The Quest for the Perfect Hiwatt (Part Two) 

These vids are amazing. Loved what Steve talked about around 15:40 . I feel like that ethic is still prevalent with a lot of "modern" guitar/amp designs just dressed up with more marketing hype.

Anyone else see the old VHT Valveulator buffer on the shelf! He should totally modernize and reissue that thing. Way ahead of its time as with most of Steve's ideas!

Thank you so much for this information. Incredible knowledge and insight. I own a bunch of DR103’s and this has helped gain a better understanding. Such a joy to watch the attention to detail. Bravo Steve and gang!

The difference in the transformer codes is because of the bell housings. The bell housings had to be introduced for new safety regulations in the UK

Great series guys. Thanks for sharing your knowledge Steve.

This is giving the keys to kingdom for us Hiwatt fans!!!! Loved the use of the Mark Huss schematics too.

Joe’s Cabinet is probably an Audio Brothers made Hiwatt Cabinet. I have one and it’s great, even compared to my 70s “real” Hiwatt cab. Audio Brothers used 90s black cast frame Fanes with different mounting holes (no they are not like the original silver/grey cast frame Fanes). I know because I tried to put a pair of M65s speakers in it for a mix, but no dice. I will say whatever those cast frames are they sound amazing, even compared to old ones.

Worthy quest, nice results even ; ) thanks for the in depths

That amp doesn’t even sound the same anymore !!!! Fricken awesome !!! Turned a boat anchor into a tone machine …

In this video and Malcontents S3 Ep7 you talk about balancing amps gain from its input to output for good string separation and good Hiwatt sound in this video. This balance thing might be critical in overall What Makes Amp Great thing. Need a separate video/live on this subject ! For me most important thing in amp was country to Iron Maiden from guitars volume pot only. So I built my own amp. And it was full of pots and trim-pots until it did what I needed. What I did not knowing it, was balance amps gain from input to output. Amp now has gain pot and Vox Cut style pot, I dont use any of these. Always on 10/10. Watched every video on this channel. Learned as much about amps as margaritas.

Thanks to Steve and Fryette team for providing all these Hiwatt insights. This content is gold and laid the groundwork for me. Last year, I bought a 78/79 DR103 just like Joe's. It had a ripped out preamp section from a "gain mod" someone tried. I went all in and rebuilt it with all NOS mustards caps and Beyschlag resistors. Thanks to your awesome PS2, I can even use it at home. Big thank you from Germany!

Just fantastic, loved the appreciation of both amps , the commentary inspiring !

I’m digging the use of the little FANE positive terminal lug stickers to mark your components! I noticed that Mackenzie speakers used the same dots too.

Wow just absolutely fantastic boys!! Amazing thank you so much for chering what all my techs keep info to themselves! But i know they're not that good. Im in Toronto Canada & still haven't found the right tech that would make an amp that i been holding for 20+ years. You guys are the real Mccoy!! ✊️👏👏👏

Great two part video. Thanks for sharing. I bought a new 1982 HiWatt Custom 50 DR505 (Canadian version) and it had no issues with the gain that you mentioned were a problem with some of the earlier Canadian versions of the DR504. It sounded incredible and it replaced my 1981, 50 watt JCM 800 which also had a Canadian mod as they were also imported by the same distributor as the HiWatt's. I preferred the HiWatt over the JCM 800 because it just had bigger tone and a bit more usable gain.

Holy shit I love these vids! So little great content on HiWatts! I have a 1973 Custom 50...sadly my 1975 Custom 100 has a troubled output transformer; but the major takeaway; HiWatts kick ass!!

Great 2 part episode Steve. Amp sounded killer. #ALLHAILNIKOCHAN

You gotta love these guys. Thx for doing this! Cheers from Germany

My Hiwatts always sounded so good with P90s, I didn’t use much else w/ them

This video is a great insight on why Fryette doesn't respond to customer service emails.

Hey Steve Hi from Vancouver ! Which band did you play in? I was around on those days... I met Hutch at the Body Shop the tech that created the Canadian Hiwatt mod and he installed the mod in a 4 hole custom 50 watt Hiwatt Head when he was working at a studio in Gas town Water Street Sound and loved it ! I think he is working at RND / Rupert Neve Designs Best'

@Steve will u please insert some Foghorn Leghorn cartoon clips in some of these videos? It would be hilarious

This is very interesting, thanks for sharing with us. I own a 1978 DR-103 - would you mind sharing the mods and schematics you did here?

Hi Steven, I actually just picked up a 78 DR103. Would you be willing to share what you did to get it on par with the early models? Sorry if you've answered this before. From what I noticed in the vid it looks like a few things were changed - Would love to mod mine - or technically unmod it back to earlier hiwatt spec

Looks like they had the cast frame Fanes in Joe's cabinet before.

Sick man! Joe Barresi recorded some amazing records. I was wondering i see you just switching the speaker cable while the amps are still on, everybody tells us that that's the worst thing to do to a tube amp, right? NEVER turn on a tube amp without a load? Or does that only matter if the amp's on really long or an actual signal is ran though them? anyway awesome stuff, Cheers

I'm trying to understand which Hiwatt circuit variations were done in what production year(s). I have a 72 and a 73...are those amp circuits more for "hi-fi" tone?

I have a Peavey cab with Celestion G12-K85 speakers.

I had a couple Rickenbacker Road amps. The distortion knob just clicked and did nothing. They were clean sold state amps that the reverb was ok.

Thanks for the deep dive! My '79 DR103 has some of the issues Joe's had tonally, especially with the weird low end. Can you divulge what preamp tubes you used when you replaced the old ones? Also, what slot the 12AT7 was used in?

Sad about that cab. I'm sure someone could work it to a servicable unit though.

Wasn't the "canadian mod" only done to two holers? Either way it doesn't represent Dave Reeves designs as it was done by canadian importers.

Hello. When is the new gpdi coming out. Musicians friend keep telling me they have receive dates but nothing ever happens. I preordered like two years ago. Thanks

Hello, when installing new pre amp tubes, what brand are you using these days....... I like your Hamer Guitar.............

Ahhhh, so this is why the price of sound city stuff has shot up lately

So my loadbox is only rated to 100W RMS. If I get a DR103 and turn up the MV to the point of distortion, is that still gonna be low enough to not make my load box melt?

Same "sounds bad, that's what they want" mentality from mass marketing/manufacturers today...