Sundown

Parent brand: 

product types: 

  • cabinets
  • solid state amplifiers
  • tube amplifiers
  • bass guitars
  • electric guitars

Information: 

Sundown amplifiers were made in the USA by Sundown Technology Inc. Sundown Technology also owned the Rocky brand. Sundown was founded in 1984 by Denis Kager,  his first Sundown Amplifier was designed as a combo with a 12" speaker that could produce a wide range of tube sounds, but was small enough to fit in a road case or put in a car. This amp was the first true discreet channel switching amp - previous dual channels layered circuits on top of each other. Kager got a patent for a biasing circuit that allowed it to be manually adjusted from 100 watts down to 15 by turning a dial (the RMS control). He also trademarked the amp's Governor circuit – a post-phase inverter compression circuit and Master Volume that could blend textures of overdrive.

In 1984, he got financial backing and an exclusive distribution deal with Hoshino U.S.A., who also marketed Ibanez guitars.Sundown developed other models, including a 50-watt version, popular with the Europeans market. Sundown amps were well-received by the press and players (John Scofield, Jan Hammer and James Burton used them), but the late ’80s, the market for high-end amps was shrinking and Kager decided to call it a day - selling his share of Sundown.

The Sundown brand is now owned by SHS International (circa 2017) who distribute budget Sundown ampliiers, guitars and basses.

Source: Denis Kager Vintage Guitar interview