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.
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