Pricing and availability

Average Price: $500

Standard/Professional

$300

$701+

Price Tier

Budget

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High-end

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Description

The Randall Commander II is a vintage combo amplifier that combines tube like tone with solid state reliability, making it a favorite among both seasoned musicians and hobbyists. Despite its early solid state design, the Commander II delivers a rich, warm sound, comparable to that of vintage tube amps. This amp is engineered to offer a versatile sound palette, from clean and crisp tones to gritty, edge of breakup distortion, and has been favored throughout a wide variety of musical styles.

Built with an onboard spring reverb tank, the Commander II adds depth and dimension to your sound, creating lush textures that enhance your playing experience. The intuitive layout of controls allows for easy adjustments, letting you shape your tone effortlessly. Whether you're playing in a small venue or a larger stage, this amplifier provides the power and clarity needed to ensure your sound is heard with precision and detail.

Key Features:

  • Innovative solid state preamp, lush cleans and high headroom
  • Spring reverb for drippy sound textures
  • Intuitive control layout for easy tone shaping
  • Versatile sound palette suitable for various genres
  • Reliable performance for both practice and live settings

Product specs

Brand Randall
Model Commander II Model RG-120-212 120-Watt 2x12" Guitar Combo
Finish Black
Year 1970s
Categories Guitar Combo Amps
Built-In Effects Built-In Effects
Color Family Black
Direct Output No Direct Output
Electronics Solid State
Number of Channels 2 Channels
Number of Inputs 4 Inputs
Output Power (Watts) 120
Power Tube Type None
Reverb Spring Reverb
Speaker Configuration 2x12"

FAQs

What are the tonal characteristics of the Randall Commander II RG-120 212 amplifier?

The Randall Commander II RG-120 212 is known for its solid-state clarity and powerful clean tones, making it suitable for genres that require clean headroom. It also features a spring reverb for added depth.

Is the Randall Commander II RG-120 212 amplifier loud enough for live performances?

Yes, with 120 watts of output power and a 2x12" speaker configuration, this amplifier is more than capable of handling live performances, even in larger venues.

Does the Randall Commander II RG-120 212 amplifier work well with pedals?

The solid-state design of the Randall Commander II RG-120 212 offers a clean platform that typically pairs well with a variety of effects pedals, allowing for versatile tone shaping.

What built-in effects does the Randall Commander II RG-120 212 offer?

This amplifier includes a built-in spring reverb effect, which can add a rich, ambient quality to your sound.

How many channels does the Randall Commander II RG-120 212 amplifier have?

The Randall Commander II RG-120 212 features two channels, providing options for switching between different tones and settings during performances.

Baskah Official

Baskah Official

Randall Commander II / Nirvana - Rape Me tone test

Video thumbnail for Randall Commander II / Nirvana - Rape Me tone test by Baskah Official

Randall Commander II / Nirvana - Rape Me tone test

Baskah Official

Baskah Official

Video thumbnail for TESTING A LES PAUL 70's COPY UNIVOX JAPAN GUITAR / RANDALL COMMANDER II 1976 by OZKÄR STALIN

TESTING A LES PAUL 70's COPY UNIVOX JAPAN GUITAR / RANDALL COMMANDER II 1976

OZKÄR STALIN

OZKÄR STALIN

Video thumbnail for TEST: UNIVOX HI FLYER / RANDALL COMMANDER II / BOSS DS-1 by OZKÄR STALIN

TEST: UNIVOX HI FLYER / RANDALL COMMANDER II / BOSS DS-1

OZKÄR STALIN

OZKÄR STALIN

Reviews

Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Randall Commander II RG-120 212.

Features and functionality

  • The amplifier includes original Rola Celestion G12-65 speakers, known for delivering quality sound akin to more expensive tube amps.

    Source
  • Revisions in the Randall Commander II included added master volume and pull pot bright/sustain switches, which affect tone versatility and user control.

    Source

Comparisons

  • Dubbed a solid-state alternative to the Fender Twin Reverb, offering similar sound quality at a fraction of the cost.

    Source
  • The amp's treble-heavy characteristic might cause some pedals to sound different compared to other amps, suggesting a need for careful pedal pairing.

    Source

Use cases and applications

  • Capable of delivering Nirvana's "Bleach" album tones, yet also excels with bluesy sounds when paired with a Guild archtop and P90 pickups.

    Source
  • This amplifier is noted for its ability to retain clarity and power, making it suitable for high-volume settings without sacrificing sound quality.

    Source

Value and pricing

  • Despite its age, current market value remains around $200, though some older sales have reached over $400.

    Source

Other

  • Variants like the 1x15 Accordion 115 exist, highlighting Randall's diverse naming conventions in the late '70s and early '80s.

    Source

Setup and maintenance

  • It's been noted that if the channels sound different, the amp may require servicing, as changes over time shouldn't affect channel consistency.

    Source
  • Owners have observed that changes in the amp over time involved the shift from discrete circuits to op amp-based circuits in reverb drive and recovery.

    Source

Mods and upgrades

  • Users mention that modding solid-state amps is complex, but one suggestion is to adjust pedal settings for better compatibility with the amp's treble-heavy nature.

    Source

User experience

  • The Randall Commander II RG-120 212 can easily overpower drums and other instruments, with volume settings as low as 4 being described as frighteningly loud.

    Source

5.0 out of 5

Based on 1 Review and 4 Ratings

5 star
4 star
3 star
2 star
1 star
nick_bland

Great amp!

I have the 2x12 combo version. Great solid state amp.

Artist usage

Add artist
See how Kurt Cobain uses Randall Commander II RG-120 212

Kurt Cobain

Singer, Guitarist

Nirvana

...
Verified via Photo

In this image you can see Kurt using a Randall Commander II head with a SoundTech 2x12 speaker cabinet.

See how Courtney Love uses Randall Commander II RG-120 212

Courtney Love

Singer, Guitarist

Hole

...
Verified via Archive

For the Celebrity Skin sessions, Love plugged into a variety of amps, including Fender tube gear, Matchless, Ampeg, Silvertone and a solid-state 1976 Randall Commander that formerly belonged to Love's late husband, Kurt Cobain. "He did like his Randall Commander," she says.

See how Waylon Jennings uses Randall Commander II RG-120 212

Waylon Jennings

Singer, Guitarist

The Highwaymen

...
Verified via Photo

Waylon is seen using a Randall Commander II combo live in this ad.

See how Calvin Johnson uses Randall Commander II RG-120 212

Calvin Johnson

Singer, Guitarist

The Microphones

...
Verified via Photo

Calvin Johnson uses the Randall Commander II, as evidenced by the photograph.

See how Zachary M. W. Corsa uses Randall Commander II RG-120 212

Zachary M. W. Corsa

Composer

Nonconnah

...
Verified via nonconnah

Artist Zachary M. W. Corsa clarifies that the correct entry should be the Randall Commander II combo amplifier, not the head. This update is reflected on the Arsenal page at nonconnah.

Album Usage

The Randall Commander II RG-120 212 has been featured on the following albums:

Genre Usage

Based on how artists on Equipboard use this gear, it is most commonly found in the following genres.

Used With

Based on how musicians on Equipboard use Randall Commander II RG-120 212, it is most commonly used with the following gear.

1 alternative for Randall Commander II RG-120 212, curated by the Equipboard community.

Nerdvana Pedals Commando

 

similar sound cheaper alternative

The Commando is a pedal clone of the Randall Commander's preamp, notably used by Kurt Cobain.

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Gear Guides

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    bootyfkr
    bootyfkr

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