Mike Bendinelli Working at Mesa?

[MilkNCereal]

Hi, I'm want to mod my IIc to C+. I was wondering if Mike B still working there. Thanks for the help.

 

[Boogiebabies]

:roll:

 

[MilkNCereal]

Just got off the phone with Mike. What stand up guy he is. He was really helpful and we had a good talk about his amps. Mike told me he only had some 60watters and is waiting for their prices to increase. For anyone that is wondering, the mod to IIC+ is $300. #12983 is on his bench, 6 away from mine. Woah, well yup, going to be sending my amp pretty soon, once I get the funds that is. :wink:

-Ryan

 

[Boogiebabies]

8)

 

[MilkNCereal]

Haha, I got the serial number totally wrong. I wasn't near my amp and I thought it was that one, but it was different. Its actually 12189. Stupid me. Well, you should of heard him when I told him how old I was. He told me "you better rock out with this!" Haha, really cool guy. I might have to call him time to time, to talk about amps. :lol:

 

[Barry]

Uh, do you mean your serial number is only 6 digits away from 12983.
If this is what you are saying, it's probably a IIC+ already, I have seen original IIC+'s in the 12400's. Do the loop test or post a picture of the circuit board. I can tell you immediately.

Mike B. is a superb human being. I enjoy every moment we speak and he has taught me more about the IIC+ and the mods, intricacies and his involvment in bringing the " Holy Grail" into existence. With no ego involved, other than myself, I would let no other human touch my IIC+. Instead of sending my amp to Mike he has taught me many valuable lessons. I cannot say this about many amp techs. It is rare that Mike takes his valuable time and is willing to share information that he could easily make $ 300.00 on. I have spent over three years studying the IIC+ from upgrades, stock and modification so when I call Mike we are on the same page without even looking at a schematic or amp. He is amazing and can even recall the color of bright caps on certain serial number runs.
I have been honored to have the torch passed to me, but even after Mike has shown me all the plays in his book, I will not do any mods unless they are local out of respect for Mike and Susan. Dont forget to check out Studio Slips for amp covers and padded head shell cases. These are made by Mike's wife Susan and they are the best covers on the market.

Another great Boogie Guy is Ian Dickey who put up the Boogie Files. It is a tremendous resource for Mesa info. For me, I am more into the technical aspects and not just the literature and basics. i have wanted a IIC+ since I was 13 back in 85. They were hard to find back then, but guys like Mike B, Ian and the late Richard Ray were always inspiring to keep digging and edjucate yourself on the +. This advice I have taken as my main hobby and for some reason it has been en enrichening activity and has surpassed modding Marshalls and Golf.

Now, if you ever get a Recto, you better know every single cap, resistor and relay as George Meuller is a very gifted, but less tolerant person than Mike when it comes to repairs, revisions and technical issues.
George is brilliant. Between these guys and the customer service department, I will always consider Mesa as my first choice for an amplifier. They are not perfect, but are **** near close and have gone miles above what I ever expected out of an amplifier company. The only other company close in CS is Soldano. Mike Soldano and Bill Sundt are remarkable.

I thought I would chime in and say Ive used Mesa/Boogie exclusively since 1980 and have been treated like part of the royal family by them . My friend Steve Mueller has taken up loads of one on one time with me and always reminds me how grateful they are to me for using Mesa gear . My condensed story is on their testimonial page, twice actually . Thanks to Tim and Trent at Mesa as well . I love those guys .

 

[JamesD]

I've yet to call and talk to anyone at Mesa, but it seems like a great thing to do, if nothing else just for the conversation. I guess some rainy day when i have nothing to do i will give em a call and have a chat.

 

[JAMz]

Boogiebabies.....

I know exactly what you mean about Mesa Boggie's CS. It has been top notch for many years until recently. Allow me to explain. I live in Puerto Rico. Our relationship with the united states is that we are not a state but a commonwealth. So yes we share a lot of the Federal laws as the rest of the states of the union. But also we have a Local goverment as well with laws and taxes of their own.

Thruout the years, all of my boogies where serviced in Mesa and I used to get all the replacement parts from them directly. Anything that anyof my multiple amps needed I got in a blink of an eye. Until mesa signed up with a local store for distributorship, not dealership. I'm reserving their name. It seems like Mesa was looking for a dealer in Puerto Rico for some time. So they teamed up with these guys and since then everything boogie has become a nightmare. As a distributor, this store is free (as per mesa) to mark up any product depending on the country taxes and shipping costs.

Having a local mesa distributor means that Mesa will no longer take any kind of order, being new stuff or replacement parts. So we are abbandoned to deal with the most incompetent distributor in PR.

This store could mark up a new amp almost $400-$500 more on top of the pro-net, plus tax and shipping. Say for example a Stiletto; $1,600 (PN) + $105 (tax) + $100 (Shipping) = $1,805. Right? Not! Local dealer price $2,300.

Any part needed? Of course they don't havent but even worst they tell you they will get it but never do. I've been there and done that and this new dealer always falls short. For example, tubes???? Not a chance they have been sold out for almost three months now and they just don't know when they are getting more. I've decided to get my amps fixed with other tubes since there is no way of getting mesa.

The worst part is that if something goes wrong, I'm reffered to this store for all isues. I don't want just anyone to put their hands inside my amps. The good people that used to help in the past have their hands tight down so they colud do nothing to help. It is so frustrating.

 

[igfraso]

Mike Bendinelli is a superb human being. I enjoy every moment we speak.

Another great Boogie Guy is Ian Dickey who put up the Boogie Files. It is a tremendous resource for Mesa info.

I cannot agree more with you, Boogiebabies. And just because of their kindness, I try to resist the urge to call them and waste their time.

This doesn't apply to you, of course. But the rest of us, mere Boogie owners, should talk to Mike and Ian only when we really need it. If we abuse it, we will lose it.
Thanks for your technical info. It is very, very useful.
Regards
Daniel

 

[dylan7620]

The only other company close in CS is Soldano. Mike Soldano and Bill Sundt are remarkable.

havent had to deal with mesa cs yet, but bill and mike are great guys! i went down to the factory in seattle and boy was that a sight! so much tone in one place i thought my head head was going to explode. it made me giddy :lol: