Stiletto Deuce II review (part 1)

[inkwachemis]

I exchanged the Express 5:50 1x12 for a Deuce II head yesterday @ Mesa Hollywood. So far I've only tried the 2 clean modes @ home in 50 watt, spongy, tube rect. w/ my GFlex 2x12 cab. Very decent cleant sounds with my LP compared to my Marshall 2205. Suffice it to say I'm much happier so far with this amp than the Express.

When the guy play-tested it at the store, a couple of the power tubes were bad and had to be replaced. They said this happens 1 out of 30 amps they get from Petaluma (not bad percentage-wise).

Right off the bat, I noticed that with my Elitist LP in the clean modes (even with high presence and treble settings), the sound was dark. Not Recto clean dark but not nearly as bright as my Marshall's I've had in the past in the clean channels. I'm attributing this to the mahogany body. Probly brighter with a basswood Ibanez.

I noticed that there is no fan in the amp like my ex-Mark III and RK1. What's the deal with that?

What mode do you guys use typically for modern hard rock/metal music (e.g. Ministry, NIN, Smashing Pumpkins Gish)?

I'm excited to jam this @ the studio soon. Now I just need to sell my RK1. You know how it is...

try the tite gain mode, silicon rect, full power. set all controls to noon, and work from there.

 

[recto-robbie]

Hard rock and metal,,, Im enjoying the crunch mode with the gain at half or a bit above for some hard rock and the tight gain mode anywhere from 9-2 oclock on the gain for metal. This is not death metal though.
Add a nice overdrive in front and it sings beautifully,,, I will say though, compared to my ROV,, I find that im able to achieve really nice lead sounds without an overdrive at all,,, ive already sold 2 of them.
Anyways im still learning what can be done with this amp.

 

[Platypus]

You're the first person I've heard mention the Stiletto II's being dark

 

[recto-robbie]

I second that. What cab are you using???

 

[ursinus]

I see we have joined the same club, I got an Ace head last Monday....love it!

 

[siggy14]

Try it through other cabs, the gflex cabs seem like a great ideal, but honestly the speaker voicing sounds too sterile or something about them I just dont like. I know a bunch of other people that feel the same way.

I think the stiletto's pair up best with Celestion 75's, that is where you find your ministry tones as well as many other bands tones, you have to remember up till the nu metal craze, most people used Marshall cabs loaded with 75's.

GBenz Gflex 2x12, Core X2 cables. I've only tried the fat and tit clean modes so far. It was much brighter with my Ibanez RG1570 @ the store when I demo'd it a few weeks ago.

 

[siggy14]

I am loving my duace, such a great amp!

I see we have joined the same club, I got an Ace head last Monday....love it!

 

[siggy14]

Yeah but trust me, i know the style and sound you are going for, I am the same way, and the 75's will get you there.

Try it through other cabs, the gflex cabs seem like a great ideal, but honestly the speaker voicing sounds too sterile or something about them I just dont like. I know a bunch of other people that feel the same way.

I think the stiletto's pair up best with Celestion 75's, that is where you find your ministry tones as well as many other bands tones, you have to remember up till the nu metal craze, most people used Marshall cabs loaded with 75's.

GBenz Gflex 2x12, Core X2 cables. I've only tried the fat and tit clean modes so far. It was much brighter with my Ibanez RG1570 @ the store when I demo'd it a few weeks ago.

The gflex is somewhat sterile at lower volumes, I have noticed this. But it has great low-end for EL34 based amps that need it, you know?

I have yet to try it with my Mesa 4x12 half-open back cab. That cab is great for rhythm and lead whereas the gflex is best-suited for rhythm...

 

[Silverwulf]

The other guitarist in my band used to use Stiletto with a GFLEX 4X12, and I never really cared for it. Was a lot thinner, and so bright you had to wear shades while playing it...8) He actually picked up a Mesa 4X12 from Siggy above, and the tone difference was immediately noticeable.

Despite the negative reviews form many here, I love the way a high gain set of JJ's react in the Stiletto for heavy music.

 

[recto-robbie]

I run mine with treble at: 10:00
mids at : 9-10:00
and bass at : noon.
Ive also got a boss gt-7 on my pedal board which I raise the lower end just a bit.

I have only been able to play in my basement so far and I find it to be somewhat boomy/bassy with my 4x12 traditional. Im also changing from another amp which was a ROV and 2x12 recto cab which seemed dark and boomy to me. I think thats why I find myself keep adding more bass??? I shouldnt try and make it sound like a rectifier,,, its not one,, I think mesa made these stilettos to really cut through any mix.

 

[flieger67]

I'd also recommend trying out the tube rectification modes, too. I thought I'd prefer silicon for a faster attack and all, but I was surprised at how nice and smooth the response of the amp was with the tube rectifier. I also like how it rounds out the tone, too.

Maybe it will work for you in your pursuit of modern rock tones, maybe not. But it's worth a shot.

 

[inkwachemis]

I'm trying to estimate the modes and settings on this amp that would be equivalent (or as close as possible) to a Marshall 2205 which is a 2 channel amp (the one that Morello uses).

I'm thinking 50watt, diode, bold, tite clean in ch. 1, tite gain in ch. 2.

yes, using those settings will get u there for sure. also, for some more RATM tones, u can use the crunch mode too. Rage songs dont use that much gain really

 

[CudBucket]

GBenz Gflex 2x12, Core X2 cables. I've only tried the fat and tit clean modes so far.

I LOVE the tit-clean mode. Much more than the fat tit-clean mode.