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Gibson Mesa Boogie

guitarbob123

Active member
Joined
Jan 2, 2009
Messages
214
Noticed Gibson have just acquired Mesa/Boogie, seems like quite a big step.

Interesting to see what/if changes from both sides in terms of marketing/pricing/production etc. :ganz
 

zacknorton

Active member
Joined
Aug 26, 2011
Messages
731
man... I hope new gibson team is better with acquisitions.

Their epiphone revamp has been aces. so here's hoping for good things for mesa boogie. :yah
 

jrgtr42

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 24, 2005
Messages
2,308
|I just saw that now.
I wonder what brought it on -
and more to the point, how much corporate oversight will gibson have over Mesa? Most of the other companies they've taken over have been really hurting, on the verge of going out of business, but as far as I can tell, Boogie is not in any trouble at all.
Does Randy Smith want to step back from the business side of things? Retiring or moving towards retirement?
Will Gibson allow Mesa to keep working more-or-less autonomously? We know what corporate bean counting has done for more than a few other companies.
Looking at the press release on the Gibson site, https://www.gibson.com/News/Gibson-and-Mesa-Boogie I wonder if they'll be working on resurrecting some of the old Gibson amp designs from way back.
 

GreenBurst

Active member
Joined
Mar 5, 2004
Messages
748
|I just saw that now.
I wonder what brought it on -
and more to the point, how much corporate oversight will gibson have over Mesa? Most of the other companies they've taken over have been really hurting, on the verge of going out of business, but as far as I can tell, Boogie is not in any trouble at all.
Does Randy Smith want to step back from the business side of things? Retiring or moving towards retirement?
Will Gibson allow Mesa to keep working more-or-less autonomously? We know what corporate bean counting has done for more than a few other companies.
Looking at the press release on the Gibson site, https://www.gibson.com/News/Gibson-and-Mesa-Boogie I wonder if they'll be working on resurrecting some of the old Gibson amp designs from way back.

Randal Smith needs a good succession plan to keep the company relevant and Gibson has no amplifier products.

I hope Mesa Boogie will continue to operate independently. A great brand!

https://www.guitarworld.com/feature...oogie-and-what-it-means-for-the-iconic-brands
 

metropolis

Active member
Joined
Sep 14, 2018
Messages
390
I agree, I hope Mesa Boogie is still allowed autonomy and continues to deliver fantastic products as they have done well in the last few years.

I was a huge MB fan for many years (first a Quad preamp with 20/20, now a Studio .22+ and Studio Preamp/20/20) but I have drifted away. Might be time to fire up the Studio .22+ with a Les Paul and see how they get on again :hmm
 

Don

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Joined
Dec 1, 2001
Messages
5,732
I'm not optimistic that this will end well given the history of this kind of thing is the music and other industries, but I hope for the best.
 

TxMack

Member
Joined
Jul 15, 2001
Messages
754
I'm not optimistic that this will end well given the history of this kind of thing is the music and other industries, but I hope for the best.

What Don said. I am a lifelong Gibson man. That said, they have had financial problems and while I am not a high finance expert by any stretch, more acquisitions seems like a dicey strategy to me.

I have bought a lot of Boogie's through the years. I have always been a fan (sometimes frustrated). But to my ear Mesa has been developing and offering their very best stuff the past few years. I'm not sure how being under Gibson can possibly keep them at the level of excellence or on the trajectory of improvement they have been on.
 

Blackjack30

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Joined
Apr 9, 2016
Messages
321
I'm not optimistic that this will end well given the history of this kind of thing is the music and other industries, but I hope for the best.
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Compared to Mesa, Gibson will F it up.
The reason Gibson went bankrupt was getting into too many other areas besides making guitars which is zactly wtf they're doing with Mesa.
I sold all my Boogies as soon as i heard cuz prices were up and no more Petaluma service.
I don't trust Gibson to change a lightbulb.
 

somebodyelseuk

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 10, 2020
Messages
454
Gibson, for that matter, Fender et al, need to recognise that they are still operating because they already produce what people want. Gibson don't need to make Strats and Fender don't need to make Les Pauls. It's all fine and dandy buying out Mesa, but they need to recognise Mesa isn't, and never will be, Marshall, so DON'T try turning them in to Marshall.

As I often tell young guitarists, don't try to be a poor imitation of someone else. Be THE best version of you.
 

jb_abides

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Joined
Apr 6, 2005
Messages
5,274
I sold all my Boogies as soon as i heard cuz prices were up and no more Petaluma service.

Where this been documented?

MESA website still shows Petaluma service, plus the in-depth interview with Randall Smith and JC indicated MESA will enjoy high level of autonomy while Randall transitions more to the pre-existing core MESA team. Gibson governance and main synergies being distribution/dealer networks, synergistic marketing, enabled by the financial backing of a corporation with a larger war chest.

That said, this is the first big M&A move from the new team.

Let's hope JC and Cesar know not to 'Trace Elliot' the life out of MESA.

So far, Gibson under JC shows itself to be following his "Levi's Resurrection" playbook:
- Double-down on core products, narrow offerings, work to increase quality while managing costs
- Leverage partnerships with key partners, both suppliers and retailers
- Revitalize dealers network, endorsements, and other marketing with excitement looking to next wave of demographics while keeping the quintessential elements of the brand sacred.
- Play-off a heightened sense of nostalgia for 'real deal' versus a broad attempt to brand everything for lifestyle.

Right now they are too busy meeting production goals in the face of increased demand and supply chain issues to go about meddling deeply, I'd argue.

What will be a tell-tail indicator is how the reintroduction of Kramer fairs as it gears up to the next level. Will they get it right? Will customers actually want this? ..... And Maestro, same deal.

Also MESA doesn't have a perfect track record in their portfolio. Ask any Lonestar fan. Trans-Atlantic were great(!) but in terms of buyer's tastes they stretched too far from their known portfolio to make it work by the numbers.

My money is they'll hand all manner of vintage Gibson, Trace Elliot IP over to the good folks in Petaluma, who have a pre-eminent engineering team, to see what else they can make of it. Hmm. Bring back Gibson branded amps, up the ante on Epiphone amps, introduce more PC versions that can be stratified using overseas manufacturing, but still keep Petaluma busy both designing and building the top-end, maybe expand to a new TBA facility stateside...

I'm optimistic about it, YMMV. 🍑
 

Blackjack30

Active member
Joined
Apr 9, 2016
Messages
321
Where this been documented?

MESA website still shows Petaluma service, plus the in-depth interview with Randall Smith and JC indicated MESA will enjoy high level of autonomy while Randall transitions more to the pre-existing core MESA team. Gibson governance and main synergies being distribution/dealer networks, synergistic marketing, enabled by the financial backing of a corporation with a larger war chest.

That said, this is the first big M&A move from the new team.

Let's hope JC and Cesar know not to 'Trace Elliot' the life out of MESA.

So far, Gibson under JC shows itself to be following his "Levi's Resurrection" playbook:
- Double-down on core products, narrow offerings, work to increase quality while managing costs
- Leverage partnerships with key partners, both suppliers and retailers
- Revitalize dealers network, endorsements, and other marketing with excitement looking to next wave of demographics while keeping the quintessential elements of the brand sacred.
- Play-off a heightened sense of nostalgia for 'real deal' versus a broad attempt to brand everything for lifestyle.

Right now they are too busy meeting production goals in the face of increased demand and supply chain issues to go about meddling deeply, I'd argue.

What will be a tell-tail indicator is how the reintroduction of Kramer fairs as it gears up to the next level. Will they get it right? Will customers actually want this? ..... And Maestro, same deal.

Also MESA doesn't have a perfect track record in their portfolio. Ask any Lonestar fan. Trans-Atlantic were great(!) but in terms of buyer's tastes they stretched too far from their known portfolio to make it work by the numbers.

My money is they'll hand all manner of vintage Gibson, Trace Elliot IP over to the good folks in Petaluma, who have a pre-eminent engineering team, to see what else they can make of it. Hmm. Bring back Gibson branded amps, up the ante on Epiphone amps, introduce more PC versions that can be stratified using overseas manufacturing, but still keep Petaluma busy both designing and building the top-end, maybe expand to a new TBA facility stateside...

I'm optimistic about it, YMMV. 🍑
I don't know how many Corporate takeover's [you] have been thru but ive been thru many both as client & employee.
The proverbial kiss of death is when they say "nothing will change/everything will be the same."
Only one thing changes during a takeover and that one thing is EVERYTHING.
Randall Smith sold his company/all i need to know.

 
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jb_abides

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Apr 6, 2005
Messages
5,274
I don't know how many Corporate takeover's [you] have been thru but ive been thru many both as client & employee.

Same. They state the same, for outcomes both good and bad. Why do otherwise?

Barbarians at the Gate notwithstanding [great movie BTW] , KKR has run the gamut of polished turds and cut diamonds.... Dollar General and First Data have gone on to do very well moving from PE to public under their restructuring.

That's why I look at the track record. They would not have hired a CEO like JC if they intended to pump and dump or gut it. Rebuild differently, optimize, maybe not to everyone's liking, assurdely.

As for any post-IPO or buyout future, Tomorrow Never Knows.
 

Blackjack30

Active member
Joined
Apr 9, 2016
Messages
321
Same. They state the same, for outcomes both good and bad. Why do otherwise?

Barbarians at the Gate notwithstanding [great movie BTW] , KKR has run the gamut of polished turds and cut diamonds.... Dollar General and First Data have gone on to do very well moving from PE to public under their restructuring.

That's why I look at the track record. They would not have hired a CEO like JC if they intended to pump and dump or gut it. Rebuild differently, optimize, maybe not to everyone's liking, assurdely.

As for any post-IPO or buyout future, Tomorrow Never Knows.


They will cut Mesa to the bone & cheapen the brand just like every other Corporate Raider.
Seen it 100 times.
Nobody can ever do Mesa better than Randall. End of an era.
Ask why Dave Friedman's Soldano SLO 2.0 sales are in the crapper. Nobody wanst em they get returned at an astronomical rate.
 
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jb_abides

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 6, 2005
Messages
5,274
Plan for the worst, hope for the best.

I'm not selling mine based on a change in ownership, they are well-engineered and will remain serviceable.

Will pre-GB, Inc models become the next pre-CBS? Mmmaybe. Not in it for that. Lots of Marks will be on-hand, as will boutique builders with similar design criteria. I am not a Dual-R guy so, whatever those folks find next, best of luck to all.

Now, assets like Rayven, they are harder to come by! 🍑
 
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Blackjack30

Active member
Joined
Apr 9, 2016
Messages
321







Well everyone has to do what works for them but i am personal friends with a couple different industry well known leading Engineers in town and have access to others and nobody wanted to work on my Mesa's {at all}.
Amps for me have to be serviceable not if but when and Mesa put out a PSA about radial caps exploding on Mark IV's.
I was not going to be at the mercy of whatever service remedy Gibson came up with so they're all gone. MK III/MK IV/Single & Dual Rectifiers.
Down to two 100 watt Marshalls that are bulletproof.
Would not rule out a pre-Gibson Mesa at some point foreword but not anytime soon.
 
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jb_abides

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Joined
Apr 6, 2005
Messages
5,274
Nice rigs.

I kept my JCM800, 2061x HW, etc. ....

I keep my Marshall beer in my Marshall fridge, the only issue is the bulb inside is too bright so I use my Marshall sunglasses when reaching for a cold one...

😎



Marshall-Lifestyle.jpg
 

somebodyelseuk

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 10, 2020
Messages
454
so, any of you guys getting cold feet about owning a Mk2c+ or MkIII DRG head or combo give me a shout
You know, I have a Triaxis. 30 years old, never had a screwdriver near it since it was fixed in to the rack. When the time comes that it needs fixing, the nearest Mesa engineer is an ocean and a continent away, so it'll get worked on by an independent technician.
Couldn't care less, whether this is a good move for Mesa or Gibson. I don't work for them. Not a shareholder, so it doesn't affect me if they both fold.
 

garywright

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Joined
Aug 17, 2002
Messages
15,583


They will cut Mesa to the bone & cheapen the brand just like every other Corporate Raider.
Seen it 100 times.
Nobody can ever do Mesa better than Randall.
👍 ..also, that cool card,” Prices from $600 “ …man, that wasn’t just yesterday
 
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