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Double Bass Walter Woods advice

#22
redtomfunk said:
Thanks everyone. I have really everything I need but I expected that Walter Woods had still something special and unsurpassed to this day
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Well, Walter’s amps do have something special and unsurpassed, at least for those of us who have been using them for a few decades (I’ve had one for over 20 years now). I don’t think it’s unreliable but if it does in fact fail, I won’t be able to get another amp that sounds just like it. There’s very few amps made today that have two channel preamps which is why I originally bought mine.

Stay with your Fuchs if you like it. It only tries to replicate the WW preamp section, the power stage uses off the shelf class D amp modules.
 
#23
dylanjohnson said:
…………. 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 I had a friend recently fix a MI 100 2 channel.
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dylanjohnson said:
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???)
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Always the optimist, I had been hoping to no avail that someone would do just that unfortunately once Fuchs tried to and failed to “resurrect” a Walter Woods” clone I think it’s “game over”
The preamp is unique but without a power module. they aren’t worth the expense to restore even if you can find the parts. Walter’s MI-100-8 schematic only shows the preamp circuits not the power amps
 
#24
My everyday amp is either a WW Electracoustic Amber light or a WW Electracoustic Green light stereo. I love these amps! My back up is whichever of these two I’m not using. My back up to my back up is an AI Clarus SL. My back up to my back up to my back up is an AI 2-channel Clarus. I seem to have an obsession with non-repairable amps! From everything I’ve heard, the Fuchs is a worthy successor to the Woods, and repairable too. If you get one of those WW (I’d go for the Blue Light myself), let us know how it compares to the Fuchs.
 
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#25
I used Walter Woods for approximately 40 years then switched to the EA doubler II which I liked more than the Woods and now I have that & the Fuchs. If I have to double, I use the EA and if it just 1 instrument, either electric or string, I use the Fuchs. It really sounds good. I have Schroeder 1x12 cabinets but usually only need 1.
 
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#26
redtomfunk said:
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)
View attachment 7319927
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You say this is being repaired in Germany right now? Any idea where?
I have an electroacoustic green light and loved it, but the power supply died and no one here in the US can/will repair it. Any possibility you could find out where this one is being worked on in Germany and let TalkBass know?
This is definitely the reason to be hesitant buying a WW.
Thanks!
 
#28
Of course I knew that it is not possible to repair (didn’t know 9f this Berlin centre, although they won’t be able to do miracles).
My idea behind buying the Walter Woods is ultimate tone.
I have an Ampeg B-25 which is the best amp I have ever played through with a precision bass.
Thought by hearing some demos and reading comments the Walter Woods could be the equivalent (best amp) for a double bass.
Minus that the ampeg is repairable and not the WW
 
#29
That’s the real paradox isn’t it. Over the years (mostly due to to it’s simple design) my 50+ year old Ampeg B-15N( rev C) Portaflex
can be repaired and completely restored , while my Walter Woods cannot (at least for a reasonable cost). The other factor is that many individuals selling their Walter Woods amp on Reverb, think they have the “Holy Grail” of bass amps amps, so they ask ridiculously prices for an amp that most everyone here on TB knows will be difficult to repair or is non repairable. Just my take. I still have a Electroacoustic Ultra sitting on a shelf in my practice room.
 
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#30
Ric Vice said:
Always the optimist, I had been hoping to no avail that someone would do just that unfortunately once Fuchs tried to and failed to “resurrect” a Walter Woods” clone I think it’s “game over”
The preamp is unique but without a power module. they aren’t worth the expense to restore even if you can find the parts. Walter’s MI-100-8 schematic only shows the preamp circuits not the power amps
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Oh I didn't know that about the schematic! Thanks for clarifying!
 
#32
MindinAction said:
@dylanjohnson: May I please get a copy of this schematic? I have an M1 100 that suddenly stopped working.
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Unless the issue is in the analog preamp section of your Walter Woods MI-100-8 the schematic is useless. You can easily test that, provided the amp comes on, by plugging the amp out into another amplifier. If the red power light isn’t coming on then the power amplifier is likely toast. Just curious, did you check the fuse located on the back of the amp? That will cause what you’re describing, I’d replace it regardless of that it looks like. As I mentioned before the “MI-100-8 schematic dose not show the circuitry not the components used in the power supply. It’s not going to help with that. Also check the power cord to see if it’s got a short by moving it around. Clean all the input jacks and line out with DeOxit 5 on a QTip. Other than that. Best of luck.
 
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#34
jjcarswell said:
I used Walter Woods for approximately 40 years then switched to the EA doubler II which I liked more than the Woods and now I have that & the Fuchs. If I have to double, I use the EA and if it just 1 instrument, either electric or string, I use the Fuchs. It really sounds good. I have Schroeder 1x12 cabinets but usually only need 1.
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Jeff, I have the Doubler 1 and struggle to get a sound I like with it. I’m also often going into a Schroeder 112. Did you ever try that amp? Love your playing, man! Is the Peter Graves thing still happening?
 
#37
dylanjohnson said:
Jeff, I have the Doubler 1 and struggle to get a sound I like with it. I’m also often going into a Schroeder 112. Did you ever try that amp? Love your playing, man! Is the Peter Graves thing still happening?
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Hi Dylan, Thanks! I never tried the Doubler 1. I really wasn’t aware of the EA gear until I decided to replace my WW. That’s when I got the EA from Gollihur Music then sold the Woods. If Fuchs comes out with a 2 channel version, I’ll probably get it…🤷‍♂️
 
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#38
dylanjohnson said:


Dig this.
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Ok, good find Dylan! That’s a totally different than Walter’s original schematic that he put inside the amp when you purchased it. If the parts are available and the technician ‘s affordable than you could probably fix a MI-100-8. This won’t work for the MI-400-8’s I owned or the Electroacoustic models. They’re all different designs.
 
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