Hiwatt fun!

TBird1958 · January 30, 2010, 09:41:03 AM

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.......

jmcgliss · January 30, 2010, 09:46:07 AM

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.

godofthunder · January 30, 2010, 10:03:17 AM

Nothing like a Hiwatt

OldManC · January 30, 2010, 10:33:11 AM

I'm sensing a tube amp in the Fraulein's future...

godofthunder · January 30, 2010, 11:23:51 AM

They are a great match with Thunderbirds.

chromium · January 30, 2010, 11:31:46 AM

Quote from: TBird1958 on January 30, 2010, 09:41:03 AM
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.

gweimer · January 30, 2010, 12:55:14 PM

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.

Lightyear · January 30, 2010, 02:56:17 PM

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

Fraulien goes soccer mommy

birdie · January 30, 2010, 04:09:33 PM

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

Highlander · January 31, 2010, 10:58:27 AM

Check the serial number on the back and that will give you an estimate of the age...

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

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...

Highlander · January 31, 2010, 01:09:43 PM

This ones Stateside... reputedly belonged to Mark Andes...

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...

Highlander · January 31, 2010, 01:46:40 PM

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

TBird1958 · January 31, 2010, 09:47:05 PM

Thanks for the link Ken!

I have #4513 for another few days

Highlander · February 01, 2010, 04:20:43 PM

Re links... Probably doing the (budgetary) figure no good though...

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...

TBird1958 · February 01, 2010, 05:18:45 PM

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