Amplitudes: The Mesa Boogie Blog
History, Video
Video: Randall Smith & The MESA/Boogie® Story ~ Part 3
Carlos Santana and Randall Smith Jammin' Circa 1978
Mesa's Founder, Designer and President, Randall Smith reveals THE story behind one of the most important electronic discoveries in modern electric guitar and vacuum tube high gain history! His discovery of all-tube, cascading preamp high gain that we all know and love today was the foundation for both Mesa circuits as well as any other all-tube preamp based high gain amp made today. This is the video where the details of this amazing discovery for gain and rock-n-roll is told. In great historical and somewhat technical detail, Randy talks about his original inspiration and concept, the day high gain was heard and born, and where it all went from there. From the man, himself…
Randall Smith tech'ing a Mark I chassis on the bench in Lagunitas, California in the mid '70s (click to enlarge)
Randall Smith in a RARE playtesting moment of a sweet hardwood Mark series amp (click to enlarge)
