Sunn Sorado Head

I now own three of these amps. 1968-1970 Used for Classic rock, blues, metal etc... I don't feel it needs any more than the Bass Treble and Volume with the high/low boost switches it comes with. A basic PTP that kicks a......

I believe they are the "hidden secret" in the purist true PTP valve amp world. Especially for the money. I believe some day they will skyrocket in price. If not, only for the better because I don't think you can get this quality for the money "ANYWHERE". They produce a very warm, rich sound and will punch you right in the gut when you want them to. I use them with different pedal board effects to produce some amazing sounds.

Never had any problems!

Never had to use support. There are Schematics available.

I played rock in the late 70's and early 80's and re-birth in '03.

I own several ptp Marshalls, Laney, Fender and this amp, especially for the money is outstanding

Mine was made in 1970 and had the original tubes until I had it retubed in 1995 when I started playing professionally with it (I switched back to bass after playing guitar for 8 years). Sure, it doesn't have a lot of knobs or switches and the eq is limited, but THIS THING ROCKS! I could ALWAYS play louder than everyone else in the band. And it ALWAYS worked. I even used it with a Rhodes Stage 73 electric piano, it never failed and it never distorted.

Excellent, loud, clean sound either with a cheap Fender knock off bass or a 1987 Fender Jazz Special with active pickups. I've played rock, country, jazz, punk, and swing. It always sounded great - nice full bass sound without too much high end hype. After I had it retubed and changed the power cord to a grounded one, it had even more punch and I never had to worry about getting shocked again.

This was my main rig when I was in High School, in College, when I played professionally for a few years and now I'm using it again after it has been stored for over 8 years in a basement and garage. I cleaned off the dust, re-seated the tubes, plugged it in and turned it on - Awesome sound. Not too many things (or people for that matter) can say they are as good as new after 35 years of off-and-on road use. I've never owned another bass rig - I haven't needed to.

Never dealt with the company except to ask for a schematic, which they sent right away (this was over 10 years ago).

I received this amp as a gift from my older brother who bought it in 1980. It was purchased with the 2X15 cab. Both items had vinyl covers, so they were both physically in great shape. I used them in the High School Stage/Jazz Band with a cheap Fender-copy bass (my brother also bought with the amp/speaker cab.) I used it for 5 years in High School and college until I went back to playing guitar. My younger brother used it in his High School band where it got a bit more abuse.
I've had to replace a knob, the tubes, I added a grounded plug, I've replaced the speakers only because I knew I would be traveling around with it, and I didn't want to destroy the originals, and I just recently replaced the casters, and had a new vinyl cover made for the speaker cab. (I also removed the broken feet that were mounted on the side. - in High School and college we used to set the speaker on its side and climb on it like a stage!)

This amp has a treble and bass knob, with a high and low boost switch.
Two input jacks, and a 4 Ohm and an 8 ohm speaker jack. It also has a polarity switch. 50 or 60 Watts output. 2 6550 tubes, 1 12AX7, and 1 6AN8. Some revisions have different power tubes. I bought this amp used, the owner told me it is around a 1967 model. It condition is a 9.5 on a 1 to 10 scale. In my opinion.

It is awesome.

It is 36 years old and it still works.

I have never dealt with the company.

Sunn amp are very good amps. In the sixties they were sought after by many but they were hard to get due do price and demand. Sunn was used by The Who, Jimi Hendrix, Jonny Cash, and Kiss from what I've read.
Sunn is currently owned by Fender.

Very simple operation, charming. One channel only. I think it's about 60 watts. High boost, Low boost, volume, bass, and treble. Also a user-unfriendly polarity switch.

Played a late 70's Gibson marauder through it with a big muff pedal . I could turn this up to 10, and it was still crystal clean. One of the loudest amps I've ever had. Not a lot of variety, but for the straightforward kind of rock I played, this was no problem. Had a very warm tone, bright and clear.

I think this had the original tubes in it; (RCA). I never had a problem with this amp; It was left in our practice space in the middle of winter for weeks at a time. We took it to shows and it was more reliable than anyone else's amp

This is the most reliable, possibly best-sounding amp i've ever owned. A reverb tank would be nice, but oh well, it is a bass amp after all. Other than the shocking with the polarity switch, these are flawless amps.

My Sorado Bass was manufactured in 1970, the year I purchased it. I have now owned it for 31 years and it has never failed me. It is an original with the Sunn Silver grill cloth on head and bottom. Two 15" Sunn Transducers in the bottom, also 31 years old and still thumping away.

I use this with my Gibson EB 2, 1959 vintage, all original with the single pickup. Style played is Country, Original Rock and MOR. It sounds great with the use I put it to. With the EB 2, you only run it at about 3 on the volume. More than that and it will distort the building it's played in.

This amp has not failed me in 31 years. You just have to replace the tubes every 10 to 12 years. I don't neglect the amp. It takes good care of me so I take good care of it.

The amp has a "lifetime warranty", and it obviously has survived the company that manufactured it. Don't know what I'll do if it does site one out on me, probably have a good shop take care of it. Not much to the guts, just a basic amp, no hi-tech stuff.

I've been playing for 38 years, first 7 with Fender line, then last 31 years with my Sunn Sorado and Gibson EB 2. I won't think about stolen or lost, not a good thought. I would buy another one if it were available. As I have always told my son "I am looking for a better set and will buy it when I find it." So far I haven't found any. I did not really compare it with any other product except my Fender Bassman. The Bassman was OK but not much for performance.

I'll probably die with this one and take it with me.

The Sorado head is much like the Sonaro head described elsewhere with one discrepincy. The Sorados output is typical of most late 60's tube Bass heads, around 100 watts.It features two input jacks, Hi and low slide switches for boost, bass knob, treble knob, and Volume knob to the left side of the head. On the Right are three large rocker Switchs, from left to right, A Standby, Polarity and a power with a small indicator light built into it. Sorado is prominatly displayed right of center with small print along the faces bottom declaring "Made in the U.S.A. by Sunn Musical Equipment co. Portland Oregon" The top half of the face is traditional Black and gold Cloth covering with the Sunn nameplate in the left top Corner. The open back has two speaker outputs, 4 ohm & 8 ohm. While the tone is Super on the amp it is left limited by its lack of features. It seems to have everything it needs for a straight Bass player but It could have so much more.

When Played with a cheap Memphis Bass with a bad ground loop It buzzs so bad you almost don't want to use it at all. The buzz is much worse then the same gutiar on a Peavey TKO115. But with a proper Gutiar ( An Epiphone six string ) the head sounds excellent with the volume up to around 7, played though a mid 70's Sunn 180 watt 4x12 Cab. After that it sound sort of flatulent, like its just blowing out instead of giving alot of punch. With the volume around 7 the low B comes though tight and punchy and at this volume level it can still crack the windows in my room.

This amp sat in my Brothers Garage for three years, Getting well below freezing during the winter, and then sat in my closet for another year before I picked up a cab, all while still having the original tubes in it. Now if it is left on for around twenty minutes or so at high volumes it pings a little ( almost not noticable while playing ). I would think a replacment of the tubes would fix that problem. Also if another gutiarest touchest me while both of are amps are on We get shocked. Not the coolest thing in the world.

Sunn has only recently started selling amps again, licenced under Fender, and they don't offer any offical repair services for pre-Fender Sunn heads.

I Have yet to find another head I enjoy as much as this head, no matter what short comings it may have. At reasonable Volumes it Just sounds to sweet, and warm. It made my TKO115 sound horrible and fridged when side by side. I would Buy one right this second if someone offered me one, dispite already owning one. The Only true shortcoming for me is getting shocked when I touch another gutiarest and it think a day in the shop could even fix that.