HIWATT Custom Shop
DR103 100W Head Class A/B Made in England Brand New Boxed
Welcome to the listing of this classic
British brand of amplifiers. Today’s Custom Shop hand-wired, point-to-point
amps feature the meticulous original wiring improved
by Harry Joyce Electronics in the early 70’s. This 100W head is made in England
with the best available components for those guitar players who want a pure and
classic Hiwatt sound based on the early 70’s model as played by Pete Townsend
and David Gilmour.
Hiwatt, along with Marshall and Vox, are largely responsible for shaping the sound of British rock during the 1960s and 1970s. Bands such as Pink Floyd, the Moody Blues, the Rolling Stones, and The Who have all used Hiwatt amps to help create their legendary sounds. With their military-spec chassis, point-to-point wiring, and marine-grade cabinets, Hiwatt amps are also known for being very solidly built.
This is the amp that
started it all! It is powered by 4xEL34 in the power stage, with 4xECC83 alternatively
3xECC83 and 1xECC81 in the pre-amp, giving a tighter sound. The Custom 100 Head
employs the original Partridge designed transformers. Switchable to 4, 8 &
16 ohm output impedance, the DR103 allows you to select from 100, 115, 230 and
240 volt sources. The dual channel pre-amp has high & low sensitivity
inputs. Cross patch the Normal and Bright Channels and dial in the required drive
and tone. Add your favourite pedals to create your own personalised sound. There
is simply no better sounding, looking or engineered amplifier in the world!
HISTORY
Kicking off in the late 1960s, under
the guidance of Dave Reeves, Hiwatt gave Marshall a run for their money,
contributing hugely to the sonic landscape that became known as The British Sound.
With artists such as The Who and Pink
Floyd, the brand was at the forefront of guitar amplification for the remainder
of the 1960s and much of the 1970s. Reeves’ untimely passing and licensing
problems threw the trademark into a grey area for the next two decades.
In 2016 the trademark passed to the present owner, who strengthened the Hiwatt brand. A further generation of artists – U2, Nirvana, Oasis, Coldplay, The Killers, The Black Keys, Foals and Japandroids – have all embraced the unmistakable Hiwatt sound.
The result is that unique Hiwatt sound, rich in third and fifth
harmonics, as effective in the studio as it is on stage.
These amps sound like no other.
The sound of a Custom 100W stack at full tilt is truly awesome.
The sheer power and responsiveness is guaranteed to blow you away.
THE BRITISH SOUND
Hiwatt is rooted in the British Sound that emerged in the mid 1960s.
It was The Who’s John Entwistle who first traded in his Marshall stacks
in favour of Sound City at the beginning of 1967. Sound City, the precursor to
Hiwatt, produced customized L100 amplifiers later that year for Pete Townshend.
At this time, Dave Reeves was providing Sound City with OEM amplifiers. The
design layout and controls on the customised L100s were identical to the Hiwatt
CP103 that was to come. These customised L100s were the first in a lineage of
amplifiers that would quickly evolve into Hiwatt.
Around this time, Jimi Hendrix and his manager Chas Chandler approached
Townshend, asking for his opinion on amplification. Townshend told them that he
had stopped using Marshall, as he thought Sound City were better. The Jimi Hendrix
Experience subsequently started using Sound City L100s, but set them up
together with their Marshall stacks instead of replacing them.
In late 1968, The Who approached Dallas Arbiter, the makers of Sound
City, asking if their equipment could be modified slightly.
This request was denied, but independent amp designer and manufacturer
Dave Reeves agreed, and created customised L100 amplifiers under the name
Hylight Electronics.
Hiwatt was born.
This model was named the Hiwatt DR103, which would be modified in 1970
into the CP103 ‘Super Who 100’ model, which Townshend used almost exclusively
for over a decade. In 1973, the updated DR103W model was created. It has been
the central piece of equipment around which Townshend’s various rigs were built
for the next thirty years. The DR103-Hiwatt Custom 100 Head is still Hiwatt’s
flagship amplifier to this day.
DELIVERY TIMES
We endeavour to deliver all Custom Shop purchases within 14 days. However, some amps will be built to order, which may result in slightly longer supply times. Please feel free to contact us for more accurate delivery times.
WARRANTY: Custom Shop Hiwatt amplifiers are warranted against defects in materials and workmanship for 3 Years from the date of purchase. To validate this warranty, the registration form and proof of purchase (bill of sale, receipt or invoice) must be included to register and obtain Warranty Service. Further details will be provided with purchases from the Custom Shop range.