Should I trade my mark 5:35 combo???

[user 85361]

What’s up fellas, I’m a new member from Dallas and I’ve had my mark 5:35 combo for about a year and some months, after having it for that long I’ve been able to get some really fantastic tones out of it, and I’ve been happy with it, but I’ve just come across a lonestar 2x12 combo for sale and the guy is willing to trade, I know they are two very different amps capable of different things, but if I were to trade my amp for his, what would I be losing and what would I be gaining ? Any help is greatly appreciated, cheers!

 

[domct203]

Welcome to the form.

This really depends how you use the amp. The Mark Series is known for its high gain capabilities. It’s a great lead players amp by itself. The Lonestar has fantastic cleans, takes pedals well, and it great on its own for overdrive and rock tones, but for that violin like feel and sustain it is going to need a pedal.

Disclaimer- I don’t own either of the amps, but I did own and gig a MKV over the years, and played the Lone Star Special at open mics years ago.

So what’s your poison? New Metal? Heavy Rock/Metal? SRV tones? Country twang?

I would guess you lean towards higher gain tones, you own a Mark…

Dom

 

[user 85361]

Welcome to the form.

This really depends how you use the amp. The Mark Series is known for its high gain capabilities. It’s a great lead players amp by itself. The Lonestar has fantastic cleans, takes pedals well, and it great on its own for overdrive and rock tones, but for that violin like feel and sustain it is going to need a pedal.

Disclaimer- I don’t own either of the amps, but I did own and gig a MKV over the years, and played the Lone Star Special at open mics years ago.

So what’s your poison? New Metal? Heavy Rock/Metal? SRV tones? Country twang?

I would guess you lean towards higher gain tones, you own a Mark…

Dom

Thanks for the reply dom.


when I first got the amp I was playing mostly heavy rock and some classic heavy metal, as time had gone on I’ve moved onto blues, R&B, and from there I’m moving towards fusion, As you said the mark series is great for leads and higher gain applications.


I’ve been leaning more towards the lonestar mainly because of the clean tones and I knew a blues player that owned one and his tone was amazing, I’ve also discovered Andy Timmons and his tone with the lonestar speaks for itself.


only thing I’m afraid of is losing that high sustain Santana esc lead tone and some versatility that I have with the mark combo.

 

[domct203]

If bluesy rock ala Andy Timmons is the goal the Lonestar is the obvious choice.

I found it takes pedals well, a good high gain pedal into the clean channel should work well. Yea it won’t be Mark series good, but that doesn’t seem to be the primary goal for you.

Dom

 

[ChuckD]

I own a Lonestar Speacial and a 5:35. I use the Lonestar for it's sublime cleans and the 5:35 for everything else. The 5:35 has some awesome cleans as well, but it really shines when bumped up. I use the mesa switch track to select between the two amps. I have 4 channels with this set up

 

[doublescale1]

I had a MK5:35 for about 3 years, until I auditioned a California Tweed 440 head. I traded the MK5:35 in on the CaliTweed and haven't looked back. I never used the very high gain modes, ever, and while the cleans were great, the CaliTweed brings just a touch more high mids to those great cleans and I can use all of the amp. Horses for Courses.

 

[sloanthebone]

I had MK5:35 combo and liked it a lot paired with a Mesa Thiele cabinet, but I much prefer my Mark V over it and you can get those close to $1,500 now. One thing to consider, one would have to speculate that Mesa is working on Mark VII minis in the near future and if that does happen there will probably be a lot of V:35s for sale.

 

[bandit2013]

I have not played through either, but I can make note of the obvious things. What you will gain from making the change from a Mark V:35 combo to a LoneStar 212, Weight.

To be honest, I never looked into the lone star. Sounds good.

 

[rarebitusa]

Thanks for the reply dom.


when I first got the amp I was playing mostly heavy rock and some classic heavy metal, as time had gone on I’ve moved onto blues, R&B, and from there I’m moving towards fusion, As you said the mark series is great for leads and higher gain applications.


I’ve been leaning more towards the lonestar mainly because of the clean tones and I knew a blues player that owned one and his tone was amazing, I’ve also discovered Andy Timmons and his tone with the lonestar speaks for itself.


only thing I’m afraid of is losing that high sustain Santana esc lead tone and some versatility that I have with the mark combo.

FWIW I've kinda / sort of have both, LSS and a V:90. Dom has it covered, the LSS has pretty much the same preamp as the LSC. It's a much smoother, bassy voicing with not a huge amount of gain. Yea the 6L6 power section will make a difference, it will have a more denser, stiff (not in a bad way) bottom end. For me, where the LSS really shines is with pedals. It only takes a bit of boost for tone shaping in Ch 2 with the Drive on. Personally I think it does a better "Santana" like lead cause it's so smooth and it's the easiest amp to get that immediate oscillating feedback. It just won't have the "biting fizz" that a V can give you.

Now you can get a pretty convincing heavy tone out of it, albeit boosted. Like Timmons does, if you hit it with a clean boost or compression up front it will come alive. The Clean Chan is really superb, lush with sparkle. There's nothing like it IMHO, the V's Chan 1 is excellent albeit perhaps a it more sterile in comparison to a LS.

I was in a band that gravitated to more blues, 60's rock and the LSS was a perfect fit. Recently have been playing more of a heavier 80's/90s rock and the V was just a bit more versatile and it's Crunch is a better fit. So using that now. However whenever I can play the LSS, I'll take it.

It's not one or the other.. you need both