HANGAR18 Posted July 9, 2015 Author Share Posted July 9, 2015 I give up. The clean channel is as clean and musical as you could ever want. There are a lot of really cool tones in the gain channel too. But... you knew a but was coming, right? But right now I traded away my number one amp and I am trying to find a replacement for it. This amp is not going to be able to fill those shoes. I still want a Mesa Boogie brand amp and maybe I'll get a different one in the future but this particular amp isn't doing what I personally need an amp to do. That doesn't mean that it's a bad amp, it just means that I'm looking for something different. To the amp's credit, the Mesa Stiletto Ace is guaranteed to cut through any mix while performing live on stage. That is what is does. You don't need p90's to cut through the mix, all you need it this amp and it will get the job done. From everything I have now read about it, I believe that was the Mesa's thinking when they made this amp. Something British flavored which would cut through ANY mix so that YOU are guaranteed to be heard over all the other guitar players. I do have a brand new Archon that I haven't really gotten to know completely yet but the trouble with that one is that I tried to move the 6L6 tubes over to the now gone V3 and vise versa (put the EL34's into the Archon) to see if the tone I liked followed the tubes. But in moving the tubes, one of plastic tips at the base of the brand new RUBY 6L6 tubes cracked and fell off, exposing the pinched off end of the glass tube. That tube therefore became unusable and I no longer had a factory matched set of 6L6 tubes to try out in the V3. So I aborted the swap-a-roo mission and went ahead with trade deal... the V3 half stack for the Stiletto Ace. I have since bought a set of Mullard EL34's to go in the Archon but after a few days of trying to get the bias specs for the Archon, I finally received them from PRS directly via email. Now I can do the bias on the Archon and see if THAT one will be my new number one amp. I'm not holding my breath. It's a great amp but I want a much smaller #1 amp. So my mission now is to buy a Carvin V3m (micro 50 watt with a 2x12 cabinet) and then see if I can do some sort of deal where I can unload the Stiletto Ace for a different Mesa amp. Either that or trade the Stiletto Ace for a Carvin V3m quarter stack. I need about $850.00 to buy a brand new V3m quarter stack brand new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbonesullivan Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 Yeah, I should mention that Mesa Boogie amps are for people who LOVE to tweak things. Even a relatively "simple" amp like the DC-5 has a bunch of push/pull knobs, and a mid control on one channel that once you go above 6 on the dial becomes more like a BOOST control. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffB Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 I was sitting with the Stiletto ace and deuce the other day and I couldnt help but think how much you might be disliking it. They called it a Stiletto for a reason. I preferred the Deuce in every way but even in it all I could think was man this thing hurts. Sorry it didnt work out for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuz Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 I was purposely not posting anything in hopes you might make the Stiletto work, but all I can say is I played through one once and it was the most shrill & fizzy amp I ever played. I have heard it referred to before as sounding like "broiled ass". I am an admidited "tweaked" but I could not get anything resembling a decent OD/distorted tone out of that amp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gpuma Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 get a Mark V and be done with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
212Mavguy Posted July 11, 2015 Share Posted July 11, 2015 I have a close friend with a Mark V. He likes the features but isn't totally joyful about the tones. The size if the cab is a bit small for the Celestion speaker that normally comes with it. So with the stock tubes and speaker, bottom and lower mid is a bit lacking in that amp, he asked me what to put in place of the Celestion, I told him to find a JBL G125-8, which at louder volumes can squash the celestion like a bug under my boot heel. And I'd stick some old stock tubes in the preamp for sure to beef out and smooth up the tone set. For the kind of money a new or used Mesa commands, IMHO the OP's resources might be better served by getting an amp from a maker that has a tone set more pleasing more of the time without having to work too terribly hard to achieve. One thing Ceriatone does better than Mesa, well, a couple of technogeek things: One, The layout of the C-tone amps is far easier to work on as a rule, Two, Ceriatone makes judicious use of shielded wire in the preamp where helpful to reduce the chance of excess noise and uncontrolled squealing at high gain settings, Mesa over the years...not so much. Finally, there is far more variety in amp types with great build layouts available from C-tone. If you have some skills and the willingness to study and continue learning, you can build a C-tone kit and end up with a better sounding and more durable amp than the vast majority of your peers with their best store bought tone they can get with flopping their plastic. Plus, the builder of that kit is far more likely to spend less money at a shop for repairs. I have the experience of owning four C-tones, one made in the US, they are all monsters that can do their thing through 2/12's at living room volumes or outdoor stages. Their tone palettes are jaw dropping in both variety, steerability, and execution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HANGAR18 Posted July 11, 2015 Author Share Posted July 11, 2015 Well, I unloaded the Stiletto Ace like I was holding on to a hot potato (at guitar center) and then used the money to order a brand new Carvin V3m (the micro 50w version of the full size V3 that I had). Just the head only. Actually my wife ordered it from Amazon using her blackberry while we were in the truck on the way to guitar center. I had already called Carvin to ask them if I could get the same tones from the micro as I could from the full size head, so basically I retreated to a place of safety. I'm very happy with the Carvin V3's and I know how to operate them. One of the things that I like about them is that the amp is not pre-engineered with a certain flavor of tone and I can just dial in whatever tone I have in mind. It's very generic in that sense. It's not trying to be anything other than a blank canvas and I dial in my own favorite tone. The new Carvin V3m will be my replacement #1 amp, in the much smaller size that I wanted and that will afford me the opportunity to take all the time in the world that I want to evaluate all the different Mesa amp varieties and make a much better, non-rushed decision in the future. I did loose a 4x12 cabinet in the all the back & forth but now I'm thinking that might be a good excuse to build my own 2x12 cabinet. Now that my immediate problem is fixed, the Mesa Boogie Mark 5 series and the Express models, each with the sliders are looking pretty good to me. The Mesa dealer is right down the street and I'll look forward to looking at each in greater detail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millennium Maestro Posted July 11, 2015 Share Posted July 11, 2015 I love my V3micro, Your post has got me looking for a basic closed 1x12 cab with a Vintage 30 or green back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HANGAR18 Posted July 12, 2015 Author Share Posted July 12, 2015 I love my V3micro, Your post has got me looking for a basic closed 1x12 cab with a Vintage 30 or green back. I did not know this until today but Marshall makes one. It is a model 1912 and it is a single twelve inch speaker and the cabinet is rated for 150 watts that is built like a tank. That means you can basically plug any amp into it, even a 100w monster head. Brand new about $600.00 (because there are the same number of joints to make when they build the box and that is the main cost associated with a speaker cabinet). I seriously thought about trying to find one but for now I'm just going to have my new 2x12 model 1936V pull double duty between two 50w heads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gitfiddler Posted July 12, 2015 Share Posted July 12, 2015 I love my V3micro, Your post has got me looking for a basic closed 1x12 cab with a Vintage 30 or green back. Carvin makes a nice one that will match your V3. I think a Vintage 30 is an inexpensive upgrade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HANGAR18 Posted August 29, 2015 Author Share Posted August 29, 2015 New Amp Day. I bought a brand new Mesa Mark Five: 25 head. The deciding factor was the versatility of having every incarnation of the Mark series amplifier's history in one amp, plus the low wattage ability, and built in cab clone with a direct output for recording or house of worship scenarios as well as the very small head size. The Express Plus 25 head size was considerable larger in size and didn't seem to offer as much Mesa tone versatility. No photos yet because the amp is still in the box and the box is on a shelf in the garage and buried under a bunch of crap. Some of you may understand what I'm getting at. Right now I'm looking for a good deal on a Mesa 2x12 cabinet from Craigslist or I might buy a brand new Carvin vertical 2x12 cabinet. I didn't get a Rectifier because my Carvin V3m (or my former V3) amp gets that job done. I'm beginning to think of the Carvin V3 amps as Rectifier clones in a way but the Carvin may actually bring a little more to the proverbial table. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffB Posted August 29, 2015 Share Posted August 29, 2015 Man.....I hope you like this one. Congrats and have fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HANGAR18 Posted August 30, 2015 Author Share Posted August 30, 2015 Bought a MESA Engineering 2x12 cabinet, no wheels, with two Vintage 30's in it from a guy on Craigslist. I hope I got a good deal on it. I think I did but I'm not sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gpuma Posted August 31, 2015 Share Posted August 31, 2015 Have fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gitfiddler Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 Bought a MESA Engineering 2x12 cabinet, no wheels, with two Vintage 30's in it from a guy on Craigslist. I hope I got a good deal on it. I think I did but I'm not sure. Great cab loaded with two great speakers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffB Posted September 1, 2015 Share Posted September 1, 2015 So? hows it going? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HANGAR18 Posted September 2, 2015 Author Share Posted September 2, 2015 So? hows it going? Well, it's bad form to buy a new amp when you don't have a job so that's why I've been hiding it until a better moment presents itself to bring it out. But since I started a new job today, that day is probably a lot closer. I figure that I ought to wait until a few paychecks start coming in and THEN bring it out from hiding. hahaha That's how you play the GAS addiction game, right? Hide the addiction rather than go to rehab? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yooper Posted September 2, 2015 Share Posted September 2, 2015 Wasn't it "technically" a trade? I thought so. Crank it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HANGAR18 Posted September 5, 2015 Author Share Posted September 5, 2015 Alright, now this is just getting silly. You remember the guy who traded me a Mesa Stiletto Ace for my 100w Carvin V3 & Belladonna Marshall 1960a 4x12 cabinet? Well, within hours of the deal, he listed both on CL trying to flip them and turn a profit. I don't know what happened to the cabinet but the amp has been on CL all this time. The longer that amp stayed on CL, the lower the price got. Well, that amp did sound incredibly good, and the price got ridiculously low so I bought my old amp back from this guy. What's even funnier, the guy didn't recognize me as the guy he got it from in the first place. (No, I didn't tell him who I was either.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HANGAR18 Posted September 6, 2015 Author Share Posted September 6, 2015 Bought a new Mesa VERTICAL 2x12 slant cabinet with a silver vinyl covering (because they didn't have black in stock). Having bought my HUGE old amp head back, I didn't have enough cabinets to go around. I bought both the Mesa Mark V:25 head and this vertical 2x12 cab from a local small business music store rather than Sweetwater (which would have been cheaper) because I'm just trying to do my part to help out small businesses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
212Mavguy Posted September 6, 2015 Share Posted September 6, 2015 HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHAAAAAAAAAAAA! That is effin' great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElNumero Posted September 14, 2015 Share Posted September 14, 2015 This should help http://www.premierguitar.com/articles/a-mesa-boogie-history-1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HANGAR18 Posted September 14, 2015 Author Share Posted September 14, 2015 This should help http://www.premierguitar.com/articles/a-mesa-boogie-history-1 Neat! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidsmoke Posted October 19, 2015 Share Posted October 19, 2015 I bought both the Mesa Mark V:25 head and this vertical 2x12 cab from a local small business music storewoah...WHAT??? I'm just catching up on this. You bought a Mark V???? Ok....So??? Are you a convert now? Is this a similar experience to the Stiletto, or are you finding tones you love? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HANGAR18 Posted October 20, 2015 Author Share Posted October 20, 2015 woah...WHAT??? I'm just catching up on this. You bought a Mark V???? Ok....So??? Are you a convert now? Is this a similar experience to the Stiletto, or are you finding tones you love? The Stiletto's only redeeming quality was the clean tones. The gain channels are crap. A genuine Mesa Boogie factory dud which would be better suited to serving as a boat anchor. The Mark 5:25 has a wonderful pallet of tones available, my favorite of course being the extreme gain while the EQ is on and the sliders arranged in the famous V shape. I wouldn't say that it is one amp to rule them all but it is really nice. Right now I have more amps than guitars and every one of them (the amps) is really great in its own right. I like the variety; lots and lots of options. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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