The Mesa Boogie Quad: Still worth it in 2024?

nightlight

nightlight

Well-known member
Mine is all old, the footboard is rusted up, and sometimes the volume disappears, which makes it necessary to give it the "Russian Treatment" so that it comes back on.

All said and done, this is one serious amp, even in 2024. You have two channels with independent channel EQs and then a graphical EQ, and those two channels have both a rhythm or a lead option.

I've heard that the first channel is based off a Mesa Boogie Mark IIC, while channel two is the mighty Mark III. Superb tonal options here. Heck, some of the knobs even have a pulled out option, which opens up some real tone sculpting opportunities.

Here is a recording I did of mine in a full band mix. Apologies for any noise in the signal, the amp was boosted with the Horizon Devices Precision model on my Axe FXIII, which also provided the cab.



Just sounds so bad ass. If I could mic a cabinet up in my small room, I would, but the tone would have been even worse than this.

Also, caveat emptor: for the same reason, my mixes don't usually sound too good, but this should give you a general idea.
 
Gosh, I’m sorry. That mix sounds terrible on these Chinese cans I have. Bet it really sucks in a car. Damn room, I’ll post a screenshot of the peaks and valleys in my listening environment tomorrow. Horrible, silly me.
 
I go thru mental cycles to get rid of mine off and on. But every time I fire it up with the 295 and a couple cabs, I just shake my head....nope, staying put.

KIMG0547.JPG
 
I had one for a while not long ago. It was awesome. Thought it was going to be a forever piece of gear. For some reason it just started lacking a little something. A little less snap and top end kerang. Wasn’t tubes. After a tech (who knew them) found and replaced one or two things it still didn’t return to full glory. I didn’t want to spend the money to send it to Boogie not knowing if it would turn out any different. So I sold it. The market was hot enough at the time it was hard to justify keeping it and spending money unraveling the mystery of the small loss of mojo.
 
I have mine here and have no intention of letting go of it. This does remind me that I started rebuilding a rack rig around it several years back, got sidetracked and haven't gotten back to it. I'm basically building the rig that would have been fun when I was younger, but couldn't afford! Now I can afford it, but no longer have any place big enough to play it, no vehicle to haul it, and don't feel like lugging it up/down stairs.....so it'll set in the home studio, being glorious overkill! (At least, I can crank it up there, so there's that!)

Maybe I'll start a thread on that rig and see if the intelligentsia here and help me sort it out. Part of the issue was hitting decision paralysis with it.
 
As a long time owner of a few Boogies/Mark IIIs, I'd be all over the Quad ( always wanted one ). However, I never really had the motivation to put a rack rig together as it seems so cumbersome. But that experience has to be pretty fantastic!
 
Man...I remember seeing those regularly back in the late 90's/early 00's and they were about $550 all damn day long. I REALLY wish I would've grabbed one then. More than double that now, and another 20 years of beatings.
 
Last edited:
Chris O said:
Man...I remember seeing those regularly back in the late 90's/early 00's and the were about $550 all damn day long. I REALLY wish I would've grabbed one then. More than double that now, and another 20 years of beatings.
Click to expand...
Try a little less than 4x that now. I got mine a little before Covid for $799 from GC used. They are great but they’re definitely priced out of a purchase for me these days. It’s like IIB’s. I wanted one a while back more than a III and III’s were still not too much, IIB’s even cheaper but a 100 watt head w/graphic just never seemed to come along when I was looking. Next thing I know III’s skyrocket and kind of drag IIB’s with them. By the time I saw a 100 watt head w/graphic they were too much.
 
I've owned many, many, Boogies and the Quad is my favorite. I've tried a few power amps with it and I like the tone I get with the 50/50.

What is the "Russian Treatment"?

9/13/2021 by John Bazzano, on Flickr


At one point I had the Quad paired with a Rectifier preamp and a 400 power amp.

Ultimate Boogie by John Bazzano, on Flickr


I also had this "tank" of a set-up with 4X12 EVM12L speakers. It must've weighed 200+ pounds.


photo-19 by John Bazzano, on Flickr
 
Last edited:
I feel the Quad is still worth it these days.
I own an early version ( serviced once by mesa and good to go).
I'll plug straight in then into a strategy 500 out to 2- 4x12s.Raw,tight,thick,rich and open tone.Love it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top