Randall Lynch Box

It is an all tube circuit modular amp. My particular amp was completed in December 2008, and arrived in Chicago about a week before I bought it. I got it "loaded" with a Brahma, Mr. Scary, and Grail modules. And later added the JTM, SL+, and Deluxe. It's a three channel amp because it handles 3 modules. It has both series and parallel effects loops, but please note that these are built to use +4 dbu pro-quality gear, not your average stomp boxes. I wish it had a built-in 15 db pad for using stomp box effects, however with the ability to individually adjust both gain and volume for each module it would be pretty easy to over-power the pad if the channel level was turned up too high. I never use the parallel loop because with time-based effects like delays they can get messy to set up properly. The amp is currently used in my studio. I use it for daily playing at a fairly loud volume, and never at bedroom levels. I also use it for reamping. It has plenty of power. Get tired of one sound? change your module. The downside is the weight. The upside is the ease in checking and setting the bias -- just stay within the specs from the manufacturer for your tubes.

I use a Gibson SG, Schecter Hellraiser, ESP Alexi. I play anything from classic rock to metal. The amp covers them all. Surprisingly the amp is not noisy at all. The modules I have cover everything from Neil Young, to AC/DC, to George Lynch, to Soldano SLO type, to Mesa Dual Rectifier, and the modules are pretty spot on for the respective amps. The type of clean you get will depend upon the module. The Blackface stays clean even with the gain maxed. The Deluxe and JTM will break up. The JTM breaks up early. The distortion can get pretty brutal.

I've had this amp since December 2008. It's May 2009. I figure that's long enough to write about this. The amp has been reliable so far, but I don't move it much (see usage in first part) because it is really heavy. Tubes on the other hand.... this amp comes with JJ EL34Ls. About six weeks ago I noticed some volume fluctuation. Since I was using the effects loop at the time I figured it might have something to do with that. Then a month ago I heard this loud pop -- the "bad tube" indicator light came on. That pop was the tube arcing and the fuse shattering when it blew. Also the tube next to it started redplating. There was also a bad batch of these tubes around November last year. I think I caught a quad of them. I went and found some replacement fuses, replaced the pair of bad tubes with a pair of SED =C= EL34s and watched the amp for about a half hour to see if the blown tube took out something else. The fuse protection worked perfectly. Then I moved the tubes around so they'd be in pairs (inside and outside) rebiased them within the range of the EL34, watched for another half hour, rechecked bias, and was good to go. Since the tubes in there are pairs from bad quads, I don't expect them to last that much longer, and so keep an eye on them. I've checked bias about once a month and it's held steady throughout.

So I can't say the amp has not been anything but reliable. The tubes are another story. So it's a good amp so far. The one criticism I have is the quality of the switches on the front panel -- they could be better quality.

This amp I would gig with, and probably without a backup, but I'd carry a spare pair of tubes and a screwdriver. So 9 out of 10.

I called Randall customer support was helpful in getting everything configured properly.

I've been playing guitar a couple years. For amps I've got a 6505+ I've had for about a year. And a Fender Hot Rod Deville. I got this amp via a warranty exchange on a Marshall JVM. A friend of mine told me to get an Egnater Mod 50, but the nearest dealer to me is about 1500 miles and there's a 9 month waiting period. So the Randall MTS is the older single channel Egnater design, and it was available. And less expensive. This amp is extremely versatile. The modules can be custom modded. I went for the Lynch Box because I know how picky George Lynch is about his gear. The dealer below, while not a Randall dealer themselves, got the amp for me. I'm really surprised these amps aren't more popular.

this is an update to my previous review below pertaining to the power and standby switch

read review below

ok update to the switch failures,well on closer examination as long as the switch housing has not melted i found that 2 tab clips hold the sucker together and i opened one up to look at the damage inside,there really was no damage but it stopped working?,the reason was they pack these little guys with some grease for longevity?,well if the switch sparks when it is engaged it burns some grease,continue the process many times and the sludge generated defeats the conduction to the point that internal resistance increase to the point that its faulty.i cleaned it out inspected the contacts which showed some scarring but when reassembled the switch was ready to go again.so if this happens to your randall head unsolder the switch and pop it open clean the grease and test with an ohm meter and reassemble.should be back in action!,if your head is blowing up 5 amp fast acting fuses just use slow blow types,according to the service center that is what they require.

N.C.

about speakers i run mine through a jcm slash 4x12 with the 70 watt speakers.i love it ,my buddy has a randall 2x12 with the 60watt vintage 30's that also sounds great a bit brighter than the 70watt celestions like mine,sound great combined!,as for the 75watt celestions gets harsh highs and loses warmth.hope this helps you set up your rig?

solid state rectifier,2 tube powered effects sends one series and one parallel with front mix control,100watts RMS,individual output tube bias with fused protection circuit,compatibility with most tube types which includes,6v6,6L6,5881,KT66,EL34,6CA7,6550,KT88!,it is claimed that tubes need not be matched for this reason and mixing is possible.i stick with matched opposite pairs and am running 2 6550's on the outside and 2 EL34l's on the inside.head also uses 3 12ax7 tubes for input buffer,sends,and phase inverter.midi control foot pedal,just changes channel but can be passed through to rack gear to select different presets!.front panel has bays for up to 3 modules at a time and ch selector button and master volume control,parallel mix control,presence and depth(resonance).fully loaded this heads tube compliment is 9 preamp tubes and 4 output tubes!.various modules available to get you a taste of many great amps through history to modern times but not all brands types yet to be covered and sounds are approximations not 100% which too many variables and space limitations makes impossible but a great concept indeed.i personally have collected about 15 modules and a couple are redundant or closely related and i do not fear modding them to improve the sounds they kick out.

i use PAF strength humbuckers and as for single coiled guitar prefer p-90 types.well the honeymoon was great but after awhile i knew this setup was going to need some work on my part to keep me happy.i read about alot of guys modding the modules and since thats something right up my ally i dove in.first the amp/modules all were very heavy on the low end,not too muddy but too much sub,and it was not the tight percussion type response i love,more like the moaning round low fatness.reminded me of the amount a 5150 has but a bit shifted in frequency down.overall i though it to be overkill!.i found a quick fix which improved the clearity overall and tamed the bass,although there was a noticable gain loss combined with a bright boost,but mostly in the low mid to bass end which is fine since these modules shine in the gain dept.ok the tube all the way to the left behind the input jack is the buffering input tube which would have the most effect on the amp overall.so what did i use?,NOS sylvania 12av7.what an improvement crisper snappier and tighter but still a full sound and alot less low buzz and flab.this was the key to everything i did after.since i had some extra modules to play with i started by decoding the circuit layout of the 2 main board types.i knew that if i wanted to improve the tone get a more vintage sound besides changing out trannys which i have not done i attacked the other aspects 12ax7 tube types,yes they have an effect,EH,JJ,mulard,sovtect etc all change the sound,my favorites are EH and tungsols i have a couple of EI's in my modded MR scary that are great too.my favorite stock module would be the ultra .the next step was to switch out caps in the modules,for marshall types i try to use mustards,usually at lower values.i found that first input has the strongest effect on the character so thats the first to go.in addition i like upgradeing as many of the others with styroflex types for the hi-fi vintage tube audio vibe.always use 600volt and for the mustards 400volt's the choice.i have since totally redesigned 4 modules heavily,total recalibration of almost all resistors caps etc.sometimes adding in parts not originally there also.i used the boards to there full potential and have learned alot along the way.my vintage plexi is a masterpiece is almost perfect to me,next is a plexi that i gave alot more gain but tryed to keep the clarity and tone attack that i liked about my vintage.then the Mr scary was not scary enough for me,but now it is outstanding,sustain without noise and a really vintage marshall vibe to die for.i think george would plot to kill me and take this home to his studio if he had a clue.this is my second favorite.the last is an early ultra lead-that i just hated ,reminded me of the brown NG.so i had some fun with it i wanted to try to do a bogner fish module which was not sounding right sticking to the org circuit values so i had to use a bit of xtc in it and a bit of what the module likes as to resistor values.well this came out to be a mid range beast that cuts and really stands out.well the fun continues to this day.i plan on getting into the heart of the beast next and see what the head needs besides tranny upgrade to make me happy.the only head i have which is the ultimate benchmark still is my metal faced 6550 loaded 75 marshall 100watt superlead 2 which i modded to a one of a kind amp killer.gain with a punch that will knock you down if you stand too close and seems to play by itself!.it is a scary supernatural thing going on with it,freaking unreal.i hope to someday get that vib out of this randall.one last note i think this amp works great with the electro harmonix memoryman deluxe!.but never fear even stock i think if you bias the tubes right and try different speakers and the modules you will find a very workable setup that rivals if not defeats the other standard name brands for about the same to less cost!.so give it try! 9 out of 10 from a tough critic to be sure!

ok this is where it gets a bit ugly,first i recommend that you do not play games with the output tubes too much,the sockets seem good but the pin connectors in the sockets easily fatigue and loose contact with the pins,if this happens to the bias feed pin of the tube look out.retensioning of the sockets is something not to be overlooked for sure.it could also be the jj tubes that are too blame,i found that they do not keep a tight tolerance on the tube pin diameters.do not know if they are solder dipped or whats the reason but i have had to sercice both my friends randalls after blown fuses and tube failures.just as a note marshalls especially vintage old ones need the sockets attended to for reliable operation.a word of caution if you go poking into the tube sockets and the capacitor still have a charge in them you can get killed!.so leave it to a pro.the second part that really is weak are the power and standby switch.you can tell that they are cheap right away especially compared to what they could have used,but the chassis is so tightly packed inside that these mini switches are all that could fit.yet to find a replacement of that size to upgrade it.both my friends need switches replaced,but they use there amps alot more than me and considering the failures thats why mine are hanging in there.the last issue the least bothersome is that the bias adjustments in back are very sensitive when it comes to adjusting,perhapes thats why if you constantly check the bias of your tubes they drift around and need readjustment periodically,also i found out that line voltage value will have a noticable effect on the bias point of tube amps in general which could effect tone ,feel and response of the amp,space heater can cause line voltage drop.if your amp sounds dirtier than normal check the bias.

you can reach them on the phone and they do support there product so it is very good.there warantee repair center sent my friend replacement switches for his amp free of charge.that is nice and shows maybe they know that part is a weak link.

overall this is a great concept and they have eginator to thank i give them credit for seeing the possiblities and makeing this system affordable to the masses.i do not see this to much in major stores GC samash etc ,i think these amps would be bad for bussiness of the other major players and are pressured out of sight to the on-line cataloges and smaller specialty shops.this amp is a true chamelion and is no one trick phony.the midi the effects sends makes this almost as flexable as a rack mount midi pre and by the way they do make a 4 module rack pre only version too.this reminds me of my bogner triple giant but i get to pick and choose the modules and the power amp is self contained all in a standard head.it can only get better.how about an option to run 2 or all 3 modules at once with the masters as the mixers?how about a stereo assignable effects send with stereo power amp built in?,hopefully tube powered and not solid state although done right that could workout well too?.i hope they run with this and i think it is gaining popularity with metalica comming on board with the KH line.what could be next?,built in effects,more modules,i think i heard about a rack or head that does 12 modules?.this system is hard to beat i highly recommend it.

Made in 2007. I have the head and matching cabinet. Basically this is a 3 channel amplifier that utilizes 3 removable preamp modules. The head itself has 3 preamp tubes while each module has an additional 2 so there are a total of 9 preamp tubes when running all three modules. The modules are based off of most of the popular tube amps through out history...JTM, Plexi, JCM800, Blackface, Dual Rec, Bogner Ecstacy, along with artist modules from Dan Donegan from Disturbed, Kirk Hammett from Metallica, and of course George Lynch. Head is rated at 100 watts and runs 4 power amp tubes.

One of the cool things about this amp is it allows you to bias each power tube individually with exterior bias test points. This enables you to run virtally any type of power tube and you can also run integrated quads as in 2 KT88's and 2 EL34's. Each module has it's own set of EQ controls as well as a volume knob. The amp itself has a contour, presence, and master volume to control the over all volume of the amp. Footswitch provided is 3 channel and operates via a 7 pin MIDI cable. This amp has 2 effects loops, a series loop for EQ's and noise gates and a parallel loop for your time based effects.

This has got to be one of the most versitile amplifiers I have ever seen, owned, or played through given the different preamp modules that are available. This amp combined with different guitars, speakers, and pickups would litterally give you a plethra of tones for all different styles of music. About the only thing that it doesn't have is a footswitchable effects loop and lead boost.

I play metal and use alder bodied guitars with maple necks and ebony fretboards. I also like to use EMG's and almost always run the 81 in the bridge position. Currently I have 3 modules which really cover alot of ground...the Blackface, SL+, and the Ultra XL. The Blackface does a very good job in recreating those lush Fender clean tones. You can keep the gain low for very clean sounds or dial in a bit of gain for grittier sounding cleans. This module also sounds pretty cool with a Strat and an overdrive for achieving blues tones. The SL+ is based off of a hotrodded JCM800 and I think this is a pretty accurate description. If you dial the gain back it definately reminds you of a JCM800 but when you push the gain past noon it gets alot heavier and would give you more of a Zakk Wylde tone. The Ultra XL is Randall's answer to more modern metal tones and it does just that. This module does double duty in achieving both great rhythm and lead tones. Stays tight on the low end and has plenty of gain to play most of the new stuff like Killswitch, Chimaira, Devildriver, Lamb of God, etc... One thing I will mention is that although these modules sound great they don't sound exactly like the amps they are modeled after, which given the different designs of all the amps this would be impossible but they give you the same vibe.

One thing I will mention is that this head provides a lot of usable gain with the high gain modules. It gets very heavy but still stays very articulate which is what I like personally. I had a 6505 before this and although it has some of the best hardcore tones IMO it is very compressed and gets a little fizzy. Not a problem with this rig at all. I think there are alot of amps out there that do one tone better whether it be cleans or high gain tones but none are as versitile. I'm going to give the amp a 7 in this category for this reason.

This is the second MTS amp that I've had. A while back I had the RM100 which is basically the same amp with different cosmetics and I never had a problem with either one of them. As a matter of fact when my first RM100 arrived UPS had dropped it so hard on one end of the box that it bent the brackets that hold the transformers to the chassis and they were actually cocked to one side and the amp still fired up no problem. This ought to give you some idea of what kind of abuse they can take. I returned it for another one just because I couldn't live with it looking like that but it still performed flawlessly.

Never dealt with them because I have never had any problems but keep in mind that I am not a gigging musician. I practice with friends and take the amp out from time to time so it doesn't go through the same abuse as someone that is moving gear around constantly from show to show. If I were still playing out then i would definately have a backup just because it's a tube amp.

I've been playing guitar since I was about 7 years old and I'm 40 now so in that time I have played on most of the amplifiers out there. As I had mentioned before there are alot of amps that do one tone better then this head but none that are as versitile. It gets me the tones I like so I am happy with it. If it got lost or stolen I would definately get another one. Only thing I can suggest is that if you are interested in this amp try to find a store that has one and go play on it to see if it's what you are looking for.

This review is for the Randall MTS series George Lynch Signature Lynch Box Head and Cab.
Production year - 2006
This is an all tube poweramp with modular ( swapable ) all tube preamps. With well over a dozen preamps ( with more to come ) covering many classic and modern tonal jems and back panel power amp tube bias test points allowing easy power amp tube biasing, experimenting with various tube types is a breeze. I'd say this makes Randall's MTS line of amps one of the most versitile amps on todays market.
This amp has threee independant channels with switching at the head and via a included remote foot switch... switching is via midi... quick clean and quiet.
There is a parralel effects loop with effects level dial on the front panel. No headphone jack... thi is a one hundred what had whats the point?
I use this amp to play live and yes it has enough power.

One feature in particular I truely love is... each module has controls for gain, bass, mid, treble, brite switch and level. The level dial controls the overall signal out. Set the preamp gain where you like it, use the heads front panel master volumn to set the amount of power amp tube breakup you like then use the preamp's level dial to set the preamps volumn. You can have power amp tube break up at 0% - 100% of the master volumn... genius. Plus you can set the "mix"of all three channls the way you desire... ie; one channel can be set at a higher volumn for leads. Now thats a very useful design feature that any player can use.
The heads front panel has a master volumn, master presence, master density and effects level. The density is another very cool feature among other things making it posible to thicken up a thin guitar's tone or briten up a dark guitars tone.
Versitility gets an 11!

As far as tonal variety goes this is the"" all tube amp ... rock , country, blues, jazz, fusion, pop, classic rock, early metal, new metal, ultra cleans, warm tube cleans... etc. There is just so much to choose from and more coming ( according to Randall ).
I use several pickup styles and configurations, I own Gibson SG, Larivee Custon V, Michael Patriot phoenix, PRS CE22, Music Man Silhouette Special, ESP Kamikaze, LTD M350, Washburn N4 and all work really well with this amp. This amp is very quiet for a tube amp and as with any high gain setting there is some hiss.
Sound qualit yis bulletproof on this amp... 10

Here is where I have had some issues with this amp. The back panel tube test points have individual tube fuses with tube failure LED indicator lights. This is good in that as soon as a tube goes bad it's out of the cct. But it can also be finicky. Depending I bias settings even tubes that work well can blow a fuse. You need to let the amp warm up as with any other tube amp. The difference here is a cold start may blow a fuse and indicate a bad tube when this is not the case. If you warm up your tube amps as I do and you should you will have no issues. Another issue is Randall sent out these amps with cheap chinese fuses instead of high quality american fuses. This has been a headache for me in that nusance fuse blows due to lack of quality have been occuring. i've changed out all the cheap fuses with high quality one and to this point have had no issues.
Once i got to th heart of the issues back panel test points and it's protection ccts are now managable.

Yet another isse with this amp has been a severely bad tolex application. Bad glue has led to the tolex not sticking to the box on both the head and cab. The tolex was literally falling off this amp.

Yes I have dealt with Randall quite extensivly since I purchased this amp back in November of 2006.
There have been many issues... recieving modules very late with delays ongoing to this point ( august 07 ), the tolex and the fuse issues I mentioned above.
I bought the amp and four mods and recieved one mod immediatly, two more came seven months later and I am still waiting for the last one to arrive. The customer service at Randall is unpredictable and sparatic at best. Doug and Steve seem to not have things under control and do not follow up well leaving a path of frustration in their wake. Any issues i had resolved were done through Rich who is excellent at taking the bull by the horn and getting things done. he solved the tolex issue buy shipping out another speaker cab and two more head shells. he did what needed to be done to resolve my issues. Plus he gave great advice with the fuse issues leading to a resolve in that matter aswell. The only thing is I went seven months until I was lucky enough to have another Randall customer recommend I contact Rich.
There is still the mod issue in that no follow up has been done by Doug and Steve and I still do not have the mod.

The warraty on this amp is three years.

If I were to rate Randall on their customer support looking at my experience with Rich only I would give them a resounding 10. If I were to rate randall on their customer support based on Doug it would be a 2 and Steve it would be a 4 only because Steve has atleast called me even though that too was a frustrating experience in that of all the times he said he would call me he actually called about 30% of the time.
For all the shit I've been through with randall overal I give them a very generous 5 for customer support.

I've been playing for over 20 years and have owned and own some very nice gear. Soldano, Marshall, Koch, Fender, Peavey, Line 6,etc...

As much as I love how this amp sounds and looks if it were stolen I would not replace it unless I could get a remarkable deal on a used one... Randall as a company have not set a good example in overal customer service and this has made me very wary of their product and wary of putting my $$$ in their pockets. As I said Rich is a great guy but he seems to be the minority at Randall.
Believe me when I say I'm being very very generous... 4