software

I had the opportunity to play through a Mesa Lone Star today and you guys were totally right. They didn't have a Lone Star Special, so I gave the regular Lone Star a go.

Instead of a BS, buzz word-laden review, let me sum it up. It seems like Mesa came up with a marketing strategy and then tried to build an amp to fit it instead of making a great amp first and then figuring out how to sell it.

This thing seemed to be trying to look and sound vintage, but it still has that Recto series low end 'thunk' that you can't dial out. The two things don't mix well, IMO. Clean channel was good, but I have something better in a Rectoverb.

You'll have to go a long way to find a bigger Mesa Boogie apologist than me, but this amp doesn't live up to Boogie standards. I wouldn't say that it flat out sucks, but it certainly isn't worth what they're charging for them. IMO, of course.

Oh, I almost forgot. I got to play a John Mayer signature strat and you guys were right about that, too. Schweet! It's everything that a great strat should be with the exception of a big ol' fat quot;Vquot; neck, but the neck on this thing was still nice.

Yeah, the 6l6 Lonestar I tried was pretty average.

How big was the mayer neck?


Originally Posted by Hot _GritsYeah, the 6l6 Lonestar I tried was pretty average.

How big was the mayer neck?

From the Fender marketing dept.: quot;the satin urethane-finish maple neck has a slightly larger C-shape topped by a buffed headstock with a vintage ’50s decal. The African rosewood fingerboard has a 9.5” radius and Dunlop® 6105 frets.quot;

To my hands, it was an average sized neck. Not big, not small. I like a big ol' chunky quot;Vquot; and it certainly wasn't that. I would characterize it as being an average sized, almost unnoticeable neck. Not thick, not thin. Nondescript.

I just checked it out on the fender website...
Looks promising!! How much was it going for?


Originally Posted by spudsI just checked it out on the fender website...
Looks promising!! How much was it going for?

I'm embarrassed to admit that I didn't even notice. I wasn't looking for a guitar, so I didn't pay attention to it.

Wow that's too bad. Boogie has made some great amps. I recently played an F-30 and it sounded pretty bland. I played a 1x12 nomad at a big outdoor jam last month and that amp sounded very cool. It's one of the bigger sounding 1x12s I've ever played.

I liked the Lonestar Special I tried, and Joneser said he thought it was a lot better than the regular model.

Yeah, I quite like the nomad too... But it was the price that got me.

I'm the opposite.
I think the F is way better than the nomad. I could not pull a searing enough tone from the Nomad straight up. The F however...

The Lonestar is a big dud. The Lonestar Special is much better, although I'd only buy one used.....the new price is too much.

The John Mayer strat, on the other hand.....man, why hasn't Fender just made that exact guitar a regular a 'vintage American Std????' If I asked Fender to make a guitar, it'd be that one. I like chunky C necks, and that one isn't overly chunky, it's just a bit more than a regular one, which feels great. John Mayer's taste is pretty much spot on. I love that strat, but my favorite Am. Std looks just like it, so there's no need for me to go after it.
If anyone is looking for a great strat, and can come up with $1350, that's the one to get!


Originally Posted by GearjoneserThe Lonestar is a big dud. The Lonestar Special is much better, although I'd only buy one used.....the new price is too much.

The John Mayer strat, on the other hand.....man, why hasn't Fender just made that exact guitar a regular a 'vintage American Std????' If I asked Fender to make a guitar, it'd be that one. I like chunky C necks, and that one isn't overly chunky, it's just a bit more than a regular one, which feels great. John Mayer's taste is pretty much spot on. I love that strat, but my favorite Am. Std looks just like it, so there's no need for me to go after it.
If anyone is looking for a great strat, and can come up with $1350, that's the one to get!

One might almost think that if he wasn't out there singing songs to college girls he'd be hanging out on a gear forum describing what makes a good strat too.

John Mayer does have good taste in gear. He's one of those guys you kinda wanna dislike, but he can play, and he does have great tone. His signature strat is the best signature strat, IMO. He's always using cool amps too.