Randall RG150ES

Amp was built about 1990, I bought second hand as a back-up/basement amp, then began to use it live a couple of years later. It's small, just a head, and weighs almost nothing being solid state. I now use it as my regular gigging amp. With a single 12" speaker cabinet it's PLENTY loud! The cicuitry is wonderfully simple in execution.

I use a variety of guitars with it, mostly Gibson Melody Makers (60's). When an old tube amp I'd been using for a very long time finally gave it up, I decided to try it out as my regular gig amp. Since the amp is designed to cop the Marshall sound, I had to spend about 2 hours dialing out all the intentional (preamp) distortion. After I got it dialed in, it was fine. The clean channel is adequate for acoustic guitar, and the lead channel works great for electric guitar from quiet clean to edgy solos. It works for all kinds of music, including big band, rockabilly, british invasion, progressive, new wave, and grungier stuff. I've used it in service clubs, bars, recording studios, and outdoor festivals. It covers everything nicely!

After about 10 years of near constant use, I noticed the amp getting louder(!) and more distorted. I took it in for service and the repair guy found that the pots were just starting to freeze up a bit. After cleaning them up, everything was back to normal. I've since marked my settings, and every so often I'll spin the knobs a few times and reset them just to keep them freed up. I've now been using it for about 13 years straight, working regularly. It's damn near bullet-proof!

It has been my experience with musical equipment companies that unless you know someone within the company (and higher up at that!) they couldn't care less after you buy the product. If you buy it USED, they have NO interest in you. If you're well known, they'll GIVE you the latest stuff they're trying to promote.

I've been playing for 47 years now, and gigging regularly since the 60's. I own a few other amps: a couple of old Fenders, and a couple of home-made tube amps. If this amp went missing, I'd do all I could to find another. I keep a watchful eye on Ebay for another as a backup! I do wish they hadn't gone to such extremes to copy the Marshall sound. The amp would have been even simpler and more solid!

Reverb, presence, bass mid and treble controls, and volume and gain for lead channel and volume for clean channel. Its LOUD!

I run my esp viper with a bill lawrence L500XL into the amp with a 7 band eq in the loop. TONS of crunch. You can get just about any tone with that setup, from ac/dc all the way up to modern metal.

Built like a tank, mine was built in the early 90's and its still in great. I have heard of reverb problems on similar models though.

Randalls customer service is pretty good, on their newer stuff. On the older stuff like this, they dont know so much.

Great amplifier. Killer crunch.

I had the good fortune to run across this amp. While serching for an amp versatile for home garage practice as well as live gigs. Well, surprisingly enough it has far surpassed my expectations. Loud enough to compete with 1000W PA's but timid enough to play at home and not run the neighbor's away.

I use a strat copy peavey predator ,and I also use a silvertone guitar, (undetermined year and make) F-hole hollow body guitar as well as an Ibanez.
From low end hardcore crunch to high end crisp tender leads this amp covers all spectrum's. This amp is my choice!

i have had this amplifier for round bout 8 mos. now,.....i dont know anything i own more dependable,...always there,...n always ready to rumble!

have not had the necessity to require any assistance at this point,...but i hope that in need i could get any parts for this anomele of an amplifier cuz it is just friggin wicked !

wouldnt trade it fer anything,...

I mostly play melodic death metal so this amp is perfect for that. Its got 2 channels and there is a pedal for channel switching although i dont have one at this time, effects loop, the eq is very reponsive too and has a presence knob, 15 inch jaguar speaker...150 watts is a lot of power and this amp blows away all my friends amps.....i haven't even tried it with a cab yet!!!

i am currently using an ltd m50 guitar with ltd humbucker pickups. Although the guitar isn't the best guitar in the world it works really good with the randall. I also use a pandoras box by korg and only use the clean channel. The distortion channel is really fucked up and sounds like shit but im sure that is because of the abuse it has endured in the last few years. im giving it a 7 because of this malfunction but if the distortion was any good i would give it a 10

This thing is pretty fucking solid.

havent' dealt with them

This amp absolutly raped my old marshall amplifier!! I love the eq on this beast and the presence really helps out a lot. Unfortunatley i can't find any more of these and i was told they are not being sold anymore!! if anyone hears of any please email me cause if this one is stolen i will be fucked.

This amp is FUCKING awesome. It's like a stack on a smaller scale. It's almost 5 ft. tall, and sounds like it's 15! It has 2 channels (overdrive & normal). The overdrive channel has a master and gain control. The normal channel has a gain control. It has awesome reverb, 3 band eg w/presence. It also has a lo-gain and a hi-gain input. This is a Solid-state mini-stack thet is stage-worthy. IT'S FUCKING LOUD!

I use a Dean Baby ML, a cheap Yamaha EG303 (it's cheap, but still sounds great), a Washburn dime 2ST, and an Epiphone Les Paul Special II. I use the Dean the most and It sounds wonderful. I play Brutal death metal or any other kind of hard music. But i also play in the school jazz band, jazz combo, and i'm in a jazz band outside of school. I also am in a Grindcore/Deth metal band, and this amp works great for both. The overdrive channel's distortion is FUCKING BRUTAL. The louder this amp is played, the better it sounds. The Low end "thuds" and shakes everything in like a 15 ft. radius, the mids.......well, i don't use the mids much, and the highs fucking scream! The clean channel sounds beautiful, especially w/the reverb.

I've never had any technical problems w/it and seems pretty reliable. I would'nt use for a gig w/out a backup, just because of the fact that nothing is indestructable, and i would want to be prepared.

no opinion sorry...........

i've been playing for about 4 1/2 yrs. and i have a Hughes & Kettner Vortex Half stack, and this amp totally beats the SHIT out of it! I love this amp! If this amp were stolen or lost i would cry and shit myself. Then i'd go out and buy a new one. I love everyhing about this amp, it's perfect!

This is the older Randall stuff that has the killer reputation. The new Randall/Washburn stuff is weak, and not even near the level of this 80's head. Mine's actually a C.C. DeVille signature head with the zebra crap on the front panel. Besides that lookin' kinda "wild" for my taste, this amp will rip newer Marshalls a new assh*le! I play mostly death metal and really hard agressive music, but I also play weird trippy quiet stuff, and the clean channel is insane! It's totally pristine and clear! It has two channels, (red and green) channel switchin', an effects loop, and enough power to slay the neighbors! It is 150 watts, solid state, and will go lick for lick with most any tube stuff. Old Randall tube stuff is killer too! It has the same old reverb, bass, mid, high but it has separate masters and gains for each channel. It also has a kick ass sustain boost for quieter practice and it gives all kinds of low end and crunch. The amp also has two inputs (high and low) I use this amp live, at practice, and would use it anywhere. If 150 watts isn't enough for you, then get your head examined! This thing is f*ckin' powerful!

The best way to facilitate a high powered head like this is to match it up with cabinets that are desgined to handle that constant pounding. That's right pal, I'm talkin' about Marshall lead cabinets. I use the straight 1960B lead. Together this comes up with the sickest and heaviest sound. It has this super thick and low quality that I never hear with different heads. I use a few different guitars...mostly a Jackson, but also cheaper, and lamer soundin' guitars. Let me say that I'd much rather be playin' Gibson, and the Jackson is a temporary situation. I've played it with Gibsons, Fenders, and just about EVERYTHING that goes thru it comes out soundin' awesome! I love the heavy low end that this thing has...if you use a wussy cab (i.e. Peavey, stuff like that) watch out, 'cus the head has alot of bottom end. It has really sharp and biting highs. I usually chop the midrange back quite a bit. I would really suggest this head for someone who likes metal and hard rock. The clean channel tho is so nice that it would suit just about any style. I have a bunch of effects that I run thru the loop and with the clean channel, I get Floyd type sounds easily. The distortion on this thing...DUDE!! If you want raw ass grating metal distortion, then this is for YOU! But say you want mellow distortion? Well guess what? Just cut back the knob a bit, and you're there!

This thing is older than the hills, and has never given me the first indication of any problem. I'd always be prepared, but I guarantee that damn near nothin' could stop this thing! It's great too, cus ya' don't even gotta worry about replacin' tubes! Solid state reliability baby!

Well, good luck gettin' any info on any old Randall stuff, 'cus Washburn doesn't have it! They're nice and friendly, but they don't know the first thing about the REAL Randall stuff.

Well, I've played Marshalls, Mesas, and all kinds of cheaper stuff trying to find my sound, enough power, and lookin' for a versatile amp. Guess what I found folks? All that in spades with this Randall head! This amp totally blew away the Marshalls and isn't that far off from Mesa either. If you can afford Mesa tho, go with that. This old Randall stuff is kinda hard to find anymore. The thing about Randall is that they made this special footswitch, and if you don't have one, SUCKS to be you! You can still totally use the amp, but the footswitch makes it alot easier if you're playing shows. Luckily for me, I have one! Overall, I think I'd really be dissapointed if I had anything else. The only exception being the Mesa Triple Rectifier head, and good luck buyin' one of those! Anyway, if you see this head somewhere, PLAY IT FOR GOD'S SAKE! It just might blow you away like it did me! And I only paid $200!