Check it!

Sounds awesome, really clangy and nasty, sort of greasy sounding. The tremolo's not working properly, the speed control works, but there's no depth, it's barely noticeable. I opened it up and the optoisolator bulb seemed to be a little out of whack, so I sort of pushed it back into place, it's too late to fire it up and see if I've fixed it.

The reverb sounds a bit funny as well. Sort of "over driven" and super super trebly, if the reverb's up then it's piercing even with the treble rolled all the way back. Maybe the reverb driver tube needs replacing? I dunno.

Funny design in that the speaker cab is attached via a five pin cannon connector, and the reverb tank is inside the cab as well.

I'll throw some new power tubes in and give it a bias, and try and see if any of the other tubes need replacing, then I'll report back and let y'all know how it sounds. Maybe even make a video.

I have never seen one before....but, I like it!

It's Australian. I don't think we had any export models.

I like it too. i hope you do a video or at least an audio recording.

Looks beautiful. A video would be great!

Yeah baby. Looks like a rock 'n' roll machine. And you can play either lead or rhythm through it!

Approximate vintage?

Probably very late 60s or very early 70s. Got to crank it up at rehearsal, and well, it leaves a lot to be desired. Considering how clean the guts look inside I'm gonna replace the power tubes, give it a bias, and see what that does for it. Sounds liek the bias is out. I'll probably take the back off the cab as well, I'm not so keen on closed back cabs.

I don't think it's a bad sounding amp, it just sounds particularly unwell, which is normally something fixed easily.

The tremolo's improved vastly by moving the optoisolator closer to the LDR. Some reading I've done seems to suggest the two should actually be touching. I might try squeezing them closer together and maybe heat shrinking over the two to isolate them.

Here's the cab open. Someone's had a play around in there before, the leads to the reverb tank are new and the foam padding from around the tank is all messed up.

The speakers are dated october 1971.

Hey mate. You brought back some memories for me with this one. I'm in Adelaide South Oz. My first tube amp was a Lancer Strauss head (Aussie made 70s?) and a mate I went to school with bought a Sonola head and cab at the same time off an old Italian man who used to play Accordion through it. Classic. From memory his amp was crazy loud and a little gritty. Sort of cool. Hopefully you get it rockin' I think there's some fun to be had with this thing. As far as I know not real collectable, so you could easily mod it me thinks for the sound you want. Point to point wiring and good stuff like that makes it easy if you know how.
Enjoy :)

Full complement of new tubes on the way, picked up some new sockets for the power tubes as well (the ones in there are crummy). Will report further once the install/bias is done.

Hey there Pseudo Man,

have you still got your Sonola? What do you think of it? I recently aquired a Sonola 90 Bass and Rhythm Guitar Amp that is very similar but unfortunately it is not working. I took it to the guy that built these amps and apparently it has been significantly modded and will cost a bit for him to return to spec. He gave me a circuit diagram so I could do most of the work myself. Can you post a close up gut shot of particularly the underside of the power tranny and filter caps and the power valve sockets as apparently these are the modded areas on mine.

Do you live in Adelaide?

Thanks Rob

I think you ought to play 'Rumble' through that thing. Loud.