Lone Star Special 1x12 Combo - shown in standard
finish cocoa bronco vinyl & tan grille
TONE AS THICK
AS WEST TEXAS CRUDE!
Introducing the
new Pure Class A, EL-84 Powered LONE STAR SPECIAL featuring
Channel Assignable Power (patent pending) that allows you to assign
1, 2 or all 4 EL-84’s to either of its 2 Channels for independent
Power Ratings of 5, 15 or 30 Watts!
We caught up with legendary Mesa
Designer & Founder,
Randall Smith after the Nashville NAMM Show for a brief overview
on his
latest Lone Star design…
Amplitudes: There was an
incredible buzz among players, dealers & distributors at
the Nashville NAMM Show imitating from the Mesa/Boogie booth
over the introduction
of an innovative
new amplifier sired from your critically acclaimed Lone Star, appropriately
named the Lone Star Special. Could you give us an overview of the
differences (and similarities) between the new Lone Star Special
and the Lone Star?
Randall Smith: The Lone
Star Special shares most all of the features of the original
Lone Star except
Tweed Power, which
by virtue of its new Channel Assignable Power Section and automatic
Rectifier Tracking provides all of the benefits of Tweed through
there own merit. The Special has the identical two-channel format
including the switchable Drive mode for Channel Two; the gorgeous
Reverb, with its Bright switch; the all-tube FX Loop with the hard-bypass
relay, which totally removes the Loop, Output & Solo circuitry
from the signal path for vintage purists; the switchable fan; aluminum
chassis and so on, just like its big brother.
But whereas the Lone Star uses four 6L6 output tubes running in
Class A/B for greater power and clarity with channel-assignable
power switching between 50 or 100 watts, the Special uses four
EL-84s running in Pure Class A.
Amplitudes: What made you decide on EL-84 for the Special
and why did you elect to run them in Class A versus Class A/B or
your Patented Dyna-Watt class of operation?
Randall Smith: These nine-pin
power punks sound a little more brash and rebellious with their
chimey
top-end. I elected
to run them in pure Class A for the maximum in vintage warmth.
And here’s the best part: they’re switchable between three different
power levels: 30, 15 or 5 watts, again assignable per channel.
In the 30-watt position, all four tubes are operating in a push-pull
parallel configuration. Then one pair can be switched out to provide
just two tubes for 15 watts. But what really makes this amp Special
is the way it can also kick down to just one EL-84 for five watts
of preciously nuanced, single-ended, Class A power bliss!
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FEATURES
Handbuilt in the USA
Pure Class A, Channel Assignable
Power Section allows you to assign either 1, 2 or all
4 Power Tubes to each Channel for Power Ratings of 5,
15 or 30 Watts per Channel (patent pending) / 4xEL84,
5x12AX7, 1x5Y3
Incorporates Rectifier
Tracking™ (patent pending)
2 Fully Independent Channels
each with Gain, Treble, Mid, Bass, Presence, Reverb & Master
Controls
Channel 1 is dedicated
to Boutique Vintage Clean/Breakup
Channel 2 is switchable
between Clean/Breakup (Cloning Channel 1) or Cascading
High Gain
High Gain Mode activates
separate “Drive” Control (Multi-Stage Cascading Gain
Circuit)
Thick/Normal/Thicker Voicing
Switch (Channel 2)
All-Tube, Long Spring Reverb
with Bright/Warm Reverb Tone Switch
Output Level Control (over
all channels when activated)
Footswitchable Solo Level
Control – Patent # 6,724,897 (over all channels when
activated)
All-Tube FX Loop with Send
Level Control (over all channels when activated)
True “Hard” Bypass Switch
that removes FX Loop, Output Level & Solo Level Controls
from signal path
Slave Out w/Level Control
Fan Cooled with On/Off
Switch
External Switching Jacks
for Channels 1/2 & Solo
All Aluminum Chassis
2 Button Footswitch (Channel
1/2 & Solo)
Slip Cover
Formats
Medium Head
Long Head
1x12 Special Classic Combo
(smaller format than the Lone Star 1x12 Classic Combo)
2x12 Classic Combo (same
exact size as the Lone Star 2x12 Classic Combo)
(Short Head and Compact
1x12 Combo also available upon request)
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