Lowest Powered Sunn Tube Amp

[SUNNBODY]

I was just curious to find out if Sunn ever made any small low powered tube amps such as a Fender Champ for example?  I also wondering if the Sunn brand will ever be resurrected?  Not just from my experience but from the little bit that I have read and observed, I suspect that there would be a market for Sunn.   

[Oli]

Hi,

I beg there would, but if someone intents to put the "Conrad area" SUNNs back on the market, he should care about this:

- Sunn amps are still a trademark from Fender, Sunn guitars are not (at least in Germany)
- The original old amps are quite cheap at this very moment. I estimated a production price for a Sunn 200S for app. 600...800€ if they were produced here.
- There are a lot of testes needed in every part in the world like a CE-Norm etc.etc.

I think it might be very interesting if Conrad would add the Sunn amps to his program. He knows the amps best, maybe he could even improve them...cos his guitaramps do sound fantastic.

Greetings

Oliver

[noel]

Sunn started off making bass amps that were more powerful than what was available.  They only started making guitar stuff later...and I've never been a fan of it, although some would disagree with that.  For me Sunn is all about 200s, 2000s and maybe a 300T. 

That's just my taste though, some guys do use Sunn to great success for guitar.

So small amps were not Sunn things.  If you want a champ, buy a champ...

Regarding further production, don't hold your breath.  Conrad already makes other amps so why would he go back to something he did 40 years ago.  Plus, Fender only bought them to elimate compition as I understand it.

Bottom line, sunn made a couple very big and great sounding amps and they aint coming back.  Just one of those vintage things.

[Oli]

Regarding further production, don't hold your breath.  Conrad already makes other amps so why would he go back to something he did 40 years ago.  Plus, Fender only bought them to elimate compition as I understand it.

Well, Fende produced a 1200S, the 300T and the Model T plus boxes. Though I`ve seen some pictures Conrads side where he did rebuild and repaired a 2000S stack. Weber amps does sell a sort of a SUNN 100 "clone" ..., so the idea is still alive. One year ago powered guitar amps where the big hit here in Europe. Marshall just put another 5Watter, full tube amp, on the market.  Have a look at Ampeg f.e., they produce the old SVT`s again. When there are no "old" Sunn amps available anymore plus another "vintage" boom... well, we`ll see.

[Soundmasterg]

I'm not a fan of the classic Sunn amps for guitar either, though I do like them for bass. Conrad's current guitar amp offerings sound great, with quite a few models being something I'd own myself if I had the money.

Fender bought Sunn originally in the mid 80's because they needed production space. As part of their buyout deal with CBS, the new Fender owners did not have any buildings to build their guitars and amps. They decided to build the guitars in Japan and bought Sunn to get access to the building and production equipment and workforce to build amps. As their fortunes increased, they started up guitar production in the US again and eventually moved the amp manufacture also and closed the old Sunn building in Oregon. They kept the Sunn name and used it for PA stuff and then eventually some amps, but nothing like the old classic Sunns.

Knowing Conrad as I do, I doubt if he'd be into starting up Sunn again, even if he could get the rights to the name. He's older now, and he's run two large companies already, and I think he's enjoying his small niche he has now a lot more. He's learned a lot over the years about making good sounding guitar amps and you can bet that if he did do Sunn again, the guitar amps at least would sound nothing like the old ones did. But who knows, stranger things have happened. Anyway, I wouldn't hold your breath waiting for new Sunn amps from Conrad. It sounds like Fender is happy to just sit on the name for now also. But we still have our classic Sunns to enjoy so its all good!

Greg

[Isaac]

To answer the thread title, I believe that the lowest powered Sunn tube amps were the 40 watt versions like the Sentura I.

[SUNNBODY]

To answer the thread title, I believe that the lowest powered Sunn tube amps were the 40 watt versions like the Sentura I.

Thank you!  I checked out the site on myspace or facebook, can't remember which one, but it had one of Condrad's amp being played at a gig.  I believe the amp was a Blues Jammer (Not sure of the name!).  What I heard was excellent!  The only scarey part was the price of the amp.  If I go boutique I'm considering it though!  I also like Carr Mercury amps.  I was extremely impressed by the Blues Jammer demo.   By the way, as you know 40 watts is crazy loud for a tube amp.  If you live in certain apartments a 5 watt tube amp can get one evicted!

[Isaac]

As noel pointed out above, Sunn got its start because small amps weren't doing the job for bass players, specifically Conrad's brother Norm, bass player for The Kingsmen. Low power amplifiers were never part of Sunn's vision.

The Conrad amps are different. According to the website, the highest power available in a guitar amp is 47 watts. Additionally, they are all one speaker amps, as opposed to the large cabinets with (usually) multiple drivers that the old amps used.

You're right about 5 watts being plenty for an apartment. This is due to the exponential nature of sound. 40 watts is only 9 dB louder than 5 watts. Perceptually, that's about twice as loud. It also assumes that everything else is equal: same speaker(s), same eq, and so on.

[SUNNBODY]

You're right about 5 watts being plenty for an apartment. This is due to the exponential nature of sound. 40 watts is only 9 dB louder than 5 watts. Perceptually, that's about twice as loud. It also assumes that everything else is equal: same speaker(s), same eq, and so on.

Yes Sir,  That inverse square law is a tricky thing!  I know that even though something says 50 watts and it is solid state, for some reason the 30 to 40 watts of tube through more speakers (bigger size,etc) will blow away the 50 watt SS amp!  I also know if you got two tube amps, both 100 watts with that second 100 watter, you're only going up 4 db! It's all wonderful tricky math.