The Last Bass Outpost

Gear Discussion Forums => Bass Amps & Effects => Topic started by: Denis on September 19, 2011, 04:45:50 AM

Title: Sunn 200S in the house
Post by: Denis on September 19, 2011, 04:45:50 AM: Yesterday my buddy finally sold me his Sunn 200S. It's just the chassis (hand written date of January, 1968) but has new tubes. Produces some sound but there's definitely a crappy solder connection which could be part or all of the problem.

There's a guy on eBay selling new replacement parts for Sunns, like handles, cab corners, etc. so I may hit him up for other stuff.

Anyone have a cabinet for one lying around? Hahaha!
Title: Re: Sunn 200S in the house
Post by: Pilgrim on September 19, 2011, 11:29:21 AM: Sunn and Surf Denis, Sunn and Surf. You're definitely on the right track!

(http://www.bazaar-world.com/uploads/amp/35/330141158845-1.jpg)
Title: Re: Sunn 200S in the house
Post by: bobyoung on September 19, 2011, 05:11:28 PM: I had a Sunn 2000S head years ago, also had two 2000S cabs at a different time, I used to use a Marshall Major head and a P bass with flatwounds with them and they threw so much air a bartender at a joint I used to play called us "The Big Wind" ;D
Title: Re: Sunn 200S in the house
Post by: Greg_M on October 20, 2011, 09:16:58 AM: I bought a dead 200S head off fleabay ( I think it went through Katrina) and recapped and restored it.
Last year I built a 200S cab. There's a website just for Sunn nuts and they were an extreme help with measurements of their 200S cabs and other suggestions. That web site is here

http://sunn.ampage.org/sdp/index.php

I did CAD drawings of it before I started in case you need a measurement.
Title: Re: Sunn 200S in the house
Post by: Greg_M on October 20, 2011, 09:25:48 AM: PS

Conrad Sundholm is alive and well in OR and making a new line of amps

http://www.westlinntidings.com/news/print_story.php?story_id=128459582904747300 (http://www.westlinntidings.com/news/print_story.php?story_id=128459582904747300)

I bought a number of parts from him (corners and what not) for my 200S restoration/build
Title: Re: Sunn 200S in the house
Post by: Denis on December 04, 2011, 08:38:00 AM: Sooo, I ran across a guy in Maryland selling Sunn cabinets he's built. After talking to him about my 200S chassis, he built me this. I bought some repro Sunn hardware off eBay and when that arrives I'll forward it. Looks good, doesn't it?

(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l111/bigtreebluesea/Sunn200Scabfront.jpg)

(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l111/bigtreebluesea/Sunn200Sback.jpg)

(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l111/bigtreebluesea/Sunn200Sside.jpg)
Title: Re: Sunn 200S in the house
Post by: Pilgrim on December 04, 2011, 08:41:08 AM: Looks great - what a nice solution!
Title: Re: Sunn 200S in the house
Post by: Psycho Bass Guy on December 04, 2011, 10:56:12 AM: Be glad that he didn't use vintage Sunn tolex. Everything sticks to that shit and it never comes completely clean, even if you never play out. The gray hue on the tolex you see in color pics of old Sunns is the layer of dust and smoke bonded at the atomic level.
Title: Re: Sunn 200S in the house
Post by: godofthunder on December 04, 2011, 01:13:39 PM: That looks great !
Quote from: Denis on December 04, 2011, 08:38:00 AM
Sooo, I ran across a guy in Maryland selling Sunn cabinets he's built. After talking to him about my 200S chassis, he built me this. I bought some repro Sunn hardware off eBay and when that arrives I'll forward it. Looks good, doesn't it?

(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l111/bigtreebluesea/Sunn200Scabfront.jpg)

(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l111/bigtreebluesea/Sunn200Sback.jpg)

(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l111/bigtreebluesea/Sunn200Sside.jpg)
Title: Re: Sunn 200S in the house
Post by: Dave W on December 04, 2011, 06:27:07 PM: He does a nice job.

Quote from: Psycho Bass Guy on December 04, 2011, 10:56:12 AM
Be glad that he didn't use vintage Sunn tolex. Everything sticks to that shit and it never comes completely clean, even if you never play out. The gray hue on the tolex you see in color pics of old Sunns is the layer of dust and smoke bonded at the atomic level.

I remember that!
Title: Re: Sunn 200S in the house
Post by: Chris P. on December 05, 2011, 05:17:45 AM: I love the simplicity of this amp!!!
Title: Re: Sunn 200S in the house
Post by: Denis on December 05, 2011, 11:45:30 AM: What's staggering is how much (little) he's charging me for this cabinet!
Title: Re: Sunn 200S in the house
Post by: jumbodbassman on December 05, 2011, 02:35:57 PM: it is insane. they want $350 for a svt cabinet without the head. i sold my svt for 300 back in the late 80's...
Title: Re: Sunn 200S in the house
Post by: ack1961 on December 05, 2011, 07:53:12 PM: Wow. That is going to be nice.
Title: Re: Sunn 200S in the house
Post by: eb2 on December 06, 2011, 10:48:52 AM: It would look cool with this. It's got a cover.

http://www.elderly.com/vintage/items/130U-9691.htm
Title: Re: Sunn 200S in the house
Post by: Rob on December 06, 2011, 05:41:29 PM: Quote from: eb2 on December 06, 2011, 10:48:52 AM
It would look cool with this. It's got a cover.

http://www.elderly.com/vintage/items/130U-9691.htm

+46 That's the rest of the story ;D
Title: Re: Sunn 200S in the house
Post by: gearHed289 on December 07, 2011, 09:43:49 AM: I love that they mention the back is secured with 37 screws. LOL! I had an Ampeg V-6B (I think) cab that was much the same, right down to the JBL D140 speakers. Except their screws had some weird-ass head. The name escapes me now... Those JBLs sounded fine, but blew pretty easily. Eventually switched to EVM-15L. :)
Title: Re: Sunn 200S in the house
Post by: Psycho Bass Guy on December 07, 2011, 03:24:26 PM: Quote from: gearHed289 on December 07, 2011, 09:43:49 AM
Except their screws had some weird-ass head. The name escapes me now...

clutch head screws
Title: Re: Sunn 200S in the house
Post by: Denis on December 20, 2011, 09:16:30 AM: My cab shipped yesterday, should be here Saturday (when I'm out of town). Grrr! Can't wait to see it in person.
Title: Re: Sunn 200S in the house
Post by: Denis on December 21, 2011, 07:32:17 AM: Shipped Monday and showed up yesterday! Holy crap, this thing is gorgeous!!! Can't wait to get my chassis back and try it out. The guy who built it has a bunch of Sunn heads and cabinets and said the 200S will probably give my Coliseum a run for its money. Can't wait to find out!
Title: Re: Sunn 200S in the house
Post by: Denis on December 31, 2011, 04:16:30 PM: Got the chassis back today. Two new caps, a new 6AN8, some cleaning. Now mounted in the new cabinet. Holy CRAP, is it awesome sounding! I'll post pics when I get a digital camera....
Title: Re: Sunn 200S in the house
Post by: sniper on December 31, 2011, 06:18:33 PM: Denis, could you provide a link to your cabinet maker?

Would you know anyone who is reproducing a chassis for the 200S?
Title: Re: Sunn 200S in the house
Post by: Denis on December 31, 2011, 09:12:53 PM: Quote from: sniper on December 31, 2011, 06:18:33 PM
Denis, could you provide a link to your cabinet maker?

Would you know anyone who is reproducing a chassis for the 200S?

I don't know if he's got a website nor am I sure how he'd feel about posting his email on a forum so I've sent you a PM. If anyone is reproducing a chassis I bet he'd know about it!
Title: Re: Sunn 200S in the house - new pics!
Post by: Denis on January 09, 2012, 06:06:23 PM: Here it is, all put together, up and running. Sounds and looks great!

(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l111/bigtreebluesea/101_0004a.jpg)

(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l111/bigtreebluesea/101_0006a.jpg)
Title: Re: Sunn 200S in the house
Post by: rahock on January 12, 2012, 05:47:39 AM: The 200s was always one of my favorite sounds ;D. There are a lot of bigger and stronger tube bass heads, but these just had something that I really loved.
Enjoy!!
Rick
Title: Re: Sunn 200S in the house
Post by: rich briere on February 06, 2012, 05:02:56 PM: Congratulations on owning one of what is, imho, the finest sounding bass amp ever built. Several amps magically changed the world....this is certainly one of them.

Bass-ically Yours,
Rich
Title: Re: Sunn 200S in the house
Post by: Denis on February 27, 2012, 02:11:03 PM: Quote from: rich briere on February 06, 2012, 05:02:56 PM
Congratulations on owning one of what is, imho, the finest sounding bass amp ever built. Several amps magically changed the world....this is certainly one of them.

Bass-ically Yours,
Rich

Thank you kindly!
Title: Re: Sunn 200S in the house
Post by: rich briere on May 17, 2012, 09:12:21 AM: It's been awhile so I thought I'd check in and see how that 200S is going for you. :)

Bass-ically Yours,
RB
Title: Re: Sunn 200S in the house
Post by: Denis on May 18, 2012, 08:47:10 AM: It's fantastic! It's over at a friend's now as a temporary replacement for his 1-year old Genz Benz which took a dump. For the loan, he had his amp guy replace the old 2-prong cord with a grounded one and had it baised (whatever that means but I trust him since he's played bass for 30 years). He said it sounds even better now then it did when he first tried it out.

In fact, the lead singer in his band emailed me begging me to sell it to my buddy because he said it made the band sound better. He plays a Ric through it. :)

Thanks for asking! I feel lucky to have that amp.