SilettoDeuce II

[Riff Blister]

I am a Stiletto Deuce II owner. I’ve owned it for about a year and a half. I play mostly rhythm guitar in a classic rock cover band but I also get plenty of lead work in as well.
We play in small to mid sized clubs about once a month (we are not kids any more) so I’ve gigged with the amp around 20 times so far.
I would like to get some feed back from other Stiletto owners as to how they set their amps up. Bold or Spongy? Rectifiers or silicone diodes? 100 watts or 50 watts?
I’m just curious to see what others like to do and why.

Thanks

 

[srf399]

It depends on what I'm doing. My favorite lead sound though is Tite Gain

Gain - 1:30 to 2:30
Treble - 11
Mid - 10
Bass - 2
Presence - 8 or 9
Master 10

Loop in
tube rectifier
bold

Reverb and Analogue delay in the loop

I use my guitars volume to pull back for crunch rhythm or to clean up for less gain in the solos.

Clean I use the tube rectifier and I switch the gain around and use Tite Clean mainly... and then Fat clean for Fender type cleans. presence is set higher than the 2nd channel to get a little more chime.

Both channels on 50 watts... I never use 100 watt setting.

 

[Riff Blister]

That’s pretty much spot on how I’m set up.
I do like the Fat Clean and have not used the Tight Clean at a gig yet anyway.
Channel two for me is mostly on Crunch since I do the rhythm guitar work in the band.
Plus I try to be loyal to those classic late 60s, early 70s guitar sounds in the tunes we play. By that I mean too much gain for that stuff just wouldn’t be right. IMHO
Tight Gain is my favorite mode on the amp though. I have done the same by backing the guitar volume for rhythm stuff. I don’t know why I don’t do it more often now that I think of it.
It is great for leads no doubt.
I run a delay, flanger and my wha wha though the loop.
I have two Expandora overdrive pedals that I run through the front end. I have them set differently and use them one at a time or together with Fat Clean and Crunch modes for some cool sounds.
I’ve always played with the amp set at 100 watts going for a beefier sound but this past weekend I played for the first time at 50 watts. It sounded great.

 

[srf399]

Yeah... for the early 70's kinda stuff... Free, Led Zepplin, etc. the crunch would be my choice as well. I have this thing though... I do... LMAO I put the brown/greasy put seatbelts on the barstool Van Halen crunch for most of the stuff I play. The Tite gain does it better than any other amp I've ever played... SO I hang out there a lot! Outta context yes.... but it took me so long to find it in my sound I'm making up for all the years I didn't have it! LMAO

Yes Mr. worship team leader.... the congregation will like it trust me....

Actually that greasy brown sounding crunch sounds good in Amazing Grace! I get people in their 70's complimenting me on the sound. LOL

 

[Riff Blister]

Hey Man, if a Stiletto in the Tight Gain mode won't help you to see the light I don't know what will.

Thanks for your info.

 

[abe]

Yeah... for the early 70's kinda stuff... Free, Led Zepplin, etc. the crunch would be my choice as well. I have this thing though... I do... LMAO I put the brown/greasy put seatbelts on the barstool Van Halen crunch for most of the stuff I play.

I do the same thing!! :twisted

 

[les_paul_gold_top]

I am a Stiletto Deuce II owner. I’ve owned it for about a year and a half. I play mostly rhythm guitar in a classic rock cover band but I also get plenty of lead work in as well.
We play in small to mid sized clubs about once a month (we are not kids any more) so I’ve gigged with the amp around 20 times so far.
I would like to get some feed back from other Stiletto owners as to how they set their amps up. Bold or Spongy? Rectifiers or silicone diodes? 100 watts or 50 watts?
I’m just curious to see what others like to do and why.

Thanks

Hey Riff, I play in a classic rok band also and my settings are simply Channel 1 - tight crunch with the gain dimed. For leads Channel 2 is Tight Gain with gain at 1PM. I use '60 Mullard preamp tubes which I think is really key for that vintage tone with a real modern feel. We have a very hard hitting drummer and I am the only guitar player and no keys - so at gigs I am Bold and Silicon Diode all of the way. When we practice, I am tube rec because its softer and we play fairly loud so I don't want to see my bass player dive for cover! Also, I have a '92 Dual REc that I use for all recent tune rythyms and Green Day stuff - I use a headbone so everything goes through the Stiletto 4x12. Also, I have never used 50 watts - and have never had the amp set on Fat Clean or Tight Clean - ever. I think with the Mullards, I can get a colored tone but crisp, so Rolling back the Strat volume or playing softer cleans up the tone dramatically..by the way, the other day I threw in some JJ's 12ax7 - not bad but in no way as articulate or vintage as the Mullards. Take Care

Tim

 

[dmotisko]

My blue channel set to Fat Clean, 100 watt, Silicon diode. Gain set to 1:00, Treble set to 2:00, Middle set to Noon, Bass set to 2:30, Prescence set to Noon. My red channel is set to Tight Crunch, 100 watt, Silicon diode, Gain set to 1:00, Treble set to 8:00, Mid set to 9:30, Bass set to 10:30, Presence set to 9:30. I am also running through the loop so I match the master's to the loop on both channels. What I like most about my Stiletto Deuce is not only the tones it shells out but how well it reacts to my 3 guitars that I am using right now. I have each one set up for a different feel. My '74 Tele deluxe is rodded with a set of hot Dimarzio's and sounds very fluid and killer. My 07' LP is set up with medium output Dimarzio's and I get a nice natural sound that lets the amp work. I also play a '07 American Stat Deluxe through it with stock pickups which sounds phenominal as well. The Stiletto is a great amp full of tones and one to enjoy and play for hours on end.

 

[Riff Blister]

This is good stuff people.

It looks like that Tight Gain mode is group favorite. I’m also interested to see that everyone else so far is backing off on the treble and presences. No real surprise though the thing cut like a …..well ……..you know.
As far as the amp reacting to different guitars you are so right. I am pretty much a Gibson guy (the old ones anyway) but I do own a Strat and a Tele. The single coil through a Marshall sound is not my favorite but both guitars can sound excellent through this amp with a little eq tweaking. I feel that I can’t loose with my SG or my old Les Paul.

I did the Doug’s Tube combination of various 12AX7s and have SED Winged “C” for the power section. Even though I may still experiment I am digging the tone change from the stock tubes.

 

[srf399]

Hey Riff Blaster.... I just ordered the preamp tubes recommended by Doug at Dougs tubes... You say you put them in your Stiletto? Did you notice much of a difference? I really like the tone even with the stock tubes but looking to warm it up a nudge. Also my V30's are just starting to get broken in....

 

[Riff Blister]

Ha! "Riff Blaster" I like that. Every time I log in I laugh at my stupid user name. I'm not ego trippin'. Just making fun of myself. On some nights "Johnny Wannabe" might be a more apt title.

Anyway, to answer your question. Yes! Doug's recommended elixir did just what I was hoping for. I told him that I wanted to get some warmth and they did the trick. I’m sure sometime I’ll try something else just because. You know the curse. It’s hard to leave things alone.

 

[srf399]

oppsss sorry

 

[mightywarlock]

I could list some settings, but I have found, that each guitar requires it's own settings, for the most part.
First, my amp is loaded with the STR-450's, at the moment, not the 447's.
I found that warmed up my tone nicely, and have stuck with them. The 447's are ok, but sound a little thin to me.

next, i prefer my Mesa Rectifier Traditional cab, over the Standard cab lately.

I run Tube, Bold, and 100 watts, and for normal shows, without pedals, loop off.
(i do this at home, before i head out to the gig, once i have decided which guitar i will be playing that night).
then i turn down all the knobs, leave the Master around 8:30, then start right to left. I dial in the amount of gain for the band i am playing in (either a heavy one (Fluid Gain), or a lighter rock/punk band (Tite Gain), typically for Tite around 11:30-3:00, and Fluid around 11:30-1:00.
then i work my way across while strumming or palm muting, turning up the Treble, until i feel it is nice and clear (between 9:00 and 11:00), but not piercing, then the Mid, (i like mids, so i might go to 12:00-2:00), then bass (guitar dependent, but usually 11:00-3:00), then Presence, typically slightly under treble.

I find doing this every time i switch guitars (except when playing on stage, of course), helps the tone a lot, and really makes this amp shine through.

I recently tried something that proved curious...i connected my Marshall EL34-100/100 and JMP-1 up to a Recto 2x12 cab, and had my Stiletto to my Traditional cab, played then together, and i really had a very hard time discerning the difference in tone. the Marshall has more...grit to it i think, whereas the Deuce is very clear and articulate, but when played together, they acheived the same Tone, with the patch i was on (a stock patch on the jmp, maybe #4). When turning one amp on standby it was clear the differences, as the Marshall was darker, but when played together, i couldn't tell at all. very interesting.

Instead of copying someone's settings on how they use their amp with their guitars and their ears, however, you need to find your own tone, which is always subjective.

Try doing it the way i suggest and see what results you have.

8)