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Ozzy Osbourne Recovers Guitar and Amplifier Stolen from Music School

A year and a half after rock legend Ozzy Osbourne pleaded for the return of music gear with ties to his late guitarist Randy Rhoads, some of the equipment has finally been returned.

Rhoads became one of the most technically sound and influential guitarists of all-time in the ’70s and ’80s. The classically-trained guitarist came to prominence in the early 1970s with the band Quiet Riot. Additionally, he shot to stardom as the guitarist for Ozzy Osbourne when the Prince of Darkness began his solo career after years with Black Sabbath.

Rhoads tragically passed away in 1982 in a plane crash while on tour with Osbourne. The two musicians were close, and so it’s no surprise that Osbourne wanted to do anything he could to recover his former guitarist’s equipment.

Rhoads’ mother was a professional piano player and taught all of her children how to play instruments. In fact, she opened the Musonia School of Music in North Hollywood to support her family. Many of Rhoads’ musical instruments and equipment were stored in his mother’s music school. The school had become a bit of a museum as well that Rhoads’s fans would visit.

However, on Thanksgiving Day 2019, thieves broke into Musonia. They stole at least six items, which are of importance to Rhoads’ family and fans. At the time of the robbery, Ozzy Osbourne posted a lengthy statement asking for help to find Rhoads’ equipment. In addition, he offered a $25,000 reward for the return of the items. He also shared photos of four of the stolen items.

“I’ve decided to personally offer a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction and/or return of all stolen items,” Ozzy Osbourne wrote in his post.

Ozzy Osbourne’s Reward Money Has Not Been Claimed

Although it took well over a year, some of the items were returned recently. According to a TMZ report, Rhoads’ first electric guitar and his original Peavey amp used in the Quiet Riot album were returned to his family.

Supposedly the police are still investigating the initial crime, in which there are still no arrests. Also, even though Ozzy offered $25,000 for the item’s recovery, the money has gone unclaimed. TMZ reported that the person who turned in Rhoad’s equipment didn’t request any monetary reward.

Ozzy Osbourne and Rhoads’ family and fans are surely glad that two of the most significant items stolen were returned. Yet there are still other pieces of music equipment still missing, including Rhoads’ mother’s Great Depression-era trumpet.

In Osbourne’s December 2019 post, he shared further details on the items that were stolen. The list of missing music equipment is as follows:

– Randy Rhoads’ First Electric Guitar Owned – Harmony Rocket Est. 1963

– Randy Rhoads’ Original Quiet Riot Gear – Peavey Amp Head, 1970s

– Randy Rhoads Series Marshall Head, Rare Protoype No. 1 or 2 given to the family by Marshall Company

– Delores Rhoads’ First Trumpet, a Prewar/Great Depression Era Silver Fresh Besson Trumpet. This was given to her as a child by her medical doctor father in exchange for medical services as a barter during the great depression. This subsequently sparked Delores Rhoads long lived music career.

– 40 years of fan gifts to the Rhoads Family, memorabilia, all photos of Randy Rhoads, the Osbournes, Delores Rhoads, and miscellaneous instruments were taken. The photo shown in the main room was cleared out.