Can the Stiletto do Metal?

[fbomb]

i put JJ E34Ls in my TVERB trying to get that Marshall type EL34 sound,guess what? NO DICE,it sounded good but was not what i was looking for.hooked up with a Stage ll Stiletto Deuce and BINGO ! found my sound.i love this amp

 

[Jak0lantern01]

Hmmm.....I've been looking into a new Mesa. Currently runnning the ROV, but I need a tighter amp. I've been eyeballing both the Stilleto II or the Mark IV. My band currently plays GnR, Tool, Avenged Sevenfold, Faith No more, etc. to give the sound we have. Would a Stiletto cut it for this music? I hear the Mark is the most versatile of the Mesa's, but takes a ton of tweaking to get your sound right, and trying it in the store doesn't quite give you the ability to do that.

 

[Rocky]

If you have seen bands use Marshalls or Marshall style amps then a Stiletto can cut it.

 

[scolli]

Hmmm.....I've been looking into a new Mesa. Currently runnning the ROV, but I need a tighter amp. I've been eyeballing both the Stilleto II or the Mark IV. My band currently plays GnR, Tool, Avenged Sevenfold, Faith No more, etc. to give the sound we have. Would a Stiletto cut it for this music? I hear the Mark is the most versatile of the Mesa's, but takes a ton of tweaking to get your sound right, and trying it in the store doesn't quite give you the ability to do that.

check out the artist section on the Mesa web site if you haven't alread done so.

http://www.mesaboogie.com/gallery_artist/art_gall.php

 

[nicknuisance]

Played one locally at a shop, and it can definately pull that out for you.

 

[Jak0lantern01]

I think I have a better question: how is the low-end on the Stiletto II? I'm currently used to my ROV, nice and boomy, but not very tight. I also assume Stiletto is a decent lead amp.

 

[Platypus]

I think I have a better question: how is the low-end on the Stiletto II? I'm currently used to my ROV, nice and boomy, but not very tight. I also assume Stiletto is a decent lead amp.

It's got a great chunky low end to it depending on the cab you use. Very very tight and punchy.

The fluid drive mode is a lead player's dream come true.

 

[Jak0lantern01]

Maybe I can get a chance to go test one out this weekend. Sounds like it may be a decent amp. Is it very trebly though? I've played some Marshall's that seemed real high on the treble, and since this is supposedly Mesa's answer to a Marshall, I'd hate to find I bought a treble machine after the purchase.

 

[Platypus]

Maybe I can get a chance to go test one out this weekend. Sounds like it may be a decent amp. Is it very trebly though? I've played some Marshall's that seemed real high on the treble, and since this is supposedly Mesa's answer to a Marshall, I'd hate to find I bought a treble machine after the purchase.

It is quite trebley but this can be controlled with the presence and treble controls as well as using a humbucker equipped guitar w/ lots of wood. Furthermore the tubes can also be changed if you still find it too bright.

If you play alone you'll notice the sharp treble bite a lot more but with a band it cuts through PERFECTLY in the mix.

 

[Jak0lantern01]

Gotcha. Maybe swap in some KT77's if I need or EL34L's. I prefer a thicker tone.

 

[Charlie]

Btw if you go to a store to try one out DON'T try and set it up like a Marshall. You will be severely dissapointed. The tone controls on the Stiletto have a big effect on the tone and you probably don't want to dime the preamp gain either.

 

[Jak0lantern01]

That's the only problem with Mesa's: you have to know the controls, making it difficult to test out properly. If the tone settings are anything like a ROV, it's shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Platypus]

That's the only problem with Mesa's: you have to know the controls, making it difficult to test out properly. If the tone settings are anything like a ROV, it's shouldn't be a problem.

Just print the manual and try the starter settings, they're fantastic on the Stilteto.

 

[Jak0lantern01]

I just looked at them, not too far off from my recto. It just makes me wonder why Mesa would put such extreme settings into an amp if it's not going to sound good dimed. I guess they trust their customers to know what they're doing.

 

[Platypus]

I just looked at them, not too far off from my recto. It just makes me wonder why Mesa would put such extreme settings into an amp if it's not going to sound good dimed. I guess they trust their customers to know what they're doing.

That and they give you the power to do whatever you want, even if it will sound like crap.

 

[Jak0lantern01]

I see you're running both a Stiletto Ace and a Mark IV. What is the real tonal difference of these amps? I've never seen a good comparison nor has anyone really explained the true tonal characteristics of the Mark. I get the Stiletto/Marshall comparison, but what about the Mark?

 

[Platypus]

I see you're running both a Stiletto Ace and a Mark IV. What is the real tonal difference of these amps? I've never seen a good comparison nor has anyone really explained the true tonal characteristics of the Mark. I get the Stiletto/Marshall comparison, but what about the Mark?

Think of the Mark IV as three different amps. The first channel is old school Fender cleans all the way. The second channel is sort of marshally (not in the same league as the Stiletto.. more like an overdriven crunch). The third channel is the famous liquid boogie lead and heinous crushing distortion that remains tight and defined even at low volumes. It has the ability to run EL34's and 6L6's at the same time, it can scale down to Class A mode for 15W, you can choose triode or pentode tube configurations, pretty decent reverb w/ tank, etc. It's my favorite Mesa amp by far.

It's actually very much like the Stiletto as far as how it feels when you play it. Very touch sensitive, great dynamics, responds really well to your playing style. The Mark IV is really in its own league, it's just something you have to go and play. The Stiletto is like an encyclopedia of classic rock tones, the Mark is what I use for everything else.

As much as I love my stiletto, it's not getting much use nowadays. I run the two amps together (Slave out of the Mark IV into the Ace poweramp) right now and it's fantastic though.

 

[Charlie]

I just looked at them, not too far off from my recto. It just makes me wonder why Mesa would put such extreme settings into an amp if it's not going to sound good dimed. I guess they trust their customers to know what they're doing.

Well you might want to dime the gain if you are using the crunch mode on channel 2 but if you switch it to fluid drive or tight gain you are probably going to want to back it off some.

I rarely use any extreme tone settings with either of my Boogies but it's nice to know it's there just in case.

 

[abe]

I just looked at them, not too far off from my recto. It just makes me wonder why Mesa would put such extreme settings into an amp if it's not going to sound good dimed. I guess they trust their customers to know what they're doing.

Well you might want to dime the gain if you are using the crunch mode on channel 2 but if you switch it to fluid drive or tight gain you are probably going to want to back it off some.

I rarely use any extreme tone settings with either of my Boogies but it's nice to know it's there just in case.

+1 on that. Having your gain set at 2:00 - 2:30 on the Tite Gain mode gives you plenty of gain for 80's type metal. Higher than that, you tend to lose some of the sound of your pick attack (at least on the Ace Combo) - Its not that it sounds bad at extreme gain settings, just a matter of personal taste..

Also, as a few others have stated, I think that you get the smoothest and warmest sound if you set the output volume at a fairly high level (I keep it at around 10:00) and use your channel masters to control the volume

I also agree that dialing this amp in like a Marshall doesn't work. Definitely start with the settings in the manual.

I will post my gain channel settings in the database when I have a chance, and I hope that others do the same

 

[Grendeltone]

A Stiletto is more precise of an amp than some of the older Marshalls... the EQ section has to be set properly to get the optimum tone... this isn't your father's amp... where you can dime everything.

I had to have the lead channel on 50watts and clean setting at 100watts to get the tone and weird little things that I had to attenuate instead of push to get my sound..