Mesa/Boogie LoneStar Amplifier - Manual (Page 11)

PAGE 7
FRONT PANEL: Controls & Features
(Continued)
TREBLE:
As in most tube guitar amplifi ers, the TREBLE control ( in both channels of your LONE STAR ) is the most powerful
of the rotary controls and is next in line only to the GAIN control as a shaping tool. Because it is fi rst in the signal path of the tone
controls - and from here the Middle and Bass receive their signal - it is by far the dominant tone control. For this reason the setting of
the
TREBLE control is very important for equal representation of the three frequency regions to appear at their respective controls.
Like most of the controls on your LONE STAR, there is an optimum region of
the TREBLE control where ample top end is mixed in and yet enough signal
is still passed on to the MIDDLE and BASS controls.
As you might surmise, here is the sweet spot . sweet spot sweet spot There are defi nitely great sounds
above and below this middle region ( 11:00 - 1:30 ), but the balance between
the
TREBLE control and the other two tone controls is compromised.
The TREBLE control can be used to dump extra gain into the mix. This is
especially effective in CHANNEL 1 and Channel 2 with the DRIVE bypassed. When doing so, use the PRESENCE control to roll off
some of the more than ample top end for a more compressed feel and fatter voice. As you might surmise, the BASS control’s effective-
ness will be reduced, so you may have to run a much higher setting than you are used to seeing to achieve a balance.
MID:
The MID control is responsible for the blend of midrange frequencies in the mix and though its effect is not as dramatic as
that of the TREBLE control, it plays an integral part in achieving any sound in your LONE STAR. It is capable of changing the feel
dramatically as it blends in a group of frequencies that tend to soften or stiffen the way a sound feels to play.
Most players tend to lean in the direction of lower MID control settings ( 7:00 - 11:00 ) where a scoop in this region produces girth ( by
letting the Bass become a little more dominant ) and a lack of punch lends a more compressed, even feel to the strings and therefore even even
less apparent resistance to the pick. As the MID control is increased, ( 11:30 - 1:30
) the sound is rounded-out and fi lled-in with a focused mid attack appearing rather
quickly. As you would guess, the feel starts to change - becoming more resistant.
Above this region the
MID control could be used to compensate for either weaker
pick-ups or for times when a specifi c defi ciency is produced by either an extremely
high setting of other tone controls, or a physical anomaly in the room. While these
MID control settings ( 2:00 - 5:00 ) can introduce added gain and create enhanced
focus, the trade-off will be a stiffer, more forward, less compressed feel.
BASS:
The BASS control in your new LONE STAR works similarly in both channels in that it determines the amount of low fre-
quencies present in a sound. However, the style of lows it mixes in changes from channel to channel. Like the MID control, it falls in style of lows style of lows
line signal-wise after the TREBLE control and the same scheme applies. When the TREBLE control is set high, the effectiveness of after after
the BASS and MID controls is reduced. If the TREBLE control is set low these two controls
become dominant.
For the most balanced sound and a balance of power between the three rotary tone controls,
try to use the TREBLE control in its middle ranges. This scenario produces nearly equal repre-
sentation of all the frequencies on the tone controls and provides a great neutral starting point
for further tweaking.
INPUT
FT.SW
DRIVE
CH 1
FT SW
CH 2
THICK
THICKER
CLEAN
MAL
GAIN TREBLE
NOR
CH 1
FT SW
CH 2
THICK
THICKER
CLEAN
MAL
GAIN MID TREBLE
NOR
TREBLE BASS MID