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Walter Woods Amps History and Development

#361
I think Ken said upper lows and low mids.

It would seem to me a Bass with three band/switchable mids preamp would take you anywhere with the amp unless it just would not produce those frequencies well.
 
#362
Red Planet said:
I think Ken said upper lows and low mids.

It would seem to me a Bass with three band/switchable mids preamp would take you anywhere with the amp unless it just would not produce those frequencies well.
Click to expand...

+1 Again, it isn't the absolute low end, but the ratio of deep lows to that more 'where the meat is' in a bass tone... the lower mids and upper treble. Even with the semi-parametric mid control set to the low mids, I (and many others through the years) never found that 'punch' that a pop EB tone needs with a Walter. My guess is, that semi-parametric mid is a pretty narrow Q.

Again, WONDERFUL heads, very airy, open and pure. NOTHING wrong with it. And I can totally see where many players would have a preference for that tone versus some of the more meaty and punchy and 'thicker' current offerings.

Again, not 'better or worse', but it just 'is'.

Maybe Munji can pop in here, since he just swapped out his Ultra for a Shuttle 9.
 
#363
So you don't like the lows you get from it compared to the mids and treble as it's voiced. That doesn't mean they aren't available.

I don't have a Woods anymore but it wasn't for lack of low end.

For me I'd rather have to add low end through a knob twist then try to get rid of to much.
 
#364
Random Thoughts....

I think one of the reasons I'm going BACK to a WW Ultra is because I haven't been able to get my tone or punch with any of these newer micros. I was always amazed that I could pretty much set everything flat and get a great tone. Only little tweaks were required for different rooms, etc. My cabs have been a pair of 210s - at first a pair of Goliath Jr IIIs - currently a DIY set built to SWR dimensions with Delta 10s - and my main bass is a pre-Gibson Tobias Killer B5. Most of the time, I can just dial in more or less lows, mids, highs on the bass with the Bartolini preamp, leaving the amp flat. I have the same concerns as some have mentioned about how much longer Walter will be making and servicing amps, but based on the one that I had for over 10 years, it only had one problem that required me to send it to him and he fixed it in a couple days. I haven't spoken to him in a few years, but when I get this Ultra next week, I'm going to call him with the serial # and ask a few questions like when is he going to retire and are his amps serviceable by others. I know his answer is no while he's still in business and he gets pissed if someone else messes with the amps. When you do get him on the phone, he usually talks a lot and is quite nice. It will be a drag when he finally retires and stops building amps. I don't think there's anybody in line to take over the business. I think it's just something he started doing with all his knowledge of electronics and it was better than working a regular job for sure.
 
#365
Since this thread is active again, here's a tip that most Walter Electracoustic (the newer models started in the late 90s) owners know, but some may not, especially those considering buying one of these heads.

There is what many call the 'magic' knob on these heads. It is the 'return volume' control (I think that is what it is called) to the right of the amp. I believe it adjusts the post gain from the effects loop (can't remember exactly).

However, when you crank this knob, for some reason (Walter confirmed the effect but would not tell me the reason why it acts this way:p), it adds that bit of low mid/upper bass thickness and warmth that some find missing in this era of the Walter heads. Between noon and all the way up, it gets the Walter's low end voicing a little closer to some of the more modern, meaty sounding micro's out there now.

Of course, some will think this control makes the amp sound worse, since it does remove some of the 'clean, airiness'. I found it quite helpful for my playing contexts, especially with J type instrument.

Pretty cool!
 
#366
bwoodman said:
Random Thoughts....

I think one of the reasons I'm going BACK to a WW Ultra is because I haven't been able to get my tone or punch with any of these newer micros. I was always amazed that I could pretty much set everything flat and get a great tone. Only little tweaks were required for different rooms, etc. My cabs have been a pair of 210s - at first a pair of Goliath Jr IIIs - currently a DIY set built to SWR dimensions with Delta 10s - and my main bass is a pre-Gibson Tobias Killer B5. Most of the time, I can just dial in more or less lows, mids, highs on the bass with the Bartolini preamp, leaving the amp flat. I have the same concerns as some have mentioned about how much longer Walter will be making and servicing amps, but based on the one that I had for over 10 years, it only had one problem that required me to send it to him and he fixed it in a couple days. I haven't spoken to him in a few years, but when I get this Ultra next week, I'm going to call him with the serial # and ask a few questions like when is he going to retire and are his amps serviceable by others. I know his answer is no while he's still in business and he gets pissed if someone else messes with the amps. When you do get him on the phone, he usually talks a lot and is quite nice. It will be a drag when he finally retires and stops building amps. I don't think there's anybody in line to take over the business. I think it's just something he started doing with all his knowledge of electronics and it was better than working a regular job for sure.
Click to expand...

I gigged an Ultra with a Goliath III and a Tobias Killer B (and later an MTD 535) for a number of years. That was a really nice combination... super articulate and clean!

+1 in that I've had some wonderful conversations with Walter over the last 20 years or so. While there have been years between phone calls, he always remembered who I was, and always took time to look up my amp in his records and tell me little bits and pieces about the build of my specific unit (the Ultra's have evolved quite a bit, and a 2001 model looks nothing like a 2006 model inside). Nice cat!
 
#367
Uncletoad said:
So you don't like the lows you get from it compared to the mids and treble as it's voiced. That doesn't mean they aren't available.

I don't have a Woods anymore but it wasn't for lack of low end.

For me I'd rather have to add low end through a knob twist then try to get rid of to much.
Click to expand...

Read the previous 20 posts or so. You are misinterpreting the issue. It is again not a 'better or worse' thing, but a voicing issue that some will dig and others won't. And, if you play these heads through a small mid voiced cab like the VL208, you might not even notice it.

It is in no way a 'turn the bass knob up' issue.
 
#368
Actually, NOAD - New Old Amp Day! Just got the WW Ultra yesterday and after a few cosmetic fixes, it looks pretty good. One of the side panels was bent, both panels were pretty scuffed up and it no longer had any feet + one of the threaded studs for the foot screws was missing. I put the bent panel in a vice a few times and tweaked it straight, sprayed both panels with some nice satin black paint, used Penn/Elcom small rubber feet, got some new longer 8-32 screws and a nut so I could install them. After pulling the top panel, it appears to have been made in 2000. I left a message for WW, so I'll hear from him soon - I hope. The seller of this amp says that he just sent it to WW last May for a checkup. It works fine and I now have my tone back after over 2 years of playing games with all these other micro heads - none of them work for me. The WW is the best IMO. I'll admit, I did not try any of the MarkBass heads and they are pretty popular. I did try the GB Shuttle 9, Carvin BX500, SWR Headlite, GK MB Fusion, GK MB500, Carvin BX1200 (good amp but not a micro) and Carvin B2000 (not a micro). As mentioned on a earlier post, I had a WW green light from 1996 to 2006 and it was stolen in 2007. I bought a WWU around this time on ebay for too much money and I "figured" with all the new micros out, I could surely find one I liked - and it would cost a fraction of what the WW costs. So, I sold that one, which I now regret because that thing was like a 10 - no signs of wear and tear - amazing. Regarding the other micros, I liked the fact that they all had XLR outs and some had built in compression. Well, I can live without those 2 features - got a passive direct box and I have a compression pedal on my mini pedal board - no worries. I plugged into the WW today and - boom! - all that punch and great tone I've been missing. Talk about going full circle. I'm done! No more GAS regarding amps. Speaker cabs? - that's another story - always want to try a new cabinet! I'm currently gearing up to build a fEARful 15/6/1.

IMG_0966.jpg
 
#377
I spoke to him and his wife a month ago - they're doing well. He takes anywhere from a day to a week to respond to messages. That's his M.O. - always has been. I have a couple of backup amps in case something ever happens to my Ultra because I know I'm not going to get immediate responses from him - and he travels a couple months per year too.
 
#379
robgrow said:
How do these things get started? I just left a message on his voice mail right before I read this.

I'll post when I hear from him.
Click to expand...
Some guy called me at the shop digging me up on google saying he couldn't find Walter because his phone was disconnected. Wanted his new number. Ours were the same.

I didn't bother to call for myself...I'm a little busy.
 

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