Mesa Engineering

first play
25
summer 2016 Guitarist
Mesa engineering JP-2C Head
N
ow in its Mark Five incarnation, the
modern Boogie is a three-channel
multi-mode monster, bristling with
knobs, switches and LEDs that control an
almost endless list of functions. However,
there’s still a hardcore following for the earlier,
simpler versions, which remain highly usable
today because of their exceptional build
quality. Out of all these, the final revision of
the Mark II – the Mark IIC+ – is the most
coveted, with clean examples selling way
above their original retail price. Most of the
Mark IIC+’s reputation is down to one person,
Dream Theater’s John Petrucci, who has been
one of Mesa’s biggest ambassadors for over
three decades and a long-time Mark IIC+
user. Mesa has now broken with tradition and
produced its first ever non-limited signature
model, the JP-2C, in recognition of Petrucci’s
outstanding association.
The JP-2C is contained in a short head
cabinet, faultlessly finished in black vinyl.
The internals are typical modern Boogie with
a neatly laid-out main PCB incorporating some
of the quirks that date back to the original
Mark IIC+, supported inside a beautifully
finished aluminium chassis. All the usual
Mesa components are here: custom resistors,
Orange Drop decoupling caps and a lot of
relays, topped with a mains transformer that’s
about the same size and weight as a Mini
Cooper. This massive transformer is a key
part of the early Boogie’s mystique, helping to
generate huge reserves of power.
But the most obvious and striking external
feature of the JP-2C is its control panel, which
Words Nick Guppy Photography Olly Curtis
The JP-2C makes Mesa history as the company’s
first unlimited signature amp, which pays tribute
to Dream Theater’s virtuosic John Petrucci
Dream
Machine
GIT410.rev_mesa.indd 25 7/6/16 7:31 PM