I'm posting on behalf of a friend who just acquired a DR504 in nice condition. Looks like a nice example. Other than some mildly bent transformer mounting brackets, it looks straight and undamaged.
First question: Partridge transformers? Or some other manufacturer?
Second question: Does anything look out of the ordinary for this type?
I'm pretty familiar with vintage Marshalls, but Hiwatts are unknown territory to me. Sure is well made, though.
Hiwatt DR504, looking for a little info
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Matthews Guitars
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Hiwatt DR504, looking for a little info
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Stevem
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Re: Hiwatt DR504, looking for a little info
I have rebuilt quite a few and that’s what the original transformers look like.
Those tube shields do not look original to me though.
They are not the most noise free amps when turned up loud since while the wiring is beautiful some of the grounds are daisy chained .
Another flaw is that the PI section and it’s coupling caps to the outputs are a mile from the output tubes.
When I mod these and in fact many other amps I mount a terminal strip right near each output and move the coupling caps to there.
Plate wires can be long in a amp if need be, but long grid wires is asking for poor tone and or oscillation trouble as drive signal levels go up.
With good outputs, good power supply filters and normal line voltage there’s are 60 watt RMS amps so they kick real nice!
Those tube shields do not look original to me though.
They are not the most noise free amps when turned up loud since while the wiring is beautiful some of the grounds are daisy chained .
Another flaw is that the PI section and it’s coupling caps to the outputs are a mile from the output tubes.
When I mod these and in fact many other amps I mount a terminal strip right near each output and move the coupling caps to there.
Plate wires can be long in a amp if need be, but long grid wires is asking for poor tone and or oscillation trouble as drive signal levels go up.
With good outputs, good power supply filters and normal line voltage there’s are 60 watt RMS amps so they kick real nice!
When I die, I want to go like my Grandfather did, peacefully in his sleep.
Not screaming like the passengers in his car!
Cutting out a man's tongue does not mean he’s a liar, but it does show that you fear the truth he might speak about you!
Not screaming like the passengers in his car!
Cutting out a man's tongue does not mean he’s a liar, but it does show that you fear the truth he might speak about you!
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Stevem
- Posts: 4576
- Joined: Fri Jan 24, 2014 3:01 pm
- Location: 1/3rd the way out one of the arms of the Milkyway.
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Re: Hiwatt DR504, looking for a little info
Just looked back thru my pictures and original Partridge transformers should have a yellow sticker on top the says Partridge.
When I die, I want to go like my Grandfather did, peacefully in his sleep.
Not screaming like the passengers in his car!
Cutting out a man's tongue does not mean he’s a liar, but it does show that you fear the truth he might speak about you!
Not screaming like the passengers in his car!
Cutting out a man's tongue does not mean he’s a liar, but it does show that you fear the truth he might speak about you!
Re: Hiwatt DR504, looking for a little info
it looks like transformer made by Heyboer
Re: Hiwatt DR504, looking for a little info
I suspect that DR504 is a UK-made Hiwatt made during the time Musicground owned the rights to the Hiwatt name (the Harrison clan)
I doubt they sourced their iron from Heyboer (I've used many Heyboer Partridge clone transformers in Hiwatt-type builds)
I believe the Harrisons sourced their Partridge clone iron from a UK company
The original Partridge company was absorbed by another UK transformer maker, so the original company no longer exists
I'm going to guess Dagnall made those Partridge clone transformers to original Partridge specs
The Harrisons (Musicground) had a bad reputation for honesty but they knew how to build an amp so the Hiwatts they built when they owned the brand name were considered to be good ones --- kind of like a re-issue produced by the then current owner of the Hiwatt name
Hiwatt is now owned by a group from Canada but the "historic" Hiwatt amps are made in the UK by some of the same people who made the Musicground Hiwatts
That DR504 is much more official than the Hiwatt (Sterling) Lead 30 head I have that was built in California in the 1990's
That DR504 (in the pics above) was obviously built carefully, using high quality parts, in an effort to re-create an amp similar to the Classic Hylight Hiwatts of the 1970's and early 80's
I doubt they sourced their iron from Heyboer (I've used many Heyboer Partridge clone transformers in Hiwatt-type builds)
I believe the Harrisons sourced their Partridge clone iron from a UK company
The original Partridge company was absorbed by another UK transformer maker, so the original company no longer exists
I'm going to guess Dagnall made those Partridge clone transformers to original Partridge specs
The Harrisons (Musicground) had a bad reputation for honesty but they knew how to build an amp so the Hiwatts they built when they owned the brand name were considered to be good ones --- kind of like a re-issue produced by the then current owner of the Hiwatt name
Hiwatt is now owned by a group from Canada but the "historic" Hiwatt amps are made in the UK by some of the same people who made the Musicground Hiwatts
That DR504 is much more official than the Hiwatt (Sterling) Lead 30 head I have that was built in California in the 1990's
That DR504 (in the pics above) was obviously built carefully, using high quality parts, in an effort to re-create an amp similar to the Classic Hylight Hiwatts of the 1970's and early 80's
Re: Hiwatt DR504, looking for a little info
Those transformers could be Electro-Voice. I've seen them in Sound City amps, not sure but HW might have used them later on too.