LSS 1x12, 2x12 or 4x10?

[roundaboutmusic]

Hi guys,

Not being a mesa owner i'm new here, but hopefully, that'll change soon.

I'm looking a buying a Lonestar Special, which is a gorgeous amp, but i was wondering what the difference is in speaker configs.

My dealer only has the 1x12 in stock, and though i love it, i've grown very accustomed to a 2x12 (being a twin owner), i'm also interested in the 4x10 though, but i can't try out either of these as i have to order them in.

i'm primarily a rhythm player (singer/guitarist) in a 5 piece (my other guitarist has an AC30) playing alt. rock sort of stuff in medium sized venues.

I'm looking for a sound with a decent bottom end, and the sparkly highs of the LSS...

what's the difference in sound between the different configs?

thanks,
-t

 

[no soul]

well a 2x12 is obviously going to be louder than a 1x12, you are less likely to get speaker distortion with the 2x12 so its going to also appear to have more headroom. Also, dont forget you are going to get a little more phase cancelation with the 2x12.

4x10 is going to have a quicker attack with more focused low end.
Think of a refined Fender Super Reverb with 4times the amount of gain on tap!

If you are more of a lead guitarist, I might recomend the 4x10. For all other purposes 2x12 is going to be where its at.

PS after you get your Mesa start teaing your other guitarist about howmuch AC30s breakdown.

:wink:

 

[SabuJSE]

Another route to take would be to purchas that 1x12 and then special order a 1x12 cab... you can place the cab as you like and the cost for me through GC was about $390.00 US.

Of course, it's still not going to be ready for about another month and I ordered it in July but hey, I can wait...

 

[roundaboutmusic]

thanks for the replies guys,

i'm more likely to go with the 2x12 than the 4x10, but i am thinking more seriously about the 2x12 now, one of the main reasons is the phase cancellation that no soul mentioned.

how does the phase cancellation affect the sound in a 2x12 format, does that mean there is slightly less bass/body?

live i'm not so worried as the 2x12 will sound bigger in a room, but with a mic shoved up against the grill, is it better off being only a single speaker?

Sabu, i'd like to order a 1x12 cab, but for me, living in australia, the prices are absolutely ludicrous. so any extra equipt will cost big bucks... (for example, a 2x12 LSS costs you $1800US, but costs me $4600AUD and our exchange rate is around .76! Greedy, greedy importer...)

cheers.

 

[SabuJSE]

Ouch, Round! I don't blame you.

...

Dangnabbit - now I'm impatient for my cab again

 

[ned]

4x10 - only way to go.

 

[rickc007]

I found the solution that worked for me....I bought the head

The 4x10 was awesome sounding

then compared the 1x12 side by side with a 2x12

I liked the 2x12 better on clean channel, lot more "tonal"

Like the 1x12 better on lead channel, screams a bit more

and I thought was a noticable diff between the 2

So I went with the head, and plug it into my combos
have a celestion in a DSL 401, greenback in a blues junior
and 4x10 59 Bassman

haven't tried Bassman yet, still have to build the harness

all are great, and diff, depends the sound you're goin for

Cheers, enjoy

 

[Guitar55]

Man I am so close I can almost taste a new LSC. Had a "big" birthday, got lots of cash and I'm ready to make a move. I liked the comment that the 1x12 seemed to scream more. I like the fact that it's 15 lbs lighter than the 2x12 also.

 

[SabuJSE]

I got to exercise my 1x12 LSS this past weekend and that little bugger did, in fact, scream.

 

[roundaboutmusic]

thanks guys,

i reckon i'll go with the 2x12... for no other reason than i'm used to 2x12 really... the 4x10 sounds like its great, but perhaps not quite what i'm after...

i can't afford to go the head and cab solution right now (the head down here cost $4,000 AUD by itself!) but i can see myself purchasing a cab in the future maybe a 4x10... just for variety...

 

[Guitar55]

I got to exercise my 1x12 LSS this past weekend and that little bugger did, in fact, scream.

Sabu,

Did you use the ext cab also? WHat type of playing situation was it? Did you use the POD XTL also? I'm actually getting one of those also, but mostly for home recording. Would love to hear about your experience.

Thanks,
Dennis

 

[SabuJSE]

My sig is a bit misleading as the cab still hasn't arrived - GC tells me end of November now - so it was just the LSS 1x12. Plenty of volume.

I use the XTL in the effects loop and only as a multieffect unit as it would be a sin to use modeled eq over a Mesa, imo. It works wonderfully in both channels, contributes no extra noise, and has a nice tone to all the effects. Takes a bit of playing around to tweak them to taste but you can get there in a good amount of time. I love it. It's only drawback is the wah, which I never use. Throw a wah pedal in front of the amp and you are golden.

 

[Guitar55]

I'm considering adding a 1x12 cab. Of course first I have to buy the 1x12 LSC . My band has 8 pieces and is fairly (not extremely) loud. Today I use a 40-watt 2x12 Fender Pro Reverb. I just can't deal withthe 15 pound difference it would be to go with the 2x12 LSC.

 

[Brewski]

A friend of mine has an LSS 1x12 and has added a 1x12 cab. I haven't heard it with the added cab yet, but he said that it changed his sound quite a bit. It warmed up. It also keeps the weight of each piece down. Don't know if that helps any, but I'm just throwing it in.

 

[Guitar55]

Exactly what I was thinking. I'd only need to carry the cab for bigger gigs.

 

[SabuJSE]

I haven't heard it with the added cab yet, but he said that it changed his sound quite a bit. It warmed up.

Now this is what I had in mind when I ordered it - nice to see someone else reporting it as actually happening.

 

[Bikedude]

I've had both Lonestars a 2x12 and a 1x12 and there isn't much difference between the 2 excecpt for the weight. I purchased a 1x12 from GC in Jan. 05. It was a floor model in cream with the black grille. I loved this combo!. Well as a GC policy they replaced my floor model with a brand new unit. In about 6 weeks the new model arrived and I switched out my floor unit with the new one. I went to the store, took it out of the box and tried it out. Took it home and was playing around with it for about an hour until I realized it was a 2x12 model. Well needless to say I had a delimma, should I call store and let them know a 2x12 model replaced my original 1x12 unit. Well I figured what the hell for the $$ spent it was their badd, so I kept the unit. Well low and behold after about 4 gigs, all of a sudden there was a huge power loss in the unit. I returned it to GC and they sent it out to they're repar shop. After 6 weeks they told me they couldn't repair the unit. I tried to get my $$ back so I could buy an Eric Johnson Sig. Strat instead, but Mesa said they would give me another new unit. Well they couldn't get me another cream with the black grille, so I agreed upon the blue and gray unit. Well I now have a blue and gray 1x12 and I've been very pleased so far. I've used it on about a dozen gigs and I love it so far, althougt My singer does'nt like it cause it's too loud!. I usually run an SM57 in front of it thru the outs. I only run it in the tweed setting mostly and in 50 watts configuration, excecpt I sometimes run Ch.1 at 100watts for clean headroom. GC even gave me $$ back and a few sets of strings for the price diff. between the cream and blue one.

Wisch
Cleveland, Oh

 

[davealan]

I thought the 12's had depth the 10's didn't, the 1x10 lacked a little, the 10's had chimeyness and sweetness the 12's didn't - so I bought a 4x10 LSS and stocked an Avatar 2x12 cab with a Vintage 30 and a Century NEO Vintage to add the depth when I want it - and it's PERFECT. Usually I just play over the combo 4x10.

 

[davealan]

oops I meant 1x12 of course not 1x10
LSS and Lonestar Classic - any at all - are just great.
Play all the different types you can then pick what you like. In the end it's your ears not mine or anyone else's.