Mesa Stiletto Deuce Amp Problem

Hey guys,

I want to describe a scenario that I encountered yesterday with my "new to me" Duece Stage 1. I will describe it to the best of my remembrance "yesterday" and what procedure I took to attempt to rectify this situation.

I turned the amp on yesterday along with my lonestar combo, started to run them in stereo as I have done a few times and noticed no sound out of my 4x12. First checked guitar cables, then speaker cables, volumes and such all the normal things. I grabbed all those cables and plugged them into the lonestar ...worked fine. plugged 4x12 to lonestar to make sure it was the amp and nothing more. 4x12 is fine.

Here is what I did to troubleshoot the amp.

visually check switches
Change channels on the amplifier to see if it is local to something.
fuse is fine, as I am still receiving AC current.
Voltmeter to the wall, power is fine.
Begin looking at preamp tubes. I started with what was a good Preamp tube. (removed it from my lonestar) and replaced them one by one until I was complete. From no sound to a small amount of sound out of the amp. switches and pots all seem fine. and I can hear them changing the sound on the amplifier even though it is very quiet.

My next plan is to fully remove power tubes and replace them all with a known matched set. I am not sure I can do anything else. Could it be anything else? maybe my effects loop? Has anyone had this problem before with a Stiletto? Any advise would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Matt

I would make sure that the effects loop send knob isn't turned down. If that doesn't fix it, bypass the loop entirely using the mini switch on the back. If that doesn't work, new tubes. If tubes don't fix it, call Mesa and see what they think.

That's what I would do, at least.

****Update********

I have narrowed it down to V5 Phase Splitter/Driver. I put in another preamp tube and it sounds great! Back up to full power. Decided to test out another pre-amp tube as the one that I put in did not belong there. Same problem.. BUT full sound at first until I put my first power chord down then it malfunctioned again.... Put in the previous pre-amp tube that worked and it did not work any more. Put the pre-amp tubes that I used back in my lonestar and the lonestar sounded fine....

V5... What can I do???

Matt

Sorry to hear that you're having problems with your Stiletto. The few times that I've had the problem you described, have always ended up being tube related. Hopefully it's that simple for you.
I do remember reading about Russian preamp tubes causing trouble if put in the "cathode follower" stages. In the Stiletto that would be V3 and V4 I believe.
You may want to check that out and try some Chinese tubes in those two places.
Just throwing that out there for you.

I would definitely call Mesa right away. Their phone support is absolutely stellar for being such a small operation.

are both channels silent?

ValveHeavyTone said:

are both channels silent?

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not silent... a little sound coming through... about as loud as a childrens toy. not very loud... but loud enough to hear it. this is so tough for me.. I just got it from another TGP forumite and I can't figure it out. It worked fine with a certain pre-amp... took it out and put it back in and nothing but a low volume sound.

try to stick guitar cable in and out of the return and send jacks real fast like over and over some times they hang up !

ValveHeavyTone said:

try to stick guitar cable in and out of the return and send jacks real fast like over and over some times they hang up !

Click to expand...

Hmmm. Last time I tried something like that, she got pregnant !

TTSTWO said:

ValveHeavyTone said:

try to stick guitar cable in and out of the return and send jacks real fast like over and over some times they hang up !

Click to expand...

Hmmm. Last time I tried something like that, she got pregnant !

Click to expand...

He's here all week folks! Try the veal!!!

Riff Blister said:

TTSTWO said:

ValveHeavyTone said:

try to stick guitar cable in and out of the return and send jacks real fast like over and over some times they hang up !

Click to expand...

Hmmm. Last time I tried something like that, she got pregnant !

Click to expand...

He's here all week folks! Try the veal!!!

Click to expand...

Sorry for that bit of humor. Bad timing and childish for sure now that I look back. Seriously.

TTSTWO said:

TTSTWO said:

ValveHeavyTone said:

try to stick guitar cable in and out of the return and send jacks real fast like over and over some times they hang up !

Click to expand...

Hmmm. Last time I tried something like that, she got pregnant !

Click to expand...

Sorry for that bit of humor. Bad timing and childish for sure now that I look back. Seriously.

Click to expand...

You're probably right, but it WAS pretty funny, so don't beat yourself up too much.