Mesa Boogie Quad Pre-Amp & Strategy 400 Power Amp Late 80s - Black

Mesa/Boogie Quad Preamp Q-729 + FU-2 Footswitch + Early Strategy 400 S299 Stereo Power Amp

Price:
$5,295 + shipping

Condition:
Very Good overall
I would resist “Excellent” because the Strategy has visible rack wear/top scratches and the FU-2 has normal floor-use wear.

Description:

Selling a complete vintage Mesa/Boogie rack amplification system consisting of:

• Mesa/Boogie Quad Preamp, serial Q-729
• Original Mesa/Boogie FU-2 foot controller
• Original-style controller cable
• Mesa/Boogie Strategy 400 Stereo power amplifier, serial S299

This is an early, period-correct Mesa rack setup built around one of Mesa’s most ambitious tube preamps and one of its largest stereo tube power amplifiers.

Mesa/Boogie Quad Preamp — Q-729

The Quad is in exceptionally clean cosmetic condition for its age.

The front panel, controls, EQ sliders, switches, jacks and rear panel all present very well, with only normal minor signs of vintage use.

Serial number: Q-729

Included is the original Mesa FU-2 foot controller and multi-pin cable. These controllers are increasingly difficult to find separately and are an important part of a complete Quad system.

The FU-2 provides remote switching for the Quad’s:

• Rhythm channels
• Lead channels
• EQ functions
• Reverb
• Boost/cancel functions

The foot controller itself shows normal cosmetic wear consistent with actual floor use, but is intact and included with the proper cable.

Mesa/Boogie Strategy 400 Stereo — S299

This is a very early Version 1 Strategy 400.

Serial number: S299

This early configuration features:

• Rear-panel Level A and Level B controls
• XLR inputs
• 1/4" inputs
• No Presence knobs
• No Presence switches
• Early fixed-Presence circuit configuration
• Dual stereo channels
• 4-ohm and 8-ohm speaker outputs
• Massive all-tube output section
• Twelve 6L6-family output tubes

The rear panel carries the original Mesa/Boogie ©1986 design marking.

The low serial number and early XLR/no-Presence layout make this an especially interesting early Strategy 400.

Cosmetically, the Strategy is in very good vintage condition. There is some rack wear, light scratching on the top panel, and an Om sticker on the front panel. Please review the photos carefully for condition.

The sticker has been left in place rather than risk damaging or ghosting the original finish underneath.

The Pair

The Quad and Strategy 400 were designed during the same Mesa rack era and make a formidable complete system together.

Mesa specifically documented use of the Quad Preamp with the Strategy 400, making this a proper period-correct pairing rather than two unrelated rack pieces.

This is an excellent setup for:

• Vintage Mesa collectors
• Mark-series tone enthusiasts
• Studio use
• High-headroom stereo guitar rigs
• Late-'80s / early-'90s rack-system restoration
• Players looking for classic Mesa preamp tones through a huge tube power section

Condition

The Quad itself is especially clean.

The Strategy 400 shows more normal vintage rack wear but remains very presentable.

Please inspect all photos carefully. They are part of the condition description and show the actual equipment being sold.

Included

• Mesa/Boogie Quad Preamp, Q-729
• Mesa/Boogie Strategy 400 Stereo, S299
• Mesa/Boogie FU-2 foot controller
• Footswitch/control cable

No rack case or other equipment is included unless specifically shown and stated.

Shipping

These are very heavy professional rack units and will be packed accordingly.

Approximate bare weights:

• Quad Preamp: about 25 lb
• Strategy 400: about 60 lb

Expected packed weights:

• Quad + FU-2 + cable: about 40 lb
• Strategy 400: about 75–80 lb

Because of the Strategy 400’s transformers and tube complement, it will require substantial protective packing.

Local pickup is strongly preferred, but shipping is available at buyer’s expense.

If shipped, the units will be packed separately.

Sale Terms

$5,295

Serious inquiries welcome.

I will consider separating the Quad/FU-2 and Strategy 400, but preference is to sell them together as a complete vintage Mesa rack system.