SWR Workingman's 12

Received as gift but it was bought at Guitar Center.

Pros include small size, easy to use controls. This is the amp I told my wife I wanted. I wanted it for jamming with friends in a small setting and as a pratice amp at home. I have no intention to use this as a gig amp.

Horrible manual. It looked like a photo copy of a photo copy of a photo copy and did a lousy job of detailing the amp. The amp seems to clip easily and distort when I’m trying to get a decent punch out of it. I’m glad the horn can be turned off because it does not sound good with my Ibanez SR800.

It seems to be built very well. It's solid and very nice to haul around. Great for home studio or jamming with friends.

This is a great pratice amp when I don't need the power. I might try it with another bass to make sure it's not my preamp in my bass causing the distortion. All in all I like the amp for what I'm using it for but I would not try to use it for any reason as a gig amp. Like Tim Taylor would say... "needs more power".

This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com

(Originally written by astroperenoel/translated from Audiofanzine FR)
High-quality, solid-state combo.

I own an amp from the previous Series, it looks a bit different but it has the same features.

Output power: 100 watts RMS / 8 Ohms and 120 watts / 4 ohms if you add a speaker cabinet (for example a 12" or 15" speaker for ultra-low frequencies with a 6-string bass).

The amp has a 12" Celestion speaker "especially made for SWR cabinets", very good for the reproduction of short and deep notes.

A tiny low-noise tweeter widens the frequency response in the mid and high frequencies.

Comprehensive connections.

Comprehensive settings without useless controls!

Weight: 55 lb.

UTILIZATION

Very effective settings.

Sound: this amp sounds incredibly transparent and it faithfully reproduces the character of your bass guitar over the whole frequency range.

The user's manual is easy to read but you won't need it.

SOUNDS

This amp matches every music style!

Killer slap sound: very percussive, wide and dynamic!

You can get all sorts of sounds, it's a pity that it doesn't have a compressor section.

Everything is possible since the controls are very effective.

I personally like amp settings that color the sound: low = 60%, mid = 35% and high = 45%.

OVERALL OPINION

I've been using it since 1998. I have never regretted having bought this amp, but sometimes I do regret not having bought its bigger brother (Working 15").

If you're looking for a 100-watt amp, it's clearly the reference combo, the most effective with the best value for money.

The price is ok since the amp is handcrafted in the USA!

I sold it in order to buy the same model with more output power (the output power is enough for band rehearsals and small gigs)!

Trust me, this is an amp for life! And its dimensions are quite compact.

What kind of amplification (lamp, transistor ,...)?
transistor amplifier
What connection?
comprehensive connectivity
What is the power delivered?
power of 100 W
What are the settings, the effects? ...
gain, aural enhancer, 3-band EQ, a knob effect (from dry to wet), a limited and volume.

UTILIZATION

The configuration is it simple?
extremely
Do you get a good sound easy?
As someone once said, yes, and especially when the instrument is good, the amp is very transparent, fully respects the sound of the bass.

SOUNDS

Right for your style of music?
I play a bit of everything, and yes it is
What kind of sound you get and with what settings ("crystalline", "fat ",....)?
There was no real opportunity to get his fat with this amp, it's not his vocation, his calling is to really promote the instrument you play.
With what (s) guitar (s) / low (s) or effect (s) do you play?
I play with my jazz bass (Crel rise), and I played with a TRB 1005 fretless. Very good for both

OVERALL OPINION

How long have you use it?
I use it for two or three months.
Have you tried many other models before buying it?
I played on an SWR head st 220 (tube preamp) with a GK cab with a Warwick CCL 250, a small GK and with Phil Jones Flight case. If I had to choose between all these amps (and yet there are goods!), I will take the Workingman transparency for this beautiful (some say cold ... I do not agree)

A Transistor Amplifier for a power of 120 Watts,
160 Watts @ 4 Ohms (with extesion 8 Ohm):
-12 "Custom SWR driver
-Le-Son TLX-1 Piezo tweeter

This amp comes with a connector more than complte:
Among active-bass
-Between passive bass
-Headphone
-Output Direct Out XLR in and by 6.35 (Gant)
-Output for 2nd room

A qualizer 3 Bands:
-Low
Medium-
Acute-

Effect:
Aural Enhancer,

Led Clip Pramp

UTILIZATION

The use is more than simple, choose your between your RULES qual ... and off you go ...
The Amp is mrveilleux and I n'xagre nothing perfect in concert (a little weak without repicage)
and studio sound can no longer Polyval.

SOUNDS

The same versatility, it has a neutral sound, so if you got a good voice ... it goes low
I play a Cort Artisan (A5) ...
It is progressive rock with a big sound ... I use really the whole range of sounds, the rope if the flapping in the more subdued ...
You can do slap (Red Hot) and then out of the harmonics (the Myung) any sounds ...
The only catch the B string on a bass would have taken an active Diameter 15''(for the next ...)
But still even an 10 because I should have known ...

OVERALL OPINION

Cel will be a little over a year since I use it and I'm really happy, I would change but not brand MODEL ...
I love everything about this amp its disign sober, its size (it wrong ... because it is heavy) ...
SWR amps are not given as the range Workingman is an excellent qualitprix ...