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ifailedshapes

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Wow, this forum is DEAD. Is it because people are losing the passion for Stilettos or because you're all too busy playing them to post on here? :)
 
Funny, I was thinking the same thing today.
I haven't even seen my old band mates since August so I think my gigging days are over.
We're getting too old and tired I guess.
I'm stuck jamming at home by myself. :(

I've got nothing to offer....if I ever did. :lol:

So....anyway ..... How's the family?....How's the weather where your at? :?
 
I'm busy playing with my new Suhr Shiba Drive.Sounds great crammed through the front of my stiletto! I think people are totally missing the boat on this great amp!
 
I was thinking the same thing too as I check new posts every few days - but many of the topics on the Stilettos seem to have been beaten to death and not many new folks are joining the family. Wondering if all the action is in the newer Mesa amps these days.

The thing I can't get around with my Deuce stage I is that I don't like it on its own. But in the band setting, its my favorite amp of all time. At my age (41), my guitar time is either unplugged on the couch improving to the weather channel after the kids go to bed OR at the gig (the band doesn't practice anymore after 12+ years together, and most nights it shows). And, on top of that, some rooms we play are too small for the Deuce, so I don't get to enjoy it nearly as much as I should or would like.

OK, now I'm depressed. But, other than that, I'm happy to have it - and if it means we have to stay in the small Stiletto corner in the overall Mesa space, so be it. But at least the amp makes me sound like a better player than I actually am. As we say after every gig - "Another successful fooling."
 
Still loving mine! Just amazed at the tones you can get out of this amp! After the bias mod talk things got quiet around here. I have not had the chance to play it in a band setting lately and i can't wait til i can!
 
The party was about 2 hours ago. Not really, but WTF. It's the dog days of winter, I'm working tons, not sleeping much, only really playing loud on the weekend e.g Saturday night, my hockey team is bad now (February dog days), it's fuc%ing cold outside and in the basement, I'm on the computer NOW. Tells ya something eh? Well, to spice the party up a bit, I added a Nove Delay to my setup, last month. I'm finally dialing that ***** in to get the delay effec I want. You see, I don't have much time to experiment with that either. I run it in the loop and use just a slight touch between tape and analog setting. Sounds pretty sweet. But on to the Stiletto.........As we all know, it's loud. And as I witnessed, it sounds fab LOUD. Mine is stock with stock mesa branded tubes. I'd love to see what the bias mod does, just don't have time yet. Same with trying tube combos, no time.

So now I wait. Till summer comes to pull this amp into the proper setting (NOT THE CEMENT BASEMENT) to let the beast breath in all it's glory. I'm not in a band unfort. I play to CD's practicing my craft,,,,,,,,lol. I like my Stage 1. I'll only be adding to my mesa kids in the future.
 
I run an ART reverb and a Boss delay in the loop and also a volume box. With the volume box it sounds killer even at very low volumes. Lately I have been really checking out the clean channel. Crunch mode with the gain cranked and the treble and presence down low is one of my favorites settings on this amp. also been playing around with boosting the crunch mode as stated above.
 
This may sound strange, but coming from a medium/ low gain tube amp kind of style, I'm pushing the fat clean with a dirt box in front. Sorta like pushing a 800 or plexi. It works ok at lower vol levels but really cranks on tite clean at higher vol levels in the right room/setting. Been experimenting with medium gain -12-1 oclock on the fluid drive mode playing along to Hendrixy/Trowerish type older music. Sustain is good and stacatto stops are good as well. It mixes well to the type of sound from that time period. Dam I'd love to play these settings in a live setting with a band. Some day is the plan. I've not played in a band since the late 80's so it's a stretch. Some day......maybe.

tt
 
Is anyone using an attenuator with their Stiletto? It sounds like a few of you guys are in the same boat as me. At home playing with a lot of fire power. I bought a Dr. Z Air brake shortly after I got my Stiletto even though some of my buddies said I wouldn't need with this type of amp. :? I've used it for every gig, band practice and at home. It's working for me.
I've also been ordering my el34s from Doug's Tubes and requesting them to have an early break up. I'm for more power tube mojo at the lower volume that I play with now days.
Does that make sense to do?
Regardless, I am get great tone in my home practice room.
 
No attenuator here but have considered one. My Ace is 50 watts so in the spongy mode I can get a good low volume tone and i do run the 4/12 to help balance the V30 in the combo. One of these days i am going to put one of the webers in the combo and see how it sounds.
 
I've been a proud Stiletto Deuce owner for a few months now. It gets a lot more use than my Triple Recto, but that's mainly because my tastes have changed, yet again. I wish I was still playing in a band, but college had to come first... graduated, and now I'm too busy with my job and everything else. The Stiletto isn't going anywhere for a long time. I wanted one years ago when I first stumbled across a Deuce at a local music shop, just didn't have the money for it.
 
I have a large post planned with a write up and audio clips. That may provide some good reading and listening. I just figured out how to use audio with a single frame of video. I have audio with the stock Stage I, after BIAS mod, after BIAS mod + KT77 tube set from JJ, and I am going to record some with the Hollywood/Fluid Drive mod.

One thing about the fluid drive mod I noticed is the amount of bass it removes from the FD channel. I would love to know what component removed that much and add a little back.

I will tell anyone reading this who may have sold their Stiletto Stage I or may be considering getting one .. this is not a plug and play amp. It took me several weeks to really dial in a wonderful sound. Once I did though it sounded amazing.

This amp actually reminds me of a ... drum roll ... Fryette/VHT. I say that due to the tight clear gain sounds it produces. Possibly another reason people didn't like it. Maybe it exposed a little to much sloppy? I know it did for me. I thought ... "Wow .. am I that rusty or did I always play this bad?".

Be back soon with more reading ..
 
donniecrump said:
I have a large post planned with a write up and audio clips. That may provide some good reading and listening. I just figured out how to use audio with a single frame of video. I have audio with the stock Stage I, after BIAS mod, after BIAS mod + KT77 tube set from JJ, and I am going to record some with the Hollywood/Fluid Drive mod.

One thing about the fluid drive mod I noticed is the amount of bass it removes from the FD channel. I would love to know what component removed that much and add a little back.

I will tell anyone reading this who may have sold their Stiletto Stage I or may be considering getting one .. this is not a plug and play amp. It took me several weeks to really dial in a wonderful sound. Once I did though it sounded amazing.

This amp actually reminds me of a ... drum roll ... Fryette/VHT. I say that due to the tight clear gain sounds it produces. Possibly another reason people didn't like it. Maybe it exposed a little to much sloppy? I know it did for me. I thought ... "Wow .. am I that rusty or did I always play this bad?".

Be back soon with more reading ..

looking forward to your post!
 
Yeah...the cold weather does kind of put a damper on things. I've been playing my DC2 through my Recto 2x12 a lot lately; just had it tuned up and all, liking the sound so far!! My Ace through the Recto is IT for me though!! :mrgreen: especially since I'm stuck at home doing the job search thang...again :x

Oh well...more time to play is a good way to look at it. One of these days I want to get a 4x12 Recto to set the Ace on top of. I saw a guy at a show a while back with an Ace/4x12 Recto setup on stage and OMG!!! What a monstrous sound :twisted: ...It was all I could do to not get up there and ask him if I could try it out!!! :lol: I just sat there the rest of their set and soaked in the sonic assault while I let 1/2 a pitcher get warm :shock: ...that's not like me at all!! Job first...Recto 2nd...I'll get there! :mrgreen:
 
donniecrump said:
I will tell anyone reading this who may have sold their Stiletto Stage I or may be considering getting one .. this is not a plug and play amp. It took me several weeks to really dial in a wonderful sound. Once I did though it sounded amazing.

This amp actually reminds me of a ... drum roll ... Fryette/VHT. I say that due to the tight clear gain sounds it produces. Possibly another reason people didn't like it. Maybe it exposed a little to much sloppy? I know it did for me. I thought ... "Wow .. am I that rusty or did I always play this bad?".

I disagree. It's a lot easier to dial in usable tones with a Stiletto than it is with a Recto or Mark. You'll find yourself fine tuning any amp every once in a while.
 
"This amp actually reminds me of a ... drum roll ... Fryette/VHT. I say that due to the tight clear gain sounds it produces. Possibly another reason people didn't like it. Maybe it exposed a little to much sloppy? I know it did for me. I thought ... "Wow .. am I that rusty or did I always play this bad?".

It certainly did expose how crappy I was playing. 4 months after I bought the head and 1 month after I scored the cab, I was laid off from work. I was out for 9 months. Gave me a lot of time to work on my chops. I can honestly say that I've reached a new level that I'm currently stuck at. Not 100% accurate but much better than before.
 
[/quote]
I disagree. It's a lot easier to dial in usable tones with a Stiletto than it is with a Recto or Mark. You'll find yourself fine tuning any amp every once in a while.[/quote]

I'm in this camp - I grew up on Marshall, then used a DR for 4 years or so and had to almost completely re-learn how to play guitar again. Had to slow down, concentrate on picking, phrasing, etc... I was completely exposed. Also spent the better part of a year getting to know the DR. Went to the Stiletto because I can't get the black & gold out of my style but still love the Mesa vibe and features. Now I just set it and forget it - it's liberating, actually. But I will say this - like the DR, the Stiletto also humbles me at times and if I'm having a bad night - everyone knows it.
 
But I will say this - like the DR, the Stiletto also humbles me at times and if I'm having a bad night - everyone knows it.

Can't wait to have a good night this summer..............................Or a bad one. It's totally cool when it's loud and you are ON!
 
As far as dialing in great tones did you guys have a Stage I or II?

Also do you think it mattered I had an early 90s Dual Rec? Easier to dial in than todays models? I know most of the complaints were about the harsh sound of the Stage I. I found that issue on the second day I played it but after a few weeks smoothed it out.

Of course after the HM mod I may have to change cabinets. That mod sucked the bass out of the Fluid Drive channel. I wish I knew how to put some of it back. It may be time to try a Mesa cab with V30s.
 

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