Roadster vs lonestar tones

[JLBoogie]

I've been reading this board for quite awhile now but never posted, decided to change that. I currently own a roadster and am looking to add another amp mainly to get crystal cleans that sound like fender clean but wish to stay with Mesa products if possible. My roadster clean channel sounds great with its own tone but have noticed that the longer it is played it starts to get a little muddy, maybe just my ears but I have played a Fender twin that always stays clean. I was wondering if it is true that a Lonestar is the same as channels 1 and 2 on the Roadster? What is the cleanest Mesa amp with a Fender feel?


Thanks for any help

 

[hfisher3380]

My understanding is that the Roadster clean channel is the same as the Lonestar. Never compared them side-by-side - but I have come across some who feel the Lonestar cleans are a bit better.

 

[ellem52]

I have a Lonestar 1x12 10/50/100 and the clean channel is flawless. Only my Ibanez with the X2N raised millimeters below the strings can muddy up the cleans. It has a really thick, strong clean sound. I like a little "thump" in all my guitar sounds and my Lonestar totally delivers.

I've had some other MBs (not a Roadster) and none have had the bone-shaking cleans this one does. I wonder what the 2x12 would have been like. Then I remember I can barely lift this meth lab of glass and plywood.

 

[djw]

My understanding is that the Roadster clean channel is the same as the Lonestar. Never compared them side-by-side - but I have come across some who feel the Lonestar cleans are a bit better.

Ditto. Can't say firsthand; there are some particulars to the layout of the amps that are probably a little different too, but hard to know if they'd affect things in a practical sense.

The LSC stays awfully clean, though (but can dirty up nicely too). In answer to you question JL, the Classic is definitely the closest Mesa to that Fender clean feel.

 

[Bill11]

I was wondering if it is true that a Lonestar is the same as channels 1 and 2 on the Roadster?

Hi JLBoogie,

I have a Roadster 2x12 combo that's about a year old and a 10/50/100 LSC Head that's about 18 months old. I don't know if the channels on these amps are physically the same, but comparing both amps using the Roadster 2x12 speakers on the 50 and 100 settings, I would say yes; the channel 1 cleans on the Roadster can sound like channel 1 cleans on the Lonestar.

 

[nemesys]

My understanding is that the Roadster clean channel is the same as the Lonestar. Never compared them side-by-side - but I have come across some who feel the Lonestar cleans are a bit better.

I have played these side by side, and in my opinion, the Lonestar cleans are better. The Roadster has very nice cleans, and CH1/CH2 'Fat' mode in particular sounds similar to the Lonestar clean. The Lonestar has more depth, in my opinion, though some of that may be the open cabinet -- closed cabinets always sound a little constipated and anemic in the low end to me, though I have a 1x15 thiele that sounds fantastic.

Take this with a grain of salt, and try them out yourself, though -- my preferred sound tends to be much darker, muddier, and lower-gain than most would like.

 

[JLBoogie]

I did get to try my Roadster next to a 2x12 Lonestar. My roadster is a 1x12 and I use a 2x12 recto cab. Can't really tell a difference between the two channels cleans of course I realize the speakers and cabs make a difference. Was looking at buying a lonestar for a second amp but don't just want a repeat of what I already have. Would putting el34's in a lonestar make very much difference in the clean tones?