Hiwatt T40 combo - probably the worst advertised amp ever
Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2014 4:27 am
by Freethenoise
Hiwatt's marketing baffles me sometimes.
The T-Series kind of went under a lot of peoples radar. A lot of players turned their nose up because Hiwatt was trying to break into the far-eastern made, lower cost, more practical market and when Hiwatt didn't back the amp up with some decent videos or soundclips (or even a full spec list on their website). I bought this amp the other week and had a chance to sit down and record some stuff with it this morning. I'm pretty impressed with it so far. It does what it should do, be loud and clean.
I really don't like the overdrive channel, but it takes pedals just as well as my Princeton so that's how I'm gonna use it at gigs.
[youtube][/youtube]
Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2014 3:05 pm
by robroe
HIWATT has marketing ?
Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2014 3:10 pm
by robroe
jokes aside, here is an interview I did with Casey Prestwood for Shortscale.org with years ago.
ShortScale: You have been a big supporter of HIWATT amps over the years. What is it you like most about them? Tone? Headroom? Rock?
CASEY:They are so clean it makes your teeth hurt. They are for the most part built like tanks and wired beautifully. The partridge transiformers are a custom wound heavy monster that can melt your zipper and lock your jaw shut if tampered with. I don't know....I just love the way they sound. I like that they have head room but barely turn any of mine past 3 or 4. I like to get a clean defined tone out of them and then break it up with a nice overdrive pedal. Townsend, Gilmour.....It was cool with these guys... This is a factor. I love the way they look too. They are very heavy. The cabs are the best. The ones with the sunken in handles(lack of handles), and Fane Speakers. I hope to make an awesome home stereo out some of mine some day. I have a 200 watt head(6 el 34's), a 100 PA head, a 2x15 ported cab, and a 50 watt 4x12 combo.( a monster)
Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2014 7:40 pm
by Sloan
robroe wrote:HIWATT has marketing ?
Posted: Mon Dec 15, 2014 11:26 pm
by Freethenoise
robroe wrote:jokes aside, here is an interview I did with Casey Prestwood for Shortscale.org with years ago.
ShortScale: You have been a big supporter of HIWATT amps over the years. What is it you like most about them? Tone? Headroom? Rock?
CASEY:They are so clean it makes your teeth hurt. They are for the most part built like tanks and wired beautifully. The partridge transiformers are a custom wound heavy monster that can melt your zipper and lock your jaw shut if tampered with. I don't know....I just love the way they sound. I like that they have head room but barely turn any of mine past 3 or 4. I like to get a clean defined tone out of them and then break it up with a nice overdrive pedal. Townsend, Gilmour.....It was cool with these guys... This is a factor. I love the way they look too. They are very heavy. The cabs are the best. The ones with the sunken in handles(lack of handles), and Fane Speakers. I hope to make an awesome home stereo out some of mine some day. I have a 200 watt head(6 el 34's), a 100 PA head, a 2x15 ported cab, and a 50 watt 4x12 combo.( a monster)
That's so fucking cool...
Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2014 3:20 am
by singlepup
Would love to try one but can't do heavy amps anymore.
A 50 watt head would be more up my alley.
Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2014 7:44 am
by Freethenoise
singlepickup24 wrote:Would love to try one but can't do heavy amps anymore.
A 50 watt head would be more up my alley.
They make a 40 watt head version. I haven't seen one floating around the internet in ages though.
It only ways around 26 KG though, which is perfectly manageable.
Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2014 8:34 am
by NickS
Freethenoise wrote:It only ways around 26 KG though, which is perfectly manageable.
Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2014 1:05 pm
by Doog
NickS wrote:
Freethenoise wrote:It only ways around 26 KG though, which is perfectly manageable.
I really want to like and to own a Hiwatt, but mainly due to matey from Jesus Lizard using one and his sweet semi-distorted toanz.
Freethenoise, will/have you played this amp in a band situation yet? Curious to see if 40w will hold up clean at band volumes. My Marshall DSL50 managed to stay pretty clean in a 4 piece, but mainy once I slapped some EL34Ls in it, which have a higher plate voltage or some nerd bullshit like that.
Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2014 1:34 pm
by Freethenoise
Doog wrote: I really want to like and to own a Hiwatt, but mainly due to matey from Jesus Lizard using one and his sweet semi-distorted toanz.
Freethenoise, will/have you played this amp in a band situation yet? Curious to see if 40w will hold up clean at band volumes. My Marshall DSL50 managed to stay pretty clean in a 4 piece, but mainy once I slapped some EL34Ls in it, which have a higher plate voltage or some nerd bullshit like that.
I'll report back to you on Friday with that one Doog, that's our next rehearsal.
I'll put a full demo thing with a lot more soundclips up then too.
Posted: Tue Dec 16, 2014 11:32 pm
by NickS
Doog wrote:
Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2014 7:01 am
by Freethenoise
Hey guys,
I finally finished editing and posted my full review of the Hiwatt T40 2x12 combo.
So far I'm still really enjoying it, I used it at rehearsal the other day and it really shines when cranked up a bit. The dirt channel starts to lose a little of the muffled quality and gets a little more usable. I mostly kept it clean with my pedals though.
Definitely has enough headroom to stay completely clean in the scenarios I play in.
