Double Bass Walter Woods? Or not...

[james condino]

This week I literally played a million dollars worth of antique basses; ancient gems spanning more than three centuries.

Guess what? They all sounded like me playing bass; no unicorns, no fairy dust.

I suspect the same thing would be true If I dropped $2k on a 40 year old Walter Woods amp; it would still sound like me playing bass. Only the soundguy and the one person in the back of the room who is an unemployed bass player would notice. I took out my beautiful 1966 Ampeg Fliptop a few months back and the only one that noticed was some kid in the crowd told me it looked just like his grandma's old chromed out toaster oven.....

 

[crd]

This week I literally played a million dollars worth of antique basses; ancient gems spanning more than three centuries.

Guess what? They all sounded like me playing bass; no unicorns, no fairy dust.

I suspect the same thing would be true If I dropped $2k on a 40 year old Walter Woods amp; it would still sound like me playing bass. Only the soundguy and the one person in the back of the room who is an unemployed bass player would notice. I took out my beautiful 1966 Ampeg Fliptop a few months back and the only one that noticed was some kid in the crowd told me it looked just like his grandma's old chromed out toaster oven.....

Consider yourself lucky.

 

[Derek Kay]

There IS something still attractive about WW amps.

Yes, they were a lot of wattage in a small box when they first emerged, but that's quite common now.

I think what's still relevant today is the preamps.
The controls are so accurate to adjust, as if they're tailored to human fingers. So easy to hear a small difference, and target the sweet spot. That's still hard to find in modern tech.

 

[junglebike]

This week I literally played a million dollars worth of antique basses; ancient gems spanning more than three centuries.

Guess what? They all sounded like me playing bass; no unicorns, no fairy dust.

I suspect the same thing would be true If I dropped $2k on a 40 year old Walter Woods amp; it would still sound like me playing bass. Only the soundguy and the one person in the back of the room who is an unemployed bass player would notice. I took out my beautiful 1966 Ampeg Fliptop a few months back and the only one that noticed was some kid in the crowd told me it looked just like his grandma's old chromed out toaster oven.....

"Is that a cello?"

Happened to me again the other night. Never ceases to amaze.

 

[Bruce Calin]

"Is that a cello?"

Happened to me again the other night. Never ceases to amaze.

My go-to line has become, "When I'm playing it I'm glad it's not. When I'm hauling it I wish it was."