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Walter Woods Amps History and Development

Uncletoad

Uncletoad

May 6, 2003
5,272
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Columbus Ohio
Disclosures
Proprietor Fifth Avenue Fret Shop. Technical Editor Bass Gear Magazine
#1
Awhile back a poster started a thread on Walter's amps. We created an interesting discussion of their history and his product development over the years. Specifically people were posting photos and doing comparisons that I found very interesting. The original poster selfishly deleted the entire thread and then went off to ebay to scour up the "desired" models.

It is my intention for us to recreate and resume that discussion, which I will leave alone for others to consult.

Any interest?
 
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#4
I am interested in anything I can learn about Walter's amps, especially in terms of how to most effectively use those models that I and my son own (a circa '2003 Ultra, an Electracoustic series green-light stereo, and a pre-Electracoustic MI 200-8 (see my questions about it in the preceding thread)).

Thanks!
 
#7
I've mentioned this a couple of times on the DB side. Since there aren't any catalogs of Walter's Work it's a really good idea!! Here's the recent picture of the "legendary" (IMHO only because he didn't make them for very long) Ice Cream sandwich that was Walter's first amplifier. I believe they were built in Canada. If I remember correctly, Todd Coleman roomed with Walter for a while and he told me this once at a lesson.
 
#11
There was some conversation about the high power models that suggest tonal differences within the last 5 years. Can anyone speak to that?

Does anyone know when Walter's first work started? Any thoughts on how his work changed over the years....
 
#12
Phil,
I remember that thread, because it was very interesting. But the guy who started that thread removed it. I saved some pictures from that discussion on my computer at school,but, I won't be back there until next week. It' kind of weird to me that both of the threads you mentioned were pulled. But as far as I know the people who started them were the ones who deleted them. I have collected a little library of different pictures of Walter Woods models as the appeared in TalkBass or Ebay over the past year. Let me know if you'd like me to post them with what I know about them

Ric
 
#13
Ric Vice said:
Phil,
I remember that thread, because it was very interesting. But the guy who started that thread removed it. I saved some pictures from that discussion on my computer at school,but, I won't be back there until next week. It' kind of weird to me that both of the threads you mentioned were pulled. But as far as I know the people who started them were the ones who deleted them. I have collected a little library of different pictures of Walter Woods models as the appeared in TalkBass or Ebay over the past year. Let me know if you'd like me to post them with what I know about them

Ric
Click to expand...
Yes. Post everything. That was what I was hoping. I didn't bother to keep any of that as I assumed it was part of the "record". Apparently the thread starter retains "ownership" of a thread and can kill it without regard to what it develops into.

Since I started this one I can assure you all it won't be killed by me.

So please feel free to expound on anything you know and have the time and inclination to share with everyone.
 
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#14
Very cool. I'll wait to see what pictures Ric has. If mine is not included (I have an early 2000 version of the Ultra1200 mono that was upgraded to current specs a couple of years ago). I found it very interesting how different the circuitry is of the different versions of the Ultra1200 between the late 90's and the current version.

I believe many of us came to the conclusion that both the construction and sound of the earlier runs of the current Ultra design is a little more robust and meaty, but that there were some reliability issues that Walter has fixed in that design (which he included in my 'upgrade').

Cool. I'll be off-line for a while (I'll be out of the country), but will check in on the thread late next week when I return, and pop the top off my Ultra and post a picture if Ric doesn't have the previous picture saved.

Thanks for starting this up... interesting stuff!

Ken
 
#16
Uncletoad said:
Yes. Post everything. That was what I was hoping. I didn't bother to keep any of that as I assumed it was part of the "record". Apparently the thread starter retains "ownership" of a thread and can kill it without regard to what it develops into.

Since I started this one I can assure you all it won't be killed by me.

So please feel free to expound on anything you know and have the time and inclination to share with everyone.
Click to expand...

Phil, Ken, et al.
When I get back to school I'll post what I have. In the mean time here are several pic's of the "Ice Cream Sandwich" that was sold on Ebay a while back. It's the first amp Walter built and only produced 50 watts into 8ohms as I recall. I bought my first amp a MI 100-8 in 1980 that was the second design along with the MI-225 that has a dual power amp section.
 
#18
Rob,
Glad you chimed in. I figured that you would be saving some of these
pic's as well. Walter made quite a few design changes over the years. Here's the MI-100-8 with that variation in the top vents, and the MI-225. There were also a few four channel MI's built that I think were at least 800 watts. Ken found that one on the Bass Northwest Site, but I didn't save those pic's.
It was built for the guys who played Syndrums and I think David Freisen used one for a PA system. This particular version of the MI-225 has the newer extended "side wings" that Walter began to use to protect the knobs from breaking, and an Alembic powered 5 pin input jack. I can't wait to see what Rob has. Interesting stuff.
 
#19
Ric Vice said:
Rob,
Glad you chimed in. I figured that you would be saving some of these
pic's as well. Walter made quite a few design changes over the years. Here's the MI-100-8 with that variation in the top vents, and the MI-225. There were also a few four channel MI's built that I think were at least 800 watts. Ken found that one on the Bass Northwest Site, but I didn't save those pic's.
It was built for the guys who played Syndrums and I think David Freisen used one for a PA system. This particular version of the MI-225 has the newer extended "side wings" that Walter began to use to protect the knobs from breaking, and an Alembic powered 5 pin input jack. I can't wait to see what Rob has. Interesting stuff.
Click to expand...
A friend, who is a member of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (and an awesome classical bass player), has a four channel MI. I'm not sure why he ordered it that way, but I do remember hearing that it was designed with Syndrums in mind. (Definitely a late 70's, very early 80's thing!) If I recall correctly, Walter told me the stereo MI-225 is the only amp he can't repair, since original parts are no longer available. Almost all the parts for the other MI series amps are still available however.
 
#20
KNUCKLETURD said:
Yes. Post everything. That was what I was hoping. I didn't bother to keep any of that as I assumed it was part of the "record". Apparently the thread starter retains "ownership" of a thread and can kill it without regard to what it develops into.
Click to expand...

If the thread was "killed" during the modern incarnation of the TB software, a mod might be able to recover it. The original thread starter could be kept secret, and the posts by other members who contributed could be split from the thread and added to this one, or as a seperate thread that could be linked here. If anybody remembers the name of the original thread starter who deleted the thread, I'd be happy to take a look.
 

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