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How Gnarly will my Tone Be? *SUNN Content

HeavyAxe

HeavyAxe

Jul 16, 2013
420
222
Alberta, Canada
#1
Hey everyone. I've still been checkin' out this guys SUNN Concert Lead (lates 70s red knob) amp and I really want it. Yes, I know...I won't be able to get those low smooth tones, or I won't have much headroom. Blah, blah, blah. I'm just wondering how gnarly my tone would be with that head through my Mesa Diesel 2x15 and a Ric 4001?
Pretty gnarly is my guess... Add in my recently purchased BOSS HM-2 pedal and I'm dreaming of a sludgy, doomy, catastrophic Christmas...or Easter. :bassist:
 
#4
"How Gnarly will my tone be"

totally dude

:cool:


on edit. sorry OP, I could not help myself. I don't know that there is any kind of useful GNARL scale that will help us answer your question.
 
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#5
HeavyAxe said:
...been checkin' out this guy's SUNN Concert Lead (late 70s red knob) amp... ...I'm just wondering how gnarly my tone would be with that head through my Mesa Diesel 2x15 and a Ric 4001?
Pretty gnarly is my guess...
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150 watts @ 8 ohms / 350 @ 4 ohms is probably not going to gnarl anything unless it is real nearby. :whistle: :whistle: :whistle: ;) ;) ;) :D :D :D

But seriously, assuming your Mesa Diesel is a 4 ohm cabinet, and that you have the 800, not the 400 watt version, you are not going to have enough power to take full advantage of your cabinet—unless total distort [edit: from the amp is what you want]. If that doesn't matter, gnarl away, Brah—I mean, Dude!

Just be sure you know where to take the head to get the magic smoke pumped back into it—just in case. It is like 45 years old, right? Practically a fossil, like me.
 
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#7
Concert Lead + a 2x15 or 8x10 for bass is pretty epic. HM-2 is obviously the best bass fuzz that exists. As for getting the most out the cab. It'll be loud but because the cab is capable of handling far more power than the Concert Lead can put out a more powerful amp will be louder just because it has more power and the cab can handle it.
 
#9
Jim Carr said:
... you are not going to have enough power to take full advantage of your cabinet.
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I've seen you post this so many times. It's completely irrelevant. I don't understand why you you would keep typing this.
All that matters is that the sensitivity of the cab is high enough for the amp to achieve the desired volume, that the cab's rms rating is high enough to withstand the desired volume for the desired period of time, and that the cabinet has the desired sound.
 
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#11
Jim Carr said:
Yes, of course. So, let's all use as little power as possible and drive only vintage "sensitive" cabs! But wait, power is now cheap, and terrific cabs that bury all vintage cabs in basically every way are now relatively cheap. Day-Yam. Now YOU got to move!
Click to expand...
But you go off topic all the time trying to evangelize your idea of proper gear.

The the thread is about a Sunn Concert Lead and a Mesa 2x15 and the gnarliness of said combination. Honestly, I doubt the OP could care less whether you think it's an ideal bass rig for Dr. Jim.

Now I'm going off topic, but it's almost guaranteed that on any thread about something cool like tube amps or old lead sleds, or old cabs, we're going to hear from someone like you or SanDiegoHarry about how you've done all that and it's really just garbage and if you kids knew what was good for you, you'd use a hifi fearless design and a high wattage micro, because that's the way it's done.

Do you hang around car forums and tell all the Roadrunner fans to buy a Nissan GT-R?
 
#12
Anyway, all due respect to Dr. Jim. He's a great player.

Back on topic. I think the Ric through the Sunn and the Mesa will be gnarly indeed, and as loud as you'll ever need. Post clips once you have it up and running. :bassist:
 
#13
middy said:
Anyway, all due respect to Dr. Jim. He's a great player.
Back on topic. I think the Ric through the Sunn and the Mesa will be gnarly indeed, and as loud as you'll ever need. Post clips once you have it up and running. :bassist:
Click to expand...

Thanks for the kind words. I'm sorry you don't like it when I post things you disagree with. I suggest you put me on your ignore list, which I will certainly do for you the moment after I post this. :whistle: :whistle: :whistle:
 
#15
Jim Carr said:
150 watts @ 8 ohms / 350 @ 4 ohms is probably not going to gnarl anything unless it is real nearby. :whistle: :whistle: :whistle: ;) ;) ;) :D :D :D
Click to expand...

??? This is 150 watts, and cranked up it will "gnarl" your face off and tickle your hangy downs at the back of a 100 person venue...

DSC00114-1-1.jpg
 
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#16
Some entertaining replies duuuudes! This wasn't meant to be a very serious or tech themed thread. More just a...dude...your amp is like...loud. :thumbsup: I'll mention now I have the option to get a Beta Lead. I'm planning on getting one this weekend, don't know which yet. I believe the Concert is higher wattage, but the Beta is dirtier...or gnarlier. What do you guys think would be the better amp, or the gnarlier one? ;)

P.S. I do own some bell-bottoms so some flare flapping is always a guarantee during my jam sessions!:bassist:
 
#17
waltdogg said:
Concert Lead + a 2x15 or 8x10 for bass is pretty epic. HM-2 is obviously the best bass fuzz that exists. As for getting the most out the cab. It'll be loud but because the cab is capable of handling far more power than the Concert Lead can put out a more powerful amp will be louder just because it has more power and the cab can handle it.
Click to expand...
What do you think, dude? I see you on lots of SUNN forums. Am I right in thinking the Beta Lead is lower wattage than the Concert, and what do you think would be the cooler head?
 
#18
The red knob Concert Lead is ~150 watts @ 4 ohms and the Beta Lead is 100 watts @ 4 ohms. I've had a couple of each. If you can get a fully functioning Beta, the tonal options are far greater and it has more gain on tap. But the extra headroom of the Concert Leads can be more desirable depending on what kind of music you play.
 

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