Spearheaded by Randall Smith, the company's roots can be traced back to Randall's eager modification and repair of various Fender amplifiers starting in the late 60s. In particular, Smith’s modification of the Fender Princeton gave the stock amp much more input gain.
An American icon for over 50 years, Mesa Boogie has come to define an era of contemporary guitar tones whilst representing the utmost pedigree in craftsmanship and circuit designs.
This not only made the amplifier much louder but also contributed to providing a saturated high-gain guitar sound that quickly caught the ears of players like Keith Richards and Carlos Santana.
Read up on all the latest features and columns here.
From these early developments, Mesa Boogie has continued to innovate and leave its mark on subsequent eras of popular guitar music.
With Randall Smith laying the blueprint for the boutique amplifier manufacturer as we know it let’s take a closer look at some of the milestones in the Mesa Boogie legacy.
Mark II
The Mark II came onto the scene in 1978 with each of its iterations sending some form of innovation cascading through the industry.
For example, the original Mark II was the first amplifier in history to incorporate channel switching, whereas the Mark IIB was the first to implement a buffered effects loop.
Perhaps most notable of all the Mark II amps is the Mark IIC+. Popularised by the likes of Metallica’s James Hetfield and Kirk Hammet as well as Dio’s own Vivian Campbell.
The Mark IIC+’s impact on 80s pop and rock music was only challenged by the widely distinguished Marshall JCM 800. A massive impact considering this version amp was only available for a little over a year.
With period correct examples of Mark IIC+ amplifiers fetching as high as USD 15,000 on the used market, it is also worth noting that this model is Mesa’s most collectable and valuable amplifier.
Dual Rectifier
As the decadence of the 80s shifted into the grungy 90s players were opting for simple designs such as the Marshall JCM 800 or Soldano SLO 100 over boutique offerings such as the Mark.
This was due to a large demographic of players wishing to forgo the complexity of most Mark circuits. With options such as FX loops, multiple channels, and additional graphic EQs simply proving to be overkill for some players.
This led Mesa to take the initiative to design their own take on a simpler, no-frills metal/hard rock monster.
Drawing heavy inspiration from the Soldano SLO 100, Mesa Boogie introduced the Dual Rectifier in 1991.
With its characteristic metal tread faceplate, the Dual Rec was designed to look much more aggressive than the Mark series amplifiers. Providing a raw and bass-heavy sound that would go on to shape the sonic landscape of rock and metal well into the 2000s.
Randall has since commented on the fact that the success of the Dual Rectifier led many to forget about Mesa’s roots as a small builder marketed towards the heavy blues players of the 1960s and 70s jam band scenes.
Tri-Axis Programmable Preamp
Introduced in October of 1991 the Tri-Axis pre-amp set out to provide a solution for players that needed a plethora of tones at their fingertips.
Following its predecessor the Studio Preamp, a classic in itself, the Tri-Axis features an analogue signal path for authentic mesa tone and feel.
However, the key way it differs is in the way that it incorporates digital control, a means of providing superior flexibility onstage and in the studio.
Packing five 12AX7 tubes the Tri-Axis is able to provide players with creamy tone of the original Mark Series, the crunch of the acclaimed Mark IIC+, and the modern scoop of the Mark IV series amplifiers.
If all of this wasn’t enough, the Tri-Axis also includes a modified british lead mode amongst a multiutude of other tones.
This all stacks up to make the Tri-Axis Programmable Preamp incredible value for money for any player looking for a one stop shop for authentic Mesa Boogie sounds.
Badlander 100
The latest in the Rectifier family the Badlander strives to serve up a Dual Rec for more modern voicings and playing styles.
Tighter, meaner and more aggressive the Badlander is a two-channel amp that is well aware of the pedigree related to its lineage.
Switchable between 100, 50, and 20 Watts, the Badlander features all the DNA of its older brethren packed into two identical channels.
Clean, Crunch and Crush modes supply all the tone shaping you need, ensuring that the Badlander is up to the task of shaping yet another generation of contemporary rock and metal music.
Despite owning a lot to its heritage, its EL34 flavoured power section gives the Badlander its own unique voice amongst it siblings. Definitely a future classic in the making!
JP-2C
Long time Dream Theatre axeman John Petrucci has used Mesa amps exclusively for over 30 years, so its only natural that eventually things would come full circle and Randall would grant John with his own signature model.
The JP-2C is essentially a faithful reproduction of the cassic MKIIC+ enhanced with a plethora of features to bring it into the modern era.
Channel 1 on the JP-2C is a dedicated clean channel designed to utilize the highest amount of headroom possible. Channel 2 is essentially a faithful reproduction of the MKIIC+ circuit while channel 3 has been voiced to provide it own dedicated high gain lead sound.
The JP-2C also boasts dual parametric EQs and a control layout that has been streamlined from the original MKIIC+ design.
There has been a few tweaks to the original MKIIC+ circuit as per Johns own specification. Most notable is probably the switch from the PULL SHIFT control on the faceplate of the original MKIIC+ in favour of a PULL GAIN and PULL PRESCENCE.
However, it is worth mentioning that Mesa haven’t opted to leave out the PULL SHIFT circuit, instead including it preset to its optimal settings internally for the relevant channels.
The JP-2C is indeed a fine example of a vintage classic coming into its own yet again in the new millennium.
For local Mesa Boogie enquiries, visit Australis Music.
