From Jim Marshall
I am really pleased that you have chosen this 1959RR Randy Rhoads Signature Series Super Lead 100W head. It is only the fourth signature amplifier that we have produced and I feel it is a great addition to this select range.
I first met Randy when he came to the factory in January 1980. He had not long ago joined Ozzy Osbourne and they were working on their first album. He came here knowing exactly what he was looking for, he just needed to find the amplifier that was going to be capable of delivering the power, the tone, and the reliability that he wanted, but was also in keeping with the image that he was to be recognised by.
Randy almost found everything he was searching for in a standard 1959 head, but the tone was not quite right. He spent some time with my Service Manager, explaining the slight difference he was looking for, and after a few trials we were able to fit a modification which made the subtle change to the standard tone of the 1959.
Randy left the factory to proudly stand in front of his white Marshall stack for all of his hugely successful, but sadly too brief career with Ozzy Osbourne. In this time the legendary guitarist could be seen by thousands of fans, performing in front of his Marshall stack – a sight to behold and a triumphant assault on the ears.
Our design team have spent many hours investigating the original Randy Rhoads amplifier, speaking to the Randy Rhoads family, talking to people who knew Randy and heard him play, and talking to the Service Manager who was at the factory when Randy came in and made the modification to the amplifier. The result of all this hard work is the amplifier you have just purchased – based on the classic white head that Randy bought in 1980.
As with all Marshall Amplifiers, when you plug into the 1959RR, whether on a small or large stage, you can do so with the confidence that accompanies all of our products,
Yours Sincerely,
Dr Jim Marshall OBE and daughter
Victoria (Managing Director)
Dr. Jim Marshall OBE
Dear Randy fan,
I sincerely hope that your Limited Edition, white Marshall Randy Rhoads Tribute amp gives you as much pleasure as the original gave Randy. I can remember him calling me from England the day he went to the Marshall factory to get it and he was so excited about it he just couldn’t contain himself. He’d just spent the morning there and he said, “guess what? They’re going to modify it for me the exact way I want it!” He also told me that it was going to be white and he was very excited about that too because he really wanted it to be that colour. He was completed elated about the amplifier being customised personally for him and he was also totally enthused by his visit to Marshall. He just went on and on about how great it was to see everything that went on there and also meet some of the people behind the company!
The fact that so many people still listen to Randy’s music and so many young players of today cite him as a major influence makes me very proud and I really appreciate it. Randy really loved the Marshall sound and Marshall was definitely amplifier to have in his eyes – especially a white one! I think it is just great that Marshall have done this special amp in honour of Randy’s memory because it linesthehim up there with all the greats. This is a huge compliment to Randy and I am extremely grateful to Dr. Jim Marshall and his company for doing such a prestigious thing in my son’s name.
Randy achieved such a lot in a very short time and I hope that this amplifier will inspire your playing as much as it did his!
Sincerely,
Delores Rhoads
“I did something you'll appreciate - I went to the Marshall factory and ordered my own amps, I had them beefed up and modified there, I got them in white! A stack is really cheap here! I got a stack for $500, brand new, so I bought two of them, the ones I was using were rented and it was costing more” money than owning them.
postcard from Randy to Kevin DuBrow (RIP) and Drew Forsyth
Photo © Jay Banbury
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