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drkorey « A bright classic sounding amplifier »
Published on 07/27/11 at 06:13The Mesa Boogie Stiletto Trident is a 150 watt tube amp handbuilt in Petaluma, California USA.
Multi-Watt, Channel-assignable power amp allows you to assign either two or all six EL-34 power tubes to each channel for power ratings of 50 or 150 watts of Class A/B power via independent 50/150-watt power switches
Tube complement: 6xEL-34, 5x12AX7, 2x5U4
Fixed Bias for consistent, maintenance free performance
Two fully independent channels with six modes: Channel 1 = Fat Clean, Tite Clean or Crunch (Cloning Channel 2); Channel 2 = Crunch, Tite Gain or Fluid Drive
Channel-assignable dual rectification with Recto Tracking (Diode or Tube Tracking)
Independent gain, treble, mid, bass, presence, and master controls per channel
Bold/spongy "Variac" switch
Output Level Control (over all channels when activated)
Footswitchable Solo Level Control (over all channels when activated)
All-tube effects loop with Send Level Control (over all channels when activated)
"Hard" bypass switch that removes effects loop, Output Level and Solo Level Controls from signal path
Slave out with level control
External switching jacks for channels 1, 2, and Solo
Chrome chassis
2-button footswitch (Channel 1/2 and Solo)
Slip cover included
UTILIZATION
It is fairly easy to get a good rock and clean sound out of this amp with minimal tweaking. The manual is clear and gives you good sample control setting starting points. Although it is easy to get very usable sounds right from the start, there are a vast array of tone shaping options on each channel so you can fine tune your sound, which might take awhile to dial in.
SOUNDS
I have used Gibson V's, Les Pauls and ESP KH-2 guitars with this amp and it lets the characteristic of each guitar through. I primarily used a Mojotone 3x12 cabinet with Celestion CL-80's.
My favorite sounds are the rock and 80’s rock sounds, which I think this amp excels at.It is possible to get a nice Plexi lower gain sound on the clean and/or crunch and then adjust the controls for a JCM 800 tone on the crunch channel.
The clean tones are really nice, as well. I have been through a lot of amps and this is one of the better clean channels I have used. It really shines in a loud, live setting. In the past, I have had trouble with my clean channel being able to be heard through the band mix and this one has been great for that, due to the fact that there are very useful tone shaping options to choose from on this channel.
I usually go for a nice thick Jerry Cantrell AIC tone, to use with my modern rock/metal band. This amp fell short for me in getting this tone. It could get close but just didn't have "it". It is a very bright amp and didn't have quite enough saturation to get the heavy tone I needed. It took a Boss SD-1 nicely but in the end still didn't do it for me.
It would work best in a classic rock type of band.
OVERALL OPINION
My favorite thing about the amp was the buildt in solo boost feature on the foot pedal. This was the first amp I bought that had this - great feature! I also liked the clean channel, but since I rarely use cleans in my music, it is a wasted feature for me.
I bought this on closeout and for the price it was a good deal, even though it fell short for me. Boogies are buildt like tanks!
Overall, this is a fantastic amp for bright classic rock and rock tones but does not do well for heavy rock or metal.
This amp is a well built tone generator that can give you many classic tones, but for what I needed it to do it was just ok.
Knowing what I know now I would not have bought this when I did.
Multi-Watt, Channel-assignable power amp allows you to assign either two or all six EL-34 power tubes to each channel for power ratings of 50 or 150 watts of Class A/B power via independent 50/150-watt power switches
Tube complement: 6xEL-34, 5x12AX7, 2x5U4
Fixed Bias for consistent, maintenance free performance
Two fully independent channels with six modes: Channel 1 = Fat Clean, Tite Clean or Crunch (Cloning Channel 2); Channel 2 = Crunch, Tite Gain or Fluid Drive
Channel-assignable dual rectification with Recto Tracking (Diode or Tube Tracking)
Independent gain, treble, mid, bass, presence, and master controls per channel
Bold/spongy "Variac" switch
Output Level Control (over all channels when activated)
Footswitchable Solo Level Control (over all channels when activated)
All-tube effects loop with Send Level Control (over all channels when activated)
"Hard" bypass switch that removes effects loop, Output Level and Solo Level Controls from signal path
Slave out with level control
External switching jacks for channels 1, 2, and Solo
Chrome chassis
2-button footswitch (Channel 1/2 and Solo)
Slip cover included
UTILIZATION
It is fairly easy to get a good rock and clean sound out of this amp with minimal tweaking. The manual is clear and gives you good sample control setting starting points. Although it is easy to get very usable sounds right from the start, there are a vast array of tone shaping options on each channel so you can fine tune your sound, which might take awhile to dial in.
SOUNDS
I have used Gibson V's, Les Pauls and ESP KH-2 guitars with this amp and it lets the characteristic of each guitar through. I primarily used a Mojotone 3x12 cabinet with Celestion CL-80's.
My favorite sounds are the rock and 80’s rock sounds, which I think this amp excels at.It is possible to get a nice Plexi lower gain sound on the clean and/or crunch and then adjust the controls for a JCM 800 tone on the crunch channel.
The clean tones are really nice, as well. I have been through a lot of amps and this is one of the better clean channels I have used. It really shines in a loud, live setting. In the past, I have had trouble with my clean channel being able to be heard through the band mix and this one has been great for that, due to the fact that there are very useful tone shaping options to choose from on this channel.
I usually go for a nice thick Jerry Cantrell AIC tone, to use with my modern rock/metal band. This amp fell short for me in getting this tone. It could get close but just didn't have "it". It is a very bright amp and didn't have quite enough saturation to get the heavy tone I needed. It took a Boss SD-1 nicely but in the end still didn't do it for me.
It would work best in a classic rock type of band.
OVERALL OPINION
My favorite thing about the amp was the buildt in solo boost feature on the foot pedal. This was the first amp I bought that had this - great feature! I also liked the clean channel, but since I rarely use cleans in my music, it is a wasted feature for me.
I bought this on closeout and for the price it was a good deal, even though it fell short for me. Boogies are buildt like tanks!
Overall, this is a fantastic amp for bright classic rock and rock tones but does not do well for heavy rock or metal.
This amp is a well built tone generator that can give you many classic tones, but for what I needed it to do it was just ok.
Knowing what I know now I would not have bought this when I did.
