What's with all the Windsor hate on the net?

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cliffenstein
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What's with all the Windsor hate on the net?

Post by cliffenstein » Sun Aug 09, 2015 1:12 am

First time post...hello every one!

My 1979 Marshall JMP was stolen and while researching a lower cost option, I ran across the Windsor. I got the opportunity to buy a gently used Windsor half stack for just $350 (head with the matching cab) and so I immediately stepped up my level of researching. I watched a ton of YouTube reviews and read a lot of write-ups and user reviews as well. I was quite surprised by so many negative user reviews, because my own Peavey experience (I toured with a 1st year 5150 for many years) has been extremely positive.

I made the drive this morning to test out the amp and, quite frankly, was sufficiently impressed enough to buy it.

I've played it for quite a few hours now and my mind is boggled at how many people give this bad reviews. With very little ease I was able to dial in the Angus Young meets Johnny Ramone tone that I love so much. This amp is VERY close to my 79 JMP and it sounds every bit as good as my co-guitarist's JCM800 (two channel 2210 model).

Of note, I found the High Gain input to cause more amp hum than I'm comfortable with, but that would be easily tamed with a Hush rack or a good noise gate pedal. I'm using the Low Gain input and am having no amp noise issues at all...and this tone is just fantastic!

Vondragonnoggin
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Re: What's with all the Windsor hate on the net?

Post by Vondragonnoggin » Mon Aug 10, 2015 9:12 am

All the hate is because it is affordable, sounds great, competes with Marshall in tone. Probably still a USA build before plants closed down too.

Basically the hate is there because it says Peavey and not Marshall and all the amp snobs can talk about lower build quality and how it might not last 50 years like a Marshall.

As for you - enjoy the heck out of it and crank it up, because thats where it sounds best

Hemi
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Re: What's with all the Windsor hate on the net?

Post by Hemi » Mon Aug 10, 2015 9:56 am

Haven't seen the hate. Modern Marshalls aren't going to last any longer than anything else, everything is on a PCB and service involves taking every damn knob and jack off the front panel to get the damn boards out.

I miss the days when knobs and tube sockets were handwired, and the PCB only held the smaller components :(
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cliffenstein
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Re: What's with all the Windsor hate on the net?

Post by cliffenstein » Tue Aug 11, 2015 1:59 pm

Yes, well Marshall has reissued the JCM800 2203 model head and it goes for $2600 to $3000!

Why on earth would anyone buy that? You can buy an original used one for $1400 or so or you can freaking buy an entire great condition used Windsor half stack for $300-$400 and it looks and sounds fantastic!

I read a lot of people saying that the Windsor cab is awful, but I'm here to say that it is a fantastic match for the head.

I couldn't be more pleased.

I get that other pro musicians or non-pro gigging musicians get embarrassed with the Peavey name, but with the success of the 5150/6505 in the metal scene I would think that would no longer be much of an issue.
Last edited by cliffenstein on Sat Sep 16, 2017 12:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.

ScottMarlowe
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Re: What's with all the Windsor hate on the net?

Post by ScottMarlowe » Tue Aug 11, 2015 2:22 pm

Yeah the cost of Marshall's reissues makes no sense for me. There are literally dozens of custom amp manufacturers who can make you a high quality PTP wired custom amp for 1/2 that price all day. Some for 1/4 to 1/3 that price.

Best thing about the Windsor is that it's a pretty darned good mod platform for cheap. It sounds pretty good to start with (later model JCM800/JCM900-ish) and with a few minor mods you can get a slightly lower gain amp that sounds a lot like the JCM800/2203/04 series for a fraction of the cost.

Oh well, the hate keeps the prices down, so good for you and me eh?

Hemi
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Re: What's with all the Windsor hate on the net?

Post by Hemi » Tue Aug 11, 2015 2:38 pm

I seem to recall starting a list of reasonably priced amp dealers, in some other thread.

I do like the Hovercraft ethic, take something cheap, rip out the guts, make something better but still affordable.

100W amps are the realm of bassplayers and guitarists with very short penises anyways :mrgreen:
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cliffenstein
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Re: What's with all the Windsor hate on the net?

Post by cliffenstein » Tue Aug 11, 2015 2:38 pm

ScottMarlowe wrote:Best thing about the Windsor is that it's a pretty darned good mod platform for cheap. It sounds pretty good to start with (later model JCM800/JCM900-ish) and with a few minor mods you can get a slightly lower gain amp that sounds a lot like the JCM800/2203/04 series for a fraction of the cost.
I plug into the low gain input and this thing sounds nearly identical to my JMP head that was stolen. Seriously...had I known about these Windsor amps, I would have never bought the JMP to begin with.
ScottMarlowe wrote:Oh well, the hate keeps the prices down, so good for you and me eh?
Indeed!
Peavey Windsor amp head
Marshall JCM 2000 DSL100 amp head
Marshall JCM 800 1960a cab
Marshall JCM 800 1960b cab

Harry Mowrey
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Re: What's with all the Windsor hate on the net?

Post by Harry Mowrey » Tue Aug 11, 2015 5:57 pm

HEMI...!!!!,
Just because I owned a Peavey Triumph 120 does NOT mean my winky is any smaller than any other guitarists... I have heard that some Bass players have had that attribute a time or two though.. :D :o :shock: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
Prowler w 1 12 cab
2 Classic 30's w 1/12 cab
3000T Bass Head
1/15 Carvin Cab & 4/10 Hartke Cab
Teal Stripe Bandit
MIM Tele Texas Special P/Us
PRS Santana SE
MIM Strat Lace Sensor Golds P/U
Gibby Les Paul
Gibby SG
2 Gibby 335's

Hemi
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Re: What's with all the Windsor hate on the net?

Post by Hemi » Tue Aug 11, 2015 7:14 pm

Harry Mowrey wrote: Prowler w 1 12 cab
RockMaster PreAmp
Deuce VT BW
Classic 30 w 1/12 cab
Tele Texas Special P/Us
Santana SE
Strat Lace Sensor Golds P/Us
Samick SMX1
Fury IV
3000T Bass Head
1/15 Carvin Cab & 4/10 Hartke Cab
1969 Fender Twin Reverb
Teal Stripe Bandit
Yeah sure, that list doesn't scream over compensation :mrgreen:
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Varg Vikernes - uses Piveë Amps and Guitars, you should too. :mrgreen:

Vondragonnoggin
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Re: What's with all the Windsor hate on the net?

Post by Vondragonnoggin » Tue Aug 11, 2015 9:56 pm

A-hem...just throwing it out there that I use my 20 watt head on the 1W setting.

:lol:

ScottMarlowe
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Re: What's with all the Windsor hate on the net?

Post by ScottMarlowe » Tue Aug 11, 2015 11:01 pm

When it's 1130pm and my neighbors, whose living room abuts my bedroom, are watching action flicks so loud I can't sleep, I turn both my Classic 50s to the wall, and practice sabbath for 20 or 30 minutes on 9 or 10 the master volume.

When I stop, they've mysteriously lowered the sound of their surround sound system.

There are uses for 100W... Even if I don't use it a lot.

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JamesPaul
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Re: What's with all the Windsor hate on the net?

Post by JamesPaul » Wed Aug 12, 2015 9:54 pm

There was an interesting NAMM video with a blind JMP (or maybe even JTM) vs. Windsor test. Mysteriously, I'm not able to find it anymore. What's up with that? :wink:
Enzo wrote:I find if the amp is working, that is a good point to stop fixing it.
James Paul's Peaveys
Decade, Classics, Ecoustic, Windsors, VYPYR, Triple XXX, XXL, VKs, Bandit, JSXs, VIP, Piranha and a Penta.

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cliffenstein
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Re: What's with all the Windsor hate on the net?

Post by cliffenstein » Wed Aug 12, 2015 10:13 pm

It's right here...

https://youtu.be/ouuR4qwUnaE
Peavey Windsor amp head
Marshall JCM 2000 DSL100 amp head
Marshall JCM 800 1960a cab
Marshall JCM 800 1960b cab

lrcguitars
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Re: What's with all the Windsor hate on the net?

Post by lrcguitars » Tue Aug 29, 2017 2:55 am

I have owned two Windsors now. Both have been an absolute joy. I agree with many of the haters that the amp sounds fizzy and has too much treble. However I found leaving the Ruby Powers in, but replacing all three preamp tubes with Jan Philips 12AT7WC made a tremendous difference. These tubes mellow the amp out and give a slight bit of increase in headroom. I also found the older Peavey 412 with the Sheffield 1290 Speakers is a better match than the Windsor Cabinet. Image

vypyrtrails
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Re: What's with all the Windsor hate on the net?

Post by vypyrtrails » Tue Aug 29, 2017 6:26 am

cliffenstein wrote:It's right here...

https://youtu.be/ouuR4qwUnaE
This whole thing is garble, the talking and amp tone. :(

In general, when people make clips of amps, I don't think they check the sound of the clip afterwards. Or you get stuff like
"it sounds so much better in the room" or such. That doesn't help anyone listening to the clips.

I am in the market for a good tube amp. I have the VIP 2, still would like a tube head, so I am open to whats out there.

I must say its difficult finding a good clip of the Windsor. Most are thin and tinny sounding. I found this one which is pretty righteous!

https://youtu.be/U0ci4A0jsJE?t=87

I guess its about matching the head to the cab, like any rig. I don't know what Peavey cab he is using in the above
clip, but I sure do like it a whole bunch with the Windsor!


Just heard this clip:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H82ej_yDl-I

Very impressive lead tone. I know it has effects...Still sounds really good.

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