Stiletto Trident Update...Also, Thanks To Platypus

[khawkins]

To All,

I posted a message a few weeks back regarding my Stiletto Trident and the sound failing on it. I tried swapping preamp tubes myself and even took it by a local, nonauthorized Mesa dealer. He looked at it for awhile and couldn't figure it out himself. Well, I was in Richmond, VA this week and ran it by an authorized dealer there. Turns out it was the V5 preamp tube. I ABSOLUTELY CANNOT BELIEVE THAT'S WHAT IT WAS! I swear I swapped all 5 preamp tubes and even started with V1 and V5...or so I thought.

When he called me to pick the thing up (just 45 mins after I dropped it off) I couldn't imagine what it would be. When he said it was the V5 I was stunned. I asked him if he tried it out and he said, "Yeah, everything's fine now." I don't feel like too much of an idiot though because the local dealer here in town seemed stumped too. After having the thing for a few weeks now and not being able to play it, I just keep feeling like it's going to stop working again!

Anyway, I wanted to thank all of you for working through it with me. Platypus, your advice was well taken and I appreciate the help. I still can't believe it was the V5. I just came upstairs from getting it home and it works like a charm. I'm wondering if the new preamp tube I put in was a DOA. Oh well, maybe I'm just an idiot...

 

[Platypus]

That's GREAT news man, glad it was just a tube!!

It sucks when your amp is messed up because you feel totally helpless but Mesa's are usually extremely reliable and the tubes are typically to blame for any foul behavior.

Tubes have very strange behavior, I certainly don't think you're an idiot for not finding this on your own. Hopefully you don't have problems in the future with it but if you do, or if you get another tube amp, you'll have this knowledge to work with now! I can't tell you how many stupid things I've done over the years!

Keep in mind that V5 is a special tube in your amp and many other Mesas in that it's a balanced phase inverter so not just any preamp tube will work in that slot. There is a great diagram in the user manual that explains the fuctions of each one and where they are.

Anyway, I'm more than glad to have helped, that's why we're all here!

Go blow the walls down!