Lone Star or Lone Star Special

[Kyle]

Hi all, I'm new here. I don't own a Boogie but I'm seriously considering it. I'm torn between the Lonestar and the LSS. I've tried out the LS but haven't had the opportunity to play with the LSS. I dabble in just about every genre of music (country,jazz,blues,pop, and classic rock) except classical,so I'm mainly concerned with versatilty. I know that tone is very subjective, but from a technical and versatilty standpoint, what is the differnce between these two amps? I don't want the world, just a sweet little amp that does everything!

 

[Rama]

Hmmmm....."Sweet little amp that does everything"...sounds like my Lonestar Special. I own one of each, actually.

The Special is the special one. It's just so chimey and sweet!

 

[Kyle]

Thanks Rama! I am leaning towards the Special. Got to try one for myself, but my local dealer here doesn't have one. I may have to order. If you could only have one for gigging, practice, recording, etc . "to love, honor, and cherish from this day forward..." :roll: .....which would you choose? Man, it's great that you have both and I value your opinion. Thanks for responding!

 

[cvansickle]

I've played both, but own neither. I felt that as 6L6 amps go, while still a great amp, the Lonestar didn't really bring anything new to the Mesa table (no pun intended). But the Special is perhaps the best EL84 amp I've ever heard in the 30 watt setting. I didn't really like it in 5 or 15 watt mode though.

 

[Rama]

To my ears the 5w setting is pure magic....overdriving just one EL-84 is alot of fun and no doubt sound huge recording.

If I had to pick one with tone being the only criteria, I'd definately take the Special...but they BOTH are brilliant.

They're the first Boogies I've ever really LOVED...

 

[overture2005]

I've played both, but own neither. I felt that as 6L6 amps go, while still a great amp, the Lonestar didn't really bring anything new to the Mesa table (no pun intended). But the Special is perhaps the best EL84 amp I've ever heard in the 30 watt setting. I didn't really like it in 5 or 15 watt mode though.

totally agree :wink:

 

[Sounds like Roy]

I own the LSS and my instinct is to say with its 5/15/30 settings its more "versatile." However, it is all EL 84 (one, two or four), while the LS is either 6L6 or EL 34. So if versatility is your criteria, its a tough call. Ultimately I think you have to try them to see what you prefer. For me, it was the LSS. I have a thing for class A, and low wattage so I can crank it and get that tube saturation. I have to admit though, like some others have commented, I really like the 30 watt setting on the LSS the best so far.

 

[Guitar55]

I, too, am torn between the Classic and the Special. Currently I use a Blackface Pro Reverb with several Boss pedals. I play in an 8-piece band and I have to have everything from very clean tones for classic R&B to fully saturated distortion for Santana or Free.

I'm concerned that the LSS won't have enough clean headroom for me. The Classic seems to me to be a BF Twin Reverb with an amazing overdrive channel. One reason I'm torn is that my favorite amp ever was an old Ampeg Reverborocket.

Also, I need to decide on the 1x12 or 2x12. I'm leaning to the 1x12 because I've heard it sounds better in the combo. Weight is also a factor. Any opinions?

 

[SabuJSE]

"I'm concerned that the LSS won't have enough clean headroom for me"

I dunno what amp has more clean headroom than the LSS. 'Course, I'm a bit biased...

I went with the 1x12 and decided to order a 1x12 widebody cab. So, I'll get a bit more bottom end, a bit of sound seperation, and I won't kill myself with the 2x12. The 1x12 is actually heavier than it looks but I can't find the weight listed anywhere... I'd say about 70 pounds-ish. With another 12 inch speaker in there, I think we are talking hernia-land.

To my ears, the LS, while an awesome amp, was not as crisp as the LSS. Clean between the two was no contest to me.

I just ordered the 1x12 cab today so hopefully that comes soon...

 

[Kyle]

Wow... this was a post I started back at the beginning of the year! Good to see that others have the same interest in the LSS. I have had mine for awhile now and I LOVE IT! No regrets. I bought the 1x12. It definitely is not a light weight amp, but it's very manageable. The small cabinet allows me to pick it up like a box and hug it when carrying it up stairs. If it's a smooth surface, she gets rolled.
The LSS definitely has the clean head room for me. This is a great little amp! Best equipment purchase I have ever made. Be sure to download the manual on Mesa's website before trying it out. Some folks that work in the stores don't know how to tweak it. It will make your guitar "tell the truth", meaning: It will sound like what it is whether good or bad. You gotta tweak it for your guitar and playing style.
The 30/15/5 watt settings are great, especially for recording and low volume bedroom playing. Don't get me wrong, this amp can hurt you, but late at night, the 5 watt setting is very sweet when everyone's asleep.
Also, this little amp can roar with a 4x12 hooked to it. I also use several pedals to push it a little and to give me a little more flexability. I like the clean channel to be crystal clear and chimey, and the second channel to be a clone of the clean but pushed a little harder. Then I use a Homebrew Powerscreamer to push the second channel even harder if needed. The overdrive on this amp is great, and I use it often, but I like having this "virtual" 3 channel thing going.
All this to say: I LOVE THIS AMP!

 

[Guitar55]

"I'm concerned that the LSS won't have enough clean headroom for me"

I dunno what amp has more clean headroom than the LSS. 'Course, I'm a bit biased...
........
To my ears, the LS, while an awesome amp, was not as crisp as the LSS. Clean between the two was no contest to me....

I'm not sure how you can say that. There is a HUGE difference in clean headroom between a 30w Class A amp and a 100W Class A/B. The perception of that difference may not be apparent depending on your playing situation. I know the Classic will give me what I want, but I'd love to have the Special for that unique Class A tone. I'm just afraid it will get lost on a stage with my 8-piece band and not deliver some of the crystal clear sounds I need.

 

[axwielding1]

I have a mark III with 2 thieles. I was intrigued by the LSS, and tried it out and instantly loved it. So much that I considered selling my mark and cabs for one, a 2-12 version..
I think tone-wise, it's all there. Just spectacular!! I played the lonestar and found it to be not nearly as ..well, Special!
I have decided to stick with my mark III, until I get enough dough to fund the Special, and then I'll just get the 1-12 compact... I found it to be perfectly matched to a 62 Strat re-issue they had in the shop. It frigging screamed! I kept it in the 15 watt mode, and had it pretty heavily gained, and could back off on guitar volume, and be really clean!! Nice....
The BEST boog I've tried in a long time, easily! If I had the money, and really needed a tone-beast, that'd be the one for sure!!
ax. 8)

 

[SabuJSE]

"I'm just afraid it will get lost on a stage with my 8-piece band and not deliver some of the crystal clear sounds I need."

Lost on stage, maybe. Especially depending on overall volume. I'm ordering an ext. cab for it and I think you would need to as well for that very reason. Even without one, it is plenty loud.

Crystal clear sounds? That, it has covered. :wink:

 

[TheRazMeister]

Keep in mind the dynamics of the room. At home I use a reasonable amount of treble and very little presence (1x12 combo). When I get in a bigger room, say one that holds at least 200 people, my highs disappear and I'm adding all sorts of equalization. I owned a Crate V32 Palomino 30 watt CL A that was every bit as good as a boogie...at home. But it got lost in a large room. It went from English Marshall like sounds in my living room to a more southern rock type overdrive when the square footage exceeded say 1500 sq feet. (40 x 40 room). I never tried it with a 4 x12 but needless to say that alone was reason enough for me to get a Rectoverb.

"I'm just afraid it will get lost on a stage with my 8-piece band and not deliver some of the crystal clear sounds I need."

Lost on stage, maybe. Especially depending on overall volume. I'm ordering an ext. cab for it and I think you would need to as well for that very reason. Even without one, it is plenty loud.

Crystal clear sounds? That, it has covered. :wink:

[/quote]

 

[tiger roach]

I just bought the Special. 8)

It is a huge upgrade for me and the novelty hasn't come close to wearing off yet. Nor have I had time to even scratch the surface of all the sounds it can provide. So my opinion isn't worth much, but for me the amp is pure bliss. I like a moderate amount of distortion, which has given all my previous amps a lot of trouble, but the LSS excels at it. And of course it is fast becoming famous for the cleans. It is also fun to push the overdrive into more traditional Boogie singing lead territory, even though that isn't normally my thing.

There was an excellent suggestion posted above, to print the manual before test-driving the amp. I found the "instant gratification" suggested settings to be very helpful when I tried the amp out.

 

[SabuJSE]

Nor have I had time to even scratch the surface of all the sounds it can provide.

That is exactly what I am finding - there are oodles of possibilities with this little gem... I think my favorite overdrive tone on the second channel currently is drive at about 10oclock, gain at about 2oclock, treble around 2oclock, mid and bass at about 10oclock, and presence at 12noon. 5 watts / Thickest.

 

[axwielding1]

I printed it, and read it through 3 times before trying it the first time, and read it 3 more times before i tried it again...
My mark III has quite a learning curve, so I'm used to tweaking amps. I wanted to be sure of ALL the tones in it. And, It has ALOT!
I'd still buy one in a second if I had the spare $$$, but I don't.
But, as a vintage flavored amp, it's got to be the best I've played.. And, for any of you Fender Stratocaster guys, you MUST try this amp out!!!! It is perfectly mated with the strat. Just a super, super amp!
ax. :twisted:

 

[SabuJSE]

I'm finding that with my Strat, I can get some very nice clean and rumbly SRV/Eric Johnson tones... but I also find that with some minor tweaks from my Strat settings, the SG sings... almost like a slightly more raw Derek Trucks tone.

None of this, is a bad thing. ^.^

 

[Gary K]

I just bought the Special. 8)

Tiger (and/or anyone),

What did you pay for the LSS? The Price List shows $1599 for a LSS 1x12, but our local Guitar Center has a $1699 price tag.

Any pricing info appreciated, I'm probably going to purchase a LSS 1x12 in the next one or two days.

-Gary K

 

[SabuJSE]

I paid the $1699 price at a Guitar Center in the northeast. I do believe the price list is incorrect.

Also just ordered a 1x12 ext widebody cab for it. Now to wait 2-3 months for it...