My take on the Peavey Windsor head...
- Thread starter 75lespaul
- Start date
Johnny the Kid
Shaunofthedeadologist
Re: My take on the Peavey Windsor head...
I don't know if it's the tuning, but that guitar sounds like ****.
I liked my Windsor when I had it, but I love that your opinions are more considered more valid by you than anyone else's. Some of these posts are bringing back memories of the Great Cheap Vs Am Std Strat debate from last year (or earlier this year, I don't quite remember).
I don't know if it's the tuning, but that guitar sounds like ****.
I liked my Windsor when I had it, but I love that your opinions are more considered more valid by you than anyone else's. Some of these posts are bringing back memories of the Great Cheap Vs Am Std Strat debate from last year (or earlier this year, I don't quite remember).
Archer250
Well-known member
Re: My take on the Peavey Windsor head...
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Earlier this year. Some blithering idiot was really convinced that wood and build quality was no different between Mexican Standard and Masterbuilt strats.
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Johnny the Kid
Shaunofthedeadologist
Re: My take on the Peavey Windsor head...
I remember it. It was a 13 page fiasco that degenerated to name calling and calling out various members of the forum.
Seems it's a popular thing to do when you need to zealously defend your choice of gear.
I remember it. It was a 13 page fiasco that degenerated to name calling and calling out various members of the forum.
Seems it's a popular thing to do when you need to zealously defend your choice of gear.
cliffenstein
New member
Re: My take on the Peavey Windsor head...
Since this thread is the one that made me finally stop lurking and actually properly register for this message board, I figure it's only proper that I resurrect it, introduce myself, and add my experience with this amp.
I'm a former full-time touring musician who is now a happily married father of two boys. The old band got back together and so now I get to be a part-timer, which is perfect for where I'm at now in life.
My first touring amp was a Marshall Valvestate that broke down all the time and a Marshall 1960a that drove me nuts because the handles and wheels broke off. After a tip from a fellow musician, I upgraded to a used first year 5150 head and a Mesa closed back cab loaded with V30's. I didn't have any more issues on tour as my setup was pretty dang near indestructible.
Years later, I sold my 5150/Mesa rig off and got my dream rig...a 1979 50 watt Marshall JMP head and a 1981 Marshall checkerboard grill 100 watt cab loaded with blackbacks. Less than 6 months later that head was stolen. I wasn't in the position to drop anpther $1200 on a replacement so I picked up a used Peavey VTM60 head. It performed admirably.
Another year went by and my wife and I decided to start a family. Soon after my first son was born, I became convinced I was done with playing music. I sold all my gear. Flash forward 5 years...we now had two sons and the playing music bug started slowly crawling back.
I called the guys and we all decided to get the band going again. I, of course, needed new gear, but I was determined to not spend a fortune...at least not quickly, haha! After a lot of research, which included reading threads on this very message board, my curiosity was peaked enough on the Peavey Windsor half stack to see what was available in my area via Craigslist. Three people had them for sale, one of which even had the matching cab. I grabbed the guitar that I had gotten on the cheap but spent way more than it was worth to get it stage worthy and went to go check it out.
It literally took me all of a minute to get VERY good sounds out of it. I paid the man $350 for the set and took it home.
I've now had the Windsor for a year. I use it at every practice and every gig. I plug into the low gain input exclusively. The Windsor sounds so much like my stolen JMP setup it's eerie. I've read a ton of things about this amp, how the cab sucks, the head is supposedly cheap, yada yada yada. All I know is it gets me EXACTLY where I wanna be...and all of my guitars sound great with it. The other guitarist in the band has a JCM800 (2210 two channel model, though he only uses the gain channel) and a 1960b cab. My Windsor has absolutely no trouble whatsoever keeping up with his Marshall.
Time will tell if this amp eventually becomes more revered the way the original Butcher and VTMs now are, but for where I'm at today, the Windsor is pure gold. In fact, had I known about these amps when they were still being made, I wouldn't have bought that pricey JMP!
Anyway...hello everybody!!!!!
Since this thread is the one that made me finally stop lurking and actually properly register for this message board, I figure it's only proper that I resurrect it, introduce myself, and add my experience with this amp.
I'm a former full-time touring musician who is now a happily married father of two boys. The old band got back together and so now I get to be a part-timer, which is perfect for where I'm at now in life.
My first touring amp was a Marshall Valvestate that broke down all the time and a Marshall 1960a that drove me nuts because the handles and wheels broke off. After a tip from a fellow musician, I upgraded to a used first year 5150 head and a Mesa closed back cab loaded with V30's. I didn't have any more issues on tour as my setup was pretty dang near indestructible.
Years later, I sold my 5150/Mesa rig off and got my dream rig...a 1979 50 watt Marshall JMP head and a 1981 Marshall checkerboard grill 100 watt cab loaded with blackbacks. Less than 6 months later that head was stolen. I wasn't in the position to drop anpther $1200 on a replacement so I picked up a used Peavey VTM60 head. It performed admirably.
Another year went by and my wife and I decided to start a family. Soon after my first son was born, I became convinced I was done with playing music. I sold all my gear. Flash forward 5 years...we now had two sons and the playing music bug started slowly crawling back.
I called the guys and we all decided to get the band going again. I, of course, needed new gear, but I was determined to not spend a fortune...at least not quickly, haha! After a lot of research, which included reading threads on this very message board, my curiosity was peaked enough on the Peavey Windsor half stack to see what was available in my area via Craigslist. Three people had them for sale, one of which even had the matching cab. I grabbed the guitar that I had gotten on the cheap but spent way more than it was worth to get it stage worthy and went to go check it out.
It literally took me all of a minute to get VERY good sounds out of it. I paid the man $350 for the set and took it home.
I've now had the Windsor for a year. I use it at every practice and every gig. I plug into the low gain input exclusively. The Windsor sounds so much like my stolen JMP setup it's eerie. I've read a ton of things about this amp, how the cab sucks, the head is supposedly cheap, yada yada yada. All I know is it gets me EXACTLY where I wanna be...and all of my guitars sound great with it. The other guitarist in the band has a JCM800 (2210 two channel model, though he only uses the gain channel) and a 1960b cab. My Windsor has absolutely no trouble whatsoever keeping up with his Marshall.
Time will tell if this amp eventually becomes more revered the way the original Butcher and VTMs now are, but for where I'm at today, the Windsor is pure gold. In fact, had I known about these amps when they were still being made, I wouldn't have bought that pricey JMP!
Anyway...hello everybody!!!!!
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GoldenVulture
Braindeadologist
Re: My take on the Peavey Windsor head...
Welcome to the forum.
Welcome to the forum.
Re: My take on the Peavey Windsor head...
This could probably help anyone out that owns a Windsor. Once you see the schematics, it'll all make sense.
The Windsor and 800 are similar, but still pretty far off. It wouldn't take much to mod one to a 2203. Looks pretty easy.
http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/main.php/v/DougH/amp/windsor/
This could probably help anyone out that owns a Windsor. Once you see the schematics, it'll all make sense.
The Windsor and 800 are similar, but still pretty far off. It wouldn't take much to mod one to a 2203. Looks pretty easy.
http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/main.php/v/DougH/amp/windsor/
75lespaul
New member
Re: My take on the Peavey Windsor head...
OP here. Wow. Just...wow, lol. I never knew this thread would cause so much acrimony. So here's what may or not be the end of my story. We need cash, so I'm doing the usual and getting rid of anything that isn't necessary for the band. With my Bad Cat Cougar 50 combo, I didn't need the Windsor anymore. I gotta tell you, I played that amp at home a LOT. But it never quite got me the EXACT tones I was looking for. So the guy comes over to buy it yesterday for $220.00. Real nice fella, around my age, comes in with a Gibson SG dot neck with the automatic tuners, plugs in, and sets the amp with everything at 12:00. I had the head on top of Hughes & Kettner Triamp cab with the V30/G12H30 X pattern. Plays a few chords, fiddles with it just a little--mind you, he'd never seen one in person--and whammo! This thing is spewing forth with some of the best Marshall tones I've ever heard. I was absolutely amazed. I asked him what the hell pickup was in that guitar. He says "Pearly Gates". Oh my Lord, the Pearly Gates bridge. I wonder if my problem was that I was using all high output pickups, like the Duncan and Dimarzio distortions, the C5, etc. After he left, I grabbed the Agile Hawker I bought that still has the stock pickups, which are low output, and plugged in my Bugera 333 combo. I did what he did and the amp came to life. Through the same H&K cab mind you. The stock speakers sound okay, but not as good as that. I swear to GOD if my lazybutt wife can get herself a fulltime job again, I'm getting another one and I'm gettin' me some Pearly Gates bridge pickups. That pickup just seemed to match that amplifier like it was made for it.
OP here. Wow. Just...wow, lol. I never knew this thread would cause so much acrimony. So here's what may or not be the end of my story. We need cash, so I'm doing the usual and getting rid of anything that isn't necessary for the band. With my Bad Cat Cougar 50 combo, I didn't need the Windsor anymore. I gotta tell you, I played that amp at home a LOT. But it never quite got me the EXACT tones I was looking for. So the guy comes over to buy it yesterday for $220.00. Real nice fella, around my age, comes in with a Gibson SG dot neck with the automatic tuners, plugs in, and sets the amp with everything at 12:00. I had the head on top of Hughes & Kettner Triamp cab with the V30/G12H30 X pattern. Plays a few chords, fiddles with it just a little--mind you, he'd never seen one in person--and whammo! This thing is spewing forth with some of the best Marshall tones I've ever heard. I was absolutely amazed. I asked him what the hell pickup was in that guitar. He says "Pearly Gates". Oh my Lord, the Pearly Gates bridge. I wonder if my problem was that I was using all high output pickups, like the Duncan and Dimarzio distortions, the C5, etc. After he left, I grabbed the Agile Hawker I bought that still has the stock pickups, which are low output, and plugged in my Bugera 333 combo. I did what he did and the amp came to life. Through the same H&K cab mind you. The stock speakers sound okay, but not as good as that. I swear to GOD if my lazybutt wife can get herself a fulltime job again, I'm getting another one and I'm gettin' me some Pearly Gates bridge pickups. That pickup just seemed to match that amplifier like it was made for it.
cliffenstein
New member
Re: My take on the Peavey Windsor head...
75LP,
I play all my guitars bridge pickup only. Here's what's in the 4 guitars I play through my Windsor half stack with:
Gibson Burstbucker Type 2 (output 7.4, 500k volume pot)
Gibson 498T (output 9, 500k volume pot)
Maxon Super 70 (output 7.88, 500k volume pot)
Seymour Duncan Hot Rails (output 16.6, 250k volume pot)
I get those killer Marshall tones with all of 'em!
75LP,
I play all my guitars bridge pickup only. Here's what's in the 4 guitars I play through my Windsor half stack with:
Gibson Burstbucker Type 2 (output 7.4, 500k volume pot)
Gibson 498T (output 9, 500k volume pot)
Maxon Super 70 (output 7.88, 500k volume pot)
Seymour Duncan Hot Rails (output 16.6, 250k volume pot)
I get those killer Marshall tones with all of 'em!
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75lespaul
New member
Re: My take on the Peavey Windsor head...
Yeah, I think I was just cranking the knobs too much. As you know, the whole tone of the amp can change with just a small increment. Very sensitive. See? As I got older, I just forgot the basics, which is basically start with everything at noon and adjust from there. Lately, I've been cranking the knobs all the way up and trying to work from there and getting frustrated. I mean, I had it sounding good, but not THAT good. The only saving grace is that even if I was getting those tones out of it, it would have went anyway. I read your post and I'm really glad you get what you want from that amp. Yesterday to me was just proof that this amp is way better than I ever thought if you're going for that kind of tone. Just a sweet rock amp.
Yeah, I think I was just cranking the knobs too much. As you know, the whole tone of the amp can change with just a small increment. Very sensitive. See? As I got older, I just forgot the basics, which is basically start with everything at noon and adjust from there. Lately, I've been cranking the knobs all the way up and trying to work from there and getting frustrated. I mean, I had it sounding good, but not THAT good. The only saving grace is that even if I was getting those tones out of it, it would have went anyway. I read your post and I'm really glad you get what you want from that amp. Yesterday to me was just proof that this amp is way better than I ever thought if you're going for that kind of tone. Just a sweet rock amp.
cliffenstein
New member
Re: My take on the Peavey Windsor head...
I have an amp builder friend, a total early 80's Marshall JCM800 uber fan, who taught me a lot about how to dial them in. I used what he taught me when I got my 1979 JMP head and the same exact thought process works for my Windsor as well. The only difference is Marshall goes to 10 and Windsor goes to 12, so the numbers are a bit different, but the actual dials get positioned in almost the exact same way...
Current Windsor settings that I use for all 4 of my guitars:
Low Gain Input
Preamp 8 (sometimes I dial down to 7 if the room calls for it)
Bass 7
Middle 6 1/2
Treble 5
Master 4 (sometimes down to 3 if the room calls for it)
Resonance 7
Presence 5
Texture full A/B
I also never push in the Boost button
I have an amp builder friend, a total early 80's Marshall JCM800 uber fan, who taught me a lot about how to dial them in. I used what he taught me when I got my 1979 JMP head and the same exact thought process works for my Windsor as well. The only difference is Marshall goes to 10 and Windsor goes to 12, so the numbers are a bit different, but the actual dials get positioned in almost the exact same way...
Current Windsor settings that I use for all 4 of my guitars:
Low Gain Input
Preamp 8 (sometimes I dial down to 7 if the room calls for it)
Bass 7
Middle 6 1/2
Treble 5
Master 4 (sometimes down to 3 if the room calls for it)
Resonance 7
Presence 5
Texture full A/B
I also never push in the Boost button
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Artie
Peaveyologist
Re: My take on the Peavey Windsor head...
I'm thinking the time might be ripe for me to toss my Windsor out on the Trading Post.
I'm thinking the time might be ripe for me to toss my Windsor out on the Trading Post.
Re: My take on the Peavey Windsor head...
You can pull the 2 outer power tubes, and switch the impedance down one notch. It works just fine. You won't lose much volume, but it will break up a little faster.
Mods on these amps are super easy. I converted mine to a 2203 clone, even added a choke. The difference in stock and modded are amazing. Just the preamp mod alone makes a huge difference. The power section mod makes it even better. But, that's just from my own experience and personal opinion.
You can pull the 2 outer power tubes, and switch the impedance down one notch. It works just fine. You won't lose much volume, but it will break up a little faster.
Mods on these amps are super easy. I converted mine to a 2203 clone, even added a choke. The difference in stock and modded are amazing. Just the preamp mod alone makes a huge difference. The power section mod makes it even better. But, that's just from my own experience and personal opinion.
Johnny the Kid
Shaunofthedeadologist
Re: My take on the Peavey Windsor head...
Once I learned to dial in my Windsor, it was a great sounding amp for being my first tube head. I sometimes miss having it around, but I'm sure someone else is enjoying it now.
Once I learned to dial in my Windsor, it was a great sounding amp for being my first tube head. I sometimes miss having it around, but I'm sure someone else is enjoying it now.
75lespaul
New member
Re: My take on the Peavey Windsor head...
I hated the tone with the boost button. I copied this to Word and if God willing, I can afford another Windsor, this is where I'll start. Thanks bro!
It just may be, lol.
I hated the tone with the boost button. I copied this to Word and if God willing, I can afford another Windsor, this is where I'll start. Thanks bro!
I'm thinking the time might be ripe for me to toss my Windsor out on the Trading Post.
It just may be, lol.
cliffenstein
New member
Re: My take on the Peavey Windsor head...
You are certainly welcome!
You are certainly welcome!
Re: My take on the Peavey Windsor head...
As wattage said, are you using stock tubes???
I try to use a EH 12AU7 as a phase inverter Power tube driver.
And I try to using a EH 12AX7 "Hi Gain" to drive the gain channel. Not knowing what your tube placement is, but assuming it's 3 to 5 12AX7's. Well that just won't do.
As wattage said, are you using stock tubes???
I try to use a EH 12AU7 as a phase inverter Power tube driver.
And I try to using a EH 12AX7 "Hi Gain" to drive the gain channel. Not knowing what your tube placement is, but assuming it's 3 to 5 12AX7's. Well that just won't do.
cliffenstein
New member
Re: My take on the Peavey Windsor head...
Tubes in mine are what was in there when I bought it used last year...
Power Tubes are EH EL34 on the far left and middle left and Mesa EL34 on the middle right and far right.
Preamp Tubes are JJ 12AX7 closest to the power tubes, GT 12AX7 in the back left and JJ 12AX7 in the back right.
Tubes in mine are what was in there when I bought it used last year...
Power Tubes are EH EL34 on the far left and middle left and Mesa EL34 on the middle right and far right.
Preamp Tubes are JJ 12AX7 closest to the power tubes, GT 12AX7 in the back left and JJ 12AX7 in the back right.
