Bill Noteman - Santa Rosa, CA

I started playing harp in 1966 and have gone through a vast array of amps from vintage to new boutique amps. I've played with mics and elements mixed and matched for years, always seeking the TONE. I recently decided to retire my 59 Bassman and searched for a new amp that would last the rest of my playing days; at 59 I figured I only wanted to buy one more.

I was introduced to the Sonny Jr 410, tried one here on the West coast. The tone, the impeccable craftsmanship and his eye for detail got my attention. I recently bought one from Sonny and am now in the process of learning all that she will do. I'll tell ya', I never thought anything could beat out ol’ Betty the Bassman, but I was wrong.

Sonny has put together an amp that drips with tone and drives like a 59 Cadillac. I've only just begun to hear what this amp can do and I sure like what I hear. He also sends out extra tubes so I can mix and match any mic I have to a specific room or venue giving ME the option to create my sound and feeling, whether the room is concrete and wood or carpet and drapery. If you're serious about blowing harp you owe it to yourself to check out one of Sonny Jr's 410's.

www.billnotemanrockets.com

http://www.myspace.com/billnotemanandtherockets 

Dave Harris – Maryland

Thanks for selling me that Sonny Jr. 410 amp. It is a masterpiece. I especially like the sound of it with the Dan-Echo pedal. I have tried a couple configurations and am still getting used to it. I think I like AU, AU, AT best.

I posted a sound file on my MySpace page. At the time I had it setup with AU, AU AX, and was using my Green Bullet with the Controlled Reluctance element. Please let me know what you think.

http://www.myspace.com/superdharris

Thomjon (Tommy) Borges                                                                                            Princeton, MA

Just got back from driving down to CT to see Gary and to pick up my new SJ410 amp. Before I even got to Gary's home I could hear the 410, no kidding! More projection than I have ever heard in any amp. Sweet, clean highs and absolutely thunderous lows. Like walking up to an old juke joint in the middle of a killer set —only no PA, no band, just the SJ410 blasting away with a truly killer tone. (Not to mention what a treat to hear Gary's chops. I must have learned a dozen new tricks just sitting with him for the hour I was there.)

The 410 is a beauty to behold. fit and finish is impeccable. Everything speaks to the quality and love that Gary puts into these babies. But this is no showpiece. Nor would it be happy sitting in some collector's room. This amp is born to rock hard without even breaking a sweat. Gary proceeded to give me just a little taste of what the 410 can do. Amazing! Thunderous! This amp must be felt to be believed! But this is not volume for loudness sake. The voicing here is very accurate. Everything you put into the baby comes out, but better. Stronger. Like it is on fire.

No amp will make a beginner sound like a pro, of course. And a great harp player (like the amazing Kim Wilson) would still sound amazing regardless of the amp they are playing through. I consider my self an intermediate player with about 10 years of searching for the "tone". I have been through countless amps on countless nights (with untold money spent) and have "heard that tone" on maybe a dozen of occasions. Within 10 minutes of playing the SJ40 I had the "tone", plus as much volume and projection as I (or anyone else) could ever need. In just 10 minutes! I can only imagine what this amp can do when I finally get familiar with it! My quest is over. Big sound, major tone, killer projection. NO FEEDBACK! This amp really does have it all.

But, what makes the SJ410 so amazing is Gary himself. Having spent only an hour with him, I already feel like I am a better harp player. He was a pleasure to deal with — an honest, straight-shooter who didn't try to sell me stuff I didn't need or bullshit me about why his amp is better. He's a craftsman who really cares about putting out the best he can. And he's a musician, like the rest of us. He's also an amazing wealth of knowledge and someone who you would do well to get to know.

Update: Just got in from playing at a late-night jam in Boston. The place was packed and by the time I got there the stage volume was already LOUD! Took one more set before I got up on stage — with two guitarists, keyboard, and three horns. (A harp player's nightmare for sure. Have been in this sort of situation before and normally would have been drowned out of the mix even with micing my amp.) From the first few notes I blew, everything was different. Not only could I hear myself — everyone else in the club could as well. I could see the guitarists looking at each other. (Guess they never actually "heard" a harp!) Even when they turned up (as they always do) the SJ410 cut thru; singing and rumbling like some evil angel. Even with the horns blasting on one side and both guitarists on the other I was able to stand my ground — hearing ever note: thunderous (to be sure)but never distorted! It was a singular experience. And after only owning the SJ410 for less than 12 hours.

All I can say is: thank you, Gary!

Mike Brouse

This ain't anything you haven't already heard a thousand times, but I'm writing you anyway. 

Today I finally had the chance to put the 410 to the test, jamming with a group of hard-core blues musicians who like their music LOUD (I have to wear earplugs to keep my head from splitting).  The 410 tone monster came through with rave reviews from every one of them.  It's the first time playing with these guys that I've ever been able to hear all of the notes I'm blowing (the 410 volume wasn't even cranked up close to max).  And, absolutely no feedback.  Nada.  Zip. Nuttin.  It was amazing--and what a stress reliever! 

The 410 is worthy of being touted as a lifetime investment.  Yeah, it might be expensive, but I'll tell you what, I could have saved myself that much money--and more (not to mention time and frustration)--if I had just bought it in the first place instead of trying all kinds of other amps and tone gizmos.  Live and learn.  Then again, I consider myself lucky that I finally just decided to take a chance, bite the bullet and buy the 410.  So, this is my way of saying "THANK YOU". 

Tim Graves - Spring, TX

I really appreciate your getting the amp to me so quickly. Tried it out Wednesday night, and I must say I am a true believer. I don't think I could ever play through anything else!!

The gig went over extremely well and I even had a couple of people try to buy the amp. I laughed and told them to contact you.

Thanks again for a truly great amp.

Sugar Ray Norcia - Blues Review, Feb/Mar 2006

To have a harp player build you an amp is a great thing. Getting it right while avoiding feedback is a problem for many players. I'm not a technician; I don't know about the configuration, about the tubes, wiring, and speakers. That has a lot to do with tone and feedback. Sonny has done hours and hours of experimenting and has come up with a damn good amp.

Just let you know my Sonny Four-Ten is being put to great use here in Australia helping to launch the new CD of Australia’s very own high priests of roots rock and roll, The Detonators. www.detonators.com.au

Your amp is now traveling around Australia as they blast out great songs from their new CD Top Night Out. Lead singer and harp player, Rock Bottom James, looks like a kid with a new toy and sounds better than ever!

We all agree, your Four-Ten is the beez neez of amps.

Sonny, I just wanted say that your gear knowledge is fascinating to me! Back in July you built a custom Turner 250 mic for me, but because I was traveling, I hadn’t had much of a chance to dial it in with my SJ410. With your assistance, I have now found the setup I like. A year ago I was working with you trying to modify my RI Bassman and 520DX set up, and now I'm using your amp and mic. I know I've made the right decision purchasing these two items from you and just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your assistance.

Got my Sonny Jr Four-Ten today and used it on my gig tonight. This was a duo gig, small room, low volume required. I called Gary and he advised a tube substitution to reduce gain, which I did.

I couldn't be more delighted with this amp! I never had it turned up past 2 tonight, so I still haven't really heard what it can do at the volume it was designed to be played at. But my God this is a great amp! It is warm, extremely responsive, and the way it breaks up at 2...I just couldn't
believe it. I was able to play things, more subtle things, stuff I just couldn't do with my Bassman RI at any volume. It was flat out inspiring.

Several years ago one of my bands opened for Anson Funderburg,and I was fortunate enough to get the chance to play thru Sam Meyer's rig--two original 59 Bassmans linked together. Ladies and gentlemen, I may catch flak for saying this, but I really think the Sonny Four-Ten is better than that.

My brother, who is my music partner, was floored by the way the amp sounded; it inspired him to play better, too. This is flat out the best amp I've ever played through...it is worth every cent. If you've been thinking about buying one...well, all I can say is buy it!  I have no affiliation, but everything Sonny says about it is true; in fact, he really doesn't say exactly how good it really is.

 

Stan Ruffo - San Francisco, CA

I can't really add much to what people all ready say about you and your dedication to what you bring to harp players around the world in the way of "tools of the trade", personalized service, and your no BS, professional way of doing business.  The SJ410, (a true work of art in every respect), which I have had now for almost six months, stands heads and shoulders above any other amp I've ever played through, (too many to count).

I'm not telling you anything you don't all ready know, but I will share with you what I DON'T like about this amp...In a word NOTHING! I love everything about this amp.  From the moment I unpacked the carton, (unbelievable packing job), to just standing there looking at it, (drop-dead gorgeous), to bringing it to life and hearing for the very first time how a real harp amp is supposed to sound, to the countless hours I've enjoyed hearing the golden sound pour out of this amp, I have viewed the SJ410 as a masterpiece!

My experience with this SJ410 has brought me to the conclusion, that this amp is capable of more than tone, or even tones...It's capable of moods.  It's like you can get moods out of the amp by simply changing the EQ on the amp.  Not to mention if you make pre-amp tube swaps, you wind up with completely different sounds.  So much so, that you can’t help but to wonder if you’re not plugged into an entirely different amp.  While I have tried several tube setups, I have become very partial to the AU7 –  AU7 – AX7 setup.  I've also have tried running effects, such as reverb or delay, (which with other amps in the past I felt was a necessity).  But frankly, I use this amp with either a stock, (but pretty hot), crystal JT30, or a CR in a biscuit, (neither of which have a volume control), straight into the amp, about 90% of the time.  And I flat LOVE what I hear come out of the speakers at all volumes and in any setting!

My advice to any harp player who simply wants to save time, money, and effort in search of the right amp...Buy an SJ410. In my opinion, it is every amp you could ask for...all in one package!

Thank you for all your efforts through the many years you worked to bring the SJ410 to harp players everywhere and most of all thank you for building my SJ410

Wolfgang Oettjen - Germany: Oettjen@t-online.de

It’s so fantastic how it reacts, just changing the treble or middle a bit up or down, and I have not even begun to experiment with tubes! Same with the presence control and normal and bright volumes, bridged or not. Wonderful! It makes so much fun playing harp since I have the 410, and the most important thing is for me to become a better harp player. The better the player, the better the amp, not the other way around.

Mike Ferrarra:  swampthang@verizon.net

I've seen GOD, he was wrapped in tweed and packing 4 10s I played about 3 hours thru it and was simply amazed. With just a few little adjustments, the overtones and colors that were coming out floored me, (I haven’t even begun to start finding out what it is capable of). The guys were very impressed and want to know when the guitar amps are coming out. The first thing I noticed is how very little I have to push to get projection and tone. I will definitely have to change my attack. I can’t believe how this thing sounds. I always thought my other amp sounded good, but there is no comparison. You are truly a genius. Again thanks for your time and such a great amp. I have a gig tomorrow night and can’t wait. Well I gotta' go find a buyer for my other amp.                                                               

Corrin - NY  cdion@myway.com

I took the amp to my job as the warehouse is empty, and was able to fool around with the settings. I did not try swapping tubes as I want to get a feel for the amp first. Man!! It’s something!! Incredible body and tone, and when you bridge the channels it goes into another dimension. The punch at a low setting is incredible. WOW!! Really without comparison to anything else I have owned. I thank you for the work you put into this and your extremely friendly personality. You have class and it was a pleasure meeting you and Kay also. Best regards.

RJ Parker - Va. rjparker1213@cox.net

On New Year’s Eve I put my new Sonny Jr 410 to my biggest test yet. Folks paid good money dine, dance and hear our band, so it had to sound as good as we could make is sound. I used the amp to play every style of music, and got a standing “O” doing Rod’s Rockin’ Robin.  I have now used the amp in many various settings. In the latter I needed an amp that would cut through the wall over juiced up guitar players. The 410 was up to the task and delivered just the tone and volume control that I needed. The other musicians remarked on how good the amp sounded, they never made comments like that before. It feels good to know you are playing through the best equipment available anywhere. Keep up your commitment to excellence.

Ronald Parker: The Lost-then-Found Band
 

Ted -Texas: mhornbarge@aol.com 

The 410 opens unimagined doors for the blues harp player. I believe it is the ultimate expression of the perfect amp for harp. The guitar players who have tried it sounded equally awesome. I’ve been more and more inspired to learn every nuance of my favorite players styles and to develop my own.
 

Antonello - Italy: Antoblues@libero.it

The amp is great, I wish I had the time to play it more often ... I live in an apartment so the opportunities for using it at his best are limited to rehearsal or gigs, which means 2-3 hours per week. I keep using the original setting ... no change of tube yet, so far have not needed to.

The musicians that approach me in clubs usually notice the amp, according to everybody now my harmonica has a great sound ... I've heard and read so many times that the tone has to come from the player ... the amp gives you only a 10% .... I believe it is true for a pro, a great amp can only add a 10% to his tone, but when it comes to amateurs is different. This amp improved my sound at least twice! And since I hear every single note I play and I hear it LOUD, I am more confident and am also improving my natural tone ... at least this is the impression I have. This is one of the concepts I'd like to pass along to any thinking about purchasing the amp. It is well worth the investment.

Doc Malone - Indiana

The Sonny Jr 410 arrived very securely packed. It looked just beautiful out of the box, with a very solid feel. In a few easy minutes I went from sounding like a rank amateur to a booming monster tone-meister. The instructional manual is very helpful, with the enclosed tubes allowing for multiple volume and tonal possibilities. The tonal range is outstanding. It is possible to dial in settings that allow the amp to really cut through and project your harp playing. The bass response is outstanding; the tone breaks up nicely at higher volumes also. The amplifier has responded well with a wide variety of microphones, and I am looking forward to exploring the potential that the Sonny Jr. has opened for my amplified harp playing.

Code Blue  www.codebluegrooves.com
rmalone@sipdocs.com
 

Barry Earnes - UK, guitar player  barry.earnes@ntlworld.com 

Had it nearly 1 week, this amp can really rock n roll, blues tone is to die for without even using any pedals. True articulate notes when playing single notes makes you play more responsively as now you can hear every single note. The chords blend really well and full. There is nothing I would change as far as tone, it hits the nail right on the head, good old style blues amp with a bit of extra treble bite when needed.
 

Greg Heumann - California:

I’ve played a lot of amps including a handful of “custom harp amps”. Most could only be dialed in to play at a specific volume with a specific level of drive from the harp – and even then the sound was often not pleasing. The Sonny Jr 410 however is in a league by itself. It has a beautiful, warm tone with outstanding bass response at a  wide range of volume settings, and across a wide range of playing styles. Play clean, you could be playing through the PA. Fill quietly, the audience will still hear you. Then lean on your tongue-slappin, fully cupped, bent 2-3 chord and listen to the amp respond with that great professional Chicago sound. Beautiful! I feel like the amp is always on my side, not working against me. It gives me so much more expressive freedom. I have received more compliments and been approached to join more bands since I started using the Sonny Jr. than ever before. The audience loves the sound. And it sure looks great too. Thank you.

Greg@heumann.com    * At the time of the review Greg was making a great custom inline volume control adapter for your vintage mics.

David Brown - Chicago  dbrown@exhibitsourceinc.com  

Hey Sonny, I’ve had the amp for a couple of months now and wanted to drop you a line or two. I’m not going to write a review that reiterates what has been written in the past. It’s all true. The amp is astounding. Actually, it should be called “amplifiers”, in the plural, for as many different sounds and tones as I’ve been able to pull out of it so far.

I bought the earlier SJ2 (without trying it out) purely on what I had read about you, the attitude you have towards your work (and life), and why you began creating amps in the first place. That’s all that mattered to me, and that’s still all that matter to me. You do this because of a passion and drive that is not born from greed, but rather a desire to create the best. This is an increasingly rare quality these days, as an appreciation for quality, skill, and craft is disappearing.

When I decided to buy a 410 from you I didn’t need to hear it or try it before hand, as I know you built it to satisfy yourself, and having already owned a SJ2, I didn’t question either the SJ410’s quality nor the satisfaction I knew it would give me. Your standards are more than enough for me. The faith was well rewarded, the amp is all I’ll ever need, is it unbelievable.

Most harmonica players see your amps as the best amplifier they can possibly hope to own. As a fellow harp player (and owner) I share their views….but I also appreciate them in the same way as I do a 58 Corvette, a brilliantly performed piece of music, a great painting, or a good day spent with the family.

I have spent most of my 42 years with a similar passion for the fine arts. I have a BFA and MFA from the School of the Art Institute in Chicago and have been fortunate enough to exhibit work around the world and still make enough of a living to take care of the family. I have always pursued knowledge and explored the creative process not for the gain it would afford me monetarily, but rather for the richness it would bring to my appreciation of something I feel a great passion for. That is why I don’t view you as simply a maker of amplifiers but rather as an artist whose artwork happens to be amplifiers.
 

Veli-Pekka - Finland

SJ....I've spent some 10 hours with the amp now and I thought I'd give you my first impressions about this amp. Like I've told you, I've played harp for some 10 years and I'm an amateur harp player but I know something about sound and tone partly because I've played woodwinds for 25 years and make my living doing that. I know you have spent years, probably decades developing this amp so take my opinions the right way, coming from an amateur player.

I think the greatest thing about this amp is that it has a sound of its own; there is character or personality in the sound. It is actually the only amp I've played that has this quality; other ones I've played have had more or less factory sound. Character in sound is a sign of a great instrument to me, it sounds like handmade HARP amp like it is.

Another great thing about this amp is that the tone is perfectly balanced, the blend is just right. Bass, middles and highs come out in perfect balance and the sound is thick and rich. Great bass response and middle, presence and treble controls give it more cut if needed.

I really like the patch cord option; I think the sound is bigger and fuller when both Normal and Bright channels are in use. I've tried some preamp tube swaps as recommended in the booklet (lots of good information in there) and I've experimented with the controls. Lots of possibilities with this amp, it takes time to find out all the sounds it can produce.

I've tried all my mics with it and the Turner with CM element has the best sound, my other mics don't come even close. The ceramic element I got from you I put in my Blues Blaster and it works well, better than my crystal elements but the Turner is no.1. I really like it... deep, thick, warm and a dirty sound. 

 With my band, on one tune the guitar player said that this is the best sounding amp he has ever heard on harp (even named one "name" player here and said I have better sound now!). I agreed. He plays through Mesa Boogie on guitar and I think he was a bit jealous too. For a reason!

Thanks for everything, SJ. You have a great product and customer service. I'll recommend your services to everybody looking for an amp here in Finland.

Rob Hager:  Robhager@aol.com

Hi Sonny, I received the Four Ten yesterday as scheduled. I opened up the box and was immediately impressed by the build quality. I also play guitar and have used many different amps over the years, and yours is absolutely one of the best built amps I have ever seen. I fired it up, and trying your suggested settings, was instantly greeted with “The Tone”. I have been using one of your Sonny Jr 2’s for the last few years and thought it was a great sounding amp, but you have definitely taken it to another level with the Four Ten. I hear and read all kinds of hype about amps such as “this is the ultimate amp” and “this is the Holy Grail”, but when you play through one it is usually a very different story. With the Four Ten it is exactly as you advertise. It has The Tone. I can’t wait to use it on my next gig, and will give more updates as I gig more with it. I appreciate all the time and effort you have put into these amps to help the rest of us harp players attain The Tone. Thank You.

Rob Hager
From: Ron Tuffel, Harp player and radio host, Luxembourgh
ron.tuffel@education.lu

It is humbling to record such reviews, each individual has their own way of expressing their experience and joy. Thank you Ron.
 

Below are Ron's thoughts:

"Sonny Jr., Gary Onofrio, the musician, the creator of the break through amplifier of all time in harmonica history... the man.

All the articles, emails, and comments dropped in harmonica links all over the world refer to this guy called Sonny Jr. If you are fortunate enough to know the music of the harmonica legend Sonny Terry, and then get a chance to hear Sonny Jr., you know that you are soaking up a portion of American folklore and history. The styles of the two men run obviously parallel. Sonny Jr. can give you the note for note renditions of Terry’s music as well as embellish on it and give it a Sonny Jr. Twist.

The comments, suggestions and observations about Sonny Jr. normally do not refer to his incredible harp play; instead they refer to his development of a line of specially designed amplifiers with harmonica specifically intended. The amplifier researched, designed, modified, and produced for harmonica by a true harmonica player.        

I have played harp for over forty years and have played at every level the music world and industry has created. After reading his website, articles on the net, links, and comments in harmonica forums, I decided to find some additional information about this man. I researched, spoke to him by phone, and had enormous correspondence with him via email also.

Anyone who owns a Sonny Jr. made amp, has played one, heard them, researched them, etc. knows that hands down the amp is the most amazing achievement in harmonica amp history. Versatility is one of the true defining measures in any special item, be it machine or man. The Sonny Jr. 410 defines that. It has tone, power, projection, limits the possibility of feedback, everything you would want in an amp."

-------------

Note from Sonny Jr.

Ron went into detail of his personal interactions with me and is quite eloquent with his words. I am truly blessed to have the gift to make others happy, whether it is with an amp or playing music. This is not taken lightly, and I will give each and every person the one-on-one attention they deserve as a supporter of my company. We all have our trials and tribulations, and it is the great people like Ron and so many of my harp friends who have carried me through some very trying physical times. Thank you all.   
 

Well, I've bought three Sonny Jr. amps now. The SJ1 was very, very good. The SJ2 was better. And the Sonny Jr. 4x10 is the best amp I've ever encountered. Period.

It has three very strong qualities: Tone, construction and beauty.

This amp projects a clarity of tone that I've never experienced before. When you play with a loud band and you want to be heard, the solution is cut and projection - not just more wattage. This is particularly true when playing harp. (IMHO) This amp cuts like nothing I've ever played before. At times during my last gig, playing my SJ 4x10 rig, I could actually hear my breath between notes on runs I was playing. Wow. And this is with a geetar player using a 4X12 Marshall outfit, a big Carvin 1x15 bass rig and a thunderous drummer. And when we played quiet ballads, I turned my amp volume down and came up with the presence, treble and bass. Now I have a full, thick tone at low volumes. Sweet. This is a very, very responsive amp capable of delivering a monstrous tone.

If you've ever owned a Sonny Jr. amp, then I don't need to wax poetic about the construction - but If you haven't, just let me tell you that these amps are beautifully built. If there's an amp out there that is built as well as my SJ 4x10 - I've never seen it. And I've seen LOTS of amps.

Finally, the cosmetics: Drop Dead Gorgeous. The most beautiful lacquered tweed I've ever seen. I really think Sonny Jr. has come up with a masterpiece here. Sonny, thank you very much for making this amp available.

One last word; When our bass player first saw my beautiful rig up there on the stage he asked me: "Is that amp old, or is it new"? I said; "Yes".

John J. Dziewit

The Sonny Jr. 4 x 10 is it, for me.

The quest for tone for the harmonica can be a long and disappointing journey. For the past 17 years I've owned a variety of amplifiers. The list includes Fender Twin, (65), Fender Pro (51), Gibson RVT (61), Holland Westy, Hurricane, Original and reissue 59 Bassmans, Reverend Hellhound, Ampeg, Fender Virbroverb (64 reissue), Harmony (63), and probably some others. Everyone of these amps had certain characteristics that were appealing but none had the entire package.

I had the opportunity to play through an original Sonny Jr. 1 amplifier and I was very impressed with the overall quality of the sound. I went to his website and read the reviews from a variety of professionals and I purchased a Sonny Jr. 4 x 10. I think an essential and very important quality for Sonny and the consumer is the accountability that Sonny and the amp convey. Personally, an amplifier is like a partner. It's with you when you can be most vulnerable, when you take risks, when you want to make a statement, and when you want to communicate something significant. The Sonny Jr. 4 x 10 is all of that and more.

How about sound? WOW !!! I've never heard anything like it. I think one of the significant aspects of the amp is the ability to bias the two power tubes. It's no different than a high performance engine, if its not in tune, its performance can be compromised. The biasing allows the musician to prepare for the best sound possible. The ease and flexibility of changing the preamp tubes is astounding. I have obtained several unique and classic sounds by merely rearranging the tubes. The sound, again I'm being redundant, but I could easily play for hours on end but I have a wife, two children, job, and other responsibilities.

This amp is mesmerizing. I recently played where the type of music was blues and jazz. I played some Celtic jigs, reels, and hornpipes and the sound was better than my Bozeman. It's a strange feeling not to be seeking the holy grail of amplifiers. I enjoyed the quest and I guess I didn't anticipate finding "that amp". It is an emotional adjustment to just relax, anticipate and look forward to the extraordinary sound, and to know that I finally have the amplifier of my reality.

Finally the support and recommendations I received from Sonny were equal to the quality of his work. Any questions I had were answered within minutes. The amp came with a professional booklet depicting the specifications and recommendations for settings. The section on biasing was clear and comprehensive. If you don't want to lose that feeling of where is the ultimate amplifier for harmonica, don't buy the Sonny Jr. If you do buy it, your sound will be conveyed like you have never imagined.
 

David Barrett

President, Harmonica Masterclass Co.
"Leader in Blues Harmonica Education"
www.harmonicamasterclass.com
Founder/Director, School of the Blues
www.schooloftheblues.com
Author, Mel Bay Publications & Blues Revue Magazine
www.harmonicamasterclass.com/books.htm & www.bluesrevue.com

Phone: 877-427-7252 / Fax: 408-224-2938
Mail: PO Box 1723, Morgan Hill, CA 95038
 

The Sonny Jr. Four Ten is the ultimate killer harp amp. It smokes everything I've ever played through, even my SJ2. This amp has drippy, fat, full tone at all levels. The bridged bright and normal channels provide the most soul pleasing cut I've ever heard. I'm looking forward to playing out with it and being heard in the back of the room and over the guitar egos. Customer satisfaction: is number one for Sonny. This is the third amp he's built for me...that says a lot. Hey, that deep honey lacquer is too cool too. Thank you Sonny for putting all the time and all those great parts in my amp. I've finally found "The Sound" through my new awesome SJ 410.
 

I own and play six Sonny Junior Amps of various wattage levels and speaker configurations. I played the SJII for three years, and had never played an amp with such rich response and tone, from Low Eb to High G. This past summer I purchased a Sonny Junior Four-Ten. After one gig with this remarkable amp, I ordered another one.

This amp surpasses any amp I have ever used. As I have heard many times from both audience members and musicians: the tone is big, fat, and smoky and simply shames other amps. From my side of the stage, I can say that NO amp has every reproduced the breath patterns and all of the natural tones and overtones of the harp as well as the Four-Ten amp. The tonal (and articulation) palette is limited by only your imagination.

Once again, Sonny has created an amp that has fat bottom, warm highs, breaks up extraordinarily well (in all registers), doesn’t mush out on fast lines, and brings to your ears the sweetest harmonica tone you will ever hear. Backing rhythm through this amp brings to mind a big, fat Leslie organ. Syncopated, choppy breath patterns through this amp will blow your mind! You will be able to create and amplify chops that were never possible through the usual, run-of-the-mill harp amps.

The Four-Ten amp, by the way, responds favorably with all of the different types of microphones (Crystal, CR, CM, Dynamic) I have used thus far. Recently, my two year old son tipped my Four-Ten amp over onto a tile floor. I was reluctant to power it up after the fall. The amp turned on and was then used on three gigs on consecutive nights without a single problem on the stage. Sonny’s quality control (and customer service) are the tip of the top.

Oh, and before I forget: the guitars players cannot over-power you (without hurting the audience)! This amp has more balls and cut--with incredibly fat harp tone--than any amp you have used before or will ever use again.

Sonny Junior is the harp-amp man, and the Four-Ten is the harp amp that will get you off the harp amp merry-go-round and get you down to your business with the Blues.
 

I don’t want to tell you anything about how this amp is made and what features it has, because you can read all about that on Sonny's homepage! It’s a beauty, hand built with only first class components. I got mine with a vintage brown cover…it’s a must!

I’ve have used a bunch of “harp”-amps as the Kinder Harp King, SJ#1, SJ#2, Custom Bassman RI, 55’ Bassman, Harmony amps, Masco amps, Premier amps and many more, but so far nothing has satisfied me as much the new Sonny Jr. “Four Ten”. It’s the best money I ever spend on an amp, though the SJ1/SJ2 were good! I’m going to sell most of my “big” amps now. I will keep and play this amp for the rest of my life.

The amp tone is killer with great breakup. It sounds super with/without tongue blocking and it’s possible to dial in the amp or set up the tube-combinations, so it's perfect to your own special tone and taste. You can pretty easy get that sought for fat “Chicago sound” if you want, with lots of kick and warm distortion. By bridging the channels or by changing the preamp tubes you can also get a more innovative sound. Sonny supplies some tubes so you can experiment...it takes weeks to try all combinations and is a lot of fun...I keep finding out new things about this baby! The amp is unbelievable easy to play and sounds great with all kinds of mikes. Ceramics, crystals, CR, CM, just take a pick. Other amps have often only one good combination of mike/amp. The amp sounds real great at low vol. too! (then I use strong mikes)

As with all amps…you have to be able play and have a good tone to make it work. But I must admit this amp makes it easier, as you don’t have to hold the mike in a special hard closed way or stress and compress you natural tone to make it sound like you want. When you play softly it sounds sweet and mellow and when you play real hard you can get it to sound like a thunderous beast! Yes….Sonny has really done his homework to A++++ this time, and brought all of his harp amp knowledge into this thing.

I have no experience with it's reliability as I only have had it for a month now. But I've owned a SJ1 and still have a SJ2 build by Sonny - and the two SJ-amps has never let me down. Not true....... I've had one breakdown in the rehearsal room and I called Sonny right away - he was very concerned and helpful, and it turned out just to be a bad preamp tube I put in myself. Nothing was wrong with the amp!

The cost of the amp plus shipment and customs adds up, but it’s worth it and in a way it's cheap because you never have to change amps again!. A Bassman RI is even more expensive here in Denmark and you can't compare these amps at all! Sonny gives you the best service you can think of! He is a great honest guy and these babies are his pride and joy!
 

I drove to Sonny's in Connecticut to sample firsthand the new Sonny Jr. Four-Ten. Gary took the time to answer all my questions and fully demo and dial in the amp. We went through various preamp tube combinations, channel bridging, volume, presence and tone control settings. I tried it with different mics, and worked with harps of various keys (low F, A, Bb and high F). I marveled as Gary played some Sonny Terry-inspired thick Chicago licks. I watched him adjust the variable bias on the amp.

I even sat in the kitchen with Gary and Kay and ate some delicious spicy jambalaya while sealing the deal. The purchase process was great. I drove home with #2 in my trunk.

The amp itself is a thing of beauty. The best materials, from the all important NOS oil/paper capacitors, NOS tubes, hand wired chassis, correct transformers, mix of Eminence and Weber speakers, and beautifully lacquered tweed covered pine cabinet, combine to make the best sounding 4x10 amp I've ever played through.

The stage sound is full, deep, and rich, with nice cut and edge. You can feel the lows and hear rich mids and sweet highs that cut without brittleness. The sound and tone have a 'too tall to get over, too wide to get around' flavor on stage and in the house. In the 5 different venues I've gigged in the last month, I've gotten compliments from band mates and audiences alike. Using a wireless, I've checked my sound in the audience and been very pleased. The Sonny Jr. Four-Ten is the big stage amp I wanted - it's got all the volume, all the tone and none of the feedback. I can hear it on stage and don't need to mic the amp.

Thanks Gary. You obviously know tone and have been working with amps to get it right.

Steve Mroz

Well, the amp was unpacked this weekend and given its test. To begin with, I must say it's the most handsome amp I've ever seen. Corners as I suggested would certainly have done it an injustice. Remarkable and outstanding quality and workmanship and that's an understatement. I set it up as recommended and hooked an Electro Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man (analog delay/echo box) to it. The sound is without a doubt the holy grail of all harp amps. What amazing power and crunch and the tone of all tones. As I heard in a movie once - Who waaahhhh!!!!

I don't know what else to say other than thanks for building this great harp amp and putting such thought, effort and hard work into what it takes to make the perfect amp for us harp players.

Much success to you Sonny!
 

The SJ 4/10 is a true instrument in it self the tonal colours are absolutely amazing. It has all the best qualities of my small recording amps. On stage this amp is very loud before feedback but with all kinds of tonal variations even at very high volume with no feedback issues. You will definitely hear all of your technique with this amp; nothing is covered up so it actually gives you all kinds of versatility even before you touch the tone controls. If you're serious about your tools don't let this amp go untested. It could very well be the last amp you ever purchase.
 

The amp and I are getting along fine now. I've gigged with it a couple of times and I use it for rehearsals weekly.

It took me a little while getting used to this killer amp, but after some tube experiments I have found a setup that suits me just fine. (AT, AX, AY??!!) Still., lots of headroom. And thinking of trying out other combinations, just for the hell of it.

In retrospect. the initial feedback issues I had, had nothing to do with the Four Ten or my cupping but were simply the result of the amp being squeezed in between two heavy guitar amps, going full blast, and me standing in front of these, nowhere to run, my mic picking up all this unwanted input. I gigged a couple of times with more room on stage, being able to keep my amp out of the melee of the guitar player. Then could turn it up, no problem. Loud, fat and with great definition. Standing close to it you can feel the floor reverberate with its power. A new experience for me.

The mike works dandy too, by the way.
Ruurd
 

I bought a 4-10 amp off you about 4-5 months ago and since it arrived I have been in tone nirvana. I cannot get over how this baby roars and cuts through everything. It is the best amp I have ever played and owned and is worth every penny. Where ever I go I get comments on how good the harp sounds and how my 4-10 is. It took me a while to get used to the characteristics of the amp but once I did there was no stopping me. So I would like to congratulate you on a truly classic harp amp. 

The amp is sensational. We've tried lots of tube changes and played around with it quite a bit. the 12au7,12au7,12at7 setup works great for our practice area. Haven't been able to try it flat out yet but I suspect this setup will work fine. 

Man what a guitar amp this thing is....with the 2 channels bridged it nearly punched my eyeballs out. Just fantastic! Congratulations on a great amp. Kevin absolutely couldn't be happier. We also set up a small pignose as a pre-amp into the big amp to get a nice fat tone at the fairly low volume we have to practice at--works great.

Once again thank you very much--apart from everything else is the best QUALITY amp I've seen

First off, the 4-10 is a dream. The tone is beyond what I expected it to be. I found out I'm not playing near as precise as I thought I was. It picks up even the smallest bleed of notes when I'm trying to play single notes. But on the other hand, when I do this on purpose, it so sweet to hear. The amp has definitely made me change my technique when playing amped. So I tip my hat to you on creating such a wonderful piece of hardware. And to my wife for letting me own one. :-)
 

Ian 'Harmonica Mac'
www.thegroovecats.20m.com

I don't think anything could affect the four ten like the heavy bottom end of an upright.

Yes the four ten for me cuts through well it really is a tidal wave of sound as described. I play in a traditional Chicago band that does a lot west coast & jazz type groove stuff so we are not too loud if a crowd wants to hear us then they just have to move closer. My guitarist has a 30 watt Victoria double deluxe and I feel the four ten is the most professional sound I have had.

Before that I was using a Bassman RI with a Hoffman board fitted pretty good sound, good tone but compare it to the four ten and its not great and way to harsh seriously I can get that big fat tones like the Walters to a William Clarke sound on my chromatics BIG FAT & BEEFY reissues are bottomless money pit believe me.

Here is what I think for what it's worth. The solid pine cab amazing piece of work you don't really need reverb with this if your chops are together and you can project your playing. The circuit is the secret in the chain of this amp its a labour of love its 100% right its all the best parts of a real 59 Bassman & all Sonny Jr's ideas for what a harp player would need.

The speakers....WOWEEE.... this I think is a big part of it I'm getting great response from my midrange and high end playing and the bottom end is HUGE. No joking.

The tube set up is great I thought different at first but as soon as I put the amp in a full band situation I can honestly say the amp jumped into life what I heard in the house was different but in a large dead sound room the four ten became a big tone amp.

Overall so far I've discovered about three different ways to use my four ten for different tones this is a very versatile amp I'm sure I will get much more out of it also I have a kinder AFB+ box which turns my four ten into an absolute tone monster it is a magical combination.

With the four ten came a patch lead, whole set of replacement paper and oil caps, a whole set of replacement power tubes and rectifier, and an assortment of pre amps for tube changing you also get an instruction book that for a change tells you in plain terms what your amp and its parts do the books a good wee eye opener, and then there's Sonny Jr just ask him and he tells you he is very straight forward,  no bullshit. He said the four ten is about the best out there and yep it is, he always answers your emails, he 100% follows through for you no worries.

I showed my four ten to a very well respected amp tech here in Scotland at the weekend and he said that it was one of the finest amps he had seen in 35 years and at just over $2000 was a bargain with all the extras and the workmanship was excellent and fender could learn a lot from an amp like this!
 

Ian

Benny - the Midwest:

Well, I need the 410: I played Westside Andy's last night, and the amp is it!!  Even though he has
set-up for a cleaner tone, it still has that big honk.   

sales@usedrockgear.com

 Just a note to say, it's been a month or two that I've been using the 4/10. I love the tone more and more each time I play. That bridge from the bright to normal was just the sound I wanted. I was lucky enough to hear the masters in my time and caught Muddy, Wolf, Jr. Wells, Paul Butterfield, and many others, and so I knew what tone I was wanting.....this amp does this and better. Thanks again.

I've now owned this amp for a few weeks and am just now starting to realize the possibilities with the different preamp tubes that are supplied as part of the package.  And forget about feedback. I can crank this amp in my small practice room with no problem at all. The tone is great, it's incredibly well constructed and a thing of
beauty.

In short, I highly recommend this amp.  And Sonny Jr is always available to answer any questions you have about his product and is very helpful.

You can add me to the list of satisfied customers....  very happy.... played at a bar on Sunday and that was the first chance I had to use the amp.

Hopefully over the next few weeks I will try the different settings and learn a little more about the amp....and I look forward to the experimentation.

After I played on the phone and you pointed out that I was playing from my lips and front of my mouth.  I kinda' realized it was time for me to meet the challenge (that I had set for myself) to develop playing from the diaphragm and using the resonating chambers (throat, mouth and lungs ) that we can utilize. I knew some stuff about that but never choose to make it a priority. I now know that in order to get great tone, using a resonating chamber is essential..... so thanks for lighting the fire.

Once again I want to thank you for going above normal expectations in your assistance to me.

John - John's Music - Hilton Head Island, S.C.

Update......I used my 410 for the first actual playing out gig of the year Saturday. It was at a local Yacht Club, 50-60 people. The amp performed wonderfully and I love it. The interesting thing is that I also play mandolin and took my 8 string electric mandolin to use. I plugged my wireless rig into the Four-Ten and played my Jt-30 on the harp songs, but switched my wireless to the mandolin on the mando songs and played right through the Four-Ten on the same setting and it sounded awesome! Thought that you might get a kick out of that. We play everything--Hank to Hendrix and everything in between--so I love my amp being so versatile.

Mike - Gainsville , FL

Just a note to tell you that I always get good comments on tone with the 410.  Last night several harp players (experienced) and I were at a gig where I had brought the 410 to sit in.  All commented on the great tone.  Of course, the tone is not just the amp but it sure helps.  I still haven't had time to work the tubes and all of that, but one day I will and who knows what it will sound like.  I enjoy only having to turn the volume to 2 or 2 1/2 to cut through everything.  I originally was using a Shure 545 which seemed much hotter than the other mics I had (GB, Ruskin, JT-30, etc.).  However, I came across a cherry picked JT-30 which is just as hot as the Shure and, of course, is easier to hold than the pistol with the base.  The amp projects well into the crowd as you know.  I've been running it with a BOSS DM2 pedal, and I use the bridge between channels that you provided. 

John - UK

Thanks again for the fast delivery. The amp sounds great. Just one question, do you sell the Bias Tool?  Thanks again for the last I'll ever have to buy. The tone is incredible.

Ari Hulkkonen - Finland  

Gary , first tones blown. So far everything seems as good or better than what I expected.

As I wanted to see how it works, I put the AX in front to get more gain and AU at the end (inverter) to calm it down. This worked fine, got much more punch and I can now easily push the amp to distortion and control the dynamics with my playing starting from a clean almost acoustic harp sound to very thick singing distorted tone.

Very little feedback if not at all, very very good!!!. I can turn volume all the way up to any level I ever need. Huge bottom end! I did not have time to really search the TONE but it seems all elements are there. The tonal adventure continues ;)

Your service is exceptionally good.  Please take this as a word from an honest and simple (blues?) man from the Arctic Circle .  Believe me, I have been dealing with many companies and persons in world. This is not standard; it's way beyond.