Sunn 2000S

Not exactly sure but my 2000S has no bass boost so likely 68. I play Clapton, Stevie Ray, Floyd, Mellencamp, Petty cover stuff on bass. I like straight forward bottom crunch and beat you in the chest bass. This amp delivers with plenty to spare. 2 channels, normal and brite and volume, bass, treble and contour. No fx loop, just the basics. I'd have liked a direct out but use a splitter and no problems with going through the pa. Small club/bar gigs mainly and private parties outside/inside. Never any problems with this amp in cutting through the drums and guitars in the mix. The sweet tube amp 120 watts are plenty for my type of playing. I use a non active Fender Jazz and it sounds soooo good with this classic Sunn beast of an amp. Two 2-15 cabs with JBL D140's. It's big and heavy and works great. I usually run my bass wide open and the amp volume no MORE than 3-4 and will blow doors with plenty of volume.

I use a non active Fender Jazz and it sounds soooo good with this classic Sunn beast of an amp. Noise is a bit hissy but not where it bothers the mix. No much variety, I like big low end punch and this has that big time. It moves some air. I don't like distortion on bass. Nice clean punch and it cuts through easily.

Absolutely dependable. I have only had the bias set and one solder connection fixed when I bought it used in 1988 for $200. No issues now in 20 years since. Best money I ever spent.

Solid local independent repair since Sunn went out long ago. No matter as this is a solid unit and just keeps going.

I've been playing since the 60's. I have a 61 Hofner Cavern Beatle Bass and a vintage Ampeg B-15N flip top amp as well for bass. The Sunn 2000S is my main amp for every type of playing. I would get another one in a heartbeat. I love the power and the tone and I hate the weight and the bulk. This amp is all over most other units, new or used, for the type of straight up bass I play. No frills but who needs that.

I know this was made sometime before mid-68. They added a bass boost switch after that and I don't have it. I can't comprehend why. I have to play through the brite channel as it is sometimes so its not so bassy.

I'm a techie kinda guy and I love to dial in things and thats why I love this amp so much, 4 dials, move them anyway and you get an awesome sound simple and elegant. Its got 2 outs for 2 cabs and 4 6L6 or 6550 tubes that crank out somewhere in the 100-200 watt range. I can say this, I have a solid state 90's fender bassman and its rated at 200w rms and the Sunn is definitely louder than that and most definitely louder than my 120w SWR.

The only reason I give it an 8 is cause, well effects loops are nice.

I use a Ibanez Soundgear and it comes out a JBL 15" which can make the amp reggae or rock or jazz and just about anything else with just a minor adjustment. I'd say the only style this may not be the greatest for is punk. Its too bassy and too clean. This amp has such a super low end and once you dig in it crunches sooo nice. I honestly have never heard a cleaner amp. I can turn the volume all the way up and the treble up and I get near silence until you move a string then your whole world opens up. I use a Rust ride pedal in front of the sunn sometimes and once its engaged you can blast a room away.

I'd trust this thing with my life. its definitely taken a few hits and its starting to corrode in some places, but I think this can take on tour after tour.

Fender bought sunn(of course), but you can still get their manuals and schematics for most every amp they made on their website. Other that I don't even think I'd need it

I've heard tubed Ampeg SVT's and Fender Bassman's cranked loaded and pumping sound. Yes they all sound terrific and hell each to their own. But prices are going up and no one seems to remember sunn. I can't imagine paying $1000+ for an ampeg when you could get 2 sunn's w/more power and less noise for less and well the fenders were never really loud enough for me(except the 135) I'd never give this amp up, in fact I'd love to get another.

Actually, one of the things that I like best about the 2000S is the LACK of features and knobs. There are so few that is is nearly impossible to NOT be able to dial in the exact tone you want within a few seconds.
WARM pure tube tone, lots of headroom....it's all left to the player.

I got my first 2000S in the 70s on a trade from a bassist living in his van. Ironically, he wouldn't part with the 2000S 2x15 bottoms (he had two.) I've used it on most types of music over the years but mainly rock, pop, reggae and metal. I sold my original head because it was HEAVY and I'd bought an SWR SM400...nice amp but not a SUNN 2000S. I missed the warm tube sound and simplicity of the controls...I currently have THREE 2000S heads...one bought from Alice Cooper's bassist...one came from the studio that Soundgarden used this head at for it's albums...the other was the studio amp at a small indie label.
I've been recording/playing bass for 30+ years and EVERY bass track I've ever played was on a SUNN 2000S or a SUNN 200S.

Had a cap go bad once while playing...had it repaired and never another problem. Since these are 40-year-old heads, I occasionally have a tech give 'em a once over for a clean bill of health and do any needed maintanence.

I think it's a damned SIN that Fender let the SUNN name die. Equivalent of letting AMPEG or MARSHALL fade into dust. Considering SUNN's early history in the 1960s thru the early 80s...someone should've saved the brand.

So...no current customer support...BUT SUNN co-founder Conrad Sundholm DID email me for parts once to rebuild an original "smiley" SUNN head.

My absolute favorite bass head, with the SUNN 200S close behind. I would always have at least one on hand. If you can pair them up with the correct original SUNN speaker bottoms, even the better!!

1969 vintage Sunn 2000S. 16 and 8 ohm outputs. 2 Normal inputs and 2 Hi inputs. Simple when it comes to the features (the usual treble, contour, bass and volume controls) but it doesn't need much due to the sweet, warm vintage tone it produces.

I used this head with various cabinets including a 1x18 cab, a 6x12 cab, a 4x10 cab and a 1x15 cab. It can create versatile sounds to suit many different players. Without a pedal or effects in-line the amp has a very warm tube tone that is clean yet quite loud for it's under-rated 120 watts. Vintage yet will suit most modern players.

Seems to be very dependable, have not had any problems to this day. This thing is built like a tank.

Since Sunn is out of business there is no customer support but there are alot of Sunn websites out there with many die-hard Sunn collectors contributing misc. information.

I've been playing bass for about 15 years now and this Sunn head is one of my most prized pieces of bass gear. Other than its huge size (which may not be a downfall to some) this piece is a classic tone monster that I highly recommend (if one of these rare beasts can be found).

GENERAL FEATURES: 1 Channel, Low Boost Switch, 120W, Around 1969, Basic Treble/Bass/Volume, Dual 6550 Output Tubes

POWER ABILITY: I realize that some here rave about the power of this amp. I disagree. My band had a drummer that had toured the country with "The Who" tribute band called the "The Hooligans". He was and absolutely loud, crazy, smashing drummer. That guy along with two Marshall 100W lead heads cranked on 8 at 200 seat, packed clubs with no mics on the instruments made me have to go out and buy a GK 1000W head because the old Sunn 2000S was not booming the room with bass like our band-leader/power-lunged singer demanded. He said the amp was a piece of junk and to throw it away and get a real amp that could keep up. My GK 1000W kept up with the rest of the rowdys in that band with room to spare.

Now I know that the amp has a great warm bass sound and if there are a wall of them like Felix Papilardi had at Woodstock, enough of them added together at 120W will get you as much power as you need for loud, high powered shows that have big rooms and crowds. But I think it is better suited for smaller 60 to 110 seat rooms where the guitarist plays a 80W amp with a drummer that is not too, too loud. I say that because I like a very big and cushiny low end that thunders with the kick drum. Either the set up I just described or a mic'd PA where the instruments are heard through the floor wedges.

This amp also delivers a nice sound for the studio that would mix in well when doubled with a more modern pre-amp direct line feed. By itself it would sound good with 60's, and early 70's style music but I think would very much need to be doubled with a modern Pre-Amp direct line feed for modern stuff where it's sound would contribute a nice undertow sound.

A decent amp in terms of needing service. There is not much to it as its design has just about the fewest tubes of any amp out there. But even these tubes fail. I just fixed one for a friend of mine. Had to replace the Power Tube sockets (The pins were loose from changing and checking tubes over the years) and also had to replace the 6AN8 tube to get it back up and running.

I bought a (2) Sunn 2000S tops and (4) Sunn 2000S Cabinest (8-15" JBL Total)in 1969. The top is simple. I experimended for the next 12 years with all sorts of preamps/effects/devices etc...Wasted my time. The Sunn setup made ME a PLAYER -not the electronics nut. I should have stayed with it- and saved a bunch of money over the years.

I used (2) basses with this setup. Fender PBass, and Gibson EB-3
The Gibson EB-3 with a pick was the most earth moving sound ever. Volumes or air/everything vibrating in the club. The JBL metal caps's would be jumping (in and out) about 1.5"-2" -what a look! Only one sound Loud and Low-No attack (needed horn) Like SVT setup -but louder

I had it for 2 years+ it never broke -However I did blow all JBL's at least once. If Gauss 4580's (I believe) were available I would have used them.

Back then, everyone sold Sunn -Likely the best "stock" bass rig ever.

Extremely Loud-but no attack. I used Marshall 200 and 4 cabs(8-12") loud but no bottom. Over 15 years playing for a good living. Try (4) Bose 802's (32 - 4.5" speakers (with their active eq unit)Attack and respone!! Needs small sub (Bose502) for 60hz and lower. Not the loudest but the best. Otherwise get Hartke 2-10" and use PA for volume

1969 model: I play straight up blues and R&B, mostly with flatwounds. This amp is fat, yet has good definition too, so perfect for that style. Two channels; Normal/Bright. No switching, who needs that anyway? Only feature I wish it had was an effects loop.

Noise is reasonable, slight hiss if the amp is up too loud. I play a variety of old Fender basses through it.

Never needed service in over 25 years. Then blew up an output resistor, so we went through it top to bottom, replaced a lot of old leaky caps. It's ready for another 30 years or so.

N/A Sunnis ancient history, and I wouldn't take it to anyone connected to Fender, why bother? They'd probably scratch their heads and say "What are these big glowing things in the back?"

Stolen or lost? I'd slit my wrists. There aren't that many amps around that get this kind of warm sound, at least not that mesh so well with a "lo-fi" set-up, flats, and a thuddy sound. Most "modern" amps have too many damn variables, and even when I know what everything is, it's hard to just get a good, all around setting.

The bass and treble pots don't change the sound very much. I've never put the volume past 2. Mine has a solid-state rectifier that keeps the tone crisp.

The tone is incredible! Just a hint of tube distortion. Deep bottom and good highs.

I had it worked on when I bought it five years ago. Never had a problem since.

Never tried. C'mon it's thirty years old!

Overall best tone of any tube amp I've ever owned. Very reliable too!

Late 60s basic one channel amp with bright or normal inputs. This amp is the bomb. I haven't needed any tone this amp doesn't have. 120 underated watts, gets louder than my SWR Workingman 300??? It is my main gigging amp. It was used last summer as the stage amp for 8 different bassists at a jam and all had great sound.

Any bass sounds good in this amp. NUFF SAID

32 years old and still kickin. Never had a problem.

NONE, but plenty of Sunn worshipers on the net to help with your questions. Even Conrad Sundholm hangs out at the Unofficial Sunn website.

Been playing bass for 33 years, sold my Acoustic 360 after using this on 2 gigs. I'd put out a contract if I knew who stole it. Definately worth finding another (ebay??). 58lbs light. If weight were an issue I'd be playing harmonica.

This is a typical 2000 S. late 60's early 70's Im really not sure. 2 input selections bright and normal. One channel and a lot of power! This amp is so versitile that I use it as a guitar amp. I use several pedals and a Marshall JFX -1 with it through a Marshal 4 x 12 cabinet with celestion 75's. There isn't an effects loop. One could be added but I have left this one original. I don't play bass and this set up is just all tube unbelievable.

With the amount of different guitars and pedals that are available you can get any sound you want. country clean (if wanted!!) to Metal and anything in the middle. I have found the amp to be very quiet. We expirimented in the local music store one day through another marshal 4x12 with 75's. I used a Boss Metal Zone and we could only get the volume to 3 without disturbing other customers. The good thing was it didn't make the ears bleed. It was loud clean and distroted and was warm and ballsy.

Its an old amp. I have re-tubed it power and pre amp. I did that because I didn't know how old the tubes were that were in it. From the names I suspected they were older. So far so good on the gigs.

Ive let people in on the 2000s secret....use it with you guitar and turn it up...it is great. I already own three marshall heads.. I love them too but there will always be a place for the 2000S right with them. Steroe a 2000s with a great marshall and you have all the clean and distorted sound a guy could ever want. I would not want to part with the amp.