Amplification Journeys

[robthemac]

I didn't realise there is a 22W Lonestar. That sounds like a fantastic amp.

[NippleWrestler]

I didn't realise there is a 22W Lonestar. That sounds like a fantastic amp.

I don't think there was. They made a Lonestar Special that was 30, switchable down from there to (I think) 15 and 10w. Other than that they were all 50w and 100w versions as far as I know.

[olegmcnoleg]

I didn't realise there is a 22W Lonestar. That sounds like a fantastic amp.

Well, I thought it was 22w, but NW is right, Mesa say it is 30w. EL84 amp. There is one for sale on TM at the moment (listed in the last 24 hours). If I was playing in a loud band, the bigger one would get my vote, but otherwise, the smaller one has most of the features but less weight. The power scaling is super-useful. The MESA TA 30 also shares many features.

[NippleWrestler]

This one?

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/marketplace ... 4900995209

Overpriced by a large amount, and I'm a Mesa fanboy.

[robthemac]

This one?

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/marketplace ... 4900995209

Overpriced by a large amount, and I'm a Mesa fanboy.

Yeah, even the 100W versions sell for $2k ish, right?

[MikeC]

I used to own a Lonestar Special head with a matching 4x10 open back cab. It did 30W (4x EL84), 15W (2x EL84) or 5W (1x EL84 single-ended). Sold it in 2010 for $2650.00. It was a good amp and the "solo" mode was handy when you needed to step out.

[olegmcnoleg]

This one?

https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/marketplace ... 4900995209

Overpriced by a large amount, and I'm a Mesa fanboy.

Yes indeed. And yes, indeed. Cool grill cloth though

[olegmcnoleg]

I used to own a Lonestar Special head with a matching 4x10 open back cab. It did 30W (4x EL84), 15W (2x EL84) or 5W (1x EL84 single-ended). Sold it in 2010 for $2650.00. It was a good amp and the "solo" mode was handy when you needed to step out.

That would make a fantastic rig.

I'd like an open-back 4x10 (Jensens) for use with my current amp (Mesa TA30). That would be just about perfect. I think the TA 30 has many shared features with the Lonestar Special. It is also 4xEL34, has the same power scaling, a very similar Fendery clean tone, but more options for changing that tone. It goes all the way to Vox Top Boost land on the other channel. I think another difference between the two might be that the Lonestar has a wider cabinet, so the sound has a little more heft. And so does the cabinet It was an awkward amp to carry. Sounded glorious though.

[robthemac]

There's a Mesa Nomad 4x10 down the road from me. Bloke is pretty much giving it away at $650. I tried it out. Needs tubes and a few pots. I think even with that it's a bit too aggressive for me, but would assist if anyone wanted to have a closer look.

[NippleWrestler]

There's a Mesa Nomad 4x10 down the road from me. Bloke is pretty much giving it away at $650. I tried it out. Needs tubes and a few pots. I think even with that it's a bit too aggressive for me, but would assist if anyone wanted to have a closer look.

That's a hell of a price for an amp that can be made legitimately awesome with a few mods (mainly to do with rolling off some of the very obnoxious high end). I can't think what you can get that's better at $650. A great deal.

[robthemac]

There's a Mesa Nomad 4x10 down the road from me. Bloke is pretty much giving it away at $650. I tried it out. Needs tubes and a few pots. I think even with that it's a bit too aggressive for me, but would assist if anyone wanted to have a closer look.

That's a hell of a price for an amp that can be made legitimately awesome with a few mods (mainly to do with rolling off some of the very obnoxious high end). I can't think what you can get that's better at $650. A great deal.

That's what I thought, but I have too many unfinished projects already. And it was a loooong way from the Fender Tweed/BF tones that I'm looking for. I'd hoped for a bargain version of a Rectoverb or Lonestar. Different animal altogether.

[NippleWrestler]

Oop sorry, got that backwards. It's the lack of high end that gets these amps. Got my Mesas mixed up. There's a 5nf cap in the FX loop that a very common mod changes to something like 120pf or even 50pf (down from 5000pf} restoring a lot of the high end. I think that's where the reputation, there's not too much bass, there's just not enough highs.

If it was closer I'd be keen, although pretty much only to satisfy a curiosity.

[olegmcnoleg]

There's a Mesa Nomad 4x10 down the road from me. Bloke is pretty much giving it away at $650. I tried it out. Needs tubes and a few pots. I think even with that it's a bit too aggressive for me, but would assist if anyone wanted to have a closer look.

Hot Damn. I've owned a Nomad 44, which one is this?

The Nomad is an amp I have mixed feelings about. I think it has been discussed here previously. There are a couple of popular mods that make the clean tone better.

It is a very versatile amp, and has three completely separate pre-amp channels, each with very wide ranging eq controls. As a consequence, you can dial in some pretty awful tones. The good tones are there, but you need to work to find them. Unlike say the Lonestar or the TA, which have much more restricted (or musically-tuned) EQ, so it is hard to go wrong.

[godgrinder]

Ridiculous right?!

I could have happily stopped at Amp #3 (Slash Head). The JMP-1 preamp was a major "ahhhhh" moment for me too - not surprising when you look at who was/is using them (Def Leppard, Mustaine, Gibbons, Corgan, Iron Maiden). Right in the kisser. Does a great No Rest for The Wicked tone too - which is one of my all time favourites.

My major takeaway from this thread is while I had to jump through various hoops to import the amps I actually want, it's still less hassle overall than going through a bunch of locally available stuff yet still not satisfied.

[MikeC]

It's so annoying that after buying/selling so many amps and guitars you find the perfect one just after you sell it