Founding of Mesa Boogie
Randall Smith established Mesa Engineering in 1969 in Petaluma, California, initially modifying Fender amplifiers before releasing the Mark I in 1972.
Launch of the Rectifier Series
The Dual Rectifier debuted in 1992 as part of the Recto series, offering 100 watts with a three-knob gain structure, presence and master controls per channel, and the signature Rectifier switch for tube or diode operation.
Evolution and Variants
Subsequent models added a third channel, Multi-Watt power scaling, and the Road King series, while the core Dual Rectifier circuit remained a benchmark for high-gain tube amplification through the 2000s.
Notable Artists
Metallica used Dual Rectifiers extensively on the Black Album and subsequent tours; other adopters include Foo Fighters, Linkin Park, and Periphery for their signature saturated tones.
