Mesa Boogie Amp Factory Tour

Premier Guitar's Joe Coffey is On Location in Petaluma, CA, where he tours the Mesa Boogie Amp Factory in this six-part video series.

In part 1 of the tour, we get to check out two of Mesa' most important areas; Mesa Founder Randy Smith's workshop and design room. We see all the old prototypes, which have spawned of several amps and how Randy designs their plated-through circuit boards with curved lines for various tape widths for connecting all the components on the board.



In part 2 of the tour, we check out how Mesa Boogie constructs their circuit boards. We see how the intricate process works, including the use of large machines, both automated and manned, and the "Terminator Machine," which applies molten solder to the circuit board to ensure the components security on both sides of the board.



In the third part of the tour, we get to see the assembly process where the circuit board is checked and inserted into the chassis. In addition, we check out the implementation of transformers and tubes. The video concludes with the Mesa "hammer test" where technicians use the handle of a hammer to recreate drops and damage in the rock world.



In fourth part of the tour, we see how Mesa Boogie builds their cabs, including the CNC cutting process, sanding and gluing, sanding and why Mesa chooses non-void Russian baltic birch plywood for their cabs.



In the fifth part of our tour, we get to see the whole process of applying the Tolex to their cabs, including how Mesa technicians race against the clock before the glue on the Tolex dries. In addition, we check out the final assembly of grills, back compartments and the most sought after position in Petaluma-the technician that test drives all the amps before they leave the factory.



In the sixth and final part of our tour, we get to see some of Mesa's famous exotic and custom wood selections used for cab and head enclosures. The hardwoods include African ribbon mahogany, bubinga, Tasmanian blackwood, imbuya and many more. In addition, we get to check out some of Mesa's custom vinyl coverings including cheetah print, cowhide, snake, croc and for those Rick Nielsen fans, checkerboard print.