Well, soon after I started gettting serious with my band, i bought an avt 50 half stack (Marshall, tube preamp). I had no ear for tone at this point, but the shop I was getting lessons at started carrying MB products - I remember when I first saw the rectifiers - The look blew me away, and the "baseball" logo, also drew me in. I saved up for an entire summer for that amp - and had to borrow a 4x12 after trading in the marshall.
I was playing a standard strat at that point, and after getting The recto, I realised I would have to get a different guitar. Now here I am , a mesa, a boogie, 2 cabinets on the way, road case, a custom guitar, and still going, I would say Ive grown up with mesa now, and Ive not heard any other amp thats going to take me away!