Winfield Thomas Amps Winfield Head

Straightforward controls-bass, mid, treble, and presence with two volumes-bright and normal. Has a 30 to 18 watt switch which is cool but not terribly effective... this is a LOUD amp-but, that's not neccesarily a bad thing. No Fx loop or reverb. I play a Les Paul Std. and a Mexi. tele(cool guitar if you replace the p/u's) to a crybaby->boss ce5 chorus(soon to be updated to a Analog Man Clone Chorus)->Fulldrive 2 mosfet->OCD->Fulltone '69->MiAudio Tube Zone->Boss TU2 tuner to the Winfield through a Custom Shop Fender Tone Master 412 cab. I've been playing for about 14 years, play in a 90's cover band(www.myspace.com/karmapolice2k) and amp works great for this. I've had this amp for almost a year now and I just finally figured out how to get it to sound how I want it. I had been unable to turn it up past 1 until I read another review of it the other day that mentioned cranking the volumes and then using the tone knobs for color. This is what I was missing. The tone knobs don't just increase the bass, mid, and treble, but they also increase the VOLUME of those frequencies. I had them set at 9, 7, and 7 respectively and the volumes were at 1 and .5. Set like this the amp seemed too tight to me but I couldn't turn it up any louder...it sounded FANTASTIC when I would turn it up, but it was too loud to be practical outside of an outdoor show setting. Now I set the tone knobs at 2, 1, 1 and the bright at 8 with the normal at 3-5 and it's a whole new monster. It's finally what I thought it would and should be based on the other reviews..... Longest review eveer (in simpson's comic book guy voice)
I give it a 9 only cause it lacks reverb.

There is no bone crushing distortion here, but I reckon that if you were looking for that you would be off demo-ing a Line 6 or a Randall at your local Guitar Center. This thing responds to how hard you dig into it beautifully. If you hit it hard it gives you cascading gain reminicant of a plexi. If you pick it pretty it almost cleans up automatically without any volume knob adjustment needed. But, when you do roll'er back on your geet, you get a very responsive, chimey clean...very nice. My favorite aspect of this amp is how I can slide into a d in the 10/11 position and hold it and it almost instantly starts to swell into the sweetest singing feedback I've ever heard. Very controllable and very responsive. Throw some boost/OD pedals in front of it and you can do whatever you want with this guy. Cool, cool, cool............cool.

I had the amp for about 3 mos. and it did develop a loud hum even when all knobs were off. Sent it back and had it fixed. Shit happens. Has worked great since.

Very easy to deal with. Seems like a good guy. Fixed my problem right away with no problems.

I tried a bunch of amps including the 18w marshall combos, mesa's, jcm 800, 900, 2000, and on and on. All I wanted though was a straight forward, good, pure sounding amp to serve as a starting point for me to build my sound. This amp delivers that...now that I've figured out how to use it.

The other reviews have covered the features so I won't go on about them.

I got the amp because I wanted a low wattage Non master volume plexi style head for home and practice and didn't want to spend a fortune. I use it through a 212 and sometimes through a Marshall 412. Both cabs are loaded with a Scumback H75/H55 mix.

I play classic rock. Southern rock to be exact and this little monster delivers in spades. I can get everything from Duane Allman tone to Molly Hatchet grind with my LP to Squawky Skynryd tone with my Strat. I can also dial in great fender like cleans that easly best the cleans from my 2 Marshall 50 watters.

The amp can get loud, especially through a 412 but also tones down nicely through a single 12 inch and set to 18 watts. It takes pedals very well. In lower volume applications, it easily beats my Marshall 2550 Jubilee type head set at half power.

I'm not a big fan of JJ tubes so the first thing I did when I got the amp was replace the tubes.I put in Polam 84s in and put a trio of old Tungsram Ax7s in. The amp now has a 3D quality to it that precludes the need for reverb or delay. One thing I have since changed was, because the amp overdrives so easily, I pulled the ax7 in V1 and replaced it with an RCA Command Series 5751 to cut the gain a little yet retain an ax7 feel.

The amp sounds great with both my LP and Strat but it really shines with the Strat. Single coil players will love this thing! It's all I want in an 84 based amp at an incredible price.

So far so good.

I did the entire transaction through email and Winnie answered every question promptly. He also kept me informed of the progress on my amp. I asked if I could buy a solid state rectifier to go along with the tube one so I could change the amp's sag character if I wanted. He fabbed one up and sent it with the amp at no charge! I like the little edge a solid state rectifier gives to the tone.

Ans most importantly, he delivered when he said he would. Some of the boutique builders leave you hanging forever.

I bought this site unseen. Never heard one before getting one. I don't usually do that, but at the price, I figured it was a small risk to take. Glad I did. Very few bells and whistles. Just a lot of concentrated tone in a light weight package. If you are looking for a plexi style amp and don't want to mortgage the house to get one, give the Winfield a try. You could get a Marshall 2061x. Nice amp. Or you could get a Winfield and pocket about a grand. Your choice.

Brand spankin' new...from the man himself. In my opinion, features are subjective: it all depends on what you want. I don't really need channel switching, effects loop...I just need a great sounding amp that's easy to dial up. The only out of the ordinary "feature" I got was the 18/30 watt switch..really cool! It drops the output from 30 to 18 watts. That option makes for some cool tonal variety and volume changes...great for playing different sized rooms (volume wise) or getting a "looser,saggier" sound at 18 watts, or tightening and "chunking" it up at 30 watts (more volume too). The jumpered volumes is a great idea...like a 4 input Marshall with the inputs jumpered so you can blend the two.

I use a few different guitars: A reissue strat w/ VanZandts, A G&L ASAT Z3 and a P.R.S. custom..only a couple of pedals, a Vox valvetone for overdrive and a James Stuart clean boost pedal. with all that I can get all the variety i need.
The strat plugged in gives a good sliky strat sound...beefy where it needs to be( epsecially if you up the normal channel). GREAT blues sound..big, warm and clearly defined at both the 18 and 30 watt settings.
The G&L get's a monster tele tone... thick twnag without nasal harshness...beautiful.
With the P.R.S. it's full on classic chunk. The humbuckers push the preamp and poweramp into a killer saturation. Using the volume knob, it cleans up to a beautiful chime... clear and warm, nice voxiness. The volume knob trick works great with all the guitars...that's what a good tube amp should do.
It's really, REALLY quiet when at idle...different guitars, pedals and cords will affect this, but that's true will all amps.
this amp is classic brittish, with some really good twists. It has the chunk of an 18 watt marshall...when you set it up for it, and the chime of a Vox AC-30 when you set it up for that. You can get those sounds in other modern amps, but you have to spend 3X as much.

I've only had it a week... but I couldn't imagine having any problems. like everyone should, I'll get and bring an extra set of tubes and fuse, but other than that I really don't forsee any problems. This thing is really well built.

I love dealing with small companies, and Winfield Thomas is why. The initial email I sent him, he replied to within a half hour. Every question I asked he replied to VERY quickly...you aren't going to get that kind of service from the big guys. After I got the amp and played it for a few hours, I called and left a message telling Winfield just how much I thought of his amp...and he called me back the following morning telling me he appreciated what I'd said...that's cool. He seem's to be a great guy that's very into his art...he builds a great amp, and as far as I can tell stands behind them.

I've been playing for 16 years, have used a variety of amps (marshalls, Matchless, Fenders)and worked in a vintage shop when younger...I've played some great amps. This one fits right in.
If this was lost, I'd kick myself..hard, If it was stolen however...I'd seek the paiful demise of whoever did it.
This is plainly put, a really great amp. Yes, you can get an amp with more this or that, but it will cost you an arm and a leg..not to say this amp is cheap..it's not. The build quality is on par with any boutique builder you can find, and the tone is incredible. Go to www.wnfieldamps.com and check out the the amps and the sounds and see what I mean.

I recently acquired my EL84 Winfield. It came well packaged and the tubes were clearly marked, including 4 matched power tubes. The tolex and piping were clean, and there was nothing loose or needing adjustment. After checking the bias, I fired it up. First, I played it thru a Marshall 4 X 12 (vintage Green-Backs). Then I used a 2 X 10 cabinet loaded with two vintage stock Fender (Utah's). The first thing I noticed was the absence of harsh high-end. It remined me of my 1968 Marshall 50W, which has the so called "Parkhead Mod". Plenty of OOOMPH!! The bright chanel is very solid and balanced tone wise. It sounded good wide open with little to no tone and presence. Conversely, it was just as nice with the gain lower, utilizing the tone and presence controls for push. I finally settled on the Fender speakers, flipping the wattage to the lower 18W setting, and pushing the gain and using the tone controls for color. I also dialed the normal chanel in for a little low end OOOMPH. I also found it sounded much better with pedal saturation than an attenuator. This baby needs to work a little to hear it's potential.

I like this amp for bgalls to the wall Rock and Roll. It nails the Marshall tone, but also can compare to a Super Reverb (without the reverb). Sounds great with Tele. Lot's of spank. A Les Paul is growly and has great sustain, but I have to say I like it a lot better with a Strat of Tele.

Can't tell you anything here, cause I've had it less than a week. I suspect it will be roadworthy.

AWESOME. I asked a few questions before it was built, and Winniw was very prompt and helpful.

This is a good all around amp, but if you play smaller venues I would suggest another Winfeild model. I think this little guy sounds GREAT turned up to Patent-Pending! But that's just me.

Feature-wise,this is a very basic amp. I believe mine is a 2002 model(vermont tag) and in a black tolex head box. I believe simple is better as far as equipment goes and this amp is just that...No frills and all tone. I only wish there was a effect loop on the back to run a delay but he doesn't do them. That's OK...the amp is still awesome.

I am in a fusion/rock project. www.300stars.com This amp is perfect. A lot of players do not like dry,pure tones like the Winfield. This amp will show all your mistakes but if you are a good player, it will also show your beauty. When I was a young'n,I never would have used this amp, with age and 23 years playing behind me,I have learned to appreciate the finer things...Good Wine,Good women,Good music, and good tone. You can get everything from Page to Scofield easily. I use fulltone pedals(fat boost,69,clyde wah,deja-vibe)and this amp sounds perfect with them too. I use a strat,a les paul,and a custom schecter with p-90's...all good. This amp distorts very easily> I LOVE IT!!!

So Far,So Good!

I have e-mail winnie about my amp. I bought mine on e-bay for $600. He was very helpful and gave me a little history about my amp. Good guy.

I could afford any amp that I want at this point in my life. I have used a fender-vibro-king,a kendrick,assorted marshalls. This amp is as good as anything out there. Most boutique equipment has a snobby look and prissyness to them. NOT THIS AMP. It is to be gigged hard. I don't like to be afraid of it being bumped into or beer spilt on. This is a killer working mans amp. Play it loud. For the price of a Winfield it is worth taking the chance. People that are into tone like this usually have been around enough to know. Trust us.

30 Watt head powered by four (4) JJ EL84 Output tubes, three (3) 12ax7s and one (1) 5U4 rectifier tube. Plexi looking at first glance with more height than width. Solidly built and neatly constructed. I ordered mine in black tolex with gold trim and face plate resembling the vintage Marshalls. That is about where the similarities stop, except the tone. As I have the 30 watt head, there is an 18 watt power selector on the face of the amp when you want to lower the headroom and/or change the order of harmonics.

In keeping with vintage Marshall tradition, there is a presence, treble, bass and two volume controls (bright and normal). However, instead of having to place a patch cable to jumper the two channels, the channels are internally jumpered, so you can simply use the single input jack on the amp and adjust either volume to taste. I love that feature!

The amp is not only aesthetically pleasing, it is also very light. This is a real plus for me as I hate carrying heavy amps with me.

Compact, light weight and good looking. This is a nice amplifier.

PS: I belive this is Winnies continuation of the November with his name on it instead of the former.

Ok. I listed the neat features. Now the fun part. This is just a great sounding amp. Don't expect this to sound exactly like an old Marshall. Expect it to sound like a damn good amp. The EL84s give the amp a nice flavor of its own. I prefer EL84 and 6v6s over bigger bottle tubes. They seem to have more personality and attitude, and you can accomplish a broader range of tones at lower volume. Even at the 18 watt setting, this amp is very loud. The lower powered version has a different rectifier and the 5u4 is great at giving me a large amount of punch before the tubes start to break up. Unlike many amps, this amp likes both my single coil guitars as well as my humbuckers. The Winfield is also very pedal friendly. With as many great pedals there are out there today, I would rather have a single-channel, non-master volume amp that you can either crank into oblivion or use pedals in front of to push it a little harder or get different overdriven sounds. This amp passes this criteria with flying colors.

Warm at all volumes, but using the presence and bright volume, you can get as bright as your heart desires. Pushed into overdrive, this amp easily conjures up vintage Angus Young. Also, like any great amp should do, using your guitar's volume knob gives you a whole new spectrum of voicings simply by moving the control back and forth. Quite honestly, I've never had an amp clean up like this just by using my volume knob. Sure, I've been able to do that with other amps, but not like this one. Even with the OD pedals on, it cleans up nicely.

Currently, I am using this amp with a 2x10 cabinet built by Dan Dykema of Tube Gargen. However, the amp has been used with other cabinets of various speaker sizes, and it sounds good through any of them.

Originally, I figured I would get the Winfield and then order an Elizabeth, but this amp is versatile enough for my styles. Don't get me wrong. I would love an Elizabeth for really clean tones, but if you are short on funds and want a really great sounding amp, you could purchase a Winfield from Winnie and be done with it.

Another great aspect about this amp is it is dead quiet when nothing is being played. Even with single coils, the annoying hum you can sometimes get with tube amplifiers is absent. Nice Job Winnie!

It's hard for me to conceive an amp so well built just up and dying on me. I'm sure it is possible, but if you open up th chasis and see how meticulous his ptp wiring is and the quality of materials used, you can sleep at night and will dream happy dreams. If you do happen to have nightmares, it will be about a runnaway bride or an axe murderer, but it won't be about any shoddy workmanship on this amplifier.

Keeping the amp on for extended periods of time when I first got the amp, I did not notice any excess heat coming from the amp. That is impressive from an amp with EL84s as they have a tendency to run hot. Escpecially 4 of them. Go put your hand behind a Marshall DSL401 or Peavy Classic 30 and you will see what I'm talking about. Even the new Vox AC30CC puts out a lot of heat. This makes me feel good about the amp not blowing up on me while on a gig, melted tube sockets or premature tube life.

Take care of this amp and this amp will be good to you for as long as you wish to own it.

Email him or call him. If he doesn't respond in a timely manner, I will be absolutely shocked. He's great about giving you his recommendations, latest product offerings and knows the lead time for your custom amp to a T. He also will give you updates on the progress of your oreder and then gives you the shipping and tracking info.

Quite simply, it does not get better than this in the World of the small buisiness owner. He should be a model for all folks wishing to invest themselves in a small business. Larger business would benefit greatly, but it would end up costing them an extra .03 cents on the dollar, so they would just take the chance of having bad customer service and increase their prices.

Are you kidding me? $800.00 for an entirely hand-made amplifier that sounds as good or better than anything costing more than $2,000.00? If you are curious about one of Winnie's amps, you might want to order one before his prices do go up. He cannot continue to offer amps like this for this amount of money. As demand for his products increase, he will have not choice but to raise his prices. They will still be a very good deal for your dollar, but for what he sells them for currently, they are a great deal.

I'm not big on ordering sight unseen, but after being curious about his positive reviews, I took a shot in the dark. I was not disappointed. This is a very good amplifier and does more than the initial resemblance might suggest. Versatile and powerful enough for most venues, and excellent for recording the Winfield is a winnder in my book.