Is the Lonestar Special's 5 watt mode good for recording?

[Gooseman]

Hey! I was contemplating getting this amp to add to my collection. While I have a lot of gear, this interests me a little. Do any of you have any experience with this amp and recording with it's 5 watt mode? Are these lower modes as good sounding to even bother recording with? I've noticed Mesa does this with a lot of their non-Recto amps -- the Simul-Class thing.

 

[some dude]

It's not a better/worse thing so much as a different thing.

At 5w the amp has a much different response than at 15w or 30w.

 

[skoora]

For super clean probably not as you'll definitely loose bass and treble dynamics but if you bypass the loop and put in on 5 watts, max the master and put the preamp above 12 O'Clock you'll get an awesome flamethrower that's ragged in just the right way. Great for leads that sound a little out of control or Neil Young/Crazy Horse type rhythms if you bring the bass up. Definitely have the treble up and mids and bass low. I really want a LSS head, I think it's the only Boogie I really like. The Lonestars even though you have channel masters and an overall master really shine when used like non-master type amps. I think a head on a 2x12 with a scumnico and a M75 would be incredibly badass.

 

[skoora]

It's not a better/worse thing so much as a different thing.

At 5w the amp has a much different response than at 15w or 30w.

+1 to this as the short version of what I said

 

[Audioholic]

Depends on how loud you have the amp at I am guessing. At lower room level volume, you probably would not notice much of a difference. Cranking the amp, you will lose some dynamics most likely.

 

[some dude]

For super clean probably not as you'll definitely loose bass and treble dynamics but if you bypass the loop and put in on 5 watts, max the master and put the preamp above 12 O'Clock you'll get an awesome flamethrower that's ragged in just the right way. Great for leads that sound a little out of control or Neil Young/Crazy Horse type rhythms if you bring the bass up. Definitely have the treble up and mids and bass low. I really want a LSS head, I think it's the only Boogie I really like. The Lonestars even though you have channel masters and an overall master really shine when used like non-master type amps. I think a head on a 2x12 with a scumnico and a M75 would be incredibly badass.

I have the LSS combo (1x12) on a 1x12 extension cab. It's a killer rock rig. Typically I run it with the clean channel's gain up around 1:00 and use it for clean to crunch with my guitar's volume knobs. The lead channel set up to give me a slightly thicker/slightly more dirty version of the 'clean'. For me the extension cab is totally neccissary.... I could never get it to sound like I wanted until I had the second speaker involved.

That said, the LSS plugged into a G12M loaded 4x12 is a fuckin' monster. It seriously makes me regret having the combo version....

 

[Gooseman]

For super clean probably not as you'll definitely loose bass and treble dynamics but if you bypass the loop and put in on 5 watts, max the master and put the preamp above 12 O'Clock you'll get an awesome flamethrower that's ragged in just the right way. Great for leads that sound a little out of control or Neil Young/Crazy Horse type rhythms if you bring the bass up. Definitely have the treble up and mids and bass low. I really want a LSS head, I think it's the only Boogie I really like. The Lonestars even though you have channel masters and an overall master really shine when used like non-master type amps. I think a head on a 2x12 with a scumnico and a M75 would be incredibly badass.

I have the LSS combo (1x12) on a 1x12 extension cab. It's a killer rock rig. Typically I run it with the clean channel's gain up around 1:00 and use it for clean to crunch with my guitar's volume knobs. The lead channel set up to give me a slightly thicker/slightly more dirty version of the 'clean'. For me the extension cab is totally neccissary.... I could never get it to sound like I wanted until I had the second speaker involved.

That said, the LSS plugged into a G12M loaded 4x12 is a fuckin' monster. It seriously makes me regret having the combo version....

Great advice. Is this amp very British sounding? Also, how rocking are we talking here? Could I get some good Foo Fighters distortion from this amp?

 

[Gooseman]

Are we talkin' REM rock sound with the LSS? Comparison?

 

[some dude]

Great advice. Is this amp very British sounding? Also, how rocking are we talking here? Could I get some good Foo Fighters distortion from this amp?

The easiest way to describe it is that it sounds like a Fender meets EL84 with a Boogie Mark 1 for a lead channel.

It won't do Foo Fighters. Totally different character to the gain. I set channel 2 with the drive barely cracked, so it's more like I'm hitting the amp with a really fat overdrive pedal... however if you pump it up it has more of that smooth early Boogie lead sound than a rough/percussive Rectifier rhythm tone.

For comparison, think overdriven Fender and JTM-45 type stuff. Or ZZ Top.

 

[Gooseman]

I know what you are talkin' about exactly. Great description. I am thinking Gary Moore, with more of a liquidy feel. I am going to mess around with one in detail this weekend. Should be fun. I'll have to tweak it to get that Mark lead tone you are referring to.

Yes, the Recto lead tone is a bit like an airplane in turbulence -- choppy! I don't play my Roadster anymore since I'm just loving my Marshall too much, but I never could get a lead tone from it that felt right when I played. It wasn't awful or anything, but just different. It helped putting a boost in front of it though, but I remember distinctly not liking the extra noise that resulted. I've been gigging with my Marshall forever now. It is my trusty friend and is always got tone -- it just needs to be cranked to achieve that tone!

 

[some dude]

I know what you are talkin' about exactly. Great description. I am thinking Gary Moore, with more of a liquidy feel. I am going to mess around with one in detail this weekend. Should be fun. I'll have to tweak it to get that Mark lead tone you are referring to.

It shouldn't be hard... the LoneStars are Marks in sheep's clothes... basically an updated Mark 1 with channel switching and dedicated EQ on each channel.

The key is to treat the lead channel just like a Mark 1.... treble up around 1:00 to 3:00, mids between 9:00 and noon, bass somewhere between 4 and off.

The amp has a lot of mids... so don't be afraid of rolling them down. Because of the gain structure the mids kind of act like an OD... somewhat flat at around 9:00 and more 'boosted' as you roll them up.

Yes, the Recto lead tone is a bit like an airplane in turbulence -- choppy! I don't play my Roadster anymore since I'm just loving my Marshall too much, but I never could get a lead tone from it that felt right when I played. It wasn't awful or anything, but just different. It helped putting a boost in front of it though, but I remember distinctly not liking the extra noise that resulted. I've been gigging with my Marshall forever now. It is my trusty friend and is always got tone -- it just needs to be cranked to achieve that tone!

Maybe look at the Mark V as well. If low volumes are your goal I find it's actually better than the LSS, and if recording is your purpose then you may find the extra voicing options to be a boon.

 

[skoora]

You can easily play any 70's hard rock with the LSS as far as gain. I've knocked out a few 70's Judas Priest riffs on one and it sounded pretty good. It's a nasty little beast. I'm a Marshall guy through and through and I want one of these amps. It won't have that amazing Kerang a Marshall does on the top end but it has a great natural OD to it that bites in it's own way. Definitely Vox like. You have to get the Master up to bring it alive as far as more overdrive.