Hiwatt Hi Gain 100

[Warren Ginmartini]

UK does not guarantee hand wired. I had a Biacrown era Hiwatt that was PCB. Similar to a JMP or 800. Still a great sounding amp. Best bet is go try it out if you can. May be a sleeper.

I wonder if an eighties Biacrown Hiwatt has more gain than a JCM800. If I remember well, it has.

 

[Custom50]

I wonder if an eighties Biacrown Hiwatt has more gain than a JCM800. If I remember well, it has.

I cant say for sure if it's a little more, a little less or the same but mine was certainly a dirty beast

 

[mouzer]

Thanks for the bumps

Anyone else have experience with the UK built Hiwatt Hi Gain 100?

 

[HotBluePlates]

Anyone else have experience with the UK built Hiwatt Hi Gain 100?

... I recall some had PC board mounted tube sockets and weren't nearly as reliable as the early "real" ones.

I'd ask anyone selling one to provide a photo of the interior. And I'd personally run from any with a p.c. board.

I haven't had direct experience with them, but I tried to help someone troubleshoot a 20w Hiwatt that was p.c. board, and there were flaws in the board layout that could only be resolved by rebuilding the amp with a new board/different layout.

 

[mouzer]

On last revisit, LOL. Seller reposted his ad.

Anyone know if the UK versions have any hand wiring at all? Or it's it all PCB?

Some confusion floating around with Hiwatt's relationship with Fernandes at the time...

 

[mouzer]

Hi guys, final addition to the thread for posterity's sake-

TL;DR- The Made In UK labeled Hiwatt Hi Gain series are 100% PCB with the pots and tubes on the boards. A ribbon cable connects the two big PCBs.

My confusion originally came while reading the copy that was released with the amp, with mentions of "hand wiring" and "hand wound". There's very little to go on, and very few mentions of this amp on here or demos on YouTube. Add the fact that this same "Hi Gain 100" model/series was built in both Britain and China with notable differences between the two origins; the Chinese versions have onboard Reverb and FX loop while the English versions have neither.

Again- the amp in question for me was the UK version without the verb and loop. I managed to get a pic of the inside of the chassis; the PCBs were dated in 2004 and labeled "Designed and Manufactured in Great Britain". The two boards basically took up the entire area of the chassis as all the pots, jacks, and tube sockets were board mounted. If there was any hand wiring at all it was well hidden from view, funny enough the board holding the preamp had the components visible - as normal - while the board for the power section was flipped over with the components hidden on the other side.

I have nothing against PCB in principle but it seems like the opposite of the Hiwatt mantra to me. I'm not judging the amp at all since I never got to try it, nor am I trying to dissuade anyone from owning one...but I do hope that this bit of information might be useful to somebody down the road.

 

[Polvo]

I believe Dimitri Coats plays out of one of those and always has, check out his band OFF! Or the Burning Brides, great guitar tones from both bands