Am I the only guy who likes the Stiletto Stage 1?

[kevman13]

Hi Folks,
I have a completely stock Stiletto Deuce 1. I was going to get the Hollywood Mod as I read article after article, post after post about how great it is. Problem is I love my Stage 1 as is. If the Hollywood mod is so great why would anyone reverse it? Will the mod leave my existing tone COMPLETELY unchanged but add more versatility to lead channel? I know the easy answer is "if you like it leave it alone" but come on guys we know that is easier said than done. If it can sound better then I want to do it but...

I play in a band that plays classic rock/blues and is more old-school than new stuff. I don't need more gain out of the amp, but a more "sparkly" sound or "chime" out of the clean channel would be awesome. I use the Fluid Drive setting periodically for leads but usually just boost the clean channel with my Fulldrive 2 and/or Tube Driver.

Any comments?

Thanks guys this forum rocks

 

[Trev57]

Probably!

 

[TTSTWO]

Try an EQ in the loop. This did wonders for mine on both clean and gain. My Stiletto is stock. I am thinking about the bias mod mentioned in another thread here.

 

[bigpine]

I've had quite a few Mesa's ( 5:50, F-50, Recto-verb, Lonestar and a Lonestar Special) but the Stiletto along with my Mark III (black stripe) still impress me every time I play. Both are stock and I see no reason to change either of them.

 

[frets70]

I just traded a Mark III green stripe head for a Stiletto Deuce I w/ the fluid drive mod.

Here is what I think so far. The amp sounds killer, it does what it does very well--probably best. I do miss my cascading tone stack in the Mark III (great high gain lead sound)but have more options with Deuce

The best El34 cleans I have ever heard.

The crunch on channel 2 will do a plexi sound very accurately. IMHO.

Tite Gain is Killer sounds like a Vintage British Rectifier (that is my best description) or a rectifier with real tone. Big Big tone with a 412!!

Fluid drive w/ mod i don't really like it, while it does have more gain the tone is very hard to dial in, is is like an egg about to hatch--it is not quite there yet. Loss of bottom end and abrasive highs--I wish I could have heard it without the mod.

Someone commented in another thread about the two outer tube sockets being for 50 watt mode but I questioned this the minute I put my STR450's in the middle the Dirty channel had some serious mojo!!! in 50 watt mode.

I think a BIAS mod would be excellent in this amp, I may at some point reverse the Hollywood mod just to compare, but I have heard it is extensive.

Unless the original owner misled me about the amp before the trade, the mod was supposedly done locally so I would have to believe him. So far Im diggin it------just put an overdrive or Distortion in front for higher gain.

The original 12ax7 russian 2 preamp tubes are in it in all 5 positions I have never liked russian tubes and have heard about the cathode follower issue but have not experienced it

 

[TTSTWO]

Odd..... I get plenty of bottom end on fluid drive and no real abrasive high end. I really don't use fluid drive much. On the other hand, I do tend to dial in more bass and less treble and presence in tite gain and crunch. Again, mine is un-modded.

 

[KH Guitar Freak]

I like the first revision, but I prefer the current second revision...

 

[stephen sawall]

I want a more vintage sound from the amp so I left mine stock .... lots of people like Stage I better than Stage II. I felt the Stage II voicing was more modern .... but not better.

 

[dylan7620]

I remember trying the Stilettos when they very first came out and I thought it was a really cool amp. I've tried the stage II and like it as well but I didn't fond anything wrong with the first version. I was able to dial in pretty convincing plexi-style cleans to beyond 2203 gain very well capable of doing anything but the uber brootalz. I'm not much of a Marshall guy so maybe it didn't quite hit the spot for those aficionados looking to possibly replace their classic superleads and JCMs but I thought it was a **** fine amp that would sway me if I was happening to look for tone in the colors of gold and black. :wink:

 

[kevman13]

Thanks fellas. I spoke to a few of my band members last night and they told me I was crazy to think of modding the Stiletto. They claimed my tone is incredible after using a JCM2000 for years and then a 100w Plexi re-issue until trading for the Stiletto. It looks like I will leave my Deuce the way it is but I will try an MXR eq in the loop. The consensus seems to be this is a great way to improve tone without any major alterations. Will this help add a little "sparkle" to the clean channel?

 

[Chester]

The original 12ax7 russian 2 preamp tubes are in it in all 5 positions I have never liked russian tubes and have heard about the cathode follower issue but have not experienced it

Worth experimenting with V1 & 2 replacements. I had a Stage 1 Deuce, and found it very responsive to preamp tube revoicing. Tubes are easy to get at, unlike the MKV head which is another story :evil:

 

[KH Guitar Freak]

I just traded a Mark III green stripe head for a Stiletto Deuce I w/ the fluid drive mod.

Here is what I think so far. The amp sounds killer, it does what it does very well--probably best. I do miss my cascading tone stack in the Mark III (great high gain lead sound)but have more options with Deuce

The best El34 cleans I have ever heard.

The crunch on channel 2 will do a plexi sound very accurately. IMHO.

Tite Gain is Killer sounds like a Vintage British Rectifier (that is my best description) or a rectifier with real tone. Big Big tone with a 412!!

Fluid drive w/ mod i don't really like it, while it does have more gain the tone is very hard to dial in, is is like an egg about to hatch--it is not quite there yet. Loss of bottom end and abrasive highs--I wish I could have heard it without the mod.

Someone commented in another thread about the two outer tube sockets being for 50 watt mode but I questioned this the minute I put my STR450's in the middle the Dirty channel had some serious mojo!!! in 50 watt mode.

I think a BIAS mod would be excellent in this amp, I may at some point reverse the Hollywood mod just to compare, but I have heard it is extensive.

Unless the original owner misled me about the amp before the trade, the mod was supposedly done locally so I would have to believe him. So far Im diggin it------just put an overdrive or Distortion in front for higher gain.

The original 12ax7 russian 2 preamp tubes are in it in all 5 positions I have never liked russian tubes and have heard about the cathode follower issue but have not experienced it

Send those Russian 2s my way... :lol:

 

[Dirtbox]

I like my Stage 1 just the way it is. I've got an EQ to go in the loop just for versatility in different size venues, but I'd have that with any amp. Been gigging it every week for a year now, sounds great.

 

[kevman13]

I knew my ears couldn't be wrong! The more I play it the better it sounds...I will be adding an EQ to the loop as this seems to be the consensus, and some new tubes - it's and '05 and they are original (try that in a Marshall :lol: )

 

[Paulie]

I have an unmodded stage I and am very happy with it. Sometimes I use an EQ in the loop and sometimes I just go straight up with it (mostly depends on the room). Not only does tube swapping make a noticeable difference in the tone, I've also found that my Deuce is more sensitive to speaker cab changes as well. The character (IMHO) changes more when bouncing between V30's, G12T-75's, and the C-90's (been liking the C90's best lately, but my ear changes to the cabs every 6 months or so).

Anyway, based on what I understand the mod to do to the stage I, I've decided that I'm happy without it. We do classic rock & pop (70's through 90's).

 

[Trev57]

I like mine a lot better now it is modified (bias mod).

 

[droptrd]

if you use the fluid drive mode, then the mod is not for you IMO. it really improves the tite gain mode. but i feel it ruins the fluid drive mode. The mod touches nothing else on the amp. just tite gain and fluid drive modes. IMO I wouldnt have a stage I with out it. and i like the stage I better than the stage II.

Also try an eq on the loop. Or maybe send it off to FJA for a stiletto mod + fluid drive mod + depth mod = boner 8)

 

[cocafan33]

I have an unmodded stage I and am very happy with it. Sometimes I use an EQ in the loop and sometimes I just go straight up with it (mostly depends on the room). Not only does tube swapping make a noticeable difference in the tone, I've also found that my Deuce is more sensitive to speaker cab changes as well. The character (IMHO) changes more when bouncing between V30's, G12T-75's, and the C-90's (been liking the C90's best lately, but my ear changes to the cabs every 6 months or so).

Anyway, based on what I understand the mod to do to the stage I, I've decided that I'm happy without it. We do classic rock & pop (70's through 90's).

how does a stiletto handle the V30s, i just bought a orange 212 that has them in it but haven't had a chance to play it yet. i've heard mixed things about the stilettos and v30s. but correct me if im wrong does the "stiletto/traditional" mesa cab have V30s?

 

[screamingdaisy]

does the "stiletto/traditional" mesa cab have V30s?

Yes. But it's usually said that the Stiletto (amp) sounds better with the Recto cabs as the Recto cabs are smoother/less present than the Stiletto cabs.

That said, I've always wanted to try a Stiletto with G12Ms. Considering the Stiletto's heritage they seem like a more appropriate choice.

 

[Charles Reeder]

The 'bias mod' that Trev57 did (and liked the sound improvement of) does nothing to any of the pre-amp sounds (tite gain etc, etc.) it changes the sound of the output stage (very much for the better).

It is the Stage-2 (or Hollywood mods) that change pre-amp sounds (gain).

Charles