Lonestar Classic Custom Made Head Shell

[rippingrudy]

Hey guys,

I had this custom head shell made by Saxon Cabs up here in Canada. It is based on pictures of the really cool "short head" Mesa sold for a short time.

If anyone is interested check out http://www.saxon-cabs.ca/

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c351/rippingrudy/MesaLonestarCustomHeadFront.jpg
http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c351/rippingrudy/MesaLonestarCustomHeadFrontClose.jpg

Now I'll be able to use my two 2x12 recto cabs and not have to carry around a 3,000 pound combo : P

 

[jaquetapus]

That looks pretty freakin sweet man! I've been wanting a short shell for my LSC for a while now. Is yours a little bit taller than a stock one? And did your combo reverb tank fit?

-dave

 

[rippingrudy]

The combo reverb tank did fit but it was pretty close to the fan.

It is slightly taller then the "real" short head but I wanted to make sure everything fit so I added a little extra. Even so, it's still pretty tight inside but in a good way. There is enough room to remove the power tubes without smacking them on the bottom but not so much that it looks too weird. It could probably be 1/2 to 3/4" "shorter" and still be OK.

 

[djw]

Ok, how much did that baby cost ya?

 

[sundownron]

Hey, do you still have the dimension specs you provided Saxon for your Lonestar short head ?

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c351/rippingrudy/MesaLonestarCustomHeadFront.jpg

Also do you have a pic of the back of the head so I can see the clearance, etc?


Thanks! - Ron

 

[djw]

Hey, do you still have the dimension specs you provided Saxon for your Lonestar short head ?

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c351/rippingrudy/MesaLonestarCustomHeadFront.jpg

Also do you have a pic of the back of the head so I can see the clearance, etc?


Thanks! - Ron

I got one made too, here's the back:

You can just email Tim at Saxon -- he has done a few of these, he has the dimensions.
It's tight, but it works great. I ended up routing another jack from the reverb jack toward the back opening because fitting my hand in there trying to braille my way toward the jack under the chassis, while holding a cable, was pretty difficult.

 

[sundownron]

Thanks!

 

[rabbittesticles]

i see you are using your combo as an extension cab.
what did you plug the hole in your combo with?
how does it looks / sound?

 

[djw]

i see you are using your combo as an extension cab.
what did you plug the hole in your combo with?
how does it looks / sound?

Actually, I'm not. I just had it under the head for the purposes of the photo. It sounds weird, detuned in a not-so-great way. Looks silly too, I think. I got a couple of different extension cabs, and mostly use the LS widebody 1x12. Here's how it looks now:

 

[sundownron]

Just got my head cab from Saxon Cabs, outstanding quality! Thanks for the recommendation.

http://www.thesundownband.net/images/IMAG0025sm.jpg

 

[medwards1969]

I have collected two Lonestar Classic short heads off E-Bay auctions and I think that is the preferred configuration. The cool way to use them is to stack them on top of two Bogner Cubes! Great sounding mini-stack, and you don't have to bend over to adjust the amp! Sexier than socks on a rooster! Loud!

The only problem is, I don't think you could put any yellow-jackets on the original short-heads, they are not tall enough for that.

Mark

 

[Don]

I wonder if an Express would fit in that head shell???

 

[roger]

I was recently chatting with a local Boogie dealer about a LSC head shell and mentioned that I might just make it myself. He said that I should be concerned about using the reverb tank in the shell due to hum.

Has anyone experienced this or should not be too concerned?

R

 

[djw]

I was recently chatting with a local Boogie dealer about a LSC head shell and mentioned that I might just make it myself. He said that I should be concerned about using the reverb tank in the shell due to hum.

Has anyone experienced this or should not be too concerned?

R

Uh... no. Not me anyway, my head sounds just like it did before I converted it from the combo. I suppose if the tank were really close to the chassis you MIGHT get some hum, but in a normal head config that simply isn't possible. My head is so tight that the reverb pan only fit once I took it out of the vinyl sleeve, so it's sitting in there without any extra covering... sounds great.

 

[roger]

Thanks D!
Perhaps I'll give a try to making my own head shell. Boogie wants $315 for one of theirs. I think I can make it for much less than that.

Rog

 

[sundownron]

Contact Saxon Cabs at http://www.saxon-cabs.ca, Tim did an outstanding job in building me a short head for my LSC, at a much cheaper price. I had him make it about 1" taller so I can swap the tubes out and slide the reverb tank in without any problems. No hum, and the tank fits nice and snug without having to tie it down. And I can't beleive what a difference taking one of the stock V90's out of the 2x12 combo and putting it in a closed back cab would make. So now I just use a 1x12 for small gigs, and a 4x12 for larger gigs, both with Black Shadow V90's and my tone is identical in both situations, and better then the original open back 2x12. I now cut through the mix without effort, my drummer doesn't complain I'm too loud, and most important, there is more clarity to everything I play.

 

[djw]

Hah... you know what's funny? I just converted my head back into the original combo. WTF???

After a year+ with a short head, I've come back to liking the combo + wheels vs. the head + cab/no wheels equation. For now. The head really is a beast -- no getting around it. Not sure which is the lesser of the two evils, honestly... and the combo really does sound kick-***, especially with the right speaker.

Of course, this all means I'll just have to get another Lone Star and have both configs available... now I have all these nice 1x12 cabs...

I'll keep my head cab for now, in case I regret the switch (1st rehearsal hauling the pig is tonight).