Author Topic: Best p/u for Randy Rhoads tone? (Read 7196 times)

infinite1funk · « **on:** January 19, 2006, 07:17:45 AM »

What would you suggest? Consider it's for a strat type bolt on so I'm asking approximately close. Sizzling high end, harmonics for days with some chunk! No woman tone. No Lynch either, less middy.

Searcher · « **Reply #1 on:** January 19, 2006, 07:25:43 AM »

Nailbombs? It's a bit of a guess, but I'm bored and had to post something.

Tim · « **Reply #2 on:** January 19, 2006, 07:34:32 AM »

I think I'd go along with that suggestion too.
Randy's tone is nearly all mid and highs but the bolt on Strat body should soak up alot of the NBs bass and leave a great RR tone.
The other alternative would be a Holydiver, less bass and more mid and highs.

I M Evil · « **Reply #3 on:** June 24, 2006, 06:04:40 PM »

i've figured one great key to Randys tone is the MXR Dist+ :!:

fps_dean · « **Reply #4 on:** June 25, 2006, 04:25:28 AM »

Randy's pickups weren't very loud on Blizzard of Oz. On Diary he may have had something a bit louder when he used the V, but Diary is pretty quiet pickups through a Marshall with the mids dimed and the treble kept low (no it's not a wah!). If you want a BKP to match what Randy Rhoads used, put a Black Dog or a VHII in a Les Paul.

Being a strat, I'd probably try the Holydiver.

Ced777 · « **Reply #5 on:** June 25, 2006, 11:22:27 AM »

I would go for VHII (less mids, less output, more bass) or Rebell Yell (higher output, lots of highs and mids).

I M Evil · « **Reply #6 on:** June 25, 2006, 02:52:47 PM »

Quote from: fps_dean

Randy's pickups weren't very loud on Blizzard of Oz. On Diary he may have had something a bit louder when he used the V, but Diary is pretty quiet pickups through a Marshall with the mids dimed and the treble kept low (no it's not a wah!). If you want a BKP to match what Randy Rhoads used, put a Black Dog or a VHII in a Les Paul.

Being a strat, I'd probably try the Holydiver.

I've been trying to figure out what the pickups in his '72 LPC were.
I know that they were stock, but I've heard rumours that they were
som kind of hotter PAFs .. but I'm not sure.

As for the Polkadot V, it was loaded with Dimarzios(Super Dist and PAF)
and the Jacksons had Duncan Distortions in them and a Duncan Jazz
in the neck ... atleast the white one :)

My guess though, is that the closest you can get to Randys sound
is some humbucker with PAF character through a MXR Dist+ and
a Marshall 1959SLP :)

fps_dean · « **Reply #7 on:** June 25, 2006, 08:24:28 PM »

Quote from: I M Evil

I've been trying to figure out what the pickups in his '72 LPC were.
I know that they were stock, but I've heard rumours that they were
som kind of hotter PAFs .. but I'm not sure.

As for the Polkadot V, it was loaded with Dimarzios(Super Dist and PAF)
and the Jacksons had Duncan Distortions in them and a Duncan Jazz
in the neck ... atleast the white one :)

My guess though, is that the closest you can get to Randys sound
is some humbucker with PAF character through a MXR Dist+ and
a Marshall 1959SLP :)

My original Les Paul pickups, 500T-496R through my Marshall Studio 15 (15 watt 1x15 all tube combo) woud get a real nice Randy Rhoads Blizzard of Oz era tone with the bass at 5, treble no hgher than 5 and the mids around 7...

As far as I know his Les Paul pickups were what's called PAF Patents... after PAFs they wrote the patent number on the back of them, and were using an Alnico V magnet instead of Alnico II... and probably wax potted. I would imagine they are something similiar to the VHII...

HTH AMPS · « **Reply #8 on:** June 25, 2006, 09:00:04 PM »

Mules would be the closest to those Pat# 'buckers Gibson were making in the post-PAF period until the T-Top 'buckers.

I would go with one of the 'toppier' sounding BKPs like the Nailbomb and a 2203 Marshall head with a Dist+

:twisted:

Louderthangod · « **Reply #9 on:** June 28, 2006, 06:15:59 PM »

Amazing player but I rarely see people after his tone. I think his tone has a lot more to do from using so many distortion pedals at once.

Ced777 · « **Reply #10 on:** June 28, 2006, 07:39:33 PM »

I think, at this point, the tone is transcended by the player. Like Slash.

I M Evil · « **Reply #11 on:** June 29, 2006, 12:44:18 PM »

Quote from: Louderthangod

I think his tone has a lot more to do from using so many distortion pedals at once.

Uhm .. he's using 1 distortion pedal :!:

FELINEGUITARS · « **Reply #12 on:** June 29, 2006, 01:14:44 PM »

1970s LP customs had hotter bridge pickups - which is what the Emerald is moddled after.

I think that Randys pickups in the polka dot were Dimarzio super Distortion and a PAF in the neck.

I would be tempted to go for a new spec Holydiver on that with a stormy Monday in the neck - maybe Mule or even a black dog neck pickup

In certain guitars an Abraxas may work well too

And use a "buzzy" OD pedal like the MXR distortion plus through a valve amp

I M Evil · « **Reply #13 on:** June 29, 2006, 05:10:23 PM »

Quote from: FELINEGUITARS

1970s LP customs had hotter bridge pickups - which is what the Emerald is moddled after.

Yeah but how hot were they amd what magnets did they have ?

Quote from: FELINEGUITARS

I think that Randys pickups in the polka dot were Dimarzio super Distortion and a PAF in the neck.

That is so true :)
And Duncan Distortion/Jazz in the White Jackson(the 1st Jackson ... EVER :!: :!:)

Louderthangod · « **Reply #14 on:** June 29, 2006, 11:28:22 PM »

I can't find it now but I'm pretty sure that at least for awhile he was using 2 or more at the same time. Either I've always found his tone too thin and pedal/diode sounding.