What kind of player is the Mesa Boogie Lonestar amp for?

The Lonestar is an amazingly versatile amp. It offers some of Boogie's greatest clean and slightly overdriven tones. It does high gain too but with a different focus and emphasis to something like a Dual Rectifier. Sting's long-time guitarist Dominic Miller is a notable user of the Lonestar, and a good example of the type of player who'd be well suited to this amp. Guitarists who need a selection of tones that are organic, touch sensitive and expressive will love the Lonestar. If we were playing mostly hard rock then Mesa Boogie have plenty of other amps for us. But for the axeman who wants a great range of quality heritage tones from all eras of music, the Lonestar is the one to go for.

I want the ultimate distortion sound: which Mesa Boogie amp should I try?

Well, there is really one choice: it has to be the Mesa Boogie Dual Rectifier. This amp is the sound of modern metal without doubt. Listen to any track from Metallica's epoch-defining Black Album and you'll hear a 'Dual Rec' set to stun! Rammstein, well known for having one of the most envy-inducing ensemble sounds in metal, make significant use of the Mesa Dual Rectifier too.

Which Mesa Boogie amp is the most versatile?

We would say that the current Mark V amp is the most versatile Mesa Boogie amp. No other all valve amplifier has the range of sounds or features that this amp handles. The quality is extremely high too: every sound and interaction is pretty much perfect. Players who like things heavy should check out the John Petrucci signature Mark V. It introduces some extra gain-friendly features for guitarists who want THAT tone!

Did Carlos Santana have something to do with the name 'Boogie'?

He did! Carlos was an early adopter of the amps and was quoted as saying 'This thing really boogies!' after having a quick blast on an early Mark I combo. This may or may not be apocryphal but Carlos has used nothing but Mesa Boogie amps ever since!

What players use Mesa Boogie amps?

The list is pretty massive. Here are some select highlights: James Hetfield (Metallica), Adam Jones (Tool), Al DiMeola, John Petrucci (Dream Theater), Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters), Korn, Lamb of God, Richard Kruspe (Rammstein), Carlos Santana, Soundgarden, John Squire (the Stone Roses), and many, many more.