The Last Bass Outpost
Gear Discussion Forums => Bass Amps & Effects => Topic started by: TBird1958 on January 30, 2010, 09:41:03 AM
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So I had the chance to drop by Mike Lull's shop yesterday to pick up some scrap pearloid PG material for a future "stamping project",a lot of you know I'm lucky enough to live nearby and he takes care of my little flock of 'Birds. We chatted a bit about NAMM and that the 5 string 'Bird was voted best new product, and while we were in a side room I noticed that he had this lovely Hiwatt head just sitting aside and I asked him "what's up with this?" How's it sound etc.....
Turns out he came by it in a trade for a bit of work done and some money owed and he now often uses it to gig with, but the crazy thing is he very kindly offered to let me try this beauty out for a week at home with my GK cabs!
All I can say IT's AWESOME! I haven't played a tube amp of any kind for more than 20 years being a very staunch GK guy I hadn't given it too much thought until recently. This head sounds so good, warm, big,deep and just the right bit of growl and clank......I'm in LOVE!
I'll be spending a little more time than usual with the basses this week to enjoy this amp as much as possible, and I'm sad I'll have to give it back too, I know Mike won't be selling it any time soon, I'm now quite envious of all you guys here that have them.
Here it is perched atop my GK.......
(http://i222.photobucket.com/albums/dd306/veronicasteed/hiwatt002.jpg)
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Is that what you would call a "dom" shot? The Hiwatt looks huge and purposeful
compared to the space age GK head with 100 small switch and knobs.
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Nothing like a Hiwatt ;D
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I'm sensing a tube amp in the Fraulein's future... ;)
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They are a great match with Thunderbirds.
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All I can say IT's AWESOME! I haven't played a tube amp of any kind for more than 20 years being a very staunch GK guy I hadn't given it too much thought until recently. This head sounds so good, warm, big,deep and just the right bit of growl and clank......I'm in LOVE!
That was my experience, except I had never played a tube amp. I'm a recovering TNT130 (not my fav) and Combo 300 (ok) user, played a lot of Rickenbacker Roads (decent) in schools, and used a Fender BXR400 and Carvin redeye cabs for years. I tried the Orange about five years ago, and found that sound you describe. There's no turning back once you drink the Kool-Aid!
I still tote that old BXR as a spare, but pray I never have to use it - and it wasn't a bad amp by any means.
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I had a chance to try a Reeves tube head a couple years ago at one of the Cincinnati TB meets. If it weren't for the cost, I've really been tempted to add a tube head and a 4x12 to my set-up. My Ashdown has a tube pre-amp, but it not quite the same.
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Slippery slope Mark! Once you have the head then you'll need the cabs which in turn means you have to get a bigger vechicle...
I just can't see your bass collection being photgraphed in front of the ass end of minivan :o Fraulien goes soccer mommy ;D
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I think he would sell it to you......and I think you would buy it!! Best amp in the world. Not that I have a strong opinion about it :-*
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Check the serial number on the back and that will give you an estimate of the age...
http://mhuss.com/Hiwatt/RegAmps.php (http://mhuss.com/Hiwatt/RegAmps.php)
This is a list of the earlier numbers from Mark Huss' site - mines SNo 831 on the list, and from internal parts we worked out she's a 1970 built by Dave Reeves in his garage...
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ORIGINAL-CUSTOM-HIWATT-100-DR103-Head-Amplifier-EL34_W0QQitemZ120519729788QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_WSJL_Wholesale_GL?hash=item1c0f89227c (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ORIGINAL-CUSTOM-HIWATT-100-DR103-Head-Amplifier-EL34_W0QQitemZ120519729788QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_WSJL_Wholesale_GL?hash=item1c0f89227c)
This one is SNo 1199 so an early one, too... buyer is about 30/40 miles from me... not perfect - caps need replacing - but... Dave Reeves built this one too...
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This ones Stateside... reputedly belonged to Mark Andes... :P
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VINTAGE-1973-HIWATT-DR103-100-watts-of-AWESOME-TONE_W0QQitemZ300390339085QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item45f0a8d20d (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VINTAGE-1973-HIWATT-DR103-100-watts-of-AWESOME-TONE_W0QQitemZ300390339085QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item45f0a8d20d)
I can find a link for a kit... ;D
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A 3rd one and undoubtedly the best looking of the three... SNo 4711 - seller estimates 1973, which is about right from what I know...
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Hiwatt-DR103-Mint-condition-original-Dave-Reeves-1973_W0QQitemZ150409465911QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_MusicalInstr_Amplifiers_RL?hash=item23051a5037 (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Hiwatt-DR103-Mint-condition-original-Dave-Reeves-1973_W0QQitemZ150409465911QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_MusicalInstr_Amplifiers_RL?hash=item23051a5037)
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Thanks for the link Ken!
I have #4513 for another few days :thumbsup:
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Re links... Probably doing the (budgetary) figure no good though... ;D
Amazing to think he worked out of his garage until the end of 1970... that one probably had the hands of a chap called Harry Joyce on her, who's work is highly regarded... they (apparently by strict agreement) only built 40 amps a month during this era, which ended with Dave Reeve's death in '81...
Rough calculation... If this was the case there would be around 6000 or so amps he was involved with... about 500 a year...
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When I chatted with Mike about this amp he said they go for around 3k, which quite surprised me - I had no idea. That was also part of the reason for my surprise at his gracious offer to let me try it out for a week.
I don't know how I could afford to do it right now...........But I want it :)
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Mad impetuous fool... ;D
I don't really want to think too much about the value of mine... too scary, and potentially a one-off (if the wiring does not match a SAP or the Dave Gilmour model) as the name-plate has a differing model ID to anything else...
One of those links listed Stateside has gone for just short of $2200... and that looked in need of some tlc...
At a guess #4711 is 5 months younger than that baby you've got...
What's the serial numbers on Scott's and Birdie's...?
I'd recommend registering them with Mark Huss, though Gents...
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For that kind of money, I'd just go with one of these:
http://www.reevesamps.com/custom225.htm (http://www.reevesamps.com/custom225.htm)
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I paid around $1,500 (2,000 pounds) for my 1975 DR201 about a years ago. Mine is in nowhere near as nice a shape as Mike's, was his recovered ? Though mine does have the Slade pedigree ;D I'll check the serial # today. It cost me about $150.00 to have it shipped over from the UK.
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Thanks again to Scott for making me want something he has. Can you guys in the US keep a look out for one of these, new or used.
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Those Reeves' look pretty faithful...
I guess it's like the difference between "vintage" or "clone"... iirc, there are two "Hiwatt" makers these days... It would be interesting to try an equivalent, side-by-side comparison...
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I'm sensing a tube amp in the Fraulein's future... ;)
Yes indeed, this may cause Der Fraulien's fall from solid state grace! :D :D
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Thanks again to Scott for making me want something he has. Can you guys in the US keep a look out for one of these, new or used.
Just as an FYI, the amp pictured is a DR103, the 100 watt model. The Reeves amp is a copy of the 203 which is a little beefier sounding and of course, twice the power. For the money, the Reeves is really a super bargain. With an older amp, you never know what you're getting into with a used one. Normally, I'm all for used amps, but Hiwatts are also famous with guitar players (Pete Townsend, David Gilmour) so the old ones also tend to have had lots of guitar 'amp techs' "fix" them over the years, AND used ones are pretty pricey to start out with. Lemme put it this way... I used to have a Hiwatt DR103 (didn't want to part with it, but it couldn't be helped); I can fix them myself, and if I had the money, I'd buy the Reeves in a second.
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I could sell mine and get all sorts of goodies... not gonna though... :P
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I could also sell my Wizard Bass 400 serial #2 (Cliff Williams of AC/DC has #1) and buy some goodies, too, but it ain't going anywhere either.
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...For the money, the Reeves is really a super bargain...if I had the money, I'd buy the Reeves in a second...
My thoughts exactly, I just wish I had 2500.00. Would you recommend the Reeves over the new Hiwatts?
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Yes. From what I have heard, the new Hiwatt lineup has serious reliability issues. I know the bass player from the Killers quit using their DR405's live because he couldn't keep a single pair working and he has an endorsement. If you can find one, Harry Joyce made his own DR103 "copy" for awhile, but he died shortly after starting production, so they are very, very rare.
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I've never had the opportunity to play a Hiwatt, but I did get to try the Reeves. Beast! Beast! Beast!
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I have to say after looking at that Reeves that I'm quite impressed! Since I doubt Lull will sell the Hiwatt it may be the choice, plus it's 200 watts and has a DI.
I'm amp horny ;D
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...and has a DI.
I'm amp horny ;D
That makes two of us...maybe I should move to WA...
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That makes two of us...maybe I should move to WA...
Trust me on this Dave.................It's way better than Nebraska. I've been to your neck of the woods several times. ;)
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Trust me on this Dave.................It's way better than Nebraska. I've been to your neck of the woods several times. ;)
My daughters have been to both eastern and western Washington, and would gladly return at any excuse.
They have driven across Nebraska once, and refuse to do so again.
One may draw ones' own conclusions.
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Let it be known: I am not from Nebraska, but the much better (by comparison) Iowa. I only live in Omaha which happens to be a big city on the eastern border of Nebraska, there's nothing on the west end.
Either way, I'd give this up to live with a good looking lady who has plenty of Thunderbirds, a fetish for chrome, and a soon to be new Reeves waiting for me...
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Aww..............man! Thanks Dave.
You guys say the nicest things :)
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You know Mark, the one thing that Nebraska has is The Max:
Might be NSFW:
www.themaxomaha.com
I'm not sure of your personal tastes, but it is a fun and very interesting time. I swear I've only been there once...
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The Fraulein has a new man in her life... ;)
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The Fraulein has a new man in her life... ;)
I do still have the soup tureen that I bought as gift for her nuptuals when she was engaged to "Dirk Pounder" over across the pond ;D Maybe she'll get her wedding gift after all :P
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I'm quite happy with my modern Hiwatt DR201. Guys on amp forums all hate 'new' Hiwatts, except guys who are using them. There's a guy in a Who coverband who has a lot of old ones and always use new ones for gigs...
You can drop by and try my Hiwatt anytime, Mark;)
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I'm quite happy with my modern Hiwatt DR201. Guys on amp forums all hate 'new' Hiwatts, except guys who are using them. There's a guy in a Who coverband who has a lot of old ones and always use new ones for gigs...
You can drop by and try my Hiwatt anytime, Mark;)
Always so thoughtful, schatz ;)
I may take you up on it.
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I have to say after looking at that Reeves that I'm quite impressed! Since I doubt Lull will sell the Hiwatt it may be the choice, plus it's 200 watts and has a DI.
I'm amp horny ;D
My Slade Hiwatt has a DI that was done by Slade's Tech Charlie Hayden. For live situations it has been a godsend !
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I'm quite happy with my modern Hiwatt DR201. Guys on amp forums all hate 'new' Hiwatts, except guys who are using them.
No hate on my part, just passing along what I've heard more than few times: the new ones, especially the 405's, are horribly unreliable. I got that directly from guys who had them crap out on them, not secondhand. The bass player from the Killers was not one of those guys, but I heard what I said about his use of the 405's from more than one other person, including an amp tech whose band had shared a bill with them. If the new Hiwatt 201's are good, that's cool. According to Bass Player magazine, new 201's are what he's using now instead.