MESA/Boogie® Founder, Designer and President Randall Smith takes some time out from a busy design schedule to share some stories and life experiences that shaped his commitment to tone, design and service and ultimately defines Mesa as a company.

How did Mesa Boogie start?

Mesa/Boogie began with a practical joke: he borrowed a Fender Princeton (a small 12-watt amplifier) from his friend, Barry Melton of Country Joe and the Fish, and hot-rodded it by replacing the amplifier section with that of a Fender Bassman and installing a 12-inch speaker instead of the original 10-inch.

When did Mesa Boogie start?

1971, Lagunitas-Forest Knolls, California, United States Mesa Boogie/Founded