WORKING CONDITION: Excellent. This amp delivers everything from pristine cleans to scorching high-gain tones with an impressively low noise floor. The gain staging embodies quintessential vintage Mesa Boogie character, perfectly complemented by its original speaker. All potentiometers operate smoothly, and the graphic EQ sliders are remarkably clean and responsive. A stellar example of an early Mark I in full voice.

PHYSICAL CONDITION: Good. The speaker mounting holes were professionally re-drilled at some point but remain structurally solid with no compromise to the baffle. The exotic Imbuia hardwood cabinet exhibits a rich, warm patina earned through decades of stage and studio use. Minor battle scars—subtle dings and edge wear—only enhance its road-worn authenticity. All metal hardware is intact and secure; the original speaker cone and electronics are fully preserved, ready for the next chapter of legendary performances.

INVENTORY #57559

BRAND: Mesa Boogie

MODEL: Mark 1 Combo

FUNCTION: Electric Guitar Amplifier

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: This listing is for a 1975 Mesa Boogie Mk 1 Combo Guitar Amp as built for, owned and used by Caleb Quaye, guitarist for Elton John, Jagger, McCartney & Hall & Oates. 

Caleb Quaye, the acclaimed English guitarist and longtime collaborator of Elton John, joined the Elton John Band full-time in May 1975, just as the group's touring ambitions escalated to stadium scale. This marked a pivotal return for Quaye, who had contributed session guitar work to John's earliest albums (including Empty Sky, Elton John, Tumbleweed Connection, Friends, and Madman Across the Water) 

The Historical Context: Elton John's 1975 Dodger Stadium Concerts

The two-night stand at Dodger Stadium on October 25 and 26, 1975—part of the "West of the Rockies" tour—drew over 100,000 fans. Which, coincidentally, just celebrated its 50th anniversary, was a landmark event, capturing the peak of John's flamboyant '70s era

Quaye's role as co-lead guitarist alongside Johnstone added a gritty, rock-edged dynamic to the performances, blending rhythmic drive with searing solos. The shows were filmed and later released in part as Elton John: Dodger Stadium 1975, preserving Quaye's contributions amid the spectacle.

During the rehearsals for this show in Los Angeles, Quaye adopted one of the earliest production runs of the Mesa Boogie Mark I amplifier, specifically from the "second batch" hand-built by founder Randall Smith in his Petaluma, California shop—shortly after the inaugural batch went to Carlos Santana. The Mark I, introduced in 1972 as a hot-rodded Fender Princeton (with cascaded gain stages for unprecedented overdrive), was revolutionary for its time: it delivered crystalline clean and blistering high-gain leads all while maintaining a low noise floor and tight response—ideal for stadium volumes.

This 1975 Mesa Boogie Mark I—among the earliest production units hand-built by Randall Smith—represents the dawn of high-gain amplification. Its historic significance is amplified by its direct provenance with Caleb Quaye, who wielded it during Elton John’s legendary 1975 Dodger Stadium concerts, the pinnacle of '70s rock spectacle. The same amp powered Quaye’s guitar on the No. 1 album Rock of the Westies and Elton’s ambitious 1976 double LP Blue Moves, where Quaye co-wrote four tracks. Featured on performances with Hall & Oates and many others as part of Caleb's storied career. A true artifact of rock history—vintage tone, stadium thunder, and studio legacy in one.

SPECS:

• Serial # A286
• Finish/Color: Natural Imbuia Wood w/ Wicker Cane Grille
• Amp Weight: 64lbs 
• Flight Case Weight: 48lbs
• Watts: Switchable 100w / 60w 
• Ohms: 8
• Tube Config: (4)  6L6GC power; (4) 12AX7 preamp
• Speaker Size: 12"
• Speaker Type: Electro-Voice EV Force w/ Aluminum Dustcap (very rare but they do exist)
• Output Transformer Code: (Fender) Mesa 100-152010 | 606-4-04 [Schumacher, January 1974]
• Choke Transformer Code: Mesa 3815115 | 606-4-03 [Schumacher, January 1974]
• Power Transformer Code: Mesa 100-162318 | 606-5-37 [Schumacher, September 1975]
• Effects: None
• Mods: Speaker baffle mounting holes were relocated and redrilled at some point. 
• Graphic EQ: 80, 240, 750, 2200, 6600 Hz
• Other: Graphic EQ on/off switch, Line In and Out, courtesy AC outlet on rear, rubber anti-skid strips on bottom

• The Mark Series is a line of guitar amplifiers designed and produced by California-based manufacturer Mesa/Boogie since 1972. The first "Boogies," as they were originally known, were based on a Fender Princeton modified by company founder Randall Smith to produce more power and gain. The resulting production model, the Mark I, was popularized by guitarists like Carlos Santana and Keith Richards and helped establish Mesa/Boogie as a brand.

ACCESSORIES INCLUDED: Includes original road case as used on tour by Caleb Quaye. 

UNPACKAGED WEIGHT: 112lbs.

UNPACKAGED DIMENSIONS: 27" x 14" x 22"