Anyone use/used one of the Randall RG series in the 80s?

[scottlr]

Back in about 81, after going through several of the then popular Legend amps (I should have kept the one head I had, cuz it was great, but I was wanting a combo), and having the Legend combos keep blowing up on me, I got tired of messing with it, got a refund (2 blew in 2 weeks brand new), and asked for something I could count on. The Randall RG80 was a popular amp at the time, but I could only afford the model down from that (RG40? I think), and I used that little amp for 5 years, 6 nights a week all over the midwest and eastern northwest. Not once did it ever give me a single problem, and I was totally happy with the tone. Now, after many years of going back to tubes, I listen to old live recordings done with that amp, and DAMN, it still sounds great to my ears. I wish I hadn't have sold it when I left the band. I love my vintage Fenders, but this little Randall was a tone machine and a workhorse, and solid as a rock!

 

[midnightlaundry]

I had the RG 120. It was in near mint condition when I sold it in like 93' for $250. I too wish I had that thing. I'd gladly beat that thing around for practice and stuff. It was real light. I wish I could say the same for the particle board made matching slant cab that went with it. Still have that though.

 

[scottlr]

Ahh, mine was a 1x12 combo, and not heavy at all. Part of the beauty of it To this day I have a hard time hearing those recordings and knowing it was a SS amp.

 

[silverface63]

The Randall RG80 is a great amp that alot of people dismiss. If I remember correctly, it was a solid state amp. I had one a long time ago. I pulled the stock speaker out and threw in a old JBL D120. You would be surprised how close that little amp comes to nailing the Garcia tone. I guess it goes along the lines of Jerrys solid state Mac/Twin setup. I really wish I still had that amp. The funny thing is I was thinking about posting about this same exact amp the other day.

 

[John Phillips]

I like the RG80, although I never owned one. It has a really good chunky tone that few solid-state amps seem to have, both clean and overdriven. As with many solid-state amps it's a bit fussy about exactly how you set the EQ (small changes make a big difference) but I don't have a problem with that. I nearly bought one a year or so ago for $200 - a fair price over here, don't know about the US - but I couldn't quite justify it.

 

[scottlr]

John, I don't recall ever having a problem with EQ on my RG40. From day one, it was pure plug and play. I had the clean channel set for mild breakup at full guitar volume, and the overdrive channel dimed. I didn't even use an OD pedal in those days. And I was always having this one local guy that is a major tube guy complimenting my tone. I didn't think much about it then, just thanked him, but now, I suppose he was confused that he loved my tone, and it was a SS amp.
I always had it pointing right at my head, so I heard it VERY clearly. At first tilted back as a monitor, then later just up on a a utility crate at ear level. I kept it totally stock. As I recall, it had some Celestion in it.

 

[Marshall Man]

I have an RG-80 SC combo, sounds pretty harsh and I rarely use it.

 

[or bowling]

I really liked mine back in the day with the 2 EVM 12L Thiele cabs I had... The thing is bulletproof too. They can be kinda harsh though.

BTW the power amp circuit Randall invented / debuted with the RG line really helped the sound - "Constant Current". I think all SS amps (marshall/fender, etc) probably copied it later on...

 

[or bowling]

Some more trivia: They are sorta harsh/inconsistent because the treble bleed cap on the red ch. (lead ch.) stops adding highs as you turned up the master vol. If you put a Boss gain device in the FX loop (which is post Master Vol), you can leave the Master in the sweet spot for tone (around "2"), and then vary the final volume output with whatever was in the loop... I (cough) worked there too for about a year in 1990 when I wanted to be an amp builder! Before I moved on to tube amps, I got very good results by putting a Boss EQ in the loop for post distortion EQ + level control.

 

[hilly1212]

I played out for 2 years with the RG80 combo running thru a 2x12. Everyone said man that Marshall sounds great! Needed a boost and a eq for me but man still a bench mark for ss!

 

[Melodyman]

Didn't George Lynch use one of those Randall's on the Tooth and Nail album back then?

 

[Scott Peterson]

I had the 100 watt head for a long time. Was a great amp for the time and music I was doing then.

 

[RIMRAK]

Old thread, but kudos to those old RG amps..I have an RG100 head a copped off craigslist.

 

[bradinnm]

I had a Randall RG80 1x12 combo back in the early 80s (with the footswitch). I liked it pretty well. As I recall I sold it for the Marshall lead 100 mosfet head (big mistake) the Randall was the better amp. I sold the Marshall at a loss and picked up a SF Fender Twin Reverb (85 watt not the ultra linear 135 watt). Still have that Twin, though now it is a head due to a fall off the trailer incident! I still think about the RG80 from time to time. One of the better SS amps out there I feel. I seem to recall that the Edge used one for some things as well.

bradinnm

 

[Bikedude]

I traded in my 64 Blackface Bassman/2X12 Piggyback cab. for one of those Randall RG-80's. Had the Celestion logo on the grille. Loudes friggin amp I ever owned. One of the first channel switchers. My singer constantly complained about how loud and shrill it was. Yea, it had a tone control, but it really was kind of sterile sounding. Wish I had the Bassman back. DUH! If only TGP was around then, but I guess Algore hadn't invented the internet yet!

 

[Bobby D]

used an Rg-80 many times...got it in a pawn shop for $50.....good sounding amp for the $$$

 

[existentialmelt]

Yeah, in the mid to late 80s I had the RG80 1x12 combo. Sounded really cool. Maybe the cleans weren't stellar but I wasn't into sounding clean back then. I traded it in for a Randall HT100 which was the bluefaced rack mountable head. I ran that through a Marshall 4x12 with some old 25 watt Celestions. I loved that set up. Metal fizzled for me and I needed to get a career going so I (regretfully) sold all of it, moved to Los Angeles and got a job.

 

[ungarn]

Dimebag Darrel of Pantera recorded/toured with Randall RG series amps for a long time.

Check out this local craigslist RG score to be had:

http://dayton.craigslist.org/msg/1583740019.html

 

[RIMRAK]

Here's a great deal!
http://maine.craigslist.org/msg/1587890847.html

http://maine.craigslist.org/msg/1587890847.html

 

[JackButler]

I still have my original RG80 combo I bought new waaaaay back. THough my nephews have had it for several years now, might be blown up!