Educate me on Sunn amps..

santucci218 · #1 08-31-2011, 04:08 PM

Hey! I just know that a lot of the post hardcore bands I've been digging use them, but other than that, i cant find much on them. How many models were there? What ones are the most popular? Most Loud? How much are these going for roughly? Describe their tone or give me a good example of it?

Stinsok · #2 08-31-2011, 04:09 PM

Sounds good, not terribly loud. 300 watts @ 2ohms.

santucci218 · #3 08-31-2011, 04:16 PM

well, if i recall correctly, there is more than one model, no? I talked to an owner once and he was using it to power 2 ampeg 9x10's. He said it was incredibly loud.

Corey Y · #4 08-31-2011, 04:22 PM

There's a few different models, I've only owned that insanely wide, red knob version from the 70s. They can get a pretty mean overdrive, which personally I really like. They can get loud enough for gigs, depending on how loud you gig I suppose and what cab(s) you use, but you might be running it at full volume and that could get a little dicey on a regular basis. Most Sunn solid state amps have a preamp out feature, so if you really like the tone you could always run it into a cheap power amp for more volume.

santucci218 · #5 08-31-2011, 04:24 PM

There we go. Thank you corey. Do you know the model of the one you owned?

KramerBassFan · #6 08-31-2011, 04:30 PM

I've got a Coliseum 300.

It's my solid state back up. Sounds good... but not better than a Ampeg V4 or Superbass.

santucci218 · #7 08-31-2011, 04:34 PM

Ha. any examples of its tone? How loud is it?

Corey Y · #8 08-31-2011, 04:40 PM

The one I had was just the standard "Sunn Coliseum Bass", I don't recall there being any additional model designation on it. I know the later model, which looks much different is the 300, which I believe was out in the 80's. I've heard people say it sounds different, but to what effect I can't say. The original models had some different looks, silver faced and the black/white with red on the knobs, but I'm not sure there was any difference besides the look. A lot of people have used the guitar versions for bass as well, which probably adds a bit of confusion into the mix.

ishouldbeking · #9 08-31-2011, 05:58 PM

Sunn made a lot of bass amps over the years, both tube and solid state. The Model T is a gigantic 300 watt tube head, back in the 70s they made them for guitar and bass, later on Sunn reissued them as a bass head. When Fender bought Sunn several years back they carried the Model T over as the Fender Bassman 300 Pro, which is still available. Besides the Coliseum, there's also the Beta Lead amps... which are solid state and popular for their seriously gnarly driven tones. Guitarists and bassists both use them, for a good example of what they're capable check out the band Red Fang. Both guitarists and the bassist use them live and recorded. I'm not all that knowledgeable beyond that, but Sunn stuff is much loved in the stoner, doom, drone (so much so that the band Sunn O)))) took their name from the logo), and post-hardcore world for their gnarly tones.

Sartori · #10 08-31-2011, 06:26 PM

The Model T is not 300 watts. It's more like 150. Can be used for guitar or bass.

There were essentially three eras of Sunns. The first era, the Sundholm period, had a lot of different models, all tube, IIRC based on Dynaco circuits.

Examples of these heads would be the 200S and 2000S. There were lots of others, but they tended to be somewhat similar, fairly minimal EQ, differing amounts of power with the 2000S topping out at a very conservative 120 watts (later boosted to 150 and renamed the 350B).

The second era of Sunn was the Hartzell era. The Model T was produced during this era, as mentioned previously. The solid state Sunns (Concert Bass, Coliseum, etc.) were also mainly built during this era.

The last era of Sunn was when they were acquired by Fender. The most notable products of this era were a redesigned Model T for guitar (though I suppose its clean channel might be usable for bass), and the 300T (300 watt tube bass amp). The preamp section of the 300T was also used in the new 1200s, a hybrid head (solid state power section, tube pre section... also, no relation to the Sundholm era 1200S, which was a guitar amp similar to the 2000S).

After that, they were discontinued. The Sunn 300T, however, is still widely available as the Fender Bassman 300Pro.

It should be noted that all three eras featured substantially different designs from one another. The Fender era bears little in common to the Hartzell era, which in turn was quite different from the Sundholm era.

Jaybird1969 · #11 08-31-2011, 07:43 PM

Yeah, Sartori has the right timeline/rundown. You can find more info here.

The sunn Discussion Page - Index

I currently own a Hartzell-era Coliseum 300, and the Fender era 1200S and matching 2x15 cab. The Coliseum 300 has an interesting feature that each tone knob on the EQ - lows, mids and highs - functions as its own pre-amp, which gives you a wider range of tone than you might expect from a 30 year old solid state amp. Doesn't really sound too "tube-y" but it can get good and loud, and easily kept up with all the loud punk bands I've played with over the years.

The Fender-era 1200S is an entirely different beast as mentioned above - mid 90s hybrid amp that can put out 1200 watts at 2 Ohms as compared to 300 watts at 2 Ohms for the Coliseum 300. Gets that great fat, round, tube sound, whereas the 300 always seems to sound a little sterile. It's also a little more tempermental than the 300, and I have to watch the clipping/overdrive light when I'm playing or it will seriously start farting out if I'm pushing it too hard, but it's my main gigging amp.

Here's a clip of the 1200s/215 in action

Blockhead (Devo tribute band)- "Timing X/Jerkin' Back 'n' Forth" live at Small's Bar 7/2/11 - YouTube

And here's the Coliseum 300 through an 8 Ohm Avatar 4x10

BLOCKHEAD Freedom of Choice Metro Times Blowout 2011 - YouTube

KramerBassFan · #12 08-31-2011, 08:29 PM

How loud is it? Barely a whisper with a 2x10, but ear splitting with a 2x15 and only louder with more "big and old school" cabs.

Tone clips? Eh. It sounds good, and has an extensive EQ.

edbass · #13 09-01-2011, 11:37 AM

Jaybird is on the money.

The Unofficial Sunn Forum

is the place to go if you are looking for Sunn info. You can find out just about anything you need/want to know about all eras of Sunn by using the search function and asking a few questions.

**Lazarus.Bird** · #14 09-01-2011, 11:40 AM

Here's some Sunn goodness for you: WEEDEATER - God Luck And Good Speed + Wizard Fight Live - YouTube

ishouldbeking · #15 09-01-2011, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sartori

The Model T is not 300 watts. It's more like 150. Can be used for guitar or bass.

My bad, I was confusing the Model T and its reissue with the 300T.

Sartori · #16 09-01-2011, 06:27 PM

Yeah, they are similarly named and in aesthetics.

the byronic man · #17 09-01-2011, 06:38 PM

i've owned a 200s, several Coliseums and a Concert Bass. i can't speak to the Coliseum 300s, but every original Coliseum i've used has had the ability to be deafeningly loud, and i also really enjoy the way they sound. The 200s was one of the best sounding amps i've ever owned, but it lacked in the volume department. the Concert bass is just okay. nothing special in volume or sound.

Pilgrim · #18 09-01-2011, 07:50 PM

I had a Coliseum 300 which I sold ONLY because it was big and heavy, and I went to a Genz-Benz Shuttle 6.0 to reduce weight and size.

The Coliseum is a fantastic amp that has one of the widest ranges of EQ you will find, as well as going to 2 ohms. If you're not playing stupid loud, as long as you load it to 4 ohms or lower, it should be plenty loud and sound great.

XsSpeed · #19 09-14-2011, 06:02 PM

I play a coliseum out of an old SVT 8x10 and it sounds great to me. I play punk (with slap/pluck too) in small clubs.

RobJ · #20 09-14-2011, 07:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pilgrim

I had a Coliseum 300 which I sold ONLY because it was big and heavy, and I went to a Genz-Benz Shuttle 6.0 to reduce weight and size.

The Coliseum is a fantastic amp that has one of the widest ranges of EQ you will find, as well as going to 2 ohms. If you're not playing stupid loud, as long as you load it to 4 ohms or lower, it should be plenty loud and sound great.

I couldn't agree more, I still have mine in storage and keep thinking about using it again. I bought it new in maybe '80 - '81. It really is a great sounding, and I think under appreciated, head.