From Jim Marshall
I am reallypleased 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 feelit is
a great addition to this selectrange.
I first met Randy whenhe came tothe factory in January 1980.He had not long ago joined
Ozzy Osbourne and they were workingon theirfirst album. He came hereknowing exactly
what hewaslooking for, he just needed to find the amplifier thatwasgoing tobe capable of
delivering thepower,the tone, and thereliability that hewanted, but was alsoin keeping with
theimage thathe was to be recognised by.
Randy almost found everything he was searching for inastandard1959 head, but the tone
was not quite right. He spentsome time with my Service Manager, explaining theslight
differencehe was lookingfor, and afterafew trials we wereable to fit a modificationwhich
made the subtle change to the standard toneof the1959.
Randy left thefactoryto proudlystand infrontof his whiteMarshallstack for all of his hugely
successful, but sadly too brief careerwith Ozzy Osbourne.In this time the legendary guitarist
couldbe seen by thousands of fans,performing in front ofhisMarshallstack – a sight to
behold and a triumphant assault on theears.
Our design team havespent many hoursinvestigating the original Randy Rhoads amplifier,
speaking to the Randy Rhoads family, talkingto people who knewRandyand heard him play,
and talking to the ServiceManager who was atthe factory whenRandycame in and made
themodification tothe amplifier.The resultof all this hardwork is the amplifier you have just
purchased – based onthe classic whitehead that Randy bought in1980.
As withall MarshallAmplifiers,when you plug intothe 1959RR, whether onasmall or large
stage, you can do so with theconfidencethataccompanies all of our products,
Yours Sincerely,
Photo © Jay Banbury
ENGLISH
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 ampgivesyouas much pleasure as the original gave Randy. I canremember him
callingme from England the dayhe wentto theMarshallfactoryto get it and hewasso excited about it hejust couldn’t containhimself. He’d justspent the morning
thereand he said,“guess what?They’regoing to modify it for methe exact way I want it!” Healso told methat it was going to be whiteandhe was very excited
aboutthat toobecause he really wanted itto bethatcolour. He was completedelatedaboutthe amplifier being customised personally for himandhe was also
totally enthused by hisvisit to Marshall. He just wenton and on about how great itwasto see everythingthatwent onthere and also meetsome of the people
behind the company!
The fact that somany people still listen toRandy’s music and somany young playersof today cite him as a major influence makes mevery proudandIreally
appreciate it. Randy really loved the Marshall soundandMarshallwasdefinitely the amplifier tohave inhis eyes – especially a whiteone! I thinkit is just greatthat
Marshall have done this specialamp in honour of Randy’s memory because it lines him up there with all thegreats. Thisis a huge compliment toRandyandIam
extremelygratefulto Dr.Jim Marshalland his company for doingsuchaprestigious thingin my son’sname.
Randy achieved such a lot in a very short time and I hope thatthisamplifier will inspire your playing asmuchas it did his!
Sincerely,
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.
DeloresRhoads
postcard fromRandy to Kevin DuBrow(RIP) and Drew Forsyth
”
32
Randy Rhoads was more than just a
guitar player – he was a lion! He represented
the hardworking musician whose dedication
to his instrument brought him all the success
“
that he deserved, without compromising his
attitude and vision or his sound and tone. He
also laid down the blueprint to show us how
to follow our own vision as well.
Kirk Hammett, Metallica
”
From Randy's fierce playing to
his dedication as a musician, he was
and still is an inspiration to me in all
ways, not just as a guitarist.
“
Doug Aldrich, Whitesnake
”
Zakk Wylde
Black Label Society & Ozzy Osbourne
I can’t say enough good things about Randy and the
influence he had on me, especially when it came to
orchestrating. The classical vibe he had was incredible.
I loved Randy’s brittle sound and his awesome ability to
“
double his leads. There’s no telling what that cat would be
busting off if he was still around. He was a monster player
and his guitar work on “Blizzard of Ozz” and “Diary of a
Madman” was definitely one step above anything else
going on at that time. To me, Eddie Van Halen was heavy
rock ‘n’ roll, but Randy was heavy metal.
DimebagDarrell (RIP), Pantera, Damageplan
”
I was 13 when I first heard Randy playing on the live
'Tribute' album which is still my favourite Ozzy release
and always will be. The way Randy played rhythm and
threw in those gnarly licks in-between just blew me
away. I was already familiar with players like Steve Vai
“
and Yngwie Malmsteen but there was just something
about his sound that was something else.
He's definitely been a big influence on my playing... and
how I like my guitars shaped! Each note he played
served the music which is what makes a great guitarist...
and that was Randy.
Alexi Laiho, Children ofBodom
Randy Rhoads: Tribute to a Timeless Talent
“There are some peoplewho are like a shooting star. Theycome, hit the planet
and explodeinto a beautifulrainbow of colours. Then theyshoot off
somewhereelse... thatwasthe life of Randy Rhoads.”
The source ofthese touching, eloquent words? Believe it ornot, they’re directly
from the mouthof hard rock’s most beloved madman,Ozzy Osbourne – taken
from an interview he did with Guitar World magazine a few years ago. Intruth,
to anyone whoknowsmore about Ozzy than the often shocking image the
populartabloid press liketo portray, this sort oflyrical waxing by the
legendary heavymetal artist willcome as nosurprise, especially when itcomes
to Randy Rhoads. After all,the singer consideredthe late, great guitarist to
have not only beenhis“best friend” but also “the greatest musician I have ever
known.”
Ozzy isnotalone inrightfully considering Randyto beone of themost
extraordinary musical talents in thehistoryof rock – onlyahandful ofplayers
are as beloved and revered as he is. Inthe space of a mere two studio albums
with Ozzy – 1980’s Blizzard of Ozz and1981’s Diary of a Madman – the
guitarist establishedhimself asoneof themost innovativeand inspirational rock
guitariststo everwalk this planet. Furthermore, despite theheartbreakingfact
that Randy was taken from us at the tender age of only25, the timeless nature
of his talent continues to inspire countlessyoungplayers some26 years later...
such is the size of theindelible shadowRandy cast andthe colossalimpactof
his brief but brilliantcareer.
What makes Randy soveryspecial? Well, likeall timelessmusicians itwasn’t
only his incredible playingbutalso his profound skills inthe areas of
composition and arranging. Simply put, the songs he wrote with Ozzy are as
fresh sounding and exciting today as theywere whenthey were first penned.
Add to that Randy’s brilliantrhythmwork, his jaw-droppingsolos and leadfills,
plus his trademarkpenchant for successfully blending his classicalsensibilities
with hard rockandyou’re left with the stuff that legends are made of. AsZakk
Wylde, Ozzy’s current, longstanding six-string sideman andaguitar Godin his
own right, soaptly puts it in his heartfelt,handwritten introduction to this tome:
“What more canIsay? Randy had it all,still has it, always had it–beyond
forever,always will. Without Randy I wouldn’t be the player I am today –the
chops, thewriting and that amazing fatherMarshall tone.” And Zakk isn’t
alonewith such sentiments – as you willseefrom thequotesthat pepper this
piece, Randy influenced a wholegeneration of cutting-edge players whoare
now influencers themselves.From the likesof Kirk Hammett & Kerry Kingto
Dimebag(RIP), John 5 & Alexi Laiho (Children of Bodom),Randy’s influence is
omnipresent...
Talking of omnipresent entities: to a greatmany folk,Randy’s beloved, large
logo,white Marshall100 Watt SuperLead head is as synonymous withthe
guitarist asis the unique whiteJackson guitar hedesigned(aside fortrivia fans
– this axe was originally namedthe “Concorde” by Randy and co-creator,
GroverJackson). As the engineer ofBlizzard of Ozz and the
producer/engineer ofDiary of aMadmanandthe posthumously released live
Tribute albums, Max Norman, recently toldus about Randy,“heinsistedon no
compromises for his amplification. There's nodoubt in my mind that his
Marshall amps and cabinets not only accompaniedbut assistedRandy in his
climbto greatness.” As a fittingtribute to Randy, the 1959RR head you’re now
theproud owner of is not only visually identical to his legendary Marshall, it is
also sonicallyidentical aswell.
Marshall’s meet up with Kelle Rhoads for a technical assessment of Randy’s Marshall gear
It was my pleasure to assist Randy in this very joyful occasion, at Musonia School of Music
in California; it was just me and the Signature Series Development Engineer from Marshall
Amplification, we were in the room where I teach my students, and one by one the amp and
cabinets that belonged to Randy, were pulled from their road cases and thoroughly scrutinized.
As revealed elsewherein this manual, when Randy ordered his now famous
whitehead, he visited the factory to pickit up and had itmodifiedfor more
gain while he wasthere.Thanks to the Rhoads family, one of our engineers
was allowed to take a detailedpeak inside Randy’s original head (wisely kept
underlock andkey in a vault inan undisclosedlocationalong withhis equally
famous guitars) to ensurethat the Tribute amp was electronically identical to it.
As a further bonus we were alsoable to speak tothe Marshall testmanager
who didthe modification while “the smallblokewith a white Les Paul” patiently
stoodby and waited! The modin question?It simply cascades the two halves of
thefirst ECC83 valve, givingyoualotmore preamp distortionthan in a
standard 1959 Super Lead head. ChannelI(a.k.a. the “HighTreble” channel)
remains“asis” but whenyouplug into Channel II (theso-called “Normal”
channel) both Volumecontrols (I & II) worktogether intandem (series) to
producethe increased preamp overdrive desired. The result? Well, toquote
Zakk again,“Father Marshall tone” indeed!
Randy was so happy with his visit tothe Marshall factory and the amphe left
with that heactuallypenned thefollowing inapostcard to his friend and exband mate, Kevin DuBrow–the recently deceasedsinger forQuiet Riot. "I did
something you'llappreciate–Iwent to the Marshall factory and ordered my
own amps,Ihadthembeefedup and modified there, I got them in white!”
Randy enteredthisworld as RandallWilliam Rhoadsin SantaMonica,
California, onDecember6th 1956. To sayhe was born intoamusical family
would be a gross understatement as his beloved mother, Delores, ran a Music
School in North Hollywood named Musonia -afine institution she still worksin
everyday at nearly 90 years young!Randystartedplaying guitar at the
tender age of 6½ after findinghis Grandfather’s old Gibson acousticin a
closet.“He justpicked it upandthat was hislife from then on.” Deloresrecalls
with a grin.“NaturallyIhad him starttaking lessons from one of my guitar
teachers–he learnedafewsimplechordsandthey would play some of those
songsthat he especially liked.”
Even though one of hismost magicalmusical moments is the shortacousticsolo
piece“Dee” (namedafter and dedicated to hismother, Delores)on Blizzard of
Ozz, Randy didn’t stick with theacoustic long.“By the time he was seven he
came tome and said,‘you know Momma, I really wantto play electric
guitar.’” Delores laughs.“I had a very good teacherat that time so I said fine
but the onlyinstrumentwe had was anold semi-acoustic andthe guitar was
almost larger thanhe was!”
Armedwithhisbehemoth instrument,Randywasanatural and developed asa
player incredibly quickly. “He learned very fast,it was just amazing.” Delores
confirmed.“Thestory about histeacher, ScottShelley, saying tome,‘I’ve
taught him all I know I can’t teachhim anything more’ has beenwritten up in
themagazines quiteoften.Isaid, ‘Come onScott,’ because I thought he was
teasingme but he toldme that hereallymeantit. So then Randy had to takeit
upon his own selfto do whathe wanted to do,which hedid.
“He just loved the guitar,” Delores continues. “That was hiswhole life. He
wouldn’t goanyplace without his guitar - if we went on a vacation,we had to
take it!”Alongside his love forthe guitar camean affinityfor rockmusic after
his olderbrother, Kelle, tookhimto an Alice Cooper concertwhich,as Mrs.
Rhoads recalls with a smile, “impressed Randy a great deal and influenced him
to get really interested inrock.”
“
Randy was so happy the day he got to go to Marshalls and pick this equipment. Well, here we are
twenty five years later with the very same gear, except the black stenciled name on the boxes is
not just a touring guitarist name anymore; it is the name of one of the world’s greatest Icons. I could
feel his presence that day, laughing and smiling while the Marshall engineer worked over the circuit
board and sweated to make sure everything was 100% accurate.
In the end standing on the porch of Musonia, as Randy and I so often did, smoking a cigarette
(so appropriate if you knew Randy) the Marshall engineer and I said goodbye and off he went
back to England… and I was left with special memories of Randy and his amps once again.
”
ENGLISH
”
Kelle Rhoads
54
Talking of Alice Cooper, while the likesof Jeff Beck, LeslieWest (Mountain),
Jimmy Page, Ritchie Blackmore, MichaelSchenker(UFO, MSG)andMick
Ronson (David Bowie) are often cited as being majorinfluenceson Randy, one
that israrely mentioned but,according toclose friends, was a huge source of
inspiration on thethenfledgling guitarist, was AliceCooper guitarist,Glen
Buxton.Detourover, back tothe mainplot…
Needless to say, with his God-givengiftfor guitarand his incredible drive,
Randy’s playing continued to improve inleaps and bounds. Not surprisingly,
given his surroundingsand the fact that he’d learnedall he couldfrom his
mother’sbest guitar teacher, by the time he was a teenager Randy had
became a teacher at Musonia. And Randy was notjust a good teacherbuta
great oneandincrediblypopular with his vastlegion of guitar-worshipping
disciples. “Randy was not only a legendaryrockstar, I also consider him asan
outstanding teacher,” states RudySarzo,the brilliantbassist who played
alongside Randy in his first bandQuiet Riotandthenwith Ozzy. “He actually
taught me to be a better teacher.Iwasteaching bass at Musonia and oneof
thegreat things about his teaching methods was his ability to listen tohis
students. He wasn’t one ofthose,‘this iswhat I want youto do, don’t ask me
any questions,’ guys, hewouldactuallylistento his students and bydoing so he
would getto find out theirspecificneeds and really honein onthem.
“He also told me once that hewouldlearn a lot by actually watching and
listening to hisstudents play,” Rudy continues. “Sometimes naturalmusicians
have different ways of doing things – likethe way theyhold thepickor
position theirleft(fretboard) hand. He would lookcarefully atthe way natural
playerswouldhandle their instrument and learn from that.”
“Randy was a reallygood teacher,”Delores confirms with understandable
pride. “He always passed on hislove for music and encouraged his students to
be as dedicated and musicallycurious ashe was. He also made the students
feel really important and hewouldalways end up the lesson byplaying with
them.And, of course, they all came out on cloudnine as theythought they
were the good ones.”
After running the usual gamut of garagebands, Randy formed his first real
band,QuietRiot, andby the mid ‘70stheoutfithad become the houseband at
theStarwood, an infamous Hollywood rockclub. Sarzo joinedthat in 1978, a
year before Randyleft to joinOzzy Osbourne and commencehisrapidrise to
rock stardom. Ironicallythough, the Ozzyaudition nearly didn’t happen…
“When they first called Randy to audition for Ozzy he said, ‘Oh I don’t think
I’d be interestedbecause I work formy MomandI have my own band which I
like.’” Delores recounts. “Hewasn’t even goingto go. I said, ‘What was that
all aboutRandy? Who was that?’I didn’t recognizethe name Ozzy
Osbourne becauseI didn’t knowanything aboutthe rock sceneandRandy
explainedto me that he had been in the businessfor a long time witha band
called Black Sabbath. He also said,‘I reallydon’t care for that band at all!’“
“So I said,‘Well if he’s been in the businessthat long sometimes that’s a good
thing. Who you know is importantas that can give you a little inlet or
something that helps yougetfurther alongin the industry.’Anyway, theycalled
back and said, ‘We reallydo want you to come to audition’ and Randy told
them it wouldhave to be latebecause he would be teachinghere first and
didn’t want to let his students down.They saidthey didn’tcare how late it was
and it ended up that he wasn’t gone all thatlong at all. He came back much
sooner than I expected. ‘Well, what happened?’I askedand he said, ‘Oh I
don’tknow. I wasjust warming up a littlebit andtuning up when Ozzy came
out andtold me I’d gotthejob!’”
As legend now hasit, apparently Ozzy was sleepingon a couch in the
rehearsalroom and whenhe initially wokeup he thought Randy wasa girl!
Then he heardhimplay and literally knew within seconds thathe’d found the
guitarist of his dreams. “Building the bandwith Randy was oneof the happiest
timesof my life,” Ozzy wrotein the sleeve notes of the 1987 Tribute album. “He
helped make allmy dreams come true.”
What happenedonce OzzyandRandyjoined forces is now part of heavy
metalfolklore andhasbeen documented countless times. Alongside Ozzy,
Randy came intohisown and histremendous talentsliterally tookthe rock
worldbystorm.“I always tell people thatI played with twodifferent Randy
Rhoads,” Rudy Sarzo states. “The one I played with in Quiet Riot was a
chameleon.We were always tryingto pleasethe record companiesso we’d
always try andwrite songs thatsoundedlike the current rock hit of the day.
With Ozzy thoughhe instantly became the Randy that everyone elsegotto
hear and love – the one who composed “CrazyTrain”, “Diary of a Madman”
and allthose classic songs.He wasvery focused on his own styleandsound
becausewith Ozzy he finally had the freedom to just be himself.
“Being a teacherhe was veryknowledgeable of musicin general so, as a
musician he hada very broadvocabulary,” Rudyexpands. “He was a very
well-versedandwell-rounded playerwhowas very dedicated to hiscraft.
When we weretouring, unless he wassightseeing youcould pretty much
guarantee he’d be playing his guitar– practicing or working on something
new. He wouldalso grabthe local phone book in whatever town or city we
were in and try andfind a local classical teacher. Of course, his chances of
running into an excellent classical teacherin someplaces were pretty thin but at
leasthe tried!”
Randy Rhoads - one of the greatest guitar players of all time.
With an amazing grasp and depth of knowledge of scales and
harmonic theory, Randy insisted on no compromises as he
constructed his arrangements and solos - which his work clearly
shows.
“
Randy also insisted on no compromises for his amplification there's no doubt in my mind that his Marshall amps and cabinets
not only accompanied but assisted Randy in his climb to greatness.
There's no doubt in my mind that the tonality and presence of the
Randy Rhoads White Amp will help you get there too!
Engineer of Blizzardof Ozz, Producer/Engineer of Diary of a Madman & Tribute
Max Norman
”
Whilemuch has beenwritten about Randy the musician,little has beenwritten
aboutRandy the manandit would appearthat he wasequally as special as a
person as he was a player. “…he inspired, cheeredandmade everyonein
contactwith himfeel good.”Ozzy wrote in Tribute.
“Musically Randy touched a lot peopleandstilldoes to thisvery day,” Sarzo
smiles.“I was one of the few blessed ones who got to know him as a human
beingand I learned a lot from him, especially howto carry yourself in the face
of becomingfamous. He really tookthat wellandnever changedas a person,
becoming popular didn’t affect him whatsoever.Some people thought he was
quietbutsometimes I think we confuse being quiet with being humble. He was
a very humble guy witha greatsenseof humour.If you spent some time with
him you were bound to see himdo somethingfunny or ridiculous just forthe
sake of a goodlaugh.”
Sadly, as we allknow, Randy’s brief but brilliantcareer cameto an endon
March19th, 1982, following a tragic and unnecessary planecrash. As Mrs.
Rhoads pointsout, “he accomplished so muchin his short life. Only the Lord
above knows how muchmore he couldhave given us.”
As already mentioned, despite his shooting-starlike life, Randy’s legend not
only endures,it continues to grow. In additionto still regularlyappearing on the
coversof the world’s leadingrock guitar magazines, Randy was inductedinto
theworldfamous Hollywood RockWalk of fame in 2004.Tohelp celebrate this
momentous occasion, Dr.Jim Marshall OBE wrotethe following in a letter to
Delores: “I was andstillam delighted that he played through Marshalls and
consider him to be one of the finestambassadors of my amplifiers to this very
day– thefact that he is still rightfully held in such high regard by so many
musicians speaks volumesregardingthe tremendousimpact he had on the
worldof rockguitar.”
At the aforementioned inductionceremony – with the help of the one and only
Zakk Wylde,who was also in attendanceas a speaker – the wheels started
well and truly rolling towards the creation of the Limited Edition 1959RR. As
Zakk toldme way backin 2001when we were working on hisown signature
head,“forget about me, the guy who has to have a signature Marshall is
Randy. End of story.” Weallagreed and so thankfully so did the Rhoads
family. The result is the stunning looking andsounding limited edition head you
are now the proudowner of.Thankyou Mr. Wylde...and thankyou Randy!!
To close, why is Randy’sinfluence still so huge a staggering 26 yearsafter he
was taken fromus?Rudy Sarzo’s answeris beyond perfect: “Well, since I
joined MySpace I get tons and tons of messagesfrom not onlyolderfans but
from a lot of young musicians whohave been touched by his musicandhis
playing. When they hear it they hearthe same purity and soulfulness that we
heard when we heardRandy forthe first time. Thathasnotbeen lostor
diminished bytime. Thesame exact thing applies to the music of Jimi Hendrix–
it has a certain characteristic that makesit timeless. Randy hasthat same
timeless quality to his sound,songwriting and playing style.”
For these verysame reasons,Marshall Amplification is proud to offer the
LimitedEdition 1959RRin tributeto Randy’s timelesstalent.
Nick Bowcott, January 2008
Special thanks to Delores & Kelle Rhoads, ZakkWylde, Rudy Sarzo, Max Norman,
Guitar World magazine, Rita Haney & the Abbott family for permission to use Dime’s
quote, plus all the wonderful guitarists who kindly gave us the quotes used above.
6
Randy Rhoads? He was a total life changing experience for
me. I can still remember back to when I was a 10 year old kid
hearing "Crazy Train" for the first time and immediately thinking
"that's all I want to do. If I could just play that whole song I'll be
“
happy as a guitarist!" On top of being such a phenomenal and
innovative player and soloist Randy was also an amazing
composer. He was definitely an epiphany in my life.
John 5, Rob Zombie & solo artist
”
Photo © Jay Banbury
Randy was a phenomenal player and
probably my first real taste of heavy guitar.
Before I heard him I was listening to hard
rock like Van Halen and Randy was much
more classical sounding and heavier
“
sounding too. Both his rhythm playing and
his leads were incredible. The only time I
saw him play live was on New Year’s Eve
the year before the tragedy occurred and he
really did blow me away. Randy was a tiny
dude and must’ve only weighed a 100lbs
wet! His guitar was almost as big as he was
but he played the hell out of it.
Kerry King, Slayer
”
I saw Randy Rhoads when I was 14 years
old. He had the best rock sound I have EVER
heard live. His tone and playing blew my mind.
“
Randy had a unique gift and
produced many tasty riffs and melodies.
He shall remain one of the greats.
“
Randy Rhoads is truly a guitar icon. His unique approach to
songwriting, riff construction and lead playing singlehandedly
established a new standard for metal guitar that would last
decades beyond his all too brief career and untimely death.
“
Randy's style and techniques, both on stage and in the studio, are
every bit as relevant today as they were in 1981, and remain
THE template for heavy metal lead guitar. His influence is
absolutely colossal, shaping generations of future artists. It's
amazing to think that such an abbreviated catalog of material,
cut short by tragedy, could so change the genre, but his impact is
undeniable. Randy was my very first heavy metal guitar hero,
and is a huge part of why I was drawn to music. His playing still
gives me the same "goose bumps" it did when I was 14 years
old.... and for that, I remain grateful.
Mark Morton,Lamb of God
7
”
PaulGilbert
Yngwie Malmsteen
ENGLISH
”
”
Front panel
- Randy’s preferred settings shown
119
1
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 10 12
Rear panel
1959RR front panel features
1. POWER SWITCH
This is the On/Offswitch formainspower to the amplifier.It willlightup when
your amplifier is receiving the correctmainspower and is switched on. It willnot
be lit when the amplifier is switchedoff and/oris not receiving mains power.
Note:Please ensurethe amplifier is switched off and unpluggedfrom the mains
electricity supply whenever it is moved.
2. STANDBY SWITCH
The Standby Switchis usedin conjunction with the PowerSwitch (item1) to ‘warm
up’ theamplifier before use and to prolong the life of the output valves.When
powering up theamplifier always engage the Power Switch first, leaving the
Standby switchon ‘Standby’.This allows theapplication of the voltage required
to heat thevalves to their correct operating temperature.After approximatelytwo
minutes the valves will have reachedthecorrect operating temperatureandthe
Standby Switchcanbe engaged.In order to prolong valve life, the Standby
Switch aloneshould alsobe usedto turntheamplifier on andoff duringbreaks in
a performance. Also, when switching off, always disengage the Standby Switch
priorto the mainPower Switch.
Note:The following fourcontrols - PRESENCE (4), BASS (5), MIDDLE (6) &
TREBLE (7) - are allshared, meaning thatthey all workon bothChannel I and
ChannelII.TheTreble, Middle and Bass controls are highlyinteractive and
alteringone controlcanchange thewaytheother twobehave. Forthis reason,
experimentation is recommended.
Randy’spreferred settings areshownon the panel above.
3. PRESENCE CONTROL
This control operates in the 1959RR’s power section and addshigh frequenciesto
your sound by altering the power amplifier’s negative feedback. Turningthis
controlclockwise addsmore edgeand ‘sparkle’ to your sound,making it crisper
and more cutting.
4. BASS CONTROL
This adjusts the bottom end,turning it clockwiseincreases the amountof low
frequencies in thesound.
5. MIDDLE CONTROL
This adjusts the level of thoseall-importantmid-range frequencies. Turning it
clockwise increases the mids and fattens your sound,giving it more punch.
Turning it anticlockwise reduces the mids.
6. TREBLE CONTROL
This adjusts the top-end. Turning it clockwise increases theamount of high
frequencies (treble)present in the sound, makingyour tone brighter.
Tone/Tech talk - The modified Valve 1 stage
Unlike a standard Marshall1959 Super Leadamplifier yourRandyRhoads
modelcontains a modificationthat increasesgain and therefore extra distortion
within the circuit. Thismodification ‘hotrods’ theamplifier making it easier to push
it into thesaturationlevels necessaryforthesoundthat Randy needed for his
musicalstation.
The change is verysimple buteffective and involves ‘cascading’ (feeding the
output of the first stage intothe input of the second stage) the twohalves of
valve 1. Traditionally,each halfwouldserve as input buffer/first gainstage for the
two channels, i.e. one halfforchannel 1 and the other forchannel 2, fromthere
they would separately feedtherespective signals to the next stagewhich would
mix them, furtheramplify themand feed them to the tone stack.
Cascading valve1 resultsin the guitar signal beingincreased by around36dB or
60 times,much larger thanit wouldnormallybe at this point in the circuit.
Subsequentstages then try to amplify this larger signal by similaramountsand
quickly run out of headroom causing thewaveformto distortseverely. The two
channel volumes still remainfunctional after the modification butadoptdifferent
rolesfortheir affect on the tone, allowing control of the extragain and volume.
Plugging into channel 2 routes the guitarsignal throughthewholecascade circuit
whileplugging into channel 1 allowsyou to bypass thecascade andusetheamp
in its standardformat where‘Volume 1’ will function as it normally would.
Standard Channel 2 formatis sacrificed due to the modification.
7. VOLUME I
This controlsthe overalloutput level of Channel I, turning it clockwise increasesthe
volume.This channel is voiced for a higher trebleresponse.In fullcascademode,
this controls the amountof signalamplified by the second half of valve 1, thereby
acting as a crudemaster volume for the whole cascade circuitandcan also be
thought of as a further gain control for the boostedsignal to the subsequent
stages of the preamp. In standard mode i.e. guitar plugged intochannel 1, it
functions just likea normal unmodified 1959 Super Lead volume control.
8. VOLUME II
Full cascade mode. Thiscontrols the amount of signal amplified by the first half of
valve 1 that is fed to the secondhalf,thereby acting as a gain control forthe
cascadecircuit itself.
9. HIGH SENSITIVITY INPUT FOR CHANNEL I
This is the ‘highsensitivity’guitar inputforChannel I - the brighter of the two
channels- and is the most commonly usedinput on standard unmodified models.
Always use a high quality screenedguitar lead. NOTE- Plugging intothis input
bypasses the cascade and theampfunctions in standard format.
10. LOW SENSITIVITY INPUT FOR CHANNEL I
This is the ‘low sensitivity’ guitarinputfor Channel I. It is 6dB lower (half)than the
‘high sensitivity’inputand results in lessgaincapability which may be required for
guitarswith very hot outputpickupsoractive circuitry onboard. NOTE - Plugging
into this input also bypassesthecascadeand the amp functionsin standard format.
11. HIGH SENSITIVITY INPUT FOR CHANNEL II
Plugging into thisinputenables the full cascade.
12. LOW SENSITIVITY INPUT FOR CHANNEL II
Plugging into thisinputenables the full cascade. It is 6dB lower (half) than the
‘highsensitivity’input andresults in lessgain capability which may be required for
guitars with very hotoutput pickupsor active circuitry onboard.
1 2 3 4 5 6
1959RR rear panel features
1. LOUDSPEAKER OUTPUTS
WARNING! Neveruse theamplifier withouta load attached!
Thereare two parallel loudspeaker output jacks providedforconnectionto
speakerextension cabinet(s). Please always ensure that the amplifier'soutput
impedance selector is set correctly(see item2) and ALWAYS ensure you use
good quality speaker (unshielded) cables.NEVERuse guitar (shielded) cables.
Always use a non-screened Marshallapproved speaker lead when connecting an
extension cabinet.
2. OUTPUT IMPEDANCE SELECTOR
Matches the amplifier’s outputto the load(speaker) impedance.
Your 1959RR should be completely powered down beforetheOutput Impedance
Selector is turned.
As is the case with any Marshall all-valve amplifier it is imperative that: a) the
amplifier is connected to a load whilstin operation and b) the impedance selected
on the amplifiermatches the total impedance of the extension speaker cabinet(s)
beingused.
1x16 Ohm cabinet - Selector on 16 Ohm - Use eitherspeakeroutput
2x16 Ohm cabinets - Selectoron 8 Ohm - Useboth outputs
1x8 Ohmcabinet - Selectoron 8 Ohm- Useeither output
2x8 Ohmcabinets - Selector on 4 Ohm - Use both outputs
1x4 Ohmcabinet - Selectoron 4 Ohm- Useeither output
WARNING! Do NOTuseany other combination of cabinetsand/or
impedances. Doing so mayresult in damage to the amplifier! An extension
speakercabinet withan impedance of less than 4 Ohms, or two extension
cabinets of 4 Ohms or less should NOTbe usedwith this amplifier.
Failureto comply with any of the pointsraised in this sectionwill resultin damage
to the amplifier.
3. MAINS SELECTOR
Matches the amplifier’s mains transformer to the
incoming mains voltage.
Your 1959RR should always be completely
powered downbefore the mainsselector is
turned.
WARNING! ALWAYS ensurethat this rotary selector is setto the correct mains
voltageapplicableforthecountry where the 1959RR is beingused.If you do not
know, consult yourauthorisedMarshalldealer. Adjusting theselectorfrom
230V/220V to 120V/110V/100V or vice-versa will require themains fuse
(item5) to be changed to the correct value as detailedon the rear panel.
4. MAINS INPUT
Your ampis provided with a detachable mains (power) lead, which is connected
here.The specificmainsinputvoltage rating that youramplifier has beenbuiltfor
is indicated on the backpanel. Before connecting for the first time, please ensure
that youramplifier is compatiblewith yourelectricity supply. If you have any
doubt, please get advice from a qualified technician. Your Marshalldealer will
help youin thisrespect.
5. MAINS FUSE
The correct value of mains fuseis specified on the rear panelof the amplifier.
NEVERattempt to bypass the fuseor fit one of the incorrect value.
6. H.T. FUSE
The correct value of this H.T. fuse is specified on the rear panelof the amplifier.
NEVERattempt to bypass the fuseor fit one of the incorrect value.
Technical Specification
Power Output- 100W RMS
Weight- 21.4 kg
Size - 740mm x 270mmx 210mm
* EUROPEONLY - Note:
found to complywith the requirementsofthe EMC Directive
(Environments E1, E2 and E3 EN 55103-1/2) andtheLow Voltage
Directive in the E.U.
* EUROPEONLY- Note:
current for the1959RR is38amps.
This equipment hasbeen testedand
ThePeakInrush
ENGLISH
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