Lonestar head vs combo ?

[John T]

I'm from BC canada and new to Mesa .I play in my house and can be as loud as my ears can stand the volume . I just traded a Recto 2:100 amp[got it in a deal didn't need that power] at a music store and came home with a used Express 5:50 1x12 combo which I liked alot until I started hearing a noise with power chords , best described as a set of keys on top of the amp buzzing as the sound of the chord starts to fade .If someone knows a fix please let me know because I'm planning to bring it back by Saturday and replace it with a 5:50 head or another combo. If I go for a Lonestar head [1000.00 more or 1300.00 more with a combo] will I run into the same problems .I'm in the car business and "hand made" usually translates into "unreliable". I've been told that most mesa's go for repair at least once in the first 6 months, is this true? I'm willing to put up with some issues becaue I like the sound and the look of Mesa . So Head vs Combo less problems, better reliabilty [I already know about the weight difference by the time you can afford one your too old to lift it] Thanks...John T

 

[plan-x]

Rattle me this Batman. Most any combo has some kind of rattle. Thats the beauty of a head. My LSC combo has a small rattle, but the audience is never going to hear it, so I tolerate it. It only does it at a certain volume and probably with certain notes like the power chord you mentioned. And I just noticed it recently. I really ought to stick my ears and eyes in there and see whats doing it before my chassis falls out. :lol: The good news is, don't recall any rattle before this. I should get in there and see, listen, & touch for the problem. My O-rings at the base of the preamp tube covers have fallen off, deteriorated, at least one of them. Thats probably my rattle. Something to look at on a used amp. Also you could check some of the screws for tightness.

 

[srf399]

Who told you that most Mesas go in for repair at least once in the first 6 months? LMAO That's pretty funny!

Actually I'll bet I know the source.... It's usually a salesperson with ulterior motives who has never owned a Mesa. I once went into a guitar shop in Kelowna BC and the salesperson went on and on about how unreliable Mesas were..... I asked him if he ever went on the road with one.... and he looked at me like a deer in headlights and walked away! Then i muttered... "Have you ever been on the road?" LOL

I've owned 4 Mesas..... None of them has ever needed to go in for repair.... and I would trust a Mesa enough to go on the road without a backup amp.... Spare tubes and fuses is another story but that goes for any tube amp you take on the road.

Now.... Marshalls on the road... LMAO let's talk about that journey!!!!

 

[Kiteboarder]

The LS is a much better amp all around than the Expresses. Head or Combo. I converted my Lonestar Combo into a head... And I'm happy I did. If only somebody would put a 2x12 LS cab up for sale now!

 

[John T]

Brought the Express 5:50 back and jumped in the deep end .I now have a Lonestar head and a matching Lonestar 4x10 cab . Never tried it yet ,got home too late last nite , have to go to work now and buy food and drink on the way home 'cause I won't be leaving the house for the next 2 days .I'll post a picture soon ....Thanks

 

[scottieL]

Like I recently said to someone else hear, my mark IV is as old as I am and is still taking paint off the walls and knocking stuff over. Mesas are some of the most reliable amps out there. about the rattle, check to see that all things within a 20 foot radius are securely fastened and have their in the seatbacks in the full upright possition :lol: because things rattling around on desks and what-not can be quite loud. a strat neck fell off my dresser yesterday mid song due to rattle and landed in an open drawer.

 

[ryjan]

If you have the choice, I would always recommend a head just because you are removing the tubes and circuitry from the vibration and being slammed by the speaker(s) just inches away.

 

[Kiteboarder]

Pics! Pics! Pics!

 

[sunken.anchor]

Bump because this is relevant to my interests...

I'm also trying to decide if I should go for a 2x12 combo or a head. I like the grab and go aspect of a combo (well, in the case of a Lonestar, maybe grab and drag?). But I also know that putting a head and cab into a vehicle is easier than putting in a large heavy combo.

If I go for the head, should I look into a Lonestar cab or use the Recto Standard 2x12 cab I currently use with my Nomad head?

Also, would anyone mind comparing these scenarios:

1. Lonestar head into Recto cab w/ 2 V30s
2. Lonestar head into Lonestar cab w/ 2 C90s
3. Lonestar combo w/ 2 C90s

(I'm assuming #2 and #3 would sound more or less identical but listed them in case I'm assuming incorrectly)

 

[Kiteboarder]

I prefer the sound of the LS with an open back cab. At least at lower volumes. Therefore I prefer the LS cab instead of the Recto cab.

 

[Mr_You]

I prefer heads. Combos/heads are not necessarily less/more reliable. Heads are more flexible. Combos can be too heavy.

But your rattle problem sounds like a tube rattle. You might have a tube thats gone bad. Should be easy enough to find the one by swapping them out one at a time and testing with a known good one.

 

[lonestarpaul]

I cannot talk about the sound because I haven't tried a LS combo, but considering versatility, weight and reliability I'd go with head + cab. I had 1x12'' combo, 2x12'' combo and now a LS head + 2x12'' cab and - in my opinion - combo is a good choice if you wanna stay in a single speaker configuration, but if you want more then it simply doesn't worth: too much weight, more tube problems (noise, duration) and stuffs like that.
With head + cab it's also a lot easier to experiment other cabinets and speaker configurations with your own amp, changing the cab if you don't like it without touching "the core" of your LS...I'd quote Mr_You: "flexibility", that's the word.

Talking about tube noises in particular, combos in my opinion are more exposed to these kind of problems mainly because of the great amount of vibrations they get from the speakers, but you can never be completely safe from that even with head + cab. In my case for example, I can hear the kind of noise you're talking about at a very high volume (I mean, VERY high cause I tested it recording with my band in a soundproof room alone...just me with my amp, and it was EXTREMELY LOUD!!!)...I guess it's not so strange to hear that at high volumes or maybe it's some kind of tube problem I'm having, I cannot say it for sure but to me the point is: it's not always "black" or "white" with tube amps, they need care and they're not always "perfect", even if you choose head + cab.

Good luck and - above all - go with Lone Star...you cannot go wrong anyway!!! ;-)))

 

[Kiteboarder]

Oh, one more thing... Keep in mind that most combos hum a little bit more than their head counterparts. That because of the magnetic (power) field presented between the speakers and tubes. This is overly simplified. But, all it means is... Your tubes are very close to the speakers. This usually creates more hum than when the speakers and tubes are further apart.

 

[Octavarius]

Oh, one more thing... Keep in mind that most combos hum a little bit more than their head counterparts. That because of the magnetic (power) field presented between the speakers and tubes. This is overly simplified. But, all it means is... Your tubes are very close to the speakers. This usually creates more hum than when the speakers and tubes are further apart.

My combo doesn't hum at all. :shock:

Even at ridiculously high output settings. There is some 'white' noise, though, but no hum. :?

 

[Kiteboarder]

Not all do...