Stiletto owners, need some information

[cacheek]

I'm hoping to have some cash for a stiletto ace head (I have a recto 212 cab right now) when my tax return comes in. I've heard some samples on youtube that sound really fizzy and some that don't. I know the cleans are amazing, but I want to know how good the fluid drive is. Can it do metal, progressive, etc. music? My secret shame is that I'm a big Tool fan and would like something that gets into that territory while also being able to get classic rock and fusion tones out of the amp. I also like the simplicity on the stiletto and that it's got two separate channels. Thoughts?

 

[LeftyCatton]

I'd love to know about the ace head as well, always caught my eye...

Seems like very few people run one though?

 

[skoora]

I don't know about the Ace but I have a Deuce II and I love it. With Fluid Drive I get a great hard rock, older school metal tone that is not fizzy. These amps are pretty responsive to preamp tubes but the main thing is the they are voiced very bright so you won't have the presence or treble or even mids all that high. To me on the II, Fluid drive has a nice amount of top end boost over tight gain, where tight gain is a great but warmer and more hard classic rock, blues. Maybe better for single coils. I don't run my gain higher than 9, 10 O'clock on Fluid drive as it will turn mushy with a humbucker but I get all the gain I need at that level. I'm playing hard rock and old school metal. The crunch setting is also like a nice 70's 2203 and again the treble, presence and mids are all below 12 O'clock for me. I also found it responds well to pedals. I haven't needed a pedal yet. Plus I've found on the rec and voltage selections I like Diode rectifier with Spongy the best. Spongy gives the midrange and top end a little more sweetness but Diode keeps the low end tight. I know being discontinued makes it harder to try one in person but I recommend try before you buy. I had tried them over the years and wasn't always impressed but stumbled upon the one I have now and effortlessly got tones out of it I dug. Also, I'm not much of a Tool fan but my Wife loves them. I was playing Sober to make her happy and it sounded pretty phenomenal to me.

I love it because it really captures the soul of older Marshall's I've had in the past but with cool modern features and I haven't found a new Marshall in years that wasn't cold or sterile to me in some way.

 

[Crunchity]

So they do make for a good pedal platform type amp then? Just curious. Had a chance to nab one a few weeks back but missed it. Was interested in using it for its cleans as well as with drive pedals.

 

[ConcreteVampire]

Absolutely try before you buy. VERY bright amp. I'm glad the other poster, (And I'm sure others have as well) got it to work for him. I played a Trident for a coupla HOURS trying to get it to make me buy it... Just didn't like it. YMMV. Too bright with a Paul on the neck pickup with the treble down... is too Bright! demo with your guitar...

 

[Lucius]

Owned the Deuce Stage II for a awhile. It was like an 800 on roids. Great for hard rock, the cleans were nice. metal territory, almost there but not quit. Cheers, Lucius

 

[Chris6870]

General consensus is the Ace has brighter highs than the Deuce. I liked the Deuce with the presence and treble dialed back.one amp that I actually miss.

 

[thiswaythatway]

They're weird amps. Some hate them, and others get them to work great. I had a Deuce 1 when GC was blowing them out for $850. It sounded good when it was loud, on a good cab, and with a Tube Screamer. If it was too bright just dial the presence and treble back.

I'll tell you what, boosted, good cab, tweaked right, and in the right hands, it can give plenty of modded Marshalls a run for their money.


This guy got some good results. I found it funny when guys with modded Marshall's saw this video and said, "yeah but he's using a boost pedal". Well, yeah but your Marshall had it guts ripped out, rewired, retweaked, etc etc, and they were bitching about 1 Tube Screamer that everyone with a JCM800 has been using since the 80's..... Check that...a Sparkle Drive.

 

[Chris6870]

It helps that the thing is cranked up in that clip. I saw Andy Timmons using one live and it sounded awesome.

 

[Aristocat]

They're weird amps. Some hate them, and others get them to work great. I had a Deuce 1 when GC was blowing them out for $850. It sounded good when it was loud, on a good cab, and with a Tube Screamer. If it was too bright just dial the presence and treble back.

I'll tell you what, boosted, good cab, tweaked right, and in the right hands, it can give plenty of modded Marshalls a run for their money.


This guy got some good results. I found it funny when guys with modded Marshall's saw this video and said, "yeah but he's using a boost pedal". Well, yeah but your Marshall had it guts ripped out, rewired, retweaked, etc etc, and they were bitching about 1 Tube Screamer that everyone with a JCM800 has been using since the 80's..... Check that...a Sparkle Drive.

That video is the reason I've wanted a Deuce II for three years now. I'm forever a Marshall guy but next amp is either that or a Soldano Hot Rod

 

[richardt4520]

All the songs I did for an instrumental CD were done with a Stilletto Deuce 2 on Fluid Drive. You can check out some clips here: http://www.reverbnation.com/richardtull/song/13305125-richard-tull-birthright I didn't like Series 1 but thought Series 2 was one of the best shred amps I've ever played through. It's got a great chimy clean sound, great JCM style crunch, and is mean enough for metal if you want. I had an Ace, also but thought it broke up too soon on the cleans playing with a loud drummer. It was also brighter so I found myself rolling off either the treble or presence to about 11 o'clock on the Ace.

 

[ewill52]

I had one, sold it when the Mark V came out to help fund the purchase. For me, I wish I had kept it. It is VERY bright...but manageable. Very cool amp.

 

[irondeth21]

I had one for a year and loved it. Ran it through a diezel 4x12 with v30's. I only used it with my band and pretty loud. Awesome cleans and modded Marshall gain but still sounds like a Mesa if that makes sense. I never had problems with mine being overly bright but usually keep my presence low on all my amps, and remember keeping my treble below 10 o'clock. Also running it loud probably helped with that. I never had a difficult time hearing myself in a mix and I played over 50 shows with it. It loved pedals as well. Great amp and I'll probably get another down the road (2x12 combo next time). I might have some old clips ill try to find.

 

[cacheek]

Man, now I'm gassing even more. If only I could sell some stuff ...

 

[moltenmetalburn]

They're weird amps. Some hate them, and others get them to work great. I had a Deuce 1 when GC was blowing them out for $850. It sounded good when it was loud, on a good cab, and with a Tube Screamer. If it was too bright just dial the presence and treble back.

I'll tell you what, boosted, good cab, tweaked right, and in the right hands, it can give plenty of modded Marshalls a run for their money.


This guy got some good results. I found it funny when guys with modded Marshall's saw this video and said, "yeah but he's using a boost pedal". Well, yeah but your Marshall had it guts ripped out, rewired, retweaked, etc etc, and they were bitching about 1 Tube Screamer that everyone with a JCM800 has been using since the 80's..... Check that...a Sparkle Drive.

Yeah but that vid is THE best vid I've ever seen for a stiletto, watched it a thousand times when considering one. Every other vid and even the amps I demo were ice picks...

I've seen sepultura s Andreas kisser live with them and his tone was to die for...

Weird amp.. Mesarshall .

 

[DeezDemos]

I still have my Stage I and I like it. Different amp for sure, and I agree that to get a good sound it has to be turned up. Takes pedals extremely well IMO. Here's a few clips I did a long time ago when I first got the amp. Mine is a very low S/N Stage I purchased the first couple months of release. I've never played a II or Ace so I can't comment on the difference?

Les Paul CH2 Tight Gain: https://www.soundclick.com/player/single ... i&newref=1

Am Dlx Strat: https://www.soundclick.com/player/single ... i&newref=1

 

[polaris20]

I fucking love the Ace. Awesome amp, a bit bright but manageable. Sounds better with C90's than V30's, IMO.

 

[SonicPulverizer]

As per the OP's question, yeah it can do progressive stuff without any problem what-so-ever. I ran a all stiletto rig live before switching to an FR solution and I play stuff in the vein of Coheed and Cambria, BTBAM, and other newer prog acts. It acts really different depending on what guitar you have running through it, so take time to tweak it. Almost every mesa takes some attention to get it sounding proper at all volumes, but when it's right.... oooo it's right.

 

[fishyfishfish]

Great amp, try before you buy. One trick I did with mine (ace)
Was dial it in like a non master amp ( get the volume up with every
Thing turned down then slowly bring each tone knob up where you like
It). Swap V1 for a jj 12AX7 and you should be good to go (tames the super high end)
Built like a brick shit house, takes pedals pretty good, great loop
I used a sparkle drive to take it to neo-shred super chunk,
But that was just me, amp gets pretty close on its own
Wish I still had mine....damn gas

 

[stephen sawall]

Get the poweramp cooking & keep the treble & presence very low (I set them around 9 o'clock or lower often) & it sounds great for my taste. I had a series one Trident for a few years.
I could get it in the ballpark of Opiate & Undertow .... not sure if you could get the sounds after that.....