Rare head + cab. NEED INFO!

[BillyLosh]

Hello! I recently did a trade with my buddy and picked up this really head and cab and was wondering what they were worth. They both seem hard to come by so I am having difficulty figuring it out.

 

The head is a Randall RG100ES and it is in fair shape. Not great, but it still looks good and works perfect. I opened it up and saw the date on the inside was in 1988. This particularly was what I was having the hardest time figuring anything about.

 

The cab is a Randall R412JB and it works great and has a killer sound to it.

 

I've attached some pictures so hopefully someone here can help me out. Any information is appreciated. If you would like any more pictures or any specific information, I'd be glad to share.

 

 

Thanks.

[WRGKMC]

Here's one with the slant cab that sold for $999 http://www.ebay.ca/itm/261791175431

 

Its hard to come by because no one wanted them during that era so they didn't sell.

 

Yours has the badges missing so you could easily deduct for that. People often remove badges and sell them off on EBay and it should devalue the amp. I'd check the age of the tubes too. You can easily spend $150 or more to have the thing re-tubed and I'd likely re-cap an amp that's 25 years old which would be another $50.

 

These carpeted amps came after their orange face SS amps were built by Randall to compete with amps like Yamaha. He sold the company off in 1987 when the company was definitely in decline. Many musicians hated the sterile cleans those SS amps produced.

 

In between Randal and US the company nearly disappeared off the radar screen. The ones like yours used cheap building materials like that carpet and did what they could to survive I suppose.

 

The company was bought by US Music Corporation in the mid 90s and eventually started making the metal amps many younger guitarists like today. Its a completely different company from the stuff built in the 70's and 80's. Given the fact the amp was made in the 88 when Randall was practically out of business I probably wouldn't pay much for it.

 

That amp version likely has over inflated pricing. Allot of metal heads like the newer Randal's which has driven the price up on allot of they're older junk but you aren't comparing apples vs apples.

 

I haven't looked into the circuit design or speakers used but there's likely no way in hell I'd pay a grand for one. Maybe its a diamond in the rough but I've owned a couple of the older Randall's and they were pretty much junk in my book. That guy on EBay took someone for a sucker. $500? Maybe if it sounded good and was in top shape.

 

Again that really depends on what's under the hood. If I remember right the older Randal's used square magnet speakers likely made by Eminence. Given the age on those speakers and the grade you can buy them for about $25 each. $100 for the speakers and $100 for the cab even though its a Fugly as can be. If its plywood instead of particle board its likely worth that much.

 

The head for $300 is realistic. That's $3 a watt which is more then I'd normally pay for amps that didn't sell well like this. Again, it really depends on the circuit and build. If its got a good design that can be modified to sound like a Fender or Marshall using the same quality of parts than the head might sell for more. It looks like an amateur build in those fugly cabs though. I've used the exact same materials myself building cabs and had them come out looking better.

[DeepEnd]

. . . You can easily spend $150 or more to have the thing re-tubed and I'd likely re-cap an amp that's 25 years old which would be another $50. . . .

Erm, why would you ''retube'' a solid state amp? https://reverb.com/item/270588-randall-rg100es-1985. Plus, it's closer to 30 years old than 25 if it was made in 1988 but I can see your point about new capacitors.

[daddymack]

You may find this of interest... :http://www.harmonycentral.com/forum/forum/guitar/acapella-28/1377072-

 

This is essentially the amp that the late Dimebag Darryl used on the early Pantera recordings.

[WRGKMC]

I also stated, I hadn't checked the circuits for that amp. They made many renditions of the same amp and I didn't have to check every one of them.

 

If it is a Solid State head then I personally wouldn't pay more the $1 a watt for an amp from that era.