Amp comparisons, mesa stilleto vs...

[7 Dying Trees]

Well, this week I finally (after about 4 months of waiting for it to get organised) got to go on my amp playing rampage as in properly trying them out in the rehearsal room. I've got one amp left to have a crack at and then go off and make a choice.

So far I've messed around with the Dual Rec which I am bored with, a Marshall JCM2000 which sounded awesomely raw and snarly (I did really like that one) and the Peavey JSX. So far I am very partial to the JSX as I've managed to get very very very excellently usable sounds out of all the channels. It doesnt snarl like a marshall, but it's a killer amp, really is awesome. Apart from that there'll be a mesa stilletto to have a go through soon so basically...

Anyone played one and can give me an idea what it'll be like in comparison to the JSX?

[fishhead785]

I have played through a stilleto on 2 occasions and the only thing I could say to describe it is that it sounds like what a JCM800 wishes it could sound like. I personally have a Tri-Axis/2:90 rig that sounds really good and a Road King as well. The JSX head sounded kinda processed to me when I played it. But........I just had the pleasure of playing through a Cornford and also a Diezel Herbert and I am thinking about offing my Road King for one of them. But anyway.......kinda got off track......the stilletto is more like a clssic rock kinda tone with not as much gain as the rectifier

[7 Dying Trees]

Yep, got to run through the stilletto yesterday, and well, after all it was hyped up to be I was kind of dissapointed, sure, i can see it being a good rock amp, but for me it just doesnt have what I wanted out of it, it just sounded weirdly weak for a mesa, so it got boxed up and sent back.

Still like the JSX quite a lot though But putting that up against a Marshall DSL next.

I am also starting to wonder wether I'd have been better off just getting a dual rec with EL34's...

[Dylan7620]

i was waiting to try that stilletto and when i finally got the chance i was really dissapointed. if you can get your hands on a dc-10 try it out. it can get just as heavy as the dual recs but with more of a refined tone. and a lead tone to die for.

[Paul Secondino]

The stiletto was never meant to compete with the Recto or any other high gain amp really. Mesa made it for clean to mid gain useres and also to comptete with amps using the typical Marshall plexi voicing (sort of)

If you want mega gain and it sounds like you do, then stick with the Peavey. But since you mentioned the Recto, I would also recommend going for a Dual Recto loaded with an integrated quad of 6l6 and EL34 or all EL34 tubes. It's true that EL34's will have less headroom and les low end, but the Mesa has rediculous amounts of low end already.

The best rectos I have heard were always 2 channels and the one my friend has (Rackmount 1st year) has all EL34's and sounds infinitely better than the current production. it does however lack clean headroom on the green channel. His particular recto was biased by John Nau in New York (upstate) and is running right on the edge of being too hot without going past the industry recommendation for EL34 tubes.

The key to a good sounding recto is getting some EL34's in there and properly biasing it.Stock biasing is way too cold on these amps, even in the Bold setting/silicon diodes

[Algiman]

They are out of production now but have you considered Marshall 6100 LMs? I've waffled on about them on this forum before, but I honestly believe them to be the best Marshall out there. Less clinical sounding than the TSL, and without the anoying drop out when you change between channels.

[Dylan7620]

I read that the stillettos would compliment the rectos nicely. Before trying it out i basicly thought it was just gonna be a recto with el34s. i'd really like to try that out, probably a lot more cut and midrange. sounds delicious

[7 Dying Trees]

I dunno about the stilletto complementing, more like drowned out and overpowered by the recto, it just dissapeared at band rehearsal, got drowned out by the recto, so i cant really see how they'd complement really. Also seemed really quiet??? Still, I am of the opinion that if it doesnt sound cool after 5 minutes of tweaking then its going to be a waste of time trying to bleed a good sound out of it.

Still thinking of a recto with EL34's, but there's something about my playing and marshalls, dirt galore

Nothing really beats the sweetnes of when i had a triaxis running through the rivera, but for some reason that's gone a bit weird lately, even though that was an awesome combination. I may try to rig that up again and see what I can bleed out of it, as it was very cool

James

[Dylan7620]

This sonic assault fits tightly with a Recto in an aggressive two-guitar band, allowing each player to carve out a distinctive region…and own it.

Only our own Rectos could dare share a stage next to the sinister fury of the Stiletto’s high gain thrust.

In the Clash of the Titans, Stiletto cuts quick and deep. So arm yourself with the signature sound that rivals the Recto and sets a vicious new standard for heavy guitar.

from mesa's site where could i have ever gotten the idea? lol when i tried the stilletto it didn't sound like any of those things... anyone else able to find those yet?

[7 Dying Trees]

there was one thing i forgot to mention:

The minute our drummer saw the head he wemnt "it's not black, it cant be good"

[toshiro]

Dude, check out some Laney's, Specifically the GH50/100L and VH100R amps. Like a Marshall/British type tone with more edge and agressivness, IMO.

[7 Dying Trees]

Unfortunately there isnt enough time to really check out Laneys anymore as I need to get it all sorted by next thursday and get it all delivered for tour! But Today I think is decision day

James

[toshiro]

Bummer, well had to try. I think I blurted Laney in the post you made right before the forum got hacked.

Well good luck, I would stick to the JSX though, not a big Mesa fan here. Maybe a Mark IV over the Recto?

[7 Dying Trees]

As an update, I just went and got marshalls, and well, they kicked the living crap out of both the JSX and the Mesas, really good full sound. Surprising really, noone else in the band was expecting them to sound that way either, but I am well happy with the huge sound, really full, especially with the new axe

DSL's, awesome amps

[strat110]

Indeed they are, although I went from a DSL100 to a Boogie Rectoverb and initially was very pleased with the switch....now though I have amp GAS again.....