John Frusciante’s Mesa Boogie Strategy 400 Stereo Power Amp

John used this power amp in combination with a Mesa Boogie Quad Preamp early in his career, around 1989. It was most notably seen in the Psychedelic Sexfunk-Live From Heaven footage, recorded on December 30, 1989.

The exact duration of its use remains unclear, as John’s rig during this period was far from consistent. Between 1989 and 1991, he seemed to experiment with Marshalls and other amps. In a February 1991 interview with Guitar (UK), he mentioned using a Mesa Boogie amp at that time:

As far as amps go I have a Mesa/Boogie, and I don’t know what kind it is. But it’s two amps in one. The knobs are frozen in a good spot. I can control the volume, just not the treble or bass, but I don’t have a problem yet. I’m sure it’s going to grow little legs and walk away from me soon.

Guitar (UK), February 1991

His description of the amp as “two amps in one” could suggest the combination of a preamp and power amp, like the Quad Preamp and power amp setup he used earlier. Alternatively, it might indicate he transitioned to a different Mesa Boogie model by then.