Change in Taste: Recto vs. Stiletto

[ibanez4life SZ!]

Hey guys!

Lately, it seems that my taste in guitar tone has been changing quite a bit....I put JJ E-34Ls in my recto....I'm running the gain on Channel 3 modern at 12 as my heaviest rythmn tone....I'm looking for a tight and aggressive crunch.

My recto has gotten pretty good in doing that now, but all this work has got me thinking....maybe I should have started with the Stiletto in finding my tone.

So, what are your opinions on the amp? My tone can be pretty well described by the guitar tone of "We Are Not Alone" by Breaking Benjamin...they use EL-34 drive Hughes and Kettner Triamps on the album....huge and aggressive, yet really not using that much gain. Think songs like "So Cold", "Simple Design", "away" if you are familiar with the album.

So, how does the stiletto compare to the recto? The sheer low end I won't miss, as to me, all it is is mud. Can it pull off the agressive, punchy tones that I'm talking about? If I do pull through with this, I will run the stiletto into my Standard oversized 4x12.

I'm going to go give it a extended run with my PRS soon, but I would really like some opinions!

 

[Barry]

Hey guys!

Lately, it seems that my taste in guitar tone has been changing quite a bit....I put JJ E-34Ls in my recto....I'm running the gain on Channel 3 modern at 12 as my heaviest rythmn tone....I'm looking for a tight and aggressive crunch.

My recto has gotten pretty good in doing that now, but all this work has got me thinking....maybe I should have started with the Stiletto in finding my tone.

So, what are your opinions on the amp? My tone can be pretty well described by the guitar tone of "We Are Not Alone" by Breaking Benjamin...they use EL-34 drive Hughes and Kettner Triamps on the album....huge and aggressive, yet really not using that much gain. Think songs like "So Cold", "Simple Design", "away" if you are familiar with the album.

So, how does the stiletto compare to the recto? The sheer low end I won't miss, as to me, all it is is mud. Can it pull off the agressive, punchy tones that I'm talking about? If I do pull through with this, I will run the stiletto into my Standard oversized 4x12.

I'm going to go give it a extended run with my PRS soon, but I would really like some opinions!

The Stiletto is great amp . Its aggressive without the over the top low end . Its more classic sounding but can capture many sounds . Its my favorite mesa amp these days and Ive used them exclusively since 1980 .

 

[ibanez4life SZ!]

Thanks for the input! Chime in if you can!

 

[Chad]

I haven't heard one in person yet....can these amps truly out-Marshall a Marshall? Or are they M/B's take with some Marshall flavor?

 

[boogieslide]

I personally find that my taste in what I like to hear sometimes changes or goes back and forth, but at the end of the day the tone that works for my playing doesn't. I got caught chasing tones I was hearing on albums, but they didn't work for me using them. I think it comes down to the feel of amps that makes or breaks it for me. Marshalls can sound really cool, but they don't feel right to me.
Not trying to disuade you, but rather use my experience to say be careful.

On the other hand, maybe you would be happier with a different amp. Best bet is to try one as extensively as possible and at some decent volumes. Assuming you would have to sell the DR to get the Stilleto....you can feel confident that if it doesn't work out you can get back into a DR again. Plenty of them around.

 

[cant play pool with a rop]

I can totally relate to where your coming from.I ordered the Ace head a few days ago.When I demoed it I just became glued to it.I play a Roadster and also have a Dual and have owned the Roadking.I play 6v6s and need them for certain tunes in the band and dig them for what they do.But I honestly felt in my gut and ears and fingers that I was destined for this tone.I think me and el are related. Especially when Im writing music the stilleto has the colors that feel natural to me , without the mud.Mud can be cool but its kinda messy with the band and melodies.Outta all the new bands I really dig B.B. Have you heard The Diary of Jane acoustic/piano track? Dude that displays how talented they really are.Im gonna keep my Roadster and play both it and the Ace-armed and dangerous. At the Mesa dealer the owner told me that over the past year he's sold more Els than 6l6s,and when I call other dealers in the state them seem to always have Recs and are outta Stilletos?????i aint dissin Recs at all they great amps and i love em hopefully I didnt confuse ya bro and good luck on your decision, Keep one fist in the gold and one foot in the gutter!

 

[ibanez4life SZ!]

Love the acoustic track...just LOVE it.

The EL-34s just seem like more of a guitar tube....just make it all much better in the mix...like it was meant for it.

God this is killing me......

We'll see....I have to get my butt to my guitar store to thoroughly demo the stiletto again.

 

[prs1999]

Owning both at once, a Trident and a 3ch. Recto,I can say you'll never get the "bell like chime" out of the DR. If possible,I'd look for the Trident for the extra head room(remember you can go from 150 to 50 watts on each channel with it).

I used a Fulltone Fat Boost pedal with mine and also a OCD pedal just to push the gain more in front of the amp. So if can score a used one for under a grand,and get a pedal or 2,I'd think you'll be a happy camper, and I'm betting your Single cut will roar thru it and give you a Jimmy Page tone in ch#1/crunch mode.

 

[Russ]

Some would call that maturity?

I know at least with me, I have found that there are certain tones that sound better and it isn't necessarily a high gain sound. Sometimes a nice driven cleaner sound is better. For some reason the EL34 sound has just the right amount of crunch to me. This is why I keep my JMP around. When I want smooth classic tone that is where I look. When I want a straight up 80s thrashing I look to my JCM800. When I want clean and versatility I plug in the Mark IV. The Mark IV can at times substitute for the JMP but still has that Mark IV-ness about it. The Mark IV can also do the thrashing and beyond but I still favor a JCM800 for what it does best. I used to be a pedal and effects freak. Now I like a simpler approach. Plug in, then put up or shut up, let the music speak for itself.

I went on a tone quest that led me away from floating bridges and bolt-on necks. I also found all kinds of tone wrappped up in various pickups. But the most amazing tone I found was when I turned down the gain and really heard myself. It wasn't until I got in touch with my personal tone that I could figure out what I needed to do to make the sounds I wanted to hear.

 

[ibanez4life SZ!]

Looks like I'll just have to make the trip to my guitar shop....see what it does for me.

Or maybe I'll cut the savings account a bit, but a stiletto used, and own both for a week or two? Then I could really get a great comparison!

My parents would kill me

 

[Elpelotero]

Nah, your parents won't kill you....My parents are practically desensitized by my having three amps, which to them look and sound exactly the same, but to me are worlds apart. Two of these amps came in a matter of a month. They're just not happy when I pack the 4x12 into their trunk.

 

[irishguy977]

I love the sound of a 4x12 Marshall JCM 900 hooked into a Stiletto Trident in the 50 watt mode. I would have the Gain about 50-60% up with a high mid setting in Fluid Drive mode (dick around with Presence and Bass) all while playing through a Dave Murray Strat...I didn't put the guitar down for a good 2 hrs. Tried again (same setting) with Les Paul Studio, I did not like it near as much, probably from the humbuckers effect on the preamp.

 

[jbird]

My take: The Recto's aggressive distortion is what will be missed! While you will attain the best of an EL34 tone with a Stilletto, the aggressiveness may be lost! Nod goes to your Recto for it's ability to change tones from a 6L6 to a EL34, while retaining the aggressive nature!

 

[oyster]

Absolutely!
Before you get rid of the recto, try ordering some tubes from eurotubes.
I am currently running
EL34s in outsde positions and 6V6s in inside positions...nice combination.
Also run 6L6s in outside position (note NOT regular 6L6s - matched specifically to use in EL34 bias mode) and 6V6s inside. great thump and grind.
And dont forget to try different rectifier tubes GZ instead of 5U4...
talk to eurotubes and see if they can't get you the combination right for you.
Changing tube combinations is far cheaper than changing amps!

 

[Platypus]

After having both, the only thing I'd really miss of the DR is the heavy aggresive 'recto' sound. The problem for me is that its usefulness just went down in a huge way as I use my Stiletto for practically everything else. Hard to justify keeping an amp around for ONE sound when there are so many other amps out there I want to own, namely a Mark IV head.

 

[Barry]

After having both, the only thing I'd really miss of the DR is the heavy aggresive 'recto' sound. The problem for me is that its usefulness just went down in a huge way as I use my Stiletto for practically everything else. Hard to justify keeping an amp around for ONE sound when there are so many other amps out there I want to own, namely a Mark IV head.

You are after the exact same rig Im after . Gotta have a mark IV head . I still dig my RK but Im craving a tighter attack . Im going to demo an Ace head at NAMM .

 

[Platypus]

After having both, the only thing I'd really miss of the DR is the heavy aggresive 'recto' sound. The problem for me is that its usefulness just went down in a huge way as I use my Stiletto for practically everything else. Hard to justify keeping an amp around for ONE sound when there are so many other amps out there I want to own, namely a Mark IV head.

You are after the exact same rig Im after . Gotta have a mark IV head . I still dig my RK but Im craving a tighter attack . Im going to demo an Ace head at NAMM .

8)

I keep imaging that tight liquid rythm chug of a Mark IV and my Stiletto blended together for pure bliss.

 

[Barry]

After having both, the only thing I'd really miss of the DR is the heavy aggresive 'recto' sound. The problem for me is that its usefulness just went down in a huge way as I use my Stiletto for practically everything else. Hard to justify keeping an amp around for ONE sound when there are so many other amps out there I want to own, namely a Mark IV head.

You are after the exact same rig Im after . Gotta have a mark IV head . I still dig my RK but Im craving a tighter attack . Im going to demo an Ace head at NAMM .

8)

I keep imaging that tight liquid rythm chug of a Mark IV and my Stiletto blended together for pure bliss.

Have you ever played through a Mark IV ? Channel 3 will reel you in hook , line and sinker . I will tell you that the mark IV is much harder to dial in than your Stiletto . Its a killer sounding amp but can sound bad if not tweaked properly . It is NOT instant gratification .

 

[Platypus]

Yeah I've played one a few times, it's similar to the recto, not very user friendly to start with.

 

[fbomb]

i had a mark IV back around 89 or so ,like when they first came out.anyway it sounded so awesome at the guitar dealer i bought one on the spot. got it home and could never get it to sound as good as in the dealer. 2 trips back to mesa for warranty repair. and that was it for me it had to go ,so i sold it. to many dials that pushed and pulled, switches on the back,just to much work to find that sound i heard at the dealer. that was my first tube amp i think,maybe i just was to inexpierenced with tube amps. but now i have the stiletto and never looking back, its such a cool amp.i fear i will never play my tremoveb again.