LSS discontinued?

[Murphy Slaw]

Is it me?

I have read so many post, on so many different forums, I wonder how long this model will continue.

Mesa killed the Maverick, the Blue Angel, the F series, ect due to (I'm guessing) lack of sales. But none of those amps were ever known to FAIL.

But, the bad press about the LSS being a tube blowing machine has GOT to be bad for sales. I mean, people that love em', love em'.

But I have NEVER, in my life, read about a Mesa Amp NOT being giggable because of a bad design, as much as the LSS. Let me say this.....

I've read enough BAD press about it, that I wouldn't buy one.

When I flip the switch, I need the amp to run for 5 hours. Period. The hour for soundcheck, and 4 for the money.

Murph.

 

[Heydude]

Amen !! Brother!! I had two of them lay down on me. The 1st one never made it to a gig. The 2nd one crapped out the 1st gig it was at when I flipped the switch on!I got me An Lsc 212 and never looked back!

 

[zappaslaughter]

It's too bad too, because on paper it seems like a kick *** amp. 5-15-30 watt settings, kick *** cleans, great options. I have a LSC, and although I love it, I just can't play the **** thing at home. (I have the 50 / 100 W version). It is too **** loud, like kill small children loud. I was thinking of buying a LSS head for extra LS 1 x 12 cab, but the forum turned me off, with all the issues I see people having with them. No way I would buy one used w / o the mesa paperwork and warenty. I need to find a nice low wattage amp for home recording and practicing though, because the "big Blue Pig" is just too **** loud. Hell, I really opened up my LSC last practice, and we could barley hear the drums, or our thoughts afterwards. I does sound very nice opened up though.

 

[carnivore]

I haven't heard about them disconting the LSS. I have one and absolutely love it. I have had probably 20 amps over the years and still have a half dozen. The LSS is by far my favorite. I got it about 9 months ago and blew a recefier tube the first week. I sent it to Mesa and they did an upgrade. No problems since and the tone is as good as the day I got it and it still has all orig tube excluding the first rect tube..

I sure wouldn't be afraid to get a second one and it really does a great job at low volume and just gets better turned up. Perfect amp for great tone a home, church or cranked up balls to the wall at open mike night at the local bar.

 

[vatoben]

I've toured with my LSS a bit this year and so far no issues. It's an early one too. I don't remember but I think it's serial number is in the 60's. I've had it since they first shipped and it's never given me a problem. I do like to retube about every year and a half so maybe I err on the side of caution. Also, I almost always use the 30 watt setting. I doubt it will be discontinued any time soon. I think it's the most appealing Boogie to fans of boutique amps and nothing in the current lineup offers quite the same sound. But Mesa does like to move forward and not look back. It wouldn't be the most shocking thing to happen. I just found out today that they're discontinuing all road-ready cabinets this summer.

 

[SBG200]

Is it me?

I have read so many post, on so many different forums, I wonder how long this model will continue.

Mesa killed the Maverick, the Blue Angel, the F series, ect due to (I'm guessing) lack of sales. But none of those amps were ever known to FAIL.

But, the bad press about the LSS being a tube blowing machine has GOT to be bad for sales. I mean, people that love em', love em'.

But I have NEVER, in my life, read about a Mesa Amp NOT being giggable because of a bad design, as much as the LSS. Let me say this.....

I've read enough BAD press about it, that I wouldn't buy one.

When I flip the switch, I need the amp to run for 5 hours. Period. The hour for soundcheck, and 4 for the money.

Murph.

Well when I switch mine on, it does work for 5 hours. I'm sure that's true for thousands of other people too. It's all anecdotal. In any setting, you always hear more from the dissatisfied, vocal minority than from those who have nothing to complain about. If someone posted about it each time they turned theirs on and it worked, you'd think it was the most reliable amp ever built. As a matter of fact, of the 15-20 amps I've owned, the only one I've ever had trouble with was a Mark IV (blown OT), but that doesn't make it a shitty amp and isn't stopping me from being about to get another one.

 

[woody]

Well Guys I'm still on the fence on this, I really want a lonestar special but have mixed feeling on this now ,I'm looking a newer one and the 2x12 cabinet, I guess that If one comes along I will take a chance on one. Is the newer one less like lee to have trouble?

 

[speedy mcfeely]

My LSS is one of the first shipped out of Petaluma. It works fantastic. I gig mine every few weeks. I have had no issues, but I have contended since day one that stock Mesa tubes are poop. I have retubed with NOS 5757 preamp tubes and jj power tubes, and it is amazing. I will never get rid of mine.

 

[CGM]

I've had my LSS since mid Jan and haven't had any issues . I've gigged it a few times . After reading this forum, allways w/a back up. Then w/the backup running at the same time on stage, just in case it went out while playing. So I got use to running 2 amps w/a switch box. Then both together , for the effects of each. Then...I bought a Rivera Venus-6 and now I run that w/the LSS. I guess I'm still waiting for something to go wrong. I'll be prepared. The 2 work great together, but...I carry 2 amps. Both w/great tone and personality. I love my LSS. I love my Rivera. They compliment each other. If something does happen I'm prepared. I also hual 2 guitars ( G&L's). I'm starting to feel like I have a mental disorder, but it's easy to deal with.......I'd still rather have a mental disorder w/great tone than a mental disorder with not so great tone....I'm calmer now............ but I'm still waiting.....

 

[phyrexia]

I think it's the quality of the tubes, not the amp.

 

[woody]

That's great to here guys!! When you are gigging with this amp do you have enough power since the LSS is 30w? I have been holding out for a 2x12 combo, I'm looking for something used,but less than 2 years old, any of you wish you had the 2x12 combo over the 1x12, I just asking

 

[edgarallanpoe]

I think it's the quality of the tubes, not the amp.

*huge* +1. From what I have read the problem is with the rectifier tube that they use in that model. The new tubes are simply not very good. From what I understand a $20-$30 NOS tube eliminates the issue.

 

[CGM]

Woody...I have plenty of power. The first gig was a large outdoor venue, A bike ralley. We miked the amps and it wasn't any louder than in the practice room really, well maybe a little. We were outside so maybe the sound dissipated some. We had sidefills and moniters so it was loud , but volume was not a problem. IMO the lower wattage keeps the tubes saturated and tone is better, big watt amps just don't sound the same turned down. Thats my 2cents. I have plenty of volume, and a loud drummer. My volume is probably at 11:00- 12:30 or close, never past 1:00.....I set it so it sounds good to me -on stage. I havent used it in a small club yet, but probably will before summers end. May not have to mike it there.

 

[CGM]

Sorry for the 2nd post....I have a 1x12, I almost ordered a cab to go with it, but when we played outside and it sounded great I decided I didn't want to lug around any more gear, I have the back up/partner amp already. I'm glad I have the 1x12. I use to play a Twin so I was used to a 1x12, but I can't say I can really tell a difference. I have thought about a cab for each amp to set on the other side of the stage in small venues ( did that years ago), to cover a room, but that seems like too much trouble now , but it was cool then. Now I want as little as possible to get my point ( sound) across....hope all this helps....

 

[SabuJSE]

Got one of the first LSS's as well - retubed with JJ's in the second week and never looked back.

Not ONE issue. It's a damned fine amp.

Change the tubes - Mesa stock tubes, as has already been pointed out, are bleh at best.

 

[woody]

I used euro tubes and I had to take them out and put the mesa tubes back in my F-50, I was getting a loud popping sound when I put my amp on stand by, switch them back with the mesa tubes and the popping stoped,

 

[Murphy Slaw]

I'm a Boogie player, and meant no disrespect with the post. In fact I gig a Blue Angel with a Boogie badge, and love EL84 amps. But since I've first started wanting a LSS, (in fact I bought a flight case for the Blue Angel built for the LSS so it would fit!) I've been reading a constant onslaught of problems with these amps.

I mean, I'm not a touring guy, I'm a bar gigger, BUT I play 40/50 weekends a year, and like things to work.

In fact, I DEMAND they work. I am very quick to dump lemons.

I just wonder how long Mesa can continue to market a product with so many repeat problems being hammered all over the internet. Or actually.....

How long they WILL.

And, if they will re-name the amp, or just build a LSS2, or drop EL84 amps alltogether.

I'd be all over one if it had a normal channel, and a 5AR4 like the Blue Angel (that will last longer than most of us!) but couldn't drop that kind of change on an amp with such a horrible reputation.

Again, no offense to those of you that gig em' with no problems. I'm a Boogie player, but I'm also a capitalist.

Reliability is very close to tone on a scale of one to ten for bar giggers. Because our customers don't understand tube problems. (they want to hear Freebird!)

Best of luck.

Murph.

 

[RR]

I too was going to get a Lone Star Special because all this time I wanted Maverick and thought Lonestar Special was pretty much upgraded Maverick (dual channels, EL84 in Class A [loosely Class A], ...)

But what bothered me is the 5/15/33 watt selection. I prefer amp with one watt setting because I want the Output Transformer to be saturated not tapped for its wattage selection.

Then it kind of bothers me that the 5 watt and 15 watt are tube rectifier while the 33 watt is solid state rectifier. Nothing wrong assuming that M/B R&D department design it this way but personally I'd prefer it having to get to select your rectifier option.

Anyway, I eventually got a Maverick and its my favorite MESA among my "keeper" MESAs.

 

[CGM]

I hear ya man.....It was because of all this "flack" that I started thinking of a back up. 1st ..it was a Fender ...cause I had one. Then...I came up on a good deal on a Rivera ...at the store I teach at. ...So ..it takes the fenders place. Then...the cleans on the Rivera make me wanta...you know..Then, I start depending on the one. Then I start playin'em together at the same time....MAN 'O MAN, I didn't know which amp to stick it in next. They both sounded so good. I'd be stickin it in one and lookin at the other one. And it started lookin good ,..so it goes..stickin it back and forth...So I go and get me an A/B box...so now..at the flip of a switch, I'm stickin one, then ..I'm stickin the other.Sometimes, I'm stickin'em both at the same time. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. I love'em both...honest I do . But..I said that to a father-in-law once...and still had to make a decision. ...Knowing what I know now .. I may not be able to make a decision. But the SOB (LSS) sounds good.....but..so does the other one...........I hope it was good for you.....

 

[Bill11]

I've had an LSS 1x12 for almost a year and played it for two + hours for the first seven months after I got it and didn't have any problems at all. After the first seven months I have been playing about two + hours every second or third day. Work interferes with everything!

Its all stock and still has the original Mesa tubes including the Mesa stock rectifier. So far, no problems, and all is good. Great sounds and lots of tone.

I wouldn't hesitate to buy another one new or used.