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In late 1979, Ozzy Osbourne struck gold when he recruited Randy Rhoads as his lead guitarist. Rhoads was a prodigy, renowned for his innovative two-handed tapping, complex scale sequences, and whammy-bar dives, which infused Osbourne’s early solo albums with the essential guitar flair that defined heavy metal in the early ’80s.
However, Rhoads’ remarkable talent came with its challenges for Osbourne, the former Black Sabbath frontman who passed away on July 22. the guitarist was known for his relentless practice sessions, frequently enough continuing late into the night while on tour, which sometimes tested Ozzy’s patience.
A Custom Solution for a Unique Talent
As 1982 began, marking the last year of his life, Rhoads received a specially crafted pedalboard designed exclusively for his practice sessions, aimed at alleviating some of the noise for Ozzy. This custom board was constructed to rhoads’ specifications by Jon Graves and Domenic Turlace of Zeus Audio Systems, based in Alhambra, California, known for their innovative guitar pedals and compact practice amplifiers. The pedalboard was gifted to Rhoads on New Year’s Eve 1981, just two months into the tour for Ozzy’s second solo album, Diary of a madman.
Sharp-eyed readers of Guitar player got a rare glimpse of this pedalboard in a photograph taken by Neil Zlozower, featured in our November 1982 tribute issue to Rhoads. The image, spanning two pages, captured the guitarist practicing on a couch surrounded by three of his iconic electric guitars: a 1974 Gibson Les Paul Custom, a Jackson Concorde, and a karl Sandoval Custom Polka Dot Flying V.
In front of these guitars lay the compact pedalboard, showcasing a few obscured components.
Two months after the tribute issue was published, Graves and Turlace elaborated on the pedalboard in the January 1983 edition of Guitar Player, responding to a reader’s inquiry.
Compact Yet Powerful
Despite its small size, the pedalboard was equipped with a Boss Dr. Rhythm drum machine, three MXR pedals-a 6-Band graphic equalizer, a commande Time Delay, and a Micro Chorus-and a zeus 8401 mini Amp. The vibrant red mini amp, roughly the size of a brick, featured controls for preamp, volume, and tone, along with outputs for both preamp and external speakers. Additionally, a second amp with a 4.5-inch speaker was included for the Dr. Rhythm.
To accommodate Ozzy’s need for peace and quiet, the pedalboard was designed with a special feature at his request.
“One unique aspect is the ‘Ozzy Jacks,’ which were added at Ozzy Osbourne’s suggestion,” Turlace explained to Guitar Player. “These jacks allow for separate signals from the guitar amp and rhythm machine to create a headphone mix, effectively silencing the main speaker.”
Graves also mentioned that Ozzy had requested a remote switch so he could turn off the pedalboard from his hotel room while on tour, as Rhoads frequently enough played late into the night. Although it was likely a joke, the feature was never implemented.
Craftsmanship and Legacy
The entire pedalboard was ingeniously housed in an ABS plastic case repurposed from a Casio keyboard,a creative use of materials that some might argue is its finest submission.the lid also featured a battery pack and an AC adapter, with Graves ensuring that the battery would deactivate when the lid was closed.
As a final flourish, the board was adorned with a gold-plated plaque inscribed with “Custom made by Zeus Audio Systems for Randy Rhoads,” alongside his distinctive Rolls-Royce-style logo featuring two R’s.
In their response to inquiries about the pedalboard,the creators made it clear they had no intention of replicating their work. “Anyone wishing to recreate the pedalboard,” they stated, ”will need to construct one themselves.”
Tragically, Rhoads would not have the possibility to utilize this remarkable device for long. He lost his life in a devastating plane crash on March 19, 1982, while traveling for a tour stop in Leesburg, Florida.
