Did You Know Rhino Amplifiers Were Made In El Paso?

Musician or not, you're probably familiar with big name amplifiers like Marshall and Fender. There are other, lesser known, but still popular amps though and one was invented in El Paso.

READ MORE: El Paso Musicians That Made It Big 

Names like Marshall, Fender and Peavey are the big dogs in the amp world and known to fans, whether they play and instrument or not, from seeing them on stage and in videos. There are several other brands though, just as good, (if not better, depending on who you ask), that aren't so well known and one was born in the 915.

Along with the super well - known amplifier manufacturers, musicians also have  lot of love for brands like Line 6, Vox, Orange, Mesa/Boogie, Ampeg and others including Rhino.

Rhino - El Paso's Home Grown Amplifier

I've heard Rhino's in professional settings and up close since a couple of friends had them. With good sound, old school, fuse - powered setups ... don't get me started on the whole "fuse driven amps sound better" debate ... and a tough look, I was always a fan even though I never owned one.

Rhino Was Born And Died In El Paso

Rhino was started in 2000 by Robert Turner and the amps and cabinets were manufactured here from 2000 - 2005. In 2002, Michael Spitzer, a good friend and former manager of guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen, signed on with Rhino as a "technical advisor".

It was during this time that plans were discussed to design a signature model amplifier based on Yngwie's specifications, which resulted in the Black Star YJM-50. Rhino produced high-wattage high-gain amplifiers that were available in either head or combo configurations. Unfortunately, broken promises and unreliable customer service ultimately led to Rhino's demise.   bluebookofguitarvalues.com

They can be hard to find these days but there are some die hard fans out there that keep looking for and buying them.