Stolen Guitar Gear Belonging To Randy Rhoads Has Been Recovered
The 1963 Harmony Rocket – Rhoads' first-ever guitar – and rare prototype signature Marshall head had been missing since 2019.
Stolen guitar gear belonging to late Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Randy Rhoads has recently been recovered.
The items in question – Rhoads' first-ever guitar, a 1963 Harmony Rocket, and a rare prototype of his signature Marshall amp head – were taken in 2019 from North Hollywood's Musonia School of Music, a music school founded by Randy's mother Delores Rhoads in 1948.
Various other pieces of gear and memorabilia were also stolen, including a Peavey amp used by Rhoads during his tenure with Quiet Riot, but these were recovered shortly after in a dumpster in North Hollywood
The find coincided with a statement released by Ozzy Osbourne at the time, which offered a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the party responsible for the theft.
A new Instagram post by Randy's sister Kathy Rhoads D'Argenzio shows the recovered Harmony Rocket and Marshall head, alongside a caption thanking fans.
A post shared by Kathy Rhoads D’Argenzio (@dargmama)
A photo posted by on
“Yes! It's official!” the caption reads. “It's back! I am so thankful for this... [There are] no words. I cannot answer any questions, as this is an ongoing investigation. But trust me, I will follow up when I can! Thanks everyone for all your concerns and love.”
Randy Rhoads was himself a student of the Musonia School of Music. The school is now run by Delores Rhoads' son Kelle Rhoads, and continues to teach local students of all ages how to play guitar, drums and piano.
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After Randy's untimely passing in 1982, the school was partially converted into a museum honoring his life and legacy.
Sam was Staff Writer at GuitarWorld.com from 2019 to 2023, and also created content for Total Guitar, Guitarist and Guitar Player. He has well over 15 years of guitar playing under his belt, as well as a degree in Music Technology (Mixing and Mastering). He's a metalhead through and through, but has a thorough appreciation for all genres of music. In his spare time, Sam creates point-of-view guitar lesson videos on YouTube under the name Sightline Guitar.
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