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Any HiWatt fans about?

ourmaninthenorth

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 28, 2009
Messages
7,119
One of my very favourite amps ever...1973

hecAPyp.jpg
[/IMG]

And the very last amp the late Harry Joyce completed, belonging to his Wife, and kindly lent to me as a huge favour by it's then custodian, Jeff Lewis at Matamp.


I1pPHQK.jpg
[/IMG]
 
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SBlue

Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2002
Messages
131
I love Hiwatt amps!
Own a 72 DR-504 and two Harry Joyce half stacks... # 7, 50w, early style 4x12, V-30s in green army, and # 23, 50w, latest style 4x12, Scholz speakers, black tolex.
I'm gonna look for an early 4x12, with cast frame Fanes sometime soon, to match the 72 DR-504 too.
Amazing amps!!!
 

DrRobert

Les Paul Forum Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2003
Messages
6,050
50w Custom head here. I got a Sound City cab to yank out the speakers and stick them in an old Orange cab to use with it. Unfortunately, they glued the nuts onto the shafts securing the speakers, so it's being used as is despite being a vertical 412. Anyway, those Fanes sound REALLY good with a Hiwatt amp.
 

Progrocker111

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 10, 2003
Messages
4,013
I love Hiwatt amps!
I'm gonna look for an early 4x12, with cast frame Fanes sometime soon, to match the 72 DR-504 too.
Amazing amps!!!

Yes, thats a must with Hylight era Hiwatt!

Here is my early 72 all original halfstack (SE4122 cab). The cab was practically unused until i bought it in 2012. Brutal Marshall killer combo. :)

JS1ubl2.jpg
 

SBlue

Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2002
Messages
131
Yes, thats a must with Hylight era Hiwatt!

Here is my early 72 all original halfstack (SE4122 cab). The cab was practically unused until i bought it in 2012. Brutal Marshall killer combo. :)

JS1ubl2.jpg

That's an amazing set!!!
 

Stow

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 14, 2002
Messages
1,857
Hiwatt fan here, I have a lovely vintage set up, sounds fab
 

rockabilly69

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 29, 2001
Messages
2,872
Yes, thats a must with Hylight era Hiwatt!

Here is my early 72 all original halfstack (SE4122 cab). The cab was practically unused until i bought it in 2012. Brutal Marshall killer combo. :)

JS1ubl2.jpg
Years ago I auditioned a half-stack setup just like that and was blown away, until I saw the price tag. I remember the amp having the perfect crunch, a big 3D sound, and great touch sensitivity, that just knocked me out! One of my best friends was with me and he thought the same exact thing!
 

Wilko

All Access/Backstage Pass
Joined
Mar 11, 2002
Messages
20,854
I had these for many many years. Sold the combo a couple of years ago, the stack a coupl months back. Now I only have a Hiwatt Custom Tube 20 Combo.

hiwatt_combo_stack.jpg


hiwatt_custom_20.jpg
 

Big Al

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 24, 2002
Messages
14,537
Love Hiwatts. Borrowed a DR50 back in my Reno days, [70's], but had to give it back, sadly. One of the very best amps I've ever heard. Nothing in the op video remotely referenced that great amp unfortunately.

All I heard was a thin one dimensional splatty treble gained up lifeless frazzesal tone noodling fest. Followed by a pedal demo. Certainly nothing as good as some $400 Blues Jrs. I'll have to try and find one to try myself but based on this I'm not inclined to try too hard.
 

Progrocker111

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 10, 2003
Messages
4,013
I had these for many many years. Sold the combo a couple of years ago, the stack a coupl months back. Now I only have a Hiwatt Custom Tube 20 Combo.
hiwatt_combo_stack.jpg

Nice halfstack, early 70s? Why did you sell it? Too loud and heavy to carry? :)
 

Wilko

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Joined
Mar 11, 2002
Messages
20,854
Why did you sell it? Too loud and heavy to carry? :)

That was from 1972.

I've been having a very rough year. I sold because I rarely got the opportunity to play it. Just not practical, and not satisfying to haul it out and not be able to actually "hear it" because they only sound good louder. I needed the money and I got over 20 year of enjoyment from it. Head cost me 240.00 backin about 1991. Cab was 200.00!
GLorious sound and it seriously kicked the crap out my Marshall half stack. I sold the good stuff (72 straight cab with greenbacks, 79 JMP, JTM45 RI) and kept my mutt converted combo-to-head 1982 50 watt and a ragged slant cab with black-backs.

Oh and that combo is a very early Biacrown amp. Same as Custom 50, with just a bit more gain in the preamp. I liked it more for tone. The later "lead style" hiwatts were to fizzy. This thing was perfect. If the old heads had the same gain I would have kept mine. I looked into modding it, but couldn't find any good info about making it work. Supposedly the Jimmy Page Hiwatts are very close to that front end.
 

G Jarvis

New member
Joined
May 30, 2014
Messages
37
Love my Hi-Tone DG-50!! Have the DR and Eclipse 4x12 cabinets. This is the real deal if you want pure Hiwatt tone without hunting down a good clean Hylight era Hiwatt. Clayton knows the circuits and what makes ‘em sound good!
 

becks bolero

New member
Joined
Jul 15, 2001
Messages
1,810
I had a '72 50w head with matching 4x12 purple fane laded cab, also a '78 50w head

sold them, as they were too loud and I couldn't really use them anywhere.

also get along better with the neighbours now :D

they did sound glorious cranked up though

P90 loaded SG, strat, tele, and LP all worked well with it....in their own ways
 

Pat Boyack

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 19, 2011
Messages
4,510
:yah "I see you play Hiwatt amps."

:hank "What?"

:yah "I SEE YOU PLAY HIWATT AMPS!!"

:hank "It's 2 oclock!!! WHY?"
 
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