Introduce yourself

[OldSchoolDave]

...and I look forward to continue being part of this proud yet nearly deaf community

Huh? Can you speak up ?

Welcome! You've collected a nice assortment of Hiwatts (so far)...

Dave

[Voddi78]

Okay everyone, after regestering to the Hiwatt Convention Center back on Dec 12, 2008, I am now doing my first posting. THAT IS PRETTY SAD, DON'T YOU THINK?

Here it goes!

My name is David. I reside near Detroit, Michigan. I play Guitar (16 Years), Bass (14 years), and Drums (12 years). I dabble with keyboards from time to time. Although I picked up the guitar when I was 5 years old, I didn't start "playing" guitar until I was 16 years old during the summer of 1994 just before I was to start my junior year in High School. From that point on, I became a musician addict. At that time, I was brainwashed to believe that "if you don't have a Marshall amp in your rig (mainly, the JCM900's at that time), you're nobody." And yes, I did believe it. However thourgh the years, I later went from the transistion of playing nothing but Marshalls to being a Fender/Hiwatt amp user (must be the David Gilmour/Pete Townshend influence).

How I learned about Hiwatts and Sound City amps was through the Who, and the boxset "Thirty Years of Maximum R & B" which contained a booklet that had the Hiwatt stack right on the front cover and pictures of the Who in action in different venues with the Hiwatt and Sound City amplifiers in the background back in the early days from 1967 on. But what sealed the deal on wanting a Hiwatt was when I heard "Live At Leeds" and, surprisingly, the 1971 Genesis album "Nursery Cryme," the album that introduced me to Steve Hackett.

I aquired my first Hiwatt back in 1998 at my local music shop. I traded my 1995 Marshall JCM 900 4102 Combo for a 1982 Hiwatt DR-103 Head (the Biacrown 2-input PCB version) which I still have to this day. Even trade, no cash! A few months later, I ended up snagging a 1975 Hiwatt SE4123 a few monts later by trading my Marshall JCM 900 cabinet and about a hundred dollars at the Detroit Guitar Center. Still have that cabinet! But unfortunately, the original speakers were gone as the cabinet was loaded with Celestion G12T75's speakers dated from 1977. Soon, I'd like to replace them with either the Vintage 30's or the low powered Celestion. Still undecided yet.

A couple years later, I ended up buying a couple Sound City heads (a 120 watt head and a 200 watt head) and another Hiwatt SE4123 (a Slant from the late 80's or early 90's) during my 'Sound City' phase. I ended up trading the 200 Watt Sound CIty head and the Hiwatt slant for a 1979 Fender Super Reverb 4 years ago. Although I sometimes regret letting those two go, it was for the best for I wasn't using the 200 watter which is WAY too much power and the newer Hiwatt slant cab. But the Sound City 120 is still in my possession.

As for guitars: Three Fender Stratocasters and a Precision bass
1. 1996 American Standard (my very first real Strat)
2. 1989 American Standard (my first Frankenstein w/ Fender CS 69's)
3. 1988 American Vintage (second Frankenstein with Dimarzio Area '58's)
4. 1984 American Precision Bass

Pedals:
1. Gutted Dunlop Crybaby with Area 51 Tube Audio Designs board and Fulltone Clyde pot.
2. Ibanez Tube King (the original one)
3. BYOC Ultimate Fuzz (w/ Roger Mayer mods)
4. BYOC E.S.V. Fuzz (modded to 1966 Sola Sound Tonebender MK 1.5 specifications)
5. Chander/BK Butler Tube Driver
6. BYOC Script Phaser inside a wah wah enclosure
7. Voodoo Lab Micro Vibe (w/ Indy Guitarist mods)
8. Carl Martin Rock Bug

I have alot more stuff, but just too much to name off for now! LOL

David

[mhuss]

Welcome, David, and about time.

--mark

[daveC55]

Hi and GREETINGS TO ALL YOU HIWATT LOVERS, had to shout that little bit there, you know why.
I'm new to this forum, but have been assisted in one way or another by Mark Huss and his webpage for at least 4-5 years now.
I'm David C. from the DIY page.
Unfortunately, I have no vintage Hiwatts.
My only genuine (if you want to call it that) Hiwatt is a 20watt mini stack (Fernandes) that still puts comparable items to shame.
Now, why I'm here...
3- 50watt Hiwatt DIY efforts
2- 100watt Hiwatt Diy's
1- 30watt modified 'recreation' using 4 EL84's in push-pull parallel.
Mostly thanks to info gleaned from Mark's page.
There were no kits when I started and my first effort used Mar***ll transformers, because it was all I could find and afford.
But, the circuits are there.
Nor do I have 'vintage' guitars to play through them.
I do intend to be at this years convention, god willing and the river don't rise...

[mhuss]

Sounds like a great start. Welcome, and look forward to seeing you in August.

--mark

[Dr.HI-TONE]

Welcome Dave!
See you in a few weeks!

[philmanatee]

Hey, I've been lurking here for a week or two since I just picked up a Biacrown DR-504. I just got done pulling the blackback m's out of the Hylight 4 12 cab I rescued and regrilled years ago, it had some sort of rodent mesh for grill cloth. I replaced the m's with two Fane AXA 12's and two Medusa 150's that I had in another setup. My top cab is a front loaded slant cab that says made in England on the nameplate, but no info on who owned the Hiwatt name at that time, it's loaded with it's original Fanes. I've owned a Sterling Imports 30 watter, but still haven't owned a real deal Hylight yet, hopefully soon! Good to meet all of you, I live in the Seattle area. Phil

[OldSchoolDave]

Welcome, Phil!

How do the AXA and Medusas match up, efficiency-wise?

Dave

[philmanatee]

They seem to blend nicely even though the AXA's are 2db less sensitive, I think. Darin from Tonic Amps had told me that he had used the AXA's and the Medusa 150's together with great results, they actually seem to compliment each other tonally. Of course I can't even hear that cab when it's the bottom cabinet, but I wanted it to sound good because I know that's the one that will get mic'd. The m's sounded awesome in that cab, but once I heard the DR-504 with my top cab I wanted more Fane sound happening. The band I'm joining requested I use a full stack! They actually play at a fairly low volume considering. I'll play it some more today and report back. Phil

[mhuss]

Welcome, Phil! Another convert to Hiwatt/Fane goodness.

--mark

[OldSchoolDave]

The band I'm joining requested I use a full stack!

WOW - you don't hear that sort of request often these days... Nice .

Dave

[mhuss]

The band I'm joining requested I use a full stack!

Nice.

...unless you have to carry it yourself!!

--mark

[gilmour_pugliese]

Hi to all! I'm Carlo from Italy
Unfortunately I don't own an original Hiwatt... I have a DR504 DIY head (built with the Mark's scheme and layouts... thank you man!!!) and a 15" cab loaded with a '69 Fane Crescendo.

Head:


Cab:


Also, I've built a gilmour-ish pedalboard and a lot of other pedals...


My guitars:

Fender Stratocaster MIM heavily modded (custom wind pickups, Sperzel tuners, new bridge, bridge+neck switch...)


Wilkinson V100 Les Paul copy


Also, I'm looking for a single ended version of Jimmy Page amp

p.s: sorry for my shit english

[Dr.HI-TONE]

Welcome!

[Hiwatt Bob]

ciao carlo--

di dove sei in Pulgia? sono americano ma la mia moglie e' di Marina di Ginosa--non ho visto tutta la Puglia, ma ho girato speso.
normalmente, torniamo ogni anno per stare con i suoceri al mare--ma stiamo aspettando un altro bimbo e non possiamo viaggare quest'anno.