LSS or Express 5:50

[mommysboy]

I play a classic strat single-coil and an ES-335. I really like a bassy percussive sound. I play mostly clean, but I want the capability to go from clean to slightly dirty to real dirty for lead/solos.

I've been playing through my friend's LSS occasionally and really like it.

I just noticed the new 5:50 and I think I might like the 6L6's better. The LSC looks a lot more versatile, but the 5:50's size looks nice.

I don't really want to look at an LSC because it's too heavy for me to gig with.

What do you think about the two amps?

Any other Mesa amps I should consider?

Thanks!
mommysboy

 

[fishyfishfish]

I would be kind of jaded because I have a LSC and yes it is heavy for a grab and go amp. I did check out the 5:50 when I was amp shopping a while back, and to me the amp sounded like a F-50. Not that thats bad, but when you get four EL84's up and running on the clean channel you will be transported to another dimension. Also there's the sag from the tube rectifier. Super juicy clean sound. Good Luck!

 

[Rudee]

Too heavy to gig with? People gig with gear a heck of a lot heavier than that. Simply move it from your vehicle to the venue, and return it back to your vehicle when you are done. It's not that heavy dude.

If your ear likes the sound and your wallet can live with the price, then buy it.

 

[Monsta-Tone]

Maybe it's the honeymoon period talking, but I would definitely go for the LSS.

I just traded my LSC for an LSS. This amp is incredible. I've owned over 25 Boogies through the years and still own a few, but the LSS sounds the way a Fender should and you can get some really nice distorted tones as well.


I looked at the F series, and researched the 5:50 on the website, but they are nowhere near as versatile or organic in tone.

I wanted an amp that had Clean tones that would make me want to play, and I found it. It's been years since I had an amp that would make me wake up at 5:30 in the morning and sneak upstairs while the kids were sleeping to play.

I sold my beloved DC-3 and '66 Fender Pro Reverb to get the LSC because I had tried my friend's LSS and loved it. I had been trying to buy his LSS for a year. I went for the LSC because I thought that it would sound more like a Twin Reverb than the LSS. It did, but I had to reach a certain volume for the amp to come alive.

The day after I got my LSC, another friend called me up. He said that he had just bought the LSS from the other guy. You can imagine the words that came out of my mouth. I told him that I had just bought an LSC. He practically ran over here to try it out. In the end, we traded because he plays extremely loud and I wanted an amp that sounded great at any volume.



I think if you settle for the 5:50, and like the sounds of the LSS, you will be back. I've spent tons of money searching for the right tones and the right amps. Finally, I think I've found it. I have even modified most of my amps to get those tones, get the one you love. Take your time and try them both out.

It sounds like you have been able to use the LSS in a real world situation, instead of the music store showroom. Open it up, I'm sure you will find that it has enough power to pull off most gigs.

I used my DC-3 for about a year, with lots of different musicians and was never disappointed with the power it had.



If you are into Classic Rock, Rock, Blues, Country, etc. get the LSS.

If you are into heavier Rock or Metal, get the DC-3 and a Thiele cab.

Don't get the Express. You'll be missing out on a lot of extras, like Solo function or Graphic EQ.

 

[mommysboy]

Too heavy to gig with? People gig with gear a heck of a lot heavier than that. Simply move it from your vehicle to the venue, and return it back to your vehicle when you are done. It's not that heavy dude.

If your ear likes the sound and your wallet can live with the price, then buy it.

I'm a wimp with a bad back so I got to be careful. Can't pull my back out before a gig and can't afford a roadie

 

[mommysboy]

... that sounded great at any volume.

It sounds like you have been able to use the LSS in a real world situation, instead of the music store showroom. Open it up, I'm sure you will find that it has enough power to pull off most gigs.

If you are into Classic Rock, Rock, Blues, Country, etc. get the LSS.

Don't get the Express. You'll be missing out on a lot of extras, like Solo function or Graphic EQ.

Thanks for the advice. I have gigged with the LSS and was happy with it. I'm definitely on the rock/blues side of playing so the LSS might be the best fit. I got the cash to spend, so I might as well go with the LSS.

I'm heading over the GC today to pick it up. I've got 30 days to try out other stuff...so anyone else please chime in if you think there's anything remotely close to the LSS.

Thanks!
mommysboy

 

[Monsta-Tone]

If you're on the blues/rock side of things, I think you will be very happy.


I would really miss the Solo button if I were gigging a lot. I used to use the EQ on my DC-3 for this and it worked really well too.

 

[Don]

I tried an F-50, a 5:25, a 5:50, an LSS and an LSC and chose the 5:50.

I liked the clean sound of the LSS the best and the dirty sound of the F-50 the best.

The 5:50 had a better dirty sound than the LSS and a better clean sound than the F-50. The 5:50's reverb is great like the LSS and LSC, way better than the F-50.

The 5:25 sounded boxy. The LSC was great, but too heavy and expensive.

For the music that I play (blues, rockabilly, jazz, rock, hard rock, early metal, a little surf occasionally), the 5:50 was the most versatile of the amps that I tried.

This is considering that I already have a 1966 Vibrolux Reverb for cleans. If not, I probably would've gone with the LSS. It's cleans were sublime!

Weight was a factor for me. I'm older, have a bad back and can't handle moving an amp heavier than 50 lbs or so.

I've had the 5:50 for three months, have used it at many jam sessions and love it.

There's a different best amp for everyone. Try as many as you can.

 

[mommysboy]

This is probably considered blasphemy on this board, but I'm getting encouraged by some friends to consider the Fender Twin Reverb, Deluxe and the Hot Rod Deluxe.

The Twin is 64 lbs (so too heavey), the Deluxe only has two band EQ and I don't want "Vibrato". The deluxe looks okay, but the EQ is the same for all channels.

Do you concur?

 

[Monsta-Tone]

I really love Fender tones, and Marshall for that matter, but they really are 1 trick ponies.


My Mesa's are by far the most versatile amps that I have ever owned. I hate pedals, so I want an amp that needs none or very few to get the tones I want.

 

[mommysboy]

This is considering that I already have a 1966 Vibrolux Reverb for cleans. If not, I probably would've gone with the LSS. It's cleans were sublime!

I'm glad you pointed this out. At this point I only have enough dough to get one great amp or a couple of cheaper ones. Still leaning towards the LSS.

 

[mommysboy]

I really love Fender tones, and Marshall for that matter, but they really are 1 trick ponies.

My Mesa's are by far the most versatile amps that I have ever owned. I hate pedals, so I want an amp that needs none or very few to get the tones I want.

Same here! I can't stand pedals, except the channel switcher, tuner and wah.

I'm heading out to pick up my LSS in about an hour. Can't wait. Thanks for helping me think through this.

 

[Monsta-Tone]

If you can afford it, go try one out. Your tone is your tone.

A couple of good cheap amps for me would be a Heartbreaker and a DC-3 or DC-5. I still wouldn't go for a Fender. After working on tons of them, I most likely won't own a modern one ever again.

 

[cb101]

Another option is a head if weight is a problem. My LSC head comes in at around 45 lbs. Add any cab you want. The options available on the LSC are amazing. You can run 6L6,s, EL34's or 6V6's plus all of the sound options on the amp itself. Just a thought.

 

[mommysboy]

Another option is a head if weight is a problem. My LSC head comes in at around 45 lbs. Add any cab you want. The options available on the LSC are amazing. You can run 6L6,s, EL34's or 6V6's plus all of the sound options on the amp itself. Just a thought.

Thanks for the tip.
Is it possible to swap tubes in the LSS?

 

[Monsta-Tone]

The head is a really cool option for either.

You can run Yellow Jackets with the LSC too and get any combo of 6L6, EL34 or 6V6 with the Yellow Jackets.

I tried 6L6 & Yellow Jackets in mine. That was a really nice tone.

 

[Monsta-Tone]

The LSS is EL84 only, but you can get different grades of EL84's and try them.

Plus, it's Cathode Biased, so you do not have to use matched sets of tubes, which is a very big plus.

 

[cb101]

I don't think so. The LSS is El84 based.

 

[Don]

My Mesa's are by far the most versatile amps that I have ever owned. I hate pedals, so I want an amp that needs none or very few to get the tones I want.

That's what I like about the Mesa. There's no need for an overdrive or distortion pedal to play what I like. It's all amp!

 

[Don]

This is probably considered blasphemy on this board, but I'm getting encouraged by some friends to consider the Fender Twin Reverb, Deluxe and the Hot Rod Deluxe.

The Twin Reverb and Deluxe Reverb, even the recent re-issues, are decent amps. With a few small tweaks that can sound really close to the originals and you can get great versatility out of them with a few pedals, but they're a completely different type of amp than a Mesa/Boogie. If you're considering both, then I would think that you still have more research to do before buying an amp.

The Hot Rod Deluxe and DeVille are strictly consumer grade amplifiers. The components that they're built from look like something you'd find in a shopping mall rather than an electronics supplier (I'm a mechanical engineer at an electronics company so that's not a humble opionion).
They're not in the same league, tonally or construction wise as anything Mesa/Boogie sells, nor does Fender offer the level of customer support that Mesa does.