When did the Stage II Stilettos come out?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Digital Jams
  • Start date Start date
Scott, we have fairly similar tastes in gear.

I tried a stage one Trident and HATED it. I'm certainly not a gainmonger, and I felt like I was fighting a NMV Marshall without the magic, even with the gain on 11 while i cycled through all the stages of the master volume control. (and I'm a believer in high wattage mesa's since I feel they voice the preamp's gain to sound good at lower and higher volumes to compensate for the huge power section; ex. triple rec.)

Bottom line, It did NOT bring a smile to my face.
 
I think all the stage IIs had a big 'II' screen printed on the front chassis though, regardless of jewel color.
 
from that pic, i'd guess very strongly that it's a Stage I?


$800 for for a I is just barely a good deal, for a II it would be a great deal.


holding out for Plexi is far from a bad decision.


i love the cut your head off high mids of the Stiletto, but as Jim mentioned there's not much bottom at all.


Plexi will cover more bases.
 
Capulin Overdrive":31npbghh said:
Plexi will cover more bases.
Click to expand...

I'm kinda curious here... how can a 1 channel no fx no master volume amp cover more bases than a modern channel switcher with two channels, ability for clean channel to go from clean to more gain than the plexi, dirt channel can go from plexi to far beyond gainwise, has a footswitchable volume boost for leads, and has an effects loop?

Not saying that this amp would sound better than a plexi, but cover more bases?

:confused:

Pete
 
stratotone":31s4f1ia said:
Capulin Overdrive":31s4f1ia said:
Plexi will cover more bases.
Click to expand...

I'm kinda curious here... how can a 1 channel no fx no master volume amp cover more bases than a modern channel switcher with two channels, ability for clean channel to go from clean to more gain than the plexi, dirt channel can go from plexi to far beyond gainwise, has a footswitchable volume boost for leads, and has an effects loop?

Not saying that this amp would sound better than a plexi, but cover more bases?

:confused:

Pete
Click to expand...


you got me there. :lol: :LOL:


guess by more bases, i was just thinking of the Plexi being more of a full range amp. the Stiletto is pretty shy on low end for me.


i never thought i could get much low end out of it, but since you brought up all the features, you got me to wondering how much low end the Fat Clean could do? :confused:
 
I've never gotten to play one, but all the vids and clips seem like they're awfully bright. Are they as bright in person?

I'm NOT wanting to start a war or anything, but how do they sound, compared to a Quickrod, or even a TSL/DSL?
 
Hopefully I'm not coming off as thin-skinned on these amps - I mean hell, I own amps that I play and enjoy a lot more, it just seems weird when I have a 180 degree opinion on something like gain. Maybe Mine is a II without the silkscreen and it had the Hollywood Mod, I dunno, but it seems to have plenty of gain.

Reminds me of a JCM800 on steroids, personally... a 2203 or 2204. It is a bright amp, but it has some really cool tweaks, like the 50 or 100 watt setting for each channel... ditto with the rectification, that can be set differently for each channel too.

Not as much gain as a TSL, but a more vintage marshall and not so modern tone IMHO. I think it works well in a band context if you actually have a bass player you want to hear, but if you're cranking out detuned riffs by yourself and trying to make yourself shit from all the bass in your 4x12 cabs, it won't work for you. :)

I'm still not sure if I'm keeping mine - if I did, I'd probably put a depth control mod on it like I did my soldano HR 50+ and a lot of guys like to do to marshalls. That would add some of the low end punch these amps lack. If you listen to one of these back to back with a dual recto, they do seem a little deficient on the low end. Sure do blend in well in a mix though!

Pete
 
I own a stage I Trident - When stage two came out I tried it side by side with mine. The difference was not that big in my ears. I asked Randy about it and he said "apples and oranges". The mod for stage I is $100. This well not make it a stage II. Putting a tung Sol in V - I helps smooth out the head. Putting JJ - KT-77 in it gives it more lows. You need to turn up the master or it is very harsh. My Mark IV and Tremoverb get used a lot more, but I do like the head. And like the rest of the Mesa amps you need to screw with the knobs.
 
Digital Jams":3ieoe7kt said:
I think I have talked myself out of this, I already have two high gain heads and will stand fast for a Plexi type amp.

I know of a V-Plex going for a good price as well.
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Good choice, imo :thumbsup:
 
stratotone":7xf5i3fs said:
Hopefully I'm not coming off as thin-skinned on these amps - I mean hell, I own amps that I play and enjoy a lot more, it just seems weird when I have a 180 degree opinion on something like gain. Maybe Mine is a II without the silkscreen and it had the Hollywood Mod, I dunno, but it seems to have plenty of gain.

Reminds me of a JCM800 on steroids, personally... a 2203 or 2204. It is a bright amp, but it has some really cool tweaks, like the 50 or 100 watt setting for each channel... ditto with the rectification, that can be set differently for each channel too.

Not as much gain as a TSL, but a more vintage marshall and not so modern tone IMHO. I think it works well in a band context if you actually have a bass player you want to hear, but if you're cranking out detuned riffs by yourself and trying to make yourself shit from all the bass in your 4x12 cabs, it won't work for you. :)

I'm still not sure if I'm keeping mine - if I did, I'd probably put a depth control mod on it like I did my soldano HR 50+ and a lot of guys like to do to marshalls. That would add some of the low end punch these amps lack. If you listen to one of these back to back with a dual recto, they do seem a little deficient on the low end. Sure do blend in well in a mix though!

Pete
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no, not thin skinned at all.


they are pretty cool amps, and really me saying it lacks low end is talking from a bedroom wanker perspective. never played a Stage I, so i don't know on the gain, have heard the crunch is better on the Stage I?


if anything i'm probably coming off as justifying selling mine, as i have done some bragging on them in the past.
 
Marshall Freak":1e1nf23c said:
I've never gotten to play one, but all the vids and clips seem like they're awfully bright. Are they as bright in person?

I'm NOT wanting to start a war or anything, but how do they sound, compared to a Quickrod, or even a TSL/DSL?
Click to expand...



they are bright, but i like where the mids are focused more than on a Quickrod.


i had one for quite awhile and kept it over a Quickrod and a VHT CL.
 
I know I would dig the amp but I already have that high gain EL34 happening so the Stiletto would be a pure luxury and big cock photo op next to the others :lol: :LOL:

I lost track of the Plexi pursuit due to the possible killer deal.
 
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