Thoughts/impressions of the Mesa Stiletto series?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Gainzilla
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Gainzilla

Gainzilla

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series II specifically, Im interested. I love my MkIV to death and Ive heard that the New Stilettos are basically very toneful hot rodded Marshalss with great feel. It would make a nice addition..

Talk to me..

Kage
 
I've played a Series II before. I liked it a lot, thought it had a good range of tones in it. The clean is pretty awesome, but you know that already. The new Mesa clean channel is excellent.

I was surprised when I played it, because I was hoping for the amp to have the Mesa version of the British sound, and not just be Mesa's way of serving the Marshall type guys in the market, and I was satisfied. It "feels" like a Mesa, really sounds like what the ingenuity of Mesa with a British voicing mindset should be, not just a mock-up of a British flavor amp so they can make some money.
 
CaseyCor":1gcyu0j5 said:
I've played a Series II before. I liked it a lot, thought it had a good range of tones in it. The clean is pretty awesome, but you know that already. The new Mesa clean channel is excellent.

I was surprised when I played it, because I was hoping for the amp to have the Mesa version of the British sound, and not just be Mesa's way of serving the Marshall type guys in the market, and I was satisfied. It "feels" like a Mesa, really sounds like what the ingenuity of Mesa with a British voicing mindset should be, not just a mock-up of a British flavor amp so they can make some money.
Click to expand...

So how does it compare head to head with a marshall DSL, Silver jubilee, or boosted JCM800? Does it nail some of those tones with just a different feel?
 
blackba":ipitvpga said:
CaseyCor":ipitvpga said:
I've played a Series II before. I liked it a lot, thought it had a good range of tones in it. The clean is pretty awesome, but you know that already. The new Mesa clean channel is excellent.

I was surprised when I played it, because I was hoping for the amp to have the Mesa version of the British sound, and not just be Mesa's way of serving the Marshall type guys in the market, and I was satisfied. It "feels" like a Mesa, really sounds like what the ingenuity of Mesa with a British voicing mindset should be, not just a mock-up of a British flavor amp so they can make some money.
Click to expand...

So how does it compare head to head with a marshall DSL, Silver jubilee, or boosted JCM800? Does it nail some of those tones with just a different feel?
Click to expand...
I think that that kind of tone is definately in there, but you're going to get a more Mesa feel to it than you would with the Marshalls. I'm not an expert on the Marshall sound though, so take what I say with a grain of salt. I've played plenty of Marshall's and loved them, don't get me wrong there, but I know there are quite a few people around here that know much more about this matter than I do.

But yeah, I think that with some time you can get that kind of sound out of the Stiletto.
 
Kage hey bud. Do you remember last summer, shortly after I bought my Vintage Modern, I played a Stiletto ACE 1x12 and was so impressed that I called GC back, ordered the Stieltto ACE head. Was told I could keep the VM until the Stiletto came in. Well when it came in I went and A/B it to my VM half stack. Thing is I could only afford a mesa 2x12 cab for it and woul dhave to give up the Marshall 4x12. Anyways I thought the Stiletto killed. It was actually kinda similar to the VM but got there withou a pedal and was quieter. Plus it had a nice clean channel.. But I kept the VM. I felt the VM slightly edged it but maybe I really just hated going from a 4x12 to a 2x12. ;) :D
 
yngzaklynch":11txslaq said:
Kage hey bud. Do you remember last summer, shortly after I bought my Vintage Modern, I played a Stiletto ACE 1x12 and was so impressed that I called GC back, ordered the Stieltto ACE head. Was told I could keep the VM until the Stiletto came in. Well when it came in I went and A/B it to my VM half stack. Thing is I could only afford a mesa 2x12 cab for it and woul dhave to give up the Marshall 4x12. Anyways I thought the Stiletto killed. It was actually kinda similar to the VM but got there withou a pedal and was quieter. Plus it had a nice clean channel.. But I kept the VM. I felt the VM slightly edged it but maybe I really just hated going from a 4x12 to a 2x12. ;) :D
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That backs up my statement , considering you really know what your talking about when it comes to Marshalls. :rock:
 
That video sounds great...but i wonder how they are at lower volumes.

I remember Danny's Stage I needed to be cranked a bit to get a great sound out of it...which is very un-Mesa like compared to the MK series amps
 
CaseyCor":2n324x3s said:
That backs up my statement , considering you really know what your talking about when it comes to Marshalls. :rock:
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Oh man I'm hardly an expert. I've owned a couple and played quite a few more. I do think the Stiletto can cop a Marshall type tone.
 
AmpliFIRE":23kp32t6 said:
That video sounds great...but i wonder how they are at lower volumes.

I remember Danny's Stage I needed to be cranked a bit to get a great sound out of it...which is very un-Mesa like compared to the MK series amps
Click to expand...

The ACE, and I assume the Stage II, does not need to be cranked. I had the Stiletto Trident Stage I and the ACE killed it gainwise.
 
this is the best clip i've heard of https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PPlewnNNjY a Stiletto



i've had a stage II Trident for about year now, and for the most part pretty happy with! had a stretch were i was down on it some for still having a some Mesa in there, but now i'm back in love with it.




+'s are that it can be pretty damned tight with the silicon rectifiers, and i'm talking VHT tight. pretty crunchy, great cleans, and the built it variac and the tube rectifiers are features that see way more usage on this amp from me than on a recto.

-'s are that it seems little particular about which speakers it get's along with. for instance i don't like it with the Chinese greenbacks? another negative would be the stock power tubes, SED's will sound way way better.

but yea, really a pretty cool amp. :rock:


edit; link fixed, i hope?
 
yngzaklynch":1op5btxc said:
AmpliFIRE":1op5btxc said:
That video sounds great...but i wonder how they are at lower volumes.

I remember Danny's Stage I needed to be cranked a bit to get a great sound out of it...which is very un-Mesa like compared to the MK series amps
Click to expand...

The ACE, and I assume the Stage II, does not need to be cranked. I had the Stiletto Trident Stage I and the ACE killed it gainwise.
Click to expand...


Yes, the Stage II's and the Ace get more preamp gain before you need to crank it. But you still have to keep the treble and presence low. I think they are cool amps, especially for the money.
 
danyeo":3r128ec6 said:
Yes, the Stage II's and the Ace get more preamp gain before you need to crank it. But you still have to keep the treble and presence low. I think they are cool amps, especially for the money.
Click to expand...

I agree, Stiletto's have some serious top end :shocked: :)
 
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