WATKINS WESTMINSTER sold

British-made Watkins Westminster valve (tube) amp in very good cosmetic condition and perfect working order (for a 60s amp). This stunning-sounding amp has just been serviced and is ready to play.

Dating from around 1963, this has been a go-to amp in the studio for me: often outclassing our vastly more expensive Vox AC-10s.

One of the reasons these vintage amps don’t enjoy the same status as Voxes from the same era is their ‘uncool’ 50s picnic hamper look (or Dansette record player). When you close your eyes however, the sound is unmistakably that of a great British sixties valve amp – rich, warm, huge tones with great break-up when pushed hard. This little 10w amp has all the right components brought together in one of Charlie Watkins best amp designs: it has a full complement of original yellow-print Mullard valves (all tested good), original 8″ speaker in excellent condition, mustard caps and a great tremolo circuit with footswitch. It sounds fabulous, is a a joy to play through and an absolute revelation when recording, sounding bigger and more expensive than it’s diminutive stature suggests. In short, a belter of an amp that’s not so loud that you can’t use it for great tone at home – delivering sweet creamy valve tones at living room levels.

There are two inputs and controls for Volume, Tone and Tremolo Speed.