Randall RG100SC 212 Combo

I believe the amp is a 2002 model. It seemed fairly versatile when I bought it. I play all styles, but mostly metal. 3 channels, one clean, 2 gain...etc.

It's been in the shop once already for a fried gain 2 channel and broken reverb. The gain 2 crapped out the very next time I turned it up to 6. Now the gain 1 is crapping out as well. I bought this solid state amp for reliability, and it has let me down when I started demo sessions twice now.

There might be some lemons from this model line, from what I've read. I think we should all contact Randall together. I'm sick of owning a 100w amp that I can't even use for practice.

First time getting it fixed was no problem, but I don't want a good repair service, I want an amp that works.

Unless something is done to make reparations for this lemon, I'm never buying Randall again. Or related company products.



Question to Randall engineers / quality control:

If it can only take 4, why does the knob go to 10?

and, no I don't have anything between my guitar and the amp.

I can't wait to pawn this off on some other unlucky chump...

This amp has what i want, a clean powerful chanel. 100 watts is nice, the celestions are great, and the built in chorus sounds great too. Effects loop could be cool, i don't know, i never use it.

I use a washburn n2 with stock pickups, and i like the sound. The clean chanel is bright, and crisp. Sounds great with little or no mids. Its been very quiet, hum wise, for me.
The overdrive chanels suck. I never use them. They have no power at all. Crank them to 10, and barely hear them, turn the clean to 2 and get out the ear plugs.
Basically, the distortion sounds great if you get a pedal to make it that way. I reccomend the boss metal zone.
All in all, it sounds great to me because all i want in an amp at this point, is a good clean sound that i can manipulate with boss products.

Mine has been reliable so far. I like the amp a lot and reccomend it, i just recomend getting a screw driver with it. Mine shakes all the screws loose all the time. My buddy's just blew up, at this point we assume a few key screws came loose.
Get some lock tight, and its as reliable as any good amp is.
Oh yeah, the reverb sounds like its always on. I think its just a loose screw actually. Its not good reverb either, it sounds like a reverb kick all the time.

Overall, i like it. The screws falling out randomly, and often worries me a little though.

3 channels. Classic distortion. Heavy distortion and clean. I think it was made in 2202. Suits me style weel anything from Aerosmith, Zeppelin, cream, hendrix, metallica, salyer, pantera, nevermore, anthrax etc..
Came with footswitch for cahnnel switching or reverb chorus switching. The clean channel is exrtremely loud. Incredible.

Im using a gibson sg with emgs pup orn epihpne les pual with emg pups. The distortion is good for home or practice use. Its heavy if want it to or classic. My pups are very powerful so that only helps. I dont think this amp will be any usegul with passive shitty pups.

Live I run my marshall jackhmmer and my marshall guvnir pedals through the clan channel. Let me tell you that the sound is amazing. Very full with just the right amount of bass and trble. I can go anywere from metallica to zakk wylde to jimmy page to joe perry. WOW!!! The marshall pedals really make this amp shine.
There is some noise on the gain channels buts a hi gain amp so this is normal. The clean channel with my emg pups do distort at hi volumes but I know its no the amp its the pups. I like this ayways so I dont mind. The distortion can be a little thin. Be careful with the bass settins cause thay can make tha amp fart.

Looks realiable, I wouldnt want to play it at full volume though. But ive only had it for a couple days, so we shall see.

Hanvent dealt with them yet.

Very good amp. I dont recommend the distortion for live use. A good stompbox really makes the amp come alive or maybe its the other way around. or the price though its a good deal.

2002, this amp is versatile enough for my playing style (cover band plus originals-heavy to blues) 3 ch.-clean, dirty, lead. effects loop, headphone jace, line out, speaker out (stereo) so you can add a cab, The chorus is great on clean but otherwise I keep the rever under "2". This amp is powerful enough with 100 watts and the option to add a cabinet down the road makes it worthy.

Fender Eric Clapton Signature Series Strat, Lace Sensor p/ups. Amp is noisy on lead channels, but not any worse than I've heard before. The clean channel has good headroom at high volumes. The distortion can get brutal but I like it beefy with bottom end so gain is not so much as important as the contour feature which I think is great for this amp.

I feel I can depend on this amp, it is solid and well built. I will gig without a backup. The amp hasn't broken down and I take good care of it.

Have not had to deal with customer support. 5 year warranty.

I have been playing for 15 years and from the reviews I have read on this and many other amps leads me to one thing. Players have to realize what they're buying and what they're wanting out of an amp before they buy it and then find out that it's not what they wanted and end up posting their complaints. This is a SOLID STATE amp meaning no tubes...get it? If that's not what you wanted then save up your cash and get the rectifier and let the rest of us enjoy what we purchased. No solid state amp will ever have a clean channel on par with the distorted side, I had a Marshall Valvestate and when you were at "gig" volume and switched to clean the thing would buzz and distort all over the place. You have to understand how the preamp is reacting to the voltage, ohms, guitar, etc. and realize that most of these amps won't calm down when you switch to clean so yeah, you'll have to set the clean channel way down to accomodate...but remember that's what the Master volume is for...crank it or don't....either way, shop around and if you don't like what's out there, keep searching, keep saving and have a little patience before you just drop 400 bucks on an amp you might not end up likeing...I can say this, you won't find me dropping that kind of cash on an amp only to get it home and realize it's a piece of crap...I shop, read, research and check out any gear I buy and maybe some of you limp bizkit wannabe's should do the the same. Why bash an amp in one of these categories and then score a 9? Get real and get to the point.

I don't know what year the amp was made. This amp is the best i've played besides an original Super Reverb. This thing is awsum. My fav. bands are red hot chili peppers and at the drive-in. This amp covers them both really well. IT's very versatile for all styles. it has three channels. A clean that is awsum. the natural dist is very sweet. just crank out the level and adjust the EQ, and you got a very good blues tone, and it pulls off my John Frusciante style very very very very well. The second channel is an overdrive/dist channel which i don't use alot but when i do it does a dirty blues very good. Classic rock and Rock rythym sound. This is good channel for rythym and non-super heavy sound. The third channel is awsum for heavy metal thrash. I use it a lot for a good solo. Like rhoads or vai stuff.
Oh yeah it also has a chorus which i don't use alot because i have a processor. But i love the reverb. It has a beautiful ring. It's so sweet. I use it alot for just for jams with my friends. I've only played it for two gigs and it did great. One was a friends going away party and we only played two songs but i loved the tone and it was very balanced with the rest of the band. IT could have been way way louder but it would have blown away the other gear there. The other time was when this band that i was in played a homecoming football pep-rally. The gym was big and old. The wood on the floor sucked up all the sound of the band BUT. Our drums,my randall, and my friends princeton 65 which was stacked on my randall, cut right through the whole gym. My amp was barely on notch 2 an a half and IT came through awsum. This amp has a ton of power which i have yet to use it to the max but i'm sure i'm getting there sooner or later. By the way did i mention this is a solid state. This is one awsum fucking solid state.

I play a Squire guitar, nothing special with single coil pickups which are soon to be changed with dimarzio pickups. Its suits my style very well. I play everything emo, rock, indie, thrash, metal, shred, jazz, blues, alternative, punk, funk. It is noisy cause of the feedback, but since i have my processor, it has a noise reduction so i no worries. You have to be carefull with the level and the bass. The bass can get a little weird but i don't have that big of a prob with it. The clean channel will have a natural dist if the level is cranked a little too high. But otherwise it's sooooo sweet. The heavy channel isn't super heavy but since it has a contour knob, you can dial in a alot of different scooped sounds.

I depend on this amp alot, and sooner even more because i'm in a jazz band now and i'm gonna take it on the competitions. It has never broken down. I have never had to call the company for problems and i hope i will never have to.

Never had any problems with the company and i hope it never will happen. i know a five year warranty came and i sent it but i don't know if it became valid

Like i said the Greatest amp i've played aside from the fender. I love this amp. If was stolen or broken i would go and buy it again or more powerful randall amp. The only problem is the foot switch. It should be three or four instead of just two. But other wise it's fucking awsum.

This is a 2002 model, 3 channel, one sweet clean, and 2 switchable distortion channels. This thing is very flexable...from Stryper to Setzer, no Problem...the countor knob on it is sweet...the chorus is nice, adds a nice subtle sound to a lush sound...the reverb with the clean channel hits that Dick Daleish fender sound...this will be used for a praise team, and my metal exploits...this is perfect for my needs...100 watts is alot...if I need more volume...I'll go get a 4x12...
the switch is very quiet...for 369, you can't go wrong...
I am not a fan of onboard effects...but the chorus adds a nice touch...but I am glad that they didn't add anymore to it...

I use an 86 Kramer Baretta (US), and a Epi Flamekat, as well as a martin D-15. I also will use this for Harp playin' with a Astatic JT-30.
My Styles range from Metal, 80's stuff, Glam, and Aerosmith...as well as setzer, SRV, Johnny Lang, and B.B., the Cure, The Red Elvises, Duran Duran...
Noisy...hmm...on the drive channels they have a little hiss...but that is expected...much less than my Worship leader's Fender tube amps though...The clean tone is what I expected, smooth...lot like the Fender DSP 160watt amp...it does not distort, unless you want it to...crank the gain on the clean channel, and it gives a very smooth distort, switch the channel, and my brother steals your guitar and plays the "And Justice For All" songs, all night...
Ok...side note...I came up during the 80's with Stryper, Crue, Poison, Warrent, Winger, Alice and Metalica...I love that sound...and this amp gets me darn close...
I was also looking for something that would be a really powerful Harp amp for giging out...this can do it easy, with a beautiful tone...

If I had the skills, and would tour, I'd by a second one (they are so cheap) just in case, but I do trust it...I just like to have a backup amp just in case something happens...
too early to tell...One really nice surprise was the knobs...metal...super smooth and solid...I think it would take a hammer to knock one off...(but lets not find out)

The handle on the top...sigh...when will companies learn that the top strap handles are great for 30 pound or lighter amps...but are way dumb on something this big...come on...it is not as heavy as my SWR Super Red Head, but they (SWR) had the brains to put side handles on it...I refuse to trust that little handle...use a cart or two hands...
It is finished in a really attractive soft totalex stuff...nice, but looks like the second its scraped, it will tear...
the wood on this thing is the thickest I can recall seeing...

5 year warranty...
I bought this from Chuck Levens Washington Music Center
I would never buy an amp or anything from mail order...unless direct from the company...I refuse to hurt the local merchants...I get better prices and better service, and great advice from them...and oh, I need strings tonight...I can go get them...If people keep buying from Musicians fiend and Music 123 and the like, we will not have any Mom and pop shops left...sad...
Go try it out before you take it home...so IF you think it sucks so bad...don't BUY IT...whine...if its a lemon...at least you don't have to pay shipping...

I been a bassist for a while, I hit drums, and try to look like a guitarist...but I do play a decent harp...
If stolen, they would hit the ground before they heard the shot...
I love its look, its sound, it not being a fender, its Price...
what do I hate...darn top handles...that and um nothing...
What do I wish it had? removeable wheels would be nice...that and a four way switch...
I compared it to too many fenders to list, as well as crates and Peaveys...and a couple marshels...I tried both tube and solid state...I like this the best, and hey its cheap...
For $369...come on...thats a no brainer...

It has 2 channels (clean and overdrive (with 2 seprate channels on that)). Each channel has its own EQ and the OD channel has a shape. It has an effects loop, foot switchable chorus and reverb, footswitchable channels. It is a loud amp, but thats where I hate this amp.

At high volumes, this amp S U C K S ! ! ! Clean or dirty, when you trun the bass up past two, it buzzes like all hell. Not only that, the overdrive channels are way too weak to even attempt to use them. The amp sounds OK at low volumes, but at high volumes, FORGET-A-BOT-IT! I tried everything, and all it did was buzz. I don't know how many times my singer swore at the damn this for sounding so bad.

Another thing!!!

The distortion sounds NOTHING like Godsmack, or Pantera's distortion. I know they use Randall's, BUT THEY ARE TOTALLY DIFFERENT AND BETTER THAN THIS ONE!!! You can tell that the people that say it sounds like those distortions are in little metal/punk bands that won't go anywhere anyway, and this is their first "big amp". If you were to take sandpaper and rub it on a tin can, then you have the distortion that is on this amp.

Seems to be built like a tank.

I e-mailed them asking aobut the buzzing, and got no response.

I baught this amp for the name, not the sound. I learned my lesson this time!!! "Buy what you like for sound in the amp, not what sounds good for in name." I like the Warhead that Dime plays through (that amp sounds like Pantera, not this one! I wonder why?!). I have played through that amp many times when my friend let me. I like the more expensive Randalls that are out. But as for this cheap one, Hell-No!

everyone one else has done a great job of describing this amps features. stereo chorus, dual gains, blah blah.

i play hard rock. not tinny palm muted stuff, but crunchy and sustained modern rock style. this amp offers me nothing more than a great loud clean sound. i have honestly been dissapointed from the day i received the thing. i thought that because it was heavy, it would be able to handle some decent bass and the overdrive channel would have some balls. no balls. none at all. i have an lp with standard pickups, but seriously, you have to double the level on the the gain channel to get to be nearly as loud as the clean channel. that was the first thing that pissed me off. the second thing was that the chorus and reverb added a lot of shitty noise to my sound. i must have got yet another "bad sheep" because i couldn't use any of the functions that the amp provided. i just played through the clean channel and used pedals. which after i gave up on the idea of having a rich bassy tone, did start to sound good.

you can't just say..no tubes..the thing won't break. mine just crapped out on me. i have to have faulty components and i'm going to go get the thing fixed, but i've lost faith. i wanted to love this thing like i read that many other people had, but it's hard to love it when the thing obviously hates me.

may have to get in contact with randall if i can't get this sucker back in shape...as of now, i don't know anything except their lazy when it comes to their internet services.

the amp really is a good value, because the clean channel is so nice and loud and it is very cheap. i just wish they would take all the other worthless knobs off the thing because..if you are really picky about your tone and you think pantera-esk distortion sounds cold and hollow, the clean channel will be all you will use.

Besides the fact that Pantera uses Randall?
* The 100W is more than enough to sound off with the rest of my band. I rarely have to crank it up higher than 7 when we are full blast. The 150W Warhead Combo might be overkill... this suits me fine.
* The Three channels give me plenty of sound options.
* The only thing this amp is missing, besides a second input jack, is an IV Output that would allow me to pump it directy into my veins.

* The clean channel sounds nice and crisp, for when I want to play classic rock tunes, while the distortion channels just get the head banging. I can convincingly play the likes of Pantera, Machine Head, Hatebreed, etc. on the Second Overdrive Channel. Move over Tube amps, I like the sound of Solid State for Metal.
* The Dual Celestions rock over comperable amps I tested with a single speaker.
* All I wanted in an amp was for it to sound heavy... this one does it, but also gives the flexibility of playing more classical stuff on the clean channel.
* Powerful. I keep it under "1" when practicing in my room. When in the band room with a drummer and a 120W bass amp, I rarely have to put it over "7".

I haven't taken it to gigs, or tested it at full capacity (I haven't had to). For taking it to band practice and playing at home, it has been reliable.

No support required to this point.

I've been playing for about 2 years, mostly alone or with the band. We haven't played out, but I wouldn't hesitate to bring this amp with me.... it rocks.
I compared this amp with the Marshall MG50DFX Combo and the Crate MX120R Combo (each companies relative equivalent in price to the RG100SC). Bottom line, I was more impressed with the Randall Sound. To get the power of 100W out of Marshall I would have had to pay more and still only gotten one generic speaker. Randall has brand name Celestions which sound great.

This is an add-on to the rewiev submitted below...

Well here it comes... The Gain 2 channel suddenly started to sound like shit at a gig two nights ago... Sadly I did't have a backup amp since I believed this one would work. But no!!! So now I'm pretty fuckin pissed of at Randall so the can sell their shit to someone else...

I was planning on buying a Randall Cyclone stack the coming spring but now I'm not so sure...