Lonestar Special, Lonestar Classic and Mark IV

[BluesProf]

Hi,
I'm new to the Boogie Board.
I'm looking for a Mesa to play mainly blues and some '60's rock, at home, in the studio and at various size gigs.
I am considering a Mk IV, LSC and LSS.
Which shall I have?
I will be using a PRS modern eagle and PRS 513 rosewood with it.
Thanks.

 

[Murphy Slaw]

Blues and 60's?

Blue Angel...........

Yuk, yuk.

I win!

Best of luck.

Murph.

 

[buddaman71]

My Anderson Hollow Classic straight into my LSC 112 is most awesome blues tone I have ever heard. I LOVE it when I take it to blues jams and dudes pull out their vintage blackface supers and the LSC mops the floor tonewise.

Maybe a little petty...I know...but the tone is freakin' amazing.

For the haters who say the lead tone sucks...turn down the bass, push the treble and DON"T put the switch on THICKER (unless you WANT that classic MESA Santana-esque tone)

Works for me anyway...LOVE LOVE LOVE the LSC!!

Rock on

 

[enigma]

LSC or LSS, but not Mark IV. LSC has much more headroom and nicer, full cleans, but LSS, for me, has better break-up tone (30-15-5 w) setting. I tried the 5 w setting on the new LSC, but not as impressive.

I used to own a LSC; now I own a LSS. Check both of them out side by side with your awesome PRS collection!!!

 

[212Mavguy]

Blues and 60's?

Blue Angel...........

If you love the blues and 60's, there are other Mesa choices than the three you have listed that could be even better... Murphy Slaw's suggestion about the Blue Angel is an excellent one. It's like having a fender and a vox ac30 in one package. It is capable of being far more versatile than the average single channel amp.

Maverick or Blue Angel will float your boat in style for the kinds of sounds you are describing, the Maverick is the LSS's daddy. Sixveesix owns both of these amps, has owned tons of other amps including other Mesa products, ask him, he'll tell you. The Maverick and Blue Angel are not as well known as other Mesa amps, but those that own 'em love 'em. They both feature class a power sections that sound great.

They both respond very well to vintage old stock tube rolling...

 

[BluesProf]

Hi guys,
thanks for your advice so far and such a warm welcome to the Boogie Board.
What's the headroom difference between LSC and LSS. I love Buddy Whittington's tone, can I get it from an LSC or LSS?

 

[Murphy Slaw]

I've never played a LSS (yet) but have heard headroom is a problem due to the lack of a "normal", non master channel, being only 30 watts. As you turn up the volume the gain kicks in killing any chance for that natural powertube breakup.

The Blue Angel, being a single "normal" (simply volume) channel amp has a ton of headroom in 30 or 38 watt setting. That's the beauty of it for a blues/roots amp. You have to work it, to make it breakup. And it's so sweet when it does.

Dr Z's Stang Ray is very close to a Blue Angel in 30 watt mode, but it lacks a lot of options the Blue Angel has.

I'm gonna take a road trip to try a LSS someday, because I want a backup amp that will fit my flight case, but don't think it'll have the clean headroom I need.

I wish Randall Smith would have made the LSS with a normal, and a gain channel.

He would have morphed the Blue Angel, and the Maverick, into a very good amp. (If he used a 5AR4 instead of the U.P.S. favored 5Y3, yuk yuk)

Best of luck.

Murph.