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Sunn 300T vs Ampeg SVT-CL?

when i think of Entwistle's tone, i think of Sunn, but more of the SS Coliseum's type of tone, cranked thru lots of cabs. roundwound rotos with lots of mids & mid highs.

to me, the tubes ones sound alot fatter and fuller, but they will also growl beautifully when pushed, if you're into that type of thang. i generally like my 2000S best just on the edge before it starts to break up, which means its at a pretty loud volume when its doing that. (feels like about 2/3rd's-3/4th's of an SVT in output).

I agree, the SS Sunns that Entwistle used is probably what he's most known for, and it's not really representative of the tone of the 200S/2000S.
The transistor amps have substantially less warmth and depth, are a little less "hi-fi" than the old tube amps and lack some of that huge bottom end that the Sundholm era Sunn's are known for.
Obviously Entwistles settings and playing have a lot to do with it.
AFAIK Entwistle only used tube Sunn's Nov. '67 - July '68, and this clip from the Fillmore East 4/68 is almost undoubtably using the 60 watt Sunn 100S (guitar version of the 200S, no low or hi boost, mid range "contour" pot instead) and D140F loaded 2X15 200S cabs.
IMO a much better representation of the tube Sunn tone than the transistor Coliseum amps clip.
 
more like an svt 4 pro and a vintage svt, actually, but yeah, same basic idea. they both have a voicing that's pretty unique to sunn amps. they don't sound identical, but they both seem to have that springy treble you hear in sunn amps.

anyway, that's my opinion and i'm sticking even more rigidly by it now, so there!

:cool:
 
they don't sound identical, but they both seem to have that springy treble you hear in sunn amps.

anyway, that's my opinion and i'm sticking even more rigidly by it now, so there!

:cool:

Jimmy, you can stick to it or not, but SS Sunns and tube ones aren't even remotely close in their tone or response. personally, i don't think that entwistle's tone is the best indicator of what they sound like since he almost sounds the same thru anything he played thru, including hiwatts.

IMO, if someone were to make a Sunn 'sounding' pedal, and they chose to model it after the SS ones, it wouldn't be possible to get the tube Sunn sound, and vice-versa. the SS is ALL mids, and the tube ones are big, FAT and much more hi-fi.
 
well what can i tell you? i get entwistle tone when i use a vintage sunn tuber. to me the sound entwistle got with the ss sunn rig is what i remember when playing old sunn tubers. so's the fillmore version of summertime blues. that's the main point i was trying to make. old sunn tubers have instant entwistle built in.
 
Jimmy, you can stick to it or not, but SS Sunns and tube ones aren't even remotely close in their tone or response. personally, i don't think that entwistle's tone is the best indicator of what they sound like since he almost sounds the same thru anything he played thru, including hiwatts.

IMO, if someone were to make a Sunn 'sounding' pedal, and they chose to model it after the SS ones, it wouldn't be possible to get the tube Sunn sound, and vice-versa. the SS is ALL mids, and the tube ones are big, FAT and much more hi-fi.

Hi-fi meaning... scooped?
 
Yeah, this is kind of what I want to know. Are the Sunn 200s/2000s scooped? I mean, I know people keep saying they're fat and hi-fi, but can I get some pushed mids?

you can get mids out of the tube ones by keeping the bass and treble controls down, not using the hi or lo boost, and then cranking the volume, whereas, to me, all the SS Coliseum has is midrange, with no ability to have any real low end- at least that's how it was with the last three 100% stock Coliseums that i've owned.
 
if tech 21 ever comes out with a sunn character pedal, i'm getting it. otherwise i'll stick to the svt. thas mah thang.

Revival!

So are you saying a SVT is similar in sound to the Sunn amps Entwistle used? is there anything that does sound "similar" to the Sunn amps? I absolutely love his tone on Quadrophenia (my favorite Who album btw) and am just wondering if there's anything currently on the market close in sound to the sound of Sunn.

For those interested: info on John's gear (including the Sunn rigs)

1971-1974: http://www.thewho.net/whotabs/gear/bass/bass7174.html

1976-1985: http://www.thewho.net/whotabs/gear/bass/bass7485.html
 
No, I think that was just Jimmy expressing Ampeg love, don't think that was related to Entwistle's tone at all. If you really want the exact same gear, I'm sure you can find a Colisseum head somewhere, but I think a huge part of his tone came from his playing. Some of Johnk_10's clips of the SVT 7 was somewhat reminiscent of Entwistle to me.
 
If I were to crank an SVT just past the breakup stage and hit the ultra-hi, I think I could do a reasonable Entwistle impression with it. But as much as I loved Entwistle, that's not the sound I'm chasing.