Here comes the Sunn

[Rayman]

So after seeing one of these featured on Bass The World, I've had my eyes peeled for one for ages. It's mid 80s, made India (eh?..... yep), I think its one of the early ones, as there's no bullet truss rod nut, and if you can find one at all in decent condition, they're not expensive at all. Past reviews are mixed...  "Budget" or "Cheap Eastern knockoffs" ...to... "Best kept secret" "Future Classic". Not sure about any of that, but this thing is a belter. Really. I've been around long enough to know what's driftwood and what isn't. This isn't. Because it would sink.

Many people describe these as "Cheap and cheerful", however having spoken to a couple guitar (6 string) techs, the "strats" were actually really very good when they're in good order, and desirable by some folks. One went on to say that actually the Indians were actually very good with the construction side, with regard to the timber, it was just the electrics that were "functional", but surprisingly, the pickups, although lowish in output, actually had a nice tone and perfectly useable. "Many people will replace the pickups for no reason, they're fine" Quote.

Mine was in a sorry state when I got it, poor Ander (who I bought it from) had removed most of its gunk after he received it from someone else in that state.  It had a broken tuner, cheap nasty and broken EQ, and looked like someone had used it as a battering ram. Not a bad idea, as it weighs a ton.

So, lots of TLC later, an 80s set of (identical to the original ones) Hohner tuners, Dunlop straplocks (wouldn't want to drop it, it would go straight through floor), oiled fretboard, KiOgon loom and a set of D'Addario tapewounds, and I think its bloody awesome. I had my doubts about the pickup before I actually heard it, but it sounds perfectly decent with the new loom, no problem there. The neck is one peice maple with an Indian rosewood board, it's really nice and straight, and the body is.... solid ash? (it took ages to rout out for the CTS pots)(apparently the guitars were 3pcs mahogany). Nice tight neck pocket, decent construction from what I can see. Full ahead mojo on this thing. Very cool. This bass is a survivor, and I hope I've given it a new lease of life, because hasn't been loved for a long time.

Great range of tones, SO good with the tone rolled back, lovely low action, no buzz, easy to play thanks to the tapes, AND it looks the dogs. Old school marvellousnes.

It's a P bass? Looks like one, sounds like one, feels like one, and it reminds me of a '78 Fender I had in a lot of ways. Definitely 70s vibes, even though this was built 10yrs later, and having just spent a couple of hours playing it, I have a massive smile on my face. I don't care where it was made or how much it cost. With a proper clean up, set up and new parts (Original pickup), this thing is class, I was grinning from ear to ear. I literally haven't touched the other basses since I got this one, I just can't put it down.

Fabulous thing. Precision bass requirements fulfilled.

 

 

 

 

Obviously by the time I’d edited this post, I’d added a second one.

 

 

Edited May 6 by Rayman

[Gareth Hughes]

I had the exact same bass, only in red and with black pickup covers. My first decent bass after a crappy Encore Ripper-esque bass. Bought as a 14 year old back in 1991. I have no idea where mine ended up, although I still have the scratchplate!! 

[Rayman]

I’ve done a lot of research, they were made at the same factory as Encore, and in fact some of those Encores were decent in terms of the timber, the necks were really nice, it’s just the electrics that let them down, and iffy hardware. 
 

Honestly I don’t see or feel much difference between this and a couple of 70s Fenders I’ve had, now that it’s finished.

[Bassassin]

I've had a whole bunch of Sunn Mustang Strats but not managed to pick up a bass yet. Interesting yours doesn't have the 'FMIC' under the logo, but these were Fender products - apparently the Sunn Mustang brand was UK/EU specific, & they were sold elsewhere badged as 'Squier II'.

 

My Strats were all very decent & played well beyond the car-boot price points I paid - let down a bit by hardware/electronics, but bodies, necks & fretwork were excellent. These do appear to be the same as the early India-made Encores, however there are later Sunns which lack the correct Fender headstock & Sunn Amps logo. Not been hands-on with one but apparently not as good.

[Happy Jack]

Endless comments about how much it weighs ... but no weight specified!

 

C'mon man,  stick it on the scales. 🙄

[Steve Soar]

Sunn, early Encore and Fenix were brill.

[Paul S]

36 minutes ago, Happy Jack said:

Endless comments about how much it weighs ... but no weight specified!

 

C'mon man,  stick it on the scales. 🙄

 

Or a nearby weighbridge, perhaps?

[Rayman]

No scales here….. the Mrs won’t have them 😆

[Rayman]

21 minutes ago, Steve Soar said:

Sunn, early Encore and Fenix were brill.

Fenix are great 

[Rayman]

Some serious chunks taken out of it with what looks like an axe.

 

It all just adds to the mojo.

 

Playing along to some old school funk and hip hop last night, it was just perfect. 
 

If you haven’t tried Tapewounds on a P bass, you should. 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 27 by Rayman

[findelmun]

The are many kind of Sunns in this galaxy Here is mine, it has neither the inscription "made in india" nor the indication'FMIC' under the logo. I have no idea when it was made (would you share how you determined the age of yours?), but it is also cosmically heavy. As for the wood of the body, a German source mentions that it is made of rubber-tree. Еxtremely hard wood, the screws moaned, when I changed the bridge. Wish you many happy moments with this yoga!

Edited February 20, 2022 by findelmun

[NikNik]

I remember these from the mid '90s. I played one in Sound Control,  Edinburgh,  and it nearly took the skin off the underside of my left hand. The unfinished fret-ends were leathal!

 

This wasn't an uncommon issue with them but there were others. Sound Control nipped it in the bud and shipped the consignment back to Arbiter. 

 

Glad to hear yours has been salavaged.

[Maude]

I've just watched a Sunn Mustang end on ebay for £72 and didn't bid, I'm feeling quite proud of myself. 😁

 

It had had mods done to it but it looked like a beauty. 

I wonder if someone here bought it. 

 

Sunn Mustang

[Rayman]

14 hours ago, Maude said:

I've just watched a Sunn Mustang end on ebay for £72 and didn't bid, I'm feeling quite proud of myself. 😁

 

It had had mods done to it but it looked like a beauty. 

I wonder if someone here bought it. 

 

Sunn Mustang

Yeah, I was the first bidder at £70, but missed out while I was out yesterday. 

[Grreth]

I’ve had two of these recently. A black one that I modded and a white(champagne?) that I moved on.

 

The White was an earlier “FMIC” model with the bullet truss and it had much more of a precision neck but a heavier better toned body and the Black was a “Made in India”. I think the run after the FMIC as the pickguards had the same number of screw holes. The next run of these had the same pickguards as the first Encores but they all shared the same white pickups and string tree. 
 

I had the black one first, had a route put in for truss Rod access at the body where Chris at Overwater seemed to think the body was some kind of wood a bit like mahogany but not. I had a tort pickguard, Bill Lawrence split-p pickup and a circuit by Kiogon. They neck was slimmer on this one and felt way nicer to play, for me anyway. If I’d not done all the mods to it, I’d have put that neck on the white one and modded that one, to be honest. 
 

Anyway, I’ve since moved exclusively on to short scale and sold the black one to a pal in London. Great sounding basses though!!

 

Here they are with my Musicman SUB (this is currently getting a fretless short scale neck on it)!

[Grreth]

On 19/02/2022 at 14:49, Steve Soar said:

Sunn, early Encore and Fenix were brill.

I sadly got rid of a Fenix Jazz and still think of it fondly. 

[Maude]

30 minutes ago, Rayman said:

Yeah, I was the first bidder at £70, but missed out while I was out yesterday. 

I was sorely tempted but I just bought a Yamaha BEX4 out of the blue on Friday which I'm waiting delivery of, and my P need was covered by the Encore I bought a few weeks ago. 

[blackthorn]

As a big fan of Sunn O))) the band, I’d love one of these just for the headstock decal 🤘

[Rayman]

So as an update to this thread, I‘ve bought another one, identical to my first one. I absolutely love the first one so much, I decided to get its twin. It’ll get the KiOgon loom, just like the first, everything else will stay stock. The “cheap” pickup sounds absolutely amazing with the loom, absolutely no need to upgrade anything.

It’ll probably need a fret job like the first, and will definitely need routing out for the new loom, again, just like the first.

 

 I dunno, none of my other gear is getting a look in at all. I love these things. Am I mad?

[Rayman]

Bit of an update…..

 

I now have twins….

 

both basses are identical, both all original except for @KiOgon loom in each. The original pickups sound absolutely immense paired with the looms.

 

I’m over the moon these things honestly, yes I’ve spent a LOT of time setting up, sorting frets, doing setups etc, and yes they both had the new EQs, but they’re both absolute bangers. I’m in danger of starting a collection, they’re ace instruments. 
 

 

Edited April 27 by Rayman

[Rayman]

Update…..

 

So in addition to the two black ones…. I now have this white (ish) one…….

 

 

 

 

 

Totally stripped it, dressed and polished the frets…..

 

 

 

rebuilt and replaced the electrics…. Although the pickup, and everything else is stock. Fitted with flats…. it’s absolutely great, love it. The pickup is a bit low output, but the tone is lovely. 
 

Next…… is a red one, just bought on the bay. Details will follow.

 

 

Edited April 28 by Rayman

[Maude]

I'm loving that one.

The colour on the headstock, and I'm assuming the neck, is fantastic. 

Very aged white is my favourite, and cream p/u covers. Mojotastic! 😎

[Rayman]

Yeah the colour of the varnish on the neck of this one is really nice and golden. They do vary these basses, in terms of the way they are built, even the routing is slightly different. What I mean by that, is that I’ve upgraded the pots etc on all of them with CTS, Sprague Cap etc….. The black ones needed routing out because the pots wouldn’t fit into the existing channel (these basses were factory fitted with nasty cheap mini pots). This white one however, the new loom just dropped right in.

 

Awesome basses in my opinion, for no money, once the electrics have been sorted out, and the frets in many cases, although non of mine have been too bad in that respect. 

[Rayman]

I’m also pretty pleased with my fret job on this one….. like I say, they weren’t bad, but I’ve tidied up the ends and polished them. Super comfortable to play now, especially with flats.

 

Also, note the fretboard has been treated with Monty’s relic wax, darkening it slightly, and then a coat of boiled linseed oil. Super comfortable neck now. 
 

[Rayman]

I’m also embracing the lower output pickups and going old school, with a mute. Works really well for the Motown vibes.