Randall Smith Gone From Mesa Boogie/Gibson?

[JiveTurkey]

Mom: "We have sh!tty drop D riffs at home!"

The sh!tty drop D riffs:

















but also

 

[LCW]

Don’t worry guys… Reddit is now latching onto the Fluff/Randall drama…

r/MesaBoogie

 

[DrewJD82]

Don’t worry guys… Reddit is now latching onto the Fluff/Randall drama…

r/MesaBoogie

Oh that’s gotta be a treat to read over. Old, rich white dude gets fired by Old Rich Dude Guitar Company. I can just imagine how many Redditors are going to be seeking therapy on Fluff’s behalf for the assault that’s been perpetrated on him.

 

[EOengineer]

Oh that’s gotta be a treat to read over. Old, rich white dude gets fired by Old Rich Dude Guitar Company. I can just imagine how many Redditors are going to be seeking therapy on Fluff’s behalf for the assault that’s been perpetrated on him.

At a glance the conversation looks to be the same one we’re having here with the same positions being surfaced.

 

[Allexi]

New episode.
BTW - Randall in the end of this video saying: "
14:27: I had given away most of the ownership of Mesa Boogie to my top guys years before Gibson came into the picture"

 

[spawnofthesith]

New episode.
BTW - Randall in the end of this video saying: "
14:27: I had given away most of the ownership of Mesa Boogie to my top guys years before Gibson came into the picture"

So what exactly is he saying here? Is it an implication that maybe it was the other guys ideas to sell the company not his?



He sounded pretty gung ho at the time of the sale

"I'm 75 years-old and still at work every day," says Randall Smith founder of Mesa/Boogie. "This is my art and many of our crew have worked along my side for 30 to 40 years. As we witnessed JC and Cesar transform Gibson, we saw kindred spirits sharing common values and a fierce dedication to quality. Today, Gibson's guitars are the best-ever and when they asked if we'd like to become Gibson's Custom Shop for Amplifiers, we envisioned a perfect collaboration that would expand our outreach while preserving our legacy beyond my time. Gibson realizes the unique value of what we've all built together and this next chapter in the Mesa/Boogie story is a continuation of that dream. I am so fortunate for this partnership with the new Gibson after 50 years of doing what I love. It's been the ride of my life . . . and it ain't over yet!"

 

[[Nathan]]

I underestimated the Gibson hate here on this one. 1500+ comments on my video and the vast majority of them is general dislike towards Gibson for firing Randall and booting Fluff. To be fair its dislike towards Gibson for poor qc, high prices and an array of other reasons as well, but this seems to be the icing on the cake.

 

[BahamaDada]

I underestimated the Gibson hate here on this one. 1500+ comments on my video and the vast majority of them is general dislike towards Gibson for firing Randall and booting Fluff. To be fair its dislike towards Gibson for poor qc, high prices and an array of other reasons as well, but this seems to be the icing on the cake.

Funny as your vid popped up this morning in my YT feed and I thought this as well. I guess the Venn diagram between your vid, people watching yt vids about gear and hating Gibson is pretty close together.

And those ppl watching gear vids on YT are most more often than not subbers of Fluff. Loyality goes deep that way.

Fluff did the wrong thing as a „business partner“. Gibson bazooka‘d a sparrow. In the end, for me, it says more positive things about Fluff as he just did not stirr any shat about it, but talked about it calmly in a Q&A way after it happened. And as others said: Plenty of other manufacturers left to work with. Disclaimer: I don‘t care about Fluff. May he live happy life nontheless.

 

[laxu]

Are people actually that hung up about Randall? I honestly couldn't give a flying F.

As long as Mesa releases good products, I don't care who designs them. If they start releasing crappy products due to him not being there, obviously those products wouldn't be interesting. But so far, Mesa has been doing the exact right thing and released two of the amp revisions that people have been shouting about most - both of which has generated a lot of (pre-) sales and buzz. The reviews seem to be amazing as well.

So far, it doesn't seem that Mesa has hurt in any way by Randall not being there.

They are releasing reissues of old circuits. We will have to see when Mesa releases any actually new products.

If you look at Marshall, they have stagnated to churning out 20W reissues of their old products. I'd rather not see Mesa end up like that.

 

[GuitarBilly74]

He just posted a FAQ video stating that Mesa severed all official ties with him

I can't think of a single company that wouldn't terminate a paid endorser/spokesperson for putting out personnel change information without clearing with them first.

Even on my day job I know that would be a fireable offense.

 

[MirrorProfiles]

I can't think of a single company that wouldn't terminate a paid/ endorser/spokesperson for putting out personnel change information without clearing with them first.

Even on my day job I know that would be a fireable offense.

I don’t think anyone would really say that Fluff’s facebook comment was something that Gibson would be happy with.

I think their reaction and way of handling it is what I find most baffling - if the goal is to control the narrative and spin things positively, then being caught out at trying to hide that Randall was fired, and then putting the brunt of the punishment of the leak on a prominent and vocal collaborator of theirs just draws more attention to it and makes them look even worse.

Gauging the tone of the comments of youtube/facebook/reddit etc, I don’t think any of how Gibson have handled this is making the public think more positively about Gibson/Mesa, or makes people more inclined to spend money with them. They’ve just given people something to think negatively of them with.

So while Gibson are right to take action, you’d think they’d try to do it in a way that makes them look better (or at least neutral), not much much worse. I think that’s what people find baffling - they’re just bringing totally unnecessary negative PR on themselves. There’s been several opportunities and PLENTY of time where they could have straightened things out and put an end to it.

 

[GuitarBilly74]

I don’t think anyone would really say that Fluff’s facebook comment was something that Gibson would be happy with.

I think their reaction and way of handling it is what I find most baffling - if the goal is to control the narrative and spin things positively, then being caught out at trying to hide that Randall was fired, and then putting the brunt of the punishment of the leak on a prominent and vocal collaborator of theirs just draws more attention to it and makes them look even worse.

Gauging the tone of the comments of youtube/facebook/reddit etc, I don’t think any of how Gibson have handled this is making the public think more positively about Gibson/Mesa, or makes people more inclined to spend money with them. They’ve just given people something to think negatively of them with.

So while Gibson are right to take action, you’d think they’d try to do it in a way that makes them look better (or at least neutral), not much much worse. I think that’s what people find baffling - they’re just bringing totally unnecessary negative PR on themselves. There’s been several opportunities and PLENTY of time where they could have straightened things out and put an end to it.

That's not the point though. Maybe it's bad PR, but Fluff had a work contract with Mesa. For all intents and purposes, he was a paid spokesperson. Whether it's gear, money or both, they're giving him something in exchange for good publicity.

If he wasn't under contract with Mesa, that would be a different situation..
But as an endorser his job is to well... endorse. If he wants to "say whatever he wants" it's on him to stay independent.

This stuff "how not to lose a job/contract 101".

 

[MirrorProfiles]

That's not the point though. Maybe it's bad PR, but Fluff had a work contract with Mesa. For all intents and purposes, he was a paid spokesperson. Whether it's gear, money or both, they're giving him something in exchange for good publicity.

If he wasn't under contract with Mesa, that would be a different situation..
But as an endorser his job is to well... endorse. If he wants to "say whatever he wants" it's on him to stay independent.

This stuff "how not to lose a job/contract 101".

No one is really disputing this though - it’s more “does the way Gibson have handled this make the brand look better or worse? Will this lead to more sales and or better marketing?”. That’s why it’s baffling, it does not do anything positive for how Gibson are perceived by many, and it’s something of their own making.

 

[BahamaDada]

That's not the point though. Maybe it's bad PR, but Fluff had a work contract with Mesa. For all intents and purposes, he was a paid spokesperson. Whether it's gear, money or both, they're giving him something in exchange for good publicity.

If he wasn't under contract with Mesa, that would be a different situation..
But as an endorser his job is to well... endorse. If he wants to "say whatever he wants" it's on him to stay independent.

This stuff "how not to lose a job/contract 101".

While I can sign anything you said in this paragraph it's still: He's human and he most likely was just fed up about the situation. Doesn't make his behaviour more 'correct', but as someone with a bit of a heated mind more than often... I can relate. At least he did not make 20 (daily) videos about it "Here's what happened since yesterday between Gibson and me [shock] [Gone Sexual]". If he did that... I think we would think different. And with perspective on the "we are all human after all part" I think we should search the next (better) thing to worry over

 

[GuitarBilly74]

No one is really disputing this though - it’s more “does the way Gibson have handled this make the brand look better or worse? Will this lead to more sales and or better marketing?”. That’s why it’s baffling, it does not do anything positive for how Gibson are perceived by many, and it’s something of their own making.

Again, it's a work contract. If the company let's it slide, the next time there's a leak by an endorser, there's a precedent and it would make it easy for them to say "I didn't expect any consequences given nothing happened to Fluff when he did the same thing".

They could have done something internal only, but it's hard to do that once something it's already out. Can't put that rabbit back in the hat.

The "message control" is really for the employees and endorsers: don't do that. They probably think the public thing will blow over with time (and I'm sure it will).

I agree it's bad PR, but it was caused by a company spokesperson leaking inside info without authorization, then complaining more about being justly terminated.

I think he got off easy, especially this being Gibson. Many companies would sue over this type of stuff.

 

[GuitarBilly74]

While I can sign anything you said in this paragraph it's still: He's human and he most likely was just fed up about the situation. Doesn't make his behaviour more 'correct', but as someone with a bit of a heated mind more than often... I can relate. At least he did not make 20 (daily) videos about it "Here's what happened since yesterday between Gibson and me [shock] [Gone Sexual]". If he did that... I think we would think different. And with perspective on the "we are all human after all part" I think we should search the next (better) thing to worry over

I'm human too and I've been on my job for 17 years, believe me there were A LOT of days I was fed up. In fact, today is one of them

Still, if I leaked something major without authorization, it goes viral and my management got wind of it, I'd fully expect to be terminated. So I don't do that.

Professionalism is not only for when you're happy.

Now if had quit, then leaked, more power to him.

 

[EOengineer]

Again, it's a work contract. If the company let's it slide, the next time there's a leak by an endorser, there's a precedent and it would make it easy for them to say "I didn't expect any consequences given nothing happened to Fluff when he did the same thing".

They could have done something internal only, but it's hard to do that once something it's already out. Can't put that rabbit back in the hat.

The "message control" is really for the employees and endorsers: don't do that. They probably think the public thing will blow over with time (and I'm sure it will).

I agree it's bad PR, but it was caused by a company spokesperson leaking inside info without authorization, then complaining more about being justly terminated.

I think he got off easy, especially this being Gibson. Many companies would sue over this type of stuff.

I'm human too and I've been on my job for 17 years, believe me there were A LOT of days I was fed up. In fact, today is one of them

Still, if I leaked something major without authorization, it goes viral and my management got wind of it, I'd fully expect to be terminated. So I don't do that.

Professionalism is not only for when you're happy.

Now if had quit, then leaked, more power to him.

Not trying to be a dick, but have you bothered to read the entirety of this thread before posting? This has already all been hashed out here in exhaustive detail.

It can be both things. Gibson fucked up. Fluff fucked up.

 

[GuitarBilly74]

Not trying to be a dick, but have you bothered to read the entirety of this thread before posting? This has already all been hashed out here in exhaustive detail.

It can be both things. Gibson fucked up. Fluff fucked up.

I did read it. Reaching a different conclusion than you, doesn't mean "I didn't read it".

 

[greatmutah]

Fluff is the one with the webpage (put up in 2021)

It is a nice and concise well laid out guide

https://www.rectifierguide.com/


As far as I can tell most of the info is from Jack Beard who has numerous posts on the boogie board and elsewhere long predating fluff, and it kind of seems like Fluff just summarized and cleaned up Jack’s info in a nice looking package

Man… yeah I remember going through a BUNCH of Silverwulf’s posts after I got my first Tremoverb. And probably again when I got my Rev G solo head. That dude was great source of old Recto knowledge. I spent quite a bit of time on the Boogie Boards when I was getting my feet wet with my first Rectos and Marks. Place isn’t quite what it was traffic wise but there’s still a lot of great info there.

 

[EOengineer]

I did read it. Reaching a different conclusion than you, doesn't mean "I didn't read it".

I see, so you’re just wrong. Thanks for clarifying.