Thoughts on my LSC and LSS as I consider a boutique

[GeoBull]

I'm seriously contemplating selling two amps (LSS and Dr. Z Max 38 Sr) and using the proceeds for one boutique EL-84 amp. Currently leaning toward Bruno but will try a Matchless if I can.

It is REALLY difficult to consider giving up the LSS for these reasons:

-Great form factor (1x12); easy to transport
-Lots of great sounds
-Versatile features (power-switching, output knob, etc.)

Here are the down sides:

-Clean headroom (but not a huge problem)
-Ch 2. just never quite gets it (time for Reeder mod?)

So, I've been using my LSC a lot lately and here's what I think comparing the two:

If I can only keep one it's the LSC. Massive, massive very special clean sounds, good for jazz, much better ch. 2 than LSS (although still sometimes falls short).

Anyhow, that's what I'm thinking. I know I want to go EL-84 for the boutique amp; can't have nothing but EL-84, want to keep one of the Lone Stars and the LSC wins.

Now I need to hire somebody to lug the thing...

 

[djw]

Don't do anything until you've tried the following with your LSC:

1. The Mod (I forget, did you already do this?).
2. 2 YellowJackets + 2 6V6s.

Seriously, I know you aren't talking about getting rid of your LSC, but if you're looking for a good EL84 vibe, the above steps will get you someplace. You've got some potential that maybe hasn't been milked yet, and it might do everything you need... and might save you some cash.

 

[GeoBull]

This is interesting. I haven't done the mod. I'm concerned for these reasons:

-Might void warranty. I think somebody got info on this. Do you know a final answer on this?
-I've never done any work like that myself and am hesitant to take the amp somewhere. Is it super easy?
-Unlike the LSS, I find myself MUCH more able to get good ch. 2 sounds on LSC. I'm also about to receive a Zendrive to throw in front of ch. 1. I'm hesitant to lose what I currently have for the mod. Can you quantify in detail the tonal differences?

 

[djw]

I think Charles' first entry in that huge thread (I think this is high on the board again right now) describes the tonality and responsiveness post-mod pretty well. But mostly, it seems to just blow the snot out of Ch2, and leaves it much more sparkly and open-sounding. It sounds muffled and dark by comparison under the stock setup, though perhaps "creamier" would be a more positive description. I guess the mod brings out the crispness and clarity with a sharper edge, whereas the stock setup emphasizes thickness and more mid-heavy gain.

Another good point someone made was that it really brings the amp into self-alignment with 2 channels that sound more in-line with each other. Some folks scoffed at the desire for 2 identical channels, so it depends on your needs. But I agree with the guys who want a smooth transition between the channels -- before, it seemed like the lows and highs would just disappear when switching from Ch1 to Ch2, and the difference was pretty jarring and kinda amateur sounding. Now it really seems more natural.

Someone late in the thread did contact Mesa and they said the warrantee would not be voided by this. It probably depends on the quality of the work, though. If Mesa opened it up later and found someone made a mess in there while doing this, they'd probably be pretty reluctant to honor the warrantee at that point.

The mod is not difficult, though. Any half-decent amp tech could do it in their sleep, and shouldn't charge more than 2 digits for it. I did it, and I'm not particularly electrically inclined, just careful... but again, read the thread closely, there's real bad danger in carelessness, to you, physically.

In any case, the mod is just as easy to reverse as to implement, so it's low-risk from a gear standpoint.

One more thing: the mod made my LSC complete and made Ch2 just as much fun to play with as Ch1. It's a totally different amp now, or channel I guess I should say. It snarls and kicks serious *** now.