Wow, Lonestar 2x12, MASSIVE disapointment, and DEAD output.

[UKBoogieboy]

The lonestar 2x12 arrived today, plugged it in, waited about 2 mins to warm up and switched on the standby. One of the reasons I went for the lonestar and took the Express back was because the lonestar has got an overall output knob. The knob doesn't work on hard bypass I know so I switch it to Loop. Adjusted both masters and turned up the output knob, was fine for about 15 seconds then the volume faded, it came back up a little bit and then faded completely, DEAD!
The valves rattled like I have never heard, I owned an F50 with NO valve rattles ever.
I wanted a clean on channel 1 like the Express, and a grittier mid heavy sound on channel 2 like the BLUES on the Express. But channel one doesn't sound as good as the Express channel one, and the gritty mid heavy channel 2 I was hoping for like the blues switch on the Express doesn't exist! I turned the gain FULL and couldn't get the break up I wanted like the Express blues switch. BOTH channels are compressed to hell, instead of getting a click with every note like the F50 and Express the Lonestar ducks heavily with louder plucked notes, I would NEVER expect that for 100 watt with DIODES, its heavy compression. The clean channel isn't very loud even at 100 watts. I tried using the drive but it was a terrible sound, unusable for me. The slight amount of break up I got on channel 2 with the gain full wasn't all that nice, clashing overtone sound.
To me the sound of the lonestar for clean and pushed clean is inferior to the Express!!!! And the clean on my F50 was MILES better, with a full bodied 3d bloom, mine was the first F50 with NO BADGE, I A/B'd it with a new F50 "BADGED" and the bloom and body wasn't there in the newer one, and it was very bright at the same setting as mine.
So my 4th Mesa Boogie has arrived broken.
I am sending the thing back and getting an Express head and cab, its a better amp I think but I hope it works, all 4 Mesa boogie amps I have used have either arrived broken or broken a while later.

 

[JCastro]

I wanted a clean on channel 1 like the Express, and a grittier mid heavy sound on channel 2 like the BLUES on the Express. But channel one doesn't sound as good as the Express channel one, and the gritty mid heavy channel 2 I was hoping for like the blues switch on the Express doesn't exist! I turned the gain FULL and couldn't get the break up I wanted like the Express blues switch.

So you bought a new amp, hoping it would sound like your old one? Honestly, I think the tones youre after are in the Lonestar it just takes a little getting used to. Try setting the channel volume high, then bring the gain up to taste. Then use the master to adjust output volume. The MID control effects gain quite a bit as well. I'm sure you've flipped through it by now, but really sit down and read the manual it really breaks down the nuances of the amps controls. But if all this fails, maybe you really are cursed.

 

[UKBoogieboy]

Well I had read that the Express was a cut down sound alike of the Lonestar, there are only a few shops in the whole of the UK that sell Mesa Boogie so I couldn't try one.
I couldn't turn the master right up because the overall output knob doesn't work so its got to go back but the compression in Diodes mode was silly.I had sold lots of things cheaper than I wanted to and also borrowed money from 3 different people to buy this amp because they say its the best of blackface etc, the guitar mags say this is the best it gets etc.
Best I also found the channel one was again very quiet, I could turn it nearly full in the kitchen sat about 2 feet from it. Channel 2 had masses off volume, I bought this instead of the express thinking the 100watts and 2x12 would give me the louder clean channel but there isn't much difference.
I am now thinking go for the Express head and a Zilla cab with an EV because the valves rattle just as louder as the guitar sound in the lonestar combo I have got.

 

[dodger916]

Are you saying you cranked a Lonestar Classic 2x12 Channel One at nearly full volume and sat 2 feet from it, and you suffered no hearing damage? These amps are loud! Something's not right with this amp. You mentioned the "overall output" knob doesn't work.

You said "I bought this instead of the express thinking the 100watts and 2x12 would give me the louder clean channel but there isn't much difference.". There's not a big volume difference between 50 watts and 100 watts. The difference is in clean headroom, or the ability to keep the sound undistorted at higher volume.

 

[FunkyMonkey]

Hi UKBB,

As a LSC 212 10/50/100 owner in the UK i know the challenge of getting somewhere to hear one - I had to go to Brighton. I ended up getting one of the first two of the 10/50/100 in the UK with a 4-month wait for the pleasure, but it was well worth it.

The other comments made here about difference between 50 and 100 watts are absolutely right, there is little volume difference its all about headroom before break-up. In terms of the overall volume level control, this will only work with loop on (the same is true for the Solo control). Personally this was not an issue for me as i could not notice a loss of tone by having the loop on, plus using the send control past 12 o'clock allows you add additional drive if you want it.

It does take time to train this amp, I am still tweaking now (16 months after purchase), and haven't really begun to explore all the combinations of features, but you should have no slack in the sound using the diode settings (did you have the amp in tweed power - not sure if that would do that) ?

I have heard the Express and wouldn't swap my LSC for one any day of the week, but its all about personal taste. Big hint on Channel 2 with the drive knob on, you will want the bass almost off. Do not EQ this amp like you would normally, stick everything at 12 and then go with your ears not eyes. If you find the amp too dark, personally I love it, there are stickies called Reeder Mod 1+2 that you do to change the sound of the amp. Personally I wouldn't entertain this before a few months of playing around.

I hope it works out for you and the amp is what you imagined it would, as it really is a great piece of gear.

Duncan

 

[djw]

Oy. Sounds like you're having a hard time with this. I can certainly understand being disappointed with a broken amp. The Lonestar might not be for you, but I see a lot of assumptions here about the amp based on a sample that you also say is defective. I won't to try to talk you out of changing plans, but I wonder why, even though every Mesa you've ordered arrived broken, your solution is to order a DIFFERENT Mesa. Isn't it just as likely your Express will arrive broken too?

Well I had read that the Express was a cut down sound alike of the Lonestar

Wrong. I don't know where you read that, but that's pretty objectively incorrect. They have totally different gain characteristics; the cleans are similar, but the driven sounds are totally different. The Express is more "modern" sounding, and can get closer to hard rock and metal than the LS -- even the "Blues" setting is grittier than the LS, which is smoother and creamier. Different beasts altogether.

I couldn't turn the master right up because the overall output knob doesn't work

I can't quite understand what you're saying about the master, but if the Output doesn't work that means you have the Loop bypassed, correct? Your amp is definitely broken if you have the loop engaged but the Output doesn't function.

so its got to go back but the compression in Diodes mode was silly...
I also found the channel one was again very quiet, I could turn it nearly full in the kitchen sat about 2 feet from it.
Channel 2 had masses off volume

Again: sounds like the amp is broken. That just sounds wrong. Channel 1 should be plenty loud.

This makes me wonder also if maybe you're looking for a head + 4x12 cab config anyway, because combos in my experience seem like their clean headroom is lower than a large cabinet, in terms of practical use; literally, more speakers move more air and seem more efficient if loud & clean is the goal.

I bought this instead of the express thinking the 100watts and 2x12 would give me the louder clean channel but there isn't much difference.

As already noted by others: not a lot of difference between 50 and 100 watts in terms of volume, it's about clean headroom at that point. But it sure seems as if your clean channel is just plain busted (or maybe you just want more speakers).

the valves rattle just as louder as the guitar sound in the lonestar combo I have got.

Well, THAT'S easily fixed anyway. The fins that hold the tubes in the sockets just need tightening. Take the tubes out and squeeze them together a little. Takes 3 minutes.

 

[jaquetapus]

Do yourself a favor and get the amp looked at before you decide on getting something else. The Lonestar is a fantastic amp and should have miles of clean headroom on the 100w setting. How are you acquiring these broken amps? Maybe it's time to find a new source, cause most people have very few problems with their Boogies.

-dave