Looking for a new amp, cleans mainly,

[kurt1981]

Hey all, loving my anderson, but now my boogie mark I doesn't do it justice. I do a lot of gospel and R&b gigs, and I need to find something that'll give me a bit more sparkle in the top end. I'm treading thin ice, because all the reissue fenders I've tried are too brittle in the highs, and with any overdrive in front, they sound like a buzz saw.
I use a fulldrive mosfet version, and I go for that fat Larry Carlton 70's overdrive sound, fat and warm, with not too much actual gain. The boogie's perfect for that, but the cleans aren't quite there.
Hoping someone has some ideas.
Take care,
Kurt

[Stys]

Top Hat amps are nice. There is much buzz about the Carr amps. The Boogie F series amps have some really nice clean tones - probably Boogies best clean tone at a reasonable price.

[kurt1981]

Hey, I actually owned a rambler for a bit, but didn't like some of it's tone. It seemed kind of harsh with some overdrives, very strange. I like boogie stuff, I liked my lonestar a ton, wish I hadn't sold it!!
Thanks, anyone else?
Kurt

[Casper]

Fender 65 Deluxe Reverb Reissue, low watts but cutting cleans!
Just got mine and am loving it!
Shaun

[mbrown3]

I love Carvin amps for their clean tone. To this day I use a Carvin MTS series with 5881s for my main clean amp.

[Barry]

Hey, I actually owned a rambler for a bit, but didn't like some of it's tone. It seemed kind of harsh with some overdrives, very strange. I like boogie stuff, I liked my lonestar a ton, wish I hadn't sold it!!
Thanks, anyone else?
Kurt
I was going to suggest the LoneStar . Why did you sell it ?

[bud]

I have been using a Fender Pro Jr. at church and find I can get a nice Fender clean (not as nice as a Deluxe/Super clean, but credible non the less) The real joy happens when you hit it with a pedal. The M2 bridge in my HTC will drive it to crunch. Backing off the volume or using single coils will keep it clean. This amp works great if you are in a situation where you're mic'd. Probably not enough watts for a club gig. If you want higher watts, nice cleans and still friendly with pedals, FWIW, I have been very happy with a 68 Bandmaster (but it's a bit of a schlep with the 2X12 cab).

The Hot-rod Deluxe has been discussed elsewhere here and really sounds nice with and without pedals. It's loud, but isn't a Mark I loud as well? (my sub-way blues was the loudest 1X10 combo in history, it used to compete successfully with my bandmate's 50 watt marshall combo and Twin reverb :)

[crash]

The Hot-Rod Deluxe has been discussed elsewhere here and really sounds nice with and without pedals...

I've been using a HR Deville for years - really good serviceable clean sound. Downside is it's stinkin' loud before it really starts to open up. I have gigged with my pedalboard into a Rambler and a Bogner Shiva and a Bogner Metro and truthfully, the HRDv takes pedals as well as any of them (but of course, they sound better by themselves...)

If you're on a budget, they're great - but plan on yanking the stock tubes. I put in the Groove Tubes Mullard reissues (12AX7M) and they're great - made the amp sound a ton better. I have an Eminence Cannabis Rex and Weber 12F150 ready to go into it soon... that will likely also help.

[kurt1981]

Hey guys, had a deville, and thought it was kind of thin, plus both it and the hotrod deluxe I had later were breaking down all the time. Also, iI do need substantial wattage, I do some fairly large gigs, and I like a very clean tone. As for getting rid of the lonestar, I wanted something smaller, and it was the single biggest mistake of my life, as far as gear goes.
Kurt

[tom]

so how come you don't get a lonestar again?

[mbrown3]

Yeah, seems like the Lonestar is the way to go, since you already dig it. My next big purchase is a Road King series 2, with the Lonestar's clean channel.

[entraind]

I've found the lonestar to sound exceptionally good w/ VA's and M's. They can be had used for pretty reasonable prices. I tried mine against quite a few boutique amps and liked it better for the tone I'm looking for....

[kurt1981]

Hey, I'm trying out this box called the smooth and slim, designed for boogie type amps with a lot of bass in the preamp, I should have it in a couple days. Let's hope it fixes the problems I've been having with my Mark I. I tried some old fenders out, and they were all somewhat harsh with pedals, for reference, I'm using a fulldrive and fat boost, sometimes a BB preamp.
Kurt

[jimmieb]

Hey guys, had a deville, and thought it was kind of thin, plus both it and the hotrod deluxe I had later were breaking down all the time. Also, iI do need substantial wattage, I do some fairly large gigs, and I like a very clean tone. As for getting rid of the lonestar, I wanted something smaller, and it was the single biggest mistake of my life, as far as gear goes.
Kurt


Try the Lonestar Special it's smaller, lighter. lower wattage. I have a 2x12 Standard Lonestar and wish I could trade for the special, (I switch down to as low a wattage as I can go on mine). The special is even more reponsive, more dynamic, it's just sweeter than than the LS standard. The LS as far as the schmatic is really very Fendery, but the tone is very warm and more Marshally to me. The Special is a bit brighter, don't let that scare you away. The tone control has a lot of lattitude. It a grerat amp for pedals!

Jimmie B

PS My Zen Drive and My RC sound great with the LS. I also have a Fulltone FD 20th Anniversary it sound equally as great.

[wreckfan]

I agree - the Lonestar is nice - the Lonestar Special is really nice. I understand the best model is the 4x10

I have had 3 Mesa's ( Mark III loaded/simul/ev - Tremoverb - F-30) and have tried a lot of the amps mentioned in other threads - just my opinion

Fender Deluxe - thin and bright

Fender Hot Rod Deluxe - nice clean (and loud) - poorly built - if they fixed the reliability problem they would sell a ton of them !!

Bogner Metropolis - nice amp - good clean not very "full sounding" - hides nothing - your playing better be up to speed !!

Went though a plethora of amps in the band over the last 25+ years.

Allen - lasted maybe a week

Vht - lasted a short time - great write up/review in Guitar Player magazine at the time - Ok cleans - nice crunch and awesome high gain sound.

65 Super reverb - one of the other players has been playing a Les Paul
through the same amp for all this time - what a great sound !!

Amps that you might want to look at - Kingsley Deluxe 30 - Badcat 30 - Bruno Underground 30 or Cowtipper 35 .........

[picnic]

I find my Lonestar 2x12 makes my TA's sound as good as it gets to my ears. It's damn heavy, but worth the weight/tone tradeoff. My DRRI with a Weber California sounds close and fits the bill as a pack and carry amp.

Lonestar prices are being reduced to move them out. $1200 new on existing stock.

Magdon's, Indoor Storm, Guitar Heaven, MAE for new/used stuff. I have dealt with some on them for online purchases and they have all been great. Any dealer associated with TA is going to have amps to check out that will compliment your TA's tones.

[mbrown3]

Lonestar prices are being reduced to move them out. $1200 new on existing stock.


I can't seem to find Lonestar clips online, let alone with a TA. Would you be willing to indulge? Particularly the distorted tones...

[kurt1981]

Are you saying they're not making lonestars anymore?
Kurt

[wreckfan]

I understand that Mesa is "updating" the Lonestar and Guitar Center and maybe others are selling the remaining amps at reduced prices. I really like the special so the discount is not really an incentive.

And I forgot - the 4x10 Mesa Blue Angel is pretty special if you find a good one !!

[picnic]

mbrown,

I'm not set up for recording, sorry. I hope this helps. As tones go out of the LSC, it does the Twin Reverb and Deluxe Reverb better than Fender IMO. I retubed it with Ruby 440's (6L6). Clean and chimey on Ch 1. Distorted tones on the gain ch2 can be slight breakup to a Santana like creamy. I'm not a modern distortion player at all and those tones aren't in the LSC anyway.

On the TA page of sound clips, the "Stoppin" TV1 and TV3 can be done with both my TA (SA's or TD's) I use that tone a lot

Ch 1 (clean) can get real gretty (DR style) by maxxing the gain and controlling with the vol knob.

I use the LSC for rock, blues, country alt country and haven't been at a loss for any tones. Very tweakable amp. Some complain "too many knobs and toggles" but I find I setting the amp in a basic pattern and zoning in with the TA's.

[kurt1981]

Hey all, I picked up a lonestar last night, used for a casino gig and then in church this morning. It's all the amp I remember from my previous ownership of one, and with the TA, it just sings. The cleans are perfect, and I can dial up a nice old-school marshall sound too. Thanks so much for all the kind help you guys gave me, and thanks for getting me to realize what I needed was the mesa.
Take care, I hope I can be of help to someone here someday.
Kurt

[wreckfan]

Good call - hope you are happy with it !!

[kurt1981]

Anyone have any settings they'd be willing to share? For singles versus humbuckers.
thanks in advance,
Kurt

[dave]

hi Kurt - I'm just getting started on the TAG/Lonestar special journey - have you any particular effects hardware linked in?

[picnic]

My Lonestar/TAG setup is staight guitar-tuner-amp. The Lonestar Classic I have is two channels. I dial up the clean to Fendery 6L6 tones. The drive channel I aim for a Deluxe Reverb breakup. The boost is a notch above the volume for solos. Usually go with full power at 50 watts. Reverb is normal, tube rectifier.

The amp sounds great, chimey, clean, gritty and twangy at house or gig volumes. The TA's really come to life with this amp. They compliment each other on both channels.

Good Luck with the LSS

[kurt1981]

I actually have the clasic, not the special. I just wondered if anyone had any knob settings to help me out. I run all my fx before the amp, valvulator, budda wah, carl martin comp, fulldrive2, mosfet version, fulltone choralflange, fat boost, volume pedal, line 6 delay, sometimes a phaser. I mainly wondered how to get a nice sparkly clean tone, and maybe some nice pushed tones on the OD channel. This amp really is amazing.
Thanks in advance,
Kurt