The Mesa/Boogie Cleo is a compact overdrive pedal from Mesa/Boogie's line of hand-built stompboxes, positioned at the transparent boost and low-gain end of the company's overdrive range. Mesa/Boogie describes it as "the transparent boost/overdrive CLEO", saying it "commands the lower end of the gain scale anchoring Blues, Roots, Indie Rock and even doubles as a hearty Boost"1. It was announced in June 2020 alongside two siblings, the Dynaplex and the Gold Mine, as three overdrives spanning the gain and stylistic spectrum2.
What the Cleo does
Mesa/Boogie describes the Cleo's character as "sweet, open top end clarity and not too much saturation", allowing a player to "craft anything from a subtle boost up through urgent mid gain drive to harmonically-rich overdrive"1. In practice that puts it in the same territory as a clean boost or a low-gain overdrive: it can nudge an amp into breaking up, add a layer of drive on top of a clean tone, or simply push the front end of a tube amplifier harder. For players weighing a low-gain pedal against a straight boost, the boost pedal and overdrive pedal pages cover how the two types overlap.
Premier Guitar's press coverage of the launch placed the three pedals on a gain ladder, with "Cleo at the lower end covering Blues, Roots, Indie or even a hearty Boost"2.
The controls
The Cleo keeps things to three knobs. Gearnews' coverage of the launch called the layout "three simple VOLUME, GAIN, and TONE controls, which should make it intuitive and simple"4, though Mesa/Boogie's own product page names the output control LEVEL1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| GAIN | Determines the amount of gain (overdrive) in the signal path1 |
| TONE | Simple, global adjustment of the entire range of frequencies with one control1 |
| LEVEL | Master output level; controls the amount of signal provided to the host amplifier1 |
A single footswitch provides true bypass on/off switching, and an on/off status LED shows when the pedal is engaged1.
Power and connections
The Cleo runs on a 9V battery, or on external power through an optional power jack input, drawing 15mA at 9VDC1. Mesa/Boogie is specific about the supply: "the External Power Supply MUST be 9VDC with a NEGATIVE CENTER plug polarity" and "a jack plug size of 2.1mm x 5.5mm"1. That is the standard center-negative pedalboard supply format, and the 15mA draw is light enough that it will not strain a typical daisy-chain or isolated supply.
If you use an external supply rather than a battery, it must be 9VDC with negative center polarity and a 2.1mm x 5.5mm plug1.
The nominal input level is -20 dB, input impedance is 1M Ohm (500k Ohm minimum), and output impedance is 10k Ohm1.
Build, size and price
Mesa/Boogie builds the Cleo by hand at its only shop in Petaluma, California, USA1. Gearnews described the pedal as sitting "almost innocently in its unassuming light blue enclosure"4. The listed dimensions are 4.77 x 2.87 x 2.311.
On price, GuitarPlayer reported at launch in June 2020 that "The Mesa/Boogie Cleo, Dynaplex and Gold Mine overdrive pedals are each available now for $199"3. Mesa/Boogie's own product page lists a UK price of £199 GBP including VAT1.
Where the Cleo sits in Mesa/Boogie's pedal line
The Cleo sits alongside two other Mesa/Boogie overdrives announced at the same time: the Dynaplex and the Gold Mine, with all three described as available now for $199 each23. Players looking at the wider line will also find the earlier Tone-Burst and Flux-Drive drives from the company.
Videos
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News
Questions
Does the Mesa/Boogie Cleo take a battery?
Yes. The Cleo runs on a 9V battery, or on external AC power through an optional power jack input. If you use an external supply, Mesa/Boogie specifies that it must be 9VDC with a negative center plug polarity and a 2.1mm x 5.5mm jack plug. Current draw is 15mA at 9VDC, which is light enough for most pedalboard supplies.
Is the Mesa Cleo true bypass?
Yes. Mesa/Boogie lists the Cleo's switching type as true bypass. According to the maker, the footswitch bypasses all circuitry when the pedal is off to ensure no tonal loss, and an on/off status LED shows whether the pedal is engaged.
Where is the Mesa/Boogie Cleo made?
Mesa/Boogie builds the Cleo by hand at its only shop in Petaluma, California, USA. The maker says the same is true of the Dynaplex and Gold Mine overdrive pedals released alongside it.
What were the other pedals released with the Cleo?
Mesa/Boogie announced the Cleo in June 2020 together with two sibling overdrives, the Dynaplex and the Gold Mine. The three pedals were positioned to span the gain range, with the Cleo at the lower end, and each was reported available for $199.
Sources (4)
- Mesa/Boogie Cleo, Gibson (gibson.com)
- Mesa/Boogie Introduces Three New Overdrive Pedals, Premier Guitar, 2020-06-17
- Mesa/Boogie Unveils New Cleo, Dynaplex and Gold Mine Overdrive Pedals, GuitarPlayer, 2020-06-18
- MESA/Boogie adds three new pedals to its lineup, gearnews.com, 2020-06-18
