Randall Thrasher 50

[SnowGoat]

Anyone tried one? If so, how does it compare to the 5150 III 50w?

 

[Bearitone]

I had the full size Thrasher for awhile. Very weak in the low end. I imagine the 50 watt version wouldn't be any better. I had a 5150III at about the same time I had the Thrasher and the 5150 III shat all over it.

I would pick a 6505 head/combo over either one but, if I had to choose one to keep it would be the 5150III. The thrasher was a massive waste of time and money.

 

[Alekke]

I have Thrasher 120. It is a little light on bass depending on the cab used but with right settings it sure isn't weak. Especially with the bass guitar in the band. It also has less gain on tap than 5150.
50w version should sound the same with less power.

This is me live with the Thrasher and I used 2x12 cab here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6ui5k2OvAs

 

[bnzboy]

if Thrasher is anything similar to Satan that I own, I would highly recommend it. Tight and crisp and as much high, mid, low and you want it to be!

 

[wakjob]

An EQ in the loop would fix just about anything, including adding any needed low-end.

I can't imagine a 6L6 based amp lacking in the lows, but I'll take your word for it.
The TAD 6L6GC-STR will definitely add some kick to the bottom if needed.

I wouldn't write off the Thrasher series. They are a great modern high gain amp.

 

[xero7]

I had the 120 and traded it straight up for a 6505 ASAP. Thrasher had no balls

 

[Bearitone]

An EQ in the loop would fix just about anything, including adding any needed low-end.

I can't imagine a 6L6 based amp lacking in the lows, but I'll take your word for it.
The TAD 6L6GC-STR will definitely add some kick to the bottom if needed.

I wouldn't write off the Thrasher series. They are a great modern high gain amp.

The Thrasher won't take an MXR 10 band EQ in the loop without clipping. I reduced the output level until there was no clipping but at that point the amp sounded like an angry mosquito. No power and ZERO low end, just harsh buzzy highs.

Its essentially a line level effects loop with adjustable output level that, when at a low setting, is suppose to behave like a regular old instrument level effects loop but, it doesn't. It massively changes the sound in a very bad way.

The only way I think that amp would be worth anything is if you got one, modded the effects loop to be a standard, instrument level, series effects loop then added an EQ. (Unless you have a line level rackmount EQ)

Anyway, thats my rant. Please do yourself a favor and get the 5150III instead. That amp just has everything: Balls, clarity, aggression, great clean channel, midi, etc...

 

[mnemonic]

Man, this thread is a bummer. I figured they must sound pretty heavy, after seeing this video a while back:

https://youtu.be/UkbsghcjndI

dunno how to embed

 

[will_shred]

if Thrasher is anything similar to Satan that I own, I would highly recommend it. Tight and crisp and as much high, mid, low and you want it to be!

I'm pretty sure they are completely different amps. The Satan is based off of a full custom amp for Ola made by Mike Fortin, and i'm not sure what kind of design the thrasher is.

 

[technomancer]

Having owned a Thrasher 120 it does not lack balls and clarity From what I recall it wasn't exactly intuitive to get everything to play well together to get it dialed in. It was definitely not buzzy once dialed in correctly. I was running mine through an Orange 2x12 loaded with EVM-12Ls. I also had no problem with the line level effects loop, just use appropriate gear in the loop and you're fine.

If you're interested buy a Thrasher from someplace with a good return policy and spend some time trying it out and if it's not for you return it

I'm pretty sure they are completely different amps. The Satan is based off of a full custom amp for Ola made by Mike Fortin, and i'm not sure what kind of design the thrasher is.

Ola's Fortin Satan was a Natas with some tweaked features and voicing... the Thrasher is the Randall version of the Natas, the Randall Satan is obviously the Randall version of the Fortin Satan.

 

[Alekke]

Man, this thread is a bummer. I figured they must sound pretty heavy, after seeing this video a while back:

https://youtu.be/UkbsghcjndI

dunno how to embed

Yup, me again You can easily get the thrasher sound exactly like this. I don't know how much bass do people need but the Thrasher has enough. You just won't be keeping bass on 12 o'clock, but on 3 o'clock. On some cabs even less.

The thing about this amp, to be honest, is that it sounds way better mic'd than straight from the cab. Maybe I'm crazy but I was never quite happy with voicing and the mids on this amp until I heard myself playing it...it was instant "my god, that's the sound I want! but how???"

 

[crankyrayhanky]

^That video is PHAT PHAT PHAT
great Fortin tone there

 

[Paul Gilbert]

Yup, me again You can easily get the thrasher sound exactly like this. I don't know how much bass do people need but the Thrasher has enough. You just won't be keeping bass on 12 o'clock, but on 3 o'clock. On some cabs even less.

The thing about this amp, to be honest, is that it sounds way better mic'd than straight from the cab. Maybe I'm crazy but I was never quite happy with voicing and the mids on this amp until I heard myself playing it...it was instant "my god, that's the sound I want! but how???"

Man that grind and chew, I've been trying my best to replicate it on an axe-fx

 

[MAJ Meadows SF]

A 50w SATAN is what I want. Hard to do with mixed power tubes, but shoot a man can dream, no?

 

[Desolate1]

The Thrasher won't take an MXR 10 band EQ in the loop without clipping. I reduced the output level until there was no clipping but at that point the amp sounded like an angry mosquito. No power and ZERO low end, just harsh buzzy highs.

Its essentially a line level effects loop with adjustable output level that, when at a low setting, is suppose to behave like a regular old instrument level effects loop but, it doesn't. It massively changes the sound in a very bad way.

The only way I think that amp would be worth anything is if you got one, modded the effects loop to be a standard, instrument level, series effects loop then added an EQ. (Unless you have a line level rackmount EQ)

Anyway, thats my rant. Please do yourself a favor and get the 5150III instead. That amp just has everything: Balls, clarity, aggression, great clean channel, midi, etc...

The Thrasher 50 has an instrument level loop. The only issue I have had with the loop on my Thrasher is when I tried putting a pedal in both the loop and in front of the amp. This created a ground loop so I had to go back to having dedicated pedals for the loop and in front of the amp. Not a big deal as it only added an additional gate to my board. I think the Thrasher does best with "bassier" cabs. I run mine with G-Flex cabs and I have no issue with bottom end. Yes you have to run the bass control up higher then you would on some amps (I run mine at about 3 O'clock) but like the rest of the controls on the amp the bass control is very linear and has a gradual taper that is useful through the whole range. Just use your ears instead of your eyes when dialing in the amp and take your time and you will be fine. Also you really need to play with the high and low gain controls to get the most out of the amp.

 

[shred-o-holic]

Having owned a Thrasher 120 it does not lack balls and clarity From what I recall it wasn't exactly intuitive to get everything to play well together to get it dialed in. It was definitely not buzzy once dialed in correctly. I was running mine through an Orange 2x12 loaded with EVM-12Ls. I also had no problem with the line level effects loop, just use appropriate gear in the loop and you're fine.

If you're interested buy a Thrasher from someplace with a good return policy and spend some time trying it out and if it's not for you return it



Ola's Fortin Satan was a Natas with some tweaked features and voicing... the Thrasher is the Randall version of the Natas, the Randall Satan is obviously the Randall version of the Fortin Satan.

Yeah having owned and utilized my Thrasher 120 Live for the last year and a half I take these "lack of balls" complaints with a grain of salt. If you like boomy loose bass then the Thrasher is not for you. But if you want precise tight clear low end then it is. I learned many years ago that guitar is a midrange instrument so tons of low end is not conducive to great guitar tone. I love mine because it is the first guitar amp ever to cut well...be clear and be as tight as you need. It has repeatedly shined live and everywhere else. But if you want more low end out of the Thrasher I personally had great success with my POD HD 500 in the loop or the Axe FX 2. Good processing gear usually leads to good results and the Thrasher did well with both units. As far as the Satan goes I have side by sided my Thrasher to it and IME it isn't all that much different other than the sweepable mids control on the Satan. They sound very similar.

I also have owned a 5153 and while I am a fan of those amps ultimately I preferred the ultra precise tight clear tone over the EVH. I actually had the EVH 50 watt head and the Thrasher 120 at the same time. When it came down to selling which head it was the EVH that lost out. But those are fine amps but to say one destroys another is stupid. They both do different things well. I am glad to see some mention of the Thrasher 50 because for some reason they remain far below the radar of the music world. I would love to try one sometime. That said I am very happy with my Thrasher 120

 

[Desolate1]

I think the issue most people are having with a lack of low end and balls is that they are running the channel volume too low. If you have the channel volume too low you will most certainly get a thin buzzy tone. It actually tells you this right in the manual.

 

[shred-o-holic]

I think that is true as well as the master volume as well. With processors you can attenuate the signal thru the loop ie dialing back on the unit's output allowing you to up the master on the Thrasher and get it cooking a tad. It really opens up the amp. As far as eq's go I utilize the parametric eq on my Pod HD 500 and the Thrasher seems to agree with it nicely.

 

[SnowGoat]

Anyone know the preamp tube layout? Which one does what in the Thrasher?

 

[Desolate1]

Anyone know the preamp tube layout? Which one does what in the Thrasher?

Facing the amp, from left to right:
V1-CH1/CH2 input
V2-CH1 stage 2-3
V3-CH1 Stage 4 CF
V4-CH2
V5-LOOP
V6-Phase Inverter