HIWATT info
- Thread starter eSGEe
- Start date
Amp Mad Scientist
Ambassador of Heresy
The original Hiwatt was an extremely clean amp, which would not distort...no matter how hard it was pushed.
The later modern Hiwatt was a modification that produced lots of overdrive and distortion.
The old Hiwatts that Pete played were modified amps, we don't know who did the modifications.
Modified to distort.
It was probably Pete Townsend who invented the concept of modern overdrive distortion in a guitar amp.
And he invented the 8X12 / 4X12 cabinet as well.
Cadorman
Ambassador of the Catocaster
Good stuff there. I was familiar with the cab stories, but had no idea his Hiwatts were modded. I'll have to take a look at some schematics.
SG John
Ambassador of Cool Guitars and Amps.
I saw that video a while ago, and it was quite painful to watch. As are all of his videos. It was all time that I can never get back, but I know better now. He doesn't seem to know what he's talking about, misses the mark often, and is only internet famous due to his friend Beato.
Some of the stuff he left out in both the Hiwatt and Orange videos is that all the prog bands were using them because they were loud high fidelity amplifiers. Comparing a modern Orange or Hiwatt or an original is comparing apples and pumpkins. Bands like Wishbone Ash, ELP, King Crimson, Moody Blues, Genesis, Curved Air, and many other bands used them because they were loud, and very clean. Yeah, you could eventually get the speakers to break up and give you distortion. But you were in pretty loud territory at that point.
Whatever. What do I know? I only own some of the real stuff.
Some of the stuff he left out in both the Hiwatt and Orange videos is that all the prog bands were using them because they were loud high fidelity amplifiers. Comparing a modern Orange or Hiwatt or an original is comparing apples and pumpkins. Bands like Wishbone Ash, ELP, King Crimson, Moody Blues, Genesis, Curved Air, and many other bands used them because they were loud, and very clean. Yeah, you could eventually get the speakers to break up and give you distortion. But you were in pretty loud territory at that point.
Whatever. What do I know? I only own some of the real stuff.
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