Mesa/Boogie California Tweed 2:20 head
Product information "Mesa/Boogie California Tweed 2:20 head"
In the late 1960s, the famous amplifier repairman Randall Smith from the San Francisco Bay Area began building his own amplifiers after learning to appreciate the circuits of the tweeds from the 1950s. He was impressed by the organic tone colour, the powerful controls and the way they could switch smoothly between clean and distorted sound.
A quick glance at the front of the California Tweed 2:20 reveals that it is a simple single-channel amplifier. Channel functions include normal and low inputs, gain, treble, mid, bass, presence, reverb and master volume controls. The legendary vintage all-tube amp with reverb coil and external reverb switch and a fully buffered, tube-driven FX loop complete a feature set that delivers everything you need for golden tone, no frills.
The California Tweed 2:20 is powered by powerful 2x6V6 tubes, while the preamp is equipped with its own 5x12AX7 and 1x12AT7 tubes. The powerful amplifier with patented Multi-Watt™, Duo-Class™ and Dyna-Watt™ technologies offers three power levels, two operating modes and three connection options via a single 3-way rotary switch! You have the choice between the following power options:
20 watts - 2x6V6 Class A/B pentode - fixed bias
10 watts - 2x6V6 Class A/B triode - fixed bias
1 watt - 1x6V6 pentode, single-ended Class A - cathode bias
Fixed bias (20 and 10 watt modes) and cathode bias (1 watt mode) both provide consistent, maintenance-free performance
The California Tweed 2:20 features a single channel with normal (clean to overdrive) and low (clean) inputs, gain, treble, mid, bass, presence, reverb and master volume controls, providing everything you need to quickly and easily dial in the ideal TONE. The vintage all-tube reverb is equipped with an external reverb switch socket (footswitch and cable sold separately) for remote activation.
Whether you run your pedals directly into the input or through the included fully-buffered, tube-driven effects loop, the California Tweed 2:20 provides an ideal platform for pedal users in a compact, 10.43kg top that expands vintage tone and defines portability.
- Channels: 1
- Country of Origin: USA
- Dimensions (WxHxD): 22.2 x 41.3 x 25.4 cm
- EQ: Gain, Treble, Middle, Bass, Presence, Master, Reverb
- Effects: Hall / Reverb
- Housing size: Fullsize
- Impedance: 4/8 ohms
- Includes: Cover
- Inserts: Series
- Power: 1W/10W/20W
- Power Amp Valves: 2x 6V6
- Power Range: 16 - 30 W
- Pre Amp Valves: 5x 12AX7 and 1x 12AT7
- Special Features: Power adjustable to 1, 10 or 20 watts, Incremental Multi-Watt™ Power Amp with Duo-Class™ and Dyna-Watt™ technology, fully buffered effects loop, Vintage-style construction / acoustic
- Technology: Valve
- Weight: 10,45 kg
In the late 1960s Randall Smith, one of the most famous amp repairers in the San Francisco Bay Area, was inspired to build his own amplifiers after developing a fondness for the tweed circuits of the 1950s. He loved their organic sound, the effective controls and the way the tone gently moved from clean to distortion and back again when the gain control was used.
To push forward with his own amplifier designs and concepts, he settled in Pentaluma, California in 1969 and worked on further developing his amps.
The characteristic, heavily distorted sound of his Mesa/Boogie amplifiers was initially the result of an electrically mis‑dimensioned preamp. Founder Randall Smith wasn’t sure whether the preamp’s output would be enough to drive the power amp, and he built it with four twin triodes, of which the first seven triodes are still used today to amplify the input signal.
Many years later Mesa/Boogie has grown into one of the major global players in the market for high‑end guitar and bass amplifiers and is a leader in the development of modern amp designs and circuits. The American company also holds several patents on special features and circuits, such as Multi‑Watt™, Dyna‑Watt™ and the Mesa CabClone™ cab simulator, which you’ll certainly come across when browsing our selection of Mesa/Boogie products.
Of course, a maker of such innovative and high‑quality products has by now also gathered a large fanbase among professional musicians who got hooked on Mesa/Boogie amps. The best known users of Mesa/Boogie amps include the already mentioned Carlos Santana, Larry Carlton, Angus Young, Robben Ford, Eric Johnson, Keith Richards, Pete Townshend, Adam Jones, Mark Tremonti and Dave Grohl. Of course these aren’t the only famous Mesa/Boogie users, and Mesa/Boogie also boasts a large and steadily growing following among studio musicians and hobby guitarists. Maybe you’ll soon be part of the next generation of the Mesa/Boogie fan community?
