Gibson Has Purchased Amplifier Giant Mesa/Boogie

Big news from the gear world: Gibson has acquired amplifier giant Mesa/Boogie. The sale comes 51 years after Mesa/Boogie launched and decades of producing high quality, boutique amps and cabinets.

“I’m 75 years-old and still at work every day,” says Mesa/Boogie founder Randy Smith. “This is my art and many of our crew have worked along my side for 30 to 40 years. As we witnessed JC [James Curleigh, Gibson CEO] and Cesar [Gueikian, Gibson CMO] 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!”

“This is a perfect partnership based on our collective professional experiences and passion for sound,” Curleigh adds, while Gueikian raves, “Together, we will continue to pursue our mutual quest of sound, quality and craftsmanship and to push the boundaries of how guitar sound is delivered and experienced.”

Tool’s Adam Jones, who has long paired his Gibson Les Paul with Mesa/Boogie amps, also offered his two cents on the new partnership. “This is very exciting, I can’t think of a better company to carry the Mesa Boogie torch, and I can’t wait to see what we can do together. I have been using Mesa Boogie amplifiers and cabinets for a long time. I use them at home, in the studio when I record and on stage when I play live; they go across all of my needs.”

Other famous players who used Mesa/Boogie amps include Keith Richards, Dave Grohl, Jerry Cantrell, Rush’s Alex Lifeson and the entire guitar/bass section of Metallica.

The exact price Gibson paid for Mesa/Boogie has not been made public, but the amplifier company is reported to earn tens of millions of dollars in revenue each year.