School me on Mesas
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PFDarkside
of the Forum
Re: School me on Mesas
Ace, how did you end up with the Stiletto? (Instead of some other Marshall flavored amp)
Ace, how did you end up with the Stiletto? (Instead of some other Marshall flavored amp)
Aceman
I am your doctor of love!
Re: School me on Mesas
I was going to a shop to literally buy a 2555 head. I did not see the 2555, but I saw the Stiletto head. I had read about them quite a bit, but had never seen one to try. It was there, and the controls did not look intimidating (seriously...). So I plugged in and gave it a try. After about 45 minutes of not being able to make a bad sound (beside my chops), and a long time just grooving on the channel one crunch setting...
I basically said: 50/100 watts, three choices of tone on two channels, a solo boost, and sounds as Marshall as any Marshall I have played on a few of those settings. (Crunch on ch 1 & 2)
This was the perfect amp for me. I went in search of slightly better condition one and found it pretty quick, and for less than $1000.
I was going to a shop to literally buy a 2555 head. I did not see the 2555, but I saw the Stiletto head. I had read about them quite a bit, but had never seen one to try. It was there, and the controls did not look intimidating (seriously...). So I plugged in and gave it a try. After about 45 minutes of not being able to make a bad sound (beside my chops), and a long time just grooving on the channel one crunch setting...
I basically said: 50/100 watts, three choices of tone on two channels, a solo boost, and sounds as Marshall as any Marshall I have played on a few of those settings. (Crunch on ch 1 & 2)
This was the perfect amp for me. I went in search of slightly better condition one and found it pretty quick, and for less than $1000.
Lake Placid Blues
New member
PFDarkside
of the Forum
Re: School me on Mesas
If I end up getting one I’m still blaming you.
That’s a pretty cool story.
If I end up getting one I’m still blaming you.
Aceman
I am your doctor of love!
Re: School me on Mesas
I love this amp. I mostly play with the eq all around noon +/- a point or so. I use crunch on channel 1, gain dimed. Channel 2 I go tight gain, same general settings (a little backed off treble) and gain around 6/7. I use the silicon diode for the rectifier and keep the "bold" with on.
All the 80's metal I could ever need (and about any other sound too). The controls are pretty much laid out like a Marshall.
See here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRAzg2hS7bk
Skip to about 2:35
I love this amp. I mostly play with the eq all around noon +/- a point or so. I use crunch on channel 1, gain dimed. Channel 2 I go tight gain, same general settings (a little backed off treble) and gain around 6/7. I use the silicon diode for the rectifier and keep the "bold" with on.
All the 80's metal I could ever need (and about any other sound too). The controls are pretty much laid out like a Marshall.
See here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRAzg2hS7bk
Skip to about 2:35
Aceman
I am your doctor of love!
Re: School me on Mesas
I had actually played my Ace Frehley Les Paul through the 2555 I was going to get. I guess it was purchased or hidden or whatever. Doesn't matter - I won! No regrets.
Never saw myself as a Mesa guy. Then again, this is pretty bad@$$ for a Marshall.
I had actually played my Ace Frehley Les Paul through the 2555 I was going to get. I guess it was purchased or hidden or whatever. Doesn't matter - I won! No regrets.
Never saw myself as a Mesa guy. Then again, this is pretty bad@$$ for a Marshall.
PFDarkside
of the Forum
Re: School me on Mesas
It’s all about tone! Similar to how I ended up with my Mesa (Road King). I didn’t expect to end up with it but the price and tone was right.
It’s all about tone! Similar to how I ended up with my Mesa (Road King). I didn’t expect to end up with it but the price and tone was right.
allbutromeo
Well-known member
Re: School me on Mesas
Both James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett have used them In their live rigs, and IIRC Tom Delonge used one in the early 00s
Both James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett have used them In their live rigs, and IIRC Tom Delonge used one in the early 00s
stratguy23
New member
Re: School me on Mesas
My experience yesterday was eerily similar to Aceman's. I'm actually considering a Mini Jubilee at the moment. I stumbled across a used Stiletto Deuce at a GC, and Aceman's account was basically mine, word for word. It was weird to play a Mesa that I didn't have to fiddle with. The Triple Crown is the only other Mesa I've played that's similar that way.
The thing that impressed me most about the Stiletto was how it had the raw, spiky anger of a modern Marshall. There are many Marshall-flavored EL34 amps out there, and while some of them are great (esp. Friedman), I can tell there's some distance between them and the real thing. Which in some cases may be good - you might want the more "cultured" Marshall flavor that Friedman offers, or the more "sleek and streamlined" Marshall flavor that a Blackstar offers.
But the Stiletto was the first non-Marshall Marshall I've played that I could have considered a Marshall in a blindfold taste test. Its sonic space is maybe between a DSL and a JVM. The different modes were all useful, and like Aceman, I couldn't get it to sound bad.
I don't need a big, heavy 50/100 watt head right now, but that Stiletto was a ton of fun.
Responding to OP's original question, Mesas are all over the map in terms of sound. Generally they are complex, extremely well-engineered and well-built machines that reward users who take the time to learn them and dial them in. They generally don't offer plug-in-and-play instant gratification. It's too bad Mesas aren't easy to find in stores now. The Mesa store here in Hollywood is wonderful for trying out the current models.
My experience yesterday was eerily similar to Aceman's. I'm actually considering a Mini Jubilee at the moment. I stumbled across a used Stiletto Deuce at a GC, and Aceman's account was basically mine, word for word. It was weird to play a Mesa that I didn't have to fiddle with. The Triple Crown is the only other Mesa I've played that's similar that way.
The thing that impressed me most about the Stiletto was how it had the raw, spiky anger of a modern Marshall. There are many Marshall-flavored EL34 amps out there, and while some of them are great (esp. Friedman), I can tell there's some distance between them and the real thing. Which in some cases may be good - you might want the more "cultured" Marshall flavor that Friedman offers, or the more "sleek and streamlined" Marshall flavor that a Blackstar offers.
But the Stiletto was the first non-Marshall Marshall I've played that I could have considered a Marshall in a blindfold taste test. Its sonic space is maybe between a DSL and a JVM. The different modes were all useful, and like Aceman, I couldn't get it to sound bad.
I don't need a big, heavy 50/100 watt head right now, but that Stiletto was a ton of fun.
Responding to OP's original question, Mesas are all over the map in terms of sound. Generally they are complex, extremely well-engineered and well-built machines that reward users who take the time to learn them and dial them in. They generally don't offer plug-in-and-play instant gratification. It's too bad Mesas aren't easy to find in stores now. The Mesa store here in Hollywood is wonderful for trying out the current models.
chadd
Well-known member
Re: School me on Mesas
Awesome preamp, Andy Timmons showed me a few tricks with it and even shared some Petrucci settings that he had. I've seen that old scan of hand written settings posted on a ton of sites over the years.
Awesome preamp, Andy Timmons showed me a few tricks with it and even shared some Petrucci settings that he had. I've seen that old scan of hand written settings posted on a ton of sites over the years.
