Randall Amplifiers is a manufacturer of solid-state and tube

guitar amplifiers A guitar amplifier (or amp) is an electronic device or system that strengthens the electrical signal from a pickup on an electric guitar, bass guitar, or acoustic guitar so that it can produce sound through one or more loudspeakers, which ar ...

. Randall Amplifiers is currently a

brand A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's good or service from those of other sellers. Brands are used in business, marketing, and advertising for recognition and, importantly, to create an ...

of U.S. Music Corp., a

subsidiary A subsidiary, subsidiary company or daughter company is a company owned or controlled by another company, which is called the parent company or holding company. Two or more subsidiaries that either belong to the same parent company or having a s ...

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

corporate group A corporate group or group of companies is a collection of parent and subsidiary corporations that function as a single economic entity through a common source of control. These types of groups are often managed by an account manager. The concep ...

Exertis , JAM.

History

After graduating from community college in

Santa Ana, California Santa Ana () is the second most populous city and the county seat of Orange County, California. Located in the Greater Los Angeles region of Southern California, the city's population was 310,227 at the 2020 census, making Santa Ana the List of ...

, Don Randall worked as a salesman for a radio supply shop, where he met

Leo Fender Clarence Leonidas Fender (August 10, 1909 – March 21, 1991) was an American inventor known for designing the Fender Stratocaster. He also founded the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. In January 1965, he sold Fender to CBS, and later foun ...

, who was operating a nearby radio repair shop. Randall went on to serve in the Army Corps of Engineers, the Signal Corps, and Army Air Forces during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. After the war, he took a job as general manager of Radio & Television Equipment, a wholesale distributor of electronic components, and discovered that Fender had begun making a few lap steel guitars and small amplifiers. In 1946, Randall suggested that Radio & Television Equipment distribute Fender's guitars and amplifiers. Finding commercial success, the Fender Sales Corporation and Fender Electric Instrument Company were established in February 1953, with Randall in charge of sales and distribution. 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 the Randall Amplifier Company in Irvine, California. Randall sold the company in 1987. In the mid-1990s, it was purchased by

U.S. Music Corporation U.S. Music Corp. is an American musical instrument company based in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, United States, a suburb of Chicago, that manufactures and distributes products worldwide. The company is currently an independent subsidiary of multina ...

MTS Series

In the early 2000s, the company worked with

Bruce Egnater Egnater is an American company that manufactures boutique guitar amplifiers. History The company was founded by Bruce Egnater in Detroit, Michigan. After attending the University of Detroit Engineering School, he opened a guitar and amplifier r ...

of Egnater Amplification to create the MTS (Modular Tube System) series of guitar amplifiers. These 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

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crunch, to all out

Mesa Boogie Mesa/Boogie (also known as Mesa Engineering) is an American company in Petaluma, California, that manufactures amplifiers and other accessories for guitars and basses. It has been in operation since 1969. Mesa was started by Randall Smith as a s ...

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 Kirk Lee Hammett (born November 18, 1962) is an American musician who has been the lead guitarist and a contributing songwriter for heavy metal band Metallica since 1983. Before joining Metallica, he formed and named the band Exodus. In 2003, ...

, and

Scott Ian Scott Ian (born Scott Ian Rosenfeld, December 31, 1963) is an American musician, best known as the rhythm guitarist and co-founder of the thrash metal band Anthrax. Ian is the guitarist and a founding member of the crossover thrash band Stormtroo ...

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 than the standard RM100 head. It was hinted and confirmed during Winter NAMM 2012 that the MTS line of amplifiers would be discontinued and that Egnater would take over the line. In April 2012, Randall confirmed that the MTS amplifiers were discontinued and would be replaced by a new, high-end line of amplifiers.

Partnership with Fortin Amps (2011 - 2015)

In December 2011, it was announced by the head of Fortin Amplification, Inc. that they would be teaming up with Randall amplifiers to design a new tube amp line based on the Fortin Meathead amplifier. Endorsee

currently has four of the prototypes, one which he used for the Big 4 show at

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and concerts in India. It was also announced that they will be addressing their current amplifier line, both solid state and tube. In April 2012, Randall Amplification Brand Director, Joe Delaney (a.k.a. Joetown) introduced Mike Fortin as an exclusive design engineer for Randall Amplification. As the founder of Fortin Amplification, Inc. he has forged a worldwide reputation for creating cutting edge high gain amplifier designs. His first priorities will be a new multi-channel, 150 watt Kirk Hammett Signature Model Head and a whole range of high end, high gain all tube amplifiers to be manufactured in North America. The new Fortin designed series of Randall amplifiers will replace the discontinued MTS Series. The collaboration produced a series high gain tube amplifiers such as the 667 and the Thrasher and several signature models. In addition to the

signature models, Randall released the Ultimate Nullifier EN 120, a signature amp for

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guitarist

in 2014. Randall and Fortin also collaborated with

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guitarist Ola Englund and designed a signature amp based on Englund's Fortin "Natas" amplifier called "Satan."/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RfErzEs0f8 On January 1, 2016, Fortin announced his partnership with Randall had ended the previous day, and he would not be renewing his contract.

2014

The Fortin-designed flagship six-channel model 667 head was announced. Additionally, Randall entered the pedal market with the RG13 1 Watt, 3 channel amp/pedal, the Facepunch overdrive, MOR boost pedal, RGOD preamp pedal and RF8 8 button midi pedal.

References

{{Reflist Guitar amplifier manufacturers Manufacturing companies based in Illinois JAM Industries Audio equipment manufacturers of the United States