Double Bass Walter Woods advice

[redtomfunk]

Hi,
I am looking to buy a Walter Woods amp.
I have a Fuchs FBS 700 but am a little unsure that it actually represents faithfully a Walter Woods amp.
I am planning to use it with double bass. I play also bass but I have other options when it comes to electric bass amplification.
I´d like to ask experts in the matter what do they think of the different options I have.

Options follow…

 

[redtomfunk]

Option 1

WW MI-400 (1991)
Not used much in the last 10 years. Bought in 1993 from the second owner. All pots changed a couple of times. 8 electronic components as well as the on/off switch have been changed 25 years ago.
In good condition. Used in tours extensively before.
In the same country as me.
About 800 euro

 

[redtomfunk]

Option 2

Walter Woods Ultra blue-light (2005)
1200 watt/4ohm
Currently in service in Germany but for sale when it comes back.
Reason for service is that the seller says that that model has a bug which one feels only with some cabinets (a sort of noise). Never happened with his cabs but when he lended to a friend, it happened with the friend’s cab.
He wanted to fix it before he sells it.
This is also available in my country.
Price is negotiable but I reckon in region of 1200 EUR

(Following is a picture of another one just to identify the model)

 

[redtomfunk]

Option 3
Walter Woods MI-100-8
Out of my country
950 euro + shipping and taxes

 

[redtomfunk]

Option 4
MI-100-8
Stereo or mono.
2 channels (bass and/or double bass)
Perfect order. Reviewed by Hubert Liegois
Out of my country.
Price 1100 euro + shipping and import

 

[redtomfunk]

Cannot try any of these. Might be able to do a deal of testing and eventually returning options 1 and 2 possibly but unsure

 

[KUNGfuSHERIFF]

You should take one on trial for at least a few jobs before making a decision. Walter’s amplifiers are quirky, and you may not like them. If you do, of the above choices, the Ultra is the best deal if it works 100 percent.

 

[Ric Vice]

RF,
Since I’ve owned three of the four amps you’ve looking here’s what I know.

1. The MI-100-8 was a great little amp but it’s underpowered for any thing but small stages and clubs. Original price $650.00
2. The MI-400-8 is a very rare find Walter personally told me he only built 50 of them. It’s essentially a 400 watt version of the MI-100-8 same preamp different power section. It was $1,500.00 new in 1991
3. Both the MI-100-8 and MI-400-8 preamps and power sections are analog, only the power supply is class D
4. The Electroacoustic Ultra has a different preamp voicing and a Class D Power amp and Power Supply.
5. Walter never (to the best of my knowledge ) released any complete schematics of any of his amplifiers and
He scraped off the identification no.s on all the critical components. This makes them very difficult to repair.
Frankly, you’re better off with your Grace Felix and the Fuchs.

 

[bherman]

I owned a Fuchs and liked it alot, cannot make comparisons to WW but given your location, I'd be really reluctant to rely on a vintage amp that is difficult to get repaired if needed. Is there something about the Fuchs that does not work for you?

 

[turf3]

My perspective is that unless it's a screaming deal, I would not throw down cash on an unrepairable exotic amp. I own an Acoustic Image Contra and I know that when it finally goes t!t$-up it's unrepairable, and I'm not very happy about that.

Frankly something like a Fender Rumble, that's going to be around for decades to come, and everyone who works on electronics will be able to cannibalize one to get yours going, seems like a better bet in these days of unrepairable electronics.

 

[Wasnex]

Legendary amps, but I wouldn't buy one; especially if the purchase price was high. If I was given a working WW amp, I would enjoy it. If it failed, I would move on rather than trying to get it fixed.

There is a fairly stark reality to consider. In general WW amps are no longer repairable. So if the amp fails, it's garbage. Fuchs was attempting repair, but they have stopped because the success rate was unacceptably low.

AFAIK these are fairly tricky amps to work on and certain components are no longer available. Additionally, I believe WW intends to take his secret recipes to the grave rather than making the IP available so the amps can be repaired and possibly re-engineered with currently available components.

 

[shirojiro]

RF,
Since I’ve owned three of the four amps you’ve looking here’s what I know.

1. The MI-100-8 was a great little amp but it’s underpowered for any thing but small stages and clubs. Original price $650.00
2. The MI-400-8 is a very rare find Walter personally told me he only built 50 of them. It’s essentially a 400 watt version of the MI-100-8 same preamp different power section. It was $1,500.00 new in 1991
3. Both the MI-100-8 and MI-400-8 preamps and power sections are analog, only the power supply is class D
4. The Electroacoustic Ultra has a different preamp voicing and a Class D Power amp and Power Supply.
5. Walter never (to the best of my knowledge ) released any complete schematics of any of his amplifiers and
He scraped off the identification no.s on all the critical components. This makes them very difficult to repair.
Frankly, you’re better off with your Grace Felix and the Fuchs.

These are the main reasons why I haven't pursued getting a WW amplifier. I used to use one that belonged to our jazz teacher, and I have fond memories of that time. It's probably why I like the GK MB160s combo and the MB200 amp.

There are a lot of great small amps now, and I suspect many of them would be great for Double bass as well as for electric bass.

 

[ole Jason]

As others have mentioned WW amps are generally no longer repairable. I wouldn't buy one at this point.

 

[logdrum]

It's a gamble because of the issue of getting them repaired. Amongst the discontinued DB specific amps, I would get AI with the mic level input, You probably can get 4 for what people are asking on WWs . I have 2 and they will last me another 20 years. They are so reliable and also durable. Or get a good DB specific preamp and a reliable head like a Quilter or Genzler.

If you already have a bass head, I would just get a DB specific preamp like a Grace or Headway or even a Radial Bass Bone PZ and use the power section of that amp

 

[groooooove]

the fuchs is a very good recreation.

walters amps cannot be repaired. they sometimes can, but the number of people willing and able to do the work is small, and even most of them say it's a small chance most of the itme.

the fuchs is a better purchase, and can be repaired over and over again in the future.

 

[redtomfunk]

Thanks everyone. I have really everything I need but I expected that Walter Woods had still something special and unsurpassed to this day

 

[Endlesssolo]

I have the MI-100. I did in fact pay $650 for it about 30 years ago; good call Ric Vice. I had forgotten that….

Anyhow, it’s a great amp. It is not that powerful but I’ve never had to play a gig where I needed more out of my own amp. It’s still working fine, has never had a problem. Most of the time I used it I was playing guitar through it, but I’ve played many bass gigs with it too. At some point I got a little nervous about not having another option in case there was a problem with it, so I bought a AI Clarus and now that one might too be unrepairable. I use it 90% of the time, mostly because it’s smaller. They sound pretty similar except the Woods definitely has a bit more midrange edge. That sweepable midrange control is really useful.

I have heard that the newer ‘electracoustic’ models have a pretty different character.

 

[dylanjohnson]

The MI 100 has a schematic available, too. There is the the hand drawn one that Walter stuffed in his amp, and I have a remake of it that’s easier to read. If you max the power amp volume and use the gain for volume you can get quite a bit of volume out of a 4 ohm speaker for the meager amount of watts. That being said, it would be difficult to fix if it went down. When I wanted to try one out, I just waited for a one channel MI 100 to come up for sale for a decent price. I also encountered amps with pots that were so dirty that the amps seemed to be not working. Whatever you do, don’t get an MI 225, as Ric has mentioned many times. Even Walter can’t fix that one! I had a friend recently fix a MI 100 2 channel.
They are unique!
I’m hoping that someone figures out how to retrofit these with an ice power amp as mentioned in another thread and keep these amps going after Walter is gone. It can be done, and someone could make some $ doing it (maybe???)

I have the MI-100. I did in fact pay $650 for it about 30 years ago; good call Ric Vice. I had forgotten that….

Anyhow, it’s a great amp. It is not that powerful but I’ve never had to play a gig where I needed more out of my own amp. It’s still working fine, has never had a problem. Most of the time I used it I was playing guitar through it, but I’ve played many bass gigs with it too. At some point I got a little nervous about not having another option in case there was a problem with it, so I bought a AI Clarus and now that one might too be unrepairable. I use it 90% of the time, mostly because it’s smaller. They sound pretty similar except the Woods definitely has a bit more midrange edge. That sweepable midrange control is really useful.

I have heard that the newer ‘electracoustic’ models have a pretty different character.

 

[crd]

I have an MI-400. I love it. It sounds incredible -- like a tube amp with unlimited headroom.

I used it for 15 years touring etc but these days I take a quilter and a grace design Felix out of the house. I'd be heart broken if my ww got water on it or something so it lives at home.

The Quilter/Felix combo is 99% the sound of the MI-400. If I could verify that mi-400 is in good working order I would buy it, but I am crazy.

 

[Don Kasper]

I just turned 70 and own (and use) either an EA Doubler, or WW Electracoustic (Amber), on a weekly bassis. (See what I did there?!)
Each time I power-up either amp, I'm reminded of their "Inevitable Mortality"(tm), as well as my own!
(Too soon?....)
IMFO, of course.