Why Did Fender Buy Sunn?

[Isaac]

Just a personal opinion, but I think Sunn's best days were long past well before FMC got a hold of them. Yeah, there were a some later SS Sunns that had their own cult following, but the pure raw tone of the old tube Sunns kinda died off after the Coliseum/Concert models were introduced (with the possible exception of the Model T, but even that was more hybrid as I understand it)...of course, all this is the opinion of a guy who quit shopping for new amps in 1971...

No, the 70's Model T amps were not hybrids.

[ian]

I gotz 2 SUNN 2000s heads, a 200s as well as the solid state 1200s.  I usually just run a 2000s with 2x12 bassman cab.  After getting the sunn/fender solid state 1200s I've convinced myself to sell my spare 2000s head. (It's on ebay right now!) The 1200s has great tone even with all the new crap in it. It's good enuff for live stuff but not as cool or fat n round as the 2000s but still sports the sunn logo!  It's my loud loud loud head i use with twin 4x12 cabs in the crazy loud loud loud band.

I'm gonna have to go with: fender bought sunn because of lost sales which was a direct result of sunn bass heads sounding better and lasting longer.  Like the story goes, they made em cause it was needed.  When hartzell started to make the ss heads didn't fender continue to lose sales? Fender never really used sunn's tube design, did they? Did they even use any of sunn's solid state design's in the solid state bassman series or bxr? I didn't think so.

So when fender bought sunn did most of the old sunn tube users go to ampeg, traynor, etc.? Did most converted fender to sunn users not ever go back to fender much less the new sunn/fender line?  I've tried allot of tube bass heads, that musicman hd150 was pretty bad ass as was the 70 ampeg svt 300watt cl but I've always kept the 2000s, it just sounds too dam good. 

Sunn forever!
-ia

[jaybird]

Sorta off-topic, but the recent ressurrection of Acoustic makes me wonder if there might not be plans afoot to bring a new line of Sunn amps to market..? Seems like the time would be right with all the vintage/underground cred Sunn has gained over the last ten years or so....

[Isaac]

Resurrecting Sunn is one of the things I'd do if I were a billionaire.

I'd also like to buy the Los Angeles Clippers and move them back to San Diego.

[eclectiq]

I would have to venture to say that Fender is doing well with their RI and their "Hot Rod" series. I'm also guessing that they don't fare so well with the SS stuff. The SS modeling and SS hi-gain stuff are dominated by other brands. If they were to bring back a couple of (honest-to-goodness) Sunn RIs, the price point would be so high that they would alienate most buyers. What the fine folks in this forum need to do is make a call to Fender. See if they still own the name or if they've dissolved it to receive a large tax break. Find out who has control of the name brand, pool your resources and make an offer.

Hey, the folks at Fender did basically the same thing w/ CBS. Everything's negotiable.

[EdBass]

Resurrecting Sunn is one of the things I'd do if I were a billionaire.

Hey Isaac, I've had that same dream; if you come up with $500 million I'll match you! 

[Oli]

Resurrecting Sunn is one of the things I'd do if I were a billionaire.

Hey Isaac, I've had that same dream; if you come up with $500 million I'll match you!  

Hi,

checked Sunn for Germany. The SUNN name is still under licence from Fender for all amps, though they droped the name for guitars. It's interesting: the sign ((O))) does not seem to be under any licence. The only chance I do see is to get in contact with Fender and ask them for sub licence.
Though it is not easy to estimate a price for a new Sunn-amp - if someone intends to re-produce them. A 200S amp (no box) would be app. 1.300$, the 2000S 2.000$ (?)....that will be "a hard bread" in these days. Though you might get a lot of work if you want them to sell in the EU because of the CE certification etc. etc., I have no idea about the USA.

Anyway, if there is a will, there is always a way!

Greetings

Oli

[Isaac]

Hey Isaac, I've had that same dream; if you come up with $500 million I'll match you! 

I'll let you know as soon as I have my half!

[Soundmasterg]

Fneder bought Sunn because they needed a place to make their amps. Remember that Bill Schultz had bought Fender shortly before the Sunn purchase from CBS and all they had was the name rights and some leftover parts for guitars and no factory to make them in. They moved guitar production to Japan initially and bought Sunn so they could use the factory to make amps, then later closed that factory down in the early 90's. By the time Fender had bought Sunn, it was a shell of it's former self.

greg

[loudthud]

Fneder bought Sunn because they needed a place to make their amps. Remember that Bill Schultz had bought Fender shortly before the Sunn purchase from CBS and all they had was the name rights and some leftover parts for guitars and no factory to make them in. They moved guitar production to Japan initially and bought Sunn so they could use the factory to make amps, then later closed that factory down in the early 90's. By the time Fender had bought Sunn, it was a shell of it's former self.

greg

When did Fender make their buy? I was out of work in 91 or 92 and looked up where the Sunn factory was and went there. It was in an office building occupying about 2500 sq ft. I think it was in Lake Oswego. I wasn't too impressed.

[Soundmasterg]

I thought it was in the mid 80's...around '85-'86. I saw an ad in the paper for workers for there in the early 90's, but it was right before they moved it to Arizona or wherever they went to. I never bothered to look because they were paying shit. I've got a book that talks about Fender's history and it said in there when the purchase was...I can find it if you really want to know?

greg

[loudthud]

I'd be interested in knowing the title and author of the book so I could get a copy.

[Soundmasterg]

Here it is....he has one about Strats too that I have but haven't read yet.

Greg

http://www.amazon.com/Soul-Tone-Celebrating-Years-Fender/dp/0634056131