Winfield Thomas Amps Winfield 1x12 Combo

The concept of this amp, to me anyway, is like a simplified 18 watt plexi (with some extra stuff thrown in for good measure) mixed with a simplified 50 watt plexi. I say simplified because it doesn't have four inputs. It has one input and two 'channel' volumes. The two 'channels' are internally jumpered. This allows you set each channel to your preference in volume or only use the one you like better. Mine is an 18 watt model and is loaded with JJ tubes (2 EL84's, 3 12AX7's and a GZ34) Other than that it has a fairly standard tone stack: treble, middle, bass and presence. Mine is covered in flawless white tolex with a black grill and a gold 'marshall-esque' front panel. It came with a Weber Silver Bell 12' speaker. If you'd like to know anything else, search for Winfield Thomas amps on any search engine and you'll find the site. Features ratings are a very relative thing. You can think the amp sounds killer and just want it to have an extra knob or something. But for me, this amp is a 10

I'm driving this wonderful amp with my Music Man Axis SS HH with HighOrder Pickups (amazing by the way) through a spectraflex cable straight into the amp. I play a good mix of blues, classic rock and classic metal and this amp can handle all of that with equal aplomb. It's so touch sensitive and overdrives very easily. I suspect that's because of a few reasons (internally jumpered channels and because Winnie probably designed it that way). I love that. Turning up both channel volumes simultaneously will give you a wonderful meaty/ biting overdrive that, again, to my ears at least, sounds kind of like a mixture between a tweed deluxe and an 18 watt marshall. I know that may seem kind of dumb as a lot of early marshalls were based off of early fender designs, but I'll try to explain it better. When the normal channel (which is very dark by the way, wonderfully suited to dirty jazz licks) overdrives it gives you a lot of squash and girth kind of like a tweed. Whereas the bright channel yields more crunch, sizzle and bite. I'm finding I love the bright channel on about 6-8 depending on how much dirt I want with the normal channel set to about 2-3 just to add in some low-mid meat. One thing that I should mention is that this amp is pretty loud for 18 watts. I was actually worried that it wouldn't be able to move enough air, but I was dead wrong. This amp should be perfect stage volume when cranked. Though I'm making comparisons between this amp and other preexisting amps, I believe this one is very unique. It has more... personality is the only word I can think of, than any amp I've ever played. It really seems like its own unique instrument. Now I'll rant on about the EQ section. There's another guy on here who figured this out as well. The EQ on this amp is AMAZINGLY interactive. If you turn all your EQ knobs down to 0, crank the volumes to taste and then begin to raise the EQ levels you'll really discover how to use this amp. I don't know why and can't explain it, but when you turn down the EQ on this amp it feels like you're actually removing that part of the guitar's output from the signal (if that makes any sense at all). The mid knob, especially, plays a big roll in this. I've found that with my mid knob maxed I actually get more overdrive out of the amp! I know that may sound cooky, but it's the truth. I've always wanted an amp that I could play like another instrument, and now I've found one! A few disclaimers though. This amp is not for modern metal. It won't give you scooped chugga-chugga tones. This amp is planted firmly in the blues-classic-rock territory. It has a great bit of overdrive on tap, more than enough for me, but again, not enough for more modern stuff. Also, it's a little tough to get a pristine clean tone out of the amp, but I don't mind. It's teaching me to use picking dynamics more. For me, this amp is closer to my dream amp than any other amp I've ever played. I've played on probably 200 different boutique style amps looking for one that had half this much mojo. I give it a 10.

I haven't had the chance to gig with this amp yet (been to busy at work), but I have no doubt that it would stand up to a gig or eleventy-thousand. It's very cleanly built inside and out and feels very solid. Even if there was a problem I'd have it fixed in a heartbeat. There's a little vibration going on somewhere at high volumes that I haven't been able to pinpoint yet, but I'm not worried about it in the slightest.

I've emailed Winnie tons and actually talked to him on the phone for almost an hour. He's wonderfully friendly, so humble it'll make you sick and knows what he's talking about. Always willing to just shoot the breeze if you want. He has a day job, so if he doesn't answer your email 'til the evenings or the next morning don't worry. The man has a life other than building these amps. Regardless of that, he puts his heart and soul into them and it shows. I have no doubts at all that, even if I had a problem with my amp, he'd fix it so quick my head would spin. Killer-nice guy, killer-awesome product.

I've been playing a little over 7 years now. I love playing rock, blues and even a little jazz. I was actually going through a phase pedal-acquisition-syndrome until I bought this amp. It's way different than anything I've ever played before and I like that a lot. I ordered a solid-state rectifier to try with it, but it sounds amazing as it is. I've played a lot of amps that have left me saying, 'it would have been awesome if it had this'. But this amp is a work of art. Regardless of what it has or doesn't have I have to love and appreciate it for what it is. If this amp was stolen I'd replace it as quick as I could. I couldn't go after whoever stole it, by stealing it they proved they have impeccable taste in tone. I'm just glad that there are people still out there who enjoy what they do (such as Winnie).