Gibson has announced Randall Smith – the legendary amp founder that masterminded the Mesa/Boogie guitar amp brand – has exited his role as the firm’s Master Designer and Pioneer.
Rumors of Smith’s departure made their way online over the weekend, and now Gibson has officially announced it will be parting ways with the influential boutique amp designer, who was initially brought onboard after Gibson acquired Mesa/Boogie in 2021.
“I am incredibly grateful for Randy’s pioneering insights, design, and trust in Gibson,” says Gibson’s CEO Cesar Gueikian. “Randy’s DNA will always be present, and over the last few decades he has trained the new generation of designers that have been leading the way for Gibson and MESA/Boogie amps.
“As we evolve our Gibson Amps collection, including our Gibson and MESA/Boogie brands, Randy, and his original design ideas, will continue to inspire us to make the best and highest quality amplifiers we’ve ever made.”
Mesa/Boogie’s Director of R&D Doug West adds, “Few in this world ever get the chance to be mentored, coached to excellence and to perform at their consistent personal best in the ways our design team, and everyone here at MESA/Boogie, have under his tutelage.
“Randy leaves us in good stead to carry on his legacy and tradition of excellence.”
No statement from Smith himself was provided in the release.
Smith first launched Mesa Engineering in the late ’60s, and over the decades helped pioneer some of the most heard and widely regarded high-gain amps in the guitar industry. Examples include the Dual Rectifier, Mark Series and the Roadster range.
Over the decades, his amps have been built for – and used by – the likes of Carlos Santana, Kirk Hammett, Adam Jones, The Rolling Stones, Steve Lukather and others.
Gibson’s acquisition of Mesa/Boogie three-and-a-half-years ago was seen as a hugely significant move from both firms, and that has since proven to be the case, with Mesa/Boogie releasing a raft of new amps in recent times.
The partnership has also seemingly aided the return of Gibson-branded amps, which made a comeback earlier this year in the form of the Falcon combo.
Now, Smith has not only exited the Gibson family of brands, but he’s left the amp brand he founded more than five decades ago. In an official release, the company noted Smith “has completed his time with Gibson”.
It remains to be seen what will be next for Smith, who was 75 years old at the time of the acquisition, but if his words from a few years ago are anything to go by, it might not quite be the end of his amp-building journey.
“My whole life has been coupled with music and it’s an honor to be able to build equipment for musicians,” he told Guitar World. “I will never tire of it because it’s thrilling.
“I’m 75 years old now and I will continue to do this,” he continued. “I have a whole family of people here that have built their lives around working here – they have rent to pay, cars to drive. It’s funny, the people who have been here for 20 or 25 years are still called the new guys by those who have been here for 40 plus. It’s a reciprocal commitment.
“I want to see those people’s futures secured as much as possible. When I’m gone, they are not going to be dependent on me! It’s a win-win all round.”
