JB_From_Hell
Jomo's Nimions
I've been checking prices on the 'bay for awhile, and they're consistently going for $1200 or more. Is this due to a spike in popularity, or is it the typical price?
Sunn Model T
- Thread starter JB_From_Hell
- Start date
some_dude
Raging BB Gunologist
Re: Sunn Model T
From what I've been reading on Stoner Rock, there's been a jump in price due to the rising popularity of doom and stoner bands.
If you check in with the guys over there you might be able to learn of some alternatives to the Model T that sound more or less the same but are significantly cheaper.
From what I've been reading on Stoner Rock, there's been a jump in price due to the rising popularity of doom and stoner bands.
If you check in with the guys over there you might be able to learn of some alternatives to the Model T that sound more or less the same but are significantly cheaper.
JB_From_Hell
Jomo's Nimions
Re: Sunn Model T
Good call.... thanks.
I figured the price was high at the moment.... about every other band featured in GW is using Model Ts.
Good call.... thanks.
I figured the price was high at the moment.... about every other band featured in GW is using Model Ts.
the guy who invented fire
Fuzzy. Guitars
Re: Sunn Model T
In recent years due partly to the Doom/stoner thing and patly because those amps are getting harder to find the prices have started to go up...
Keep in mind that the old Sunn sttuff is VERY loud and VERY clean and on top of that Sunn was a big fan of tubes that are now pretty hard to come by and pretty costly when you do find them.
They are built like tanks and sound good but thte tube/cosat issue makes them kind of a pain in the neck.
In recent years due partly to the Doom/stoner thing and patly because those amps are getting harder to find the prices have started to go up...
Keep in mind that the old Sunn sttuff is VERY loud and VERY clean and on top of that Sunn was a big fan of tubes that are now pretty hard to come by and pretty costly when you do find them.
They are built like tanks and sound good but thte tube/cosat issue makes them kind of a pain in the neck.
Sludgenutz
New member
Re: Sunn Model T
This is the natural result of people undervalue-ing an amp in the past...and now the market, propelled by Ebay, is putting $$$ pressure on the same amp heads that were "cheap" before.
All this stuff is cyclic. I liked Gibsons, and heavy/thick amps in the foolishly ghey era of the hair bands. These same pieces are worth a lot these days, I suppose.
I paid $250 for my Sunn model T in 1982.
model T's are simple, brutal, and need your favorite OD/Distortion pedal to excel. The high headroom will likely turn-off many players. The transformers on these amp are monsters. I have yet to replace a single component or tube in a chassis that was built in 1974.
These amps were sold as BOTH guitar and bass amps in the same package.
I perused a Sunn catalog (on the site that was the original McDonald's in San Bernardino, CA) at a music store, and it had a sheet that listed the model T, and featured John Entwistle of The Who.
Specs were 150 watts clean/180 watts distorted, and even more amazing was the suggested retail price of $830 in mid 1970's dollars!
If you like 'em, buy 'em...If you don't...shovel the sh8t in another direction. These amps were the same beasts they always were, with or without the spotlight on them.
This is the natural result of people undervalue-ing an amp in the past...and now the market, propelled by Ebay, is putting $$$ pressure on the same amp heads that were "cheap" before.
All this stuff is cyclic. I liked Gibsons, and heavy/thick amps in the foolishly ghey era of the hair bands. These same pieces are worth a lot these days, I suppose.
I paid $250 for my Sunn model T in 1982.
model T's are simple, brutal, and need your favorite OD/Distortion pedal to excel. The high headroom will likely turn-off many players. The transformers on these amp are monsters. I have yet to replace a single component or tube in a chassis that was built in 1974.
These amps were sold as BOTH guitar and bass amps in the same package.
I perused a Sunn catalog (on the site that was the original McDonald's in San Bernardino, CA) at a music store, and it had a sheet that listed the model T, and featured John Entwistle of The Who.
Specs were 150 watts clean/180 watts distorted, and even more amazing was the suggested retail price of $830 in mid 1970's dollars!
If you like 'em, buy 'em...If you don't...shovel the sh8t in another direction. These amps were the same beasts they always were, with or without the spotlight on them.
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JB_From_Hell
Jomo's Nimions
Re: Sunn Model T
I want one, but due to the current price, I'm pursuing possible alternatives. If anybody has one, do chime in
I want one, but due to the current price, I'm pursuing possible alternatives. If anybody has one, do chime in
the guy who invented fire
Fuzzy. Guitars
Re: Sunn Model T
There are not many amps that have the Model T vibe except other Sunn amps...some of the bigger Ampegs are sort of close but again with rising prices and oddball tubes!
JB_From_Hell said:I want one, but due to the current price, I'm pursuing possible alternatives. If anybody has one, do chime in
There are not many amps that have the Model T vibe except other Sunn amps...some of the bigger Ampegs are sort of close but again with rising prices and oddball tubes!
JB_From_Hell
Jomo's Nimions
Re: Sunn Model T
Is there a less popular, smaller version of the Model T? I'm gonna be running my MP-1 in front, so I don't need to be a purist.
Is there a less popular, smaller version of the Model T? I'm gonna be running my MP-1 in front, so I don't need to be a purist.
newking70
GrumpyWorfologist
Re: Sunn Model T
wise words, i think alot of it has to do with forms like these. gear gets hyped up alot......bada boom bada bing the prices go up on ebay:chairfall you could have prolly found the same amp at gc a couple years ago for a couple hundred dollarsSludgenutz said:
Sludgenutz
New member
Re: Sunn Model T
There were 2 models of the Sunn model T (yes, the "m" is lower case). The first series had the five 1/4" jacks on the front, and 7 knobs with silver center dots.
Later 1975-ish model T's had the five jacks in the front, and red dots on the knob's reflector centers, as well as two (?) slide switches for mids or whatever. I forget. The snob appeal comes with the earlier models.
The much later "Sunn" model T by Fender has nothing to do with these earlier amplifiers.
Oh yeah...Sunn was started by some dude named Sundholm...the bass player for The Kinsmen's ultimate frat-house stomper: "Louie, Louie"!
There were 2 models of the Sunn model T (yes, the "m" is lower case). The first series had the five 1/4" jacks on the front, and 7 knobs with silver center dots.
Later 1975-ish model T's had the five jacks in the front, and red dots on the knob's reflector centers, as well as two (?) slide switches for mids or whatever. I forget. The snob appeal comes with the earlier models.
The much later "Sunn" model T by Fender has nothing to do with these earlier amplifiers.
Oh yeah...Sunn was started by some dude named Sundholm...the bass player for The Kinsmen's ultimate frat-house stomper: "Louie, Louie"!
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JB_From_Hell
Jomo's Nimions
Re: Sunn Model T
Damn dude.... you're a virtual wealth of model T info
Damn dude.... you're a virtual wealth of model T info
wixedmords
New member
Re: Sunn Model T
I am pretty happy for you Sludge that you like that amp. I think it is great when someone finds their thing. When I read the beginning of the thread, I thought I would see a response from you.
I admit, I don't know much about Sunn amps, but the man I do consider to have the best hard rock sound ever used them. It is hard for me to argue with the sound of Leslie West.
I need to pay more attention to Sunn.
Sludgenutz said:
I am pretty happy for you Sludge that you like that amp. I think it is great when someone finds their thing. When I read the beginning of the thread, I thought I would see a response from you.
I admit, I don't know much about Sunn amps, but the man I do consider to have the best hard rock sound ever used them. It is hard for me to argue with the sound of Leslie West.
I need to pay more attention to Sunn.
Sludgenutz
New member
Re: Sunn Model T
I was thinking of photog-ing the interior chassis of my amp for the hell of it. It may make more sense than ever to post it. From what I remember...there are no resistors smaller than a honeybee inside.
JB_From_Hell said:Damn dude.... you're a virtual wealth of model T info
I was thinking of photog-ing the interior chassis of my amp for the hell of it. It may make more sense than ever to post it. From what I remember...there are no resistors smaller than a honeybee inside.
JB_From_Hell
Jomo's Nimions
Re: Sunn Model T
Anymore ideas for a cheaper Model T substitute?
Anymore ideas for a cheaper Model T substitute?
AdmiralB
New member
Re: Sunn Model T
Depends. The T is not like any other Sunn. The original tube Sunns were Dynaco hifi power amps with a simple preamp stuck on. There were 2xEL34 versions (rated 40W), 2x6550/KT88 versions (60W), and 4x6550/KT88 versions (120W). These all used 5AR4 rectifiers (two, for the 120W amps), 12AX7 preamps, and either a 6AN8 or 7199 phase inverter (the 'oddball tube'). There were guitar versions with trem and reverb, and bass versions without. The same amps were sold under a bunch of different names based upon which speaker rig they were sold with - 200S, Sorado, Sonaro, Solarus, etc.
The T is different - the original version (no mid slide switch) is a tweed Bassman preamp stuck on a 4x6550 ultralinear power amp with SS rectification. If this is the tone you're after, a Marshall Super Lead with 6550s and some de-brightening mods will get you in the ballpark.
The second generation T is really weak by comparison, as stock. They added a totally different tone stack with an active mid control. There are a couple quick mods to get them in the neighborhood of the first-gens, though.
I really like Sunns, but not the T. I use a pair of 200S bass heads for guitar, and a 2000S for bass. Big, fat, punchy, and defined. Takes pedals great. It's funny that the 200S and its cousins are ~$400 amps but the Ts have gone through the roof.
Depends. The T is not like any other Sunn. The original tube Sunns were Dynaco hifi power amps with a simple preamp stuck on. There were 2xEL34 versions (rated 40W), 2x6550/KT88 versions (60W), and 4x6550/KT88 versions (120W). These all used 5AR4 rectifiers (two, for the 120W amps), 12AX7 preamps, and either a 6AN8 or 7199 phase inverter (the 'oddball tube'). There were guitar versions with trem and reverb, and bass versions without. The same amps were sold under a bunch of different names based upon which speaker rig they were sold with - 200S, Sorado, Sonaro, Solarus, etc.
The T is different - the original version (no mid slide switch) is a tweed Bassman preamp stuck on a 4x6550 ultralinear power amp with SS rectification. If this is the tone you're after, a Marshall Super Lead with 6550s and some de-brightening mods will get you in the ballpark.
The second generation T is really weak by comparison, as stock. They added a totally different tone stack with an active mid control. There are a couple quick mods to get them in the neighborhood of the first-gens, though.
I really like Sunns, but not the T. I use a pair of 200S bass heads for guitar, and a 2000S for bass. Big, fat, punchy, and defined. Takes pedals great. It's funny that the 200S and its cousins are ~$400 amps but the Ts have gone through the roof.
JB_From_Hell
Jomo's Nimions
Re: Sunn Model T
It's basically just a really loud, really thick sounding amp.
It's tough to get an idea of the model T's sound from most newer bands, because there's always a pedal in front. Most of the newer metal bands using them mate them up with a Rat, fwiw.Surgeon said:
It's basically just a really loud, really thick sounding amp.
3
34029324079
Guest
Re: Sunn Model T
the marshall jcm 800 is the standard for stoner rock imo
I know you play a variety of different styles, so I suggest the vox valvetronix since you can get great tones and switch things up which is going along with the vibe of stoner rock imo since tonal changes / effects are very important for stoner rock to me anyway imho
JB_From_Hell said:
the marshall jcm 800 is the standard for stoner rock imo
I know you play a variety of different styles, so I suggest the vox valvetronix since you can get great tones and switch things up which is going along with the vibe of stoner rock imo since tonal changes / effects are very important for stoner rock to me anyway imho
