Rocky love affair with my new stiletto trident.

[droptrd]

I recently traded my beloved dual rec for a minty stiletto trident. At first I felt like I made the worst trade in the world. The thing sounded like shit and turned out to have a few problems. Also, I was told it was a stage one with the Hollywood mod, but it turns out it has some lesser mod in it.

Well, $175 for tubes, $100 for repairs and 1 week later, I get my amp back. Everything works great but I still am not digging it. I have had this thing listed on ebay and CL for about 2 weeks now. I really hated this amp.

The past few days Ive been putting some miles on it and I find myself liking this amp more and more each day. Im thinking about pulling the "For Sale" sign off of it. Are these Stilettos an aquired taste? Anyone else had a simular experiance with these things?

 

[Death by Uberschall]

It's all about dialing it in, just like any Mesa. The Stiletto basically a Recto with a EL34 and a little different flavor. Pushed they can sound really good. Keep playing with it.

 

[Audioholic]

If its like most of the mesa's I have, or have tried, it took alot of tube experimenting, speaker experimenting, fighting with the eq, to get to a happy place, and after I sold it off, strangly miss the bugger, problems and all. haha

 

[droptrd]

Yeah I keep telling myself I need to be patient. But this amp is the "Anti-Recto". I was able to get my sound from my rectos fairly fast. I must have been lucky.

One thing - Im now referring to the presence knob on the stiletto as the "SucK Knob"

 

[messenger]

I've loved my Ace since I first plugged in. I use it through a greenback loaded Avatar 4x12 with a Les Paul. I do keep the presence, teble, and mids below noon though. And I'm on the mid gain mode (can't remember what its called), and have the gain around 10 o'clock (much less than I've EVER used, but for some reason I don't feel I need much with this amp).

 

[rupe]

I loved my Deuce (stage 1, stock) and had no trouble quickly dialing in a great hot-rodded Marshall type tone. It got even better with my band...it stood out in a live mix like a mime at a biker rally. I still don't know why I sold it

 

[Mokaccino]

I loved my Deuce (stage 1, stock) and had no trouble quickly dialing in a great hot-rodded Marshall type tone. It got even better with my band...it stood out in a live mix like a mime at a biker rally. I still don't know why I sold it

I made the same mistake, that amp cut like a knife in a mix and I stupidly sold it

I would love to get the Ace, they do sound glorious. I'm no reference anyways, I'm a mid-gain addict

 

[Capulin Overdrive]

i liked mine a lot, but it was a stage II, wished i would have tried it with a bias mod before letting it go.


that's really my only gripe about it and the recto's, is not being able to get those power tubes heated up.

 

[megamike]

i love my stage 2 deuce

 

[TOStudent]

I had a Stage I, got the Hollywood mod on it. (I lived there)
I think it was a great amp, it is very bright. But I am sure it smokes in a band setting.

I read Andy Timmons commenting that the treble had to be VERY low on his to sound where he liked it. 6-8 o'clock. But he also boosts it with the BB pedal. there is a Youtube video of it if not on the Mesa site.

But your right with those Recto tubes, tube replacement can be pretty expensive I'm sure.

I would love to have it back again.