Customer Kudos
"zZounds' return policy is exceptionally reasonable, their pay-to-play option is very handy, and the support staff with whom I've spoken on the phone have been, without fail, knowledgeable and friendly."
March 8, 2024
zZounds' Iconic Rigs: Randy Rhoads
Load up on the gear of the late, great guitar virtuoso!
Frequently considered by many players and fans as one of the best guitarists of his generation, Randy Rhoads combined heavy metal riffs with neo-classical leads, resulting in a unique style that influenced countless guitarists from the '70s through the present. Originally a founding member of Quiet Riot, Rhoads is perhaps best known as the guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne's earliest solo material, riffing his way through the Prince of Darkness' first two albums and solidifying his legacy as one of metal's greatest guitarists. Unfortunately, we'll never know the full extent of what could have been of Randy's legacy. Gone far too soon, Randy passed away when he was only 25 years old, as a result of an airplane crash in 1982. But even with his truncated discography, Rhoads put himself out there in a huge way -- enough so that he is still remembered as one of the greats.
With his trusty Gibson Les Paul Custom, as well as his signature V guitars, Marshall amps, and MXR pedals, Randy helped forge the sound of heavy metal in the '80s and beyond. Explore Randy's classic gear in this edition of zZounds' Iconic Rigs series!
Craving the tone Randy achieved on "Over the Mountain" and "Mr. Crowley?" We'll show you how to get his tone with a few key pieces of gear on the zZounds Blog!
Check out our Iconic Rigs (on a Budget) Video:
Check out more artists in our Iconic Rigs video series »
With his trusty Gibson Les Paul Custom, as well as his signature V guitars, Marshall amps, and MXR pedals, Randy helped forge the sound of heavy metal in the '80s and beyond. Explore Randy's classic gear in this edition of zZounds' Iconic Rigs series!
Craving the tone Randy achieved on "Over the Mountain" and "Mr. Crowley?" We'll show you how to get his tone with a few key pieces of gear on the zZounds Blog!
Gibson Les Paul Custom
The venerable Les Paul Custom: played by many, but mastered by only a few. In the hands of Randy, this guitar became a screaming demon. The low action of the Custom certainly complemented his furious playing style, with aggressive arpeggios and riffs emanating from the guitar whenever Randy played it. His 1974 Alpine White monster was used during his Quiet Riot days and well into his stint with Ozzy.
The contemporary Les Paul Customs are made to be incredibly precise facsimiles of the vintage models, complete with everything you love about them: binding on the front and back of the body, fretboard and headstock binding, mother-of-pearl block inlays, and gold hardware. If you aren't familiar with the Gibson Les Paul Custom, do yourself a favor and try one out as soon as possible.
The contemporary Les Paul Customs are made to be incredibly precise facsimiles of the vintage models, complete with everything you love about them: binding on the front and back of the body, fretboard and headstock binding, mother-of-pearl block inlays, and gold hardware. If you aren't familiar with the Gibson Les Paul Custom, do yourself a favor and try one out as soon as possible.
Jackson RR3 Pro Rhoads
In 1980, Rhoads collaborated with Charvel/Jackson to create his first signature custom guitar, resulting in a V-shaped guitar Randy dubbed "Concorde," after the incredibly sleek, supersonic airliner. The original Concorde that Randy played included a Strat-like tremolo bridge, along with a pair of Seymour Duncan humbuckers for some heavy-duty tone.
Featuring black pinstripes on an ivory finish just like the original, the Jackson RR3 Pro maintains Randy's legacy with a killer version of his first model. Upgraded specs include a Floyd Rose locking tremolo and a 12-16" compound-radius fretboard, along with the classic Seymour Duncan JB TB4 bridge and '59 SH1N neck humbucker combo.
Featuring black pinstripes on an ivory finish just like the original, the Jackson RR3 Pro maintains Randy's legacy with a killer version of his first model. Upgraded specs include a Floyd Rose locking tremolo and a 12-16" compound-radius fretboard, along with the classic Seymour Duncan JB TB4 bridge and '59 SH1N neck humbucker combo.
Marshall 1959HW Handwired Plexi
Of course, what high-profile rock guitarist of the '70s and '80s would be caught without a Marshall stack in their backline? The 1959 Plexi is the ultimate amplifier for rock guitar tone, and Randy was just one of many who played through these incredible amps. Typically, Randy would play live with three of these beasts on his backline as full stacks, creating quite an intimidating stage presence on their own. Some of Randy's Marshall amps and cabs were painted white, giving them a customized appearance.
The modern Marshall 1959 is a handwired hell-raiser that goes from clean to scream with a twist of one of the volume knobs. Jumper the channels with a short cable and you'll find yourself showered in the warm, organic overdrive that only a Marshall can produce.
The modern Marshall 1959 is a handwired hell-raiser that goes from clean to scream with a twist of one of the volume knobs. Jumper the channels with a short cable and you'll find yourself showered in the warm, organic overdrive that only a Marshall can produce.
MXR M104 Distortion+
Randy was known to play a few effects, yet the MXR Distortion+ is arguably the pedal most closely associated with his sound. Plug into the Distortion+ and you'll almost immediately be exposed to that classic Randy Rhoads tone. With tons of gain on tap, you can use this overdrive pedal with a clean amp for shred-ready sound -- or use it in front of an already overdriven amp for super-saturated tone. The modern Distortion+ includes a bright red LED to let you know when the pedal's on, but we're willing to bet you're never going to want to turn it off.
MXR M134 Stereo Chorus
Generally used to fatten up Randy's live guitar tone, the MXR Stereo Chorus adds shimmer to both rhythm and lead tones. While he mostly used the chorus delicately with very modest modulation, this pedal is capable of some really intense warble. The on-board Bass Filter button allows your lower frequencies to stay clean, while only modulating your highs. The stereo mode also widens your dual-rig setup, with the swooshes cascading back and forth for a mind-boggling effect. Set the rate low for gentle, slow modulation, or crank it up for an aggressive, underwater tone. Any way you use it, the MXR Stereo Chorus is sure to juice up your tone.
