Gibson-brand vintage amps hold a special place in some player's hearts (and we recently recommended them in our 2020 Holiday Gift Ideas guide). But it's been years since the company has been in the amp business proper.
Today, Gibson has announced its acquisition of Mesa/Boogie, putting its amp-less days behind it.
Mesa/Boogie, the iconic amp company founded by Randy Smith in California more than 50 years ago, has supplied amps to greats, from Carlos Santana and Kirk Hammett to Incubus' Mike Einziger and The Roots' Kirk Douglas. Its classic Mark and Rectifier series amps continue to be fan-favorites, while its current offerings also include the Fender-flavored Filmore and California Tweeds, as well as the Marshall-style Triple Crown series amps.
Smith will continue his work at Gibson with the new title Master Designer and Pioneer of Mesa/Boogie, though the details of product lines and next stages for both brands have yet to be announced. One thing that's clear is that Smith and the Mesa/Boogie team will still be building high-quality, high-performance amplifiers.
Gibson's press release reads:
"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. "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."
"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. 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!"
You can see Gibson's full press release here. Be on the lookout for more developments.