Hiwatt amps

michael_atw · #1 06-08-2011, 10:58 AM

Anyone got a good back story on these or reviews? I always hear about the Stones (for a time) and The Who using them; who else used them in the 70's? I have considered looking around for one. What recording(s) do you consider to epitomize a Hiwatt tone?

nysbob · #2 06-08-2011, 12:38 PM

Entwistle on Live at Leeds for one.

John Wetton used Hiwatt in the Larks Tongues / Red era King Crimson. For sound, think cleaner Marshall.

Hiwatt are tremendous amps. If you want new, Reeves makes a nice reproduction.

AwkwardLoudness · #3 06-09-2011, 12:10 AM

Hiwatts have very fat robust cleans, roaring grinding but still articulate overdrive, and fast responsive attack.

If you're gonna get a Hiwatt, then make sure it's a vintage Hylight era amp. The newer ones sound fine but not particularly reliable. Of course, any vintage tube amp may need basic maintenance especially with replacement of tubes and/or filter capacitors. I've owned and restored five Hiwatt amps with great success. Among new amps, Reeves and MYWATT seem to be the best options.

Like nysbob said, The Who's Live at Leeds album (1970) is a good showcase of Hiwatt tones, for both bass and guitar. I recommend the "Deluxe Edition" of that album since it has the whole performance. Entwistle used several 100w Hiwatt CR103 amps and one of his Frankenstein Precision basses for that show and his tone is heavy on the mids. Hiwatts have much versatility beyond the Entwistle tones, though.

Listen to that bass roar on 'Pinball Wizard'
Leeds clips
YouTube - ‪Pinball Wizard - The Who (Live at Leeds)‬&rlm;
YouTube - ‪The Who - Live At Leeds - Amazing Journey / Sparks‬&rlm;
YouTube - ‪The Who - My generation- Live at Leeds (PART I)‬&rlm;

Some other bassists who have used Hiwatts
Glenn Hughes when with Deep Purple, Glenn Cornick of Jethro Tull, Colin Pattenden of Mannfred Mann's Earth Band, John Wetton while with King Crimson, Jim Lea of Slade, John Lodge of The Moody Blues, Roger Waters of Pink Floyd

Cornick era Jethro Tull
YouTube - ‪My God - Jethro Tull Live at the Isle of Wight 1970‬&rlm;

Any amp can sound different depending on the bass (especially pickups) and speakers cabs, but the differences are more extreme with Hiwatt amps in my experience. These amps are very sensitive and responsive to plucking/picking technique and dynamics. Many overdriove/distortion/dirt pedals sound great through a clean Hiwatt.

Here are some of mine

Energy · #4 06-09-2011, 02:37 AM

Marc Huss' HIWATT Information Pages.

chadds · #5 06-09-2011, 05:27 AM

Hiwatts can do hifi clear with no grit or grind. Warm fat lows and mids with clear pristine but tube highs.

77PBass · #6 06-09-2011, 07:28 AM

I have a mint 1972 V4B, a vintage Hiwatt Custom 100 is what I GAS for....

Built to last, looks like military spec inside the thing (see pix and compare to the rats nest of wires in a Fender).

The Tull link was great! Check this one out...one of my favorite Tull songs...

YouTube - ‪Jethro Tull-Nothing Is Easy-Live At Isle Of Wight (1970)‬&rlm;

Stones_Fan · #7 06-09-2011, 07:39 AM

Tom Peterson from Cheap Trick has been a long time user of Hiwatt amps for bass. I think he's currently playing a Reeves model which is the same basic recipe. Franz Ferdinand, The Hives, Jet and Arctic Monkeys are a few current bands using Hiwatts for bass. I'm lucky enough to own a DR-504 that I use for guitar. I've played bass through it on occasion and it's super punchy and stays relatively clean. It's a great sound for rock bass, especially with a Jazz or Rickenbacker.

Deathblade Eric · #8 06-09-2011, 07:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by michael_atw

Anyone got a good back story on these or reviews? I always hear about the Stones (for a time) and The Who using them; who else used them in the 70's? I have considered looking around for one. What recording(s) do you consider to epitomize a Hiwatt tone?

You might want to read this thread on the Vintage Amps forum & bone up on them first.

This article from The (Sheffield) Star may prove of interest, too.

Caveat Emptor & all that.

BarryRay · #9 06-09-2011, 07:53 AM

I play a Reeves Custom 225 and at almost every show I get compliments from guys who "use to play Hiwatts like that before you were born".

Sound guys LOVE this amp and also tend to get a little wood when they see the DI in the back.

Built like a tank; and pretty sure it weights as much one.

Added bonus is when my guitar players like to inch their volume knobs up bit by bit at rehearsal. Even at 40% I can blow the doors off of our practice space and they get the message that its time to turn down so we can hear our singer.

AwkwardLoudness · #10 06-09-2011, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deathblade Eric

You might want to read this thread on the Vintage Amps forum & bone up on them first.

This article from The (Sheffield) Star may prove of interest, too.

Caveat Emptor & all that.

Like I said in my above post, stay away from newer Hiwatt amps. The corrupt nature of MusicGround illustrated in those links is the primary reason....part of their evil is building low quality amps with the Hiwatt name on them as well as creating counterfeit vintage amps and instruments.

The MusicGround 'Hiwatt' amps are not real Hiwatts, but they have owned the trademark (or owned shared stake in ownership) for 25 years.

Don't confuse those jokers with the original Hylight Electronics company that built top quality Hiwatt amps.

ZachM · #11 06-09-2011, 08:23 AM

Yeah, I've never had any experience with Hiwatts, but I own a Reeves and can attest to its quality. I've not heard great thing about the new Hiwatts though, and for as much as they cost you could score yourself one of the new Reeves Custom 400's.

Hifiguy · #12 06-09-2011, 08:34 AM

I owned two original 100W DR 103s over the years. The wattage rating is silly low. They're actually good for about 150-170 depending on tube condition, and they are very clean but very LOUD amplifiers. The only reason I sold my last Hiwatt (a 1970, all original except for tubes and AC socket) was that I needed money during a stretch of unemployment and it was too valuable to take out and gig with anymore.

Ferociously clean and potent-sounding. Wall-shaking, superbly controlled lows and sleek, shimmery tube high freqs. Built like tanks and then some, at least the old Reeves-era amps - they are as close to bomb-proof as any tube amp will ever be. Love 'em to death. There's nothing else like a Hiwatt.

**cheezewiz** · #13 06-09-2011, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AwkwardLoudness

Hiwatts have very fat robust cleans, roaring grinding but still articulate overdrive, and fast responsive attack.

If you're gonna get a Hiwatt, then make sure it's a vintage Hylight era amp. The newer ones sound fine but not particularly reliable. Of course, any vintage tube amp may need basic maintenance especially with replacement of tubes and/or filter capacitors. I've owned and restored five Hiwatt amps with great success. Among new amps, Reeves and MYWATT seem to be the best options.

Like nysbob said, The Who's Live at Leeds album (1970) is a good showcase of Hiwatt tones, for both bass and guitar. I recommend the "Deluxe Edition" of that album since it has the whole performance. Entwistle used several 100w Hiwatt CR103 amps and one of his Frankenstein Precision basses for that show and his tone is heavy on the mids. Hiwatts have much versatility beyond the Entwistle tones, though.

Listen to that bass roar on 'Pinball Wizard'
Leeds clips
YouTube - ‪Pinball Wizard - The Who (Live at Leeds)‬&rlm;
YouTube - ‪The Who - Live At Leeds - Amazing Journey / Sparks‬&rlm;
YouTube - ‪The Who - My generation- Live at Leeds (PART I)‬&rlm;

Some other bassists who have used Hiwatts
Glenn Hughes when with Deep Purple, Glenn Cornick of Jethro Tull, Colin Pattenden of Mannfred Mann's Earth Band, John Wetton while with King Crimson, Jim Lea of Slade, John Lodge of The Moody Blues, Roger Waters of Pink Floyd

Cornick era Jethro Tull
YouTube - ‪My God - Jethro Tull Live at the Isle of Wight 1970‬&rlm;

Any amp can sound different depending on the bass (especially pickups) and speakers cabs, but the differences are more extreme with Hiwatt amps in my experience. These amps are very sensitive and responsive to plucking/picking technique and dynamics. Many overdriove/distortion/dirt pedals sound great through a clean Hiwatt.

Here are some of mine

You Sir, are my hero.

Spinal Tapper · #14 06-09-2011, 10:43 AM

I had the fortunate opportunity to play through the new HiWatt 200 at my buddy's shop through he HiWatt 15" cab. They also had the 400 stacked up, as well as the matching 4x10, but they weren't hooked into the line.

I have to say it was the BEST sounding bass tone I've heard. So round and thumpy, but incredibly clear and no harshness. (Played with a G&L SB-2 bass.)

The $3000 price tag for the head made it pretty easy to walk away from. Not to mention the cabs run about $1200 a piece, new anyways. If I ever found a used head for under $2k, I'd snatch it up in a heartbeat. Sounded just incredible though.

Totally worth the dough IMO, assuming they're pretty reliable tube heads...