Stiletto Ace Owners.. (combo)

[Platypus]

Talk to me. Especially if you were a Marshall guy.

I've got a great british style sound now with my Orange but it's only 30 watts and I blow through that pretty quickly and find myself running out of headroom and getting compressed.. not neccesarily bad but I'd like to get more volume/headroom.

I played a Stiletto Series I pretty intimately recently again and having only touched the Series II for about 15 minutes it was hard to distill anything from our brief encounter.

How does this combo hold up? I'm looking to get a classic british/marshall sound and I'd be using it pretty much exclusively with a 58 Les Paul so I'm going for a purely vintage tone path.

My personal impressions, though I could be wrong here, are that at least in the Stilleto I, the first channel was more of an older Plexi-ish or JTM45 style sound and the second channel was more of the hot-rodded Marshall/jcm800ish.

My goal here is the classic Marshall tone without having to crank the piss out of an amp and something that's more versatile and offers a good clean channel for the classic Les Paul clean jazz tone. It looks like the combo might be up my alley... though I REALLY liked the Stilleto through a 4x12 so I'm wondering if the head version would be more up my alley since I have a recto cab, or if the combo itself has that 'combo magic' that only a 2x12 can offer.

Just talking here, any detailed info would be great.

 

[Guitarzan]

The head would be your best bet. It will do all that you've asked, the only place where the Ace could be slightly lacking is replicating the Marshall clean.

 

[Platypus]

The head would be your best bet. It will do all that you've asked, the only place where the Ace could be slightly lacking is replicating the Marshall clean.

How well would it work in say the Mesa recto 2x12 cab versus the actual combo?

 

[Guitarzan]

How well would it work in say the Mesa recto 2x12 cab versus the actual combo?

It would save your back loading in to a gig for 1. Second, less vibration on the tubes, other than that I'd say it would be about the same.

 

[Platypus]

How well would it work in say the Mesa recto 2x12 cab versus the actual combo?

It would save your back loading in to a gig for 1. Second, less vibration on the tubes, other than that I'd say it would be about the same.

I'd say the combo would probably be more up my alley simply for the portability factor.

Can anyone give a tone report? I'm looking for a classic Zeppelin/Sabbath/Frampton type tone.

 

[Barracuda]

I've seen but not tried the Ace combo. Isn't it open back? I have a Stage II Stiletto that runs thru a 2x12 rectifier cab and I love the output.

I used to own a series 1 but returned it as to me it had only one useful mode (Channel 1 Crunch). You're right it is more Plexi than series II. I'm just talking about channel 1 crunch here. But for 17 big ones I wanted all 6 modes to be useful. If 30W (your Orange) is not good enough for you get the Deuce (100/50W) its a very useful power range. Btw I find the Orange Rockerverbs to be excellent amps too for the Marshall roar.

Stiletto II rules especially with a Les Paul!

 

[Platypus]

I've seen but not tried the Ace combo. Isn't it open back? I have a Stage II Stiletto that runs thru a 2x12 rectifier cab and I love the output.

I used to own a series 1 but returned it as to me it had only one useful mode (Channel 1 Crunch). You're right it is more Plexi than series II. I'm just talking about channel 1 crunch here. But for 17 big ones I wanted all 6 modes to be useful. If 30W (your Orange) is not good enough for you get the Deuce (100/50W) its a very useful power range. Btw I find the Orange Rockerverbs to be excellent amps too for the Marshall roar.

Stiletto II rules especially with a Les Paul!

Cool, I love my Orange but I feel like I burn through the headroom too quickly.. I dont think I'll sell it though, the tone is too good. (I have the rocker 30).

I guess I'll have to try and play both of them, thanks much for the insight. Naperville isn't too far from me, do you gig at all?

 

[Guitarzan]

The new handwired HiWatt's are pretty cool. Check out "65 Amps" as well.

 

[Platypus]

The new handwired HiWatt's are pretty cool. Check out "65 Amps" as well.

Thanks, I've played a 65 Amp before, not sure on the model, it was great but you have to crank the piss out of it! A big selling point of the stiletto is the output control acting as a pseudo attenuator for me, at least the last time I tried a Stiletto.

I might look into a more powerful Orange too, I love my little 30 watt'er but I run out of headroom too quickly with it :\

 

[Guitarzan]

The new handwired HiWatt's are pretty cool. Check out "65 Amps" as well.

Thanks, I've played a 65 Amp before, not sure on the model, it was great but you have to crank the piss out of it! A big selling point of the stiletto is the output control acting as a pseudo attenuator for me, at least the last time I tried a Stiletto.

I might look into a more powerful Orange too, I love my little 30 watt'er but I run out of headroom too quickly with it :\

Have you tried the Rocketverb 50? trade for it...

 

[Barracuda]

[/quote]
Cool, I love my Orange but I feel like I burn through the headroom too quickly.. I dont think I'll sell it though, the tone is too good. (I have the rocker 30).

I guess I'll have to try and play both of them, thanks much for the insight. Naperville isn't too far from me, do you gig at all?[/quote]

The Orange is a keeper. I would get the 50 if I could justify another amp. To answer your question - I just jam with friends. I am getting dangerously close to becoming an Amp fanatic though. There are just too many amazing amps out there. I don't think there is a single amp in the sub 2K range that will touch teh Stiletto for classic Brit tone. Good luck in your search!

BTW - Guitar Center in Villa Park has probably the last remaining Series 1 that you may be able to get cheap. (850 or so is what they were going for in Feb) Its a Trident.

 

[Platypus]

Tempting.... I've got my heart set on the green/tan Ace color combo


Let me know if you ever want to jam sometime!

 

[Barracuda]

Tempting.... I've got my heart set on the green/tan Ace color combo


Let me know if you ever want to jam sometime!

I'll certainly do that! If you love the Ace just get it! I'm going to try one out soon. There are two of them at Hix Brothers in Aurora. 630.898.8840. Its a smaller store with low traffic and their floor stuff is as good as new unlike GC.

 

[Platypus]

Tempting.... I've got my heart set on the green/tan Ace color combo


Let me know if you ever want to jam sometime!

I'll certainly do that! If you love the Ace just get it! I'm going to try one out soon. There are two of them at Hix Brothers in Aurora. 630.898.8840. Its a smaller store with low traffic and their floor stuff is as good as new unlike GC.

I'm much closer to one of the best guitar shops in this state, dare I say the Midwest. Make N' Music in Chicago, if you've never been there go treat yourself!

 

[Barracuda]

Tempting.... I've got my heart set on the green/tan Ace color combo


Let me know if you ever want to jam sometime!

I'll certainly do that! If you love the Ace just get it! I'm going to try one out soon. There are two of them at Hix Brothers in Aurora. 630.898.8840. Its a smaller store with low traffic and their floor stuff is as good as new unlike GC.

I'm much closer to one of the best guitar shops in this state, dare I say the Midwest. Make N' Music in Chicago, if you've never been there go treat yourself!

I've heard great things about MnM. I fear, really, that I will come back broke from there. I think I'll take my wife with me to ensure that doesn't happen!

 

[Platypus]

I'll certainly do that! If you love the Ace just get it! I'm going to try one out soon. There are two of them at Hix Brothers in Aurora. 630.898.8840. Its a smaller store with low traffic and their floor stuff is as good as new unlike GC.

I'm much closer to one of the best guitar shops in this state, dare I say the Midwest. Make N' Music in Chicago, if you've never been there go treat yourself!

I've heard great things about MnM. I fear, really, that I will come back broke from there. I think I'll take my wife with me to ensure that doesn't happen!

It's a scary place :shock:

More and more I'm thinking the combo 2x12 is worth the extra 200 for the portability factor of not having to move two things... plus any custom option I could have ordered from them is already stock, I wanted my recto head to look exactly like the green/tan!

 

[Barracuda]

It's a scary place :shock:

More and more I'm thinking the combo 2x12 is worth the extra 200 for the portability factor of not having to move two things... plus any custom option I could have ordered from them is already stock, I wanted my recto head to look exactly like the green/tan!

That is truly a beaut of a scheme. I got my Deuce in Cocoa Bronco + Tan grill with a mtaching 2x12 cab. They match my LSS.

http://www.mesaboogie.com/gallery/gallery.php?id=350

 

[Platypus]

Wow, gorgeous!

I'd hate to have the head and a black/black cabinet to go with it.. I think I'm set on the 2x12 now, though it will probably change tomorrow lol.

Now I have to go play one with my newest guitar acquisition, never owned a Gibson before but pretty much wanted this model for about 10 years now.

This G.A.S. is a serious disease :!:

 

[Barracuda]

Wow, gorgeous!

I'd hate to have the head and a black/black cabinet to go with it.. I think I'm set on the 2x12 now, though it will probably change tomorrow lol.

Now I have to go play one with my newest guitar acquisition, never owned a Gibson before but pretty much wanted this model for about 10 years now.

This G.A.S. is a serious disease :!:

Thanks! I agree, for this kind of dough if it can be eye candy too it helps. btw your gas is infectious! Hey, good luck and post pics when you get it.