mesa f-50 compared to lonestar, help!!

[kurt1981]

Hey guys, I got an offer to do a trade for an f-50. I'm using and digging my lonestar head and cab, but have been wanting a combo to grab for quick small things. How would you guys compare the cleans of the f to the lonestar, is there any comparison? I don't use the gain channel on any amps, so that's not an issue.
Thanks in advance, god bless,
Kurt

[mbrown3]

If you only use the clean channel, I would NOT trade a Lonestar for an F series. Lonestar's clean is the bomb.

[mindology]

The F is pretty clean.... But I think that the F-30 sounds much better. As far as the comparison to the lonestar, i am not sure that I would trade it. The F-50 is very loud and, without a attenuator, it is hard to get a good overdrive. However, the clean is fantastic.

I had an F-50 for a while.... it did its job. They should do a EL34 version.

[kurt1981]

Sorry guys, I didn't clarify. I'm keeping the lonestar, this trade is another guitar I'm selling, or trading for the f-50. I just wondered if it would sound comparable to my lonestar, so I could use the combo on smaller gigs, and not have to lug the lonestar head and cab around unless it was a bigger show. My bad in not making that more legible.
So, the cleans are okay then?
Kurt

[mindology]

Cleans are excellent... Really close to a blackface! However, man I played some smaller gigs (400 capacity) with that amp and it was way loud. I would suggest an attenuator with it. but other than that, it is a really killer clean amp. I think that as long as you are not trading an Anderson :) it should be a good trade.

[kurt1981]

Nope, a japanese strat that sees no playing thanks to the andys, and some pedals. Thinking I'll go for it. I can't seem to move away from the mesa camp, any other amp I've owned seems to break down, or not sound beefy enough in the cleans. Thanks guys, and if anyone has any other suggestions, please feel free,
God bless,
Kurt

[dannopelli]

I will likely get flamed for this...

Sorry to you guys that like the F50, but I think it is just a bad amp. I had one for a while as well as an F30. I still have the F30- and really never use it. So I will qualify my comments and say, "to each his own." A lot of guys I am sure are using F50's with great results. I have a friend that uses a Maverick. He sounds INCREDIBLE with that amp. But I never could coax a good sound from it either.

I find the F50 and F100 have way too much power, are too antispetic sounding, and have poor reverb. The cabinets and speakers make for a brittle sound that throws a long distance before dispersion, meaning you can't hear it on a club stage unless it is pointed at your head, and as we all know once you take a cab off the floor it gets more shrill sounding. The F50 was my fourth Mesa too, so its not like I don't know how to use a Boogie. Just no warmth. And it does not do low volume well.

If I REALLY had to have an F series I'd stick with the F30 as long as it had a V30 speaker. I find it warmer than the other two, better at lower volumes but still quite loud. The V30 has better dispersion characteristics to my ear. But it too, still has a crap reverb.

For me the Lonestar series, which I do not own but have played often and have a lot of respect for, is a nicely done amp. The Mark I or Mark IV are nice amps. And the Recto series are good too. The others, well, not so much.

I guess that is why Mesa still makes the Lonestar, Marks and Rectifiers. They are just good amps that sell well. Mesa is good at trying new stuff, but they also keep in their catalogue only what works well.

Again, just my $.02

[Suriel Zayas]

not to derail the thread, but just played the mesa express 5:50 and it's nice, especially for the $. very blackface/marshally.

[pipedwho]

not to derail the thread, but just played the mesa express 5:50 and it's nice, especially for the $. very blackface/marshally.
That's like saying it's very 'Fender/Marshally', which is almost like saying 'pretty much everythingy'. ;)

But, I agree, the 5:50 is a great versatile amp that still keeps to the Mesa character.

[mindology]

[QUOTE=dannopelli]I will likely get flamed for this...

No man.... what you said is right on! Thats why I don't have them anymore :) good tube amp for the money though

[Stys]

I REALLY like my F-30 head with the 1x12 thiele cabinet. Although, the Stiletto ACE has seen a lot of action latley. A bit on the heavy side and larger than a small combo but the clean channel is nice. A little deeper than the F-30 - my 2 cents.

[mbrown3]

My bad, Kurt, I misread your post. If you are keeping the Lonestar and have a chance to pick up an F series, I would go for it. Then you can decide if you want to keep it (if it will work for your purposes) and go from there. Mesa makes pretty decent amps all around (with a few exceptions), though to me they all seem very heavy (weight-wise, not sound-wise). I've heard the express series are pretty great and not bad on the back, but I have an old Ampeg 112 that sounds so good that I'm not going to fix what aint broke...