Stilleto for metal????

[Turumbar82]

Who here is using their's for metal? I played on one when they first came out at GC but didn't get a chance to crank it. It seemed like it had enough gain for most metal but I want to hear others opinions on them. I know from reading on here most people who have bought them end up being in love with them.

 

[Jak0lantern01]

I got the same impression regarding gain and metal with a Stiletto after testing one (again) at Guitar Center. I tend to play a broad variety of hard rock and metal and keep trying to find a reason NOT to buy one. I dialed in a sweet tone real quick, too. It's tough for me to define what a metal amp is these days, since the genre has gotten kind of broad. Are we talking Metallica, Megadeth, Avenged Sevenfold, Sevendust, etc.? I messed with some various riffs from some of the bands mentioned and everything sounded like it would work. Also, youtube has a few clips of people doing metal with Stilettos. I'd say a Stiletto can handle the job and plan on getting myself a Duece.

 

[Turumbar82]

Yeah bands like that, plus like Killswitch Engage, Between the Buried and Me, even hard rock and progressive stuff. I'm sure with a good EQ in the loop and an overdrive boosting the preamp it gets heavy. I'm just wondering if anyone here uses one like that and what they think. Obviously it's not going to be a Recto sound. The reason I'm asking is I'm thinking of different alternatives to the normal Recto sound (which I like) and I wondering how well the Stilletto's stand up as a good heavy sounding amp?

 

[Silverwulf]

The Stiletto works great for metal. At a couple of shows, my bandmate and I gigged with 2 Stilettos - a Series I Hollywood Mod Deuce and an ACE head - for modern sounding metal in Drop Db tuning. It doesn't need an EQ to sound good for it.

 

[Turumbar82]

sweet thanks for the reply Silverwulf, so I guess it would only sound better with an eq in the loop then. I personally always like having an eq and a sonic maximizer in my loops.

Did you use any kind of pedal for boosting or did you just use the available gain that the amp had on tap?

 

[Jak0lantern01]

I'm sure you can get that scooped sound with an EQ in there if you want to darken the sound a bit. I'm also sure a boost wouldn't hurt, either. But as everyone here tends to say, tone is subjective.

 

[jclogston]

Are there any other mesa amps that can do the same as the stiletto?


jeff

 

[radioradio]

I like the DR with EL-34's better for 80's type metal

 

[Silverwulf]

sweet thanks for the reply Silverwulf, so I guess it would only sound better with an eq in the loop then. I personally always like having an eq and a sonic maximizer in my loops.

Did you use any kind of pedal for boosting or did you just use the available gain that the amp had on tap?

I used the ACE on the Channel 2 "Crunch" setting one gig and the "Tite Gain" on the other gig I played with it. Both times I ran my Maxon OD808 in front with the gain on "0" (off) and the output only on about 12 Noon. So, I wasn't using the pedal for gain. In fact, I would dime the gain on the "Crunch" setting (which isn't high gain to begin with), and would still only run the gain on the "Tite Gain" around 3 o'clock. Never even used the "Fluid Drive," which has even more gain on tap if you need it. The amp has more than plenty f gain in it.

 

[JOEY B.]

Obviously it's not going to be a Recto sound. The reason I'm asking is I'm thinking of different alternatives to the normal Recto sound (which I like) and I wondering how well the Stilletto's stand up as a good heavy sounding amp?

The Stiletto should have the alias "Anti-Recto". It is the polar opposite as far as the dominant frequencies are concerned. The lows are not as strong, but are more tight. The highs are of a different nature, less fizz and more grit. The mids are where this amp shines, especially with a LP or Explorer type guitar with lots of WOOD. I use my Ace for more of a vintage (Spongy, Tube Rectifier) sound, but with the Bold power and Diode rectifier settings, metal should not be a problem. With all that being said, I still think the best bang for the buck on a "heavy metal" MESA will be the MkIII. I used to own a red stripe Simulclass Coliseum edition that was a monster :shock: .

 

[dag]

hey!

well i just turned my deuce stage 1 off! i was playing constant motion from the latest dream theater album, which has this cool trash riff in it (40 sec.) it took me a lot off time to nail a good sound close to that sound. so i think you can say it can do fucking metal.

i think a lot of players need to much boom these days, whats cool but not necessary to nail a good tone. the trick is you turn the treble down to 10 or 10:30 and make sure you got a good pickattack

the fat clean is the most fantastic thing i ever heard in my life, haven't tried a lonestar myself so can't gudge about that.

greets and good luck!
this is really one of the most fantastic amps ever, don't know what all those people hate about it, it's just different than a recto

Dag

 

[kiai_lee]

stiletto can do metal easily, i have been jamming with some guys on some metal. its a picky amp. you need to play around with the eq to get some mad sounds just takes a bit of persistence.

im using a les paul with a seymour duncan sh-5 custom. the amp is set on bold and tube recto, tite gain, with the gain on around 4-5. i run the master on about 8 - 9 and am trying out a hot plate to suck some volume out.

 

[Rocky]

Stilettos are Mesa's take on a hot Marshall (with a nice clean channnel)


I scratch my head when people ask if they can handle metal. The question should be 'can they do more than metal?'

and the answer is yes

 

[Chris McKinley]

RE: "I scratch my head when people ask if they can handle metal. The question should be 'can they do more than metal?'". Me too. These kinds of questions make you wonder if some of these guys realize that people played metal long before the relatively recent Mesa Recto ever came along. Or if they do realize it, do they ever ask themselves exactly what were those guys playing through if not a Recto?

Almost all of the most memorable metal tracks ever recorded were made before the Recto came along, which is why the Marshall stack is a de rigeur stereotype associated with heavy metal.

 

[srf399]

Some are unaware of how music got to where it is. As if people 50 years ago didn't know what a tube amp and an arpeggio were. The quality of tubes were better back then kids. and some of the players were better too. It's kind of like the world didn't exist before 1960, 1970, 1990 or whatever generation yours is. LMAO There is always a little arrogance thrown in too. "No one played as good as the guy I grew up listening too". I mean guys like Django Reinhardt and Lenny Breau were incredible stuff years ago... . Reinhardt played with only his index and middle fingers due to injury of his left hand in a fire... The point is most amp makers spend countless R&D trying to capture the sounds on vintage gear... and all off us owe the players who invented and developed modern electric guitar technique. Questions like this are honest ones and it's important that young players know the guys and gear that got them and their style of music to where we're at now.

 

[Turumbar82]

"I scratch my head when people ask if they can handle metal. The question should be 'can they do more than metal?'"


Personally I have never played a marshall that I thought could do metal and I've played a lot of them! So that is why I'm iffy about a stilletto because I think marshalls do vintage tones great and 80's metal great but not modern metal. So that is why I ask if the stilleto is good for Modern metal?

Thank you all for your answers, including you Rocky even though you answered it in an indirect way.

 

[JOEY B.]

It's funny that with all the new technology these days, the amp designers are still trying to create the magic of years past. The inefficient design of the tube amp has a sound that is very difficult to reproduce using other methods. As far as influences go, I saw a bit of Monterey Pop Jimi Hendrix footage today on VH-1. He died about 2 months before I was born, but has always been a guitar god in my eyes. A flame that burnt out WAAAAY too soon. 8)

 

[Turumbar82]

No offense to anyone but please keep this thread on the topic at hand. Stilletto's...do you use yours for metal?

 

[Rocky]

I dont think it should matter if they are being used for metal. Guys have said t hat the Stiletto does metal tones VERY well. I dont use mine for Metal because I dont play that style but my Stiletto gets so much gain that it is stupid.

If Devin Townsend uses one then you can take that to heart.

 

[Turumbar82]

Thanks for imparting some of your immense amount of knowledge upon us all Rocky! I'm glad to know a non metal players opinion on if an amp can do metal!