Randy's White Concord Guitar
Posted: Thu Jun 11, 2009 3:25 am
Hello All.
I wanted to share a very personal experience I had having to do with Randy's white Jackson "The Concord". It was January 1982. I used to get my guitars worked on at a music store named Music Lab in Burnham Ill by Jim DeCola (Junior). (BTW Jim designs guitars for Peavey now). As I walked in to pick up my guitar from service, I stepped across a road case with the name Randy Rhoads stenciled on it. Jim told me not to step on it as it was, in fact Randy Rhoads' guitar. Randy was having tuning problems with the guitar and it was up to Jim to correct. Jim replaced the bridge with a replacement bridge (I believe it was a standard Strat style Charvel or Schaller bridge) and only put the two end screws back on so the bridge would pivot on two screws instead of six. After he replaced the bridge, he allowed me to play the guitar for about a half an hour in his repair shop area. In Pictures of the guitar, this is how I can tell if the picture was taken before or after I played it. The bridge will either have six screws or two. Jim also was Randy's tech that night for that show. I don't know where Randy's regular tech was unless Jim was there to assist. I asked Jim about Randy's gear and about Randy in general. He said Randy was one of the nicest people he had ever met. Gear wise was the standard reply Marshall Super Lead, MXR Distortion +, Roland Space Echo, MXR Chorus Etc... Anyways, I am very jealous of Jim because he has Randy's old bridge and Randy strings from the show. I never got to meet Randy or see him live but I can say he is a huge inspiration to me.
Much Respect.
I wanted to share a very personal experience I had having to do with Randy's white Jackson "The Concord". It was January 1982. I used to get my guitars worked on at a music store named Music Lab in Burnham Ill by Jim DeCola (Junior). (BTW Jim designs guitars for Peavey now). As I walked in to pick up my guitar from service, I stepped across a road case with the name Randy Rhoads stenciled on it. Jim told me not to step on it as it was, in fact Randy Rhoads' guitar. Randy was having tuning problems with the guitar and it was up to Jim to correct. Jim replaced the bridge with a replacement bridge (I believe it was a standard Strat style Charvel or Schaller bridge) and only put the two end screws back on so the bridge would pivot on two screws instead of six. After he replaced the bridge, he allowed me to play the guitar for about a half an hour in his repair shop area. In Pictures of the guitar, this is how I can tell if the picture was taken before or after I played it. The bridge will either have six screws or two. Jim also was Randy's tech that night for that show. I don't know where Randy's regular tech was unless Jim was there to assist. I asked Jim about Randy's gear and about Randy in general. He said Randy was one of the nicest people he had ever met. Gear wise was the standard reply Marshall Super Lead, MXR Distortion +, Roland Space Echo, MXR Chorus Etc... Anyways, I am very jealous of Jim because he has Randy's old bridge and Randy strings from the show. I never got to meet Randy or see him live but I can say he is a huge inspiration to me.
Much Respect.
