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The original hot-rodded combo, now in its fifth incarnation
The original boutique amplifier company began with Randall Smith hot-rodding Fender amps in a workshop in San Francisco Bay. "Man, that little thing really boogies!", exclaimed Carlos Santana, and the rest is history.
For all the plethora of Boogie amplifiers these days, it’s the hugely versatile Mark Series that began with the Mark I way back in 1972 that still best epitomises the ‘small amp, high power, huge tone’ philosophy on which the company’s reputation was built.
These days, due to the phenomenal success of the Dual Rectifier, the ill-informed might dismiss Boogies as machines for heavy metal alone. Five minutes with the new Mark Five combo and it’s clear that they couldn’t be more wrong. If you want a compendium of awesome blues, roots and classic and modern rock tones with the power and versatility to handle virtually any gig, the Mark Five is tough to beat. Not just a great blues amplifier, but a killer amp in almost any context.
Although the Mark I is currently discontinued, the Electra Dyne and Lone Star models have fewer knobs and more of an old-school vibe than the Mark Five. The Express models are Mesa’s most wallet-friendly combos, and the best starting point for the uninitiated.
“The Mesa/Boogie Lone Star is an awesome blues amp! I got Reeder Mod (#1) done on it which simply opens up the highs on the drive channel. This amp has a level of complexity to it for these types of tones (with my Strat) that I can't get out of another amp (like my Egnater).” (Thanks, gregjones)
“Tricky one this; I've used myriad amps for blues over the years. Currently I'm getting great tones from my Mesa Express 5.25 1 x 12.” (Thanks, andrewg)
Mesa/Boogie Mark Five currently available from Andertons Music Co., Thomann and PMT Online
Mesa/Boogie Electra Dyne currently available from Andertons Music Co.and PMT Online
Mesa/Boogie Lonestar Special currently available from Andertons Music Co., Thomann and PMT Online
Mesa/Boogie Express 5:25 Combo currently available from Thomann and PMT Online
