Randall RG80 112SC Combo

[adam79]

I'm looking to buy an inexpensive combo amp for live shows. I need something with good cleans most importantly. A 2 channel amp w/ one clean an one dirty will also work, but I could just as easily use a pedal w/ a one channel clean amp. It also wouldn't hurt for the amp to be on the lighter side in terms of weight.

I came across a Randall RG80 112SC Combo, for sale locally, that's fairly inexpensive ($200). I've read some reviews that praise the amp, while others say that it's too harsh. Anyone have any experience with this amp? It has two channels, so I wouldn't have to bother with a distortion pedal. Is $200 a fair price? I'd prefer to just spend $100.. my roommate has a Fender M80 that he only paid $70, but this was probably 10+ years ago.. so I'm not sure if I'm being unrealistic thinking that I'll be able to get something worthwhile for $100.

Any suggestions on any other combos would be appreciated.

Happy Holidays,
-Adam

[Squier]

personally, any inexpensive combo is inexpensive because costs were cut somewhere.
Usually the 2 most expensive parts of a - tube - combo amplifer are: (yes, obviously
PCB construction etc also enable lower production costs but we're talking about
the parts used -- even so-called 'hand wired' amps can cut costs using cheaper
components)

1. Transformers
2. Speaker

and that's where the bulk of costs are usually cut to be able to
get to a low retail mass market price point.

So... keeping that in mind... in a tube amp - LOOK FOR BIG IRON i.e.
look for big sized transformers -- this is usually an indication that at
least some nice transformers were used for the amp which means that you (usually)
can expect to do a speaker change and the amp will be all set to go to sound
nice. (again - these are my own personal feelings on cheaper tube amps).
The thing is that no matter what speaker change you make - if the amp uses
small cheap transformers (which also usually means that the bass on the amp
is attentuated and rolled off at 120 Hz - 150 Hz or so) that you will never
get a nice tight low end or any sort of bottom end on the amp.

Look at classic Fenders... the Vibrolux gets its sound mainly because
it used wimpy transformers which means when it got cranked up the bottom
end and eventually tne bottom mids started to flub and go away which let the
mids and upepr mids and treble be the predominant tones... the thing sang
and screamed... but when cranked up just can't 'chug' or have any bottom.
but that's the charm in it. People sometimes change out the transformers
for beefier ones and lose that unique Fender tone... yes, the amp gets a more
modern sound... much bigger bottom that stays tight... but it's not that
original Fender sound. And it's due, in a large part to those transformers
which Fender cheaped out on and serendipity kicked in and created a unique sound
which people got used to over the years. But yeah - those cheap cost cutting
transformers were the thing.

Ok - back to current times -- look at the "Tiny Terror" head and then look
at the Mesa/Boogie Mini-Rectifier head. The stock Tiny Terror uses wimpy
little transformers and has no real bottom end to speak of and to mask that
they use lots of attentuation on the bottom end roll off (its attentuated to
around 150 - 200 Hz to mask the fact that it can't handle, in any sort of tight way,
lower tones or bigger wave forms). So yes - the bottom sounds tight but
it's thin. Look at the Mesa - huge transformers - and it also uses EL84
power section - but the response goes down to 80 Hz - big tight bottom end.
It's those transformers again that allow that. Mesa didn't skimp.
You can use any speaker you want with the Tiny Terror and it simply can't
get you the big bottom end -- cheapie transformers and low end attentuation in
the preamp circuit assure this.

So... LOOK FOR BEEFY TRANSFORMERS first and foremost. At least you have
big iron in the amp. At least look for an inexpensive tube combo that the
transformers look larger and heavier than a tone control knob.

Based on this I would recommend:
Peavey Valve King -- you can pick these up cheap and it has enough
power to play anywhere. Run pedals through the front end on the clean
channel and you're all set to go. However - a speaker change is a MUST.
I suggest changing the speaker to either a ceramic Warehouse Guitar Speaker British Lead 80
or (if you want to lighten up the haul) Jensen Jet "Tornado" speaker.
Both are excellent and match up well with this amp.

that's my take on all this for an amp that can do big cleans
and has a usable second gain channel (which on the Valve King won't
get you until uber metal...) and has the power and punch to play
live anywhere even with a heavy hitting drummer.
I recommend using the clean channel on this amp as a pedal platform
and kick the pedals off and you have a huge clean channel with lots
of headroom.

[Fred Smite]

SS turd.

For $99 - get a Fender 25w Stage Pro.

//

"adam79" <79ad...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:cbb52749-89b1-495a...@googlegroups.com...

[Defiant]

On 12/26/2012 07:57 AM, Squier wrote:
>> adam79 <79ad...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> I'm looking to buy an inexpensive combo amp for live shows. I need something with good cleans most importantly. A 2 channel amp w/ one clean an one dirty will also work, but I could just as easily use a pedal w/ a one channel clean amp. It also wouldn't hurt for the amp to be on the lighter side in terms of weight.
>>
>> I came across a Randall RG80 112SC Combo, for sale locally, that's fairly inexpensive ($200). I've read some reviews that praise the amp, while others say that it's too harsh. Anyone have any experience with this amp? It has two channels, so I wouldn't have to bother with a distortion pedal. Is $200 a fair price? I'd prefer to just spend $100.. my roommate has a Fender M80 that he only paid $70, but this was probably 10+ years ago.. so I'm not sure if I'm being unrealistic thinking that I'll be able to get something worthwhile for $100.
>>
>> Any suggestions on any other combos would be appreciated.
>>
>> Happy Holidays,
>> -Adam
>
> personally, any inexpensive combo is inexpensive because costs were cut somewhere.
> Usually the 2 most expensive parts of a - tube - combo amplifer are: (yes, obviously
> PCB construction etc also enable lower production costs but we're talking about
> the parts used -- even so-called 'hand wired' amps can cut costs using cheaper
> components)

<rest of BS snipped>

Yo, eggspurt, the Randall RG80 ain't a tube amp.

[Defiant]

I fixed an RG80 that had bad outputs. Of course, I gave it a try to test
it out. It sounded like ground shit, which is typical for a Randall SS
amp (never tried a Randall tube amp). If you're Dimebag Darrel hammering
out thrash metal riffs it may be OK, but if you play any real music pass
on it.

[Defiant]

If you do want it for thrash metal, $200 is way too much. I wouldn't
give $50 for one, unless I needed it to piss of an obnoxious neighbor.

[RS]

On Wed, 26 Dec 2012 23:02:10 -0700, Defiant <tras...@nospam.com>
wrote:

>If you do want it for thrash metal, $200 is way too much. I wouldn't
>give $50 for one, unless I needed it to piss of an obnoxious neighbor.

So your neighbors have RG80's then?

[Squier]

yo - dweeb , if you can actually read then he asked about "... an inexpensive combo amp for live shows"
he never stated anywhere in his post he was looking specifically for a recommendation for a solid state amp.
he also stated that "Any suggestions on any other combos would be appreciated."

when you can read properly then you might actually sound informed.

you're the one flinging the BS - but I suppose when you are so used
to smelling your own knee deep crap - you just don't notice it anymore.

I expected better from you Defiant. ah well... maybe next time.

[Rick N. Backer]

Defiant's mouth runs through his ass, same as Elvie's.

"Squier" wrote in message news:271220120231584175%squ...@strats.net...

[???]

> Yo, eggspurt, the Randall RG80 ain't a tube amp.

Did he say that it was?

I'm sure that Squier knows that most Randalls are buzzy SS POS's. I read him to recommend a tube amp, and in his price range to avoid puny iron. That's personal opinon. I *like* the smaller iron in the Bandmasters. I also like amps with beefier iron. Smaller sounds different. Whether that's "better" or "worse" is opinion. I can't generalize to the point that I can say "I prefer amps with bigger transformers" because there are PLENTY of them that sound like @ss next to a decent Bandmaster.

[Son Of Splawn]

On Tue, 25 Dec 2012 15:54:36 -0800 (PST), adam79 <79ad...@gmail.com>
wrote:

>I'm looking to buy an inexpensive combo amp for live shows.
>I need something with good cleans most importantly.
>A 2 channel amp w/ one clean an one dirty will also work,
> but I could just as easily use a pedal w/ a one channel clean amp.
> It also wouldn't hurt for the amp to be on the lighter side in terms of weight.
>
>I came across a Randall RG80 112SC Combo, for sale locally, that's fairly inexpensive ($200).
>I've read some reviews that praise the amp, while others say that it's too harsh.
>Anyone have any experience with this amp? It has two channels,
>so I wouldn't have to bother with a distortion pedal.
> Is $200 a fair price?

I own an RG80 combo. It's okay for solid state. It's a little on the
harsh side on the OD side if you use a lot of gain. The clean channel
is quite nice. I gigged with it for about a year in a hard rock cover
band. Cut through the mix quite well and I actually got some nice
compliments on the tone from time to time. Some people sound like shit
through a plexi while others sound good through budget gear. Go
figure. My friend took it on tour for about six months. Always
dependable. Would I record with it? No. In a live band situation it
suited my needs.

I think $200 is fair (but the absolute upper limit - I'd offer a
little less to start) if it works and it is in really really good
condition and if it has the ORIGINAL FOOTSWITCH. Many do not. It is a
proprietary six pin spade connector (forgot the proper name). You
cannot switch channels without the footswitch. Without it, the amp has
both channels on all the time. It is the sturdiest footswitch I have
ever seen on a guitar amp.