Randall Amplifiers

Randall Amplifiers is a manufacturer of guitar amplifiers, a subsidiary of U.S. Music Corporation. Its products are/were used by artists such as Chuck Schuldiner of Death, Dimebag Darrell of Pantera, Kirk Hammett of Metallica, Ty Tabor of King's X, Kurt Cobain of Nirvana, George Lynch, and Scott Ian of Anthrax. Randall makes both solid-state and tube amplifiers.

History

The Randall Amplifer Company was founded in 1970 by Don Randall, a life long radio and audio amplifier enthusiast. Randall began working as a salesman for a radio supply shop after graduating from community college in Santa Ana, CA. It was there that he began a business relationship with Leo Fender, who at the time was operating a nearby radio repair shop. Randall then went on to serve in the Army Corps of Engineers, the Signal Corps, and Army Air Forces during World War II. Once he returned home, he took a job as general manager of Radio & Television Equipment, a wholesale distributor of electronic components. There he discovered that Fender had begun making a few lap steel guitars and small amplifiers in his shop on what is now Harbor Boulevard in Fullerton, CA.

Fender was anxious to expand his business, and was receptive when in 1946 Randall suggested that that Radio & Television Equipment distribute his guitars and amps. In February 1953 Fender Sales Corporation and Fender Electric Instrument Company were established. Randall, in charge of sales and distribution, was responsible for naming most of the classic Fender products which included the Broadcaster (which later became the Telecaster) and the Stratocaster. Randall subsequently became vice president and general manager of the Fender Musical Instrument and Fender Sales divisions of CBS. In 1969 Randall left to found Randall Amplifiers. Randall Amplifiers was founded in 1970 in Irvine, CA. Randall then sold the company in 1987. In the mid-1990s it was purchased by U.S. Music Corporation.

MTS Series

Recently they have worked with Bruce Egnater of Egnater Amplification to create the MTS (Modular Tube System) series of guitar amplifiers. They involve a single amp head consisting of the power amp and part of a preamp, and slots in the head (one for the RM20 head and combo, two for the RM50 head and combo and RM22 head, and 3 for the RM100 head and RM100C combo, and 12 for the RM1250H) in which you can insert their various preamp modules. These modules are tube preamps in themselves that model various amps, from Vox and Fender style cleans, to Marshall crunch, to all out Mesa Boogie style distortion.

This series also has a rack-mount preamp unit called the RM4 that can hold up to four preamp modules at once.

George Lynch, Kirk Hammett, and Scott Ian have their own signature modules and RM100 heads. The heads both have unique cosmetic differences, and some tonal difference. The only tonal difference in the three modular heads is that George Lynch's Lynch Box RM100LB comes loaded with JJ E34L power tubes, Scott Ian's RM100SI comes loaded with JJ EL34 power tubes, and Kirk Hammet's RM100KH has added depth in the power section for more bottom end then the standard RM100 head.

Partnership with Fortin Amps

In December 2011, it was announced by the head of Fortin Amps that they would be teaming up with Randall amplifiers to design a new tube amp line based on the Fortin Meathead amplifier. Endorsee Kirk Hammett currently has two of the prototypes, one which he used for the Big 4 show at Yankee Stadium and concerts in India, and a third one will be sent to co-guitarist James Hetfield. It was also announced that they will be addressing their current amplifier line, both solid state and tube. ^[1]

References