Lonestar vs. Express

[ifailedshapes]

Hi guys,

I already know all of the different features, so please don't waste your time talking about all that. What I'm wondering is if there is any real difference in tone between the Lonestar series and the Express series. I know I'll have to hear it for myself, but I very rarely make it to my local dealer, and I figure a lot of you have owned or at least played both. So... what are your opinions? Thanks!

 

[SonOfIAm]

I would have to say there is a big difference in tone. I am basing my comment on a comparison between the Lonestar and Recto-verb, which I understand to be similar in tone to the Express. I also played a Stiletto Ace when considering the Lonestar. While I really liked the gain of the Stiletto, the deciding factor for me was the quality of the clean channel of the Lonestar.
The Recto-verb is a higher gain amp but again, there is no comparison to the quality of the clean channel of the Lonestar. I get plenty of drive for my style running through an Xotic BB and Barber LTD.

 

[ifailedshapes]

Thanks for your input, and I agree with everything you said... well, except for one thing. The Express is not equivalent to a Rectifier. Yes, you can get high-gain tones from an Express, but it doesn't have the Recto sound. The cleans and reverb on the Express are killer! Very similar in quality to the Lonestar. In fact, I'd have to say that if you were blindfolded, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference, especially in a mix. Also, channel 2 on the Express is actually usable, whereas I was never thrilled by channel 2 on the Lonestar.

Btw, I went to my local dealer yesterday and happened to find a used Express 5:25. Long story short, happy birthday to me, and I have a new amp.

 

[Don]

When I bought my Express 5:50 I tried a Lone Star Special (sorry, not a full size Lone Star) as well. The clean channel on the Express was really good but very clean and the clean sound of the LSS was more complex, more like my Vibrolux Reverb.

I chose the Express because the clean sound was really good, the reverb was great, I liked the dirty sounds a lot better, I already have some complex clean sounds from my VR and a 5E3 clone and the price was right.

That was a year and a half ago and I do not regret my choice.

 

[davidp158]

If you want high gain preamp tones and portability, the Express models may be your best choice. If you want lower gain overdrive and a bit more tonal control, I think both Lonestar models are a better choice. It probably comes down to which amp SOUNDS best for the tones you're after.

I originally set out to buy an Express 5:25, for use as a practice and small gigs amp. A Lonestar Classic 1x12 combo happened to be sitting next to it at the music store, and I plugged into it just for comparison. Obviously, the louder LSC with bigger speaker sounded bigger and fuller, so that wasn't a totally fair comparison. However, I much preferred the tonal options of the LSC to the Express. I put off my decision a while, and when the Express 5:50 model came out, I went back for another comparison. Although the 5:50 was a much needed improvement over the boxy sound of the 5:25, I still preferred the tonal options of the LSC. For me, I prefer the overdrive tones I get from the LSC over pedals I've tried (including Klon, ZenDrive, Box Of Rock, Tim Boost).

Feature comparisons are helpful, but your best option is to spend time playing through different amps (preferably side by side) and see which one really works for you.