Mesa Boogie Lonestar Special

Tom Gorr · From: Three Hills, Alberta

Anyone try one of these....specs are very interesting

Class A.
4xEL84's w/switch options for:
5W (single ended config
15W (2xEL84's)
30W (4xEL84)

4xEL84's could crank 50W in Class A/B.

Sounds like the perfect amp for the studio.

Larry Schubert · From: Orcutt, CA, USA

I am going to try a lone star special this coming monday for small gigs, pratice ect. I dont play large venuse and I play threw the pa mass power is not a an issue for me.
Ill let you more after I try it out.

[This message was edited by Larry Schubert on 05 October 2005 at 03:20 PM.]

Chris Walke · From: St Charles, IL

Yeah, that one's tempting. Too bad I don't have the cash to drop on it. Lots of options for different playing situations.

Larry Schubert · From: Orcutt, CA, USA

OK Let me start this by saying. I am a tube amp Guy I prefer then over solid state amps. I play rockn'roll alt county folk roots rock type stuff not straight country. I like country from about 1980 back.

I went to Guitar Center in Oxnard. They have a room devoted to boogies. The room was engineered and very dead sounding great for trying out amps. I was in the market for a smaller amp as the twin I have is very heavy and a lot bigger than I need. I wanted a something with just a 12". I tried a Rectoverb, Lone Star, Lone Star Special and a Mark IIB. My wife went with me for grins n giggles and the fact I trust her ear. She is a big music fan although she don't play an instrument she dose make a good reference point to someone who knows what they like to hear. The special was my favorite also hers. the rectoverb is much better for metal and heavy stuff. The Mark IIB was great super clean. Kinda like the twin. The lone star was along thoughs lines also. The special has a nice warm tone with lots of high end harmonics happening. It is not a clean like an a/b amp it is a awesome tone though if you want that old sound from the early 60 and 50's of county music. The reverb Is Really nice There are 2 settings bright and I think its called warm the bight is like the old fender reverb that's my favorite. The over drives are also excellent. It dose have that Mesa sound. Like the thread about the pod sound. The amp in its 30 watt mode is plenty loud for medium gigs. This amp is personally my favorite amp for what I wanted and how I wanted my steel to sound it is perfect for me. It is about 1700$ for a single combo. That's some long coin for a practice amp but If there is a music store that caries mesa boogie in a reasonable distance try it one out. If you do a lot of recording the amp may be well worth your cash.

I have Chanel one set clean 30 watts and Chanel 2 set with over drive. I should also include that I found the camp could be quite bassie if you wanted to be I know that is a concern from some steel players

Larry

Jack Francis · From: Queen Creek, Arizona, USA

If your light on the green stuff and want a
great little amp that is in the same ball park, try a Seymour Duncan Quadratone.

4-el 84's, 50 watts...probably want to change the speaker....I did....decent overdrive....in the studio and on gigs it sounds just like my old Fender Twin but a helluva lot lighter! You can go on Seymour's website and down load the manusl and some great reccomended settings for your type of sound. Have not tried a gig with the steel yet but my Strats and Tele's love this amp.

You can pick one up on e-bay for about $300.

David Spangler · From: Kerrville, TX USA

After 45 years of searching for the "perfect" amp for 6-string, I discovered the Lone Star. Sold off a bunch of gear and found a 212 on eBay. I was reluctant to haul it to gigs because of the risk of skinning it up and reducing its value, not to mention the weight (80 lb.). But finally I started playing it on stage and can't believe what a great amp it is.

I set up channel 1 for Tele use; chicken pickin' bright clean. Channel 2 is set up for dark smoky jazzy tones. The independent reverbs, independent tone controls and the "Solo" button on the footswitch made it easy to shift gears on stage. If you go to the Mesa Boogie site and read about it, it has a multitude of very practical features. Channel 1 is pretty much dedicated as a clean channel but you can use the gain and master to get overdrive. Channel 2 has clean/drive/thick, etc. settings if you want them. Or, channel 2 can clone channel 1. Each channel can be set for 50 or 100W operation. In 50W mode, a rectifier tube is switched in. In 100W mode, solid-state rectifier is used for more clean headroom. So, when you switch channls with the footswitch, you can go between 50 and 100W channels if you wish. Each channel has its own gain and master controls. There is a master for the output, along with a "Solo" control which lets you set the volume of the solo volume relative to the master.

For the last 18 years I have been using preamp/processors to create presets for reverb, delay, eq, compression, etc. With the Lone Star, I found that I needed nothing else but a tuner. It was like having a pair of the best Twin Reverbs set for my two primary voices. I would call it the ultimate country and blues amp. I have had dozens of amps and found most of them lacking in one or more area, but this one comes closest to covering all the bases. Only reservation is the weight. Boogie comments on their efforts to reduce weight. This amp has an aluminum chassis with cooling fan. The 8 Boogies i had before this one all were extremely heavy (Mark IV 112 weighs 85 lb.) So this amp with 2-Mesa/Celestion 90W 8-ohm speakers, heavy Trak-Lok casters and footswitch weighs 80 lb. I try to be very careful loading it in and out of the car, using both hands and my legs to lift.

I considered the Lone Star Special but for about the same price and weight, I opted for the 100W. Oh, and you can use either 6L6s (standard equip.) or EL34s by flipping a switch on the back panel. Did I mention that on the power switch, you choose normal or "Tweed"? Tweed has the effect of lowering the line voltage from 117 to 90VAC.

So, I'm committed as long as my body can stand it.

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David Spangler

James Quackenbush · From: Pomona, New York, USA

David,
Since this amp is your "amp of amps" perhaps a call to Rick Johnson is in order ....He can make you a head cabinet, and a seperate speaker cabinet for this setup, and you can save the combo cabinet as not to skuff it up if and when you decide to sell it ....Your back will thank you, and it will also be easier to load space wise ...Just a thought .... Rick uses light weight Pine that is easy on the back and has a great tone in the proccess.....Jim

David Spangler · From: Kerrville, TX USA

Jim, that's a good idea. Mesa offers this amp in a compact version which is about 19" wide. I have wondered if I could rack the head. Also, still have not tried it with my 15" speakers yet. I'm guessing that it would really kick with a BW, JBL or EV 15".

I have another project for Rick before splitting this Lone Star.

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David Spangler

James Quackenbush · From: Pomona, New York, USA

David,
My RJ cabs are single 15's loaded with new BW 1504' s ......They're not broken in yet, but they STILL sound great !!.... The Pine gives them a tone with that "woody" tone similar to the older Fender cabs ....Once the speakers break in , and the cabinets dry out , these should REALLY sound great , and hold plenty of power...Jim

Bobby Lee · From: Cloverdale, California, USA

My most-used amp is a Mesa Boogie Maverick prototype: 4 EL84's wired A/B for about 40 watts of power. It's pretty sweet sounding. I generally prefer 6L6 output tubes, but these EL84's aren't bad.

I've never found a use for the tube rectifier. It makes the amp feel flabby and underpowered. The solid state rectifier gives a tighter, more solid response.

Mesa's standard "compact" chassis is 17" wide. It's possible to add ears to it for rack-mounting if you're handy with sheet metal. The front is slanted, though, so it never quite fits like a piece of real rack equipment.

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Bobby Lee (a.k.a. b0b) - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
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Larry Schubert · From: Orcutt, CA, USA

I know that I reaaly like the sound of my lss with my jbl k 120. more artiulate sound nore note definition more highs more lowes and tigher sounding. The mouting screws however were no long enough for the k120 so that had to be changed

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