Lonestar Special when I have a Fillmore 50?

[jono_3]

I've got a Fillmore 50 combo and a Rectoverb 25 combo, and a Lonestar Special 1x12 combo has combo up from someone and I'm considering going for it.

I love the Fillmore and Rectoverb—is there something that the Lonestar Special offers that doesn't exist in the other amps? I also have a few other amps, but I've really been liking Mesas lately.

Thoughts from LSS/Fillmore/Rectoverb 25 owners?

 

[golfnut]

I probably can't help you much in whether you should go for the Lonestar special. For me, I love my Fillmore 50 combo and it gives me just about everything I need in an amp. I owned a Lonestar special back when they were first released. I remember at the time loving the tones I could get but for the loud bands I was playing in at the time the clean headroom wasn't even close to being enough. Back then I liked to have those twin like crystal cleans for a pedal platform and the LSS couldn't deliver. It was my first boogie amp and the only other boogie I've owned. I was kind of turned off by so many knobs and switches with Mesa Boogies so never bought another one. I preferred very simple and liked playing amps like the Dr Z stangray and Carmen Ghia which basically had 2 and 3 knobs.
When I recently discovered the Fillmore 50 I found that it was a simple design for Mesa yet gave me a lot of versatility. Love the identical channel switching. These days I don't play as clean as I used to and I find the Fillmore 50 gets in that perfect sweet spot for me. I know nothing about the rectoverb 25. But owning those 2 amps that you already have, I wonder if the LSS might be a bit redundant for you.

 

[rarebitusa]

Just one mans opinion... FWIW

Well having a 3rd Mesa is always a good thing I added a LSS to my Mark V:90 & IIC+ a while back and it's voicing is an excellent option to have. Recently a bandmate has been thinking about a Mesa and together we've checked out the Fillmore a number of times. So my impressions are it's definitely a different animal then the LSS... the 6L6s are a bit fatter and denser, but I suspect you can hear that having the Rectoverb. The Fillmore is very straightforward operationally and with identical chans it's a bit more neutral voicing wise. I found it very versatile and alot of fun to play, very classic rock at it's core. OTOH the LSS voicing is really unique especially chan 2, which some may find one dimensional. However I run a 5 band Mesa GEQ in the loop and that "opens it up".

I'm not at all familiar with the Rectoverb 25... but between the Fillmore & the LSS, I agree with golfnut there may be some degree of overlap between them. In my current amp mix the V:90 seems to cover the same ground as a Fillmore would, but you may find, as I do the LSS unique enough to add to the Mesa arsenal.