The Mesa/Boogie Head-Track is a head and FX loop switcher: a unit that lets you instantly select between two amplifiers while using the same speaker cabinet and the same effects setup1. It sits in the middle of a dual-amp rig, routing your instrument to either amp, handling both amps' effects loops, and sending the selected amp's speaker output to one shared cabinet. It belongs to the wider family of switching pedals, and Mesa/Boogie announced it alongside a companion unit, the Switch-Track, in May 20182.
What the Head-Track does
In a two-amp rig, the usual problem is duplication: two heads means two cabinets, two pedal chains, or a tangle of patching between songs. The Head-Track addresses that by letting you employ the same speaker cabinet and effects setup with either amplifier1. Your guitar signal goes to both amp inputs, each amp's effects loop is wired through the unit, and the speaker outputs from both amps run to the shared cabinet input, or to a load device when no cabinet is used1.
Connections
The unit's jack field is built around the two-amp, one-cabinet arrangement1.
| Direction | Connections |
|---|---|
| Inputs | Instrument; Amplifier Effects Loop Sends (2); Effect(s) Output; Amplifier Speaker Outputs (2) |
| Outputs | Amplifier Inputs (2); Amplifier Effects Loop Returns (2); Effect(s) Input; shared Speaker Cabinet Input (or Load Device) |
Control and placement
Switching is handled two ways. There is an on-board footswitch to change amps from the unit itself, for the rare instance where remote control is not needed, and a Remote Switch jack that accepts a simple On/Off MIDI switching function or a latching footswitch on your pedalboard1. That means the Head-Track can sit near the amps while the switching command comes from the front of the stage.
Placement matters with this unit. Mesa/Boogie intends it for use near the amplifiers being switched, to maintain the shortest cable lengths and thereby protect signal integrity1. In practice that usually puts it at the amp end of the rig rather than on the pedalboard itself, with the remote jack carrying the switching signal over distance instead of the guitar audio.
Power
The Head-Track runs on an external 9 Volt DC, 200 mA wall-mount power supply, which is not included1.
No power supply ships with the unit, and the 200 mA requirement is higher than many daisy-chain outputs deliver, so plan a dedicated supply output for it.
Price, availability and warranty
MusicRadar reported the Head-Track and Switch-Track as available now at launch, at $399 and $299 respectively2. On Gibson's current product page, the Head-Track is listed at £449 including VAT for the UK market1. The unit carries Mesa/Boogie's limited 5-year warranty1, and the maker notes that every MESA/Boogie amplifier has been hand-wired in the same Petaluma, California, facility for more than 45 years1.
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Questions
Does the Mesa/Boogie Head-Track come with a power supply?
No. Mesa/Boogie specifies an external 9 Volt DC, 200 mA wall-mount power supply, and the maker's product page states that the supply is not included with the unit. You will need to provide your own 9V DC supply rated to at least the 200 mA the Head-Track draws, or use a pedalboard power supply output that can deliver that current.
How much does the Mesa/Boogie Head-Track cost?
The Head-Track launched at $399 in the United States, according to MusicRadar's May 2018 announcement, which also noted the companion Switch-Track at $299. On Gibson's current product page for the Head-Track, the listed price is £449 including VAT for the UK.
Can I control the Head-Track from a pedalboard?
Yes. The Head-Track has a Remote Switch jack that accepts a simple On/Off MIDI switching function or a latching footswitch located on your pedalboard, so the amp switching can be triggered remotely. There is also an on-board footswitch on the unit itself for switching between the two amps directly.
Where should the Head-Track be placed?
Mesa/Boogie intends the Head-Track to be used near the amplifiers being switched. Keeping it close to the amps maintains the shortest cable lengths, which the maker says protects signal integrity. It handles the connections between your instrument, the two amps' inputs and effects loops, your effects, and the shared speaker cabinet.
What warranty does the Mesa/Boogie Head-Track have?
The Head-Track carries Mesa/Boogie's limited 5-year warranty, per the maker's product page. The same page notes that every MESA/Boogie amplifier has been hand-wired in the company's Petaluma, California, facility for more than 45 years.
Sources (2)
- Head-Track Head & FX Loop Switcher, Gibson (gibson.com)
- Mesa/Boogie reveals two new switching pedals for dual-amp rigs, MusicRadar, 2018-05-02
