I played a Lone Star 100 combo. Had it in my house for a while. The cleans were great, and honestly so was the OD channel "for what it does." It's a Mark 1, and I really wanted something more aggressive but did love that tone once dialed in.
This is a case of horses for courses. It's a useful amp in my studio arsenal. but I don't use the OD channel on my Lone Star much.
When I want Mesa-style OD tones, I use the Fillmore 50W.. It sounds
so much better to me. I freakin' love the Fillmore's overdrive modes. I also like the Fillmore's clean channel more than the Lone Star's for most things. For my money, the Fillmore 50 is the best sounding Mesa I've ever had, and I've had a sh!t ton of Mesa amps, including many that cost a lot more.
What the Lone Star gives me is piano like, tight, low frequency and low midrange sounds. Can't beat 100 Watts for that purpose, and that's what I use it for.
I do, however, take advantage of several of the Lone Star's interesting features when I run the amp on the clean channel, which is its purpose in my life. I switch the global master volume and effects loop completely out of the circuit. It's great to have that option. It sounds better without the extra circuitry.
I use the variac feature from time to time to get different sonic signatures. I also switch between the solid state and tube rectifiers.
The ability to switch the amp to 50 and 10 Watts is nice for practice situations, or just to get different tones.
That said, there is one thing that amp needs and it would make both channels sound even better... so while I know you're happy with it... there is one thing that would TOTALLY make it reach it's full potential, and that is...
I'd be interested in which Alnico speakers you used/heard and liked with the Lone Star. I've tried my Lone Star with the Alnico Blackbirds-loaded Mesa 2x12 that I had in the studio.
The Blackbirds are wonderful Alnico speakers that match up well with a lot of amps. Blackbirds are absolutely great with the Fillmore, for example.
On paper, the Alnico Blackbirds seemed like a great matchup for the Lone Star. In the event, the combination was merely good, not great. You never know with this stuff until you get hands-on.
Though the Black Shadow C90s like to be cranked up, that's when they come to life, and I can push them with the Lone Star's 100 Watts. My 2x12 combo has plenty of swirl, and it sounds good - really good. I should record a clip and post it at some point.
With the KHE switcher, I can also flick a switch and use the Lone Star with the DG cab, and it sounds terrific. That cab has pine construction, ported back, and V-30s. The LS also sounds very good with the 212 I use with the HXDA and the 4x10 Mesa cab I got earlier this year.
Granted, my amp is tweaked to the nines with a grand worth of NOS preamp tubes, and they make a difference compared to the stock Mesa tubes.
In any case, I suspect the question isn't Alnico vs Ceramic, but
which Alnico, and
which Ceramic. It'd be interesting to try the Lone Star with Celestion Alnico Cream 90s. Might be a different world; let me know if you've heard that combination.
As far as buying and installing different speakers in my 2x12 combo goes...probably not. It ain't broke. I ain't fixin' it.
My next amp will be a Komet 60 (or maybe a 33 if I want to be able to crank a little more, the 60 is LOUD). It's one of the four best amps I've ever heard in my studio. I should've invested in one years ago. It's very expensive, hence my reluctance to sink more into the Lone Star.