Hiwatt DR103 for bass?

corinpills · #1 11-19-2010, 10:20 AM

Ideally, I'd have a spare $2500 for one of their 400 watt bass amps, but I might have an opportunity to pick up a late 70's four input DR103. I'd have to sell my Trace Elliot V6- a killer amp, but I've always had such a thing for Hiwatts.

I'm not playing many stadiums these days, that through a 2x15 cab should plenty for a club, right? It has EL34s, but I think I read somewhere about a mod to change it to KT88s. Anybody know anything about that?

KramerBassFan · #2 11-19-2010, 11:50 AM

Any idea what Era DR103 this is?

And i wouldn't personally bother changing a 100w Hiwatt from EL34's to KT88's especially if it is a Reeves Era DR103.

corinpills · #3 11-19-2010, 11:52 AM

It's a late 70's one, but 4 inputs and it has Partridge transformers.

KramerBassFan · #4 11-19-2010, 11:53 AM

Hiwatts are great and all, but i'm not sure you'd really be happier with one than over your V6 honestly.

Could you give it a try at least?

fu22ba55 · #5 11-19-2010, 12:05 PM

100 Watts is only 100 Watts. Hiwatt or not.

I loves me some Hiwatt tone for sure, but I'd need at least two DR103s to even hear my bass loud enough to tune it.

Save up for a Reeves 225, or get ready to carry two DR103s around. (Or maybe a DR103 and a V4B. That would be a killer rig.)

corinpills · #6 11-19-2010, 12:24 PM

It's closeby so I could try it. I have played through plenty of Hiwatts, I know what to expect tone-wise. Honestly, I'll admit to being irrationally attracted to Hiwatts. it's the Who thing. My V6 is a killer amp, but to be completely honest, when other bass players says "what is that?" I feel geeky saying Trace Elliot. I know it doesn't actually have neon green all over it, but I feel like it implies neon green somehow. I'm kidding, but I really do get all cranked up about Hiwatts.

Then again, it's not like it's impossible to find Hiwatts and it is pretty damn hard to find a V6. What i really need is for someone to put my V6 into a Hiwatt head box.

KramerBassFan · #7 11-19-2010, 01:43 PM

Or just buy Both....

Sartori · #8 11-19-2010, 03:44 PM

Try the Hiwatt. And then see if you can get a similar tone with your V6.

Or you could just buy the Hiwatt and get another cabinet, and use the V6 as a slave amp.

Bassmec · #9 11-19-2010, 04:12 PM

You may need a few more than one Dr103, like the who found on bigger stages or a couple of bigger amps or maybe a slave
as well:

Think modular!.

AwkwardLoudness · #10 11-22-2010, 06:33 PM

My '74 Hiwatt DR103 is one of the best bass amps I've ever played and most certainly the best guitar amp I've ever played.

But, my DR405 is a bloody m***** ***k*** monster:

corinpills · #11 11-22-2010, 08:51 PM

Ultimately, as much as I dream of Hiwatts every night, I decided to wait and the one I was looking at got sold to someone else. My V6 is a great amp (except for that green carpeting) and they are just impossible to find. I looked for that thing for 3 years and I wouldn't be able to afford keeping both right now.

That's right, I beat back the temptation of GAS and lived to fight another day.

AwkwardLoudness · #12 11-23-2010, 04:11 PM

Here's hoping that someday you will have both a Hiwatt and the V6. Vintage DR103s are not too hard to find if you don't mind buying and having one shipped before trying it out. Inspecting images of the wiring underneath the chassis is key in that situation. The vintage 200/400 watt Hiwatts are unfortunately quite rare especially in the USA.

Jim Campbell · #13 11-23-2010, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fu22ba55

100 Watts is only 100 Watts. Hiwatt or not.

I loves me some Hiwatt tone for sure, but I'd need at least two DR103s to even hear my bass loud enough to tune it.

Save up for a Reeves 225, or get ready to carry two DR103s around. (Or maybe a DR103 and a V4B. That would be a killer rig.)

it seems that the trend these days is lower stage volumes with pa support.....if you need more than a dr103 to hear yourself on stage it may be time for ear plugs,in ears,or a variation on the turn everything down scenario.....most bands i hear with high stage volumes tend to sound like mud a few rows out.....even a lot of the big arena acts are into the isolation box/row of empty stacks for show thing....

shaolinwhat · #14 11-23-2010, 07:32 PM

Maybe it was because I was playing it through an ampeg 810, but the DR103 i used for a few years was more than enough volume for playing with very loud drummers and guitarists.

N.F.A. · #15 11-23-2010, 07:42 PM

I am not even reading the other posts and jumping right to reply here. A DR103 is one of the best bass amps ever created. It is my holy grail amp. You should know a couple things though. It is super loud, clean as a bell and won't distort. The head isn't exactly light either...If you have the chance to get one grab it. My best friend has had one since the 60's and one day I will talk him into selling it to me. (That or his Marshall Major.)
Reeves 225 has similarities if you don't want vintage...

shaolinwhat · #16 11-23-2010, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by N.F.A.

I am not even reading the other posts and jumping right to reply here. A DR103 is one of the best bass amps ever created. It is my holy grail amp. You should know a couple things though. It is super loud, clean as a bell and won't distort. The head isn't exactly light either...If you have the chance to get one grab it. My best friend has had one since the 60's and one day I will talk him into selling it to me. (That or his Marshall Major.)
Reeves 225 has similarities if you don't want vintage...

I have heard other people say that these amps are extremely clean. I feel like there must have been something odd about the one I used to have, I purposely cranked the gain and got really dirty sounds, but even when I tried to get a super clean sound, it just wasn't happening. Meh?

N.F.A. · #17 11-23-2010, 08:00 PM

Well, they do have some really fine sounding natural distortion, but holy schnikes you have to turn it up loud to get there! Also, by "gain" do you mean master volume? I am not sure that the older original ones have a "gain" knob do they? I am going to my buddy's Saturday and I will check. Maybe some of the later reissues had a gain knob. Reissues didn't use the Partridge transformers, IIRC...

AwkwardLoudness · #18 11-23-2010, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shaolinwhat

I feel like there must have been something odd about the one I used to have, I purposely cranked the gain and got really dirty sounds, but even when I tried to get a super clean sound, it just wasn't happening. Meh?

A real Hiwatt should not have a 'gain' knob. What type/year Hiwatt was this?

A Hiwatt DR103 can get plenty especially if you link the input channels and dime the 'normal' and 'brill' pre-amp volume knobs. Or, just use one channel and crank the appropriate pre-amp knob. Other than that, these amps are very clean without pedals.

shaolinwhat · #19 11-23-2010, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AwkwardLoudness

A real Hiwatt should not have a 'gain' knob. What type/year Hiwatt was this?

A Hiwatt DR103 can get plenty especially if you link the input channels and dime the 'normal' and 'brill' pre-amp volume knobs. Or, just use one channel and crank the appropriate pre-amp knob. Other than that, these amps are very clean without pedals.

I just meant cranking the preamp volume, sorry if I worded that oddly.

AwkwardLoudness · #20 11-23-2010, 10:01 PM

Was your Hiwatt a 1978 - 1981 era 2-input amp? Most of those had a problem with blocking distortion unless they were slightly modified, i.e. the 'de-fizz mod'.

http://hiwatt.org/2_mod.html

My '78 DR103 sounded like my '74 DR103 after the mod.