During my blogs I predominantly discuss guitars and pickups but all would be pointless without an amp (and cab!). In this blog I will introduce you to an amp builder, amp tech and friend of mine. Chris Winsemius is the founder and owner of CMW amps. Founded and based in the Netherlands, he has build and modded countless amps, building a name for himself with a great reputation as its result.
Chris, thanks for doing this interview. Can you tell us a bit how you got started in the business?
Frankly, it all began with my first electric guitar. I opened it the same night I got it just to see what was all inside of it. Right there and then my interest in guitar electrics was born. After a while my grandfather gave me an old 1950s amplifier for a movie projection system and when I got The Tube Amp book by Aspen Pittman who worked for Groove tubes, there was no turning back.
What was the moment, the proverbial tipping point, at which you decided to go pro?
There is no real one moment to be identified but it got very serious when I got more and more request for work at the end of the 1990s. It all consolidated, though, when I paid a visit to Trace Davis of Voodoo Amps in september 2001.
There is much to do about point to point wiring versus printed circuit board. Can you shed your light on this subject? Is a PCB really that bad?
I believe that the quality of an amplifier (sound, feel of playing, reliability, endurance and ease of service) are highly influenced by the general design and the quality of some specific parts. Amps that are based on a PCB often use completely different components than a non-PCB amps which makes a true comparison nearly impossible. That having said: either method has its own merits.
How do you go about designing a new amp from scratch?
That differs greatly. With a fully bespoke amplifier I listen to the wishes and needs of the customer and we’ll consider together the options without forgetting the rest of the gear, of course, like the guitar(s), effects, speakers, etcetera. I also closely examine the  specific style of a player in order to match the touch response of an amp with him or her.
Does that approach differ from modding an existing design?
Not really, but with existing amps you’re absolutely and clearly limited by the physical constrains of the amp with regards to the placement of the switches, knobs and components.
An amplifier can’t work without pickups, to start with! Can you share some of your experiences with Seymour Duncan Pickups?
Of course! Already since the late 1980s I got acquainted with Seymour Duncan pickups via friends and customers. When it comes to humbuckers, the Jb/Jazz duo is just a classic, benchmark combination! For Strats, I believe the Alnico II Pro pickups are superb. They’re warm but retain some kind of punch.
At the moment I’m busy modifying two telecasters. Both will get the Jerry Donahue tele Lead pickup: that’s a truly amazing pickup! The neck position will be covered by an Alnico II pro Strat pickup (but with its position slightly altered for the harmonics), just like JD! One of these guitars is for a client who regularly performs on Dutch Television! The wiring will be a bit different, too. It’s going to get a 5 way switch with the following combinations: Neck, neck and bridge in series (but a bit less mushy because I use some personal tweaks to make it work!), neck and bridge parallel together, a special setting to coax a stratty ‘glassy’, quacky tone, and of course the bridge pickup by itself. That way I get more tonal versatility and diversity on an already amazingly versatile Telecaster. I believe that the tele bridge pickup and the strat neck pickup are some of Fender’s finest pickup designs, across the board!
[Note from the author: I’m also extremely fond of the setup Chris uses: just look at my review for this amazing set by clicking here!]
I have an amp you built from scratch, my hailed Private Paisley amp. People still associate me with that little amp. I’d pull it out of my bag pack, plug it in and silence all the skeptics and naysayers with the amazing sounds. Can you tell us something about that amp?
The Private Paisley is built on an old Geloso Chassis but with a completely new circuitry and guts on the inside, as well as a new visual styling. This amp is roughly based on a late 1960s Vox AC15 but voiced to be a bit more ‘Marshall-y’ to give the amp more crunch as well as tightening the low end.
Can you tell us something about your specializations? Do you make and service amps that excell at cleans, or is distortion more in your line of business?
To put it simply: I just love good sounds, even though that is a highly subjective and rather broad term. I am fond of clean sounds and clean sounds are often the basis for a good amplifier. Circuits that should perform with overdrive require more attention, know how and a better output transformer. In my opinion, anyway!
What constitutes as ‘good design’?
I’d say, the ‘I-cannot-stop-playing’ factor. The harder it is to quite playing the better the amp is, in my opinion. Also, I believe that (the tone of) an amp should cut through the mix well without obstructing the rest of the instruments.
What is your motivation? In other words: why do you get up every morning?
Music!
Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?
Some new amp designs along the road… At the moment I’m working on the development of a line of amps in a chassis and cabinet of my own design, which takes up a lot of time, I have to admit.
Thank you so much for shedding some light on the job of the amp tech and builder!
Same to you!