sarge
Power User
Randall RG100ES
I know it is solid state, but this is one bad ass metal amp!
Been looking for one of these on and off for a few years now. Every time I would look the only ones I could find were beat up, missing knob covers, mix and matched knobs etc.
This one here is almost mint. Save for a minor (and I mean very minor) scuff here and there.
Back in 1987 I think it was, I was using a 50 Watt Laney AOR. I liked it, but was not crazy about it and it gave me lots of problems.
I had brought it in to a music store in Rhode Island to be fixed (Joe's music or something like that). He was the guy I bought the Laney from.
Anyway he was a Randall dealer as well. And we got to talking and he told me I needed to try out the Randall. Knowing it was solid state I told him I wasn't really interested. But he was persistent so I plugged in to one of the gray carpeted RG100's.
The amp floored me and my drummer. I loved it. I told him to keep the freaking Laney and put the Randall on layaway and that I would be back in a week.
Was playing hair band metal at that time and this amp with a ProCo Rat in front with just a hair added gain was amazing. Wall of distortion sound that I just wasn't hearing out of any other amps at that time. Atleast not the ones I played. VERY THICK, tight and immediate sound to it. Can be a little too bassy without a boost, but with the Rat in front to boost it ever so slightly (I think I had to gain almost off on the Rat) this thing is a fire breathing dragon.
I played in a 2 guitar band with another guitarist who had a 2204, and for that heavy chugga chugga wall of distortion sound the Randall ate it up. And this is coming from a guy who owns a 2204 and thinks it is the best amp there is (just not for that exact sound).
That gray carpeted Randall was my main (only) amp till I sold it in 94 (was getting married and needed the money)
A couple weeks ago or so I decided to scour Craigslist again to see if I could find one in good condition and low and behold I found this one. Was happy that I finally found one with all the original knobs, was happy that it wasn't all tore up like every other one I found, and was happiest of all that it wasn't that ugly grey carpet. This one is pristine. Looks like it has lived in a closet for 30 years.
Plugged into it with my MXR Overdrive in front and it was everything I remembered.
This amp just thumps you in the chest for the muted palm stuff. I don't think I have ever heard a better amp for that type of sound.
Now it needs a boost for sure. It doesn't suck without one, but without the boost it is a bass heavy amp that seems to just not have enough gain. Close, but a hair too little.
And you can forget the treble pull. Sure it increased the gain (and noise) 6 fold. But it decreases the volume by well more then half and you can't keep up with any drummer I ever played with.
Definitely see how Dime got his tone from this amp. Very thick amp which lends itself well to having an EQ in the loop.
I know it is solid state, but this is one bad ass metal amp!
Been looking for one of these on and off for a few years now. Every time I would look the only ones I could find were beat up, missing knob covers, mix and matched knobs etc.
This one here is almost mint. Save for a minor (and I mean very minor) scuff here and there.
Back in 1987 I think it was, I was using a 50 Watt Laney AOR. I liked it, but was not crazy about it and it gave me lots of problems.
I had brought it in to a music store in Rhode Island to be fixed (Joe's music or something like that). He was the guy I bought the Laney from.
Anyway he was a Randall dealer as well. And we got to talking and he told me I needed to try out the Randall. Knowing it was solid state I told him I wasn't really interested. But he was persistent so I plugged in to one of the gray carpeted RG100's.
The amp floored me and my drummer. I loved it. I told him to keep the freaking Laney and put the Randall on layaway and that I would be back in a week.
Was playing hair band metal at that time and this amp with a ProCo Rat in front with just a hair added gain was amazing. Wall of distortion sound that I just wasn't hearing out of any other amps at that time. Atleast not the ones I played. VERY THICK, tight and immediate sound to it. Can be a little too bassy without a boost, but with the Rat in front to boost it ever so slightly (I think I had to gain almost off on the Rat) this thing is a fire breathing dragon.
I played in a 2 guitar band with another guitarist who had a 2204, and for that heavy chugga chugga wall of distortion sound the Randall ate it up. And this is coming from a guy who owns a 2204 and thinks it is the best amp there is (just not for that exact sound).
That gray carpeted Randall was my main (only) amp till I sold it in 94 (was getting married and needed the money)
A couple weeks ago or so I decided to scour Craigslist again to see if I could find one in good condition and low and behold I found this one. Was happy that I finally found one with all the original knobs, was happy that it wasn't all tore up like every other one I found, and was happiest of all that it wasn't that ugly grey carpet. This one is pristine. Looks like it has lived in a closet for 30 years.
Plugged into it with my MXR Overdrive in front and it was everything I remembered.
This amp just thumps you in the chest for the muted palm stuff. I don't think I have ever heard a better amp for that type of sound.
Now it needs a boost for sure. It doesn't suck without one, but without the boost it is a bass heavy amp that seems to just not have enough gain. Close, but a hair too little.
And you can forget the treble pull. Sure it increased the gain (and noise) 6 fold. But it decreases the volume by well more then half and you can't keep up with any drummer I ever played with.
Definitely see how Dime got his tone from this amp. Very thick amp which lends itself well to having an EQ in the loop.
