190B - with GZ34

[Oli]

Hi,

look what I found @ e-bay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290595169952&fromMakeTrack=true&ssPageName=VIP:watchlink:top:en

I think Sunn switched from the Name 200s to 190B in 1973 or 1974, but they switched to solid state recivers around 1970....but this 190B still got a GZ 34 in it. The only answer I can think of is that they got a huge stockpile at their production line....for over 3 years. Any other ideas?

Greetings

Oli

 
 

[Ryan Phelps]

Oli,
In the Sunn catalog thread, the earliest listing of the 190B was in the 1972 catalog. There is no 1971 catalog in the thread, but the 1970 flyer still lists the 200S. So the crossover period was likely less than 3 years. Loudthud noted that he has a 190B with a sticker over the silkscreened logo (200S). I owned a 1973 190B with the same sticker, solid state rectifiers and no punch-out for a rectifier socket. So clearly some 190B chassis were just re-badged 200S chassis when it still had a tube rectifier. And some of the re-badged chassis came without the tube rectifier socket punch-out and solid-state rectifiers. So, Sunn probably made the change to solid-state rectifiers during a late run of 200S chassis, and later re-named the amp 190B, hence the sticker applied to both versions of the chassis.

The weird things about this 190B on eBay is the warranty card dated 1978 (did Sunn transfer warranties to 2nd owners, or did this amp sit in a guitar shop for 6 years?) and the tube chart shows three 12AX7 preamp tubes (a left-over chart from the Sunn Studio PA?).

Ryan

[Oli]

I owned a 1973 190B with the same sticker, solid state rectifiers and no punch-out for a rectifier socket. So clearly some 190B chassis were just re-badged 200S chassis when it still had a tube rectifier.

Hi Ryan,

I got a 1971 Sorado, and  - as your 190B -  it got no punch-out for a rectifier socket as well. I thought that was interesting, that they sold a "younger" 190B two years later with a tube receiver socket. 
I think they transfered the warranty over to the second owner (livetime warranty), but I`m not quite shure. You are right with the tube chart, this does not belong to a 200S/190B or it was a stockpile sticker.
Using stuff from stockpile is quite common with FENDER equipment. I found a lot of basses with f.e 1970 necks and 1972 bodies - all original sold as one instrument in 1972.

Greetings

Oli