Gibson has confirmed its new Garage in Miami will open on September 10. It will become the firm’s third brick-and-mortar location and second in the US, after stores in Nashville and London.

Located in the heart of Miami’s Wynwood Art District, Gibson Garage Miami – which was first announced late last year – will bring “the full Gibson family of brands to one of the world’s most musically diverse, culturally rich, and creatively vibrant cities.”

That amounts to a whopping 8,000 square feet of showcase space. More than 500 electric and acoustic guitars and basses are set to be housed there, from Gibsons to Epiphones, Kramers, MESA/Boogie amps, Maestro, KRK, and Gibson Amplifiers.

The Garage also features a stage, which will become a major part of the store’s activities. Artist performances, intimate showcases, album release events, and community programming have all been mooted.

The store will also tap into the city’s Latin culture, with exclusive apparel collaborations with local designers, lifestyle gifts, celebrity and film memorabilia, and rare instruments.

Notably, it will feature Gibson's first stateside Gibson Gallery art installation, which will be “spotlighting photography, street art, and iconic moments in music history”.

“Retail is no longer just about what people buy – it’s about what they feel, discover, and become part of,” says Gibson’s Interim CEO, Anne Rohosy, who has temporarily replaced the outgoing Cesar Gueikian.

“Gibson Garage Miami represents the next evolution of that idea,” she continues. “It’s an immersive music destination that invites people in to play, explore, create, connect, and experience Gibson heritage in the real world.

Given that Jimmy Page and Tony Iommi were in attendance at the London Garage’s grand opening, and Brian May was unveiled as a surprise new artist, who knows what will be in store when the Miami branch opens its doors in September. The public will get their first chance to visit on the 10th.

Gibson says its Nashville location has become “a Mecca for guitar players,” since opening in 2021.

Meanwhile, Fender has expanded in a wholly different way, opening a guitar-themed coffee shop in downtown Tokyo, building on the success of its flagship Tokoyo store.

Mesa/Boogie has just expanded the Subway line with an all-singing, all-dancing sequel to its super high-end DI and bass preamp pedal.

There are many reasons to get excited about the launch of the Subway+ Bass DI‑Preamp II. For a start, this thing is compact. The picture up top gives you an idea of the scale – this comes in at some 40 per cent smaller than its predecessors.

Also, it’s stacked with features.

And we mean stacked. Fully kitted out for life on the road, everything you need to dial in a bass guitar sound in the studio. You know the drill; it is fundamentally the front end of a Mesa/Boogie Subway bass amp in a pedal format, complete with studio-quality DI and more EQ controls than the desk at Abbey Road.

Well, not really, of course, but you’ve got ample tone-sculpting capabilities with its 4‐band Baxandall EQ offering you plus or minus dB of Bass, Low‐mid, High‐mid, and Treble.

This being a Boogie design, you’ve got control over those battleground frequencies, with the low-mids adjustable between 150Hz and 1.8kHz, and the high-mids sweepable between 300Hz and 5kHz. You can really get forensic detail on this thing.

There’s also a Deep switch, so you can, y’know, get a deeper sound (but seriously, that ramps up the chonk considerably), and a Bright switch to tease out those high frequencies. A variable Hi-Pass filter (30Hz to 150Hz) can tighten up the low-end. There’s a footswitchable boost with level control, too, while the all-important mute switch allows you to tune your instrument silently – your audience, and bandmates, will thank you.

And it is designed to play equally well with active and passive bass guitar pickups. Under the hood, you’ve got an “extended-range” JFET preamp doing the heavy lifting.

Around the back you’ve got a cornucopia of connections, including the XLR with ground lift, power input (it runs on 9V to 18V from a pedalboard power supply drawing a minimum of 40mA), headphones output for silent practice and monitoring, preamp output, auxiliary input, and your 1/4” in for your bass guitar cable.

And last but not least, there’s a pre/post EQ switch that allows you to send either a wholly unprocessed signal straight to the desk – allowing you to easily reamp it later when recording, or to give the sound engineer full control over it – or to give you your settings through the PA. It’s a useful option to have.

And this is one useful bass pedal to have. The Subway+ Bass DI‑Preamp II is available now, it’s priced $199, and you can find out more over at Mesa/Boogie.

Following the record-breaking sale of Jerry Garcia's “Tiger” at the Jim Irsay auction earlier this month, Julien’s Auctions has just announced Treasures From The Golden Road Featuring The Property From “Big Steve,” “Ram Rod” & Trixie Garcia, an “extraordinary offering” of more than 300 pieces from the inner circle of the Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia.

Sourced from the personal archives of Grateful Dead crew chief and Jerry Garcia Band manager “Big” Steve Parish, longtime family associate “Ram Rod,” and Garcia’s daughter Trixie Garcia, the auction includes its own fair share of guitars and gear.

These include Garcia’s studio- and video-played pre-war Gibson Super 400N, used on non-Dead projects including Not for Kids Only and Been All Around This World, and estimated to sell for between $80,000 and $120,000, as well as his custom Alvarez-Yairi acoustic, labeled “Custom Made for J. Garcia,” which is predicted to fetch between $70,000 and $100,000.

His stage-used 1975 Mesa Boogie Mark I, part of his 1975–76 live rig and later kept in his living room, is also up for grabs – with an estimated value of $30,000 to $50,000 – alongside a 1988 Dobro Model 64 square neck resonator guitar in a walnut finish with a “Tree of Life” fretboard inlay that reportedly never made it to the stage, estimated at $25,000–$30,000.

“These items represent fifty years of memories and experiences with the Grateful Dead – from the early days to the final shows in Chicago. Each piece tells a story of the music, the journey, and the community that made it all possible”, comments Parish.

“Being part of that community for all these years has meant everything to me, and I’m proud to continue representing what the Grateful Dead stood for. Now is the time to share these with the fans and collectors who understand what they mean.”

These Deadhead heirlooms and gear will be heading to auction on April 22, live at The Box SF in San Francisco, and online via the official auction house website.

For more information, head to Julien's.

Amp Week 2026: With credits including David Lee Roth, Run-DMC and Robert Palmer, Eddie Martinez is a session guitar legend.

His chart-dominating career ran in parallel with Prince, who quickly established himself as a music icon with the likes of Let’s Go Crazy, When Doves Cry and Purple Rain.

The pair knew each other before Prince hit it big. But their connection would run far deeper when Martinez bought – albeit unintentionally – Prince’s most beloved guitar amp from the halcyon Purple Rain era: a heavily modified Mesa/Boogie Coliseum 300.

The story of how he came to own the iconic head is a reminder of the unexpected joys of buying used gear. In fact, he was advised not to tell Prince, in case the Purple One asked for it back.

In his own words, Martinez tells the story of how a search for a backup combo led him to a piece of amp history…

It was May 29, 2011. I was at home playing my guitar, and for some reason, acquiring another amp popped into my thoughts. [Laughs] Mind you, this was quite unusual because when I go to guitar stores, I’m first looking for guitars; so looking back on that day, I believe it was more of a divine impulse.

I already had killer amps, but I was playing clubs locally with my band and needed a combo that wouldn’t be a back breaker; plus, I’m big on redundancies. I also needed something practical for small clubs.

I decided to visit one of my local guitar shops and began looking around for amps. I had looked for a good while and didn’t see anything that caught my interest.

As I was exiting, something caught my eye – a Boogie head that reminded me of the Simulclass series from the ’80s that I’d rent along with a Soldano and modded Marshalls from Andy Brauer when recording in L.A.

I asked what model Boogie it was, and the salesperson didn’t know. When I saw 6x 6L6 tubes, I knew it wasn’t a Simulclass. The only thing the salesman said was that they bought it at a Seattle guitar show and that it was allegedly once owned by Prince.

I had known Prince a bit from when we shared the bill when I was playing with Lenny White and Twennynine. We both had opened for Rick James in 1980, and we became friends with Dez [Dickerson], Andre [Cymone] and Prince.

I recall seeing Boogie amps on that first tour. I was becoming familiar with Boogie because my bandmate and brilliant guitarist Nick Moroch used a Mark 1 when we played with drummer Lenny White. But I digress…

I took a peek at the back and saw Prince’s corporate logo, “PRN Music.” It was also written in a marker on the chassis – “PrinceNumber 1.” And there’s a sticker that reads “retubed 11-88.”

There’s also “Prince Roman numeral One” written on some duct tape. I also knew Prince’s middle name was Rodgers and his surname was Nelson, hence the “PRN.” So I called my friend Artie Smith and told him about it. He suggested I call JD Dworkow.

JD worked closely with Prince and Wendy Melovin with stage gear and the guitar tech backline vibe for the entire Purple Rain tour. Plus I’ve known JD for years, and he’s worked with so many huge artists and bands.

He’s a total pro. I described the amp to JD and told him the serial number, “K303.” His mind was blown; he said it was Prince’s Number 1 amp on the Purple Rain tour. The dots were starting to connect because it was correlating to everything I was seeing written on the chassis of the amp. After JD told me that, I knew this was the real deal and bought it.

That was May 29, 2011, and although it wasn’t a backup combo amp that I was originally looking for, it was quite historically significant. I had fallen upstairs with such an incredible and iconic find. [Laughs]

I reached out to Boogie and my rep – who shall remain nameless and who is no longer there – confirmed it was an amp that, at one time, belonged to Prince.

He also asked if I knew Prince and I told him that I did, but it had been years since I’d seen him. He also suggested that I don’t let him know about the amp because he preferred the clean sound on this amp in my possession.

There was a tone of reticence in his dialog with me about digging deeper into the amp's history. At least that’s what I felt, so I stopped communicating with him. Remember, Prince was still very much alive when I first communicated with Boogie about the amp.

It wasn’t until 2019 that I reached out to Mike Bendinelli at Mesa/Boogie, and he gave me the full story. The amp model is called The Coliseum 300 series. The amp was later modified by Mike himself to the 2C+, which is the coveted mod. It’s a beast of an amp, packing 6x 6L6s and delivering 180 watts.

The clean sound is so good, and I can see why Prince dug it so much. The crunch side of the amp is monstrous and huge-sounding. I owe Mike a huge debt of gratitude for providing a letter of provenance and the historical context for such an iconic and important amp.

• For more stories, tips and insights on all things amplified, check out the rest of our Amp Week coverage.

Mesa/Boogie has brought another ‘90s tube amp classic back for a limited time only, as the legendary Triple Rectifier Solo returns in a black-out finish – and, as per the original, it packs enough firepower to give the sound engineer a nervous breakdown.

In the conversation surrounding the best amps for metal, the Triple Rectifier Solo was always the nuclear option.

In the parlance of 1990s pop-cultural discussion, it was the one with 150-watts… The one that had a half-dozen 6L6 power tubes. The one that curiously was not quite as popular as the era-defining Dual Rectifier, and yet was often preferred for its extra headroom, super-tight low end and capacity to really make a fist of your power chords.

Like, “Could it be any louder?”

Well, no, but loudness wasn’t its USP. Those who have A/B’d the Dual and Triple Rectos have reported that the difference isn’t necessarily in overall dB (sound engineers, you can come back into the room now), but just in how that extra muscle shapes and sculpts the sound.

Doug West, director of Tone Lab for Gibson Amplifiers and Mesa/Boogie says the launch of this blackout finish Triple Recto was inspired by the success of the 2025 reissue of the 90s Dual Rectifier and the Triple's Chrome edition.

“Following the excitement around last year’s Chrome edition of the 90s Dual and Triple Rectifier Solo Heads, we wanted to honor one of the most iconic Custom Dress options in our history with a limited run of stealth-inspired ‘blackout’ Triple Rectifiers,” says West.

If you are unfamiliar with how those look, then please take a moment to look at the pictures. Mesa/Boogie is as good as its word here. The Triple Rectifier does look menacing in that stealth/blackout finish, with the black diamond grille plate, the black knurled metal dials, and the red jewel lamp looking much like the eye of the T-800 Terminator.

“Back in the ‘90s, these upscale, blacked-out models dominated stages behind some of the biggest names in rock,” continues West. “Today, finding one on the pre-owned market usually means heavy wear from years of touring – so this is a rare chance to own one in pristine, brand-new condition.”

Under the hood – well, not so much under but on show – you will find a six-pack of 6L6s, a trio of 5U4GB rectifier tubes, plus five 12AX7 preamp tubes. That’s a lot of glass.

And there are a lot of features, with Mesa/Boogie once more serving up an amplifier that offered all kinds of ways to EQ your tone (or nuke your midrange if you were '90s metal). It lets you switch between silicon diode or tube rectification.

You can run it “Bold” or run it “Spongy” via the ‘Variac power’ switch. It supports all your wet/dry/wet pro live rig dreams with an effects loop. There is an abundance of speaker outputs and pro features.

And this is the thing. The Triple Rectifier is a lot of guitar amp. Its formidable capabilities for handling low-end, high-gain electric guitar sounds made it a natural fit for nu-metal (but let’s not hold that against it). The pro player who tunes down or uses a seven-string could get a lot of joy from it.

West says they’re limited but there are no details as to how limited. If you’ve got the dough – $3,699/£3,799 – get ‘em while their hot.

“These amps are for players who dream of owning a true icon,” says West. “The Triple Rectifier remains one of the most sonically and stylistically impactful amps we’ve ever created, and revisiting it in this beloved Custom Dress option is inspiring for us.

“It reflects our design, where instruments look as impressive as they sound and sound as impressive as they look. That’s exactly what these limited-run Triple Rectifiers deliver.”

For more details, head over to Mesa/Boogie.

Comprising guitarist John Squire, Ian Brown on vocals, Alan “Reni” Wren on drums, and the late bassist Gary “Mani” Mounfield, the Stone Roses emerged from the vibrant Manchester music scene in the late 1980s with a brand-new sound that combined ’60s guitar pop with contemporary dance grooves.

Powered by one of the best rhythm sections of the decade, their self-titled debut album filled the dancefloors of student unions everywhere, and introduced a whole generation of rock fans to the joy of dance music and club culture.

“Dance music is very bass-driven,” said Mani back in March 2000. “With rock ’n’ roll you always get some shit-hot guitar player stealing everyone's thunder, y’know? But bass is mega-important – anyone who's got an ounce of groove in them realizes that.”

Taken from their highly influential self-titled debut album, released in 1989, Waterfall is classic Roses stuff: a jangly guitar riff propelled along by a double time drum groove, searing vocal melodies, and an understated bassline played high up the neck, which complements the song’s ’60s vibe perfectly.

“Ian and John are both big Sly Stone and Northern Soul fans – I suppose you can't help but wear your influences on your sleeve. We were always – I wouldn't call it pinching – recycling our favorite grooves. We were very eco-friendly about it.”

Written in the key of F#, Waterfall uses primarily diatonic chords with the exception of the E major (VII) that kicks off the chorus and provides a contrast from the predominant tonic chord riff.

The main bass riff is constructed from the root (F#), fifth (C#) and octave, consciously avoiding the major third, which allows Squire's jangly guitar (that emphasises the 3rd and 4th of the chord) to ring clearly.

It’s played entirely in ninth position using only the first and third fingers of your fretting hand. Don't emphasise the hammer-on at the end of the bar – this should be subtle and not detract from the song's floating groove. For the rest of the song Mani doubles Squire's descending bass patterns an octave lower.

Delivered in the rolling, groovy style for which he was well known, Mani’s bassline came out without much forethought. “I think the more knowledge you have, the more constrained you are,” he told Bass Player in 2010. “That’s just my way of looking at it.”

“What I’ve done in my playing career is try not to learn anything – scales, and the circle of bloody fifths and thirds and what have you. I don’t want to know how it works, because then you’re missing out on all the other stuff by looking at the parameters that you’re supposed to abide by.

“I think the more knowledge you have, the more constrained you are. Ignorance is bliss. I’d take passion over technical knowledge any day. I just play what comes straight out of my heart.”

In the Roses, Mani famously played a paint-splattered Rickenbacker bass through a Mesa/Boogie rig.

“I think it's a 3000 or an El Dorado or something. It's as rare as rocking horse shit. It's getting a bit tatty now – there's nothing left on the truss rod – and l've just managed to find another one. I just really like the tone and the attack and everything you get on them. It's a fucking man’s bass!”

Mesa/Boogie has unleashed a reissue of its classic Mark IIC+ HRG tube amp head, which has been launched alongside the newly revived 1x12 Vintage Thiele Cabinet.

The HRG’s roots can be traced back to the firm’s Lagunitas Shop days, where company founder Randall Smith crafted amps from an expanded menu. The Super Sixty amp acted as a tonal foundation for customers to build upon, and this head represents an amalgamation of some of the most popular picks.

As such, the Mark IIC+ HRG delivers 100 watts of power and features a built-in reverb, graphic EQ, and an effects loop. The original's high-powered output, high headroom, and tweakable EQ were enough to seduce John Petrucci, and it once became a notable part of his Dream Theater and solo project rigs.

The faithful reissue, Mesa/Boogie says, “is a beast…with bold authority, maximum headroom, tight-tracking low end, and detailed clarity”.

“The HRG became a favorite of those looking for immense clean headroom as well as a truly commanding Lead voice,” it continues. “As the years passed and styles evolved, the HRG’s aggressiveness for crunch rhythm work earned it a revered place in heavy rock and metal.”

It offers Rhythm and Lead channels, powered by four 6L6 tubes in the power section and five 12AX7s in the preamp, alongside a silicon rectifier. Both modes have dedicated Master Volume controls and are footswitchable.

Flip the head around and find dials for Reverb and Presence to round out comprehensive controls. When 100 watts is a little too ear-splitting, a global-half power switch limits it to 60 watts – and, yes, we know that the math is a bit iffy there.

The beastly and highly versatile amp is priced at $3,599, which puts it on the higher end of the spectrum.

The head has been joined by the 1x12 Vintage Thiele Cabinet, which, in its day, was the cab of choice for compact heads like the HRG for its “fundamental and thumping, gut-punch low end.”

Built with marine-grade Baltic birch plywood and offering 8 Ohm impedance and parallel out, it has a vintage front-ported design and plenty of portability to boot.

Beneath its grille – players can choose from Black Vinyl and swish Wicker options – is a Premium Celestion speaker. The speakers are crafted in the firm’s UK HQ specifically for Mesa/Boogie, with the rest put together and hand-wired in Petaluma, California.

“While we’re feeling nostalgic, we wanted to bring back one of the iconic 1x12 Boogie cabinets to celebrate the excitement surrounding the IIC+ – the Boogie Thiele 1x12 Extension,” says Doug West, Director, Tone Lab, Gibson Amplifiers and MESA/Boogie.

“This sealed and ported design became synonymous with huge tone in the ’80s, when players and artists alike discovered it was a secret weapon for delivering massive low end far beyond its physical footprint, along with a tight, punchy overall sound.”

It is priced at $799 for either grille option

Both the head and cab are available to order now. Head to Mesa/Boogie for more.

As West says, 2025 has been a nostalgic year for the firm. Two highlights include the revival of the Dual Rectifier as well as the first formal launch of the Metallica-favored Mark IIC++.

Meanwhile, Walter Trout has revealed how the firm's metal amps have plenty of lead blues magic.

Metallica’s James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett took to YouTube to wish ESP Guitars a very happy 50th Anniversary, the long-time endorsees checking in from their rehearsal room HQ, signature guitars in hand. But in the process they might just have something very intriguing indeed.

There’s an Easter egg in this video, and it looks like this could be a signature tube amp for Hetfield from Mesa/Boogie. Once you can see it you can’t unsee it. Behind Hammett, there’s a guitar amp head, sitting on a 4x12 guitar cabinet with a Metallica logo stencilled in white on the black grille cloth.

The amp is a variant of a Mesa/Boogie Mark Series that we’ve never seen before, with a decorative brushed metal plating on the grille (kind of like something you would see on a hot-rodded, supercharged automobile, which is very Hetfield), and on the top-left of the control panel we have what looks like Hetfield’s initials.

“It looks like a two channel amp with some really weird knobs in the middle,” writes one comment from Mesa Sean. “We’ve seen that [amp] in the studio for a couple years now. It would be really cool if they released something.”

If it is a Hetfield amp, it would have been a long time coming. As noted above, and in a 2017 thread on the Mesa/Boogie forum, this mystery Mesa has actually been in the Metallica HQ for years, also appearing in a video from 94.5 KATS with drummer Lars Ulrich and Slipknot frontman Corey Taylor goofing around.

The video resolution is not great, but you can see this same amp in the lower left-hand side of the frame.

This new video gives us a better look. It could be that the metal plate on the amp’s front has been updated. If it was a prototype for Hetfield, that time scale could check out.

Designing a Mark Series Boogie for one of metal guitar’s biggest stars is a serious project, and it would take some time. There would be revisions. Also, consider the upheaval at Mesa/Boogie, the takeover by Gibson, the departure of its founder Randall Smith. That could delay the project.

In July, Mesa/Boogie released the Mark IIC++ "Crunch Berries" head that Metallica used to give their tone its signature venom in the mid ‘80s.

The Mark IIC++ was initially a custom mod that only those in the know had. It was designed for Vivian Campbell, then playing in Dio, who wanted more added “gain and girth” to his electric guitar tone. Well, Metallica got wind of that. Hammett told MusicRadar that this Boogie, allied to EMG active humbuckers, was the secret sauce to their sound.

“They made very few of those Boogies and we happened to get a few. And those amps, along with EMG pickups were defining our sound,” he said. “They enabled us to get the sound that we needed to get across. If it wasn’t for those Mesa/Boogie amps and EMG pickups, I don’t know how much further we would have got with just Marshalls. With the Boogies it was something different.”

If Mesa/Boogie is going to release a Hetfield Mark Series in the not-so-distant future it would be A) Not unprecedented, after it released a signature model for Dream Theatre’s John Petrucci, and B) Foreshadowed somewhat by the “Crunch Berries” release, and its antecedent, the Mark IIC+, which was reissued last year.

Hammett has already collaborated on a couple of notable signature amps with Randall. There was the KH120RH, the RM100KH, which was a three-channel 100-watter. We can confirm that playing Creeping Death on a Gibson Flying V through this amp is a lot of fun.

But sometimes you need more fun, and Randall and Hammett had just the thing in the 120-watt KH103 head, designed with Mike Fortin, with three channels, three gain voicings per channel… The thing looked nuts. Fortin also made him the Meathead.

C’mon, Mesa/Boogie, let’s get Hetfield one, too. Or would someone at least let us know what that knob in the middle of the control panel does?

In the absence of any more details, we quite like some of the theories posted by Mesa forum user screamingdaisy: “Theory A: It’s a blend knob... channel 2/Recto, channel 3/Crunchberries, blend to taste. Theory B: it’s a chorus knob... they built the [Roland] JC-120 chorus into the amp. Theory C: it’s a scoop knob... they built James’ parametric EQ into the amp.”

And Theory D it’s a red herring just to mess with our heads. Mission accomplished. Where were we, anyways? Yeah, many happy returns, ESP.

Hello, and welcome to Guitar World’s sparkly new gear round-up, your one-stop-shop for keeping up to date with what’s been happening in the big wide world of guitar gear over the past seven days.

From new electric guitars to amp modeler updates, the guitar industry is never short of fresh releases, and it can sometimes be hard to stay abreast of every new launch that may be of interest to you.

To make things a little easier, we’ve put together an essential must-read guide that will cover the major releases, the boutique drops, and everything in between.

From Stratocaster/Jazzmaster hybrids and a Jimmy Page signature amp to no-nonsense analog amp simulators and beyond, it's been another hectic week in the world of guitar gear, with high-profile launches from Martin, Fender, Charvel and Boss to pick through. Let's not waste any more time...

Sundragon Jimmy Page The Nymph

Perhaps the headline launch of the week, the Sundragon Nymph is the latest launch from the boutique amp firm that was founded in 2017 by Jimmy Page and former Marshall/Vox executive VP Mitch Colby.

The Led Zeppelin legend has a few Sundragon tube amps to his name already, but this one is particularly interesting, not least because the marketing tag reads: “From your bedroom to Madison Square Garden without missing a beat.”

A smaller footprint without sacrificing specs and sounds was the aim of the game here, with the Nymph offering two 12AX7s, a sole eight-inch speaker, and a power switch that lets you go to as low as 1/4-watt for bedroom practice.

Apparently, it was the most challenging Sundragon amp to design to date, but the firm – and Page – is confident the Nymph offers stadium-sized tones in a tiny combo package.

For more: Sundragon

Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC++

Until this week, the Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC++ had never been made available as a production release.

After it had been pioneered out of Vivian Campbell's modded IIC+, it became a cult metal amp for artists alone, and was only ever made on an ad hoc basis for big-name players. Such players included Kirk Hammett and James Hetfield, who used their own 'Crunch Berries' IIC++ amps to shape the sound of heavy metal in the 1980s.

Now, that off-the-record mod has been brought to the masses (sort of) through a limited edition run that recreates the higher gain, tighter low-end tones of the hallowed original. Unfortunately, the hype for this amp was so great, that all 200 amps have already sold out.

For more: Mesa/Boogie

Fender Ariel Posen Limited Edition Stratocaster

As someone who loves Stratocasters and adores Jazzmasters, Ariel Posen's conceptual hybrid of the two is something of a dream guitar for me. With the tonal sensibilities of his Jazz – arriving courtesy of newly developed AP90 pickups – pairing with the playability of his favorite Strat, Posen's Custom Shop signature guitar looks (and sounds) like a proper player. That finish ain't half bad, either.

I can't remember the last time a Strat got me this excited. If those pickups ever get a standalone release, they'll be going straight into my own Strat. Of course, I don't expect to sound half as good as Posen, but there's something about them that just feels... fresh.

For more: Fender

Charvel Angel Vivaldi

Granted, it's been a busy week for signature releases, but let's not gloss over the Charvel Nova-7 – a new seven-string guitar for fusion virtuoso Angel Vivaldi.

It's Vivaldi's second Charvel model and the latest to update his flagship Nova model from 2019, bolstering it with an additional string, DiMarzio Tone Zone and Air Norton pickups, Luminlay side dots and a recessed Gotoh double-locking tremolo, among other specs.

For more: Charvel

Boss RT-2 Rotary Ensemble

A pedalboard-friendly rotary pedal that promises to authentically and accurately replicate the expressive spacial goodness of an original rotary speaker cabinet, but also goes above and beyond by addressing its more complex audio behaviours? We're listening.

Boss has dropped the latest addition to its compact stompbox line that apparently does just that, and it might just be an essential piece of kit for anyone wanting to dust their signal chain with a sprinkle of rotary goodness.

Built with "the latest Boss advancements", the RT-2 offers three different modes, some nifty extras for a more expansive sound, and – best of all – is a lot more convenient (and affordable) than wiring up to an actual rotary cabinet.

For more: Boss

IK Multimedia TONEX One Brown Sound Edition

After launching a Joe Satriani signature TONEX One pedal, IK Multimedia has now directed the attentions of its digital activities to taking on the 'Brown Sound' – Eddie Van Halen's coveted guitar tone defined by its warm high-gain and luscious sustain, which has now been emulated and made available through the firm's TONEX ecosystem.

Across three limited-edition pedals and too regular TONEX Signature Collections, six album's worth of evolutionary Brown Sound tones have been curated, all of which were created in collaboration with Brown Sound tone guru Jim Gaustad.

The result, IK says, is "150 ultra-accurate Tone Models that feature both authentic recreations and thoughtful variations, representing different theories about how these legendary tracks were recorded".

For more: IK Multimedia

EarthQuaker Devices Easy Listening

Ever wanted to dabble in the world of amp modelers but been left feeling overwhelmed by the menu deep-diving, IR loaders, and option paralysis that usually comes with the flagship floorboard modelers? Well, you're in luck, because the EQD Easy Listening is an all analog amp simulator designed for at-home practice that removes all of the extra fluff.

There's just one knob for controlling output, and that's it. Based on a '65 Deluxe, it sounds excellent, takes pedals very well it seems, and could become the go-to amp simulator for those wanting genuine analog tones in a world swimming in digital guitar sounds. I have an HX Stomp and a Nano Cortex, and even I'm tempted by this...

For more: EarthQuaker Devices

Gibson Certified Vintage CF-100E

While not technically a gear drop in the traditional sense, the Gibson Certified Vintage program did just unveil a rather unusual guitar: a vintage CF-100E from 1951, which has been dubbed the firm's first-ever attempt at creating an electrified flat-top acoustic guitar.

Owing to the nature of the collection, only one will be up for sale directly through Gibson, but it's a neat piece of history and a formative innovation that feels like it merits an inclusion here. The rest of the drop has some gems, too...

For more: Gibson

Martin X Series, Inception and Road Series update

There are five new Martin guitars to sink your teeth into this week, with the storied acoustic firm overhauling its Inception, X Series and Road Series collections with fresh finishes, new body styles and updated tonewood options.

Without getting too bogged down by the details, there's an all-new non-cutaway GPE Inception Maple acoustic, two Ziricote X Series models and a spruce spin on the offset SC-10E.

For more: Martin

Fender Japan Tokyo Edition Telecaster

Another week, another irresistible launch from Fender Japan, which has once again tested my mental resolve with a Tokyo Editions Telecaster that is just beggine to be bought.

Available in two finishes, it features Lollar DC-90 hum-cancelling P-90 pickups straight from the factory, and offers a modern-yet-traditional take on the timeless single-cut blueprint. Again, we're sad to say these are only available in Japan, but that's probably a good thing. My wallet is safe for now.

For more: Fender Japan

Knaggs Severn H

The rise of the headless guitar continues unabated, it seems, with Knaggs now entering the playing field with a headstock-less development of its own.

Strandberg, Ibanez, Schecter and Kiesel have all been flying the flag for headless instruments over the past few years, and it seems firms far and wide are still keen to capitalize on the trend.

The Severn H looks like a valiant effort, too, with a sleek body design and a versatile HSS configuration.

For more: Knaggs

Mesa/Boogie has released the holy grail Mark IIC++ as a production model, putting the ultra-rare custom amp head within reach of regular players for the first time in its history.

In the world of heavy metal and hard rock, Mesa/Boogie tube amps are some of the most revered out there, but the Mark IIC++ – a custom model from 1985 that was only ever created at the request of artists – is hallowed in its own right.

As Mesa/Boogie explains, the first Mark IIC++ was born out of a request from Vivian Campbell. In the mid 1980s, Campbell was playing with Dio, but asked for a modded version of his traditional Mark IIC+ in order to tap into “added gain and girth”.

The resulting creation quickly became the talk of the tone town among Mesa/Boogie circles, and though the IIC++ never became an official mod, it did become a favorite among a suite of A-list players, and was created on an ad hoc basis for those guitarists who required them.

As such, before its release today, it may just have been one of the most exclusive metal amps ever. An exact number of IIC++s created isn’t confirmed owing to the obscurity surrounding them, but the firm estimates only 20 were made. It’s an almost Dumble-level rarity and scarcity, which makes this launch all the more enticing.

After Campbell pioneered the IIC++, it was later used (perhaps most famously) by Metallica, who used the affectionately dubbed Crunch Berries amp (owing to the sticker they used on their own model) to shape the sound of heavy metal in the 1980s.

Speaking of the IIC++’s influence on the Metallica sound, Hammett once told MusicRadar, “They made very few of those Boogies and we happened to get a few. And those amps, along with EMG pickups were defining our sound.

“They enabled us to get the sound that we needed to get across. If it wasn’t for those Mesa/Boogie amps and EMG pickups, I don’t know how much further we would have got with just Marshalls. With the Boogies it was something different.”

As for what sets the IIC++ apart from the standard IIC+ – which also received a reissue last year – the additional ‘+’ basically translates to additional gain and a tighter low-end. On the surface, the IIC++ looks the same as the IIC+ (save the mod-specific plate on the grille cloth), but it won’t behave like one.

In practice, it offers increased gain in the preamp, which only affects the Lead mode. The Clean mode will operate as normal, but the Lead offers more to-end gain, an enhanced low-end, and an overall “thicker” sound with more dynamic harmonic layering.

“Experience one of the rarest and most coveted vintage amplifiers ever, the Mark IIC++, in solid new form built by the same artisans who built the originals 40 years ago,” Mesa/Boogie writes. “These awe-inspiring gain machines have fueled some of the most iconic rock sounds ever captured on record.”

Only 200 of the Mark IIC++ will be made and, by the looks of things, they’ve all already sold out.

Visit Mesa/Boogie to find out more.

What is it?

For many guitarists, the Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ ranks at the top of their Holy Grail, bucket-list, unobtanium amps. The main reason the Mark IIC+ is so desirable is because it was James Hetfield’s main amp (he actually had a IIC++ with additional gain) on Metallica’s immortal Master of Puppets.

The Mark IIC+’s use by Prince (the Purple Rain tour and beyond), John Petrucci with Dream Theater and studio legends Michael Landau, Steve Lukather and Dean Parks on hundreds of ’80s hits also helped elevate its legendary status.

Mesa built only about 3,000 Mark IIC+ amps during its original 14-month run in the mid-’80s, but after four decades it’s finally made its long-awaited return. The new Mark IIC+ is available in head-only or 1x12 combo versions and is essentially a fully loaded version with all of the most desirable options: 5-band graphic EQ, Simul-Class and reverb.

Taking the Mark IIC+ head out of the box is like opening a time capsule. With only seven knobs (six of which featuring pull functions) and a 5-band graphic EQ, the front panel looks downright austere compared to today’s Mesa Mark series amps and even the recent JP-2C Mark IIC+ John Petrucci signature model.

Rest assured that the reissued Mark IIC+ is a very faithful reproduction of the original with only minimal changes made due to modern safety regulations and parts availability.

This is the short-chassis version of the head, so the Presence and Reverb knobs are on the rear panel, where you’ll also find a buffered effects loop, a Slave output with level control and the Simul-Class/Class A switch for selecting 75-watt or 25-watt output.

Although the Mark IIC+ is a true dual-channel head (the Mark II was the first amp to offer channel switching), note that the “clean” and “lead” channels share the same Treble, Bass and Middle EQ controls. Dialing in EQ settings that sound good on both channels can be difficult and usually is somewhat of a compromise.

The graphic EQ features a three-way switch with an “EQ auto” setting that engages the graphic EQ only when the Lead channel is selected, which can be helpful.

However, the Treble, Bass and Middle controls are pre-gain and the graphic EQ is post-gain, so the settings of the standard EQ knobs still influence the overall tone in ways that don’t always complement more sensitive high-gain settings. Pull Bright, pull Shift and pull Deep functions also provide additional tonal shaping capabilities.

Like the original Mark IIC+ head, the reissue features several footswitchable functions.

Two footswitches with accompanying cables are provided, consisting of a single-footswitch controller for channel switching that plugs into the front panel below the input jack and a dual-footswitch controller for graphic EQ on/off and reverb on/off that plugs into a jack hidden underneath the chassis behind one of the 6L6 power tubes.

The EQ/reverb footswitch jack is not in the most convenient place, and you’ll definitely want to plug in the cable before the tubes heat up.

Specs

• Launch price: $3,599/£3,699
• Type: Tube amp head
• Controls: RHYTHM/LEAD Shared Controls: Volume 1 (sets initial gain strength for both channels), Treble, Bass, Middle, Assignable/Foot-Switchable 5-Band Graphic EQ, Reverb and Presence
• Connectivity: 1x 8 Ohm and 2x 4 Ohm speaker outputs, footswitch input, tube-driven series effects loop
• Tubes: 4x 6L6, 5x 12AX7 preamp tubes, silicon diode rectifier
• Power: 75 or 25 Watts (Global)
• Dimensions: 39 lbs / 17.69 kg
• Options: 1x12 Combo
• Contact: Mesa/Boogie

Usability and sounds

The original design’s quirks are all forgivable once a guitar is plugged in. The reissue Mark IIC+’s tones are simply divine. The clean tones are some of the finest ever heard from a Mesa/Boogie amp, ranging from crisp sparkle with percussive spank to warm, rich jazz tones with full body and smooth sustain.

The Mark IIC+’s high-gain lead channel tones are the main reason so many guitarists are willing to spend big bucks for an original model, and the reissue fully lives up to the legend with its deeply saturated distortion with complex, layered harmonics, pummeling attack, extremely articulate note definition and finely tuned midrange that dominates a mix. Even after four decades of high-gain amp design evolution, the Mark IIC+’s distortion tones still remain the gold standard.

One important attribute to keep in mind is that the pre-gain EQ controls can affect the Lead channel quite dramatically. The Bass control in particular can get very boomy and woofy past 3, so it’s best used in moderation with a high-gain Lead channel setting. Similarly, the Presence control can get a bit shrill at higher settings, so a little goes a long way.

However, the extra range of these controls is helpful for dialing in gorgeous clean/overdrive tones and even Lead channel tones with moderate overdrive, particularly in studio recording applications where players aren’t dependent on channel switching.

Verdict

Verdict: ★★★★½

Just like the original, the Mark IIC+ offers limited capabilities as a dual-channel amp in live applications, but as a single-channel amp in the studio it has few peers.

Guitar World verdict: Mesa/Boogie’s reissue of the venerated Mark IIC+ offers guitarists a dead-on perfect reproduction of the original amp from its wide range of stellar, professional tones and unbeaten high-gain textures to its somewhat quirky old-school dual-channel functions and capabilities.

Hands-on videos

Mesa/Boogie

Ola Englund

American Musical Supply

• “Can genuinely hold its own in any genre, with direct tones that stand up to market-leading amp modelers”: Mesa/Boogie Mark VII 1x12 Combo review
• This article first appeared in Guitar World. Subscribe and save.

NAMM 2025: After teasing its return last week, Mesa/Boogie has now officially launched the ’90s Dual Rectifier – a reissue of the holy grail high-gain guitar amp that defined the sound of heavy music in the 1990s.

As was noted when whispers of the Dual Rectifier’s revival first began circulating online, this latest release continues the Gibson-owned amp brand’s current trend of reissuing Golden Era tube amps, after the return of the Mark IIC+ at the back-end of 2024.

Like the Mark IIC+, the Dual Rectifier is one of electric guitar music’s most celebrated and revered amps and, as asserted by the Gibson Gazette, is comfortably one of the most modeled guitar tones in today’s digital amp landscape, having been replicated by Universal Audio, IK Multimedia and many others.

Now, though, players have been given another opportunity to play the real deal, with Mesa/Boogie launching an updated-yet-faithful take on the iconic amp head.

For a brief history lesson, the Dual Rectifier first arrived in 1992, after spending a few years in development during the late 1980s as Mesa/Boogie sought to cater to heavy, high-gain guitarists.

It became a hit for guitarists across the entire genre spectrum, and over the years was played by the likes of Foo Fighters, Alice in Chains, blink-182, Tool, Korn, Limp Bizkit, Soundgarden and countless more.

First and foremost, this new take has been described as a “faithful recreation of the tube amp that redefined high gain and provided much of the soundtrack of a generation”. As such, it comes suitably dressed up, with a Black diamond Plate grille and Black Bronco vinyl that pays homage to the source material.

Furthering the faithful vibe, this new edition offers a foot-switchable dual channel design that covers the “scorching high-gain crunch” and “expressive cleans”. Specifically, three distinct sounds are categorized into Red, Orange and Green modes.

These channels are dictated by a no-nonsense control panel comprising Master, Presence, Bass, Mid, Treble and Gain parameters, as well as a Loop Active Master knob, which works in tandem with the FX loop.

Under the hood, the 100-watt head comes packing with five 12AX7 preamp tubes, four 6L6 power amp tubes, and two 5U4 Rectifier tubes.

Naturally, Mesa/Boogie has also fitted the returning amp with some choice upgrades in a bid to make it more attractive to modern players. As far as performance goes, the general clean tones have supposedly been “improved and enhanced”.

For functionality, Mesa/Boogie has also fitted a Variac switch, which works alongside the amp’s switchable rectifiers – which, in turn, toggle between tube and silicon diode rectifier modes for a varied sound – in order to further tailor the amp’s response.

Through this, players can fine-tune the response for a fierce attack for tighter riffs in ‘Bold’ mode, or an “elastic” feel for more expressive playing in the ‘Spongy’ setting.

Furthermore, the rear panel also now hosts a Channel Style Select Switch that has been marked as a “cloning configuration assignment”. Effectively, it works to reconfigure the amp by changing the overall tonal character of its channels.

In other words, if players wanted two high-gain Red or two mid-gain Orange channels – rather than one of each – that is now a possibility. Rather niche, but no doubt useful for some players.

“It certainly wasn't easy,” reflects Tommy Waugh, Mesa/Boogie's Amplifier Product Manager, of the amp's creation. “We had to go through some older Recs, going back through each part of the circuit to see what made each thing special, because there’s so much inside this amplifier – what were the best things of this circuit, and what could we improve upon?

“We got to the end and realized we had a cleaner, meaner, better Rectifier. There’s no denying it.”

The price tag for the ’90s Dual Rectifier is yet to be confirmed.

Head over to Mesa/Boogie to find out more.

In related Mesa/Boogie news, firm founder Randall Smith – who left the company last year – recently recalled how the brand got its Boogie name... and how he developed his hammer test.

Mesa/Boogie is set to continue its current form of reviving cult classic tube amps with the announcement it will be bringing back the hallowed Dual Rectifier.

Set to drop January 14, the upcoming tube amp will reissue undoubtedly the most influential guitar amps of 1990s electric guitar music, and continue the legacy of an amp that was championed by metal, hard rock and blues rock guitarists alike across the decade and beyond.

The original Dual Rectifier was originally intended to cater to guitarists of the late 1980s, at a time when high-gain amps truly came to the fore through hair metal, heavy metal and other heavy genres.

However, despite starting work on the amp in 1989, it wasn’t until 1992 that Mesa/Boogie officially introduced the Revision C Circuit Dual Rectifier to the market – at a time when grunge was taking hold of the music scene.

“It took us longer than we wanted to bring the Dual Rectifier to market because we kept working on it,” Mesa/Boogie R&D Director Doug West once said. “We were originally shooting for the late-’80s hair metal crowd, but by the time we finished it, the grunge era began.

“We thought we were too late, but our timing turned out to be pretty good after all. The Rectifier Series became much more popular than we ever dreamed it would be, especially with the dramatic shift in music. From 1993 to 2004 those amps were over half of our business.”

This massive popularity was spearheaded by some of the biggest acts in the guitar game spanning a range of high gain genres. Everyone from Alice in Chains, Soundgarden and Foo Fighters, all the way to Blink-182, Tool, Korn, Limp Bizkit and countless others all used Dual Rectifiers.

The fact it was favored by grunge, alternative, metal and nu-metal bands alike spoke of its versatility, and now – in news that will please many fans of such circles – the Dual Rectifier is officially coming back.

“With reverence and pride, we announce the ’90s Dual Rectifier,” Mesa/Boogie writes in a launch trailer, “a faithful recreation of the tube amp that redefined high gain and provided much of the soundtrack of a generation, with some welcome upgrades like improved cleans that enhance but don’t distract.

“Here’s a chance to own an original icon built by the same artisans who built them 30 years ago.

The brand adds, “The new ’90s Dual Rectifier amp is a faithful recreation of the sound that dominated the decade, powering metal, thrash, nu-metal, rap-rock, 90s grunge, pop-punk, and arguably every iconic track on your ’90s rock and metal playlists.”

It’s the latest historic Mesa/Boogie to be revived this year, after the firm – which is now part of Gibson’s stable of brands – resurrected the Mark IIC+.

Visit Mesa/Boogie in the meantime to find out more.

In related news, Randall Smith – the Mesa/Boogie founder who left his role as head of the company last year – recently recalled the origins of the legendary “Boogie” name and how he developed his brutal hammer test.

When Mesa/Boogie says its amps are bulletproof, it isn’t a mere marketing ploy: it means it. Now, brand founder Randall Smith has discussed the brutal techniques he pioneered to ensure all Mesa/Boogie amps are built to last.

Back in the late 1960s, Smith proved himself to be a dab hand at fixing broken gear while working at a local music store in Mill Valley, and became known among gear circles for his ability to bring gear back to life.

“In a very short time, all of the Bay Area bands were bringing their gear to us to be prepared,” Smith recalls on his YouTube channel. “That’ll be Country Joe and the Fish, the Grateful Dead, the Jefferson Airplane, and dozens of band which you’ve never heard of.”

When Country Joe and the Fish came calling, though, it provided Smith with his biggest test yet.

“Country Joe and the Fish were a pretty big deal at that time,” he says. “As a matter of fact, Led Zeppelin actually opened for them in those days. The guys were really cool. [They] brought a truckload of gear and said, ‘We're going out on the road, I need this stuff made bulletproof because it really takes a beating.’”

At that exact moment, Smith says a Fender Showman amp head fell out of the truck and onto the street, as if to punctuate their point.

“I took that to heart. This stuff does take a hell of a mechanical beating,” Smith reflects. That led him to intuit his now famous hammer test.

“Which is exactly what the name implies,” he continues. “You turn the amp all the way up and you pound on it with a hammer until something breaks. Then you fix that so that it won’t break again, and you pound on it some more. You continue until that thing is hammer-proof.

“We still do that,” he adds, over half a century later. “Every Mesa/Boogie gets the living daylights hammered out of it.”

The band’s roadies also came to Smith with another request – to modify a Fender Princeton practice amp “so that it just blows [guitarist] Barry Melton’s mind”. That led Smith down a rabbit hole that would sow the seeds for the celebrated amp creations he is now famous for. It was also from this modification that the company also got its unusual ‘Boogie’ name.

Last month, Mesa/Boogie announced the return of the iconic Mark IIC+ tube amp after 40 years.

Mesa/Boogie founder Randall Smith has started a new YouTube series that promises to take a deep dive into the history of his beloved amp brand, and it’s been launched with a definitive recap of how the firm got its name.

Mesa/Boogie is one of the most iconic guitar amp companies of all time, and is responsible for creating a range of legendary tube amps that can be heard on some of guitar music’s most well-known records.

James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett, Steve Lukather, Michael Landau, Prince, John Petrucci and countless other big-name players have all been known to play Mesa/Boogies, but it was in fact another high-profile guitar star that helped Smith give his creations an official name.

As Smith explains in the video, he began his amp-building career by working as a repair man for a music store in Mill Valley, during which time he would fix gear for numerous local bands and up-and-coming acts.

At one point, he was asked to modify and “bulletproof” a Fender Princeton for Country Joe and the Fish, which sowed the seeds for what would eventually become the Mesa/Boogie sonic DNA.

Smith recalls, “At one time they said, ‘Hey, is there something you can do to boost this little fender Princeton practice amp so it just blows [frontman] Barry Melton's mind?’ I said, ‘Yeah, I’d love to do it.’

“We already knew that the Fender 4x10 Tweed Bassman was a terrible bass amp, but it was a fabulous blues guitar amp,” he goes on.

“I knew that circuit, and I said, ‘Okay, what I’m going to do is, I’m going to strip this Princeton bare, then I’ve got to hog out the chassis to put this big-ass transformer set in it, and then rewire and rebuild the whole thing,’ which is exactly what I did.”

Smith then replaced the stock 10” speaker with a JBL D120 12” alternative – the “hot ticket” that helped craft the resulting tone, and could keep up with the beefed up power.

Jumping ahead, Smith then explains a chance encounter with Carlos Santana, who happened to be hanging around Prune Music in Mill Valley, then helped give the modded Fender its now-iconic name.

“I took this little Fender combo Princeton out to the front, and one of the guys was hanging around. I said, ‘Hey, Carlos, would you plug into this?’ ‘Come on, man, that's a Fender. I don't want to plug into that.’ And I said, ‘No, but I boosted it. Plug into it.’

“So he plugs in and it sounds fabulous. It was a beautiful, summery day, and the doors were open, and people actually started flocking to the front of the store out on the sidewalk, going, ‘Wow, what is that?’

“Carlos went off. When he finished, he looked at this little thing sitting on the floor and said, ‘Shit, man, that little thing really boogies.’

“So there came that part of the name, and the process of getting your Fender amp boosted was called getting it ‘Boogie-ized.’”

That, of course, got the ball rolling, word got out, and eventually demand for Smith’s boosted Princeton began to increase. To meet such demand, Smith taught himself how to silkscreen, and began sticking the “Boogie” label to his amps.

As for Mesa Engineering, that was more of a practical naming solution. To supplement his income from Prune Music, Smith established his own engineering company, named Mesa, through which he would rebuild Mercedes-Benz car engines.

Head over to Randall Smith's YouTube channel to watch the full clip, and to keep up to date with future instalments.

Recently, it was announced that Smith would leave his role at Mesa/Boogie, which is currently under the ownership of Gibson. Not long after, Gibson revived the Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ for the first time in 40 years.

Gibson has announced the release of the Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ in a move that revives of one of the most popular high-gain guitar amps ever created.

Launched in the mid 1980s, the original Mark IIC+ quickly became a cult classic, and is widely recognized as the driving force behind rock and metal’s holy grail electric guitar tones.

Championed by the likes of Metallica’s James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett (who used it on Master of Puppets), as well as Steve Lukather, Michael Landau, Prince, John Petrucci, Dean Parks and countless others, the original Mark IIC+ remains to this day one of the most coveted and valuable Mesa/Boogie amps ever made.

However, they have historically been highly elusive, and very expensive. As recently as March last year, prices for second-hand vintage examples on Reverb reached as high as $15,000, and while Neural DSP launched its Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ plugin suite, the average player has been largely unable to experience the amp.

Until now, that is, because Gibson – which acquired Mesa/Boogie back in 2021 – has announced the return of the Mark IIC+ proper, launching both a 1x12 combo and a head.

As per Gibson’s own words, these new iterations are faithfully based on the original Mark II design, which was billed as the world’s first ‘Dual Mode’ amplifier with two modes (preamps) for both clean and overdrive tones.

And, as it happens, this is the first time in 40 years that Mesa/Boogie has attempted to do this. Sure, there have been a handful of other Mark IIC+-inspired reissues – including the JP-2C earlier this year – but a faithful Mark IIC+ re-run has so far been missing.

That’s not to say there hasn’t been huge demand for the amp’s return, though, and now – after three years of development – the hugely popular amp is finally back.

“Since the Mark IIC+’s replacement by the Mark III in late 1985, players have asked the question ‘When will you do a Re-Issue of the Mark IIC+?’” says Doug West, Director, Tone Lab, Gibson Amplifiers/Mesa/Boogie.

“Little did we know then that the Mark IIC+ would continue its rise in popularity long after its production lifespan and become one of history’s most sought-after and coveted amplifiers, synonymous with rock and metal’s biggest artist’s iconic tones.

“After four decades and many iterations of the IIC+ within our subsequent models, it was finally time to tackle this challenge and see if we could do a second build of this revered Boogie.”

The past three years have been spent on “exhaustive component searches, countless hours of brutal comparison and untold scrutinous forensic design discoveries” that have made these new iterations as faithful as possible.

As far as controls go, both the head and combo offer Volume and Master parameters, as well as a three-band EQ, Lead Drive and Lead Master knobs, and the classic Mesa/Boogie graphic EQ. Pull Shift voicing features have also been added to a host of those parameters for extra tonal tweaking powers.

The rear panels host Reverb and Presence controls, and a Power Select switch that flicks between 75 watts of ‘Simul-Class’ power or Class A for 25 watts. Other appointments include a buffered effects loop, and a ‘Slave’ knob that taps off the speaker outputs in order to capture the sound of the preamp and power section to provide a canvas for IR readers or external processors.

So, in other words, both have exactly what you’d expect from a Mark IIC+ reissue, with just a few modern tweaks to boot.

“Now you can forgo the frustrating searches, the vintage pricing and the worry of aged-out parts and obtain a brand new Mark IIC+ that holds its own – and then some – against even the most precious of ‘80s original IIC+ builds,” West goes on.

“This new Simul-Class, Reverb Graphic, EQ IIC+ represents the ultimate IIC+ build from back in the day and delivers all the explosive attack, dynamic excitement and percussive intensity of the originals.

The Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ head and combo are available for $3,599 and $3,899, respectively.

Visit Mesa/Boogie for more.

Audio production tools leader Universal Audio is adding another pedal to its growing UAFX guitar pedal lineup: the Knuckles '92 Dual Rec Amplifier emulator, a new stompbox that promises to deliver “the authentic raw sound of punk, alt rock, and metal, along with legendary boosts and award-winning mic/speaker modeling.”

Built on Universal Audio's “powerful dual-engine processing and world-class UAD modeling,” the new pedal is designed to emulate the classic Mesa/Boogie “Rev F” Dual Rectifier tones – with the green, orange, and red channel voicings enabling players to go from full-bodied, pristine cleans to ultra-saturated, gain-driven leads, and “bone-crushing crunch.”

For further tonal exploration, the pedal includes six classic microphone and cabinet configurations, a dynamic room simulation, and two essential effects: a Tube Screamer-style overdrive and boost for sculpting tight palm-muted chugs, and a noise gate to cut down on unwanted noise.

“The Recto is a modern-day rock and metal classic that delivers inarguably the most powerful, larger-than-life tones ever to come out of a guitar speaker,” comments UA Sr. Product Manager Tore Mogensen.

“As a long time user of the original amp, I couldn't be more excited to add Knuckles '92 Dual Rec Amplifier to the UAFX line of amp-in-a-box pedals.”

As with other pedals in this series, players can access a host of tone-shaping options via the UAFX Control app.

By using the app, you can switch between emulations of EL34 and 6L6 power tubes and solid-state or tube rectifiers, download artist presets, and save your settings for easy recall.

Additionally, the app offers access to a special 4-cable mode, allowing you to bypass your amp's preamp when the pedal is engaged and deliver the iconic Recto tone on any amp.

The Knuckles is the latest high-gain entry in the UAFX line, following the 5150-aping Anti 1992, and Plexi-inspired Lion ’68 Super Lead Amp.

Priced at $399, the UAFX Knuckles '92 Dual Rec Amplifier pedal is now available from Universal Audio partners and distributors.

For more information, visit Universal Audio.

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.”

The preceding quote is the introduction to Charles Dickens’ immortal classic A Tale of Two Cities, set in Paris and London around the time of the French Revolution, but it’s also a pretty damn accurate description of the state of the guitar industry during the ’70s.

That decade is commonly disparaged as a depressing era when the industry’s leading manufacturers produced some of their worst guitar models, which is not entirely untrue, but it also was an auspicious period when exciting new guitar companies emerged and amp and effect technology rapidly advanced.

The decline of America’s biggest guitar companies during the ’70s was essentially a hangover from the over-ambitious reaction to the Beatlemania-inspired guitar boom of the ’60s. Hoping to cash in on the phenomenon, major corporations purchased America’s biggest guitar companies, with CBS buying Fender, Norlin purchasing Gibson and Baldwin taking over Gretsch.

Although the electric guitar remained massively popular during the ’70s, sales dropped rather steeply from the staggering heights of the ’60s peak. In typical corporate fashion, management typically believed that the accounting department’s cost-cutting measures were a more effective means of maximizing profits than investments in better materials, tools and craftsmanship, and quality took a hit as a result.

That isn’t to say that the instruments Fender, Gibson, Gretsch and others were making during the ’70s were actually bad. Many players who own ’70s guitars from these companies can attest that the majority are decent, playable instruments.

The problem was that distinctly superior instruments from the Fifties and ’60s preceded them by only a few years, so the quality drop-off was much more dramatic and noticeable in comparison. The much higher cost of a new instrument during the ’70s (even when adjusted for inflation) further increased musicians’ frustrations.

The silver lining of the backlash to corporate mass-produced ’70s guitars is that it opened up and nurtured numerous other avenues that offered players compelling alternatives to the status quo. Smaller independent companies emerged that proved that you still could make a guitar like they used to and even improve it.

Japanese manufacturers progressed rapidly from building quirky oddball guitars during the ’60s to producing affordable copies of classic guitars that were surprisingly good during the early and mid ’70s and developing their own original models built with passion and pride in the late ’70s.

The vintage-guitar market rapidly blossomed as guitarists became more knowledgeable and discerning, and replacement pickup, body, neck and parts manufacturers offered convenient and affordable means for players to upgrade their instrument or even build one themselves.

For the most part, the only products that experienced dramatic drops in quality were guitars. Electronic gear like amps and effects improved in general, and most innovations in these areas were developed with players’ wants and needs predominantly in mind.

Rapid advancements in integrated circuit technology led to inexpensive, compact effects like flangers and analog delays, and amp designers finally accepted overdrive and distortion as qualities to embrace rather than eradicate.

Thanks to the abundance of guitar-dominated music that prevailed during the ’70s, gear from that era continues to hold a special place in the hearts of guitarists today. Here is a look at some of the finest examples along with a few admittedly flawed specimens that still manage to charm us after all these years.

Guitars

Major-Manufacturer Beauties and Blunders

Gibson’s age-old motto was “Only a Gibson is good enough,” but during the ’70s that seemed to change to, “It’s good enough, ship it anyway.” The downsides of the corporate takeover of the industry’s leading guitar companies during the ’60s went into full effect during the ’70s as shareholders and cost-cutting took precedence over players and quality.

Some factors were beyond the companies’ control, like the scarcity of Brazilian rosewood after Brazil ceased export of the tone wood in 1967, which caused the price to increase and supply to dwindle, making less-costly Indian rosewood a new standard tone wood.

But the big companies also tended not to leave well enough alone, making many design and construction changes that were often unnecessary, puzzling and unwelcome – features like multi-layered or patchwork multi-piece bodies that seemed to be as much glue as wood, overall weights that tipped the scales at 10 lbs. or more, low-quality or non-optimal electronics, cheap cast hardware, inferior tuners that slipped, heavily applied polyester finishes and so on.

Many bolt-on-neck Fenders suffered from haphazardly cut neck pockets with gaps that were large enough to easily slide a heavy gauge pick into. Gibson guitars often had useful features that guitarists generally didn’t want or understand, like neck volutes, the TP-6 stop tailpiece with fine tuners and the oversized “harmonica” bridge, which weren’t actually bad but were just different.

At the same time, a sort of if-you-can’t-beat-’em-join-’em mentality inspired Fender to offer guitars with humbuckers and Gibson to start producing instruments with bolt-on necks and 25 ½-inch scale lengths.

Meanwhile, Gretsch decided to completely change the design of every guitar they made, which ranged from the decent (the 7594 and 7593 White Falcons, the 7670 Country Gentleman) to the hideous (the Roc Jet, TK300 and Committee, which actually seemed to be designed by a committee).

But like the winner of an ugly-dog contest, many of these models have found loving homes today. Some designs, like the Gibson RD Artist and Fender Lead series, were ahead of their time or simply too different from the classics to make an impression on players with staunchly conservative tastes.

Although luminaries like Ted McCarty and Leo Fender had left Gibson and Fender, respectively, before the ’70s, talented, visionary inventors were still employed by these companies, like electronics whiz Bob Moog at Gibson and legendary pickup designer Seth Lover at Fender.

Rise of the Vintage Guitar Market

In collector vernacular, a vintage item is usually something that is at least 20 years old. The irony of the vintage guitar market is that when it started to gain momentum in the early ’70s, the most highly coveted electric guitar models from the Fifties were barely in their mid-teens and technically were “used” guitars.

But thanks to high-profile dealers like GTR and Gruhn Guitars in Nashville, Norman’s Rare Guitars in Los Angeles and Mandolin Brothers, Matt Umanov Guitars and We Buy Guitars in New York, as well as a growing number of smaller dealers across the United States, the word “vintage” that they used to market classic instruments resonated with guitarists (although does anybody today refer to instruments from the ’90s as vintage?).

Numerous factors influenced a growing demand for vintage guitars during the ’70s, but the main driving force was the comparative decline in quality of new instruments as described above.

Ian Hunter’s entertaining and illuminating book Diary of a Rock’n’Roll Star also helped spark the vintage guitar fire during the early ’70s through his accounts of roaming pawn shops across the U.S. in search of classic American guitars and oddities while on tour with Mott the Hoople.

Rick Nielsen played a similar outsize role in stimulating vintage hoarding lust during the late ’70s, appearing on stage with Cheap Trick with row upon row of dazzling vintage and custom guitars on stands perched in front of his amp stacks.

In fact, vintage guitars were a common sight for concert goers during the ’70s. Jimmy Page, Billy Gibbons, Joe Walsh, Joe Perry, Gary Rossington, Ronnie Montrose, Charlie Daniels and Gary Richrath were just a few of the main players who fanned the fire for flame-top 1958-60 Gibson Les Paul Standards.

Peter Frampton’s triple-humbucker 1954 Les Paul Custom, Neil Young’s “Old Black” and Jeff Beck’s “Oxblood” Les Pauls may have been heavily modified, but they inspired lust for black Gibsons. Clapton with his trusty Fifties “Brownie” and “Blackie” Strats and Rory Gallagher with his battered rosewood neck 1961 Strat helped make “pre-CBS” a household word with guitarists.

Although 1958-60 sunburst Les Paul Standards soared to prices starting at $2,000 and up during the ’70s, most classic Fender, Gibson and Gretsch guitars from the ’50s and ’60s, including Les Paul Specials and Juniors, SGs, non-reverse Firebirds, Strats, Teles, Jazzmasters, Jaguars, Duo-Jets and 6120s, cost about the same or even less than a comparable brand-new guitar.

Custom Competition

The less-than-stellar reputations of factory guitars from major manufacturers during the ’70s opened up an opportunity for a new breed of custom guitar builders who could provide a higher standard of quality for customers willing to spend a little more for an instrument.

B.C. Rich, Dean and Hamer were the most prominent and successful small companies that emerged during this time to fill that void. All three companies shared high standards of craftsmanship and attention to detail while also offering bold, aggressive designs that appealed to hard rock players.

Located in the greater Chicago area only a few hours drive from Gibson’s factory in Kalamazoo, Michigan, Hamer and Dean both built guitars that were essentially copies of Gibson’s Explorer (Hamer Standard/Dean Z) and Flying V (Hamer Vector/Dean V) models but using higher-quality materials.

Hamer also made the Sunburst model, which essentially was a double cutaway Les Paul with a flat top, while Dean also produced the ML and Cadillac, which were like a hybrid of an Explorer and a V or an Explorer and a Les Paul, respectively.

B.C. Rich offered original designs such as the Eagle, Mockingbird and Bich with features like neck-thru-body construction, built-in preamps and advanced switching options.

All three companies built instruments for an impressive roster of high-profile artists, and the exposure and ensuing demand helped them expand their offerings to include less expensive production models by the late ’70s.

Japanese Imports

A growing influx of affordable electric guitars built in Japan arrived in the United States where they were promptly welcomed by players looking for alternative instruments. Manufacturers like FujiGen Gakki, Matsumoku and Tokai Gakki gained a foothold by offering models that were copies of vintage and current Fender, Gibson and other popular American guitar models, sold under various brand names like Aria, Ibanez and Tokai.

The irony was that some of these companies like Matsumoku were also making budget models for American brands like Epiphone at the same time, which were not as highly regarded as their copy models.

Ibanez was the biggest success story of this development. The quality of Ibanez-brand copies increased each year as their craftsmen meticulously studied every fine detail of vintage examples. Fujigen’s Les Paul copies quickly progressed from clunky bolt-on neck designs to set-in necks with long tenons like Gibson made during the ’50s.

Ibanez’s mid-’70s “korina” trio (actually made from Japanese Sen and finished with yellow hue that resembled korina) of Destroyer (Explorer), Rocket Roll Sr. (Flying V) and Future (their rendition of the mythical Moderne) looked cool, played well and sounded great, and – best of all – cost about the same as Gibson’s homely entry-level models.

These Japanese copies had gotten so good that the American companies pushed back by filing copyright infringement lawsuits, but Ibanez in particular was already one step ahead of them and was transitioning to their own original models by then. Ibanez’s Artist, Iceman and Musician models produced during the late ’70s were quite impressive thanks to all the knowhow they absorbed from studying the classics.

Acoustic Avenues

Although the C.F. Martin guitar company did not get snapped up by corporate ownership like most other large guitar companies during this era, they also experienced similar lapses in quality control during the ’70s.

More than any other company, Martin suffered the most when Brazil stopped exporting Brazilian rosewood in 1967 and they were forced to transition to Indian rosewood by 1969 when their supply ran out. However, the change to Indian rosewood was less of a problem than the increasingly heavy-handed building processes that Martin was using at the time.

Martin’s management determined that they were losing too much money from warranty claims, so they began building guitars with thicker braces and tops, heavier, more durable finishes and clunky necks.

The guitars were so overbuilt that you could probably use them as baseball bats without damaging them, but the sound quality was adversely affected. Just like with the electric guitar market, this led to increased interest in vintage Martins as well as an influx of low-cost Japanese copies.

Takamine made a huge splash with low-priced copies of Martin’s D-18 and D-28 dreadnoughts, and Alvarez-Yairi made higher-end copies for players who didn’t mind spending a little more. Yamaha also increased its market share significantly during this time thanks to aggressive distribution efforts.

It wasn’t all bad news for American-made acoustics though. Guild continued to make good instruments throughout the decade, and their 12-string models from the ’70s in particular are highly regarded.

Ovation introduced its first models during the ’60s, but the brand truly came to prominence during the ’70s as Ovation and their offshoot Adamas brand acoustic-electrics became common fixtures on concert stages.

Parts Is Parts

If you couldn’t afford a custom guitar from Hamer or B.C. Rich and didn’t want a Japanese import, another appealing alternative for guitarists was to build their own instruments using pre-made bodies and necks and upgraded replacement parts that had started appearing on the market.

This approach got a huge boost when Eddie Van Halen burst onto the scene in 1978 playing a black and white striped custom Strat that he cobbled together from scrapped parts and a neck and body that cost him less than $200. Boogie Bodies, Charvel, DiMarzio and Schecter were the leading sources for DIY guitar builders who wanted to make their own custom hot rods or upgrade their factory instruments.

Amps

High-Gain Heroes

Randall Smith’s Mesa Boogie amps featuring a revolutionary cascaded high-gain preamp design forever changed the guitar amp industry. The Mesa Boogie Mark I amp introduced during the early ’70s gave guitarists greatly expanded control of overdrive and saturation over a wide range of volume levels ideal for small venues and recording studios to large concert stages.

The tones of the Mark I were thick, luscious and sweet, providing a vast tonal palette, thanks to its reactive tone controls and optional 5-band graphic EQ and delivering a musical expressiveness that slayed the competition. The Mark II model introduced during the late ’70s was the first production amp to offer channel switching, paving the path for today’s multi-channel high-gain amps.

Master of Volume

By the dawn of the ’70s, Marshall’s 50- and 100-watt heads had become the standard for distorted hard rock guitar tone. The problem was that these amps could only achieve those desirable tones with the volume turned up to excruciating levels.

The introduction of the 100-watt Marshall 2203 and 50-watt Marshall 2204 heads featuring master volume controls provided a very attractive solution to this dilemma.

Although the quality of the distorted tone wasn’t quite the same as that of a fully cranked non-master volume Marshall, it still sounded very good and some players even preferred it. Hard rock got a lot crunchier and grittier during the late ’70s, and these Marshall master volume amps played a big role in that.

Solid-State Survivors

Solid-state amps had a bad reputation during the ’70s mainly due to the failures of early models developed by Fender, Standel and a few other companies during the ’60s. However, amp engineers persevered and by the ’70s a variety of solid-state amps that actually sounded good made their way to the market.

Standouts from this period include Gibson/Norlin’s Lab Series, which Dan Pearce designed with help from synth pioneer Bob Moog (who also developed the active electronics for Gibson’s RD guitars and various Maestro pedals). A Lab Series L5 became B.B. King’s amp of choice from the late ’70s though the end of his career, and a Lab Series was Elliot Easton’s main amp on the Cars’ debut album.

The Roland JC-120 came out in 1975 and still remains in production today. Its crystalline clean tone and hypnotic “stereo” chorus effects set a standard for solid-state tone that no competitor has ever really matched. Another noteworthy solid-state amp from the ’70s is the Acoustic 270, which was used by Frank Zappa and Pete Townshend.

Pignose 7-100

Although walls of stacked amplifiers ruled the concert stage during the ’70s, many guitarists used much smaller amps in the recording studio. One favorite secret weapon during this period was the tiny Pignose 7-100, powered by six AA batteries and delivering five watts of output to its five-inch speaker.

The Pignose can be heard on classic tunes that include Joe Walsh’s Rocky Mountain Way and Eric Clapton’s Motherless Children, and Michael Schenker prominently used a Pignose to record crunchy rhythm tracks and brassy, horn-like lead tones on several of UFO’s late-’70s albums.

Effects

Pedal Mania

Some cool stuff was happening during the ’70s in guitar and amp design, but the real action was taking place in the realm of stomp box effects.

Whereas pedal effects during the ’60s were mostly limited to fuzz boxes, treble boosters, wah pedals and the Uni-Vibe, a vast new range of effects became available during the ’70s, including phase shifters, flangers, chorus, analog delay, compression, EQ, envelope filters, octave dividers, ring modulators and more.

Dozens of new companies dedicated to building effects devices were established during this period, which greatly expanded the growth of the musical instrument industry.

Leading companies from this period included Coloursound, DOD, Electro-Harmonix, Foxx, Ibanez, Maestro, Morley, Mu-Tron, MXR, Roland/Boss, Ross, Seamoon-A/DA and Tycobrahe.

There are too many standouts to list completely here, but products of note include distortion boxes like the EHX Big Muff Pi and MXR Distortion +, early flangers (A/DA, MXR and EHX Electric Mistress), the Mu-Tron III envelope filter and mammoth Bi-Phase, the Boss CE-1 and CE-2 Chorus and the first Boss compact pedals (OD-1 Overdrive, PH-1 Phaser and SP-1 Spectrum), the MXR Phase 90 and Dyna Comp, Foxx Tone Machine... too much good stuff.

Talk Ain’t Cheap

Any discussion of guitar effects during the ’70s would be remiss to omit the talk box. The sound of guitarists bleating and barfing through their talk box tubes was heard on countless hits during this era, from Joe Walsh’s Rocky Mountain Way in 1973 through Jeff Beck’s She’s a Woman, Frampton Comes Alive!, Aerosmith’s Sweet Emotion and Nazareth’s Hair of the Dog in the mid ’70s, full circle to Joe Walsh with the Eagles on Those Shoes in 1979.

Devices like Kustom’s “The Bag,” the Heil Talk Box, Dean Markley Voice Box and Electro-Harmonix Golden Throat made this effect accessible to the masses, but it didn’t really catch on beyond professional stages and studios due to the complex setup and requisite commitment.

Tape Echo

Stand-alone tape echo units were available throughout the ’60s, but the effect really didn’t catch on until the ’70s as the capabilities of units produced then had greatly expanded. The game-changer was the Maestro EP-3 Echoplex, a solid-state unit that offered a sound-on-sound mode that provided cool looping and layering effects, such as the effects created by Brian May on Queen’s Brighton Rock. The EP-3 was relatively road-worthy and reliable, and soon it became a fixture in many performing guitarists’ rigs.

Roland offered worthy competition to the Echoplex with its Space Echo series tape delay units. Many players found the sound quality of the Space Echo delay effects more refined and polished, and Space Echo models with built-in reverb became a de rigueur studio tool for dub producers in Jamaica. The Space Echo can also create trippy psychedelic pitch bend effects when the speed control is manipulated.

EBow

In 1976 Heet Sound introduced the EBow, an unusual hand-held magnetic string driver that produces infinite string vibration (at least until the battery wears down or the user’s wrist goes numb) to mimic bowed strings, horns, woodwinds, synths, elephants, seagulls and angry wives.

In some ways it’s an instrument all unto itself, which explains why Heet Sound never stopped making the things. The EBow is a cheap, fun and creatively inspiring device – something that all guitarists can use more often than not. Buck Dharma used one on (Don’t Fear) The Reaper, and you really can’t get more ’70s than that without a mustache and white satin jumpsuit.

Accessories

Replacement Pickups

One of guitarists’ biggest beefs about guitars made by Fender and Gibson during the ’70s was that the pickups either didn’t have the sonic richness and expressiveness of vintage pickups or the output was too weak.

DiMarzio was one of the first companies to address this concern by offering their vintage-voiced PAF and high-output Super Distortion humbuckers and Fat Strat, SDS-1 and Pre-BS Tele single coils. Seymour Duncan made pickups for Mighty Mite before setting up shop under his own name, and Bill Lawrence made pickups that were used by Joe Perry and Brad Whitford with Aerosmith.

Red Rhodes’ Velvet Hammer pickups also enjoyed a devoted cult following. These pickups offered an inexpensive and effective means for significantly improving a guitar’s tone, something guitarists truly needed during the ’70s.

Strobe Tuners

In this day and age where one can download a chromatic tuner for free as a phone app, it’s hard to imagine how guitarists coped with primitive devices like tuning forks and pitch pipes to tune their instruments. Strobe tuners existed before the ’70s, but they were bulky, expensive tube-driven beasts that weren’t especially convenient for bands playing at Mom’s Beer and Boobs Emporium.

Compact strobe tuners like the Conn StroboTuner ST-11 and Peterson Model 420 (heyyy, maaaan!) may have still been a bit too costly for the average garage band, but they quickly proliferated in recording studios and touring rigs, paving the way for affordable tuners that emerged during the ’80s.

Randall Smith’s first foray into guitar amp building began as something of a prank. When repairing amps at the back of his San Francisco music store in the late 1960s, Randall was commissioned to hot-rod an unassuming Fender Princeton combo, turning it into a 100-watt wolf in sheep’s clothing, guaranteed to give its owner a fright to remember.

But before the amp reached its new owner, a passing Carlos Santana was persuaded to try it out, reluctantly at first, but on the assurance that this was no ordinary Princeton.

His oft-quoted reaction was: “Man, that amp really boogies!” Many ‘Princeton Boogies’ would follow, leading to Randall creating his own Boogie Mark I in 1972. By now, Santana and The Stones were enthusiastic users and this, along with the undeniable quality of the amps, helped establish a reputation that still goes from strength to strength today.

Since 1980, all Mesa products have been made in Petaluma, California. This includes the famous Dual/Triple Rectifiers and the Mark Series, of which the Mark VII incorporates many notable features. In fact, you could say this is a ‘greatest hits’ of the Mark Series, all rolled into one amp.

To say an amp can achieve any sound may seem a rash claim, but we’d wager you won’t get closer to that possibility than with the Mark VII. There are three channels, each with three modes, three-way switchable output power and Mesa’s own discrete spring reverb control.

Each also has its own four-band EQ (Bass, Mid, Treble, Presence) and can be routed through the onboard Graphic EQ – or not, as you prefer.

There’s even a choice of several excellent cab IRs (Mesa’s own CabClone IR interface is built-in) for recording, DI or silent headphone practice. We can attest that these sound as good as any we’ve heard, and you can assign a different IR to each channel if you wish.

Sounds

As you might expect, there’s the facility for crystal cleans up to ultra-high gain, with thousands of possibilities in between, all delivered with impeccable focus and clarity. The detailed instruction manual is very helpful, too, and gives some excellent advice on how to get the best from the Mark VII, which can also be applied to dialling in many other amps. Next, then, let’s examine those three channels…

Channel 1, with its Clean, Fat and Crunch Modes, is where the clean to medium-gain tones live. The most sparkly/tight tones are achieved with the gain set below 11 o’clock, warming up a little at two o’clock.

Moving beyond this warms and loosens things up further, and adds low-end. On gainier tones, keeping the bass set low and adding in extra lows with the Graphic EQ at the end of the signal chain is a great way to keep the bottom-end tight.

Switching to Fat mode gives us fuller bass and mids, a bit like turning off a bright switch. There’s more potential to gently drive for ‘pushed’ sounds that retain every note of a chord. Humbuckers prefer less bass in this mode, which is to be expected; Crunch takes us a step further. With the gain between 12 and two o’clock, there is what Mesa calls “classic British territory where chords break up more smoothly and evenly, yet with urgency”. We’d concur!

Below the Mode switch we have another, offering the option to auto select/disable the Graphic EQ when using the (included) footswitch. Squeezed below this is the three-way Power Select switch, offering a choice between the full 90-watt Simul-Class, 45-watt Class A pentode or 25-watt Class A triode, which uses only two of the four 6L6 power amp valves. Each has its own sound, with the tightest/boldest being the 90-watt.

Moving to Channel 2, the controls here are identical to Channel 1, except for the three modes: Fat, Crunch and the brand-new Mark VII mode. The Fat and Crunch modes function identically to Channel 1, with this duplication meaning you don’t have to choose either/or.

However, the Mark VII mode is where we first hear Mesa’s latest version of its signature focused high-gain loveliness. From a “Brit-style colour” with the Gain set between 10 o’clock and 11:30, to a hybrid between the previous Mark Series and more British-sounding circuits such as the Triple Crown, this mode has more pronounced mids and sounds great without the Graphic EQ, perhaps leaving it free for the other channels.

Once again, Channel 3 has a full complement of EQ, Reverb and power modes, but this channel brings the Mark IIB, Mark IIC and Mark IV modes. The Mark IIB mode is the least saturated, giving what Mesa calls ‘Turbo-Traditional’ sounds, preserving the character of your guitar, rather than all-out heavy drive.

The Mark IIC mode is more saturated, as the Treble Shift function of the Mark II+ is duplicated, giving us that sound, which has characterised so much great rock music. The Mark IV mode notches this up a step further, with thicker gain and more low-end. Though this does excel at the heavier tones, there are quite a few tasty lower gain tones in there as well.

Verdict

If you’re paying $3,799/£4,199, you would rightly expect an incredible amp, and we’d certainly say that is true of this latest Mark VII. It can genuinely hold its own in any genre, with an amazing amount of projection, spread and thump from such an unassuming looking 1x12 cab. Obviously, there are options to hook up to extension cabs, but we really didn’t feel the need.

Yes, there are a lot of controls/options, but the basic tones are fantastic and there is plenty of helpful, practical advice in the manual. In this era of quiet stages and portable multi-effects, some might say the era of the valve amp is waning.

But with tones of this calibre available without having to scroll through a single menu, on top of the ability to connect via USB and use top-quality IRs, we’d say that’s not going to be happening just yet: the direct tones stand up to market-leading amp modellers with their heads held high.

You couldn’t really put the Mark VII in the hold of a plane, but it does comfortably fit in any car. At 26.4kg (58lb), however, you won’t want to carry it long distances, but it’s not much heavier than a Blues DeVille and does come with heavy-duty castors.

For international travel, then, we might go for the rackmount version, but as a stage/studio amp in any other scenario, it’s hard to imagine why you wouldn’t want one.

Specs

• PRICE: $3,799 / £4,199
• ORIGIN: USA
• TYPE: 1x12 multi-function combo amp
• VALVES: 5x 12AX7, 4x 6L6 (or 4x EL34 using bias switch)
• OUTPUT: 90W (45W or 25W via power switches)
• DIMENSIONS: 476 (w) x 292 (d) x 463mm (h)
• WEIGHT (kg/lb): 26.4/58
• CABINET: Marine-grade Baltic birch
• CHANNELS: 3, with 3x preamp/power amp modes on each
• CONTROLS: Bass, Mid, Treble, Presence, Gain, Volume, 3x Reverb, plus extra modes and switchable Graphic EQ
• FOOTSWITCH: Included, controls channels plus reverb, loop and EQ
• ADDITIONAL FEATURES: The Mark VII has an effects loop and is compatible with MIDI footswitching devices for further versatility on the fly
• OPTIONS: Custom cabinet finishes, EL34 or 6L6 power option
• RANGE OPTIONS: Head and Rackmount Head also available, both £3,849
• CONTACT: Mesa/Boogie

2024 marks the 40th anniversary of Mesa/Boogie and John Petrucci’s professional partnership, and to celebrate, the two have unveiled the JP-2C 1x12 combo.

Though it might look rather unassuming (save Petrucci’s signature embossed on a metal plate attached to the bottom of the guitar amp’s grille cloth) this particular Mesa/Boogie invention was crafted by legendary amp designer Randall Smith for a specific purpose.

Namely, it was crafted to provide “the most aggressive, purest sounding IIC+ in a versatile package that delivers the goods to meet John’s recording and stage needs”.

The Mesa/Boogie IIC+ is a pretty historic amplifier, and has been used throughout the decades to help craft rock and metal’s holy grail tones. James Hetfield, Steve Lukather and Prince can all be counted as fans.

So, an updated version that looks to improve upon that already rock-solid foundation – and that has Petrucci’s personal seal of approval – looks very enticing indeed.

The JP-2C 1x12 follows Petrucci’s JP-2C amp head, and as such also looks to package the latter’s feature set into a conveniently sized, but appropriately loud, combo that simultaneously aims to take the IIC+ design to new heights.

On paper, that means lashings of headroom, plenty of parameters to fine-tune tone, suitable JP-style tweaks, and a faithful homage to the legendary 100-watt IIC+’s sounds are the order of business.

Rather than having multiple voices per channel, the JP-2C instead dedicates each of its three channels to one of two voices from the original IIC+. The first channel, for example, is for cleans, and is optimized to provide the highest headroom possible.

The second offers the crunch of the original Mark IIC+ circuit by replicating the amp’s lead circuit in its original state, while the third is all about “high gain sustain and explosive attack”.

These latter two channels also offer an additional Shred mode, which bolsters the lead circuit of the source material to make good on that ‘most aggressive IIC+ ever made’ claim.

There are also modified pull pots on the Gain and Presence controls, which further updates the IIC+ blueprint. Now, the pull functions have been optimized based on the opinions of “savvy MARK IIC+ aficionados, artists, and the MESA Design Team”.

The tweak comes from Mesa/Boogie’s desire to strip things down to “the bare essentials”, deciding instead to focus solely on delivering the desired tone in the simplest and most intuitive ways possible.

Other updates include the presence of Mesa/Boogie’s modern-minded CabClone DI cab simulator and recording interface; a footswitchable, channel independent reverb function; and= FX loop; and two five-band graphic EQs.

It’s also MIDI programmable to change EQ settings, for example, and retains the original's usability with the classic 100W/60W mode switch.

So, it looks to be very much a modern reimagining of the cult classic Mark IIC+, and that was something Petrucci was especially keen to achieve.

“The goal was to build an amp that covers everything while honoring the heritage of its iconic Mark IIC+ predecessor,” Trooch says of the design.

“It offers three channels of authentic Mark IIC+ tones and also includes updated features like Dual Graphic EQs, MIDI, and a CabClone Direct Out that make it the ultimate amplifier for today’s guitarists in any situation.

“The new JP-2C 1x12 Combo incorporates all the features of my JP~2C Head into the classic 1x12 Boogie Combo format. They’re great for gigging because they’re versatile, loud, and powerful.”

The JP-2C will be available in limited numbers for $4,299 apiece.

Head over to Mesa/Boogie to find out more.

No single product played a bigger role in defining the sound of rock in the Nineties than the Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier guitar amp. The great irony of this is that the Dual Rectifier was originally conceived to satisfy the demands of metal and hard rock guitarists during the late Eighties, when the high-gain amplifier wars went into overdrive.

Faced with increasing competition from companies like Soldano and a growing legion of techs who shifted from modifying amps to offering their own boutique models, Mesa started work on the Dual Rectifier in 1989, developing two distinct prototype circuits (Revisions A and B) before settling upon the Revision C circuit and officially introducing the Dual Rectifier in February 1992.

“It took us longer than we wanted to bring the Dual Rectifier to market because we kept working on it,” said Mesa/Boogie R&D Director Doug West. “We were originally shooting for the late-Eighties hair metal crowd, but by the time we finished it, the grunge era began. 

“We thought we were too late, but our timing turned out to be pretty good after all. The Rectifier Series became much more popular than we ever dreamed it would be, especially with the dramatic shift in music. From 1993 to 2004 those amps were over half of our business.”

The Dual Rectifier’s name originated from the amp’s use of tube and silicon diode/solid-state power amp rectification to provide a choice of a modern, tight, fast attack (diode) or a smoother, vintage-style attack and sag (tube) via a Rectifier Select switch. 

The original Dual Rectifier, produced from 1992 through 2000, was a 100-watt head with two switchable channels and three voices (Clean, Orange/Crunch, Red/Distortion). 

Other notable features included a Bias Select switch (for swapping 6L6 and EL34 tubes), Bold/Spongy (Variac) switch and a Channel Cloning switch that makes the two channels closely resemble each other. Initial production models from 1992-94 have a series effects loop, which switched to a parallel effects loop with Revision G in 1994.

There’s not enough space to go into the finer details of Revisions C, D, E, F and G, but numerous online resources are available for those who care to dig deeper. 

Dedicated legions of fans support one revision or another, but if you’re interested in an earlier revision it’s best to try it yourself, as one player’s warmth is another’s mud and so on. 

The Rev G model’s massive, tight low end, throaty mids and super-saturated gain generally define what is now known as the Dual Rectifier’s signature sound, as it was the version most commonly heard on a wide variety of records during the late Nineties.

The Dual Rectifier’s popularity inspired a family of related products that included the Triple Rectifier (which did not have three rectifiers, but offered 150 watts of output), Single Rectifier, Trem-O-Verb, Rect-O-Verb, and Maverick. In 2000, Mesa shifted to a three-channel version of the Dual Rectifier with vastly improved clean tones, and that variant remains in production today.

A vast majority of Nineties rock bands of various genres used Dual Rectifier amps or Dual Rectifier-family amps. This includes grunge bands like Alice In Chains and Soundgarden, alternative bands like Bush, Everclear, Foo Fighters, Primus, and 311, metal bands like Metallica, Nevermore, Rammstein, and Tool, punk bands like Bad Religion, Blink-182, and Sublime, and nü-metal bands like Incubus, Korn, Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park, and Sepultura.

Suffice to say, if your band plays Nineties covers and you still prefer to use a real amp, you need to have a Dual Rectifier in your rig.

Suggested settings

Nineties Metal Rhythm: 

Red channel (2) Master: 4, Presence: 4. Bass: 5, Mid: 3, Treble: 6 Gain: 7 Bold/Spongy switch: Bold Rectifier switch: Silicon Diode (6L6 tubes recommended for tighter, brighter tone)

Modern Blues Rock: Orange channel (1), Master: 4, Presence: 2, Bass: 6, Mid: 6, Treble: 4, Gain: 3.5 Orange Channel Gain switch: Variable High Gain; Rectifier switch: Tube

Gibson has expanded its burgeoning tube amp line with the 2x10 Dual Falcon 20 combo – an all-new design built in collaboration with the Mesa/Boogie Design Team.

The firm first announced the revival of the Gibson Amps line back in January, unveiling the Falcon 20 1x12 and Falcon 5 1x10 combos. The drop rebooted the brand’s now-cult classic Falcon tube amp, which was only in production for one year in 1961.

At the time of the drop, Gibson’s Dinesh Lekhraj announced, “Gibson is back in the amp business” – and now the company has built on its strong start with a bolstered two-channel Falcon 20 that expands on the existing 1x12 format.

Aesthetically, it fits seamlessly into the Falcon range, with a Cream Bronco Vinyl, Oxblood Grille and fancy Gibson-branded carry handle.

But this time out, two independent channels are utilized. These are treated to an expanded control layout, which boasts Volume, Reverb, and one-size-fits-all Tone parameters (the latter of which covers bass to treble territory) for each input. 

To flick between those two channels, there’s a toggle switch on the polished stainless steel control panel. Two further toggles that move between Full, Half and Low modes are present for multi-watt operation. In practice, Full is 15 watts, Half is six watts, and Low is around two watts.

Again, built-in effects have been added: the tube-driven reverb is joined by a tremolo, which can be sculpted by dedicated Depth and Frequency knobs. Both are footswitchable, and Gibson has thrown in an accompanying effects footswitch that can also navigate the channels.

Under the hood, the Dual Falcon 20 features a pair of 6L6 power tubes (with two optional 6V6 tubes) as well as a quartet of 12AX7 preamp tubes. Two 10” Jensen Blackbird 40 speakers are also drafted in to the spec sheet.

It’s a clear statement of intent from Gibson: the firm is serious about clawing its way into the amp market, and the fact it's already got a 2x10” under its belt is telling of the direction the firm is taking its Falcon range. 

Indeed, we were impressed with Gibson’s efforts with the initial drop, and this has merely cemented our first impressions.

As Gibson explains, “While inspired by the Gibson Falcon amps from the 1960s, this all-new design from renowned amp pioneer Randall Smith and the Mesa/Boogie Design Team is handcrafted in Petaluma, California, and sets a new bar in low-power tone.

“With its modern refinements, high-end performance, and boutique construction, this bona fide bird can’t wait to elevate Gibson amplifiers to the stature they’ve always deserved, right alongside Gibson’s finest stringed instruments.”

So, what’s next for Gibson’s amp range? Could a head be next? Well, that’d certainly be a Falcon first, but we wouldn't be surprised: Gibson clearly means business.

And, again, probably thanks to Mesa’s economies of scale, the Dual Falcon 20 2x10 is competitively priced at $2,199.

Visit Gibson to find out more.

When Gibson launched its Master Artisan Series of electric guitars in 2022 with an extremely limited run of Leo Scala-designed Flying Vs, it kickstarted a series that has seen the firm go on to celebrate a couple of its standout luthiers. 

Since that initial drop, more ultra-exclusive Leo Scala creations have extended the range to include a Les Paul, SG, and Theodore, while Gibson’s in-house artisan master Rickie Hinrichsen has also delivered three Les Pauls and an amp to the series.

Now, Hinrichsen is back with an even bigger collection of one-of-a-kind bespoke builds, which are quite unlike any other Gibson Custom Shop guitars we've come across.

Growing up in a small Nebraskan town, Hinrichsen is described by Gibson as “the kid in school who was always drawing”.  He started his life at Gibson as a binder and soon forged a formidable reputation for his carving skill, before eventually becoming the Custom Shop’s in-house artist.

His second collection for the Master Artisan Series has produced “museum-grade works of art” that, despite their fastidious craft, are fully functional. 

“These guitars are all playable,” says Hinrichsen. “Whether they’ll get played or not, I don’t know, but there is good mojo in them from start to finish. There is nothing in these guitars that isn’t made from pure joy. I hope they’ll bring joy to their new owners, too.”

Gibson Henna 1 Guitar & Amp Set

First up is the already-sold Henna 1 guitar and amp set. Inspired by the Middle Eastern Mehndi designs used in henna art, the visuals are literally wood burnt into the guitar – in this case, a Les Paul Custom – and its accompanying tweed amp, for a finish that can be seen and felt in equal measure. 

The Les Paul features a mahogany body and neck, and a maple top. It boasts Custombuckers, brushed chrome hardware, Grover tuners with Tulip buttons, and zebra wood knobs. 

The Mesa/Boogie California Tweed 4:40 Head and 1x12 23” cabinet look equally classy, with wicker cane grilles and wood-burned artwork.

Gibson Psychedelic Art 2 Les Paul Custom

The collection's second Les Paul Custom journeys down a far more psychedelic path. Its vivid hand-painted hardware and mahogany body pairs a maple top with a mahogany modern medium C-profile neck and ebony fretboard, atop which the body's design continues, painted over its mother of pearl inlays.

It again features Custombucker humbucker pickups and Grover tuners, with painted-over kidney buttons. Hinrichsen has left no stone unturned with this design, even going so far as to string up yellow strings to better blend in with his magic mushroom visage.    

Gibson Mayan Mosaic 1958 Korina Explorer

Moving on, a 1958 Custom Shop Korina Explorer is given a Mayan flourish with its hand-painted finish, designed to look like mosaic tiles, standing as a tribute to the Mesoamerican style of the Mayan civilization. 

Brushed gold hardware, as well as true historic black control knobs, jut out against the bright and bold design. There are no covers for its Custombuckers, with Hinrichsen instead painting over its coils.  

Gibson Old West 1 Les Paul Custom

Another Les Paul Custom, this one tips its hats to the “rough and tumble days” of the Wild West. It again comprises a mahogany one-two for its body and neck, with its rootin' tootin' design carved into its top, which is given a tung oil finish. 

The maple fretboard continues the design, which is burnt into the wood, conveying a stagecoach robbery motif that spans across its frets. 

It offers one pickup in the bridge – a black dogear P-90 pickup with gold screws – with gold hardware and maple top hat knobs serving as the final touches of in-spurr-ation for this sharpshooter LP. 

Gibson Mediterranean Mosaic 1958 Korina Flying V

Last but not least is another Mosaic-inspired design, which takes its cues from the Mediterranean. A 1958 korina-bodied flying V featuring a korina neck with a '50s vintage neck profile and Indian rosewood fretboard, its aesthetics come via a combination of carving and painting from Hinrichsen's hands. 

Like the Explorer, brushed gold hardware and true historic black control knobs accentuate the light blue, black, and white mosaic artwork, with Custombuckers once again serving as the pickups of choice. 

All the guitars feature vintage taper potentiometers and “phone book” tone capacitors, and come with a hardshell case and Certificate of Authenticity. A custom strap is also included to further each instrument's unique design.  

No prices for the guitars have been listed, but we imagine they'll each set you back a pretty penny. After all, you'd be hard pressed to find a catalog of guitars that rivals this one for sheer aesthetic ambition. 

For ordering information for one of these one-time builds, interested readers can call Gibson's Nashville guitar garage at +1 (615) 933-6000.  

To learn more about these intricate releases, head on over to Gibson. 

IK Multimedia has created captures of five classic Mesa amps for a total of 70 tone models for its TONEX Pedal, including an exact recreation of Carlos Santana’s original Budokan Mark I amp.

The Mesa/Boogie Reference Signature Collection continues a near-decade-long partnership between IK Multimedia and Mesa with a major update to its TONEX modeler.

The five amps have been fine-tuned by Mesa’s in-house tone wizard, Doug West, and recording engineer Sean Beresford. They include a 1984 Boogie Mark IIC+ and a Boogie Limited Edition King Snake, which is a careful recreation of Santana’s Budokan. There are also three amps from the early '90s, a Boogie Mark IV, and two-channel Mesa Engineering Dual and Triple Rectifiers.

The quintet of amps celebrates five decades of Mesa’s tone sculpting history and has been “carefully preserved” in Mesa’s Tone Lab. The resulting reference amps, Mesa says, serve a dual purpose in preserving their legacy as well as providing “insights to shape future designs and guide Mesa forward”.

The 70 tone models are split between the five amps, with 46 captured with cabinet and 24 without. The cabs used were a 4x12 Slope and a 1x12 Widebody Extension.

These cabinets have been used by West for decades, offering a ‘broken-in’ and touch-sensitive playing experience. The King Snake combo, meanwhile, is loaded with a Jenson Blackbird 100 Alnico speaker. That gives it a warm, singing quality when cranked.

The captures took place at IK’s modeling-tailored studio in Northern California, where its acoustics have been engineered for precision tone capturing. Cutting-edge AI machine modeling technology was also used during the process.

The resulting collection is compatible with all TONEX incarnations, including the TONEX CS plugin and TONEX app. IK Multimedia has strived to make the loading of these new captures as easy as possible, priming players for Mesa-flavored live performances.

Of the amps selected for the collection, the King Snake (12 tone models: eight with cab, four without) is an exact recreation of the Mesa/Boogie amp Carlos Santana Mark I toured with in the early '70s. Limited to 600 models, it was designed to be a single-channel “monster”, producing the Latin rock tones that are quintessentially Santana’s.

The versatile Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ (14 tone models: nine with cab, five without) is revered by rock and metal guitarists. It’s featured on records by Metallica, Toto, and Dream Theater.

Of the early '90s amps, the Boogie Mark IV (10 tone models: seven with cab, three without) offers a thicker lead tone than the Mark IIC+ and has inspired a raft of amplifiers in its wake.

The Dual Rectifier (nine tone models: six with cab, three without) is synonymous with intense high gains and has been favored by Metallica and Tool, whilst the authoritative Triple Rectifier (25 tone models: 16 with cab, nine without) is all about delivering a tight low-end and harmonically rich overdrive.

IK Multimedia, from the small town of Modena in Northern Italy – the sports car capital of the world and the birthplace of balsamic vinegar – is continuing the town's legacy for innovation. It’s been dedicated to the digitization of classic analog equipment since 1996.

Since then, IK has worked alongside Fender, Gallien-Krueger, Seymour Duncan, and Orange, among others in its time. It's also collaborated with the likes of Joe Satriani and Slash, who features on the psychedelic-tinged new single from The Dandy Warhols.

For Mesa, the release follows in the wake of its role in the resurrection of Gibson Amps. The Falcon 20 and Falcon 5, which channel Gibson's classic '60s builds, were hand-built under the stewardship of Mesa/Boogie founder Randall Smith. 

The Mesa/Boogie Reference Signature Collection is available now and priced at $99.99.

For more information, head to IK Multimedia.

A new landing page on the Gibson website suggests that Gibson amps are making a comeback, 57 years since production ended. The page features a photo of the corner of a cream-colored, Tolex covered amp and bold lettering which asks: “Ready for flight?”

The message is accompanied by a mailing list sign-up and the caption: “Stay tuned. Sign up for launch.”

Squint at the shadowy amp image, and you can just about make out a name, Falcon 20, a frequency dial and what appears to be a three-way toggle for full, half and low control parameters. It looks to be the younger brother of the original Gibson Falcon tube amp – or the GA-19RVT, to use its Sunday name – which has gained something of a cult status despite only being in production for one year, in 1961. 

This is a story of several chapters, which follows on from Gibson CEO Cesar Gueikian’s suggestion back in 2021 that Gibson Amps will be making its comeback. The return, which comes nearly six decades after its last amps were produced, is seemingly aided by Gibson’s acquisition of acclaimed amp-maker Mesa/Boogie that same year.

Known as the original “boutique” amp company, Mesa/Boogie was founded 51 years ago by Randy Smith, who went on to create many of the groundbreaking circuits and designs, including the now commonplace concept of high-gain amps, that have defined the Mesa catalog over the years.

Mesa amps, including the iconic Dual Rectifier, have been played by a glittering array. To name a few, Santana, Bootsy Collins, Bruce Springsteen and Dave Grohl have all plugged into a Mesa amp at some point.

Then there was the "unbelievable" discovery of “the entire Gibson Brands amplifier and effects archive from 1936-1969”. Reported back in August, a raft of blueprints, schematics and original manuals for Gibson guitar amps and effects pedals were spotted for sale on eBay. Promptly snapped back up by the firm, all these factors conspired to lay the foundations for the return of Gibson amps.  

Speaking exclusively to Guitar World back in 2021, Gueikian highlighted how its acquisition of Mesa/Boogie helped fill the void that Gibson Amps had left. He said: “We were thinking about what would be next and we’ve always been about helping to shape and inspire sound. We had the guitars, but what would really make a complementary experience would be plugging those guitars into something.

“We don’t have Gibson amps today, so we started thinking about who is the best out there – not just in terms of their brand, but also like-minded in terms of leveraging the iconic past and leaning into the innovative future.

“We could have started the process of making amplifiers on our own, but if we dared to dream, [as] are American-made and played by the world, which would be the company we would want to associate ourselves with. It could only be Mesa/Boogie, with no doubt.”

Gibson first started building amps in 1935, but these were ultimately axed in 1967 as it focused on its guitar manufacturing instead. Therefore, with Mesa/Boogie’s Randall Smith at the helm of the new project, could Gibson’s latest era of amp building breed more successful results and emulate the dual-pronged success of rivals, Fender?

For those intrigued, you can check out Gibson’s teasing landing page to sign up for updates.

It's rumored that Mesa Boogie’s new Mark VII may be the last Mark Series amp designed by the company’s founder, Randall Smith (although we’re given assurance it’s not his last Mesa, Boogie or new Gibson design). If so, it’s a crowning achievement for a man who played a significant role in many of the most beloved guitar tones and modern amp features of the last five decades. 

In the spirit of the very first Mesa Boogie amp, which delivered a revolutionary new high-gain preamp that signified the dawn of the modern guitar amp (along with the performance of a 100-watt stack packed into a small Fender Princeton combo), the Mark VII’s compact 19-inch, 40-pound chassis is loaded with an unfathomable variety of features and first-class tones – so many that I’m going to cut to the chase to cover as many of them as this space allows.

Features 

The basic layout of the Mark VII is not much different than that of its Mark V predecessor introduced 14 years ago, with its control panel divided into three independent channels each with its own treble, mid, bass, presence, gain and master knobs and three mini switches for selecting voicing modes, graphic EQ assignment and 90/45/25-watt Simul-Class power amp output.

In fact, the front panel’s control layout is slightly more simplified, streamlined and intuitive than the Mark V’s with fewer switches and knobs, but the Mark VII still delivers incredibly powerful tone-shaping versatility.

The preamp voicing modes are also different than the Mark V, consisting of nine distinct amps (seven unique/two duplicated) in groups of three per channel – Clean/Fat/Crunch (1), Fat/Crunch/Mark VII (2) and Mark IIB/Mark IIC/Mark IV (3). The legendary five-band EQ is present, as is a long-tank spring reverb, outstanding effects loop (all individually assignable for each channel) and a bias switch for swapping the 6L6 power tubes for EL34s.

The Mark VII’s most notable new feature is its CabClone IR DI Direct Interface, which provides IR simulations of eight Boogie and Rectifier speaker cabinets in various open- and closed-back and 4x12, 2x12 and 1x12 configurations. CabClone is designed for direct recording and mic-free live performance applications, using the XLR Direct Out connected to a mixing console, and it also is heard via the amp’s headphone output. 

Three eight-position Cab Select switches on the rear panel allow users to select any of the eight IRs independently for each channel, and users can manipulate or replace IRs via a computer connected to the amp’s USB port.

Other notable features include a dry 1/4-inch line out for re-amping applications, MIDI In and Out/Thru jacks and an included footswitch that connects to the amp via a 7-pin DIN connector and controls channel 1, 2 and 3, graphic EQ, effects loop and reverb on/off switching.

Performance

The Mark V provided a pretty damn good selection of classic Mesa Boogie amp tones, but I think that most players will find the Mark VII’s selections are even better. 

The highly coveted Mark IIC is back and sounds as incredible as it did on the Mark V and JP2C, but the addition of a Mark IIB with its smooth, singing lead tones and super chunky distorted rhythm textures shows that Mesa aims to please a wider range of Boogie aficionados. 

The new Mark VII preamp voice offers a bold new addition to the company’s legendary high-gain tone library, with more emphasized, sizzling upper mids than channel 3’s Mark IIB/IIC/IV preamps. 

Mesa’s high-gain distortion tones get all the attention for their world-class wallop, but players who specialize in country, blues, rockabilly and roots music will love channel 1 as much as metal heads rave about channels 2 and 3.

The Clean setting has tight attack and aggressive punch with greater tonal range than a classic Fender, so every note of a boogie riff can bite like a rabid pit bull. Channel 1’s Crunch setting is like the ultimate classic Marshall with pristine crushed-glass harmonic overtones that shimmer.

Every channel and preamp setting has midrange that is simply dialed in to the sweet spot that most of us have spent thousands trying to achieve with various overdrive and distortion pedals and mods. Simply put, the Mark VII’s mids will assure that your guitar will cut through a mix like a sushi chef’s Yanagiba knife through a slab of premium otoro.

The CabClone IR section makes the Mark VII a solid contender for tube amp enthusiasts who are seduced by the capabilities of high-end digital amp modelers. The combination of preamp voices, Simul-Class responsiveness and character, powerful passive and graphic EQ and IR cabinets makes it easy to dial a universe of classic amp tones as well as a few new ones that will turn heads.

Specifications

• PRICE: $3,499
• TYPE: Tube amp head
• CHANNELS: 3, with 9 preamp modes
• POWER: 90-watts switchable to 25 and 45
• CONTROLS: Independent 3-position style Mode switch, graphic EQ assignment switch (On, Off, or Footswitchable), Multi-Watt 90/45/25 power amp switch, Gain, Treble, Mid, Bass, Presence, & Master Controls, Reverb (footswitchable), and an 8-Position CabClone IR Select Control (on back panel)
• FEATURES: Footswitchable tube-buffered effects Loop, 
• SPEAKER OUTPUTS: 2x 8 Ohm and 2x 4 Ohm
• WEIGHT: 40 lbs / 18.14 kg
• CONTACT: Mesa/Boogie

Wes Borland has launched a huge gear sale and is selling off some real gems from his recording and touring career, including his first ever Mesa/Boogie guitar amp head – as used on Limp Bizkit’s 1997 debut album Three Dollar Bill, Y'All.

“I have been a gear head for 25 years,” notes Borland of the collection. “My mother calls me a hoarder...”

Now the guitarist is feeling the need for a clear-out and has launched a sale with 28 separate lots, covering everything from artwork, to guitar amps, effects and some appealing prototype and custom electric guitars.

“This is what happens when you’re a musician who’s able to buy gear for a long time,” he says, talking through the lots. “This is almost embarrassing to me, because it’s not even all of my gear.”

The headline item is the aforementioned Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier head, which like many of the items, comes adorned with Borland’s doodles.

“This was my first touring head,” says Borland. “Three Dollar Bill was recorded on this. It was the only head I had live at one point – just going out [on the road] with no backup.’

At the time of writing, it carries an estimate of $4,000 to $8,000.

Elsewhere, there’s a beautiful custom shop prototype (the second one made) of Borland’s signature guitar, the Yamaha CV820WB, which was built in LA.

“It was kind of based on a [Fender] Starcaster; in some ways based on a German carve on this weird single cutaway-style body and having this weird offset look.”

It was also used on the road with Limp Bizkit for a four-year period, running 2009-2013, before he began favoring Jacksons. “I’ll miss it, but it’s also been in storage so long that I have to be an adult here,” notes Borland.

The Yamaha carries a (broad) estimate of $8,000 to $20,000.

For our money, one of the most interesting lots is the Selmer Zodiac Twin Thirty. Borland notes it was purchased on the recommendation of Rick Rubin during the early stages of the Chocolate Starfish... sessions.

The Zodiac Twin Thirty is a British-built 2x12 combo amp that dates from the mid-’60s. The amps are notable for their tone selector buttons, which bypass the rotary controls.

“Rick Rubin was a big reason [for buying this]... He was like, ‘Billy Corgan hoards these things,’” says Borland. “I really liked the Contra Bass and High Treble settings. The High Treble is just this glistening, tinny, almost radio-like signal, where as the Contra Bass is just super in-your-face, which I love.”

There are four inputs, split across two channels, plus two 12” Celestion speakers and Borland’s has a built-in power convertor. It also features a footswitchable tremolo circuit, which has a pulsing light when engaged.

The Selmer has an estimate of $3,500 to $6,000, which isn’t bad when you consider a 1963 build is currently listed on Reverb for $3,848. It is also the thing that Borland says he is “having the most difficult time parting with.”

The above barely scratches the surface of the sale, though. There’s a heavily modded China-built Fender Starcaster, a Guild 12-string, an array of Orange heads, a USA Jackson Soloist in green sparkle... the list goes on – all the way down to a modded Squier Jaguar and Hohner nylon-string, which have more attainable prices. Then there’s the artwork, the stage-worn costumes and even a full drum kit.

Whether you’re tempted into bidding or not, it’s a fascinating cross-section of the gear accumulated by one of rock’s true individuals.

Head to Analogr to view the full Wes Borland collection.

Mesa/Boogie has lifted the lid on the Mark VII – the first new generation guitar amps to be added to its flagship Mark Series since 2009.

Available in head, 1x12 combo and rack unit formats, the latest generation of the versatile, small-footprint amp packages a three-channel, nine-mode preamp, a variable power section with three wattage ranges (your choice of 25/45/90 watts) and tonal tech from Mesa’s CabClone IR pedal.

The Mark VII’s predecessor, the Mark V, gave players a choice of seven ‘modes’ intended to run the gamut of Mesa’s “greatest hits” preamp circuits, including the Mark IIC, Mark III and Mark IV. The latest iteration offers two additional modes, including the old-school, hair-metal tones of the Mark IIB and a new modern high-gain circuit, making for a unit that the firm dubs “nine amps in one”.

As previously mentioned, if nine analog amp options aren’t enough for you, Mesa has also seen fit to incorporate its CabClone IR direct interface pedal directly into the Mark VII build, meaning that players now also have the option of eight Rectifier and Boogie cab IRs on each of the three channels.

It’s all based around a central build of five Mesa 12AX7 preamp tubes and four Mesa 6L6 or EL34 power tubes and includes the other features we’ve come to expect from the Mark Series, including the five-band graphic EQ, built-in reverb and “seamless” tube-buffered effects loop. The channels, EQ, reverb and effects loop are all footswitchable.

In addition, there’s the usual tonne of I/O, including dry line out, headphones, XLR DI out, USB, the aforementioned effects loop, MIDI and dual speaker outputs for both 4- and 8-ohm loads.

If you’re wondering what happened to the Mark VI, well, in a commendably brazen marketing move, Mesa says it worked on a secret Mark VI prototype but since then the resulting build has become so advanced that the firm has skipped directly from Mark V to Mark VII. We recommend you apply the same trick with your boss in your next job appraisal.

The Mark VII will be available at launch in three formats: a standard head, a rackmount head and a 1x12” combo. Prices start at $3,499 for the Mark VII head and rackmount head, with the Mark VII 1x12 Combo costing $3,799.

Head to Mesa/Boogie for more information on the Mark VII models.

The Mesa/Boogie Mark II model introduced in late 1978 represented a major milestone in the evolution of modern guitar amplifier design with its channel switching and cascaded high-gain preamp. 

However, the amp wasn’t quite perfect, and over the years Mesa/Boogie performed numerous upgrades based on input from guitarists that led to the Mark IIB, Mark IIC and the final version, the Mark IIC+. Because the new Mark III model was already well in development by the time the Mark IIC+ was introduced in January 1984, the IIC+ was short-lived, produced for only 14 months until March 1985.

Typical of Mesa/Boogie Mark Series amps, the IIC+ was offered with a dizzying assortment of options. The base models were 60-watt heads or combos, but buyers could upgrade to 100 watts and add a graphic EQ, reverb, SimulClass and other options. Mesa also offered the 300-watt Coliseum model designed for bands that typically played arenas and stadiums. 

Mesa built fewer than 3,000 Mark IIC+ amps, including 56 Coliseum models, but many Mark IIC and even a few Mark IIB amps were upgraded to C+ specs. And then there is the infamous Mark IIC++ version, featuring a custom factory upgrade that provided additional gain.

The Mark IIC+ is beloved for its dazzling dynamic clean tones, smooth singing compressed high-gain solo voices and its gut-punching maximum gain metal rhythm tones. Most of the amp’s “holy grail” status is due to its use on Metallica’s Master of Puppets, although James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett had IIC++ models and employed Aphex EQF-2 semi-parametric EQs and Aphex CX-1 Compressor/Gates in the effects loop for tone-shaping “secret sauce”.   

The IIC+ was also a mid-’80s favorite of first-call L.A. session players like Mike Landau, Steve Lukather and Dean Parks, and it was Prince’s amp of choice for his 1984 Purple Rain tour and beyond. The IIC+ has remained a mainstay of John Petrucci’s rig with Dream Theater as well, which Mesa recently honored by issuing its very first artist signature amp, the JP-2C Mark IIC+ model.

Thanks to its appearance on numerous legendary recordings and its limited production, the original Mark IIC+ remains the most coveted and valuable Mesa/Boogie amp ever made. 

Prices have soared in recent years – Reverb.com listings range from $5,000 for a basic 60-watt combo to $15,000 and up. Lukather’s Mark IIC+ Coliseum recently sold for $20,000. The Mark IIC+’s predecessor the Mark IIB and its immediate successor the Mark III (black stripe version) offer similar tones, but their prices have also increased significantly. 

The JP-2C Mark IIC+ offers genuine IIC+ tones plus a plethora of modern upgrades, including three truly independent channels, that make it a satisfying alternative. Mesa’s Mark V series amps from the Mark V Medium Head to the Mark V:25 Head also offer Mark IIC+ modes that sound very close to the original.

In March 2023, Neural DSP launched a Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ plugin suite, digitizing the legendary head for a new generation of players.

NAMM 2023: Neural DSP has unveiled a new plugin suite modeled after one of the 20th century's most legendary guitar amps, the Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+.

Used by Metallica's Kirk Hammett and James Hetfield, Prince, Steve Lukather, Neal Schon and John Petrucci, to name but a few, the Mark IIC+ is a classic amp beloved for both its crushing power and sonic versatility.

The new Neural DSP plugin suite also includes an emulation of the Mark IIC++, a fire-breathing factory mod of the original Mark IIC+, which was made for Vivian Campbell – then the electric guitar player for Dio – Hammett and Hetfield.

Like the physical Mark IIC+, the Neural DSP Mark IIC+ features a front panel with push/pull knobs for Bright/Rhythm, Bright/Lead, Treble, Bass, Deep, and Lead/Rhythm, plus a five-band graphic EQ.

Out back, meanwhile, there are Presence and Reverb controls, and a Simul-class/Class A switch that allows users to select the "power amp topology."

There's also a quartet of pre-effects – a pair of overdrives that can take users from "a subtle boost to classic tube saturation," a compressor for "rich, glassy cleans," and, naturally, a chorus unit – plus a pair of post-effects; a BBD-style stereo delay and an '80s-style hall reverb.

The suite also features a separate nine-band graphic EQ, a cabsim module with hundreds of IRs, and three speaker options – a Mesa Boogie Rectifier Standard Slant 4x12, a Traditional Slant 4x12, and stacked Horizontal 2x12s – 10 virtual microphones, and Neural DSP’s proprietary room-mic section. In addition to the hundreds of IRs that come with the suite, users also have the ability to load their own IRs.

Neural DSP's Mesa Boogie Mark IIC+ plugin suite is available now for $99. Those interested in taking the suite for a test drive can also trial it for 14 days for free. Users can run it as a standalone app, with no additional software required.

For more info on the plugins, visit Neural DSP.

Back in 2020, Mesa/Boogie revamped its legendary line of Rectifier guitar amps by unleashing the Badlander – a newly innovated amp that arrived as 50- and 100-watt heads and a 50W combo.

Now, two years after the Badlander's launch, Mesa/Boogie has bolstered its range by issuing a 25-watt amp head and 1x12 combo.

According to the brand, its Badlanders were initially designed in light of feedback from fans, who requested Dual Rectifiers with “tighter low-end, refined top-end and less mid-scoop”. As such, the newest combo and head are said to deliver the same Brit-influenced, American-voiced gain that could be harnessed from the flagship versions.

The latest additions to the lineup offer the same innovative specs that made the original Rectifier Badlanders so appealing to guitar players, most notably the appointment of Mesa/Boogie’s CabClone IR Interface, which allows guitarists to record with or without a cab.

Through the built-in CabClone IR Interface, users can choose from a pre-loaded collection of eight Rectifier closed-back and Boogie open-back cab IRs from the company’s standalone CabClone IR catalog.

Other familiar features include a two-channel layout that offers Clean, Crunch and Crush modes – accessed via toggle switches – on each footswitchable channel, which in turn can be tweaked via parameters for Master, Presence, Bass, Mid, Treble and Gain.

Each amp also comes fitted with five 12AX7 preamp tubes and a pair of EL84 power amp tubes, as well as an FX Loop and – like their predecessors – a toggle that switches between Mesa/Boogie’s Dyna-Watt 25-watt Class A/B Pentode for “maximum power, punch and clarity” and 10-watt Class A/B Triode for “a liquid feel at lower volumes”.

On the rear, the Badlanders’ CabClone IR interface can be found, comprising a direct XLR output, cab selection knobs for each channel, a level control, a lift/ground toggle and outputs for headphones and USB.

It’s also worth noting that the combo also comes loaded with a Celestion Creamback 65 speaker.

Unlike the other Badlanders, though, the 25 variants don’t offer the same Bias switch that granted previous models the option of utilizing EL34 or 6L6 tubes.

The Badlander 25 head is available now for $1,599, while the Badlander 25 1x12 combo can be picked up for $1,849.

For more information, visit Mesa/Boogie.

Mesa/Boogie has expanded its California Tweed series with a 20-watt version of its super-popular single-channel tube amp. The California Tweed 6V6 2:20 is available as a 1x10 or 1x12 combo, or as an amp head. 

Like its larger 40-watt sibling, the 4:40, California Tweed 2:20 offers today’s player a genuine taste of 1950s Fender tweed amp tone, albeit a more practical one, with switchable power-scaling making it suitable for a host of playing situations, and a tube-buffered effects loop to painlessly incorporate your pedalboard.

Part of the appeal here is the simplicity of the design. The front panel houses dual inputs, with controls for treble, middle, bass, bass, presence and master volume, and a Multi-Watt switch that allows you to run that amp at full power, half power and at a single watt. 

Around the back you’ll find a dial for the tube-driven spring reverb alongside 8-ohm and 4-ohm speaker outputs, the effects loop, and a footswitch input for the reverb. Otherwise, it's a plug in and play amplifier, and, if it's anything like the 40-watt version, it is a gateway to some of the finest modern reproductions of tweed tone that money can buy.

There are a pair of 6V6 tubes in the power amp, with five 12AX7s and a 12AT7 in the preamp. This being a Mesa amp, there is some clever business going on under the hood; when you touch that Multi-Watt dial, the California Tweed 2:20 puts Mesa’s Duo-Class and Dyna-Watt technologies at work to offer players three distinct power levels and wiring options, and two operating classes from one dial. 

At 20-watts, the amp is running its 6V6 pairing as Class A/B pentode fixed bias. At 10-watts, the 6V6s are running Class A/B Triode fixed bias, while at 1-watt the amp is running as a single-ended Class A amp with one 6V6 in cathode bias mode. This isn’t a simple case of attenuation, but rest assured it's all very easy to use. Furthermore, it gives players options beyond output volume.

In each mode, the amp will respond and feel a little differently. That was part of the magic of the original California Tweed 4:40, which offered five different power modes. So think of it as a single-channel amp with three different characters. 

In the combos, that power is driving a 12” and 10” Alnico Blackbird speaker respectively. The cabinets constructed of marine grade baltic birch.

The California Tweed 6V6 2:20 is available now, with the 1x12 combo priced $2,099, the 1x10 $1,999, and the head $1,849. See Mesa/Boogie for more details.

Mesa/Boogie has unveiled the Subway D-350, a compact but powerful unit that the Gibson-owned company says is the lightest, smallest and most affordable bass amp it's ever produced.

Given that the Subway D-350 weighs just over 3 pounds, and measures at just 3" high and 9" wide, we have no reason to quarrel with any of those claims (more about the price later).

Small as it is though, the amp packs quite a punch, with 350 watts of Class D power. It's built with a solid-state preamp coupled with a lightweight Class D power amp and switch-mode power supply.

Mesa/Boogie also fit plenty of controls onto that tiny frame, gracing the Subway D-350 with a four-band (Bass, Low Mid, High Mid, Treble) Baxandall EQ, separate Gain and Master Volume controls, Active/Passive and Input Mute switches, and a Bright switch, for adding some top-end sparkle.

The amp is also outfitted with a built-in fixed high-pass filter, and a Variable Voicing control, which adjusts the amp’s response from a flatter curve to a more vintage-voiced curve.

'Round the back, meanwhile, you'll find Aux Input and headphone output jacks, a USB power port, two speakON jacks – for connecting to one or two speaker cabinets – and a balanced XLR direct output with pre/post EQ source, ground lift and Mic/Line level switches.

The Mesa/Boogie Subway D-350 bass amp is available now – with a handy gig bag included – for $699. 

For more info, visit Mesa/Boogie.

IK Multimedia has announced it's giving away a download of its officially licensed Mesa/Boogie Triple Rectifier head and 4x12 Recto Traditional Slant cab models for AmpliTube.

Until March 28, users of AmpliTube 5 – and the free version, AmpliTube 5 CS – can claim the Mesa Triple Rec emulation by registering or logging in to the User Area over on the IK Multimedia website. 

IK says users just need to follow the pop-up message displayed once you login to redeem the download. You can then proceed to Manage My Products and use the software tab to install and authorize the product for free.

The Mesa/Boogie Triple Rectifier – and its predecessor the Dual Rectifier – have become iconic in the amp world and bywords for aggressive metal and punk tones. 

AmpliTube’s emulation, like the real thing, offers three channels, eight-mode operation and the ability to shift between tube and solid-state sections. As such, despite its high-gain reputation, there’s a lot of flexibility within the controls.

IK has previously offered the Triple Rec for free for a limited period, so if you’ve not picked it up before, head over to IK Multimedia before March 28, 2022.

When it was announced that electric guitar behemoth Gibson was acquiring guitar amp powerhouse Mesa/Boogie, it was viewed by many as one of the most monumental acquisitions in the modern guitar world – and for good reason.

At the time, the onus was on the pair’s “mutual quest of sound”, and it was fully expected that Mesa/Boogie would continue to do what it does best – produce Mesa/Boogie amps – with the guidance and support from Gibson.

Well, Gibson Brand President Cesar Gueikian has now revealed the amp brand’s founder Randall Smith is not only continuing his Mesa/Boogie commitments, he’s also currently designing the “next generation” of Gibson amplifiers.

While in conversation with MusicRadar, Gueikian said, “The addition of Mesa/Boogie into the Gibson family, I think is another one of those incredibly exciting moments for us, and also having the blessing that Randy Smith is still as active as ever.

“So Randy,” he continued, “we call him our master pioneer, and he's still in the lab working on designing new concepts and new circuit boards.”

Gueikian then clarified that, as well as continuing the Mesa/Boogie amp name, Smith is also hard at work designing a specific line of Gibson-branded, American-made amps.

“To talk about life cycle of a product and the introduction of something new, it's going to take a while, but Randy is working on the design of what are going to be the next evolution of Gibson amplifiers as well. They are going to be made in Petaluma, California. So Randy's been leading that."

Gueikian further discussed the amp “journey” the brand will be embarking on in the near future, crediting manufacturing and tone experts Jim Aschow [director], Doug West [Tone Lab leader] and Steve Mueller – the latter of whom played a key part in instigating the acquisition – for their efforts.

“When it comes to tone,” Gueikian reflected, “Steve Mueller, he's been there for 30 years, and they call him the new guy. He's from Texas, so we call him Tex. He's like my tone brother. And he and I connected first. 

“That's how we started the relationship, it was Steve and I talking about amplifiers and collaborating. Us sending some Gibsons and then them sending some Mesa/Boogies so we could do content. 

“That's how the relationship developed. And then that led to, okay, this is an amazing collaboration to an amazing partnership to… why don't we?

“It was organic, it wasn't, 'Let's go buy an amp company.' It was working with Mesa/Boogie, one thing led to another to having the conversation.”

To keep up to date with the brands' activities, head over to Gibson or Mesa/Boogie.

IK Multimedia has joined forces with guitar amp giant Mesa/Boogie to create the AmpliTube Mesa/Boogie 2 collection.

Created using IK's meticulous Volumetric Impulse Response technology, AmpliTube Mesa/Boogie 2 brings a total of four new amps and five new cabs – all approved by the Mesa/Boogie team – to IK Multimedia's AmpliTube 5 software.

The four amps comprise of three models currently featured in the Mesa/Boogie lineup – the California Tweed, Triple Crown TC-100 head and Mark Five – and a beloved model from the company's past, the Mark IIC+.

The single-channel California Tweed boasts Mesa's Incremental multi-watt power amp with Duo-Class and Dyna-Watt technologies, which feature five power settings, two operating classes, and a trio of wiring configurations. The Triple Crown TC-100 head, meanwhile, boasts a multi-soak attenuator with five power options and a trio of channels, each with its own voicing switch.

The Mark V features three channels – with three modes in each channel – while the Mark IIC+ packs a sensitive lead channel with a dual cascading drive stage and a Deep Bass booster.

Aside from the amps, AmpliTube MESA/Boogie 2 buyers will also receive a quintet of cabs featuring California Tweed and RoadKing models with a wide variety of configurations plus a choice of Jensen or Celestion speakers. A pair of extra speakers from IK's work on the California Tweed can also be swapped into any cab.

The IK Multimedia AmpliTube MESA/Boogie 2 collection is available now for $/€99.99. Right now, users can also bundle the collection with its predecessor for the special intro price of $/€179.99. 

For more info on the collection, stop by IK Multimedia. 

• AmpliTube vs Guitar Rig: which is best?

Carlos Santana’s tone is usually associated with two things: a PRS electric guitar and Mesa/Boogie guitar amp. Over his career, the tried-and-trusted combination has been the rock-solid foundation behind Santana’s sound, and is at the heart of some of his most famous tracks.

For his recently released effort, however, Santana reinvented his own sonic wheel. Rather than opting for his stalwart set-up once more, he instead swapped out his revered Mesa/Boogie for a different selection of amps altogether.

As such, Blessings and Miracles marks the first-time ever that Santana has entered a studio to track an album without the aid of his trusted Mesa/Boogie. 

Perhaps even more notably, it marks a potential end to Santana’s longstanding relationship with the company, which began back in the '60s when Randall Smith started developing products in his Prune Music store. In fact, legend has it that it was Santana who initially named the amp in the first place.

According to popular lore, Santana, after testing one of Smith’s designs, exclaimed, “That little thing really boogies!” thus giving birth to the Mesa/Boogie name.

Speaking in the November issue of Guitarist, Santana discussed his recent gear change, revealing, “This is the first album that I did not use Mesa/Boogie amplifiers on. We have parted ways.

“I used Dumble amplifiers, the 100-watt Overdrive Reverb,” he continued. “Dumble is the sound of flesh against flesh. I also used the Bludotone 100-watt Universal Tone: it’s an amplifier that’s made in Colorado.

“I try a lot of different things, but I always go back to just my fingers, a Cry Baby wah-wah and the amplifier.”

Elsewhere in the conversation, Santana discussed the guitars that made it onto the album, saying he only used his “gold Paul Reed [Smith] single-cut [gold-leaf Private Stock model]” that always “delivers whatever is needed”.

“I don’t know what pickups I’ve got in there,” he admitted. “I’ll have to ask Paul Reed. All I know is that they sound really good.”

And, when quizzed about whether he’s ever had his head turned by an electric guitar that wasn’t a PRS, Santana admitted he once had a brief fling with the Fender Stratocaster, saying, “For five or seven years, I played a Strat a lot – not so much on stage but in the studio.

“I recorded three or four albums with just a Stratocaster,” he revealed. “That was the last 10 years, until this album, which is purely Paul Reed, in the studio and on the stage. But, before that, I was using this funky old Strat I found in Chicago. A really beat-up one. I wanted to get a gnarly, scratchy, cheap-guitar sound. But I’m done with that.”

Head over to Magazines Direct to pick up the latest copy of Guitarist, which features an exploration of Jimi Hendrix’s surviving Strats, a breakdown of John Mayer’s Sob Rock tones and the full interview with Carlos Santana.

By now, we’re all well familiar with Gibson’s unparalleled status as a maker of guitars and gear (and if, somehow, this 127-years-and-running fact has passed you by, we suggest a visit to the brand-new Gibson Garage, stat).

Less celebrated, but perhaps equally important, is Gibson’s largely behind-the-scenes philanthropic work, which is largely enacted through its charity arm, Gibson Gives.

Currently celebrating its two-year anniversary, Gibson Gives has announced it has raised over $2.5m worldwide through its mission of creating, developing, and supporting non-profit organizations in their efforts to advance musicians, as well as youth-focused education and wellness initiatives.

And just as Gibson itself also encompasses storied brands like Epiphone, Kramer and Mesa/Boogie, the overwhelming success of Gibson Gives has now led the company to introduce Epiphone Empowered, Kramer Kares and Mesa Mission, programs that, like Gibson Gives, will raise funds and awareness to help give the gift of music.

“These are all going to be specific programs under Gibson Gives, which is really trying to drive that notion of contribution to music and the next generation of music as well,” Gibson President and CEO James “JC” Curleigh recently told Guitar World. “And if the last two years is an indicator that we can make a difference, then the future’s bright for Gibson Gives.”

Indeed it is. For starters, Gibson Gives has created two new groups, an Influencers and an Artist Advisory Council, to help drive the culture of giving back across Gibson’s brands, employees, artists, partners, events and communities worldwide.

The Gibson Gives Artist Advisory Council members include Lzzy Hale, Celisse, Alex Lifeson, Matt Heafy, Joe Bonamassa, Billy F. Gibbons, Slash, Captain Kirk Douglas and more, while the Gibson Gives Influencers group includes a community of leaders across the music and entertainment worlds, from the Country Music Hall of Fame and MusiCares to professional sports teams like the Tennessee Titans and Nashville Soccer Club.

What’s more Gibson Gives also recently launched the TEMPO initiative – a program that seeks to combat cases of opioid overdoses in the music industry and educate individuals on how to save lives in the event they discover someone in the midst of an overdose.

“It’s a very specific program designed to get artists through a tough period without having to rely on a drug dynamic that could lead to a 'dark side' situation,” Curleigh says. 

“We’re trying to put the bright side into the dark side and we’ve got amazing support from artists and other partners. We’re really proud of it because it’s a subject that a lot of people don’t want to put on the center of the table in the music world and we’re saying, ‘Let’s put it on the main stage and deal with it.’ ”

While Gibson Gives continues to give the gift of music one guitar at a time, Gibson Brands itself is in full-speed-ahead mode in terms of making those guitars.

The company recently launched the affordable, impressively spec'd Epiphone Slash Collection, comprised of a Les Paul Standard available in four colorways (Appetite Burst, November Burst, Anaconda Burst and Vermillion Burst), a “Victoria” Les Paul Standard Goldtop and a J-45 acoustic available in either Vermillion Burst or November Burst.

The new range, Gibson Brand President Cesar Gueikian tells Guitar World, “brings a new price point and accessibility to the Les Paul of your dreams into the Epiphone brand, which is a great value proposition for someone who says, ‘I have 600, 700 bucks and I want to have a Slash Les Paul.’ ” 

Now, with the Epiphone Slash Collection, they can.

There’s also been major moves at the Gibson Custom Shop, including the Collector’s Edition 1958 Korina Flying V and Explorer, reissues of some of the rarest instruments in the brand’s history.

What’s more, Gibson is making incredible strides with the Murphy Lab, headed up by guitar aging pioneer Tom Murphy, which was created to be a division of the Gibson Custom Shop focused entirely on building historical guitars with clone-like accuracy.

“Gibson is the pinnacle of guitars and the Custom Shop is the pinnacle of Gibson,” Guekian says. “With the Custom Shop, we set out to achieve historical accuracy – that’s our DNA. And the evolution of that has been the Murphy Lab. Tom has now helped us get historical accurateness back into how we’re aging instruments.”

That’s a whole lot of action at Gibson. As for what Gueikian is most pleased about with Gibson today? 

“That we have a really good band. It’s a great team,” he says. “And then it’s been about bringing the artists back, and connecting with artists across genres and generations, from young to established icons. That’s probably what I’m most proud of.”

To keep up on everything Gibson, head to Gibson.com.

So, why a guide to the best blues amps? An amp is an amp, right? Wrong. Ask any pro and they’ll tell you that finding the right amplifier is one of the most difficult parts of the job. The guitars come easily – nine times out of 10, they choose you. Amplifiers? Not so much. And this is a big deal because the amplifier is mission-critical for a great guitar tone. You could play the best guitar in the world through the worst amp in the world and it would sound lifeless. Put the worst guitar through the best amp, however, and you’re in with a good chance that the guitar will sing.

When it comes to blues guitar – which leans heavily on dynamics and expression – your choice of amplifier is even more important. With the blues being so primal, it’s doubtful you’ll want to lean on a well-stocked pedalboard to sauce the stew. Apart from the odd low-gain overdrive, it’ll just be you, your guitar, your amp, and your demons.

So, you woke up this morning, your partner is gone, the dog’s pooped on the rug, the repo man has come and taken your car, and the welfare has turned its back on you? There’s an amp for that – and we’re going to help you find it.

Best blues amps: Guitar World’s Choice

Compact and packed with classic Fender tones, the Fender Blues Junior IV is a phenomenal amplifier for the price. It has a fuss-free control panel, with a three-band EQ and on-board spring reverb to add some three-dimensional sweetness to your sound – plus it takes pedals well. A modern classic.

The MESA/Boogie California Tweed 6V6 has the finest Tweed tones going, all without the crankiness of a vintage model, and with added features that make it a no-brainer for today’s player. Sure, it’s a single-channel amp – one of the most straightforward MESA models – but its clever Multi-Watt feature offers five switchable power options, from 40W down to two. There’s tube-driven reverb, lushness, and hot drive when it gets going.

Best blues amps: Product guide

Ever since its launch in 1995, the Blues Junior has been a smash-hit with guitar players looking for Fender spankiness and BBQ-hot, overdriven tones on a budget. The amp has assumed many guises over the years. We’ve seen ’em in Lacquered Tweed, Sonic Blue – and 2019’s limited- edition L.A. Vice model in Hot Pink/Seafoam Green was particularly eye-catching. Officially, we are now on version IV, but the recipe remains familiar, offering a lot of amp for the money.

Loud enough for small gigs (as long as you don’t have a mean drummer and don’t mind a little break-up), the Blues Junior IV has a single 12” Celestion A-Type speaker housed in a particle board cabinet. It’s a single-channel affair, with a straightforward control panel that features chickenhead dials for volume, treble, middle, bass, master volume and reverb, and a Fat switch that tightens up the low end and adds some gain on demand.

The clean tones are on-the-money for fans of Fender chime. This is a bright and articulate amplifier. But above all, it’s fun. The reverb adds some lovely three-dimensionality and a little damp to your tone; and when you turn up the heat, the Blues Junior IV will reward you with some truly musical crunch. It’ll cover a multitude of blues styles.

Turn the master up high and keep the preamp volume low, and you’ll get some candied cleans for sweet and creamy humbucker blues or traditional Strat/Tele shenanigans. Take it to the edge of break-up, throw a Tube Screamer in front of it, and it’ll get you in the same ballpark as Stevie Ray Vaughan. Alternatively, just dime it and use your guitar’s volume control to keep things orderly. Whichever way you slice it, this is an affordable, pedal-friendly modern classic.

Read the full Fender Blues Junior IV review

What could well be the most straightforward Boogie we’ve ever seen might also be one of the best. Certainly, this model is in the conversation, offering a thrilling adaptation of Fender’s Tweed era in a practical, impeccably designed format.

This weighty amp commands an eye-watering price, but you get what you pay for. The build quality is exceptional. There are two inputs – one padded to give you a little more headroom – while the Multi-Watt feature allows you to operate the amp at a full 40W or all the way down to 2W. No matter where you position that five-way rotary dial, great tone awaits.

The design is so clean. Look at that front panel. Gain, treble, middle, bass, presence, a master volume control and reverb. That’s it. As with its siblings in the Boogie showroom, this amp boasts huge tone-shaping power, but there’s little need to reach for the manual here.

You get all the natural assets for blues, including touch-sensitivity, solid bottom end, crystal-clear treble and sumptuous long-tank spring reverb. But with its buffered series effects loop, you can count on the California Tweed 6V6 to excel in a variety of musical contexts.

The CUB-SUPER12 does its best to remain modest, with a price tag that sits squarely in the lower band for a mid-priced tube combo. But it doesn’t fool us. This is a boutique amp in a production-line amp’s Tolex and, frankly, it has no right to sound as good as it does. This stylish little combo has pretty much everything that a blues player could want.

With a trio of 12AX7s in the preamp and a power section driven by a pair of EL84s, it has plenty of volume – 15 loud watts, as they say – that can be housetrained with an on-board attenuator. Simply plug into the low-power input and you’ll have a one-watter that is perfect for home practice or recording situations when you want to throttle the amp without putting too much volume through a delicate mic. We should note that it records very well. There’s nary any hiss.

Also, it takes pedals well, with a dedicated effects loop on hand, and has a footswitchable digital reverb and on-board boost. Now, the word ‘digital’ can be a real passion killer to old-school blues purists, but this takes the spring reverb algorithm from Laney’s Black Country Customs Secret Path pedal and gives it a new three-dimensional twist, musical and inspiring.

The three-band EQ is powerful and smooth – dialing in a tone is easy, and there are plenty of sweet spots to find. The cleans are big and warm, as opposed to cold and glassy, and even at low volumes it retains its exceptional bass response. As for the overdrive, it has a Tweedy flavor that’ll be mother’s milk to blues players.

Read the full Laney CUB-SUPER12 review

You can’t have a discussion about the best blues amps without mentioning the Fender ’65 Princeton Reverb. For many, it’s the Goldilocks option. Not too big, not too small, it’s been the go-to 1x10 combo for studio musicians and those playing small gigs.

The ’65 Princeton Reverb is an amplifier of abundant yet simple pleasures. It has that quintessential American EQ profile – super-solid in the low end, bright and peppy in the high end – and it sweetens it all with a tube-driven reverb and on-board tremolo that legions of pedal designers have strived to replicate.

Its overdrive is hot and raunchy, super-dynamic and fun, whether you are using single-coils or humbuckers. But, of course, many blues players might choose to run it with just a little bit of break-up, adding an overdrive pedal in front of it for when they need a de facto dirty channel for soloing. The Ibanez Tube Screamer is ideal for such activities and remains a popular addition to the ’65 Princeton Reverb owner’s tool kit.

There are two inputs – one padded to take 6dB off the input volume and offer you a little more headroom – but only one channel. The reverb and tremolo are footswitchable, and the amp plays nicely with pedalboards, too. The ’65 Princeton Reverb? We’re talking blue-chip Ivy League tones.

A single-ended, Class A amp, the Studio 10 is offered with a choice of 6L6, EL34 or KT88 power tubes, each of which endows the amplifier with a different dynamic response. The 6L6 variant brings a distinctly transatlantic accent. There is less of the midrange girth and chewy grittiness of the EL34 model, while the contemporary grind of the KT88 is also greatly reduced. This is all about solid low end, bright highs and that smooth drive you would ordinarily associate with American tube amps.

As for the user experience… Well, the control panel could scarcely be more simple; there are cream-colored chickenhead knobs for gain, tone, reverb and master volume, plus a push-button to activate a Drive function. And that’s it. The Drive circuit is taken from Blackstar’s HT-Drive pedal and can offer quite a lot of saturation to complement those spanky Fender-esque cleans. It’s also footswitchable (as is the reverb), which comes in very handy. The footswitch is included in the deal.

When you add it all up – the tones, the style, the fuss-free design, the effects loop and the speaker-emulated output – the Studio 10 6L6 makes perfect sense.

We would all like a vintage Marshall but they cost a lot of money, and they’re kind of ornery. You have to turn them up really loud, and that’s often impractical in today’s world. What if we could get some of that characterful mid-range grind and the magic of early Marshall cleans in a manageable combo format – with an effects loop, too, because this is the 21st century? This is where the Origin series comes in.

As with many of the amps here, there’s a simplicity to the design that doesn’t come at the price of versatility. OK, so it’s a single-channel combo, but there’s a push/pull gain boost – engaged via footswitch – that gives the front end of the amp a good thump of clean gain for classic British drive tones. That footswitch (supplied with the amp) can also be used to bring the effects loop in and out of your signal. So, already, before you’ve even touched the gold control panel, you’ve got options that make the most of a single-channel set-up.

On the control panel you’ve got three-band EQ, with controls for gain, master volume, presence and tilt. The latter is very interesting, as it lets you blend bright and normal sounds in the same way as you would’ve when patching the channels on an old Marshall, enhancing control of your high end. This is not a high-gain amp by any means, but dime it with the gain boost engaged and it will present you with a super-aggro crunch that’s perfect for more muscular blues styles.

Magnatone has gone from strength to strength since its 2013 resurrection, and the manufacturer now offers a wide range of amplifiers inspired by its own all-American designs – not to mention models such as the Super Fifty-Nine, which provide an EL34-driven taste of British crunch. The Varsity Reverb is one of the former, and is resplendent in the brown and gold you’d associate with vintage Magnatone.

A favorite of Jeff Beck’s, the Varsity is a push-pull tube combo powered by a pair of EL84s. It has one channel, with all its controls, inputs and outputs mounted on an angled panel at the top of the amplifier. There are controls for volume, bass, treble and reverb, along with a negative feedback switch that has two inputs, plus footswitch, line-out and speaker outputs.

The negative feedback feature effectively acts as a ‘more’ switch. More juice, more drive, a little more harmonically rich tube heat to dig into. Helpfully, it is footswitchable – as is the reverb – and it’s almost like having a second channel, albeit with both channels sharing the tone stack.

The build is faultless, the tones off the charts. Like the Princeton, there are high-sensitivity and low-sensitivity inputs, the latter taking -6dB off the input to make more headroom or to simply adjust to an instrument with hotter pick-ups. There’s no vibrato here, which might disappoint some, but the tube-driven, full-length Accutronics spring reverb is a marvel. Considering the price of some of the alternative boutique options, the Varsity represents decent value.

Closely related to Supro’s similarly awesome Blues King series, the Delta King offers affordable and compact tube amps for blues and rock ’n’ roll players. The build and design of these amplifiers are second to none. The aesthetic is cribbed from the Supro Valco archives, with the striped design redolent of the early-’50s models.

But if the cabinet design owes a debt to antiquity, the brain and guts of the amplifier are more in tune with the 21st-century trend of high-functioning yet eminently affordable tube amplifiers.

The retro poplar cabinet houses a custom 10” Supro DK10 speaker. On the top you have controls for volume, bass, treble, reverb and master volume, with switches for drive and boost. The boost is FET-driven and will work gangbusters with single-coil pick-ups when it’s time to take a solo, while the drive mode engages a Pigtronix Fat high gain that can get pretty gnarly. A footswitch (sold separately) can toggle the boost and drive modes on and off.

While the master volume helps you keep things sane for domestic practice, there is an impressive amount of volume from this little 5W amp. Its Class A, 6V6-driven power stage can hold its own. The analog spring reverb is well-tuned and, while it’s disappointing that this isn’t also footswitchable, the Delta King 10 makes up for that with a most-excellent emulated line-out that provides a simple, effective solution for recording.

It’s always fun picking up a Tone Master Deluxe Reverb in front of an analog lifer who’s used to bending their knees and keeping their back straight when porting an original all-tube model. All that heavy lifting is taken out of the equation by the TMDR’s lightweight cabinet, neodymium speaker and digital architecture. There really is no disputing the convenience of digital. There are no tubes to replace, no adjusting the bias after a few nights on the road. The Tone Master version of the Deluxe Reverb also features power-scaling so you can reach those saturated tones at manageable volumes.

What does it sound like? Like a Deluxe Reverb, of course! And you’ll have heard it on a million records. The response is the same. This 100W modeling amp is as loud as a 22W tube DR, and it’s designed to offer the same amount of headroom. Just as the original tube amp overdrive didn’t get going until the volume dial got halfway round its travel, neither does the Tone Master’s. But the Tone Master’s secret weapon is that attenuator on the rear of the amp. You can switch it down from a simulated 22W (full power on a traditional all-tube Deluxe Reverb) to 0.2W, and it’ll sound incredible.

Other mod cons include a speaker-emulated XLR output and two on-board impulse responses; one emulating a speaker mic’d with a Shure SM57, the other with a Sennheiser MD 421-II. Alternatively, select the flat response and use your own IRs.

Read the full Fender Tone Master Deluxe Reverb review

If the Origin series offers a taste of vintage Marshall tones, then this is the unsweetened, undiluted real deal. A handwired replica of the late-’60s 1974 combo, this 18W, two-channel combo is Marshall performing a boutique reenactment of its storied history – and it sounds incredible.

The attention to detail here is incredible. What starts with a point-to-point, hand-wired tag board circuit, and transformers recreated from scratch by Dagnall Electronics, ends with a Celestion T1221 that’s been aged to soften its response, just as a vintage model does over time. This is the speaker-speccing equivalent of torrefied spruce on an acoustic guitar.

You will, of course, recognize the look of this amp. The grey and white striped Bluesbreaker grill cloth returns. Plugging in, you’ll be familiar with the tones too. This is for the Beano enthusiasts, all those who stenciled “Clapton is God” on their high-school locker, and anyone who wants to play the blues with a British accent. The 1974X Handwired places the emphasis on warm, artery-clogging cream tones, but tightens up when you dig in. It’s a doozy.

Think Vox amps and the blues, and you immediately conjure up an image of Rory Gallagher. The late Irish blues-rock phenom favored an AC30 with a Dallas Rangemaster and drove it hard, rolling the volume back on his guitar to adjust how much fire he wanted in his signal. Gallagher’s approach had an influence that spread far beyond the blues, with Brian May switching to Vox on account of him. The rest is history.

For today’s blues player, however, the Vox AC chime has plenty to offer; it’s just so musical, and will breathe life into anyone’s licks. The AC15C2 is what we’d like to think of as the sensible tube amp in the Vox line-up. It’s sensibly priced, and gives up the goods without tearing the paint off the walls.

There are two channels, though good luck in trying to wean yourself off the Top Boost channel. Like Rory, you might not be able to resist the urge to dime it and let your guitar’s control circuit keep things orderly. The overdrive is harmonically rich and textured.

The 2x12 set-up helps to fill the room with sound, and there should be enough juice here to wrestle your way through a live mix. The reverb and tremolo are footswitchable and super-sweet.

It’s strange that Vox never made a name for the blues in the same way that it did for pop and rock ’n’ roll. Gallagher was something of an outlier. But then again, that’s a big plus point, right? After all, finding a blues tone that’s all your own might well require an unorthodox choice.

Designed by Orange’s technical director, Adrian Emsley, the Orange Rocker 15 has an all-valve signal path, and two channels – Natural and Dirty. The Dirty channel is what you might expect from the British amp titan – plenty of bright drive and rich, musical grind that’ll elbow its way through the mix, and a control panel that’ll have you momentarily bamboozled until you learn which glyph does what.

The Natural channel is something completely different. Here, you’ve only got a volume control, making for a wholly transparent channel that enables you to run your guitar and effects uncolored by EQ or any of that crazy palaver. In practice, it offers crystal cleans at low volume, with some grit arriving as you turn it up loud. It makes such obvious sense when you use it, you’ll wonder why more amp manufacturers don’t include a similar channel on their designs.

Channels are selected via the toggle switch on top of the amp, or footswitch. There are ample power-scaling options. The three-position standby switch offers half or full power, while the Bedroom/Headroom switch lets you take the amp down to 0.5W, meaning you can access that pugnacious overdrive without driving the cat out of the room.

Best blues amps: Buying advice

With the blues, you want to put as little between you and your guitar playing as possible. Your tone needs to capture the details – every nuance in the vibrato, string bends and power with which you hit the strings. If we can all agree that we need a dynamic, touch-sensitive response from a blues amp, what’s next? That all depends on how you like your blues.

The blues gospel has spread far and wide. By offering rock ’n’ roll a register to play in, it was inevitable that there should be some overlap between blues and hard rock. With players such as Peter Green, Gary Moore and Eric Clapton, the question of what’s blues and what’s rock is answered by distinctions with few differences. What all this means for blues tone is that there are many ways to get the job done.

At one end of the spectrum, you might have the clean honeypot of B.B. King and the bracing spank of Mr Ice Pick himself, Albert Collins. At the other, the juicy hot drive of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Billy F Gibbons’ Texas sizzle and Hendrix’s overdriven psychedelic approach, for which you’ll need some gain to come into play and show some teeth in that playing.

While a high-gain fire-breather is not unsuitable for blues, the question of gain is key here. It might well help you decide between a tube-driven amplifier and one with solid-state and modeling tech.

Tube vs solid-state and modeling amplifiers 

It’s one of the weird ironies of the age-old debate concerning tube vs transistorized and digital alternatives that there is finally a question worthy of debate. For so long, tube amps were the default choice for most guitar players, on account of their musical warmth and harmonic response – especially if you needed overdrive.

This, of course, was a debate that B.B. King lost little sleep over, having used Fender tube combos and solid-state Lab Series L5 2x12 combos during his career. But then, King eschewed overdrive, and the cleans of the Norlin-built L5 were more than enough for his needs. Something well made, with plenty of headroom and a well-tuned tone stack, would get the job done.

But what about players who like a bit of drive in there? Even in the earliest electric blues recordings, you could find a little break-up in the tone as the amps were pushed, and it wouldn’t be long before the natural hair on Muddy Waters’ I Can’t Be Satisfied would evolve, as players looked for a drive tone with a bit more heat. For them, the tube amplifier was crucial, and for many players weaned on Stevie Ray Vaughan, Gary Moore, Clapton et al, there’s nothing quite like it.

Digital modeling amp tech is getting closer, though, and many players might not be able to tell the difference. Those who can might yet choose a digital option because, to really get the best out of a tube amp, you’ve got to work those power tubes hard, and that can be too loud for many settings – particularly if you live in an apartment building. You might have the blues but you don’t want to give them to your neighbors, too.

Think about where and how you’re going to be using your amp. If you need to be heard over a band, and you want to keep your tone clean, headroom will be invaluable to you. When we think headroom, the Fender Twin Reverb comes to mind. It can keep it clean at some truly painful volume levels. In today’s environment, with on-stage sound limits and the option, of course, to simply mic your amp, that can be overkill.

How much power is too much power? 

Be mindful not to get an amplifier that’s too powerful for your needs. You may find that you’ll never get the best out of it, or you may have to run an attenuator or load box to find its sweet spot. Many of today’s amplifiers offer similar on-board power-scaling features – even the modeling amps.

If you like to run your tube amp with a little overdrive, a power-scaling feature can be invaluable, and not just for bedroom players looking for an inspiring tone for practice. Taking the MESA/Boogie California Tweed 6V6 as an example – it can be run at 40W, with an abundance of headroom, or scaled down to 30W, 20W, even 2W, for small gigs, studio applications or simply enjoying some hot tube crunch at a manageable level when playing at home.

On a similar theme, some older amplifier designs – such as the handwired Marshall listed here – have no master volume. Again, these are difficult amps to house-train without a load box, but they can provide off-the-chart vintage tones when turned up loud. Alternatively, tube watts are loud but there are limits; a 5W combo can be the bee’s knees at moderate volume, but if you want a clean tone while competing with a drummer, you can forget it.

Once you’ve found an amp occupying that sweet spot where the perfect volume and break-up share the same space, you’re on the home stretch. Spring reverb can sweeten the deal, and no one will complain if there’s a lush tremolo on board either. But by then, it’s time to trust your ears and feel how that amplifier responds to your playing. Some just feel wrong, as though they’re working against you. The right ones? Well, it’s like we said at the start – they get out of your way and let you play.

Find out more about how we make our recommendations and how we test each of the products in our buyer's guides.

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Not even a full week into the new year and there’s already been some, quite frankly, huge developments in the guitar trade. We are, of course, referring to today’s announcement of Gibson’s acquisition of Mesa/Boogie – two of the most influential American brands of all time joining forces for what will be undoubtedly some very interesting developments to come.

Mesa/Boogie, often cited as the original boutique amplifier company, was founded 51 years ago by Randy Smith – who will continue to oversee the groundbreaking circuits and designs under the new leadership at Gibson. 

His amps have been used by the biggest and best, from the neck-snapping heaviness typified by bands like Metallica, Tool and Dream Theater, to rock legends like Prince, Carlos Santana and Mark Knopfler.

And Gibson’s heritage is one that needs little introduction, stretching all the way back to 1902 when Orville Gibson decided to form his own company to produce mandolin-family instruments, including archtop guitars, acoustics, and eventually the Les Pauls, SGs and 335s that continue to thrive in popularity to this day. 

After a short period of uncertainty – ultimately rescued from bankruptcy in 2018 – the American manufacturers have come on leaps and bounds under the new leadership of President and CEO James ‘JC’ Curleigh and CMO Cesar Gueikian. This will be another step in renewing the iconic brand’s legacy and commitment to musicians across the world.

Naturally, we had to find out more about the exciting new merger and tracked down JC, Cesar and Randy for their very first interview in business together…

Congratulations on the new partnership! Take us back to the moment the very seeds were planted…

JC: “Well, we were all at Woodstock together back in '69 and thought, ‘What the hell?!’ Not really [laughs]. I’ll start from the end and the others will take you back to the beginning. We’ll spare you the whole 120 years at Gibson and over 50 with Mesa. 

“I was wondering what would be next for Gibson. As you’ve seen in the last few years, there’s been a lot of change. A few years ago, people were wondering what’s going to happen to Gibson and now they’re seeing it. 

“Hopefully they’re seeing we’ve energized and inspired our artists, paying attention to the quality and craftsmanship – that’s been a source of pride for all of us here, as well as our fans, dealers and artists. 

“So we were thinking about what would be next and we’ve always been about helping to shape and inspire sound. We had the guitars, but what would really make a complementary experience would be plugging those guitars into something. 

“We don’t have Gibson amps today, so we started thinking about who is the best out there – not just in terms of their brand, but also like-minded in terms of leveraging the iconic past and leaning into the innovative future. There was only one answer and that was Mesa/Boogie.”

How did the proposition initially reach you, Randy?

Randy: “What I like about it is that this began out of a friendship between our [General Manager] Steve Mueller and Cesar, bonding over guitars and amplifiers. Steve was blown away by the quality of the new Gibsons coming out under the new leadership. He’d been raving to me about how unbelievable they played and sounded.

“Then Cesar asked if Mesa would be interested in building some GA-20 and 40 amplifiers at some point, which started the discussion. It’s great, just a bunch of musician friends hanging around and listening to what each other like. This is what results! That’s how Mesa/Boogie started in the first place and may not be too far off the way Orville Gibson got started.”

There are definitely similarities between the two companies – fulfilling the promise of high-quality, American-made equipment first and foremost…

Cesar: “Exactly. Like JC said, we wanted to get back into providing the full range of sound. When a guitar starts the journey of leaving the factory, it will find someone who falls in love with it. That person will then need to find the amplifier that they love, the one that will project that sound. 

“We could have started the process of making amplifiers on our own, but if we dared to dream – who would be American-crafted company that represented the same vision as Orville’s? 

“That vision of making instruments where everything inside had its role in contributing to the overall sound. We all agreed, that’s 100% Randy! Everything that goes into a Mesa/Boogie plays a part. If we dared to dream, we are American-made and played by the world, so which would be the company we would want to associate ourselves with. 

“It could only be Mesa/Boogie, with no doubt. That started the whole conversation and made us wonder if this was something Randy would even be willing to contemplate…”

Thankfully, it was good news on that front!

Randy: “In the case of Gibson, yes. In the case of anybody else… no! It was that simple. This was all based on the shared values demonstrated by the quality of Gibson today. It was close to our heart, and unlike the old Gibson. 

“In my 50 years plus in this industry, almost 60 by now, I’ve seen Gibson and Fender run into really rough times. I’ve actually seen both of them go bankrupt multiple times, two or three for each company. 

“That’s why I never got big, I never grew beyond what my company itself could afford to do and that provided a measure of security. No bank could come along to cause us to compromise and service their debt. 

“The flipside was that there were some limitations, but we were okay with that. Of course we wanted global domination, but that was in terms of tone and innovation rather than making the most amplifiers… we knew we would never do that! It’s like Ferrari don’t care how many Toyotas get sold! 

“This partnership offers so much for all of us here. I’m 75 years old now and I will continue to do this. I have a whole family of people here that have built their lives around working here – they have rent to pay, cars to drive. It’s funny, the people who have been here for 20 or 25 years are still called the new guys by those who have been here for 40 plus. It’s a reciprocal commitment. 

“I want to see those people’s futures secured as much as possible. When I’m gone, they are not going to be dependent on me! It’s a win-win all round.”

Another similarity is the effect your companies had on early rock musicians looking for more output and gain…

Cesar: “We are so excited for this to come together because this guy is the pioneer of high gain. He invented high gain! There simply aren’t many companies with the kind of heritage and legacy Gibson and Mesa/Boogie have, especially with the founder still involved and still working as the master designer and pioneer? It feels like Randy is the only one left! He’s trusted us to take Mesa/Boogie into the future, but he will still be involved as the master pioneer.”

We noticed some warm words from Tool guitarist Adam Jones on the press release – who, of course, has long-favored Mesa cabinets as well as occasionally using the Dual Rectifier and more recently unveiled his own signature line of Les Pauls…

Cesar: “He’s an unbelievable guitar player. When I spoke to Adam to let him know, he gave us this wonderful quote because he was so excited. I had to pull my iPhone away because he was screaming in excitement, almost like a little kid, saying it was the most amazing news he’d heard in a very long time. 

“It was genuine excitement from an artist who is a lover of gear and uses that gear to project his own sound. He meant it with his heart when he said it was the perfect combination and he couldn’t wait to see what our companies would be able do to together.”

And rightly so – despite all the history behind you, both of your brands continue to innovate into the modern age, with exciting new developments such as the Badlander amps and the Slash Collection of acoustics and electrics…

Randy: “Thank you for saying. When I was a kid, my dad asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up and I told him an inventor. Then he asked me what I would invent and I didn’t have an answer, but he said, ‘Good luck, man!’ Too bad he’s gone, because he would have been so happy about this. 

“He was a musician and played in dance bands from the '40s and '50s. He was one of the first chair clarinets in the Oakland Symphony. He was a legit guy that loved music and turned me onto it from a very young age. My whole life has been coupled with music and it’s an honor to be able to build equipment for musicians… 

“I will never tire of it because it’s thrilling. I also like race cars, it’s the same kind of thing. How much performance can we get? What can we do that’s even better? How can we get more out of even less? How can we get more out of even more?”

As the new owners of Mesa/Boogie, what did you feel you had to offer, JC?

JC: “What was interesting was the synergy effect. What an artist looks for is taking the guitar and the amp onto a stage with the production and the fans. You see it live and the whole experience is bigger than the sum of its parts. So when we were talking about what Mesa might want, it was things like more representation in Europe – and we’re pretty good at that. 

“We have showrooms and artist reps out there, plus Canada and Australia. We are looking at Latin America and Japan, with new leadership out there. That’s of equal importance to us. 

“Yes, our artists are the absolute center-point of what we do, but both Gibson and Mesa fans are going to see this and realize it’s good for everyone, whether you are in Japan, Canada, Australia, Mexico City or back in Nashville. 

“Since we told our teams, my phone has been buzzing constantly with messages saying, ‘Oh my god, I did not see this coming!’ Of course the connected fanbase are excited about things we’ve done in the past, but they will also be excited about the future.”

Randy: “The fact these are both American brands brings some continuity that’s precious and valuable. Even while discussing this possible merger, we got a couple of offers from overseas and it was an immediate ‘no’ from us. 

“That just highlights what a natural collaboration of iconic American brands – one needing the other and I think we need Gibson maybe more than they need us. To complete the share of sound, they needed an amp line so I’d like to thank them. 

“We’ve been low profile out of choice. You stick your head up too high and somebody will shoot it off! We’ve had everybody copying everything, patents not withstanding and all the rest. It’s just part of the game, no hard feelings there. That’s just how it works. 

“Again, if it wasn’t for Leo Fender and his amps, I couldn’t do what I do. I couldn’t have gotten started, trying to hotrod this other guy’s stuff. I always wondered why the kids I hung around with could make engines better than General Motors… what’s wrong with General Motors [laughs]?!”

Gibson have a good record of breathing new life into older brands – for example, a lot of people were impressed with last year’s Kramer relaunch…

Cesar: “Wait ‘til you see what we’ve got coming. There’s more with Kramer, after re-launching the brand with a new collection. Once we’ve figured out the right pairings of Gibson, Epiphone or Kramer with Mesa/Boogie amps, we are going to have a lot of fun! It’s pretty amazing when you come here and see what happens at Mesa/Boogie. This is the most epic custom shop of amplifiers. 

“It correlates really well with our custom shop in Nashville and the vibe there. It’s so similar! What Randy’s built is something based on craftsmanship and quality, very handwired and boutique. 

“We have an obligation to be really good custodians of the Mesa/Boogie heritage and be stewards of the future, leaning into the future in a way that makes Mesa more relative than ever, not just for Gibson players, but for all guitars out there.”

What else can we expect from Gibson over the next 18 months?

JC: “The starting point is to be true to our historic past. People were wondering if Gibson would go back and be original or more modern and inventive. The answer wasn’t ‘either/or’ but rather ‘and’. We’re gonna do both. What you will find from us is more things like Gibson TV. 

“How can we take positive advantage of the world right now? Let’s face it, this was a crazy 12 months and no-one could have predicted it – and not even just Covid, but things like Brexit and the US elections. The world is in chaos right now. 

“But out of this crisis, there’s this creative spark for guitars. More people are learning to play and picking it up over the last eight months than the previous eight years combined. This will be an amazing opportunity to look at the new products and signature models, but also creating an influence of music beyond the guitar. 

“Imagine what we can do for this new generation of guitarists. The big teaser is watch this space for the Gibson Experience – it’s more than the guitars, amps and artists. It’s about us all experiencing this together, through Gibson TV, the Gibson Garage and new collaborations.”

Speaking of which, the Jerry Cantrell and Kirk Hammett interviews for Gibson TV came out very well indeed…

Cesar: “It’s all in motion. It starts with paying tribute to our artists, as you will have seen on Gibson TV – giving fans around the world the chance to hear directly from them. Then there’s the other stuff, like the Murphy Lab collection coming out from the custom shop in March. 

“Our collaborations with Adam Jones and Jerry Cantrell will be evolving, like many others. People will soon be hearing that Gene Simmons is joining the family, too! We’re doing exciting things with Orianthi, Celisse Henderson… there’s a whole movement of amazing female artists that are hugely inspiring to so many of us all around the world. We’re so excited about that.”

JC: “One other thing to add is the 140 year-old success story with Epiphone. The energy in Epiphone is building by the day! That whole Inspired By and Epiphone Originals idea felt amazing and we’ve synched up our production capacity, quality, artists and dealers. 

“To me, Epiphone is the most authentic accessible guitar out there and perfect for what’s happening right now. The instruments go from that kid at home in their basement or bedroom right through to Gary Clark Jr. playing at Crossroads in Dallas with the best players in the world.”

Cesar: “I haven’t said this to you yet, JC, but I was looking on my phone earlier and there were four or five videos with a monster amount of hits where people are saying the Epiphone Les Paul Modern is the one. Our friends at the Bozeman factory are reenergized on the acoustic front. 

“Everyone gets the J-45 and understands it’s the essential authentic workhorse. But it’s like an internal competition: the team there are seeing all the custom shop stuff and USA stuff, now they’ll hear about Mesa/Boogie and think, ‘What a minute, we have a few things up our sleeve!’ 

“There are some really interesting sound innovations coming from them soon. We have our work cut out for us but we’re equally excited about what we’re going to do together.”

NAMM 2021 isn't taking place in the physical realm this year, but you'll find all the hottest January gear launches in our guide to the biggest guitar, amp and pedal releases of 2021 so far.

In a move that puts one of the industry’s leading guitar brands under the same umbrella as one of its most celebrated guitar amp manufacturers, Gibson has announced the acquisition of Mesa/Boogie.

Known as the original “boutique” amp company, Mesa/Boogie was founded 51 years ago by Randy Smith, who created many of the groundbreaking circuits and designs – including pioneering the concept of high-gain amps – that have defined the Mesa line over the decades.

Smith will join Gibson as Master Designer and Pioneer of Mesa/Boogie.

According to Gibson, in his new role, Smith will “continue his passion for tube technology and his vision for building hand-crafted, high performance amplifiers, that continue to redefine how we experience sound across Mesa/Boogie and Gibson.”

In an exclusive interview with Guitar World, Gibson's JC Curleigh and Cesar Gueikian, and Mesa/Boogie's Randy Smith have told the story behind Gibson's monumental acquisition of Mesa/Boogie – and what it means for the iconic brands.

“We don’t have Gibson amps today, so we started thinking about who is the best out there – not just in terms of their brand, but also like-minded in terms of leveraging the iconic past and leaning into the innovative future," Gibson president and CEO James “JC” Curleigh told GW. "There was only one answer and that was Mesa/Boogie.”

In a statement, Curleigh continues, “At Gibson we are all about leveraging our iconic past and leaning into the innovative future, a quest that started over 100 years ago with our founder Orville Gibson.

“Today this quest continues with the addition of Mesa Boogie into the Gibson Brands family, along with the visionary leadership of Randy Smith and his team who, for the past 50 years, have created an iconic and innovative brand that has stood the test of time. This is a perfect partnership based on our collective professional experiences and passion for sound.”

Said Smith, “I’m 75 years-old and still at work every day. This is my art and many of our crew have worked along my side for 30 to 40 years. As we witnessed JC and Cesar transform Gibson, we saw kindred spirits sharing common values and a fierce dedication to quality.

“Today, Gibson’s guitars are the best-ever and when they asked if we’d like to become Gibson’s Custom Shop for Amplifiers, we envisioned a perfect collaboration that would expand our outreach while preserving our legacy beyond my time.

“Gibson realizes the unique value of what we’ve all built together and this next chapter in the Mesa/Boogie story is a continuation of that dream. I am so fortunate for this partnership with the new Gibson after 50 years of doing what I love. It’s been the ride of my life… and it ain’t over yet!” 

Added Gibson CMO Cesar Gueikian, “Mesa Boogie, led by Randy, has been in service to sound without compromises since the very beginning, and that’s a perfect fit for us. We are looking forward to being the best custodians of Mesa Boogie’s iconic heritage that we can be, and at the same time, a steward of its future.

“We are honored that Randy and the Mesa Boogie team have trusted us to lead Mesa Boogie into the future. Together, we will continue to pursue our mutual quest of sound, quality and craftsmanship and to push the boundaries of how guitar sound is delivered and experienced.”

Tool guitarist Adam Jones, a long-time Mesa Boogie user who also collaborated with Gibson on the recent 1979 Les Paul Custom Silverburst, chimed in as well, commenting, “This is very exciting, I can’t think of a better company to carry the Mesa Boogie torch, and I can’t wait to see what we can do together.

“I have been using Mesa Boogie amplifiers and cabinets for a long time. I use them at home, in the studio when I record and on stage when I play live; they go across all of my needs.”

And for more information, boogie on over to Gibson.com.

Mesa/Boogie’s beloved high-gain Rectifier Series has long been the guitar amp of choice for rock and metal players, from the Dual and Triple Recs to the Mini-Rectifier and Recto-Verb 25. 

Now the company has introduced the Badlander Series, a Rectifier for the modern age. The next-level amps are aimed at a new generation of gain-seeking guitarists looking for tight, percussive and crushing tone, while also desiring increased options and versatility.

Hand-wired at the company’s Petaluma, California headquarters, the new Badlander 100 and Badlander 50 are all-tube amps packed with EL34 power and 12AX7 preamp tubes, with a rear bias switch for an option of swapping in 6L6s for enhanced sub-lows and smoother top end.

The Badlander 100 also boasts a front-panel global power switch (Class A/B) to choose between 100, 50 or 20 watts, while the Badlander 50 offers either 50- or 20-watt options.

Features on both amps include two fully independent, footswitchable channels, each with three Mode Channel Cloning. Channels 1 and 2 feature Channel Cloned Clean, Crunch and Crush Modes, with Independent Gain, Treble, Mid, Bass, Presence and Master controls.

What's more, flip the amp around and you’ll find a fully buffered, tube-driven, series FX loop and a channel-assignable eight-position CabClone IR virtual cabinet select. Via the IR, players can go direct silently with or without a cabinet, for recording, stage or headphone practicing, offering incredible flexibility, portability and convenience.

Additionally, the CabClone IR functions as both a cabinet simulator and reactive amp load, and comes preloaded with eight authentic Mesa dynamic and ribbon “mic’d” cabinet IRs (spanning Rectifier, Lone Star, California Tweed and more designs). Users can also download, store and use existing or new IRs of their choice via USB connection.

The Badlander 100 is available in both head and rackmount head formats, while the Badlander 50 is offered in head, rackmount head and 1x12 combo iterations.

To check out one of these "Bad" boys for yourself, head over to Mesa/Boogie.

Mesa/Boogie has updated its beloved high-gain Rectifier guitar amp series for a new generation of players with the launch of the Badlander.

Available as 50- and 100-watt heads – as well as a 50W combo – the Badlander adds a host of recent Mesa innovations to the Rectifier format, chiefly the addition of the CabClone IR, which allows players to record direct with or without a cab.

Eight Mesa cabinets are included, and third-party impulse responses can be added via USB connection – you can even assign a different IR to each channel, while an onboard reactive load allows for silent recording.

The Badlander also features Multi-Watt power scaling – 100/50/20W on the 100W, 50/20W on the 50W.

Two fully independent channels are onboard, complete with Channel Cloning, while three new modes – Clean, Crunch and Crush – promise to span classic-rock and metal sounds.

The amp’s core tone comes via EL34 power tubes and 12AX7 preamp tubes, and there’s also a Bias switch to swap between EL34s or 6L6s.

Given the Badlander’s smart tonal tweaks and practical performance upgrades, we can see these new Rectifiers being very popular indeed.

The Rectifier Badlander 100W and 50W heads are available later this year for $2,299 and $1,999, respectively.

Head over to Mesa/Boogie for more info.

Mesa/Boogie has a strong lineage when it comes to overdrive pedals, so the release of three new stompboxes - the Cleo, Dynaplex and Gold Mine - is cause for celebration indeed.

Each pedal focus on a specific gain range, spanning clean boost right up to high gain.

The Cleo is the lowest-gain of the three, with a transparent boost/overdrive approach that tackles dynamic low-to-mid-gain sounds.

Turning up the gain, the Dynaplex promises classic British crunch sounds, with those essential mid frequencies and harmonics in check - there’s a presence knob on this one to match it to your amp, too.

Finally, the Gold Mine is the high-gain offering of the trio, and aims to deliver plenty of chunk and richness, with a three-band EQ to tailor the tone to your liking.

The Cleo, Dynaplex and Gold Mine clock in at $199 apiece. Head over to Mesa/Boogie for more info.

Mesa/Boogie has announced the TT-800, the newest addition to its Subway Series of bass amps and cabs.

The compact unit features an all-new tube-driven preamp that powers two channels in a dual mono configuration – Boogie, which captures the tone stack architecture of Mesa’s classic Bass 400+, and the more modern Subway, which features “enhanced tightness in the low end, accurate punchy mids and crystal clean highs.”

Both channels feed an 800-Watt Class D power section.

There’s also a patch-point style independent effects loop, Deep and Bright switches for added tone-shaping, a global Gain switch for custom configurations of attack and headroom characteristics and Low and High settings. Additionally, a new OD (Overdrive) Symmetry feature controls the tightness or looseness of the harmonic spread.

There's also a wide range of jacks, including headphone, optional footswitch, tuner out, aux in for rehearsing with MP3s or other sources, inputs for sending pre EQ and post EQ signals and more.

The TT-800 is available soon for $1,099 - for more information, head to Mesa/Boogie.

Rare is the big amplifier company whose bass products are as worthy of serious consideration as its guitar offerings. Given how different the sonic and technological needs of the two cohorts are, the manufacturing and engineering breadth to mass-produce high-quality guitar and bass amps is just beyond most amp builders’ MO.

Mesa/Boogie has always been an interesting exception, though. Although the company made its name with its compact and flexible tube guitar amps (and later with its ultra-aggressive Triple Rectifier half-stacks), its bass amps have always been solid performers, or in some cases, downright legendary, like the all-tube Bass 400+.

While Mesa has stuck mostly to all-tube and solid-state bass amps with a linear power supply and Class AB power amp, Mesa’s latest head marks a big—if late—step into the well-populated world of powerful heads that leverage the efficiency and low weight of Class D power amps and switch-mode power supplies.

As is almost universally the case with Mesa/Boogie amps, the Subway D-800 is handsome, with a no-nonsense exterior and elegant front-panel graphics and layout. The controls are self-explanatory. Input governs gain at the J-FET-based first stage and couples with the o/d indicator to precisely monitor overdrive.

The voicing filter is a complex, variable-frequency response curve that is essentially flat when it’s fully counter-clockwise and progressively more “smiley-face” as it’s rolled up, with boosted bass and treble and a progressively attenuated midrange at higher settings.

The 4-band EQ is standard fare, with shelving bass and treble filters accompanying two bands of peaking midrange. Finally, master operates as expected, controlling the input signal’s gain as it enters the power amp. There’s also a deep switch, which slightly boosts low frequencies and lowers the cutoff of a high-pass filter (more on that below).

Like virtually every other lightweight Class D/SMPS head on the market, the Subway D-800 utilizes a 3rd-party power amplifier and power-supply module, in this case the ICEpower 700ASC/X. The know-how and R&D resources required to design a high-performing Class D amplifier and robust switchmode power supply are simply out of the scope of most bass amplifier manufacturers, especially given the extraordinary performance of modules from ICEpower and other manufacturers selling amp/power supply modules as original equipment.

Rather, the unique stamp of each amp builder is better seen in the preamp tone and overall design integration of a given head. A well-engineered amp/PS module ought to just make the preamp sound louder. The 700ASC/X is an exceptionally high-performing unit that’s more than up to the task, and unlike some other Class D/SMPS modules, it’s perfectly happy cruising along at a nominal 2Ù impedance. To further ensure stability, the Subway includes an internal, always-on highpass filter with a cutoff around 30Hz (this lowers a bit when the deep switch is engaged). It limits wasting power reproducing low frequencies that are below almost every bass cabinet’s low-end rolloff.

The Subway’s rear panel offers a plethora of connectivity and features. Two q" jacks offer headphone and auxiliary inputs for silent practice. It’s always nice to have, but the aux input should be an r" jack for easier compatibility with the typical cell phone source. Unusual for a solid-state amp, the Subway has an impedance switch. Also unusual is the Mesa’s remarkably flexible direct output, which allows switching between post-and pre-EQ signals, line and mic level output, and a ground lift. The Subway also benefits from the AC mains flexibility that’s one of the coolest benefits of a switchmode power supply. Got a gig in Europe? No sweat. Just get a plug adapter and turn the amp on. No external transformer necessary.

The Mesa’s construction is solid. The knobs, switches, and jacks are all top-notch stuff, and everything operated with a reassuring feel. The internal construction is competent, consisting of two printed circuitboards (the Mesa preamp and the ICEpower power supply and amplifier) utilizing through-hole construction, which would prove helpful should a repair be necessary (surface-mount construction is tougher to tinker with).

In my prototype tester, the small circuitboard that includes the power, protect, and limit LEDs was attached with flexible silicon adhesive rather than a more positive and firm connection, but production models anchor down the board with a pair of screws.

Underground sound

When you’ve played a lot of bass amps, you begin to associate a certain sound with each brand, whether it’s in their marketing or not. When it comes to Mesa amps, I tend to think of ample power, aggressive mids, and the ability to dial in some grind for heavier styles. I brought this baggage to my initial encounters with the Subway, and in many ways, it is every bit a typical Mesa/Boogie amp. It’s just that it’s also much more.

I tested the Subway with a variety of big and small cabinets, including the Subway Ultra-Lite cabs that Mesa designed to partner with the head (see sidebar, page 50). With the controls set for a flat response, the most overwhelming thing about the Subway is its incredible power: it’s a loud head with a seemingly limitless amount of headroom.

Class D amps with SMPS have come a long way since their introduction to the bass world about 15 years ago, and the Subway is an excellent example of the design’s maturity. It has the transient slam, lock-tight speaker control, and athletic explosiveness that used to be the exclusive purvey of traditional Class AB amps.

I really dug the Subway’s versatility. It was easy to get a reasonably vicious edge out of the amp, thanks to its gain/master circuit. To prevent the overdriven sound from getting too spitty, I eased off on the treble control, which at 4kHz is relatively low-voiced, making it an especially good accompaniment for dialing in rock tone.

The low cutoff point never bugged me, though, thanks to the amp’s flat frequency response with neutral EQ. To dial in an authoritative slap sound, I engaged the deep switch and rolled in a touch of voicing, which cut the mids just enough to make the thick lows and shimmering highs stand out. Fingerstyle tone was also a cinch, whether it was dull and thuddy or quick and midrangey.

Due to the amp’s ample power and high fidelity, varying my technique and/or changing onboard tone settings resulted in the wide-ranging tones I’d expect. While the Subway D-800 offers a host of speaker-and amp-protecting features to prevent overload and gig-ending catastrophes, they never engaged during use.

The Subway D-800 is one of the best bass amps Mesa has produced. It is every bit as loud as its forbearers, but it’s also hi-fi and flexible to a new degree. That it all comes in a package that’s under six pounds and costs around $700 ratchets up its value substantially. Plus, it comes with a nice black gig bag and an excellent and informative owner’s manual. I mean, really, what’s not to like?

Mesa/Boogie also sent along its two latest cabinets, designed to be paired with the Subway D-800. Consisting of a 1x12 ($650 street) and 1x15 ($750 street), the Ultra-Lite cabinets employ proprietary Mesa neodymium drivers and a horn tweeter. Their construction is excellent, with a substantial amount of internal bracing, Mesa’s “Tri-Port” front-baffle porting system, a durable vinyl covering, and beefy hardware. While the cabs save weight thanks to their neo drivers and Italian-poplar ply construction, they aren’t crazy-light like some other single-driver neo cabs. Thankfully, Mesa makes each the same width, so the whole system makes for an excellent stack along with the Subway head.

I was impressed with Ultra-Lite cabs. While their nominal 400-watt power rating would seem to be half what one might want with the Subway head, the truth is that it took some fairly extreme techniques and volumes to notably over-excurse the drivers and get ugly sound.

Overall, the cabs sound reasonably balanced, with a voicing that’s perhaps more in the traditional, beefy rock end of the spectrum. That said, the tweeter didn’t sound too harsh, and the handy-dandy L-pad made quick work of taming unwanted highs. As a system, the Ultra-Lite cabs make an excellent pair with the Subway D-800 head.

Specifications

Mesa/Boogie Subway D-800
Street $700
Power rating 400 watts @ 8Ω; 800 watts @ 4Ω or 2Ω
Preamp Solid-state
Power amp topology Class D
Power supply Switchmode
Outputs Two Speakon, xlr balanced line out, q" headphone
Inputs q" instrument, q" auxiliary
Tone controls bass ±14dB @ 40Hz; lo-mid ±14dB @ 200Hz; hi-mid ±14dB @ 480Hz; treble +11dB, –14dB @ 4kHz
Weight 5.5 lbs
Made in USA

Mesa/Boogie has unveiled the Mark Five: 25 1x10 Combo, a small but mighty addition to its Mark Series of guitar amps that weighs just 24lbs and yet packs all of the same boutique features of its larger kin.

Despite measuring just 14x14", this diminutive offering still features the same Multi-Watt channel assignable power amp and Dyna-Watt technology, offering 10-watt or 25-watt power levels with different wiring options.

You'll also find a pair of channels, one spanning clean, fat and crunch modes, and the other delivering Mark IIC+, Mark IV and Xtreme modes, with a combined five-band EQ.

The combo sports a Celestion G10 Creamback speaker, promising fuller tone than you'd expect from this size, while an all-tube spring reverb also makes an appearance, as well as a buffered tube effects loop and built-in CabClone cab sim.

An optional 1x10 extension cab will be available in open and closed-back configurations, packing the same Creamback speaker, plus Baltic birch construction.

The Mark Five: 25 1x10 Combo is hand-built in Mesa/Boogie's Petaluma, California and available soon for $1,699.

Head on over to Mesa/Boogie for more info, and do check out the company's new CabClone IR and IR+ cab sims, which may have just perfected the direct amp box...

Impulse responses are rapidly becoming a staple effect in modern guitar amp rigs, but Mesa/Boogie has gone one better by teaming IRs with a reactive load and power attenuator, forming what could well be the best direct amp boxes on the market - meet the CabClone IR and CabClone IR+.

First up, there are 16 IRs onboard, with two banks of eight presets, including the 4x12 Recto Standard, 4x12 Recto Traditional, 2x12 Recto Horizontal, 1x12 Recto, 1x12 Thiele, 2x12 Lone Star, 1x12 Lone Star 23, and 1x12 California Tweed 23. You can also download and save your own library of third-party IRs.

Plus, a reactive speaker load means you can run your tube amp direct without a speaker cab - and use it for silent recording, too.

Players who still like to hear the roar of a tube amp will want to opt for the CabClone IR+, which adds a power attenuator to dial in an amp’s sweet spot at appropriate volume levels - four power reduction settings are available.

You will, however, need to make sure to pick up a device with the correct ohm rating for your amp - 4, 8 and 16 options are available, priced at $599 for the CabClone IR and $799 for the CabClone IR+.

For more info, head over to Mesa/Boogie.

MESA/Boogie has introduced the Fillmore 100, the newest addition to its vintage-voiced Fillmore range of amps, which also includes the Fillmore 50 and Fillmore 25.

The Fillmore 100 is powered by 4x6L6 power tubes and boasts 5x12AX7 preamp tubes.

The amp boasts two fully independent, footswitchable channels, each with 3 Mode Channel Cloning. Channels 1 and 2 feature Channel Cloned Clean, Drive and HI Modes, with independent gain, treble, mid, bass, presence, reverb and master controls. There’s also vintage all-tube, long-tank spring reverb with independent channel controls and a buffered, series tube FX Loop.

Additionally, a Power Reduction switch provides half power (2 x 6L6 Pentode, rather than the full 4 x 6L6 Pentode) and low power (2 x 6L6 Triode) settings, adjusting the amp from 112 watts max to 50 watts to 30 watts.

The Fillmore 100 is available as a standalone head or a 1x12 combo. 

For more information, head over to MesaBoogie.com.

MESA/Boogie is excited to announce the addition of the California Tweed Series 6V6 4:40 guitar amplifier, 1x12 23 and 2x12 extension cabinets to its line of products built in the company’s Petaluma, California shop. You can check out a demo in the video above. 

The all-tube California Tweed is powered by 4x6V6 power tubes and its preamp features 5x12AX7 and 1x12AT7 preamp tubes. A quick glance at the front panel reveals single channel simplicity that MESA claims delivers everything needed for golden tweed-based tone. The single channel features include Normal & Low (Cleaner) Inputs, Gain, Treble, Mid, Bass, Presence, Reverb and Master controls. MESA’s vintage, all-tube, long-tank spring reverb with external reverb switching jack is featured (reverb footswitch and cable sold separately), and a fully buffered, tube-driven series FX loop round out the core of the amp’s feature set, leading to the amps patented centerpiece feature — MESA’s Incremental Multi-Watt. 

While staying true to a minimalist, vintage design in most every way, MESA draws on 50 years of R&D to bring the project forward with some of Randall Smith’s patented designs for a wide range of tone and power control. The California Tweed draws power from their newly-patented Incremental Multi-Watt Power Amp, featuring Duo-Class and Dyna-Watt technologies that provide five power, two operating-classes, and three wiring options via a single 5-Way Power Switch. As a result, players can choose from the following power options: 40 Watts - 4x6V6 Class A/B Pentode, 30 Watts - 2x6V6 Class A/B Triode + 2x6V6 Class A/B Pentode, 20 Watts - 2x6V6 Class A/B Pentode, 10 Watts - 2x6V6 Class A/B Triode and all the way down to 2 Watts - 1x6V6 Triode + 1x6V6 Pentode, Single-Ended Class A Parallel.

“What better way to kick off a celebration of 50 years here at MESA/Boogie," said Doug West, Director of Marketing at MESA/Boogie. "In the twilight of the '60s, after coming to a deep appreciation for the ‘50s Tweed circuits developed by Leo Fender, Randy was inspired to start building his own amplifiers. He loved the organic sounding voice, powerful controls and the way these tweed circuits smoothly transitioned from clean to clip and back again. It was here that we see Randy’s — and the world’s — first venture into boutique guitar amplification. The very first Boogie amp design was inspired by that wonderful, timeless sounding preamp. So here we are, five Decades later returning to pay homage with the California Tweed…a perfect way to celebrate and apply what we’ve leaned over 50 years!” 

Focused on pure, vintage tweed tone, MESA reports that the speaker selection process for the new series was extremely challenging as expectations were high and, as always, no compromises would be made. After testing numerous brands and models searching for a speaker capable of delivering the magic they were after, the design team chose the all-new Jensen P12/100 BLACKBIRD Alnico. MESA claims that the resulting combination delivers a tonal character that’s perfectly matched for the California Tweed.

“MESA/Boogie has been a key partner for Jensen since the very beginning of our new Blackbird venture," said Ignazio Vagnone, Marketing & Communication at Jensen Loudspeakers. "Knowing that MESA/Boogie selected our flagship speaker, the P12/100 Blackbird, for the California Tweed amp is very rewarding. The Blackbird, as all the models in the Jet series, is an original design. A powerful, yet sensitive speaker, with the feel, the sparkle and the detail that everybody expects from a traditional Alnico design, paired with a strong, warm bass range and a gentle midrange. With a 2” voice coil and its unique membrane, the Blackbird is simply one of the most sophisticated speakers available today. The new MESA/Boogie California Tweed is a wonderful amplifier, with a soulful and inspiring voice, and the Jensen Blackbird fits very well into its sonic imprint, for a very impressive overall tone.”

To further complement the California Tweed, MESA is introducing a new vintage tuned California Tweed Cabinet Series. Players will have the options of a 1x12 23 or 2x12 extension cabinet formats. Made in Petaluma, California, the vintage open back designed cabinets are constructed from Marine Grade, Baltic Birch and feature the all-new, rear-mounted P12/100 BLACKBIRD Alnico speaker from Jensen. 

To find out more, head over to mesaboogie.com or jensentone.com.