What about the other Sunn tube amps?

[biltmore]

I know that a lot of these amps are the same and just had different names based on what cabs they came with, correct?

Yup, and some amps were essentially the same as other models just with slight modifications. Like the Sorado for example, it's a 200S with a solid state rectifier.

[thehornedone]

Hmm. Then that confuses me more because I thought the Sonaro was the same as a Sorado, and the Sonaro has tube rectification...could be wrong.

[EdBass]

I know that a lot of these amps are the same and just had different names based on what cabs they came with, correct?

Solarus = Sceptre,  Sonaro = Sorado?

According to the catalogs, the Solarus and the Sonaro were combo amps. Until 1970, they were also fundamentally different amps; rated at 40 watts using EL34's vs. the 60 watts using KT88/6650's that the Sceptre and Sorado were rated at, and all of them were tube rectified. The Sorado and the 200S were the same amp, but the Sorado had a less expensive 2 x 15 "Sunn Transducer" loaded cab with two circular ports rather than the 200S 2 x 15 JBL D140 "folded horn" cab.

In 1970, everything went 6550 and SS rectified, and were rated at 80 watts, but again per the catalog the Solarus and Sonaro remained as combo amps. I've read posts from people who claim to have head versions of the Sonaro and Solarus, and there is no doubt that anomolies did exist at Sunn, but they may also just be combo amp chassis slid into head cases.
Who knows? I do know this, the "catalog thread" sticky that Loudthud put forth so much effort to compile is an absolute treasure trove of information.

[Soundmasterg]

Ed, I'd agree that everything went to 6550's and the larger output sections and higher voltages in 1970, but not all amps went to SS rectifiers then. The transformer change from Dynaco to Schumacher was probably around then too. I would guess it was probably a transitional thing. My 1970 Sonic 1 (200S) was a higher voltage/larger set of Schumacher transformers meant for 6550's or KT88's, but had a tube rectifier still. I wonder if that is when the grille cloth changed too?

Greg

[Johnny Guitar]

I agree the "Catalog Thread" is fantastic, thanks Loudthud!  I purchased a 40 watt Sonaro that had obviously been put in a head case because the tube chart glued inside the cab was for another amp.  I needed the head cab for a 100S chassis I bought.  Fortunately I found a Sonaro cabinet on eBay minus  the amp, now I just need to "find time" to put everything together.
Johnny G

[scotzoid]

I know that a lot of these amps are the same and just had different names based on what cabs they came with, correct?

Solarus = Sceptre,  Sonaro = Sorado?

According to the catalogs, the Solarus and the Sonaro were combo amps. Until 1970, they were also fundamentally different amps; rated at 40 watts using EL34's vs. the 60 watts using KT88/6650's that the Sceptre and Sorado were rated at, and all of them were tube rectified. The Sorado and the 200S were the same amp, but the Sorado had a less expensive 2 x 15 "Sunn Transducer" loaded cab with two circular ports rather than the 200S 2 x 15 JBL D140 "folded horn" cab.

In 1970, everything went 6550 and SS rectified, and were rated at 80 watts, but again per the catalog the Solarus and Sonaro remained as combo amps. I've read posts from people who claim to have head versions of the Sonaro and Solarus, and there is no doubt that anomolies did exist at Sunn, but they may also just be combo amp chassis slid into head cases.
Who knows? I do know this, the "catalog thread" sticky that Loudthud put forth so much effort to compile is an absolute treasure trove of information.

I concur with this, When I got my Sorado in early '71, I had the option of getting the Sonaro instead, at that time it was the same head as Sorado with 1 or 2 cabs with 1-15" in each. The cabs were 9" deep, as opposed to the 2-15 Sorado cab which was 15" deep.

[HRobert]

Depends on what kind of speaker you use.  I have a pair of 2 x 15 cabs with JBL K-130's in each for my Sentura II and the amp sounds great.

Again, really clean, accurate speaker. Not likely to give you that dirty, Marshall sound.

YOu can always add dirty with a pedal...but no pedal makes the sound clean.

[Isaac]

I agree completely. I like my Sentura II for guitar, partly for that reason.

[scotzoid]

But then you also had Leslie West using Sunns, though I'm not sure if they had an special tweaking to allow different distortion characteristics. He used Sundholm-era Coliseum P.A. (Tube) heads I believe.

The "special tweaking" they had was that the Coli PA head had 4 individual mic inputs with separate line volume, into a master volume, all tube driven...thus (inadvertently) creating the first ever guitar amp with a gain/master control. Add to that, mic ins are generally "hotter" than instrument ins, gave West the natural tube distortion he wanted.

[MusicFox]

I know that a lot of these amps are the same and just had different names based on what cabs they came with, correct?

Solarus = Sceptre,  Sonaro = Sorado?

I've read posts from people who claim to have head versions of the Sonaro and Solarus, and there is no doubt that anomolies did exist at Sunn, but they may also just be combo amp chassis slid into head cases.

I have a Solarus 40 watt head (EL34's) that was manufactured 8/10/69 (Chassis marker) and has the Mid-boost switch and the 70's grill-cloth so I don't think this chassis came out of a combo (Older no mid-boost). Also the "R" on the nameplate helps pinpoint this amp to be of the date written in the chassis. Its safe to say the sometime late 69 they split up the combos. later in early 70 it was all 60 watters or bigger. My amp did arrive to me with a 2x12 SUNN cabinet but I could not afford both head and cab at the time so I let the cabinet go.

[Isaac]

I have a Solarus 40 watt head (EL34's) that was manufactured 8/10/69 (Chassis marker) and has the Mid-boost switch and the 70's grill-cloth so I don't think this chassis came out of a combo (Older no mid-boost). Also the "R" on the nameplate helps pinpoint this amp to be of the date written in the chassis. Its safe to say the sometime late 69 they split up the combos. later in early 70 it was all 60 watters or bigger. My amp did arrive to me with a 2x12 SUNN cabinet but I could not afford both head and cab at the time so I let the cabinet go.

I have the cabinet. Wish I could get my hands on an amp like yours!

[pickinatit]

I've read posts from people who claim to have head versions of the Sonaro and Solarus, and there is no doubt that anomolies did exist at Sunn, but they may also just be combo amp chassis slid into head cases.

I also have the Solarus head ("piggy back") version separate from a 2 x 12 cab that came with it.  I'm not sure of the production year, but I got the amp in early 1970 (by my best recollection)  EL34's with a tube rectifier.  It has the later style grill cloth.

There's pictures back and front of one of the "head" versions in the Museum on this website (all be it, not one in very good condition).
http://sunn.ampage.org/site/museum/solarus/