Mesa Stilletto Deuce stage II

Joined: 23 Nov 2005 Posts: 8254 Location: Ontario, Canada

If you've used one would you say it's good for modern rock and metal? There's a used one in the city and thinking about striking a trade for my cab to get it. Currently my only amp is the Marshall JVM 410H. I made some mods to it and it slays now. I even have an AFD mode.

If you owned or actually played any of these amps please give me your opinion on tone, reliability and resale. Thanks!

Options are:

1. Wait until my cab naturally sells (maybe never)
2. Trade for vintage modern
3. Trade for DSL100H JCM2000 (new)
4. Attempt a trade for the amp in the thread title.

Joined: 29 Nov 2003 Posts: 12247 Location: PEORIA ILLINOIS

option 2

do you really want to "take a duece" to a show. hahahaha

Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2012 2:14 am

Man I played one of those Chinese DSLs, they suck.

Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 13396 Location: Earth

I had a Stiletto Trident MKII (Most current version). It blew up on me after a month of use. Took it on tour and it lasted through the first day. Not that they are all bad but you're asking about opinions from people that have owned them. The Trident is 150 watts and the Deuce is 100. That's the only difference.

As far as tone? It's a great sounding amp. I could play metal on it but it seems people complain that they can't play metal on things I like to play metal on so take what I said with a grain of salt. It has plenty of gain. It's more of a "British" flavoured amp though. You aren't going to get that cold modern tone with it. The best Mesa amp I have played for metal is the RA100. It destroys everything else they make. It's the only Mesa I would consider buying at this point.

Joined: 07 Aug 2007 Posts: 2740 Location: Southeast MI

I can vouch for the Vintage Modern! They rock!

Joined: 23 Nov 2005 Posts: 8254 Location: Ontario, Canada

Now that you mention it Lanning I remember you having troubles with that amp now. I should stay away from that one. I don't need anything unreliable.

So far it looks like the vintage modern is in the lead. The place is 3 hours away but I have 3 weeks vacation starting on Saturday. It might be worth going to check it out. This place with the DSL and VM have been the only ones to want my cab in a month. Shocked

Joined: 20 Mar 2007 Posts: 2471 Location: Ontario, Canada

ML Tib wrote:

Man I played one of those Chinese DSLs, they suck.

Are the new DSL series all Chinese made, really?

That sucks, I had high hopes for the new 100 watt head.

Joined: 23 Nov 2005 Posts: 8254 Location: Ontario, Canada

I just looked it up. Made in Vietnam.

Joined: 29 Nov 2003 Posts: 12247 Location: PEORIA ILLINOIS

'87 sherwood wrote:

I just looked it up. Made in Vietnam.

only cost you fife dowwa joe.

Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2012 4:40 am

BLOODROOT wrote:

'87 sherwood wrote:

I just looked it up. Made in Vietnam.

only cost you fife dowwa joe.

Onry*

Joined: 05 Mar 2008 Posts: 3463 Location: North Carolina

'87 sherwood wrote:

Now that you mention it Lanning I remember you having troubles with that amp now. I should stay away from that one. I don't need anything unreliable...

I've had a Boogie Stiletto Deuce stage II for four years or so, and I've never had one problem with it, other than getting it retubed a few times it has never been in the shop. I don't know what Lanning's deal is, but he seems to have awful luck with Boogies. I think he was cursed by some JUJU Witch doctor or something, but I've never seen anyone with as many problems with Mesa amps as Lanning.

I will be completely honest and say that I haven't been keeping up with any of the goings on in the manufactures world in the last year or two, but from what I see Boogie has quit making the Stiletto, and that freaked me out so bad, I went and bought a second Stiletto. So even though I would never even think of selling mine, when I was looking for my second one, I did see that resale prices were pretty high.

In my humble opinion, the Stiletto is the greatest amp I've ever played. The dirty channel has a great American metal sound to it, but with a good british flavor. I know the guys in Lamb of God, used it a lot in the studio when they were doing the Sacrament record. In recent years I've been running the clean channel most of the time, and if you set amp to "spongy", and the mini switch to "fat clean" you can get a great fender clean sound.

I truly love my Stiletto and I urge you to not count it out until you've tried it yourself.

Also if it matters my cab is a boogie oversized recto 4x12.

Joined: 13 Feb 2004 Posts: 5598 Location: phoenix az.

i dunno but ive beat the livin s#%t out of my dsl heads over the years and the only problem i ever had was a fuse blew one night cause of clubs crappy power.they are the toughest amps ive ever owned.

Joined: 20 Mar 2007 Posts: 2471 Location: Ontario, Canada

Were the old DSL heads made in the UK? Just curious since I was shocked to hear that the new ones are not.

Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2012 6:05 am

shread_bringer wrote:

I've had a Boogie Stiletto Deuce stage II for four years or so, and I've never had one problem with it, other than getting it retubed a few times it has never been in the shop. I don't know what Lanning's deal is, but he seems to have awful luck with Boogies. I think he was cursed by some JUJU Witch doctor or something, but I've never seen anyone with as many problems with Mesa amps as Lanning..

it's the electricity in Canada...they don't produce enough for the most metal amps Laughing

i've never had a problem with any of the mesa's i've onwed either

strategy 400
strategy 500 (2)
Triaxis (3)
Dual Recto (7)
Triple Recto (4)
Channel switcher (3)

Joined: 27 Feb 2006 Posts: 13396 Location: Earth

Our power only likes amps made under rule of the Queen of England. Seriously though, I don't know what the deal is with them or my experiences with them. I have never had more than a fuse blow or a tube go bad every now and then with any other amp. For the record though the Mini Rec 25 was great. I gigged it a lot and cranked it hard and it never gave me any issues. The 50 Rec was fine too. It's the Dual Recs that I had, the Stiletto Trident and the MKV that were all bogus. It's just bad luck, it's not like it's rocket science with these things. My JCM800 is great and hasn't given me any issues. My Hughes and Kettner is awesome. My old 5150s and 6505s were all great as was my old Krank Revolution 1. I guess I just bought a bunch of lemons. For the record though, I was told that new Mesas are not as good as the old ones. I know Randy has the older ones. I will own an RA100 however. That amp touches me in a funny place. It's one of the best metal amps I have ever played!

Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2012 8:18 am

shorty85 wrote:

Were the old DSL heads made in the UK? Just curious since I was shocked to hear that the new ones are not.

Yes Sir, they were made in the UK.

Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2012 8:20 am

RobBouchardDeanml wrote:

i dunno but ive beat the livin s#%t out of my dsl heads over the years and the only problem i ever had was a fuse blew one night cause of clubs crappy power.they are the toughest amps ive ever owned.

That's because yours were made in the UK. They are now being made in Asia, and I played through one at Sam Ash. Was disappointed at the sound and the price. It was a 40wt combo, and it was priced at $750.

Posted: Fri Dec 21, 2012 2:58 pm

I've owned one Mesa..., still have it, and I love it!!!

I heard great things about the Stilletto's, tasty amp right there!

I'd make the drive just to jam on it or try one locally first in a store!

Joined: 23 Nov 2005 Posts: 8254 Location: Ontario, Canada

I'll likely try both he vintage modern and the stilletto after seeing all the great comments about both here. I didn't know they stopped making the stilletto. That may improve resale down the road. Smile

Joined: 29 Nov 2003 Posts: 12247 Location: PEORIA ILLINOIS

my dual rec I had blew up a couple hours after owning it. Bought it after work, took it home, drove to a show, plugged it in sounded good until about midway into the first set and then nothing but mud, low volume, and the only nob that worked was the bass and presence.

Joined: 23 Nov 2005 Posts: 8254 Location: Ontario, Canada

Well against all predictions the cab actually sold. The kid that bought it had a PQ3 and a Razorback DB. Got $500 for the cab. Good thing a Dime fan recognized the Randall nameplate. Thought it would never sell.

Posted: Mon Dec 24, 2012 1:19 am

ML Tib wrote:

shorty85 wrote:

Were the old DSL heads made in the UK? Just curious since I was shocked to hear that the new ones are not.

Yes Sir, they were made in the UK.

Mine was UK made and it crushed all kinds of ass. If I could trade my 6505 for one, I would in a second. I miss that amp

Shorty, you already have a amp that pretty much covers what a Vintage Modern will and then some

Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 6:57 am

RobBouchardDeanml wrote:

i dunno but ive beat the livin s#%t out of my dsl heads over the years and the only problem i ever had was a fuse blew one night cause of clubs crappy power.they are the toughest amps ive ever owned.

Your DSLs were not made in Asia. They are the good ones. The new ones don't sound anything like the old ones. That's like comparing new MGs to old MGs.

Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 6:59 am

Northwinds wrote:

ML Tib wrote:

shorty85 wrote:

Were the old DSL heads made in the UK? Just curious since I was shocked to hear that the new ones are not.

Yes Sir, they were made in the UK.

Mine was UK made and it crushed all kinds of ass. If I could trade my 6505 for one, I would in a second. I miss that amp

Shorty, you already have a amp that pretty much covers what a Vintage Modern will and then some

Check GC online out to see how many they have in inventory. I'm always running across the old ones.

Joined: 21 Sep 2010 Posts: 436

^^^My buddy is looking to trade an old DSL for a 6505+. If your interested, pm me and I'll get you guys hooked up and maybe you can work something out.

Posted: Thu Dec 27, 2012 7:47 pm

koury73 wrote:

^^^My buddy is looking to trade an old DSL for a 6505+. If your interested, pm me and I'll get you guys hooked up and maybe you can work something out.

If he is in New England, that would be cool. The combo weighs like 100lbs. Is he looking for a combo or head? My 6505 combo is the USA made one BTW. I suppose it would be nothing to put the combo amp section and reverb tank into into a toploader headshell. I have the footswitch also