This page covers what the Randall name is attached to in the pedal world, who stands behind the brand, and where its products fit on a pedalboard.
The story of Randall
What the record establishes is the corporate side: documentation from PedalPCB, a seller of DIY pedal circuit boards, names "Randall Amplifiers or JAM USA, LLC, maker of the Randall RRED Overdrive" as a single entity when disclaiming any affiliation2. A second PedalPCB product page repeats the pairing, listing "Fortin Amplification, Randall Amplifiers or JAM USA, LLC" together as companies PedalPCB is not affiliated with3. So the Randall pedal line today sits under JAM USA, LLC.
The RRED Overdrive is the Randall pedal that other builders measure against. PedalPCB sells a DIY circuit board described with the comparison "Compare to Randall RRED Overdrive"2, and another of its boards, the Fist Bump Overdrive, carries the same kind of comparison to Randall and Fortin products3. That a DIY board seller treats the RRED as a reference point says the pedal has a following among players who build their own.
What Randall is known for
In the pedal world, the Randall name is attached to overdrive and distortion flavored products and to power accessories21:
- The RRED Overdrive, used by PedalPCB as a comparison reference for its DIY End-All Red Overdrive board2
- The PPS-2, a universal pedalboard power supply for most pedals on the market1
The PedalPCB comparisons are worth a note for anyone weighing a DIY build against a finished pedal. PedalPCB states plainly that its products are not manufactured or distributed by Randall Amplifiers or JAM USA, LLC, and that it is not affiliated with either company2. Its pages also state that trademarks used in these comparisons belong to their respective owners and are used for comparative purposes only4. In other words, a board that "compares to" a Randall pedal is a clone-style project, not a Randall product.
| PedalPCB board | Comparison stated on the page | Randall product referenced |
|---|---|---|
| End-All Red Overdrive2 | "Compare to Randall RRED Overdrive" | RRED Overdrive |
| Fist Bump Overdrive3 | Comparison to Fortin and Randall products | RRED Overdrive, alongside Fortin amplifiers |
If you see a DIY circuit board advertised as comparing to a Randall pedal, it is not made, sold or endorsed by Randall. PedalPCB says this directly on the affected product pages23.
Power and the PPS-2
The one Randall pedal-line product with published detail is the PPS-2. Randall describes it as a "universal Pedalboard power supply"1:
"will work with most pedals on the market"
For a player building a board, that positioning matters: a single supply that covers most pedals removes the need for a wall wart per pedal. Voltage, current output and the number of outputs are left off here rather than guessed at.
The range (5)
| Type | Pedals |
|---|---|
| Boost | Randall MOR |
| MIDI | Randall Amplifiers Randall RF8, Randall RF4 |
| Overdrive | Randall FACEPUNCH |
| Preamp | Randall RGOD |
Questions
Does Randall make guitar pedals?
Yes. The Randall name appears on effect pedals such as the RRED Overdrive, and the company also makes the PPS-2, a universal pedalboard power supply that Randall says will work with most pedals on the market. DIY board sellers also use the RRED as a comparison reference, which points to a following among players who build their own.
Who owns Randall amplifiers?
Product documentation from DIY board seller PedalPCB identifies the maker of the Randall RRED Overdrive as JAM USA, LLC, the company behind Randall Amplifiers. That same documentation treats Randall Amplifiers and JAM USA, LLC as one and the same entity when stating that PedalPCB is not affiliated with either.
Sources (4)
- Randall Amplifiers, Randall Amplifiers, 2020-01-13
- End-All Red Overdrive, PedalPCB.com
- Fist Bump Overdrive, PedalPCB.com
- Pastel Preamp, PedalPCB.com