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Thread: Randall Commander II - RG90A

  1. #1
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    Default Randall Commander II - RG90A

    I just picked up a very abused Randall amp for restoring. This is a very early 70's model,it is a solid state but it has MOSFET circuitry. When Don Randall broke away from Fender in 1969 he set out to make a loud-driving amp for the new style players at the time. Washburn had since bought them out and now they are owned by another outfit. After researching on the net, No one seemed to have any info on this amp. I tried Randall amps but they kind of blew me off, but I did get ahold of Washburn and the person I emailed was very helpfull and even had a copy of the owners manual and schematic for this amp. This will need to be completely gone thru as the pots are scratchy and it has no speakers but it should be a added prize to my collection when finished. I will install Eminence speakers ( 2 - 12 inch ).IMHO they out perform Celestions in everyway. By the way, This is the amp that Hetfield and the boys found their sound and hence,Metalica... Not that I am a metal head,blues is my love but nothing wrong with a good,loud hard driving guitar...
    : You're not havin' fun til they have dialed 911

    GuitarsGibson 335, OLP MM2 Ernie Ball 4 string bass,Sx Tele style modified, and a Copley Strat style, Epi Les Paul custom, Harmony Stratatone

    Amps Fender Stage 185,Fender BXR300C bass amp, Marshall G100R cd Head, Randall commander II, 'Custom made' boutique 15 watt class A combo w/ 12" Swamp Thang speaker, Tube rider head, KUSTOM 2X10 cab ( Tube Tone speakers ), 4X12 'All Eminence' cab, 4X10 'All Eminence' cab, Kay 703c amp...

    Pedals DOD FX 64 Stereo Chorus,FX 75B Flanger, FX 20C Phaser,FX 66 Flashback Fuzz, FX 55 Distortion, BOSS rc-2 Looper, BOSS AC 2 Acoustic modeler, BOSS AW-2 Auto-wah, ARION MOC-1 Octave and a Digitech DIGIDELAY...
    Misc: A KEES Australian built Theremin...

  2. #2
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    Default

    I just googled an image of your new amp indianjjy. Very cool looking vintage 2x12 you've got there. How are you diggin it?
    Gearlist:
    Electric: Ibanez 'AS103', Fender Dlx Nash Pwr Tele, Fender Squier '62 JV Strat, Squier '51, Squier 60's Classic Vibe Strat, Epi Elite LP Studio, Hagstrom Swede Acoustic: Larrivee LV-03RE, A&L AMI, Yamaha FG340-T Bass: Yamaha BB 450 Amps: Roland JC-120, JC-50, Peavey Classic 30, Fender Super Champ XD Pedals: Marshall Guv'nor Plus, Danelectro Cool Cat Drive, Transparent Overdrive, Digitech Digiverb, Bad Monkey, Ibanez TS-9, Boss AC-2, CE-5, CS-2, DD-3, DF-2, DS-1, FV-100, GE-7, OC-2, PSM-5, SD-1, TU-2, DVM~BYOC 'Lush Puppy' Chorus

  3. #3
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    Default

    I love MOSFET amps... warm and dynamic!
    I can't say that I've given up on a flanger cause I've never liked the effect either. I also can't say the same about Tremolo. I hate them both equally. - Tone2TheBone 2009

  4. #4
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    Default Randall commander II RG 90

    As info, Just got the chassis back for some fine tuning, have just stripped and re-tolex'ed the cabinet, in the process of installing new black grill cloth as per the original. Purchased 2- 75 watt Eminence legends for the cab. Also installing a Accutronics type 8 3 spring reverb. I will post a pic when completed. Should sound good I hope. I graduated in the 60's and at the time, when Randalls first came out in the 1969-1970's, they were cutting edge. Then the Navy and Vietnam kind of put things on hold for me. Then Wife,kids,career...Now just starting to take up the guitar again.
    : You're not havin' fun til they have dialed 911

    GuitarsGibson 335, OLP MM2 Ernie Ball 4 string bass,Sx Tele style modified, and a Copley Strat style, Epi Les Paul custom, Harmony Stratatone

    Amps Fender Stage 185,Fender BXR300C bass amp, Marshall G100R cd Head, Randall commander II, 'Custom made' boutique 15 watt class A combo w/ 12" Swamp Thang speaker, Tube rider head, KUSTOM 2X10 cab ( Tube Tone speakers ), 4X12 'All Eminence' cab, 4X10 'All Eminence' cab, Kay 703c amp...

    Pedals DOD FX 64 Stereo Chorus,FX 75B Flanger, FX 20C Phaser,FX 66 Flashback Fuzz, FX 55 Distortion, BOSS rc-2 Looper, BOSS AC 2 Acoustic modeler, BOSS AW-2 Auto-wah, ARION MOC-1 Octave and a Digitech DIGIDELAY...
    Misc: A KEES Australian built Theremin...

  5. #5
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    Default Fernandes Native 'sustainer' guitar

    Does anyone have any opinions on this guitar?
    : You're not havin' fun til they have dialed 911

    GuitarsGibson 335, OLP MM2 Ernie Ball 4 string bass,Sx Tele style modified, and a Copley Strat style, Epi Les Paul custom, Harmony Stratatone

    Amps Fender Stage 185,Fender BXR300C bass amp, Marshall G100R cd Head, Randall commander II, 'Custom made' boutique 15 watt class A combo w/ 12" Swamp Thang speaker, Tube rider head, KUSTOM 2X10 cab ( Tube Tone speakers ), 4X12 'All Eminence' cab, 4X10 'All Eminence' cab, Kay 703c amp...

    Pedals DOD FX 64 Stereo Chorus,FX 75B Flanger, FX 20C Phaser,FX 66 Flashback Fuzz, FX 55 Distortion, BOSS rc-2 Looper, BOSS AC 2 Acoustic modeler, BOSS AW-2 Auto-wah, ARION MOC-1 Octave and a Digitech DIGIDELAY...
    Misc: A KEES Australian built Theremin...

  6. #6
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    Jun 2008
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    Default Randall RG-90A-212

    Hi,

    I bought one of these Commanders all mildewed and stinky. I cleaned it up and put in Weber Chicago speakers, which are unbelieveable in that amp. My friend gigs the amp often and people frequently come up and ask what it is!

    Above is the exact model. I have it on the bench now to check out an intermittent distortion problem and found that the input wire to one of the phone jacks was sitting in the lug, but never soldered. I wonder if it has been that way since the beginning. I'm not finished testing it, but I have looked at it compared to an RG-90 schematic and it doesn't match! I haven't gone through the whole think yet, but the preamps are wired like an RG-120.

    According to either schemtic, this is not a MOSFET amplifier. It only has 2 JFET transistors at the input of each channel. The output amplifiers use BJT's.

    Good luck, and have fun with that! Definitely consider Weber speakers.

    Regards,
    Jim

  7. #7
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    Exclamation

    I buy and sell vintage Randall equipment. A lot of sellers on EBAY think that since the amp they have was made in the 70's, it must be worth $400. What a joke. Someone has an RG300 "Orange Stripe" head for sell for over $300. It's woth about $120 and it's a bare bones head with no reverb or tremelo. I just picked up an RG90-D 212 Combo on EBAY for 81 dollars. Did I mention it was in mint condition? Yes, it cost me $50 to ship, but I think $130 is a good buy. This RG90 is a 1974 model. I sold the two, old mismatched speakers that were in it and I replaced them with a pair of Eminence "Red, White and Blues." If these prove to be to mellow on the high end, I will use a pair of Eminence Legend V128's. They are more British sounding with a little more high end sparkle. I use an ABY switch box to select channels on the fly. I have a different set of pedals on each channel. One has the sweet effects for strumming and chords and the other has the nasty effects like a modded Tubescreamer and several old Boss distortion pedals. That's my lead channel. Right now, I'm pretty happy with the Red, White and Blues, as these speakers tend to warm up solid state amps.

    I have so many amps and heads I can't tell you what all I have off the top of my head. Now I do want you to know about a Randall head that I have. I got it on EBAY for $305, plus 50 to ship. I couldn't find out anything on this amp. I took it apart and it was made in 1972. Randall was barely out of the gates back then. This head is a monster!!! It has a solid state pre. There is a 12AT7 that is shielded. I don't know if it is used as a driver for the reverb, or if it is used as a phase inverter for the all tube section. The tubes in this amp are what makes this amp a monster. It uses four, 8417's (a pair can make 100 watts). The 8417 was the biggest, baddest audio power tube ever made. Problem was they came out when the transistor was taking the country by storm. Therefore, the big boy was short lived and replacement tubes are expensive. I ended up getting a matched quad of 8417's for this amp. You can go to Harmony Central>User Reviews>Guitar Amps>Randall>RG150 Vintage Hybrid and read my detailed review on this beast. The amp I have is number 85. I think it is safe to say that it is rare. Randall called it the Alpha Hybrid RG150. Whatever you call it, it is one awesome head. Channel One has a Master Volume!!! On a 1972 amp no less. Also has a long tank reverb and tremelo. I located a vintage footswitch for it. Killer. I have all of these modern hi-gain heads and this head can hold its own with any of them. Again, I use an ABY switch box to switch channels.

    If anyone would like to talk vintage Randall amps, or if you have one for sale, contact me at: meospeak@aol.com

    My web page is: http://www.webspawer.com/users/meoco...005/index.html

    Regards, Marty-Musician's Audio Equipment
    Last edited by VintageRules; January 6th, 2009 at 12:09 PM.

  8. #8
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    Default Who did you ask for that schematic

    I have the same amp...and it needs parts.Do you think you could send me a copy of that schematic?

  9. #9
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by VintageRules View Post
    I buy and sell vintage Randall equipment.

    If anyone would like to talk vintage Randall amps, or if you have one for sale, contact me at: meospeak@aol.com

    My web page is: http://www.webspawer.com/users/meoco...005/index.html
    Do you have any Randall amps (preferably a Commander RG120 PH or a combo equivalent) you're willing to sell?

    Thanks,
    -Adam

  10. #10
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    Adam, his one and only post was January, 2009. I'd use the links if you were interested in talking with the guy, but honestly, it could be a spammer. Use caution and buyer beware.
    Guitars:
    Fender 2006 MIM Fender Stratocaster HSS in 3TS
    Ibanez RG 570 with a bridge Invader
    ESP M II Deluxe with a Tune-o-Matic bridge
    Eleanor, the magical, mystical Road Worn wonder Tele
    Blackstar HT Club 40

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Katastrophe View Post
    Adam, his one and only post was January, 2009. I'd use the links if you were interested in talking with the guy, but honestly, it could be a spammer. Use caution and buyer beware.
    Thanks for the heads up.

    -Adam

  12. #12
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    I bought one of these Commander II amps around 1976. I was playing a '68 Les Paul Custom through it...I don't think I ever turned it up louder than 4...I recall it had pretty good tone for blues for a solid state amp at that time...I know I sold it, but I don't recall any details of that...

    mark

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