Mesa / boogie
| Mesa / Boogie / Mesa Engineering
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| legal form | |
| founding | 1969 |
| Seat | Petaluma , California |
| management | Randall Smith |
| Branch | Music electronics |
| Website | www.mesaboogie.com |
The company Mesa / Boogie , also known as Mesa Engineering , is an American manufacturer of amplifiers for electric guitars and basses based in Petaluma, California . While the amplifiers for electric guitars are exclusively developed and manufactured using all- tube technology , hybrid amplifiers with a tube preamp and MOSFET power amplifier are also available for the electric bass . The name "Boogie" is said to go back to the guitarist Carlos Santana , who is said to have said during the first test of a Mesa amplifier: "Man, that little thing really boogies!"
History and technology
The typical, heavily distorted sound of the Mesa / Boogies was initially the result of an electrically incorrectly dimensioned preliminary stage . The company founder Randall Smith (* 1946) was not sure whether the output power of the preamplifier stage was sufficient and constructed it with four double triodes (eight triodes ), of which the first seven triode stages are still used today to amplify the input signal. Mesa / Boogie obtains its electron tubes, which are specially marked with a “Mesa / Boogie” logo, mainly from the New Sensor Corporation .
Mesa Boogie holds several patents on special amplifier circuits (Multi Watt, Dyna Watt, SimulClass).
Another special feature of the devices from the American manufacturer is the fact that they have a fixed bias voltage. With conventional tube amplifiers, this voltage has to be reset each time the tube is changed and adapted to the newly installed tubes. Changing the bias voltage is not intended for Mesa / Boogie devices. This means that you can change the power amp tubes without a technician, as long as you use tubes from Mesa Boogie. This “fixed bias” feature is controversially discussed, as it is not possible to change the tube manufacturer without modifying the device or selecting the tubes to match the value range of the Mesa / Boogie tubes.
Products
Guitar amplifier
Mark series
The original combo amplifier models of the Mark series were based on the layout of a Fender Princeton guitar amplifier and were gradually refined and expanded, both through further development (I to IV) and within a model series as so-called Stripe Editions ( blue , green and red ). The Mesa amplifiers are now legendary among guitarists. Carlos Santana, for example, still plays a 1972 Mark-I, which has a strong influence on his typical, singing guitar tone. Two other small tube amplifiers, quasi copies of the Mesa / Boogie, the Acoustic 165 (which Carlos Santana also used for a while) and the Jim Kelly , reached the "Mesa / Boogie myth" in terms of sound quality, but never in terms of reputation.
Mark I.
In the development of the guitar amplifier, the Mark I, when it was launched in 1971, connected an important bridge between the old, traditional construction and modern amplifier construction. Building on the Fender Princeton , this amplifier had a clean sound (pure, undistorted sound) that was highly valued by guitarists . New sound ideas of the time and the growing demand for lead sounds (distorted sound due to overdriving the amplifier stages) required newer amplifier technology, which also had to adapt to the conditions of live operation. Mesa Engineering founder Randall Smith achieved this by adding a second preamp to the pre-amp . The first preamp can override the second preamp so that an intense, distorted sound is created even at a low overall volume. The typical boogie sound is often described as creamy and slightly nasal. Critics characterize it as too smooth and speak of the “Californian beautiful sound” compared to the more aggressive and raw character of a Marshall amplifier.
The Mark I experienced a wide variety of variants until it was replaced by the Mark II in 1978 (after the second channel was renamed “Input 1”). Earlier versions had no reverb effect ( reverberation ), later had a graphic equalizer (EQ) and a 60/100-watt switch on the back.
The control bar (front panel) of a typical Mark I offers the potentiometers :
- Volume 1 : as a push potentiometer with the gain boost function for stronger signal pre-amplification
- Volume 2 : Pull Bright to increase the treble for a more brilliant sound
- Treble (highs), middle (middle) and bass (lows) for sound adjustment
- Master : overall volume
The channel 2 input was later missing and was replaced by the footswitch input. This enabled you to switch between the first and second channel with a foot switch. After 1976, Boost and EQ could also be switched on and off using a foot switch. The loudspeakers of the earlier models of the Mark I (around 1977) had a 12- inch loudspeaker from Vega, Eminence, EVM 12L or JBL. Later there was also an Altec-Lansing Speaker due to a custom-made product for the Rolling Stones.
The most popular mesa / boogie amps users are Carlos Santana , Larry Carlton , Robben Ford , Eric Johnson , Keith Richards, and Pete Townshend .
- Serial numbers
- Mark I 1x12: A0001-A2999 = 2999 Mark I
- Mark I 1x15: B001-B300 = 300 Mark I
From 1971 to 1978 3,299 Mark I series amplifiers were produced.
Mark IV
The Mark IV , launched in 1989, is the first three-channel guitar amplifier from Mesa / Boogie in which each channel can largely be set separately.
The Mark IV offers undistorted sound to slightly bluesy Fender-style sound with a tonal range between jazzy and biting funk , distorted sound with extensive variation options, and a lead sound with significant distortion. There is also a loop-in path for effects devices and the graphic boogie 5-band equalizer. This great variety of sounds and the very short switching times between the individual channels have made this amplifier very popular among guitarists .
The Mark IV is available as a top, long and short head (with rack compatibility) with the 85 watt Simul Class / Class A power amplifier and in combination with a modified Celestion - or Electro-Voice -12- Inch speakers . There is now a revised 85 watt version with a slightly different sound and a parallel effects path.
The most famous guitarists who use the Mark IV include Kirk Hammett and James Hetfield from the band Metallica , Dexter Holland and Kevin Wasserman from the band The Offspring , and Dream Theater guitarist John Petrucci . Angus Young ( AC / DC ) also played with Mesa / Boogie in the 1990s.
Mark V
In January 2009, Mesa presented the new Mesa / Boogie Mark V on its website . It offers some innovations and extended setting options compared to its predecessor. The device has three separate channels, a spring reverb, five-band EQ and a parallel effects loop. The power and connection of the output stage can be selected in each channel (10 watt class A, 45 watt class A / -B, 90 watt simul class).
Mark Five: 25
In 2014 the little brother of the Mark V came out. 2 channels with two sounds each can be switched by foot, each switchable between 10 and 25 W; the additional 5-band EQ, which can also be operated by foot switch, and the speaker load with simulated XLR output are on the board, as well as the FX loop and reverb. Tubes: 2 power amp tubes EL84, 6 preamp tubes 12AX7.
Mark Five: 35
After the success of the Mark V: 25s, the Mark Five: 35 came out in early 2016. 2 channels switchable by foot (10/25/35 W each), the additional 5-band EQ can also be operated by foot switch, speaker load with simulated XLR output and now larger foot switch (CH1 / 2, EQ on / off, Solo 1, Solo 2). 4 output stage tubes EL84, 6 preamp tubes 12AX7.
Caliber series
The Caliber series came out in November 1985, the first model was studio caliber.22. These were the first inexpensive low-wattage amps. .38 special (with four el84 tubes, 38 watts) and .50 caliber (two 6l6 tubes, 50 watts) were listed in the 1986 Product Guide. The el84 model came out in January 1987 and was produced until the end of 1988. Then these were replaced by .50 caliber with 6L6 tubes with pull channel switch from at least 1990 to 1993 under the name .50+ cal (caliber .50+ combo with 2 x 6L6, push-pull volume potentiometer, 9- 21-90 signature on chassis / 8.90 on PCB). In 1993 these were in turn replaced by dual-caliber amps.
Nomad series
The Nomad series replaced the dual caliber series in 1999.
Small, compact and versatile. "Inspired by the ancient peoples who left the security and comfort of their villages and set out in search of answers and deeper meaning to life, these amplifiers are vehicles of exploration" (from the foreword in the Mesa Boogie Owners manual for the Nomad 45, 55 and 100 amps).
The Nomad amps are available in three versions: 45, 55 and 100 watts, each as 1 × 12, 2 × 12, and 4 × 10 combo, as well as short (45/55 W) and long head (100 W ).
The Nomad 45 has a Dyna-Watt power amplifier with variable output power (Normal / Extreme), 5 × 12AX7-A and 4 × EL84 tube circuits, the Nomad 55 has a Class-A / B circuit with 5 × 12AX7-A and 2 × 6L6, which can optionally also be equipped with 2 × EL34 output tubes, the Nomad 100 has 4 × 6L6 in the output stage (optionally also EL34) and offered the option to switch from 100 to 50 W. The combos are with Celestion -Speakers equipped.
The equipment of the amps is more or less identical and basically consists of three completely independent channels. Each channel has control options for: Gain, Treble, Mid, Bass, Presence, Master, Reverb as well as Output and Solo Level . As usual with Mesa / Boogie, the controls influence each other. Each channel has an additional selector switch that strongly influences the sound characteristics of the basic sound (Chn 1: Clean Normal and Pushed, Chn 2: Vintage Normal and Modern, Chn 3: Modern Normal and Vintage). Whereby the circuit was deliberately reversed for Chn 2 and 3 in order to achieve a simple increase to Chn 2. The Nomad 100 also has a five-volume "Graphic EQ, (80, 240, 750, 2200, 6600 Hz").
Connections: Input, FX Send, FX Return, Recording / Phones Out, Footswitch 7-pin. DIN, power cord, slave to power amp. The FX mono loop-in path (parallel) is adjustable (FX Mix 100% = serial). Speaker out 2 × 4 and 1 × 8 Ω. The speaker output can be muted. A large "Accutronics spring reverb" is available as an effect. The channel switching takes place via a rotary switch on the back, as is the setting for the reverb per channel. Channel selection, solo level on / off and reverb on / off can also be operated via the associated foot switch. The headphone is seldom out at Rörenamps.
The sound spectrum is enormously wide and varied with three channels, the selection switches and the additional options (normal / extreme with the Nomad 45 and bias adjustment with the Nomad 55/100). It ranges from crystal clear, brilliant clean in Chn 1 to bluesy-rock crunch in Chn 2 to the absolute lead board in Chn 3.
Rectifier series
With the Rectifier series, Mesa / Boogie enabled sound-relevant options such as switching between diode and tube rectification, whereby the diode rectification produces a harder and rougher sound. This two-channel "original rectifier" was later released as a single, dual and triple rectifier (50 or 100 or 150 watts) and as a three-channel version. Contrary to popular belief, the three channels ( Green , Orange and Red ) cover almost all characteristic sounds. Each channel has different options for sound adjustment (Green: Clean / "Pushed", Orange and Red: "Raw", "Vintage" and "Modern"), which are available via a toggle switch. The Rectifer has achieved a special status in the hardcore, rock and metal scene, as it delivers a powerful, rich and aggressive sound. At the upper end of the product range is currently the Dual Rectifer Roadking (120 watts), a complex device with four channels and simple live operation.
The Dual Rectifer Roadster forms the price link between the Dual Rectifer and the Roadking. Every Rectifer offers the possibility to change the tubes between type 6L6 and EL34 .
The newest member of the rectifier family is the Mini Rectifier, a very small and light all-tube top with an output of 25 watts. The Mini Rectifier offers two separate channels and a multi-watt output stage that can be switched between 25 watts and 10 watts.
Nomenclature: Dual-Rectifier means that this amp has two types of rectification to choose from: tube or diode rectification. The single rectifier only has one type of rectification: diode rectification. In contrast, the triple rectifier does not have three types of rectifier, but here the number of rectifier tubes was chosen for the name, of which this has three pieces because of the required power.
Stiletto series
For fans of the very traditional British sound, Mesa brought out the Stiletto series (Stiletto Ace: 50 watts, Stiletto Deuce: 100 watts and Stiletto Trident: 150 W). Atypical of Mesa, the stiletto is equipped with EL34 tubes ex works. The series was discontinued in early 2012. The Transatlantic / Royal Atlantic models were offered as an indirect successor.
Express series
The Express series consisted of two amplifiers with different output stages: The 5:25 with a maximum of 25 watts from 2 EL84 tubes and the 5:50 with a maximum of 50 watts from 2x 6L6 tubes. Both the 5:25 and the 5:50 could be switched between full rated power (Class A / -B operation, push-pull) and 5 watts (Class A single ended) using a switch on the back of the device. The preliminary stages of both device classes were identical. There were two channels, each with two switchable sound characteristics ("modes"). A tube reverb and a serial effects loop were also available.
The 5:25 was available as a top part in a classic wooden case or as a 19 ″ rack version, as a combo with 1x10 ″ speaker or 1x12 ″ speaker. The 5:50 was offered as a classic top (23 ″ width) and as a combo with either one or 2 12 ″ Celestion Vintage 30 speakers.
The Express series was replaced by the Express Plus series in 2012. The most important innovations include an improved clean channel, a 5-band equalizer and the option of switching the power amplifier to different operating modes per channel (5:25: 5 watt class A single ended, 15 watt class A push-pull, 25 Watt DynaWatt Class A / B; 5:50: 5 Watt Class A single ended, 25 Watt Class A push-pull, 50 Watt Class A / B). This makes it possible to operate the clean channel with full power and thus maximum headrom and to reduce the power of the output stage in the distorted channel in order to benefit from the output stage distortion. Furthermore, a foot-switchable "solo function" has been integrated, which represents an adjustable volume boost.
Lonestar / Lonestar Special series
The Mesa Boogie Lonestar is a two-channel guitar amplifier that, in contrast to the Rectifier devices, is more at home in the vintage area.
In the pre-amp section, the Lonestar Special is identical to the Lonestar, but has an output stage that has a maximum output of 35 watts in Class A operation with four EL84s, while the Lonestar with 4 6L6 tubes has a maximum output of 100 Watt is coming. There are two revisions of the Lonestar: the first can be switched between 100 watts and 50 watts per channel, while the newer revision offers three levels (10/50/100 watts). The Lonestar Special can also be switched in three stages.
Transatlantic / Royal Atlantic series
This series includes three amplifiers: the Transatlantic TA-15, the Transatlantic TA-30 and the Royal Atlantic. All are available as tops, TA-30 and Royal Atlantic also as combo. The series was officially discontinued in March 2015.
Electradyne
Contrary to the trend towards multi-channel guitar amplifiers, the Electradyne is only equipped with one channel. However, it offers three switchable sound presets ("presets"), which are accompanied by different levels of distortion. The SimulClass output stage has an output of 90 or 45 watts and can be operated with EL34 or 6L6 tubes. It is available as a top, 19 "rack unit or combo (optionally equipped with one or two 12" speakers).
Guitar preamps (preamps)
Studio preamp
The studio preamp is a two-channel tube preamplifier in 19 "format. Both channels use the same tone control. This is supplemented by the Boogie-typical 5-band EQ. Among the best-known guitarists who use or use the 22" studio preamp. used include Kurt Cobain from the band Nirvana .
Quad
The quad preamp basically consists of two studio preamps in a housing that is twice the size. The channels are designed differently in terms of sound.
Triaxis
The Triaxis is a 19 "tube preamplifier with extensive programming options. All settings can be saved in presets. All settings can be controlled via MIDI.
Rectifier preamp
This preamplifier delivers the typical Rectifier sound without power amplifier and box and is optimized for recording purposes in the studio.
Bass amplifier
Bass 400 and Bass 400+
These two amplifiers for electric bass were constructed using all-tube technology. The Bass 400 had an output stage with six 6L6 output stage tubes, the Bass 400+ was equipped with 12 of these tubes.
Prodigy 4:88 and Strategy 8:88
With these two amplifiers, Mesa Boogie continued the tradition of full bass tube amplifiers from 2013 and 2014. The Prodigy 4:88 is equipped with four KT88 output stage tubes, the Strategy 8:88 has a more extensive preamp and eight KT88 in the output stage.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ The Mesa / Boogie Story - from the hut to legend. In: AMAZONA.de. April 22, 2018, accessed on February 7, 2020 (German).
- ^ Mesa TA and RA officially discontinued. In: The Gear Page. Retrieved April 14, 2016 .