Walter Woods Amps History and Development

[robgrow]

While I have a recent-vintage Walter Woods Electracoustic amp, I also own a 1973 WW Mini Amp (aka "Ice Cream Sandwich"), which is a great amp in its own right with lots of character.

Since their power capability is somewhat limited by today's standards, here are a few things I've found that help get the most out of an older, low-power Walter Woods amp:

Use a 4-ohm speaker. This will allow the amp to develop its maximum power potential.

Use the highest possible speaker sensitivity. It takes twice as much power to develop the same SPL with a speaker with just a 3dB lower sensitivity rating. Higher speaker sensitivity helps make the most out the amp's available power.'

Set the Master Volume control on maximum (fully clockwise). The class-A preamp used in the early amps can easily be overdriven. Use the Input Volume to control volume level.

Clean all input and output jacks with Caig DeoxIT D5. This can make a dramatic difference. To clean the jacks, wet a cotton swab with DeoxIT. Swab the tip and sleeve connections on the jacks. Repeat until the swab looks clean. DeoxIT is what Walter personally recommends these days.

Clean the pots with DeoxIT. Use sparingly and do not spray indiscriminately into the amp.

 

[Ric Vice]

While I have a recent-vintage Walter Woods Electracoustic amp, I also own a 1973 WW Mini Amp (aka "Ice Cream Sandwich"), which is a great amp in its own right with lots of character.

The older Woods amps sound quite different than the Electroacoustic Amps. More like a tube amplifier in many ways.

Since their power capability is somewhat limited by today's standards, here are a few things I've found that help get the most out of an older, low-power Walter Woods amp:

Walter built a couple of higher powered MI series amplifiers, but only for about a year. They were 400 and 600 watts, and sound magnificent, but apparently either didn’t sell as well, because they weighed more or were very complex builds for Walter. He then built lower powered MI's for a couple of years with a different preamp design and faceplate material. Ultimately, he moved to the Electroacoustic's

Set the Master Volume control on maximum (fully clockwise). The class-A preamp used in the early amps can easily be overdriven. Use the Input Volume to control volume level.

It’s a very different setup from the Electroacoustic Amps where you don’t set the master gain all the way out.

Clean all input and output jacks with Caig DeoxIT D5. This can make a dramatic difference. To clean the jacks, wet a cotton swab with DeoxIT. Swab the tip and sleeve connections on the jacks. Repeat until the swab looks clean. DeoxIT is what Walter personally recommends these days.

I’ll be doing this next week.

Clean the pots with DeoxIT. Use sparingly and do not spray indiscriminately into the amp.

 

[Timmy-Watts]

^^^
Make sure to not use any old cheap pot cleaner from Radio shack. Walter himself told me that retail stuff all sucks and it'll eat the pots. He recommended me a special brand, part number, from a special website and told me exactly how to do it. I did it last summer and it had a great impact on the sound. Only ONLY use what Walter himself recommends (he did not recommend de-oxit to me...)

 

[HipCity]

I wonder if/how you can switch between the channels on the "new" WW amps. Can you mute one channel while playing through the other - for example if you have upright in ch1 and electric bass in ch 2. Had one of the older amps before where you had a channel switch option "1 -mix-2".
/Hugo

 

[Mark Sacchetti]

^^^
Make sure to not use any old cheap pot cleaner from Radio shack. Walter himself told me that retail stuff all sucks and it'll eat the pots. He recommended me a special brand, part number, from a special website and told me exactly how to do it. I did it last summer and it had a great impact on the sound. Only ONLY use what Walter himself recommends (he did not recommend de-oxit to me...)

What is the product and the website please

 

[elgecko]

What is the product and the website please

I second that! My old MI-100 could use some maintenance.

 

[Timmy-Watts]

I wonder if/how you can switch between the channels on the "new" WW amps. Can you mute one channel while playing through the other - for example if you have upright in ch1 and electric bass in ch 2. Had one of the older amps before where you had a channel switch option "1 -mix-2".
/Hugo

I just turn down my electric bass volume, and for the upright channel I turn down the input gain on the amp, or the volume on my preamp (the F-Deck).

 

[Timmy-Watts]

Walter himself told me ("straight from the horse's mouth") the name of the website (GC Electronics, don't remember the URL), the name and description of the product, and the actual part number. He said it is the best cleaner to use on his amps.

 

[fdeck]

Fortunately, GC brand is carried by a number of electronics distributors.

 

[tsarter]

Help. My blue light Elecrocoustic blew. Need to get a hold of Walter. Of the three numbers I have for him none seem to work anymore. Anyone have a recent phone number?

 

[spliffnriff]

Did you try replacing the fuse?
I don't have his number handy, will try get it to you

 

[tsarter]

I don't even want to turn it on. Was at a gig. Upon powering it up there was a LOUD pop and sparks and smoke were coming out the top!

 

[elgecko]

This one was posted in March...don't know if you've tried this one.

760-772-7952

 

[tsarter]

Would really appreciate it if you can find his current number for me!

 

[tsarter]

I think I did, but there was no answer. Will keep trying that one though if it as recent as March. Thank you!

Tim

 

[chris dammann]

I think I did, but there was no answer. Will keep trying that one though if it as recent as March. Thank you!

Tim

I have been trying to reach him for months. Does anyone how to replace the capacitors on a mi-400? I definitely don't....

 

[Tom Baldwin]

I have an MI-200-8 Stereo model that is distorting when I dig in. I wanted to post here to get the most views from all subscribed to this thread. In fact I think two of the previous owners have posted here (Interp from Germany and one who used to go by the handle adbass).

I have not been able to reach Walter and this has been my go to amp for years so I really want to get it fixed. I have tried every troubleshoot I can think of and they all point to the amp as the culprit. It performs normally when I play with light to medium articulation, but when I pull hard the speaker farts out. This is on several basses and with several cabs. When I swap the amp, no more farting.

Any theories as to why this is happening and how to fix it?

 

[KJung]

I have an MI-200-8 Stereo model that is distorting when I dig in. I wanted to post here to get the most views from all subscribed to this thread. In fact I think two of the previous owners have posted here (Interp from Germany and one who used to go by the handle adbass).

I have not been able to reach Walter and this has been my go to amp for years so I really want to get it fixed. I have tried every troubleshoot I can think of and they all point to the amp as the culprit. It performs normally when I play with light to medium articulation, but when I pull hard the speaker farts out. This is on several basses and with several cabs. When I swap the amp, no more farting.

Any theories as to why this is happening and how to fix it?

I know Walter takes significant time off in the summer, although he usually puts a message on his machine regarding when he will return.

I have heard reports that he will no longer work on the very old models, since replacement parts are not available. He also gave a friend of mine a massively high 'basic repair' estimate on a 10 year old or so Electracoustic 1000 (more than the cost of many amps). Probably worth it, but sheesh.

I would just keep calling every couple of weeks. He will eventually pick up and give you the scoop. He is a very honest guy, and my guess is, he is winding things down at this point.

 

[Tom Baldwin]

I have heard reports that he will no longer work on the very old models, since replacement parts are not available. He also gave a friend of mine a massively high 'basic repair' estimate on a 10 year old or so Electracoustic 1000 (more than the cost of many amps).

Thanks, Ken. Mine is from '91 if the serial number on the heat sink is the indicator. I hope it's fixable. That's a lot of bread, but if it gets me 20 years of life out of the amp, it might be worth it.

 

[KJung]

Thanks, Ken. Mine is from '91 if the serial number on the heat sink is the indicator. I hope it's fixable. That's a lot of bread, but if it gets me 20 years of life out of the amp, it might be worth it.

Just to be clear, the '1000' was the wattage, not the repair estimate, which was much less than that. It was an 'intermediate model' blue light, with a 1000 watt (versus the current 1200 watt) wattage rating. To be fair, my guess is that cost was for Walter to pretty much swap the innards for the current spec circuitry.

Good luck!