Mesa/Boogie – the original "Boutique" amplifier company – was founded 51 years ago by Randy Smith, who is responsible for creating the ground-breaking circuits that drive some of the most influential sounds of our time.
Randy will join Gibson as Master Designer and Pioneer of Mesa/Boogie and beyond.
In his new role, Randy 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.
Beginning in a converted dog kennel under the redwoods of Northern California, Randy Smith was wrenching amplifiers for all the great San Francisco area bands over 50 years ago when vintage gear was new.
Being close to so many great guitar players, from Bloomfield to Santana and The Rolling Stones,Smith learned the virtues and shortcomings of the era's gear and began a process of innovation that continues today.
Mesa/Boogie, the company Smith founded, was the first boutique amplifier builder and revolutionized amplifier performance in ways that impacted rock music worldwide.
Simultaneously respecting and improving the vintage classics he grew up with, Smith, through Mesa/Boogie pioneered the invention of High Gain.
"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," says James ‘'JC' Curleigh, President & CEO of Gibson Brands.
"I'm 75 years-old and still at work every day," says Randall Smith founder of Mesa/Boogie. "This is my art and many of our crew have worked along my side for 30 to 40 years."
Today, every Mesa/Boogie product is still hand-built, and their artisans are tenured with an average of 15 years at their post, many for much longer. ■
A low pressure wave forming along a cold front will track across the New England coast this morning, bringing a period of rain, heavy at times for much of New England, especially for Maine today.