Considering getting a Stiletto

[Anonymous]

Well, my music style has once again changed. I'm considering giving up my Tremoverb for a more Marshall flavored amp. The Tremoverb is a great amp, but I no longer play enough metal to keep it, which IMO is what DR's in general major in. How's the clean on the Stiletto compare to the Tremoverb? The clean on the TOV is good, but I think I lean more toward a jazzy, sparkly clean tone. How close would the Stiletto get to that classic Marshall JCM crunch?

 

[whiteop]

I've owned several Marshalls over the years so I think I have some input of value on this topic. I bought a Stiletto Ace just two weeks ago and I'm very impressed with the tone this little monster has. It gets both the Mesa and Marshall sounding distortion sound. Try the Tite Gain setting with the Bold Setting and use the diode setting or at least that's how I get it to sound like one of my old Marshalls. The cleans on this thing are incredible too. You won't go wrong with this amp. Plenty loud too. I use it to play at church and I could drown the drums out if I wanted to. Try one.

 

[Jak0lantern01]

Switch to the fluid setting, I'm sure it will handle metal, too. The cleans are nice on the Stiletto. I keep going to GC to mess the the Stilettos until I have the $$$ to buy my own. I play everything from classic rock to modern metal, I think this amp will handle the full range. Worst comes to worst, I'd just add a boost for the heaviest metal stuff. There are also various options for you clean sound, it's very flexible.

 

[jman7272]

I have both. I will keep both. Very different animals, but collectively, cover everything from east to west and in between.

The stiletto cleans are awesome and the gain is Cream /Hendrix all the way to Slash country.

Can even get some metal in there too, not nu metal or Linkin Park, but old school like Ride the lightning to MOP.

 

[Anonymous]

I have both. I will keep both. Very different animals, but collectively, cover everything from east to west and in between.

The stiletto cleans are awesome and the gain is Cream /Hendrix all the way to Slash country.

Can even get some metal in there too, not nu metal or Linkin Park, but old school like Ride the lightning to MOP.

Are the cleans on the Stiletto better than the TOV? How do they sound compared to an AC30 (my all-time favorite clean amp)?

It's cool that the distortion can get Metallica heavy, that could prove really useful. Do you think this amp would do good in indie music?

 

[Herbvis]

You will not be sorry with the stiletto. I have had mine since april and it is easily the best amp I have ever played. There is so much versatility and combinations it is amazing. It can do it all, except for maybe nu-metal but why would you want to torture yourself and others :lol: It can go from fender cleans to heavy metal no problem. THe touch response it fantastic. And another plus is that all of my guitars sound great through this amp and still retain their natural sound. That actually shocked me You can get a really sparkly spanky clean on one mode and a more ddep flat clean on another... Then you can mix it up with the bold and spongy switch and if that is not enough you have the diode/rectifier tube option. As for the gain, it does marshall better that marshall and beyond. Indie music wont be a problem either.

 

[woody]

I was looking @ the stiletto ace,but I tried a lonestar special and I think that I'm going to pass on the Ace and buy the lonestar special, I know these are 2 very different amps but after a played the special the tone was awesome, but the Ace is on my long list to get later

 

[gearjunkie]

man if you want to know if the stilletto will do old marshall tones, check out this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjpnRjI3llk

I have been considering this amp myself but I don't know how well it'll do the "recto tone" I need both sounds.

 

[danyeo1]

I checked out an Ace combo today. I thought it was cool, but it still had that nasty combo sort of boxy sound to it. I think the head is the better choice. For crunch and rock it seemed like a good amp. But for metal and shredding on leads it simply can't touch a good Mark III.

 

[danyeo1]

man if you want to know if the stilletto will do old marshall tones, check out this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjpnRjI3llk

I have been considering this amp myself but I don't know how well it'll do the "recto tone" I need both sounds.

He is using a stomp box to boost it and he's running a processor through the loop. My Mark III has as much gain as that without even using any pedals. But both amps are capable of producing enough to keep most anyone happy.

 

[MetalMatt]

man if you want to know if the stilletto will do old marshall tones, check out this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjpnRjI3llk

I have been considering this amp myself but I don't know how well it'll do the "recto tone" I need both sounds.

I said this before about this clip, and its just my own personal opinion... Its not bad, but I prefer his Dual Rec tone on George Lynch Riffs.

 

[MetalMatt]

... But for metal and shredding on leads it simply can't touch a good Mark III.

+100

Danyeo1 you should really take down your clips. Your tone is so awesome! So awesome it made me want a Mark II and III! ...so I got a Quad pre :lol: I'm afraid other will want them too.... Oh well

 

[gumbymage]

My advice is: if you want the Marshall sound, get a Marshall.

Nearly all the music I play and love is based on the Marshall sound. I got a Stiletto, and while it can get close, the highs are too high and not enough bottom end. Plus the tone is never right on to match Marshall. I then got a Road King II thinking it was more versatile, but still no Marshall tone.

I find that I play my Marshall DSL 401 almost exclusively now. It's connected to my Road King cabs and the Mesa Boogies just sit there. Don't get me wrong, I love the amps, it's just that they can't get the tone I need. Thinking of selling, especially the Stiletto.

 

[Geiri]

I'm playing mostly metal on my trident and on the tite gain setting. I use a ZW od in front and thats the sh!t for me. And regarding shredding, the stiletto imho is the best I've tried. The note definition and touch sensitivity are among the best. But it needs that od in front. I find the fluid gain a little over the top for me.

But then again it's all about your ears.

The stiletto will do any sound you want and is probably the easiest amp tweakwise mesa has ever built cause it sounds very good at almost any setting.

 

[gearjunkie]

Hey danyeo1 yeah the guy in the vid is using an OD pedal but probably 3/4 of the guys that play guitar use OD pedals to boost the front end of amps. I only referenced that clip because kiss my axe asked if it would do the old style marshall crunch. I think that clip shows that it can. (considering most of the records over the last 30 years that have the marshall sound are players using an OD to drive the front) I actually prefer the tone on the dual rec from "george lynch riffs" also. I'm currently looking at the RKII for "versatility" I just have to track one down to try. Hey gumbymage care to elaborate? Any info you have with the amp would be greatly appreciated!!! I was under the impression you could get some "marshall" like tones out of it.

 

[danyeo1]

... But for metal and shredding on leads it simply can't touch a good Mark III.

+100

Danyeo1 you should really take down your clips. Your tone is so awesome! So awesome it made me want a Mark II and III! ...so I got a Quad pre :lol: I'm afraid other will want them too.... Oh well

Thanks for listening. I haven't made a new clip in a long time. I hope some motivation hits me again

I never played a Quad but my buddy Gainfreak loves the that preamp. I hear it's the closest thing to using a Mark series amp.


I actually did own a series 1 Stiletto when Guitar Center was blowing them out for $850. I thought it was a cool amp but it really needed to be turned up to sound it's best. IMHO it's not worth owning one if you're not playing it loud with a band. And since i got out of the band scene a few years ago i sold it. The Ace and Series II Stiletto's seem to be able to sound better though than the Series 1's at all volume levels.

I did like the Ace combo, but i didn't love it. If i had the extra dough laying around i might try it out at home for a few weeks to really get a good feel for it.

It's pretty hard to get a good feel for an amp in Guitar Center on a Saturday afternoon when you're getting an ear full of bad notes from 12 year old's who always turn up loud, no matter how bad their playing is. :lol:

 

[danyeo1]

Hey danyeo1 yeah the guy in the vid is using an OD pedal but probably 3/4 of the guys that play guitar use OD pedals to boost the front end of amps. I only referenced that clip because kiss my axe asked if it would do the old style marshall crunch. I think that clip shows that it can. (considering most of the records over the last 30 years that have the marshall sound are players using an OD to drive the front) I actually prefer the tone on the dual rec from "george lynch riffs" also. I'm currently looking at the RKII for "versatility" I just have to track one down to try. Hey gumbymage care to elaborate? Any info you have with the amp would be greatly appreciated!!! I was under the impression you could get some "marshall" like tones out of it.

I hear you. It does sound good in that clip, if a little processed though, but i dig it. I really wish the Stiletto's would allow us to footswitch through each and every mode. It's up to Boogie to get the volumes even without retweaking. Peter Diezel was able to get it right with his Einstein. However, i wasn't too thrilled with the tone of the Einstein, too dark and flubby.