Sound City/Hiwatt #4 Vids

[gldtp99]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqLBIkjwlD8

We were doing vids of some Fender amps that I've fixed up lately and had a little extra time---- so I wheeled this amp in front of the camera...........................gldtp99

[Blackburn]

Hey Goldtop,

Cool rebuild. What Hiwatt circuit did you use for that? I really want to build one and can't decide. I've seen a few schems from google, but don't really know which one. Townshend with P90s comes to mind for one of my favorite Hiwatt examples. Any ideas?

David

[gldtp99]

Thanks----- the amp in the vid uses the Mid 70's 4 Input Hiwatt circuit---- but I tweaked the circuit somewhat because it initially had too much treble----another scratch built Hiwatt clone, a 50 watter, using the same Mid 70's 4 Input circuit didn't need any circuit tweaking when I first built it--- but I like the 50 better with a 12ax7 in the PI instead of the stock 12at7.
I would suggest building the Early 70's 4 Input circuit as a first Hiwatt build---this is considered the "Classic Hiwatt Circuit" and seems to come out sounding great every time when built stock, no tweaking needed.
If you're going to gut and rebuild a SC 120 to Hiwatt specs I also suggest ditching the orig SC turret boards and turret strips----they are a pain to clean up and re-use and are flimsy compared to the new Hiwatt type turret boards available---also i'd go with new tube sockets, pots, switches.
Good luck with your project and post if you have any more questions.
These SC 120/Hiwatts are very powerful amps and are overkill for most situations---but they do sound good.
If you're building from scratch I'd go for a 50 watt DR504 with the Early 70's 4 Input circuit-----easily enough headroom and volume for most modern day playing situations. My next Hiwatt build will be one of these.............gldtp99

[Blackburn]

Thanks, Gldtp.

I looked over the schem again and I'm very happy that I can get by just using three 12AX7s. My chassis are punched for that setup, so using more than that may be a hassle. About the late 60s model...

http://hiwatt.org/Schematics/DR_Pre4Input_v0.pdf

Is this be terribly different than the 70s model? I checked both out side by side and there are a few notable differences. What differences in tone would you attribute to each?

http://hiwatt.org/Schematics/DR_Pre4Input_v1a.pdf

[gldtp99]

I don't know--- I've never built that circuit or played on an orig example---- if you have an interest just go ahead and build it and see how it sounds.
For myself, I like the Early and Mid 70's 4 Input circuits and don't want to experiment beyond them in the Hiwatt circuits I build------ they sound the way I think Hiwatts should sound.
Building Hiwatt clones and SC 120/Hiwatt conversions is by far the lesser percentage of amp building I do--- I'm interested in many different types of amps.
In the past few years I've looked into higher gain amps--- but lately I've been drifting back to more general purpose vintage amps of different designs and power levels----it seems that more people want a cleaner amp that they can use their effect pedals with rather that having a higher gain amp that does a good distortion but doesn't clean up all that well---Hiwatts work with effect pedals very well.
Here's a vid of a friend playing a 50 watt higher gain head I made up last yr:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyPcd4uYJFk

Several bands have used this red 50 watter to record with but only one band wanted to buy it----- they offered $400----- that doesn't even buy the parts.
I've built and sold several general purpose vintage type amps in the same time frame.
Hiwatts cost more to build than other vintage designs and so my Hiwatt clones don't exactly jump off the shelves around here.
I build/sell more Tweed, Brownface, and Blackface Fender based amps than anything else.
Many players like the Hiwatt clones but they don't want to pay the difference in $$$$ between a BF Bassman clone (for example) and a DR504 clone.
If you're building for yourself then it doesn't matter--- you are looking for that special tone and price isn't much of an issue................gldtp99

[dcribbs1412]

Thanks, Gldtp.

I looked over the schem again and I'm very happy that I can get by just using three 12AX7s. My chassis are punched for that setup, so using more than that may be a hassle. About the late 60s model...

http://hiwatt.org/Schematics/DR_Pre4Input_v0.pdf

Is this be terribly different than the 70s model? I checked both out side by side and there are a few notable differences. What differences in tone would you attribute to each?

http://hiwatt.org/Schematics/DR_Pre4Input_v1a.pdf

Blackburn
Wondering if you will be just using 2 inputs
for a three 12ax7 circuit?

gldtp99
great sounding amps
love the red mule

Darin

[Blackburn]

Just one input actually, if I build her up. I never wire both hi and lo inputs. I looked over the schem and there's one triode unused and I'd just delete one of the channels for three full 12AX7s. Chances are I'd end up using the channel I liked most all the time if I did have two channels, or jumper them, but I don't think it's worth the extra hole in my chassis for a simple jumper. I think these amps are fat enough already and have more than enough gain.

David

[dcribbs1412]

Just one input actually, if I build her up. I never wire both hi and lo inputs. I looked over the schem and there's one triode unused and I'd just delete one of the channels for three full 12AX7s. Chances are I'd end up using the channel I liked most all the time if I did have two channels, or jumper them, but I don't think it's worth the extra hole in my chassis for a simple jumper. I think these amps are fat enough already and have more than enough gain.

David

Cool
looking forward to posts of your build

Darin