LSS or Express 5:25

[jmontgomery]

Which would be the better amp for the home player who only plays out a couple times a year?

 

[simonich]

The one that sounds better.

I have the LSS and have not played the 5:25, so I cannot comment on the differences. But I sure love the LSS. Obviously the 5:25 is cheaper, so it's a win there if you like the 5:25 sound.

Try them both and let your ears make the call.

 

[PHYX]

I was looking at a Mark IV one day and they had a 5:25 mesa there so I played through it. It's a great sounding amp and can do everything from clean to dirty. It has plenty of power to do some gigging with but would also do you well for just at home. Sound great at a lower level also.
Jim

 

[speedy mcfeely]

It really depends on your ear. I play a lot of blues, and roots rock. I never really need a heavy distortion, when I do I use a pedal. I love the tone of my LSS, the overdrive is amazing, and the cleans own any Matchless that I have played.

 

[jmontgomery]

Thing is, there's no Mesa dealers in my neck of the woods(southern Oklahoma). I have tried a LSS at a Guitar Center and it sounded great at the store, but they had no plans on getting a Express. If the 5:25 will get me in the ballpark of the LSS soundwise, for the price I could special order one. I just hate the thought of ordering an amp before playing one first. I guess I could go the e-bay route on a used LSS.

The only bad thing about saving up some money is having to decide what to spend it on. :lol:

 

[jmontgomery]

I have enough money saved up to buy either amp. So I guess my question is:
Does the LSS sound $600 better than the 5:25? I think the Lonestar sound amazing. If the 5:25 gets in the ballpark, soundwise, in a smaller package, it sounds like the way to go.
I didn't notice any hiss with the LSS. I have read the 5:25 has a background hiss.

Jeff M

 

[Mick]

I haven't tried a 5:25 yet but I don't know how you'll get in the same ballpark tonewise with a single 10" speaker. Also, if you think the LSS sounds amazing after trying one out at GC, it gets even better after you spend some time with the manual and figure out how the controls interact.

 

[Sling Blade]

I bought the 550 earily in March last month. This is what I find with the Amp. Let me start with the clean channel. I typically use a chorus peddle with my cleans and I can honestly say that the cleans are so nice that my chorus does not even get hooked up anymore. There is just no need. You can get a nice twangy fender clean or or a thicker clean my turning up the gain. The manual says that the wiring in the amp brings out a second octive when your playing with the 5 watts and it is odd but true it sounds great. Now I am a big Metallica fan. If I want their earily sound I can dial it in on the crunch channel and if I want their later stuff say from the black album on I use the burn channel. If you want to have an idea on the level of gain you can achieve with the express just listen to Enter Sandman or Sand But True I have that sound dialed in now. I took me a month to find it but it is there. As far as the blues channel goes I am sorry but I am no blues player so I have no opion or expierence on that side sorry.

 

[JAZZGEAR]

Thing is, there's no Mesa dealers in my neck of the woods(southern Oklahoma). I have tried a LSS at a Guitar Center and it sounded great at the store, but they had no plans on getting a Express. If the 5:25 will get me in the ballpark of the LSS soundwise, for the price I could special order one. I just hate the thought of ordering an amp before playing one first. I guess I could go the e-bay route on a used LSS.

The only bad thing about saving up some money is having to decide what to spend it on. :lol:

I recently purchased a 5:25; having previously owned an LSS, I was hoping to get that LSS type sound in a lighter, smaller, less expensive package. Well, I was greatly dissapointed as it does not sound anything like the LSS. The clean sound of the 5:25 is more akin to the DC3 or closer to the old Subway Series amp.

So if it is the LSS sound you're looking for, then you will be dissapointed with the 5:25. Although the 5:50 is a 6L6 amp, I think it is more in the vein of the Lonestars than is the 5:25.

 

[jmontgomery]

I bought a LSS and I couldn't be happier. If anyone is deciding between these two, the LSS is worth every penny.

 

[esteso]

Just to jump in with nothing other than to say after a tryout with the Lonestars I went with something else. They were OK but not what I was looking for. What really ticked me off was how hard it was to twiddle the knobs. Bad design, and from Boogie no less. I was shocked.

bought a Mk III. Way different I know

 

[JAZZGEAR]

Just to jump in with nothing other than to say after a tryout with the Lonestars I went with something else. They were OK but not what I was looking for. What really ticked me off was how hard it was to twiddle the knobs. Bad design, and from Boogie no less. I was shocked.

bought a Mk III. Way different I know

On the Lonestar comment --I hope its not too lonely for you.....there?

BTW why hijack this thread, which has nothing to do with your point?

 

[esteso]

On the Lonestar comment --I hope its not too lonely for you.....there?

BTW why hijack this thread, which has nothing to do with your point?

Not sure what the lonely comment means but since this thread is about the Lonestar in comparison to the Express it's totally appropriate to mention a less than stellar design feature in one of the amps.

 

[JAZZGEAR]

On the Lonestar comment --I hope its not too lonely for you.....there?

BTW why hijack this thread, which has nothing to do with your point?

Not sure what the lonely comment means but since this thread is about the Lonestar in comparison to the Express it's totally appropriate to mention a less than stellar design feature in one of the amps.

I suppose your post is relevant, if you're saying that you went with the 5:25 because you believe the LSS design is flawed. But that's not the way I understood your point Anyway, no need to argue or continue with this as the original poster already said he went with the LSS and is happy with it. Let's just be fortunate that Manufacturers, in this case Mesa, makes various amp models to appease most.

As for my lonely comment -- well, the implication is clear, you're in the small, small minority -- hence, lonely, as you don't have much company with that perception.

BTW despite my dissapointment in the 5:25's cleans not sounding like the LSS, I got over it quickly and purchased the 5:25 as it does have very good cleans, reverb, the multi-modes per channel -- but mostly because I really really needed a grab and go light amp for rehearsals and the occasional small gigs. For the price and features of this amp, it can't be beat.

 

[Strat N My Stuff]

I was checking threads and even though this comes belated to the thread, I couldn' t help but make a comment.
I bought and returned the 5:25, I haven't yet played a 5:50, which I am today going to test a 212 vs. the LSS, finally. But IMHO, the 5:25 isn't in the same arena as the LSS. Without a doubt it is a grab and go wonder, as long as you like the tightness of the 10". If you only play at home, by yourself, at pretty low volumes I imagine you'll be happy.
But if your looking for one amp, like I am, the comparison has to raise one level to the 5:50. Thats my take anyway. Of course, each time I visit I realize that you can get someone to take either side of each question/issue presented and no one is wrong. For what its worth. Jeff

 

[JAZZGEAR]

I was checking threads and even though this comes belated to the thread, I couldn' t help but make a comment.
I bought and returned the 5:25, I haven't yet played a 5:50, which I am today going to test a 212 vs. the LSS, finally. But IMHO, the 5:25 isn't in the same arena as the LSS. Without a doubt it is a grab and go wonder, as long as you like the tightness of the 10". If you only play at home, by yourself, at pretty low volumes I imagine you'll be happy.
But if your looking for one amp, like I am, the comparison has to raise one level to the 5:50. Thats my take anyway. Of course, each time I visit I realize that you can get someone to take either side of each question/issue presented and no one is wrong. For what its worth. Jeff

+1 spot on. This was my take on the 5:25 as well. I originally purchased it, then returned it because it didn't measure up to either the 5:50 or the LSS. Personally, the 5:50 out performs the LSS.

I went back and purchased the 5:25 because, quite frankly this is a great amp if used for its intended purpose...and for me it was a grab & go practice very small informal gig. I have alot of other amps to bring to regular gigs.

Fact is, for the price and features its hard to beat the 5:25. But if you need it as a main amp, then it comes up short.

 

[bluespckr]

I bought a LSS and I couldn't be happier. If anyone is deciding between these two, the LSS is worth every penny.

You've got my vote. I've been playing for 42 years (but who's counting) and recently brought home my first MESA product -- an LSS.

That thing just slam-dunks anything else I've played in all those years. For me, and the stuff I play, it is a perfect match. None better.

 

[jmontgomery]

I am getting awesome tones at home levels with the LSS. Open this puppy up and TONE HEAVEN.

 

[Strat N My Stuff]

+1