Hiwatt Lead50R: Does it still have that headroom?

[arath060]

For sometime now I've been on the search for a hiwatt. I was visiting Boston when I was given a chance to try out a completely overhauled Hiwatt Lead 20, and it blew me away. It had NOS Mullard EL84s and EHX 12AX7s if I remember and it sounded damn nice. Best of all they had a used David Gilmour Fender Custom Shop Replica and in combination with the Lead 20 gave some awesome sounds, but sadly I didn't get time to try a fuzz face or phase 90.

I ended up passing on it though because I found later, on Reverb, a Lead50R combo for a bit cheaper price. The amp appears to be in near perfect condition, my only gripe is that I hear that the 80's hiwatts are not as good as the Hylight era amps. Would an amplifier like this still give me that clean tone and be a good platform for pedals? And would it also be harder to maintain and easier to damage because of its PCB board construction vs the turret boards of the originals? I'm really stuck on it because the price looks like a bargain.

 

[MetalManiac]

Re: Hiwatt Lead50R: Does it still have that headroom?

No. I wanted a Hiwatt a long time. Last year I splurged and bought an old Hiwatt 50 head. Not that I dislike the amp, but I just really am always looking for that extra expanse/ headroom the 50 watter just ain't got.
At this point I now realize I cannot afford a DR103 100 watt which is the amp I should have bought at all cost, and that the 50 watt DR504 I have now is basically a compromise/ excercise in futility and It's basically now an investment I should not have made, and hope I can parlay the amp inot a few dollars more than I have into it.

Lesson learned - Compromises in life can be good- in gear, ehhh, not so much.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Hiwatt Lead50R: Does it still have that headroom?

The 100 watters were almost impossible to distort. I don't think the modern versions compare to the old ones, though. A modern replacement might be a Reeves.

 

[arath060]

Re: Hiwatt Lead50R: Does it still have that headroom?

From what I saw the reeves is basically an exact clone down to the transformers, and they look to have far better quality in terms of parts and construction. While the 100 watter sounds like a dream, I don't know if it something that will suit home use. Anyone used those as practice amps?

I also you heard you can rip apart a old sound city, use the chassis, partridge transformers, and cabinet, but I doubt it more efficient in price.

 

[stratguy23]

Re: Hiwatt Lead50R: Does it still have that headroom?

No. I wanted a Hiwatt a long time. Last year I splurged and bought an old Hiwatt 50 head. Not that I dislike the amp, but I just really am always looking for that extra expanse/ headroom the 50 watter just ain't got.
At this point I now realize I cannot afford a DR103 100 watt which is the amp I should have bought at all cost, and that the 50 watt DR504 I have now is basically a compromise/ excercise in futility and It's basically now an investment I should not have made, and hope I can parlay the amp inot a few dollars more than I have into it.

Lesson learned - Compromises in life can be good- in gear, ehhh, not so much.

MetalManiac, what's frustrating you about the 50 watt model?

I'm not terribly familiar with Hiwatts, so from my uninformed perspective, it seems like you're looking at very loud vs. friggin' loud. Is the headroom difference that great? And what's your application for the amp? If you want, er, metal mania, it seems you'd want it to break up/overdrive vs. never doing so. Unless you're feeding the amp pedals or something.

 

[MetalManiac]

Re: Hiwatt Lead50R: Does it still have that headroom?

^
I do need to try diifferent speakers. I had made a thread about that. A Fane and maybe a ev12l in a 2x12 cabinet. I think that my be the missing link to where the 50 watts do waht i want. I wanted the Hiwatt cleans, not really the breakup so much. It is possible with different speakers than Celestions I am using now, it may put it OTT.

 

[Lake Placid Blues]

Re: Hiwatt Lead50R: Does it still have that headroom?

^
I do need to try diifferent speakers. I had made a thread about that. A Fane and maybe a ev12l in a 2x12 cabinet. I think that my be the missing link to where the 50 watts do waht i want. I wanted the Hiwatt cleans, not really the breakup so much. It is possible with different speakers than Celestions I am using now, it may put it OTT.

Have you tried 6CA7 or KT77 tubes? Also a 12AY7 or a 5751 in V1 might help.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Hiwatt Lead50R: Does it still have that headroom?

From what I saw the reeves is basically an exact clone down to the transformers, and they look to have far better quality in terms of parts and construction. While the 100 watter sounds like a dream, I don't know if it something that will suit home use. Anyone used those as practice amps?

I also you heard you can rip apart a old sound city, use the chassis, partridge transformers, and cabinet, but I doubt it more efficient in price.

Yeah, I doubt anyone would or should use them at home or as practice amps. They need to be on a stage.

 

[arath060]

Re: Hiwatt Lead50R: Does it still have that headroom?

Yeah, I doubt anyone would or should use them at home or as practice amps. They need to be on a stage.

I would say the same. My only question after that is what to look for in terms of home use? I can't see anything coming close besides putting together a clone or getting the cash to buy the reeves. I know where to get the chassis, faceplates, the guts. Cabinet's easy since I used to do carpentry. Ony thing would be my soldering skills. My first strat was a nightmare and it's only just begun to improve.

Edit: I accidentally closed the thread, my bad.

 

[Mincer]

Re: Hiwatt Lead50R: Does it still have that headroom?

I use my Fractal AX8's HiWatt model. Robert Fripp, who used HiWatts for years, is using a Fractal now, and it sounds indistinguishable (at least recorded), so I tried mine. Well, it sounds pretty awesome. And at any volume.