 1 of the preamp tubes go "deliverance" on me. No problems out of the others tho so I assumed it was just a bad one.