Those are two of the most famous guitar sounds in tock: Pete Townsend and David Gilmour. That's a great endorsement of the amps just on that merit alone. Thanks for breaking it down for us.
@@Noseheros my favorite tone of his. Combine the custom 100s with stacks of Celestion g12 greenbacks and do some rewiring for some more gain from the amp and you have the sound
As an aircraft electrician and electronics technician, I will say that the wiring layout in those amps showcases an impressive standard and attention to detail.
Dave Reeves learned his trade in military wiring. I've heard rumours that they tested the design by chucking an amp out of a window. It needed to be able to withstand that to pass Mr Reeves QA standards.
I had the pleasure and honor of working on and then owning a 100 watt Hiwatt. Having worked in the defense electronics, I was amazed at the MIL spec style workmanship in the Hiwatt. Dave Reeves was the epitome of GREAT guitar amp craftmanship. Great video.
I mostly play bass guitar. I've played loud solid state amps before, but plugging into a cranked 103 was an experience that's stayed with me. A valve power stage does something to the sound you don't get with transistors.
It's the preamp that does most tonal job. Also solid state gets very different how it clips when cranked, for cleans, not so much. Playing a valve preamp + solid state poweramp nails a 100% valve amp, you'll start to hear some differences only when power amp gets cranked too. Get a more powerful solid state amp to get more headroom, and rely on your preamp to provide the gain : you'll get your wall of valve saturated sound without solid state distortion. Preamp : makes your sound quality Poweramp : makes your sound quantity If you want this kind of valve feeling get something like a Frog FX1 and use it to replace your preamp section in your solid state amps (if your amps got an FX loop leading straight to poweramp without preamp interaction), it will cost way less than changing amps and you'll have the hell of a clean valve plateform with huge headroom to push with your pedals.
I really like these "sound" videos. As a bass player, I think of John Entwistle when it comes to Hiwatt. His Live at Leeds tone is insane. When you listen to that album, turn off your right speaker and you will hear all bass through the left. It is amazing what that man could do on a bass.
If anyone asks me why I need such big speakers I put on "Magic Bus",saying, "this is Pete on the right and now John comes in on the left..."- and we almost can see them play !
I used 2 Custom HIWATT 200's Jumper cable for both chanels, through an Ampeg SVT Cab and a Two 15" JBL Cab sounded just like Entwistle with my P-Pass with Rotosound rounds. And Rickenbacker 4001
@@cliffords2315The red Album was exactly a P-bass into a Hiwatt setup with unmatched expressively aggressive fingers. It's the Tube expression at max on bass. The calm part with mostly bass of Starless is the highlight. Wetton just ramps up the dark dirt so great. Typical "3d quality".
A Dual Showman is the head version of a Twin. I use to have a '72 Twin with Utah speakers which sounded a lot like a Hiwatt. The Utah speakers were the trick. They didn't project well but sounded like Chinese-made V30's. Also, the dreaded 70 watt Celestions actually sound great in Twins for a 70's rock sound with good mids.
Great video - love your passion for the details and, especially, the wiring! Evokes a happy memory of my first Who concert back in the mid-70's in Leicester, England. I was 16 and Pete's wall of Hiwatts was making all my internal organs dance to Baba O'Riley, Bargain and Won't Get Fooled Again. It wasn't about hearing the music - it was way too loud for that - your ears were almost redundant; it was about viscerally experiencing the music as if the band was playing inside you! Imagine trying to stand while being hosed by the fire brigade while having your head re-forged by a steamhammer while having your teeth extracted by a drunk dentist and you're beginning to get an impression of what the greatest rock band in the history of the universe was doing to my teenage anatomy! Several times during the concert - in a small theatre with the seats taken out - I had to leave the hall because I thought my eyes were going to pop out and my intestines were going to rupture. (The pre-concert joint may have contributed to the state of alarm.) TEENAGE WASTELAND OH YEAH TEENAGE WASTELAND THEY'RE ALL WASTED@ My ears were. They were ringing for a day or two afterwards.
Both Townshend and Gilmour actually used early "CR" models that were modded for them. They had more front end gain and mids than the 1973 "DR" models. The trick is the high headroom preamp can handle a lot of effects without turning to mush. Jimmy Page used a heavily modded one as a well. Much more gain. You can get pretty close with a Laney Klipp or a Carvin X-100B
I have an original Carvin 100 watt Tolex head, the model BEFORE they changed the covering to that fuzzy, cat hair catcher crap - this amp is a beast - bought it from a friend in the mid 80's - I wish Rhett would do a segment on this head. I just fired this amp up for the first time in ????? years and thru a 4x12 OMG I forgot how good moving air felt - I was definitely rattling the nails in my house :-)
There's footage of Townshend using DR103 amps . There was also a CP103 ,built for Townshend which was supposed to be closer to the older Sound City amps of '66.
Alex Livison also used Hiwatts at least in the studio. From A Farewell To Kings up to Moving Pictures he was using DR Hiwatts through a Marshall 4x12 with green backs.
HIWATT was a custom shop we have to remember back then. You couldn't just walk into a store and buy one. Stock late 60's HIWATTS all had slightly more gain than the later early/mid 70's models. They were darker sounding as well. This is an aside to the various custom amps being built for touring bands.
I believe the terrifying Robert Fripp guitar tones from King Crimson's Lark's Tongues in Aspic, Starless and Bible Black, and Red were Hiwatts. Jimmy Page also used a Hiwatt head at the legendary Royal Albert Hall concert.
@crimfan I think Robert Fripp was using Marshalls on 'In the Court of the Crimson King' while Greg Lake was using Hiwatts (the only King Crimson album he played bass on). BUT, from 'In the Wake of Poseidon' to 'Red' (and we'll also say 'USA'), Fripp was using Hiwatt.
Townshend = HIWATT 😉 I owned an original HIWATT 50w head in the late 70s and could not get any real dirt from it. It’s a good pedal platform but I’m not a pedal guy. Sold it and got a ‘79 Marshall 2203 100W w/ master volume and used it with no issues for 20 years worth of shows. In fact, I had it modded in the early 80s when no manufacturers were offering higher gain solutions and it was a fire-breather. YMMV
I've had my '73 DR504 since 1989 - originally with a TS-9, SD-1 and HM2 gain stacking. You can try and prise it from my cold dead fingers even though I use an AC15 now.
Agree! Borrowed a 100w Hiwatt back in the 80’s, it was extremely bright and loud but could not get much distortion. Switched to a 50w Marshall JCM series, totally blew the Hiwatt away with master volume and preamp
Great job and very informative. I remember when Alex Lifeson used these amps early in Rush. They certainly have a beautiful, rich sound as you demonstrated
Pete Townshend actually started playing Dave Reeves' Sound City amps in 1967/68, after Hiwatt was established as it's own company Dave started putting Pete's earlier SC100 amps in Hiwatt head cabinets when they came in for servicing, and then made him his own custom Hiwatt amps (CP103 "Super Who") that were identical to the earlier MK1 SC100s.
I’ve been playing Hiwatts for the past 10 years. Started with an early custom 50 which is amazing. I was turned onto them after seeing Keith urban live. Woah!!!! Fane speakers are 100% the best match for them. There is definitely a magic there. I’ve tried it with other speakers and nothing else has ‘that’ sound. Those partridge transformers are meaty The cleans are amazing and as a pedal platform there is literally no better amplifier. If you have the room to be able to get them to the edge of break up (it’s amazing and LOUD) you can hear the voice of the angels. Put a klon over that and the developer comes out to play. I’ve tried everything but hiwatt is the best all round amp I’ve ever played. They sound pretty good at lower volumes with pedals But LOUD!!! Will change your life. Ps..... fane speakers are honestly a must
@@snowyrain5730 ok to be specified Fane crescendo speakers. A vast majority of the classic Hiwatt tones people love on record we’re done with those speakers. You are right you can use whatever you ‘personally prefer’ but is it the ‘Hiwatt sound’ if you’re not using the ‘Hiwatt sound’ speakers? Do you though 👍🏻 find your own voice, use whatever you want but the video is about ‘the classic Hiwatt sound’ not find your own sound 🤷🏼
Good to see Hiwatt getting some love. They've always been my favourite amps. I used to play them in guitar shops as a kid. Nearly bought one when I was a teenager for £65 - that was too much pocket money though
1990 I bought a Dr 103 (Custom Hiwatt 100) with matching 4x12 Cab ( Bassversion) with original Fanes from 1970 and its one of the best amps I ever owned .I´m still using it in my Studio. Its a monster ! When i tested it the first time (naturally at full volume ) it really moved some air and I was frightened to blow the windows of my appartement ! A couple of weeks later someone offered me the Custom 200 !! ( I didn´t buy it). I love your videos, specially this one !!
Two of the best examples of the Hiwatt 'cranked' sound are on the Jo Jo Gunne album "So Where's the Show": particularly the title tune and 'I'm your Shoe'. The second album is by Trapeze called "Hot Wire". All through that record are some fantastic tones, both clean and cranked.
I use a 1976 Harry Joyce wired DR103 and it is exactly what Rhett says "a canvas for pedals". Great description. I also procured a 4X12 with Fanes. It makes an excellent bass amp also.
Great video!!! Owning a Hiwatt DR504 and WEM cab clone by Hi-Tone amps, I can tell you it really is a new concept of guitar tone and amplification! Not necessarily better tone-wise. Just different, unique...Beautiful! I also agree, that such amps are meant to be played through the corresponding high wattage Fane speakers. I've used mine with other cabs, but none seems to compliment it as much!
I myself am blessed to have an original '76 DR504, I've played numerous amps before but this amp is just magical. Bridging the Normal and Brill channel with a patch cable is something different.
Hey, really love this talk through the Hiwatt sound, thanks so much. You didn't quite get all the details of how Hiwatt started and the collaboration between the band and Dave Reeves. Happy to fill you in or get my dad too, he was the singer and rhythm guitarist in the Band, Hylights, the amp was named after.
Many years ago I borrowed a Hiwatt 50 Watt Combo for a recording. I tried to play it loud and i must agree that "punishing" is the right word for what it did. It was scary for the young guitar player I was at that time. But FUN!
King Crimson used Hiwatts for bass and guitar in the classic 72-74 period, basically most of my favourite albums of all time. I completely missed that they are still making them.
The first time that I saw The Who was around 1970 at the Minneapolis Auditorium. I was sitting around 10 rows from the stage These were the days before they were using PA system and mic-ing the guitar amplifiers. They had Hi Watt speaker cabinets stacked 2/3 of the way to the ceiling and across the entire stage. It was so freakin' loud that the guy sitting next to me left the concert. They played most of "Tommy" in addition to everything else. It was AWESOME!
I used to play in a KISS tribute in Japan, and every gig had Marshalls for back line- which was just right for that sound. But one venue had a vintage Sunn, and it was absolutely hands down the most badass amp I’ve ever played through.🎸💥
@@Intaminator I know Model T's are more well known for doom metal and stoner rock, but they're really more along the lines of a classic rock amp. They only get the heavy distortion from either cranking everything (literally every knob) on it to 10, or throwing a fuzz in front, since, much like the Hiwatts mentioned in this video, they take pedals exceptionally well. Sunns in general were used by both Pete Townsend and Jimi Hendrix at different points in the late 60's, but I don't recall what models they used.
@@nothingislogical IIRC Hendrix hated those Sunn amps. The whole classic rock thing was more in reference to lets say, the general targeted audience of Rhetts content. Model Ts can do classic rock, but that's not why people are after them, really. At least nowadays.
@@nothingislogical Not sure what Pete Townshend was using, but if memory serves right Hedrix used a 100s. Don't think he ever laid his hands on a model T. The "earliest" bigger adopter of the Model T I can think of is Wino of The Obsessed/Saint Vitus. And that's not really big in the grand scheme of things, admittedly. Fairly late too, must've been some time in the 80s or 90s. Seems like these amps weren't really appreciated in their own time, unless I'm forgetting about some big rockstar who used them in the 70s.
This is a most excellent video on the iconic Hiwatt amps ! Very well done . Very well covered . Big love for Hiwatt amps . When a studio I used to play at was closing down , they were selling off a superb DR103 . I found out too late , and some guy had snaged it for a mere five hundred bucks . Was I ever pissed off , very disappointed to say the least ! I had played for many hours through that Hiwatt with just an MXR Distortion + in front , and man what a killer sound . Thats the way they always had that rig set up and everyone was happy using it in that simple way . It was monstrous and very versatile . Great video , bro !
Great video, as a Brit who grew up with Pink Floyd this tone to me is inspirational. These amps really do deserve more recognition than that probably have, you really demonstrated the range of tone available asides the clean tone which everyone associated with this amp.
The first player that comes to my mind was Pete Townsend, I saw the WHO at the Pontiac Silverdome 80,000 people indoor and PT looked like he had the entire years production of HIWATT amps Very impressive. I later had a new VOX V-125w that was much like the HIWATT I also used Fane loudspeakers. Unique sounds.
Rhett, I have been enjoying your channel for quite a while. I own a DR-103, which I used on the road during the '70s and have managed to keep in reasonable cosmetic condition. As you noted in this video the workings are so well constructed that the only maintenance required to keep it in tip-top working order has been tube replacement. I was quite surprised though at the difference in the sounds of the two cabinets. I have no experience of the Dividedby13 equipment, but I assume the cabinet itself is well built. What surprised me was how much darker the Celestions sounded, than did the Fanes. I have two 4x12 Hiwatt cabs, but neither of them is loaded with Fanes. The speaker of which I am in awe is the Fane 12" that Hiwatt put into the 100 watt Bulldog Combo amp. Essentially a DR-103 in a combo box with one 12" speaker. Astonishingly loud, clean and heavy.
Townshend is the man when you mention Hiwatt. I just wanted to mention that the “Live at Leeds concert footage” is either from the Isle of Wight or some other WHO footage that has appeared lately on YT, unfortunately NONE of which is actually from The Leeds University show or “Live At Leeds”.
There’s black and white clips from the balcony you can find if you dig deep enough. There was also a camera on stage that we’ve never seen footage from
Very cool video Rhett. Hiwatt amps are amazing. I love that you highlighted their stellar build quality. He also used very high quality components. If you want to get into building amps, trying to copy his layouts piece for piece would be a really smart idea! Regarding the circuit, there seems to be some variation. Most deviate and are really their own thing. Two parallel input gain stages mixed into another gain stage. Plate driven tone stack. Then two more gain stages. Some Hiwatts also have some interesting implementations of negative feedback and the presence control. One small note - jumpering the channels does not 'cascade' them. To me that would mean they run in series like a JCM800. They are running in parallel with one another. Parallel gain stages are a really cool sound IMO. It adds a lot of thickness and in the same way that an SM57 and a 121 compliment one another's EQ, the two channels compliment one another. Lastly I believe Dave Reeves is up there as one of the all time great amp designers and builders. He should be in the conversation with Leo Fender, Jim Marshall, Dick Denney, Howard Dumble, Randall Smith, Ken Fischer, etc...
I was going to mention that jumpering the channels is parallel, not cascaded but I checked the comments and my pal Kley had it covered. Hi, friend! 😊 You want to see a modern builder that builds a super high quality amp like Dave Reeves, check out Bruce Clement’s work. BC Audio.
I was thinking to buy a HIWATT G100R MAXWATT for 150€-200€ boucks. You think is worth it, what should i know about this amp? I don't have a full knowlge about electronic components and hiwatt brand.
Bought a Hi-Tone 18watt combo a few years back. It’s a clone licensed by Reeves and unbelievably OCD-built. Ungodly loud but super versatile and the best pedal platform I’ve used.
This was really helpful Rhett. My Zoom G5n has a Hiwatt amp model, but I was only using it for super clean sounds. I went back into some of my Who (and Gilmour) patches and switched to the Hiwatt model and it did sound way better.
Back in the 70s I owned a Sound City 120 head and twin 4x12 cabs. When I got married I had to sell the whole thing and buy a small combo amp, but back then I had no idea that these were, basically, Hiwatt amps with a music store’s name on them, or that Jimi Hendrix had played them. Had I known, I surely would have found a way to hang onto them. BOY were they LOUD !
A sound city 120 isn't anything like a Hiwatt. All the Dave Reeves design hallmarks were gone by then. The only thing they had in common was partridge transformers, and not all SC120s even had those.
I recently took possession of a Hi-Tone amp (prolly the most authentic Hiwatt copies made anywhere) and it stunned me how versatile the amp is. Loads of headroom with really unique EQ controls...more useable than any other amp EQ controls I've encountered.
In 1979, I played a 56 Gibson ES225 through a Hi Watt100 into a Fender Bandmaster bottom. Sure, it was a handfull, but you felt the sound as well as hearing it. Thanks for bringing back the memories Rhett👍🏻
Love your vids, Rhett, but HiWatt = Townshend & Entwhistle. Live At Leeds. The greatest guitar tone of all-time. God damn it, The Who (and PT) are so underrated. P-90’s in SG into Super Fuzz into HiWatt. That’s it. That’s the sound.
@@elrondmcbong8184 Sure, but when he kicks it on it’s magic. Plus, if I *didn’t* mention it, you know someone else would be all “ACTUALLY, he also used a Super Fuzz...” 🙄
Rhett - this series of videos is like 'Guitar Amp appreciation 101' - for those of us that are undereducated or can't spend as much time in the local guitar shop as we'd like - please keep 'em coming!
I think of Pete Townsend when I think Hiwatt. Something about the midrange goodness and crunch. Is that cabinet loaded with new modern Fanes and which model? I prefer it for the Hiwatt sound. Might have to get me a Hiwatt cab and head. I wonder how much of that Hiwatt sound I can get from just a Hiwatt Fane cab? I had one of the 50 watt Hiwatt's from the mid late 70's but it only had 2 holes instead of the 4. It was cool but I preferred my Marshall. They certainly are a different thing though. I noticed the mid control on the Hiwatt does a lot and some may miss this. If you go way way down on the mid control there is a lot of variation you wouldn't get down there with most other amps. Some might over look this. Try it Rhett! More for clean tones as I like the mids for overdriven tones.
We reformed the band after 30 years and I built a 1x12 cab with a new fane F90 to try and calm the beast of my 73 DR504. Unfortunately, it's a 100db speaker and I can't turn it up past 1. I now use an AC15 - much more acceptable to modern ears!
A friend used to have a mid-70's 100 watt head with the 2 inputs. I remember plugging into the bright input, maxing the bright pre-amp gain and cranking the master volume. I used his Les Paul Custom and pretty much nailed Tom Scholz's Boston guitar tone right there, i was amazed how unleashed it sounded
I wonder if Alex Lifeson has his stored in a warehouse in Toronto ?...he had 4 stacks of them on the Hemispheres tour...great vid. seeing the Pompeii film dozens of times in the 70's midnight late-show made a helluva impression on me & my musician mates, as well as Woodstock and Pete's unparalleled show stealing scene...thx Rhett.
Actually, Townshend and Entwistle of The Who didn’t use the DR103 but the CP103, a predecessor that is like a 100 watt PA amp with 4 separate channels and a Vox-like tone stack. The power amp is almost the same as the DR103 though. Also Jimmy Page used a custom-made Hiwatt in the late ‘60s, early ‘70s . Check out Live at the Royal Albert 1970.
@@HiHello-ku1fl My Hiwatt clone started out as a CP103. I had it eventually turned it into a DR103. I may still have an old video of it on my channel. It is brighter, more aggressive and maybe a bit more gainy. Pretty much a one-trick pony, I didn't like it with anything but P90 pickups.
In '68 Townshend and Ox were using Sound City stacks and when Sound City turned into Hi-Watt they made the Who's custom heads. Townshend ' s had no mid control.
@@Butterking99 I think he had a DR105, a 103 which the Canadian distributer had modded for a bit more preamp gain, and used it together with a MXR Distortion+.
I bought a Hi-Tone last year. It’s supposedly the closest thing to a HiWatt during the Hiwatt prime era. The Hiwatt company today is not the same as the 70s.
Lots of Headroom and ringing chords at volume with nice breakup without mud. Very responsive to guitar volume knob adjustments and as u point out they handle effects well
I’m a recovering former Hiwatt Custom 50 owner (early 70’s) and till this day I regret selling it. I got passed the clean-ness by using an overdrive and an earlier Tube Screamer and was able to achieve a pretty good sound but in bars and small venues I had problems with overpowering the rest of the band to get my desired tone. One big difference is that I was using an old Marshall slant top 4x12 Celestion bottom? Thanks for the post - love all of your stuff!
The use of Partridge transformers in these early models had also a huge impact on the sound. They were used by companies like SoundCity and Roost, who produced their amps in the same area in southern England, aswell.
Hey Rhett awesome content as usual ! I am glad to see Hiwatt amps getting a bit more recognition . I use a 76 4 input dr504 and a Hi-tone dr103 100 watt clone . These amps can do anything from clean to very overdriven tones if turned up abs preamp gains up ( I use an an attenuator when around the house or in the studio ). The 100 can get a very Black Sabbath like sound , which doesn’t surprise as I believe laney Amps used partridge transformers also . The 50 gets a lot more gained and for whatever reason sounds more modern . The nice thing is even with the preamps up to dimed or close to it you can still pick lighter or roll back the guitar volume slightly it cleans up beautifully ! I love that they stay tight and clear with humbuckers even . I use mine with a 72 hiwatt cab with hi-tones DR-F speakers ( I highly recommend this speaker ) they are based on a certain late 70s fanes. I want to try their 123 speaker next that is based on the late 60s early 70s fanes. Anyways sorry to write a long rambling post but love these amps . Keep up the good work ! Best Ethan
King Crimson, the Who, Pink Floyd, Wishbone Ash, Jethro Tull, ELP, and many more. Early British progressive rock was pretty much built on these amps. They were all purpose so Bass and Keys can play through them as well and still sound fantastic.
Thanks a lot, Rhett. As if my 60th ann hand wired Vox AC 15 and 30, and Tweed Deluxe were not enough, now I need a 50 watt Hiwatt head and cab. A very cool sound!!
Any distortion or fuzz you throw at them just have all the headroom in the world to work with, you get the biggest sound out of any pedal through one - or so I'm told. If only I had one lol
I absolutely love HiWatts and will be getting one of their combos soon. I had a friend in the 80s who had three HiWatt stacks and he just so happened to play drums in my band. I went nuts for these amps. I'd play through with a fuzzbox and loved it. For cleans I'd roll down the volume or turn off the pedal. Very toney amp, very clear. You just have to try them, they can't be explained. The high end is less brittle than a Marshall.
Not so much "underrated", but perhaps under-appreciated and passed over by people who might change their mind if they actually tried one! The Laney VC50, for instance, is a wonderful amp.
What a perfectly clear and informative video. After watching this video, I'm sure there are a lot of folks wanting a Hiwatt 100 watt DR103 and a 4x12 cabinet loaded with Fanes. I certainly do and for the right reasons. You, sir, are a benefit to very many things, no doubt. Thank you, Rhett.
hello,just to let you know, pink floyd shinny diamond riff was recorded at Abbey road studio B with a Fender Dual Showman 2x15 JBL d 130 f ,an echorech and a mxr phaser...but of course on stage....if you can try one day with the real configuration you'll be surprised!I have one of those silverface showman and it's THE sound of it....pete townsend used to record on a bandmaster blackface,in studio things are often different than stage and it's very surprising...Little Wing for example is not Marshall but Fender Dual Showman 2x15 again!!take a look at this amp! greetings from france!
The Hiwatt story comes from Arbiter and Sound City amps, for me they where PA amps modified for guitar use, absolutly great in clean sound, perfect. In the past i had a french Amp MI, able to sound very close to a Hiwatt , very powerfull and clean .
I always think of Pete Townsend because he specifically mentioned Hiwatt amps in the lyric of Long Live Rock off of Odds and Sods (1974) and later released as a single (1979). The place is really jumping to the Hiwatt amps...
Thank you for doing this video. I think i pestered around enough to see it done. I love Hiwatt and own the 50, although I've never had issues having it break up. I bought it used and was told by a guitarist/electronics guy who was eyeing it too, that mine seemed to be modded to breakup easily, and that it was military grade specs and design, which impressed me, and assured me id be better off than with a Marshall or Fender, which I didnt like anyway. As for it being separate from the Marshall sound, i dont know about that. I could always get mine to sound like authentic bon scott era acdc, early black Sabbath, and lead zepplin sounds with a mid output PAF, and Marshall style cab. Ive never owned the stock cab, so I have no experience with it, but from your demo, I prefer the cab with the celestions, which is what I primarily have. I could also get very 60s classic rock sounds. In short, I found Hiwatt very flexible. My only complaint was that there was no spring reverb, because it sounds so dry, and I hated the digital delay I was sold to attempt a reverb effect. I could see myself with a Hiwatt as a sole all, with two guitars, a Strat and a Las Paul or SG, but could get away with one if it had P90s, and flexible circuitry. And yes, I've gotten the odd complaint about my 50 watt being too loud for small venues, only the drummer I used to work with always complained it wasn't loud enough. Go figure. My neighbours must have loved me.
Thanks for the video! I really love your series about famous amps. I'm quite new to this subject. Some weeks ago I got myself a Line 6 HX Stomp and began to do some researches on the amp sounds. And it was like falling into a rabbit hole... For me, your videos are one of the best sources I know so far. I really like your approach: The combination of the historical view, the look on famous players and recordings, the analysis of the characteristics of the amp, and demonstrations of the original sound in high quality. GREAT JOB!!!!! Greetz from Germany
@@napomania well smaller yes but hiwatts are probably the most reliable amps ever made... it's easier to get a sound in a studio with a small amp then I monster like this
Great classroom on HIWATT which is an amp I knew nothing about . Man that tone is so crisp and clear no wonder Pete and David used these. I do get it now and unfortunately I do want one now LOL . Thanks Rhett enjoyed this one immensely.
Gilmour used Hiwatt amps because he had it, but preamp section making most of the sound was not Hiwatt's preamp. It was since 1974 a modded Alembic FB2, witch is a modded preamp of the Fender Showman (Fender Twin head). Hiwatt amps, and whatever other amps he add through the years, were just used to make his own Fender tweed's sound loud. If you don't have too much to spend in a modded Alembic FB2 get a Frog FX1 (recreation of an Alembic) and put it in any amp able to bypass its preamp with a proper FX loop, as long as this poweramp will be clean enough to let the frog/Alembic clean or crunch go through that's the way you can get the closest to Gilmour's sound.
@@meadish Yeah, I used to think Fenders & Vox. They did use different amps on #1 Record, and who knows what Alex was using on Sister Lovers/3rd (apart from a lot of drugs...) I saw Chilton in 1995 on the "Man Called Destruction" Tour. Sydney, Metro Theater. Amazing. The band weren't great - but he was. I swear that every straight female in that audience would have happily had his babies, right there and then. The dude oozed charisma. A Southern Gentleman Rockstar. May he rest in peace.
I still like my Sovtec Mig 100 and its matching 4/12 cab. I got it used in the late 90's, it was on consignment at American Music in Seattle. The story was that the person selling it considered it "Too much" and couldn't control it. I fell in love, it was great for my 3 piece band, so much punch and more. Ty for the vid Rhett.
Co- guitarist in my old pun/hardcore band borrowed a Hiwatt and the sound combined with a boss HM-2 pedal was great. A really tight, glass-cutting hi-gain sound that I've never heard replicated in any other amp/cab combo. Pity they are so pricey as I would have bought one for myself.
I m greatfull to be a guitar player and i m greatfull to see these guys sharing history of music and iconic gears and rhett shull thank you man for sharing this iconic gear and history of these amps couldn't be greatfull than this again thanks @rhett shull and loved to these every guitar player out there keep playing keep inspiring
Great attention to Hiwatt and well deserved. One thing you may have missed in covering sonic ingredients of these apt was the use of the famous over built Partridge transformers. Mercury Magnetics makes clones of these and others now and are available to builders.
Heyboer transformers make a better clone of those Partridge transformers now. i talked with the owner many years ago because he lives in the same state as me.
Pete: _knocks over Hiwatt half-stack on British TV show_ Host: Whose is that? Who owns it? Is it ours, or what? Pete: The bank owns it. John: It's mortgaged.
Bloody hell! I'm from the UK and have been a Gilmour fan for forty years and I thought Hiwatt were an American amp maker! Must admit, owning a Laney Cub head and cab I rarely think about amps these days. I've only recently discovered your channel but I love these snapshots into guitar history. Good darts sir!
I used two Custom Hi-Watt 100 DR-103s with four 4x12 cabs in 1972 (those were the days). I pretty much dimed them and they filled a lot of big places. They often used to blow their Mullard KT77s, so our tech installed a cooling fan in each head, but the tubes still fried every so often. After a very short while I had all the cab placed on the stage rather than stack them because when I was in front of the stacks, I couldn't hear anyone else or much of anything at all after the gig. I used that rig for six months or so and changed over to two Blackface Fender Twins, '66s I think, which was nearly as loud when opened up all the way. The roadies were certainly happier about that rig. I doubt that there are many places if any where you could use that amp opened up the way we did in the day, but it does make a joyful noise. Yes, of course I have tinnitus today (did you say something?), but there were a few really glorious R&R moments, for sure. Thanks for the excellent vid. It brought back a lot of nice memories.
I love how you described the effect of it at full volume as "punishing" ! I wonder how much more "punishing" the clean sound would be with a big fat boost pedal in front of it.
I have a Hylight Hiwatt DR-504 and when its a full volume its absolutely brutal. I blew up all the light bulbs in my friends basement during practice many years ago. The amp doesnt distort like a typical guitar amp...it seems to act more like a linear power amp. I had mine for thirty years and it will be buried with me when I die.
@@kirkdecker6228 Nice amp. I used to have a Cornford Roadhouse 50 combo and that was surprisingly loud and had a fat bottom end as well. I took it to a friends garage once and cranked it (boost switch on and full gain), hit an E chord and dust started appearing from everywhere !
@@SgtSteel1 That's awesome. I still use a Sovtek Green Big Muff and a MXR distortion plus for my boost. Thanks for inspiring me. Firing up my amps now and I hope the cops don't show up...be well friend!
Great demo, thanks. As far as I know jumping the channels doesn't make them in series ("cascade channels into one another"), they are still operating in parallel.
I also have a Space Cowboy. Reeves makes incredible Hiwatt clones. A friend who ones one of the earliest models swears that my Reeves. Claims it nails the Hiwatt tone perfectly.
@@m7cm7c lots of chorus too of course (gives pseudo double tracked effect, tho he may have doubled as well as used chorus). I do not hear the power amp section working hard there, so doubt he was cranking it to ear bleeding. It sounds set more moderately and then with a little pedal boost added (listed in his rig from then) and/or mxr dist+ (confirmed in pics from the era). The mxr could be set for either OD or as a boost, and there you go, that I can see sounding like that. For live I think then it would have been cranked more, as his live tone is often very different from his studio tone. I have a DR103 of that era and know it's gain staging and response at different levels very well. Alex's tone has some of that hiwatt "crang", but not as much as you get when you crank it more, when they get more aggressive and brash, which I do not hear in alexes tone there. So I think he used a moderate hiwatt preamp gain, a moderate hiwatt master vol power amp setting, and a moderate boost to get the smoother more flowing gain, and then for heavier chords and solos the mxr+
Thank you for this Rhett! Regarding Fane speakers... Fane has made a wide variety of speakers over the years. Just because the speaker says "Fane" doesn't mean it will have *that sound* you're seeking. An AlNiCo AXA 12 is very different from a Medusa, and both differ greatly from the Crescendo that David Gilmour insisted was an essential element to his sonic palette. Maybe a subject for its own show.
Don't forget about Alex Lifeson. He used HIWATTS on "A Farewell To Kings," "Hemispheres," "Permanent Waves" and "Moving Pictures." The "Moving Pictures" tone was also complemented with the use of Marshall Club & Country combos.
It's important to remember he was using the Hiwatts clean with a MXR Distortion+ in front. The Marshall Club and Country's were his clean amps on Moving Pictures replacing the JC120s he was using on Permanent Waves.
Perfect presentation of the Hiwatt / Sound City legacy. I own a Reeves designed & made Sound City Mark III '68 / '69, same base Hiwatt layout with some minor differences from the factory. The dynamics, frequency range, harmonics and overall timbre have qualities you do not find today in my opinion.
Yeah those are great tones and Jimmy is the King in my book. Although I think his best tones were at the Madison Square Garden when they did the film Song Remains the Same. Love those bell like cleanish tones he got. His middle position really stands out with that setup too. Marshall's with KT88 tubes installed. That was the peak of Zep. But I did like the Hiwatt tones he got too. Page had many tones through his career. Mostly in his hands I guess. Not sure if it's his attack or note choices but he is a very unique player. Seems like he did his homework and had a lot of stuff in his head before he started. So many styles. I think he was more about the motif or notes and mood more than perfecting every little pick stroke. His timing could be off at times. I think the sloppiness people talk about is part of his punk rock swagger and gives it that attitude. Probably wouldn't be as cool if everything was perfected. I don't think he had time to perfect everything when he was writing all those amazing songs. I will take a songwriter with attitude and swagger over a technical sterile guitar player anyday.
I know many out there know more about Jimmy’s HiWatt that me. I remember reading somewhere it was custom built for him and he had it modded like no other HiWatt, moved the amp more to the Marshall side. Like fifteen years ago there was a father/son team building replicas of that amp out in New England.
@@HiHello-ku1fl I think Jimmy's best live tone was when he still used EL34's in his Super Leads. Which would be late 70 to 72. The KT88's are good but a bit too clean. HTWWW live album is cream of the crop imo.
@@Sco3000You must be talking about the live CD they put out huh? I haven't got that yet but I do have the DVD set that has the Royal Albert Hall and SRTS etc. I need to get the HTWWW to hear if I like his tone better then. All I know is his tone on the 73 Garden shows for Songs Remain The Same were so sweet. I Know what you mean the KT88's are a bit cleaner but they have that envelope around the notes almost like you can hear the glass of the tubes ...lol Love the bell like tone he got out of the Les Paul with those tubes. Of course 34's are great too as I own a 69 Marshall smallbox which is the best amp I have ever owned and still my fav. I might try KT88 and KT66 and change the bias accordingly. I can always go back to the 34's. I like Greta Van Fleet's guitarist tone too and he has KT66 in his.
Great video! When you added that patch cable between the normal and bright inputs, is that "cascading" the channels or playing them in parallel? If the channels were being cascaded, the output of the normal channel would connect to the input of the bright channel. In this case, all four jacks are "input" jacks. I believe the reason why you get more overdrive is due to the fact you're now driving the power amp section with two preamp signals versus just one. Maybe I misunderstood?
Thank You! Fantastic! What a great 'This is why...' Video! Yes deep love for The Who & PF. I am a retired field engineer and failed rock star so I am amp 'geeky'. I knew a bit about Hiwatt you have filled in the gaps. " The place is really jumping to the high watt amps, 'Til a twenty-inch cymbal fell and cut the lamps" Rock is dead they say... Long live rock... Long Live Rock - The Who
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Those are two of the most famous guitar sounds in tock: Pete Townsend and David Gilmour. That's a great endorsement of the amps just on that merit alone. Thanks for breaking it down for us.
Tock? Tock and Roll. Are you ready to Tock? Hmmmm, you might have something there. Tock on.
Page used one at Royal Albert Hall show too
@@Noseheros my favorite tone of his. Combine the custom 100s with stacks of Celestion g12 greenbacks and do some rewiring for some more gain from the amp and you have the sound
@@brianwagoner8899 Mandela effect dude
@@brianwagoner8899 tock ’n’ toll has an awful lot to answer for
As an aircraft electrician and electronics technician, I will say that the wiring layout in those amps showcases an impressive standard and attention to detail.
Thanks for the insight!
Is the Mooney in Mooneyham from Mooney Aircraft? And also Kerrville?
Can you elaborate more? This sounds really interesting.
Dave Reeves learned his trade in military wiring. I've heard rumours that they tested the design by chucking an amp out of a window. It needed to be able to withstand that to pass Mr Reeves QA standards.
Can you plug a guitar into an airplane?
The Hiwatt sound: “WHAAAATTT I CANT HEAR YOU!”
We call it the Hiwatt sound. Doctors call it tinnitus.
I bought a HIWATT (DR103) in 1980. I have tinnitus.
Coincidence?
HI!! WHAT???
"What!? Turn it up!?"
@@pd4165 It can be worse. At least you know the reason. I never owned hiwatt amp, but have tinnitus
I had the pleasure and honor of working on and then owning a 100 watt Hiwatt. Having worked in the defense electronics, I was amazed at the MIL spec style workmanship in the Hiwatt. Dave Reeves was the epitome of GREAT guitar amp craftmanship. Great video.
Hiwatts always immediately make me thing of Pete Townsend with the sg special on live at Leeds .... classic
Oh yessss
That sound has been a major tonal influence for me as well!
Same here
Me too!
this
I mostly play bass guitar. I've played loud solid state amps before, but plugging into a cranked 103 was an experience that's stayed with me. A valve power stage does something to the sound you don't get with transistors.
It's the preamp that does most tonal job. Also solid state gets very different how it clips when cranked, for cleans, not so much. Playing a valve preamp + solid state poweramp nails a 100% valve amp, you'll start to hear some differences only when power amp gets cranked too. Get a more powerful solid state amp to get more headroom, and rely on your preamp to provide the gain : you'll get your wall of valve saturated sound without solid state distortion.
Preamp : makes your sound quality
Poweramp : makes your sound quantity
If you want this kind of valve feeling get something like a Frog FX1 and use it to replace your preamp section in your solid state amps (if your amps got an FX loop leading straight to poweramp without preamp interaction), it will cost way less than changing amps and you'll have the hell of a clean valve plateform with huge headroom to push with your pedals.
I really like these "sound" videos. As a bass player, I think of John Entwistle when it comes to Hiwatt. His Live at Leeds tone is insane. When you listen to that album, turn off your right speaker and you will hear all bass through the left. It is amazing what that man could do on a bass.
If anyone asks me why I need such big speakers I put on "Magic Bus",saying, "this is Pete on the right and now John comes in on the left..."- and we almost can see them play !
I got to see him once at a tiny theater, maybe 200 people in the audience. It was a privilege. Astounding to watch that man go.
I used 2 Custom HIWATT 200's Jumper cable for both chanels, through an Ampeg SVT Cab and a Two 15" JBL Cab
sounded just like Entwistle with my P-Pass with Rotosound rounds. And Rickenbacker 4001
@macabrel.a.9821 He used HIWATT all through the 60s and got Sunn Collesiums in 73, so almost 10 years using Hiwatts and Early Marshalls
@@cliffords2315The red Album was exactly a P-bass into a Hiwatt setup with unmatched expressively aggressive fingers. It's the Tube expression at max on bass. The calm part with mostly bass of Starless is the highlight. Wetton just ramps up the dark dirt so great. Typical "3d quality".
Fun fact: David Gilmour actually used a Fender amp for most of the recording of Wish You Were Here!
A Dual Showman, specifically
@@hpoz222 Hiwatt on DSOTM?
@@effsixteenblock50 Correct - DR103 with various cabs (including Leslie and Maestro rotating speakers) for most of it.
@@effsixteenblock50 A '72 Twin. You see it behind him in the studio in Live At Pompeii.
A Dual Showman is the head version of a Twin. I use to have a '72 Twin with Utah speakers which sounded a lot like a Hiwatt. The Utah speakers were the trick. They didn't project well but sounded like Chinese-made V30's. Also, the dreaded 70 watt Celestions actually sound great in Twins for a 70's rock sound with good mids.
Great video - love your passion for the details and, especially, the wiring! Evokes a happy memory of my first Who concert back in the mid-70's in Leicester, England. I was 16 and Pete's wall of Hiwatts was making all my internal organs dance to Baba O'Riley, Bargain and Won't Get Fooled Again. It wasn't about hearing the music - it was way too loud for that - your ears were almost redundant; it was about viscerally experiencing the music as if the band was playing inside you! Imagine trying to stand while being hosed by the fire brigade while having your head re-forged by a steamhammer while having your teeth extracted by a drunk dentist and you're beginning to get an impression of what the greatest rock band in the history of the universe was doing to my teenage anatomy! Several times during the concert - in a small theatre with the seats taken out - I had to leave the hall because I thought my eyes were going to pop out and my intestines were going to rupture. (The pre-concert joint may have contributed to the state of alarm.)
TEENAGE WASTELAND
OH YEAH
TEENAGE WASTELAND
THEY'RE ALL WASTED@
My ears were. They were ringing for a day or two afterwards.
Both Townshend and Gilmour actually used early "CR" models that were modded for them. They had more front end gain and mids than the 1973 "DR" models. The trick is the high headroom preamp can handle a lot of effects without turning to mush. Jimmy Page used a heavily modded one as a well. Much more gain. You can get pretty close with a Laney Klipp or a Carvin X-100B
I have an original Carvin 100 watt Tolex head, the model BEFORE they changed the covering to that fuzzy, cat hair catcher crap - this amp is a beast - bought it from a friend in the mid 80's - I wish Rhett would do a segment on this head. I just fired this amp up for the first time in ????? years and thru a 4x12 OMG I forgot how good moving air felt - I was definitely rattling the nails in my house :-)
There's footage of Townshend using DR103 amps . There was also a CP103 ,built for Townshend which was supposed to be closer to the older Sound City amps of '66.
@@shaunw9270 his were DR 103W . And we're essentially the same as the CP103.
Alex Livison also used Hiwatts at least in the studio. From A Farewell To Kings up to Moving Pictures he was using DR Hiwatts through a Marshall 4x12 with green backs.
HIWATT was a custom shop we have to remember back then. You couldn't just walk into a store and buy one.
Stock late 60's HIWATTS all had slightly more gain than the later early/mid 70's models. They were darker sounding as well.
This is an aside to the various custom amps being built for touring bands.
Honestly, that video you did at that recording session when you used that Hiwat was some of the hands down best tone ive ever heard... no doubt
I believe the terrifying Robert Fripp guitar tones from King Crimson's Lark's Tongues in Aspic, Starless and Bible Black, and Red were Hiwatts. Jimmy Page also used a Hiwatt head at the legendary Royal Albert Hall concert.
Thanks for mentioning this.
@crimfan I think Robert Fripp was using Marshalls on 'In the Court of the Crimson King' while Greg Lake was using Hiwatts (the only King Crimson album he played bass on). BUT, from 'In the Wake of Poseidon' to 'Red' (and we'll also say 'USA'), Fripp was using Hiwatt.
Townshend = HIWATT 😉 I owned an original HIWATT 50w head in the late 70s and could not get any real dirt from it. It’s a good pedal platform but I’m not a pedal guy. Sold it and got a ‘79 Marshall 2203 100W w/ master volume and used it with no issues for 20 years worth of shows. In fact, I had it modded in the early 80s when no manufacturers were offering higher gain solutions and it was a fire-breather. YMMV
And there wasn’t many pedals in the 70s. Maybe a Big Muff Pi or Distortion Plus?
I've had my '73 DR504 since 1989 - originally with a TS-9, SD-1 and HM2 gain stacking.
You can try and prise it from my cold dead fingers even though I use an AC15 now.
I had a 50 watt half stack I used with a Rams Head after selling my 50 watt Plexi
Agree! Borrowed a 100w Hiwatt back in the 80’s, it was extremely bright and loud but could not get much distortion. Switched to a 50w Marshall JCM series, totally blew the Hiwatt away with master volume and preamp
Not a pedal guy? You must be old af lol
Great job and very informative. I remember when Alex Lifeson used these amps early in Rush. They certainly have a beautiful, rich sound as you demonstrated
Pete Townshend actually started playing Dave Reeves' Sound City amps in 1967/68, after Hiwatt was established as it's own company Dave started putting Pete's earlier SC100 amps in Hiwatt head cabinets when they came in for servicing, and then made him his own custom Hiwatt amps (CP103 "Super Who") that were identical to the earlier MK1 SC100s.
I thought the sound city was a laney super group my dream amp
I’ve been playing Hiwatts for the past 10 years. Started with an early custom 50 which is amazing. I was turned onto them after seeing Keith urban live. Woah!!!!
Fane speakers are 100% the best match for them. There is definitely a magic there. I’ve tried it with other speakers and nothing else has ‘that’ sound. Those partridge transformers are meaty
The cleans are amazing and as a pedal platform there is literally no better amplifier.
If you have the room to be able to get them to the edge of break up (it’s amazing and LOUD) you can hear the voice of the angels. Put a klon over that and the developer comes out to play.
I’ve tried everything but hiwatt is the best all round amp I’ve ever played.
They sound pretty good at lower volumes with pedals
But LOUD!!! Will change your life.
Ps..... fane speakers are honestly a must
There are dozens of different types of Fane speakers, fyi.
To say "this amp needs this speaker" isn't accurate, beyond personal preference.
@@snowyrain5730 ok to be specified Fane crescendo speakers. A vast majority of the classic Hiwatt tones people love on record we’re done with those speakers.
You are right you can use whatever you ‘personally prefer’ but is it the ‘Hiwatt sound’ if you’re not using the ‘Hiwatt sound’ speakers?
Do you though 👍🏻 find your own voice, use whatever you want but the video is about ‘the classic Hiwatt sound’ not find your own sound 🤷🏼
“What is the Line 6 spider sound”
Bees in a jar
@@sirbaronvoncount4147 *spiders in a jar, fighting.
haahah
The line 6 spider sound is generally synonymous with bathroom noises
A rather dull thump when it hits the ground?
Good to see Hiwatt getting some love. They've always been my favourite amps. I used to play them in guitar shops as a kid. Nearly bought one when I was a teenager for £65 - that was too much pocket money though
I own a Joyce 100. Second one he built. It was originally a 2 holer - not a 4. Such a pleasure to behold the tone in my warehouse.
I love the 2 hole version more myself. A better sounding gain to me. Cheers!
1990 I bought a Dr 103 (Custom Hiwatt 100) with matching 4x12 Cab ( Bassversion) with original Fanes from 1970 and its one of the best amps I ever owned .I´m still using it in my Studio. Its a monster ! When i tested it the first time (naturally at full volume ) it really moved some air and I was frightened to blow the windows of my appartement ! A couple of weeks later someone offered me the Custom 200 !! ( I didn´t buy it). I love your videos, specially this one !!
I love my DR103... I have used it for everything from a pedal platform to killer high gain stuff. An incredible workhorse
Two of the best examples of the Hiwatt 'cranked' sound are on the Jo Jo Gunne album "So Where's the Show": particularly the title tune and 'I'm your Shoe'. The second album is by Trapeze called "Hot Wire". All through that record are some fantastic tones, both clean and cranked.
I’ve been searching for that sound in albums. Thanks!
More than the amps, I want to know what Univibe/Leslie effect you were using in that intro motif!! Sounded phenomenal
I use a 1976 Harry Joyce wired DR103 and it is exactly what Rhett says "a canvas for pedals". Great description. I also procured a 4X12 with Fanes. It makes an excellent bass amp also.
I miss my DR103 and didn’t appreciate enough when I had it. Had it throughout the 80s from 83 till 88 and what a beast with a 4x12. Tone was deep!
Great video!!!
Owning a Hiwatt DR504 and WEM cab clone by Hi-Tone amps, I can tell you it really is a new concept of guitar tone and amplification!
Not necessarily better tone-wise. Just different, unique...Beautiful!
I also agree, that such amps are meant to be played through the corresponding high wattage Fane speakers.
I've used mine with other cabs, but none seems to compliment it as much!
I myself am blessed to have an original '76 DR504, I've played numerous amps before but this amp is just magical. Bridging the Normal and Brill channel with a patch cable is something different.
Hey, really love this talk through the Hiwatt sound, thanks so much. You didn't quite get all the details of how Hiwatt started and the collaboration between the band and Dave Reeves. Happy to fill you in or get my dad too, he was the singer and rhythm guitarist in the Band, Hylights, the amp was named after.
Many years ago I borrowed a Hiwatt 50 Watt Combo for a recording. I tried to play it loud and i must agree that "punishing" is the right word for what it did. It was scary for the young guitar player I was at that time. But FUN!
King Crimson used Hiwatts for bass and guitar in the classic 72-74 period, basically most of my favourite albums of all time. I completely missed that they are still making them.
I really want to see a “What is the Rickenbacker Sound” video
I was wishing for this last night as I drifted to sleep!
Watch Chris bucks recent video on them, he’s fantastic
Rene Gonzalez. Easy. Jingly jangly. Done.
Also basses, even though this is a guitar channel
For a second I thought you meant Rickenbacker amp sound, which is probably not a video anyone really wants/needs...
The first time that I saw The Who was around 1970 at the Minneapolis Auditorium. I was sitting around 10 rows from the stage These were the days before they were using PA system and mic-ing the guitar amplifiers. They had Hi Watt speaker cabinets stacked 2/3 of the way to the ceiling and across the entire stage. It was so freakin' loud that the guy sitting next to me left the concert. They played most of "Tommy" in addition to everything else. It was AWESOME!
If you can ever get your hands on one, I'd love to see you do one of these videos on a Sunn Model T, or just Sunn amps in general.
I used to play in a KISS tribute in Japan, and every gig had Marshalls for back line- which was just right for that sound. But one venue had a vintage Sunn, and it was absolutely hands down the most badass amp I’ve ever played through.🎸💥
Second that request. Those Model Ts are legendary, though maybe not in classic rock circles.
@@Intaminator I know Model T's are more well known for doom metal and stoner rock, but they're really more along the lines of a classic rock amp. They only get the heavy distortion from either cranking everything (literally every knob) on it to 10, or throwing a fuzz in front, since, much like the Hiwatts mentioned in this video, they take pedals exceptionally well. Sunns in general were used by both Pete Townsend and Jimi Hendrix at different points in the late 60's, but I don't recall what models they used.
@@nothingislogical IIRC Hendrix hated those Sunn amps. The whole classic rock thing was more in reference to lets say, the general targeted audience of Rhetts content. Model Ts can do classic rock, but that's not why people are after them, really. At least nowadays.
@@nothingislogical Not sure what Pete Townshend was using, but if memory serves right Hedrix used a 100s. Don't think he ever laid his hands on a model T. The "earliest" bigger adopter of the Model T I can think of is Wino of The Obsessed/Saint Vitus. And that's not really big in the grand scheme of things, admittedly. Fairly late too, must've been some time in the 80s or 90s. Seems like these amps weren't really appreciated in their own time, unless I'm forgetting about some big rockstar who used them in the 70s.
This is a most excellent video on the iconic Hiwatt amps ! Very well done . Very well covered . Big love for Hiwatt amps . When a studio I used to play at was closing down , they were selling off a superb DR103 . I found out too late , and some guy had snaged it for a mere five hundred bucks . Was I ever pissed off , very disappointed to say the least ! I had played for many hours through that Hiwatt with just an MXR Distortion + in front , and man what a killer sound . Thats the way they always had that rig set up and everyone was happy using it in that simple way . It was monstrous and very versatile . Great video , bro !
Great video, as a Brit who grew up with Pink Floyd this tone to me is inspirational. These amps really do deserve more recognition than that probably have, you really demonstrated the range of tone available asides the clean tone which everyone associated with this amp.
Whenever I hear "Hi-Watt", I think of John Wetton! Incredible bassist who liked to use the power of the HiWatt to it's fullest extent.
Tommy Bolin got amazing tones out of his Hiwatt Dr-103. Great video Rhett!
Another great video. I used to work at QSC when we in a garage, so I have always been fascinated by built quality. I left early before they took off.
The first player that comes to my mind was Pete Townsend, I saw the WHO at the Pontiac Silverdome 80,000 people indoor and PT looked like he had the entire years production of HIWATT amps
Very impressive. I later had a new VOX V-125w that was much like the HIWATT I also used Fane loudspeakers. Unique sounds.
Rhett, I have been enjoying your channel for quite a while. I own a DR-103, which I used on the road during the '70s and have managed to keep in reasonable cosmetic condition. As you noted in this video the workings are so well constructed that the only maintenance required to keep it in tip-top working order has been tube replacement. I was quite surprised though at the difference in the sounds of the two cabinets. I have no experience of the Dividedby13 equipment, but I assume the cabinet itself is well built. What surprised me was how much darker the Celestions sounded, than did the Fanes. I have two 4x12 Hiwatt cabs, but neither of them is loaded with Fanes. The speaker of which I am in awe is the Fane 12" that Hiwatt put into the 100 watt Bulldog Combo amp. Essentially a DR-103 in a combo box with one 12" speaker. Astonishingly loud, clean and heavy.
A Hiwatt is used on one of my favorite leads, the solo on the song Aqualung by Martin Barre of Jethro Tull.
Townshend is the man when you mention Hiwatt. I just wanted to mention that the “Live at Leeds concert footage” is either from the Isle of Wight or some other WHO footage that has appeared lately on YT, unfortunately NONE of which is actually from The Leeds University show or “Live At Leeds”.
There’s black and white clips from the balcony you can find if you dig deep enough. There was also a camera on stage that we’ve never seen footage from
Very cool video Rhett. Hiwatt amps are amazing. I love that you highlighted their stellar build quality. He also used very high quality components. If you want to get into building amps, trying to copy his layouts piece for piece would be a really smart idea!
Regarding the circuit, there seems to be some variation. Most deviate and are really their own thing. Two parallel input gain stages mixed into another gain stage. Plate driven tone stack. Then two more gain stages. Some Hiwatts also have some interesting implementations of negative feedback and the presence control.
One small note - jumpering the channels does not 'cascade' them. To me that would mean they run in series like a JCM800. They are running in parallel with one another. Parallel gain stages are a really cool sound IMO. It adds a lot of thickness and in the same way that an SM57 and a 121 compliment one another's EQ, the two channels compliment one another.
Lastly I believe Dave Reeves is up there as one of the all time great amp designers and builders. He should be in the conversation with Leo Fender, Jim Marshall, Dick Denney, Howard Dumble, Randall Smith, Ken Fischer, etc...
I was going to mention that jumpering the channels is parallel, not cascaded but I checked the comments and my pal Kley had it covered. Hi, friend! 😊
You want to see a modern builder that builds a super high quality amp like Dave Reeves, check out Bruce Clement’s work. BC Audio.
I was thinking to buy a HIWATT G100R MAXWATT for 150€-200€ boucks.
You think is worth it, what should i know about this amp?
I don't have a full knowlge about electronic components and hiwatt brand.
Bought a Hi-Tone 18watt combo a few years back. It’s a clone licensed by Reeves and unbelievably OCD-built. Ungodly loud but super versatile and the best pedal platform I’ve used.
This was really helpful Rhett. My Zoom G5n has a Hiwatt amp model, but I was only using it for super clean sounds. I went back into some of my Who (and Gilmour) patches and switched to the Hiwatt model and it did sound way better.
modelling amps are nothing compared to what they're imitating.
plug into a real one, and you'll find out ;)
Back in the 70s I owned a Sound City 120 head and twin 4x12 cabs. When I got married I had to sell the whole thing and buy a small combo amp, but back then I had no idea that these were, basically, Hiwatt amps with a music store’s name on them, or that Jimi Hendrix had played them. Had I known, I surely would have found a way to hang onto them. BOY were they LOUD !
before 1970 or so Sound City WAS a Hiwatt . AFTER THAT , they came up with their own design and it wasn't anywhere what a Marshall or Hiwatt was .
A sound city 120 isn't anything like a Hiwatt. All the Dave Reeves design hallmarks were gone by then.
The only thing they had in common was partridge transformers, and not all SC120s even had those.
I recently took possession of a Hi-Tone amp (prolly the most authentic Hiwatt copies made anywhere) and it stunned me how versatile the amp is. Loads of headroom with really unique EQ controls...more useable than any other amp EQ controls I've encountered.
I built one of these! You nailed it regarding the EQ. A little goes a long way. Perfect amp to really understand what each knob does, sonically.
Headroom - sounds like a HiWatt.
In 1979, I played a 56 Gibson ES225 through a Hi Watt100 into a Fender Bandmaster bottom. Sure, it was a handfull, but you felt the sound as well as hearing it. Thanks for bringing back the memories Rhett👍🏻
Love your vids, Rhett, but HiWatt = Townshend & Entwhistle. Live At Leeds. The greatest guitar tone of all-time. God damn it, The Who (and PT) are so underrated. P-90’s in SG into Super Fuzz into HiWatt. That’s it. That’s the sound.
The Super Fuzz is used very rarely.
@@elrondmcbong8184 Sure, but when he kicks it on it’s magic. Plus, if I *didn’t* mention it, you know someone else would be all “ACTUALLY, he also used a Super Fuzz...” 🙄
Rhett - this series of videos is like 'Guitar Amp appreciation 101' - for those of us that are undereducated or can't spend as much time in the local guitar shop as we'd like - please keep 'em coming!
I think of Pete Townsend when I think Hiwatt. Something about the midrange goodness and crunch. Is that cabinet loaded with new modern Fanes and which model? I prefer it for the Hiwatt sound. Might have to get me a Hiwatt cab and head. I wonder how much of that Hiwatt sound I can get from just a Hiwatt Fane cab? I had one of the 50 watt Hiwatt's from the mid late 70's but it only had 2 holes instead of the 4. It was cool but I preferred my Marshall. They certainly are a different thing though. I noticed the mid control on the Hiwatt does a lot and some may miss this. If you go way way down on the mid control there is a lot of variation you wouldn't get down there with most other amps. Some might over look this. Try it Rhett! More for clean tones as I like the mids for overdriven tones.
We reformed the band after 30 years and I built a 1x12 cab with a new fane F90 to try and calm the beast of my 73 DR504. Unfortunately, it's a 100db speaker and I can't turn it up past 1.
I now use an AC15 - much more acceptable to modern ears!
A friend used to have a mid-70's 100 watt head with the 2 inputs. I remember plugging into the bright input, maxing the bright pre-amp gain and cranking the master volume. I used his Les Paul Custom and pretty much nailed Tom Scholz's Boston guitar tone right there, i was amazed how unleashed it sounded
I wonder if Alex Lifeson has his stored in a warehouse in Toronto ?...he had 4 stacks of them on the Hemispheres tour...great vid. seeing the Pompeii film dozens of times in the 70's midnight late-show made a helluva impression on me & my musician mates, as well as Woodstock and Pete's unparalleled show stealing scene...thx Rhett.
Actually, Townshend and Entwistle of The Who didn’t use the DR103 but the CP103, a predecessor that is like a 100 watt PA amp with 4 separate channels and a Vox-like tone stack. The power amp is almost the same as the DR103 though.
Also Jimmy Page used a custom-made Hiwatt in the late ‘60s, early ‘70s . Check out Live at the Royal Albert 1970.
I would love to hear a CP103. I wonder how different it sounds from the DR103? Vox like tone stack sounds interesting.
@@HiHello-ku1fl My Hiwatt clone started out as a CP103. I had it eventually turned it into a DR103. I may still have an old video of it on my channel. It is brighter, more aggressive and maybe a bit more gainy. Pretty much a one-trick pony, I didn't like it with anything but P90 pickups.
Do you know how Alex lifeson got his distortion to sound like that coming out of Hiwatts?
In '68 Townshend and Ox were using Sound City stacks and when Sound City turned into Hi-Watt they made the Who's custom heads. Townshend ' s had no mid control.
@@Butterking99 I think he had a DR105, a 103 which the Canadian distributer had modded for a bit more preamp gain, and used it together with a MXR Distortion+.
I bought a Hi-Tone last year. It’s supposedly the closest thing to a HiWatt during the Hiwatt prime era. The Hiwatt company today is not the same as the 70s.
The UK (Doncaster) made Custom Hiwatts of today sound pretty good (when matched with Fane speakers). Less sure about the cheap Chinese made ones.
Lots of Headroom and ringing chords at volume with nice breakup without mud. Very responsive to guitar volume knob adjustments and as u point out they handle effects well
I’m a recovering former Hiwatt Custom 50 owner (early 70’s) and till this day I regret selling it. I got passed the clean-ness by using an overdrive and an earlier Tube Screamer and was able to achieve a pretty good sound but in bars and small venues I had problems with overpowering the rest of the band to get my desired tone. One big difference is that I was using an old Marshall slant top 4x12 Celestion bottom? Thanks for the post - love all of your stuff!
The use of Partridge transformers in these early models had also a huge impact on the sound. They were used by companies like SoundCity and Roost, who produced their amps in the same area in southern England, aswell.
Hey Rhett awesome content as usual ! I am glad to see Hiwatt amps getting a bit more recognition . I use a 76 4 input dr504 and a Hi-tone dr103 100 watt clone . These amps can do anything from clean to very overdriven tones if turned up abs preamp gains up ( I use an an attenuator when around the house or in the studio ). The 100 can get a very Black Sabbath like sound , which doesn’t surprise as I believe laney Amps used partridge transformers also . The 50 gets a lot more gained and for whatever reason sounds more modern . The nice thing is even with the preamps up to dimed or close to it you can still pick lighter or roll back the guitar volume slightly it cleans up beautifully ! I love that they stay tight and clear with humbuckers even . I use mine with a 72 hiwatt cab with hi-tones DR-F speakers ( I highly recommend this speaker ) they are based on a certain late 70s fanes. I want to try their 123 speaker next that is based on the late 60s early 70s fanes. Anyways sorry to write a long rambling post but love these amps . Keep up the good work !
Best
Ethan
I always think of Pete Townsend.
Agreed! Had no idea Gilmour used them.
Me too. I believe Pete was one of the first, if not the first, guitarist to use them.
@@wildskel6350 lol Gilmour has one of the most sought after tone
Once played one. Felt in love instantly. The soundwave was... divine.
King Crimson, the Who, Pink Floyd, Wishbone Ash, Jethro Tull, ELP, and many more. Early British progressive rock was pretty much built on these amps. They were all purpose so Bass and Keys can play through them as well and still sound fantastic.
Thanks a lot, Rhett. As if my 60th ann hand wired Vox AC 15 and 30, and Tweed Deluxe were not enough, now I need a 50 watt Hiwatt head and cab. A very cool sound!!
Hi watt are marketed as really pristine clean and LOUD as shit amps. Hi watt is really popular in doom and stoner metal.
I had a Lead 50R back in the early 90s. That is exactly it. Clean and freaking loud!
Any distortion or fuzz you throw at them just have all the headroom in the world to work with, you get the biggest sound out of any pedal through one - or so I'm told. If only I had one lol
Mike Scheidt uses one, and that's doom royalty if there ever was some. He makes it work.
Oh God. I can only imagine how insane a Doom band with Hiwatt's would be.
@@thechannelforeverything2170 Not exactly the doomiest of bands, but Nick from Elder uses Hiwatts.
I absolutely love HiWatts and will be getting one of their combos soon. I had a friend in the 80s who had three HiWatt stacks and he just so happened to play drums in my band. I went nuts for these amps. I'd play through with a fuzzbox and loved it. For cleans I'd roll down the volume or turn off the pedal. Very toney amp, very clear. You just have to try them, they can't be explained. The high end is less brittle than a Marshall.
Very underrated amp manufacturer - LANEY would be interesting too !
Pretty sure sabbath used laneys during their good period
I’d love to see a whole series on under rated amps: Lab Series, Yamaha, Laney, Peavey
I've always wanted a hiwatt
Not so much "underrated", but perhaps under-appreciated and passed over by people who might change their mind if they actually tried one! The Laney VC50, for instance, is a wonderful amp.
I had a Laney 100w back in 90 and that thing was a monster. I blew it up tho! Lol
Just watched this again as I was creating a Hiwatt patch in my modeler and you really helped me get that tone.Much appreciated.
I would think of Pete Townshend first, tbh. Anyway, go Hiwatt, lovely analysis and demo 👏🏻👏🏻 And yes, the Fanes are an essential part of the sound.
Yep, Townshend is always my first thought too when talking about Hiwatts.
What a perfectly clear and informative video. After watching this video, I'm sure there are a lot of folks wanting a Hiwatt 100 watt DR103 and a 4x12 cabinet loaded with Fanes. I certainly do and for the right reasons. You, sir, are a benefit to very many things, no doubt. Thank you, Rhett.
hello,just to let you know, pink floyd shinny diamond riff was recorded at Abbey road studio B with a Fender Dual Showman 2x15 JBL d 130 f ,an echorech and a mxr phaser...but of course on stage....if you can try one day with the real configuration you'll be surprised!I have one of those silverface showman and it's THE sound of it....pete townsend used to record on a bandmaster blackface,in studio things are often different than stage and it's very surprising...Little Wing for example is not Marshall but Fender Dual Showman 2x15 again!!take a look at this amp! greetings from france!
Nothing but the truth
Shine on’s cleans were recorded straight into the board ;)
The Hiwatt story comes from Arbiter and Sound City amps, for me they where PA amps modified for guitar use, absolutly great in clean sound, perfect. In the past i had a french Amp MI, able to sound very close to a Hiwatt , very powerfull and clean .
I always think of Pete Townsend because he specifically mentioned Hiwatt amps in the lyric of Long Live Rock off of Odds and Sods (1974) and later released as a single (1979).
The place is really jumping to the Hiwatt amps...
Thank you for doing this video. I think i pestered around enough to see it done. I love Hiwatt and own the 50, although I've never had issues having it break up.
I bought it used and was told by a guitarist/electronics guy who was eyeing it too, that mine seemed to be modded to breakup easily, and that it was military grade specs and design, which impressed me, and assured me id be better off than with a Marshall or Fender, which I didnt like anyway.
As for it being separate from the Marshall sound, i dont know about that. I could always get mine to sound like authentic bon scott era acdc, early black Sabbath, and lead zepplin sounds with a mid output PAF, and Marshall style cab. Ive never owned the stock cab, so I have no experience with it, but from your demo, I prefer the cab with the celestions, which is what I primarily have.
I could also get very 60s classic rock sounds. In short, I found Hiwatt very flexible. My only complaint was that there was no spring reverb, because it sounds so dry, and I hated the digital delay I was sold to attempt a reverb effect. I could see myself with a Hiwatt as a sole all, with two guitars, a Strat and a Las Paul or SG, but could get away with one if it had P90s, and flexible circuitry.
And yes, I've gotten the odd complaint about my 50 watt being too loud for small venues, only the drummer I used to work with always complained it wasn't loud enough. Go figure. My neighbours must have loved me.
Goddamn, that Pink Floyd was gold Rhett. What a beauty of an intro. I love hiwatts so much.
Thanks for the video! I really love your series about famous amps. I'm quite new to this subject. Some weeks ago I got myself a Line 6 HX Stomp and began to do some researches on the amp sounds. And it was like falling into a rabbit hole... For me, your videos are one of the best sources I know so far. I really like your approach: The combination of the historical view, the look on famous players and recordings, the analysis of the characteristics of the amp, and demonstrations of the original sound in high quality. GREAT JOB!!!!! Greetz from Germany
The Who even memorialize HIWATT amps in the song "Long Live Rock".
Even though that was probably a Gretsch into a Bandmaster 🤣
They use hiwatt in great live gig . In studio they use a more little and relyble Amp
Overture live about the 2.30 mark with the Gibson SG. The Almighty Who. #1 in my mind forever.
@@napomania well smaller yes but hiwatts are probably the most reliable amps ever made... it's easier to get a sound in a studio with a small amp then I monster like this
Great classroom on HIWATT which is an amp I knew nothing about . Man that tone is so crisp and clear no wonder Pete and David used these. I do get it now and unfortunately I do want one now LOL . Thanks Rhett enjoyed this one immensely.
Gilmour used Hiwatt amps because he had it, but preamp section making most of the sound was not Hiwatt's preamp. It was since 1974 a modded Alembic FB2, witch is a modded preamp of the Fender Showman (Fender Twin head). Hiwatt amps, and whatever other amps he add through the years, were just used to make his own Fender tweed's sound loud. If you don't have too much to spend in a modded Alembic FB2 get a Frog FX1 (recreation of an Alembic) and put it in any amp able to bypass its preamp with a proper FX loop, as long as this poweramp will be clean enough to let the frog/Alembic clean or crunch go through that's the way you can get the closest to Gilmour's sound.
Big Star used HiWatts. Amazing band, amazing guitar tones.
Yup. Pretty much all of Radio City is Strat > HIWATT. Magnificent! I love bringing this up in any "Best Strat Tone" thread.
Thanks for that bit of info, I had no idea. I always really loved those tones. Must admit I assumed they were going through Fender amps.
@@meadish and to further go down the wormhole, John Fry mic’d the cab with a Neumann KM84.
@@meadish Yeah, I used to think Fenders & Vox. They did use different amps on #1 Record, and who knows what Alex was using on Sister Lovers/3rd (apart from a lot of drugs...)
I saw Chilton in 1995 on the "Man Called Destruction" Tour. Sydney, Metro Theater. Amazing. The band weren't great - but he was. I swear that every straight female in that audience would have happily had his babies, right there and then. The dude oozed charisma. A Southern Gentleman Rockstar. May he rest in peace.
@@SteveSelvidge Totally agree!
I still like my Sovtec Mig 100 and its matching 4/12 cab. I got it used in the late 90's, it was on consignment at American Music in Seattle. The story was that the person selling it considered it "Too much" and couldn't control it. I fell in love, it was great for my 3 piece band, so much punch and more. Ty for the vid Rhett.
Those MiG amps are awesome!!!!
Great vid man!
Thanks Brett!
Co- guitarist in my old pun/hardcore band borrowed a Hiwatt and the sound combined with a boss HM-2 pedal was great. A really tight, glass-cutting hi-gain sound that I've never heard replicated in any other amp/cab combo. Pity they are so pricey as I would have bought one for myself.
I m greatfull to be a guitar player and i m greatfull to see these guys sharing history of music and iconic gears and rhett shull thank you man for sharing this iconic gear and history of these amps couldn't be greatfull than this again thanks @rhett shull and loved to these every guitar player out there keep playing keep inspiring
Great attention to Hiwatt and well deserved. One thing you may have missed in covering sonic ingredients of these apt was the use of the famous over built Partridge transformers. Mercury Magnetics makes clones of these and others now and are available to builders.
Heyboer transformers make a better clone of those Partridge transformers now. i talked with the owner many years ago because he lives in the same state as me.
Pete: _knocks over Hiwatt half-stack on British TV show_
Host: Whose is that? Who owns it? Is it ours, or what?
Pete: The bank owns it.
John: It's mortgaged.
@Charged Hellhammer Of course, Keith disrobed.
"Talkin' 'bout my Generation!"
@@steveg1700 Pete: "Oh, oh! Sorry, Russell! Sorry!"
Bloody hell! I'm from the UK and have been a Gilmour fan for forty years and I thought Hiwatt were an American amp maker! Must admit, owning a Laney Cub head and cab I rarely think about amps these days. I've only recently discovered your channel but I love these snapshots into guitar history.
Good darts sir!
When I think of Hiwatt I think Robert Fripp and Pete Townshend .. to each their own ..
I didn't even know Gilmour played Hiwatt amps. Townsend is who I think of
I used two Custom Hi-Watt 100 DR-103s with four 4x12 cabs in 1972 (those were the days). I pretty much dimed them and they filled a lot of big places. They often used to blow their Mullard KT77s, so our tech installed a cooling fan in each head, but the tubes still fried every so often. After a very short while I had all the cab placed on the stage rather than stack them because when I was in front of the stacks, I couldn't hear anyone else or much of anything at all after the gig. I used that rig for six months or so and changed over to two Blackface Fender Twins, '66s I think, which was nearly as loud when opened up all the way. The roadies were certainly happier about that rig.
I doubt that there are many places if any where you could use that amp opened up the way we did in the day, but it does make a joyful noise.
Yes, of course I have tinnitus today (did you say something?), but there were a few really glorious R&R moments, for sure.
Thanks for the excellent vid. It brought back a lot of nice memories.
Do the Jazzmaster next, and get Michael Adams to help
Yes this!!!!
I love how you described the effect of it at full volume as "punishing" ! I wonder how much more "punishing" the clean sound would be with a big fat boost pedal in front of it.
I have a Hylight Hiwatt DR-504 and when its a full volume its absolutely brutal. I blew up all the light bulbs in my friends basement during practice many years ago. The amp doesnt distort like a typical guitar amp...it seems to act more like a linear power amp. I had mine for thirty years and it will be buried with me when I die.
@@kirkdecker6228 Nice amp. I used to have a Cornford Roadhouse 50 combo and that was surprisingly loud and had a fat bottom end as well. I took it to a friends garage once and cranked it (boost switch on and full gain), hit an E chord and dust started appearing from everywhere !
@@SgtSteel1 That's awesome. I still use a Sovtek Green Big Muff and a MXR distortion plus for my boost. Thanks for inspiring me. Firing up my amps now and I hope the cops don't show up...be well friend!
@@kirkdecker6228 Same to you! Have fun. Take care.
I think you should give the "Posh English" accent a go. As a Londoner, this would very much amuse me.
Rhyming slang posh by a Yank would be side splitting.
From a N Georgia boy that would be amusing.
Joke's on you he watched Top Gear for 13 years (just the Clarkson days) and perfected several dialects. He has a mean brummie
Cor blimey Mary poppins
Dick Van dyke!! Alright guvnor
Great demo, thanks. As far as I know jumping the channels doesn't make them in series ("cascade channels into one another"), they are still operating in parallel.
Still waiting on that "What is the Boss Metal Zone Sound?" video.
I have a Reeves Space Cowboy 50. My High Headroom Clean amp. Love your gear demos !
I also have a Space Cowboy. Reeves makes incredible Hiwatt clones. A friend who ones one of the earliest models swears that my Reeves. Claims it nails the Hiwatt tone perfectly.
@@winslow551 Yep The Space Cowboy seem to be the perfect Cross between a Bassman 50 and HiWatt Custom 50 !
Less popular opinion, I'm really reminded of Alex Lifeson's late 70's/early 80's tones! (Permanent Waves comes to mind!)
You beat me too it.
Lifeson used pedals tho for his gain then
@@RocknJazzer The opening chords of Hemispheres sound like ear bleeding clean double tracked Hiwatt heaven.
@@m7cm7c lots of chorus too of course (gives pseudo double tracked effect, tho he may have doubled as well as used chorus). I do not hear the power amp section working hard there, so doubt he was cranking it to ear bleeding. It sounds set more moderately and then with a little pedal boost added (listed in his rig from then) and/or mxr dist+ (confirmed in pics from the era). The mxr could be set for either OD or as a boost, and there you go, that I can see sounding like that. For live I think then it would have been cranked more, as his live tone is often very different from his studio tone.
I have a DR103 of that era and know it's gain staging and response at different levels very well. Alex's tone has some of that hiwatt "crang", but not as much as you get when you crank it more, when they get more aggressive and brash, which I do not hear in alexes tone there. So I think he used a moderate hiwatt preamp gain, a moderate hiwatt master vol power amp setting, and a moderate boost to get the smoother more flowing gain, and then for heavier chords and solos the mxr+
Thank you for this Rhett!
Regarding Fane speakers... Fane has made a wide variety of speakers over the years. Just because the speaker says "Fane" doesn't mean it will have *that sound* you're seeking. An AlNiCo AXA 12 is very different from a Medusa, and both differ greatly from the Crescendo that David Gilmour insisted was an essential element to his sonic palette. Maybe a subject for its own show.
Don't forget about Alex Lifeson. He used HIWATTS on "A Farewell To Kings," "Hemispheres," "Permanent Waves" and "Moving Pictures." The "Moving Pictures" tone was also complemented with the use of Marshall Club & Country combos.
That's true
It's important to remember he was using the Hiwatts clean with a MXR Distortion+ in front. The Marshall Club and Country's were his clean amps on Moving Pictures replacing the JC120s he was using on Permanent Waves.
Perfect presentation of the Hiwatt / Sound City legacy. I own a Reeves designed & made Sound City Mark III '68 / '69, same base Hiwatt layout with some minor differences from the factory. The dynamics, frequency range, harmonics and overall timbre have qualities you do not find today in my opinion.
I alway think of the Royal Albert Hall Hiwatt that Jimmy page used. One the greatest tones In my opinion. Great vid :)
Yeah those are great tones and Jimmy is the King in my book. Although I think his best tones were at the Madison Square Garden when they did the film Song Remains the Same. Love those bell like cleanish tones he got. His middle position really stands out with that setup too. Marshall's with KT88 tubes installed. That was the peak of Zep. But I did like the Hiwatt tones he got too. Page had many tones through his career. Mostly in his hands I guess. Not sure if it's his attack or note choices but he is a very unique player. Seems like he did his homework and had a lot of stuff in his head before he started. So many styles. I think he was more about the motif or notes and mood more than perfecting every little pick stroke. His timing could be off at times. I think the sloppiness people talk about is part of his punk rock swagger and gives it that attitude. Probably wouldn't be as cool if everything was perfected. I don't think he had time to perfect everything when he was writing all those amazing songs. I will take a songwriter with attitude and swagger over a technical sterile guitar player anyday.
I know many out there know more about Jimmy’s HiWatt that me. I remember reading somewhere it was custom built for him and he had it modded like no other HiWatt, moved the amp more to the Marshall side. Like fifteen years ago there was a father/son team building replicas of that amp out in New England.
@@HiHello-ku1fl I think Jimmy's best live tone was when he still used EL34's in his Super Leads. Which would be late 70 to 72. The KT88's are good but a bit too clean. HTWWW live album is cream of the crop imo.
@@Sco3000You must be talking about the live CD they put out huh? I haven't got that yet but I do have the DVD set that has the Royal Albert Hall and SRTS etc. I need to get the HTWWW to hear if I like his tone better then. All I know is his tone on the 73 Garden shows for Songs Remain The Same were so sweet. I Know what you mean the KT88's are a bit cleaner but they have that envelope around the notes almost like you can hear the glass of the tubes ...lol Love the bell like tone he got out of the Les Paul with those tubes. Of course 34's are great too as I own a 69 Marshall smallbox which is the best amp I have ever owned and still my fav. I might try KT88 and KT66 and change the bias accordingly. I can always go back to the 34's. I like Greta Van Fleet's guitarist tone too and he has KT66 in his.
@@alexo5861 that's pretty cool. Can you remember who it was building them? Let me know if you can dig it up. Thanks!
Great video! When you added that patch cable between the normal and bright inputs, is that "cascading" the channels or playing them in parallel? If the channels were being cascaded, the output of the normal channel would connect to the input of the bright channel. In this case, all four jacks are "input" jacks. I believe the reason why you get more overdrive is due to the fact you're now driving the power amp section with two preamp signals versus just one. Maybe I misunderstood?
Alex Lifeson had many Hiwatt amps around Fairwell to Kings.
Thank You! Fantastic! What a great 'This is why...' Video! Yes deep love for The Who & PF. I am a retired field engineer and failed rock star so I am amp 'geeky'. I knew a bit about Hiwatt you have filled in the gaps.
" The place is really jumping to the high watt amps,
'Til a twenty-inch cymbal fell and cut the lamps"
Rock is dead they say... Long live rock...
Long Live Rock - The Who