Rectifier in 1991. With a "raw, aggressive bass-heavy sound" and sporting a characteristic steel, diamond faceplate, the Rectifier was Mesa's take on a "big, monster-metal head" and intended to look threatening compared to the Mark amps. The Rectifier became immensely popular among heavier styles of rock music in the wake of grunge, most notably nu metal, as well as hard rock, post-grunge, and punk. While an array of bands have used Rectifiers - including Korn, Tool, Soundgarden, Foo Fighters, and Blink 182 - Smith has said the overwhelming success of the amp with its distinctive sound and styling has led many people to associate the entire Mesa brand exclusively with metal, despite the company's roots in the "Fender legacy" and its initial reputation as a "hippie outfit" aimed at blues players. Mesa continued to revise the design of the Rectifiers as the decade went on, with "Revisions" F and G having a darker, looser sound that extended the model's popularity into the 2000s. Mesa followed up the success of the Rectifiers with the short-lived Maverick and Blue Angel models, as well as the Nomads. The 2000s to present day Mesa has continued to introduce new models in the 2000s and 2010s, with models such as the Road King II, the Lone Star and Lone Star Special, the Stiletto and Express lines along with lower watt versions of its large amps, such as the mini Rectifier, and the Mark V:25 and Mark V:35. On January 6, 2021, it was announced that Gibson had acquired Mesa/Boogie. As a result of the acquisition, then-75-year-old Smith joined Gibson as "Master Designer and Pioneer of Mesa/Boogie and beyond." Notable users References External links Guitar amplifier manufacturers Petaluma, California Companies based in Sonoma County, California Audio equipment manufacturers of the United States