I am a dedicated Budda amp owner. I LOVE their amps; they have a different tone and FEEL than ANY other amps I have owned. (Considering I have owned over 150 tube amps, worked at Sweetwater Sound and recorded sessions in some amazing studios with killer vintage collections, I feel qualified to comment on tone, NO arrogance implied at ALL! I have just been blessed to hear/play/own most of the notable pieces of gear available over the past 15 years.)

I know that Mesa amps somehow get slagged on many of the "Boutique" forums out there. The Recto series (Plexi of the 90's) seems to have burned many tube amp-o-philes into thinking Mesas are only for 1-finger detuning Nu-metal'ers...NOT the case!

Mesas are for pro players who play ON STAGE at STAGE volume and want to be heard. MANY times I acquired a Mesa, took it home to my studio, played it and thought, "It's OK, but not dreamy.." only to take it to a gig and cut through the band like never before. They can be complicated, a little compressed feeling, and they can seem a little cold playing in the bedroom/basement at hobby volumes, but take the appropriate model to a gig and blow people away.

I recently picked up a Lone Star 112 with the matching 112 cab, and if you can't gig or record with this amp, you need to take up pottery. Seriously, this is a player's amp. It's has the best "feel" and dynamic response of any Mesa I have ever played (and I have played or owned almost all of them at one time or another) Keep in mind that I am NOT a die-hard Boogie lover. I use what I feel adapts itself to the tone and response I hear in my head and hands.

This is a remarkable amp with incredible verb, a wide array or power/tube options, and you can buy BOTH the 6L6/EL34/6V6 AND the EL84 combos for about what many small builders charge for a one-channel, 2-knob Fender/Vox rip-off (no offense...I have several of these myself and love them all) I am just saying, don't miss out on this amp just because you might have a built-in bias against Mesa. Sorry for the novel, but give it a look.

Buddaman

PS: I am blending the Lone Star with my Superdrive 18-112. The manager at GC (who let me come in after hours to test the Lonestar cranked with no background noise) called several of the excellent guitar-playing employees who were leaving back in because he wanted them to hear what this thing can do. They just stood there slack-jawed when I hit the first chord. If you like the EJ/Bonnamassa type lead tone, fire this thing up, add a bit o' delay and crank it up.

+1, and then some!

i don't own a LoneStar yet. But it will be my next major amp purchase.

To keep it short and sweet, i'm a Mesa Hater. always have been, not just because of the 90's nu-metalers, but also because all of the ones i had demoed in my youth were impossible to dial in. Not saying there weren't good tones in there, just saying this amateur could never find them, no matter which model i tried, or how long i took.

Anyways, on a whim, i tried a Lonestar Special, and loved it, and went back, twice, and loved it even more. I'm still not a EJ type lead player, but there is plenty of tones for this rhythym-playing, low-level-dirt, still amateur after all these years, guitarist to enjoy. Love the wattage switching, and love most of all the clean(er) channel, that can be tweaked just so.

enjoy, Buddaman. and send some of those 150 tube amps this way!!!!

Clarification:: I don't CURRENTLY own that many amps! I have been THROUGH that many though!! ha ha. My point is that IMHO this is an amp worthy of a look-see. I also got a SICK Brent Mason-esque country lead tone with the LS, a Barber Tone Press and my Relic Nocaster!!!

yeah lonestar is the only mesa ill ever buy.
DO you think the 100-50 watt or the 30-15-5 is better? Im considering one of these or a bassman.(I like the feel and wieght of a 4-10,i think they are the perfect stack type amp for most situations.) I like the versatility and they seem to sound great.

They are exactly the same in operation other than the power selection. I believe that the lower watt option is going to be added to the 6L6 model (LONE STAR) this year, but I am not sure.

I have played both models and I LOVE the LS Special, (EL84s) but I chose the regular 6L6 model because I wanted a little different flavor than my EL84 Buddas. The Lone Star sounds great to me even on the 50 watt setting at moderate to low volume. More so than a Bassman, which I only really love when cranked! (but that's just my opinion)

The LS and LSS are great amps and I think you would be happy with either. LS is more warm, open and Fendery; LSS is a little more Vox-y with that spongier, hazier EL84 feel.

Rock on,

Buddaman

PS: One more thing, the Special is in the small cabinet, appx. 25% smaller than the 6L6 model.

I have heard nothing but good things about the clean channels on these amps. Besides the best cleans of any Mesa, more than one person has said it was one of the best channels they have heard of any amp.

I have not had a chance to play one, but of the current Mesa's its probably the only ones I would look at.