Hiwatt Gumtree PSA

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EdGripEdGrip Frets: 736
http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/hiwatt-custom-100-dr103-2-x-12-combo-formerly-noel-gallagher-of-oasis/1055297267#photo-content

Cool as fuck, even without the Oasis connection. Given that next year is the 20th anniversary of What's The Story Morning Glory, it might be a canny investment buy too, if you get his price down a bit. 

If I were in a band, I would do my best to buy it.

 - Ed 
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Comments

  • 57Deluxe57Deluxe Frets: 7329
    ...how many companies have owned the HiWatt brand name now?
    <Vintage BOSS Upgrades>
    __________________________________
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  • Adam_MDAdam_MD Frets: 3420
    'Shortly after the band split up, Noel returned some of these combos to Hiwatt and this particular amp ended up in Music Ground on Denmark Street, London.'

    Seems legit. :D I don't know if I could buy anything with a music ground connection despite its provenance.
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  • EdGripEdGrip Frets: 736
    Three-ish, sort of, by the look of it.

    Dave Reeves > Dave Reeves' employees > Music Ground, though Dave Reeves also built Hiwatts under the Sound City name. 
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  • EdGripEdGrip Frets: 736
    Who builds them for Music Ground, anyway?
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  • EdGripEdGrip Frets: 736
    Oh, they were also build by Audio Brothers in the 90s, but I'm not sure who owned the name at that point....
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  • EdGripEdGrip Frets: 736
    Music Ground, Hiwatt and JMI seems to be the same company. They seem to be deliberately shady on details.
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71963
    I wouldn't trust anything from Music Ground as far as I could throw it, no matter what provenance it has or how associated with one of my heroes it was.

    "Deliberately shady" sums it up. Rick and Justin Harrison, who own the business, are convicted criminals who were caught selling a large number of stolen guitars. They also have a long history of misrepresentation, faking and other dishonesty - just do some online research if you want to know more. I wouldn't buy anything from them, ever.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • EdGripEdGrip Frets: 736
    Just been reading about them. What a pair of cunts.
    My instinct is to cry, "For goodness sake, somebody buy the Hiwatt name and make it into a good business!". But that would mean somebody giving them even more money...
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  • EdGripEdGrip Frets: 736
    I love it when you start reading a thread on a forum with great interest, and then realise that you already read the thread, and replied in it, years ago...

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  • hywelghywelg Frets: 4302
    There are plenty of old (as in original) ones around, they seem to crop up on eBay every couple of months or so, and thats what I'd go for. Unless I could find a Harry Joyce. Always wanted one, but I already have too many amps, so I'm told!


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  • impmannimpmann Frets: 12649
    To be honest, a friend has a MG era (early one - before they f*cked over the chap building them) DR103 and it is wonderful. I've played through it many times and it sounds just like a good HiWatt is supposed to sound like and is built like a tank (ie like Harry would have approved). On comparison to a 'real' early 70s DR103 there was nothing in it, tonally or otherwise.

    I'd love another HiWatt - I just cannot justify owning one! :-)
    Never Ever Bloody Anything Ever.

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  • LoobsLoobs Frets: 3831
    edited April 2014
    £3000 for that is ridiculously overprice, despite its 'provenance'. 

    You can find a vintage DR103 for around £1000. I found one for £450. :D
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  • impmannimpmann Frets: 12649
    Really? When?

    I haven't seen a proper vintage HiWatt (1970s one) for less than £800 for 18months and I have been looking...
    Never Ever Bloody Anything Ever.

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  • chillidoggychillidoggy Frets: 17136
    £3,000 for that? Don't make me laugh, I don't care who's owned it, it won't make my playing any different.


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  • LoobsLoobs Frets: 3831
    @impmann A friend of mine's younger brother used to work at Rocky Road Music in Corby, Northants. She told me that they had this old Hiwatt in stock, found out it was a DR103, priced at £500. It was an incredible piece of good luck. I offered them £450 and they accepted. Still had original mullards in it. Sold it for £1000, like an idiot. It sounded incredible. 


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  • LoobsLoobs Frets: 3831
    edited April 2014
    Fwiw, I played a few MG Hiwatts and while the internal build quality isn't quite up there with the Reeves era, it wasn't at all shoddy. I know MG get a lot of flack, and they are undoubtedly dodgy, but these were very good amps. Of course, the original Reeves stuff is about the apex of amplifier manufacturing. The work inside mine was absolutely stunning. 
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  • impmannimpmann Frets: 12649
    The guy that built the MG Hiwatts was actually pretty sound and has not many nice things to say about the Harrisons. A mate has one and it sounds magnificent.
    Never Ever Bloody Anything Ever.

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  • To slightly derail....has anybody seen or know of a white run of old DR 103's? My mate has picked one up..a 73 I believe.... Not sure whether it's been reboxed...... Looks very close to orig tho.... Love DR's.... Had a 75 and a 78 and a 71 cab for a long time until I was skint :(
    Give a man a fire and he's warm for the day. But set fire to him and he's warm for the rest of his life
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  • LoobsLoobs Frets: 3831
    Never heard of one but it's possible.
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