the sonny jr four ten

[Harpmac01@xxxxxxx]

i bought a sonny jr four ten and this is my opinion on what i  bought but=20
first i would like to say thanks to all the cats out there who took  time to=
 give=20
me their opinions and thoughts on this subject ... so thank  you.
=20
for me it all came down to 3 amps maybe four ok the fourth  would be a=20
genuine 59 bassman so it was not an option.
the other three are; sonny jr four ten , victoria bassman ,  the harpking ,=20=
i=20
like this type of amp i like its circuit, its speaker set-up  even the way=20
they look and besides who am i to split hairs with all my amp heros  good en=
ough=20
for them good enough for me!
=20
what i'm going to say is my opinion and thoughts on this amp,  i have never=20
played through a harpking and many moons ago i played through a  real 59=20
bassman as i remember its was exact but i did not know then what i know  now=
 but yes=20
it sounded good and loud but read on.
=20
as i live in scotland UK i do not like our american bro's get  much chance t=
o=20
try out amps like this so it took me about a year of careful  consideration=20
and research and thanks to complete strangers like barbecue bob  and others=20=
who=20
took time to reply to me in very lengthy emails about what they  know i'm=20
indebted to them .
=20
the sonny jr four ten cost me $2400.00 about =A31300.00 that  includes shipp=
ing=20
to scotland UK .
so heres what i got it was a wee bit of a surprise as sonny  never mentioned=
=20
any of this, you get the most beautiful built four ten lacquered  tweed=20
bassman you can imagine, solid pine cab this amp sings the tubes come  alive=
 with=20
pine you would not even really need reverb with this amp, so  onto spares yo=
u=20
get a whole replacement set of the closest matched oil in paper  caps to rep=
lace=20
the astron caps that are fitted in the amp if need be, you also  get=20
replacement tube rectifier and power tubes and whole set of pre-amps for any=
 =20
configuration you want to come up with , also included is a book that explai=
ns  in=20
easy to understand terms all about your amp in fact this book would explain=20=
a =20
lot to a harp player about most tube amps in as much as what we want to know=
 its=20
 a good wee eye opener and well thought out on top of all that you get a=20
cracker  of a tuki cover.
now in the UK all the guys i have shown and let hear this amp  including a=20
very well respected amp tech thought that the amp was worth every  penny to=20=
be=20
honest guys there is really only about three or four big amps out  there for=
=20
harp and the price for what you get in and with the four ten is really  not=20=
a=20
lot of cash believe me i'm not a rich guy but i appreciate quality, so  this=
=20
well respected amp tech called me about a week later telling me to bring my=20=
 four=20
ten over to his workshop to try it beside a real 59 bassman well as you can=20=
=20
imagine i tested them with the mic set-up i use now the bassman did have the=
 =20
correct tube set up and the four ten has a set-up recommended by sonny howev=
er=20
i  put in a pair of matched premium NOS NIB tung sols and NOS pre-amps i=20
would say  the bassman was a bit louder due to the rectifier but i can tell=20=
you it=20
had no  where near the bottom end of the four ten but trust me the four ten=20
is one loud  puppy.
so for me the four ten is versatile it will also make a great  recording amp=
=20
i'm sure its got great tone at low volumes and with a volume  pot on your mi=
c=20
you can get her up to 10 and thats loud guys but still huge  bottom and tone=
=20
on her also its great to think that in ten years and more  the caps will age=
=20
and as we all know therein lies tone i have to say i love this  amp and that=
s=20
not cos i spent what some would consider a lot of cash but because  i can ge=
t=20
that big william clarke type tone now and if i plug in my kinder AFB+  devic=
e=20
boy oh boy get out of town at 8 this amp can drown out a guitar player  i'm=20
telling ya so for me i have my amp tone in spades big time there is so much=20=
 going=20
on with it from the circuit to the speakers to cab BUT i will say this you =20
do need to be tongue blocking good and generally have your chops together th=
is =20
amp really responds like a bassman does but this baby is tweaked for=20
harmonicas  and chromatics (oh baby big octaves sound BIG through her) so th=
ere you=20
are i  think i made the right choice i don't think its that expensive an amp=
 =20
considering that the guy who built it spent 20 year perfecting it and gives=20=
you =20
a heap of spares and lets you bug the hell out of him but read the book if=20
you  buy one its all in there.
=20
so there you have it i'm over the moon i have the best of all  worlds brand=20
new old style my own handbuilt for me 59 bassman by sonny jr this  amp will=20=
be=20
the holy grail for harp players in the future thats a dead cert and  i have=20
number 33( i think) and i'll never part with it i know it.
and one other thing..... sonny jr, if this all sounds a bit  gushing its not=
!=20
i have only spoken to sonny by email never met him or  even spoke with him o=
n=20
the phone and just from the emails i can tell he is  a straight up guy alway=
s=20
ready to discuss what you need about your amp or any  amp for that matter=20
over a year ago now i emailed him well before i even thought  about his four=
 ten=20
and he gave me a good bit of advice about stuff but i ignored  some of it an=
d=20
went down my own road to my own expense for all really that i  have discusse=
d=20
with sonny which has not been much he did tell me that reissues  are a=20
bottomless money pit...how bloody true i went onto fit a hoffman board kit =20=
in my=20
reissue bassman and heaps other stuff and although it was good it was  still=
=20
harsh, still stiff and just not agreeing with my ear so all i'm saying is  t=
his is=20
no big push for sonnys amps its my opinion on these matters how i  have=20
discovered stuff for myself and dealing with genuine folk so i hope this  he=
lps if=20
your considering a four ten just email for anything you want to know on  it=20
and if i can help i will i was tormented for too long about stuff like this=20=
 so=20
i can dig were you are coming from but remember an amp like the four ten is=20=
=20
for a dedicated player its an awesome amp that has to be heard to be believe=
d =20
but you gotta be able to play some.
=20
take it easy baby...but blow ya brains out ,
=20
ian 'harmonica mac'