Hiwatt DR-504

About 1976, for inputs, normal and bright channels, a master volume control that doesn't muffle the tone when turned down, very efficient bass/treble/mid/pres. section - everything that's in there makes sense.

Clear, precise, transparent yet warm and musical sounding. Sounds great at any volume. Can get loud but I run it with a small, lightweight cab with vintage Jensen speakers (one P12N, one P10Q) so I can't even turn up the 50W. I play Jazz and original stuff using old Gibson guitars (PAF's or P90's) and this is a perfect setup for that; the closest thing to playing a grand piano. If i want to rock out I use my tweed Gibson GA-20.

Hiwatt was famous for reliability back in the day.

The guys who run the www.hiwattstoy website are really nice and helpfull

This is a great amp! I had tried a (bass player) friend's 200W Hiwatt with KT88's and was impressed. I was glad that I liked it's smaller and lighter brother as much or even better (it's a little sweeter sounding in comparison). Too bad I tried them both set up in stereo today - I might have to get a second one....

My amp was build in 1975 by Hylight Electronics Ltd. (serial number in the 6000 range). It has 4 inputs : 2 normal & 2 brilliant. Unlike most amps, the low inputs are located on the top and the high ones on the bottom ; no big deal, but confusing when using the amp for the first time. The amp has its 4 original Mullard pre-amp tubes (12AX7/ECC83) and 2 EL34 power tubes (unidentified) : I think I'm gonna replace them soon with 2 Svetlanas. 7 chicken head knobs : normal volume, brill vol, bass, treble, middle, presence, master vol. VERY effective EQ. On the rear panel, there's a voltage selector for international use (a feature every single amp on earth should have), an ohms selector (4, 8, 16) and 2 speaker jacks. This head is for old school dudes, so no channel switching (but you can link them, or A/B them), no effects loop (if you really need one, ask your amp tech), no reverb or digital crap,?nothing but GLORIOUS tone. I did not purchase this amp for its features, so no rating.

I use this head with an old Vox cab from the early 60's (with the 2x12 Blue Alnico Speakers). My reference amp is a 1962 Vox AC-30 head I bought 10 years ago for a few $$. As soon as money permits, I'll buy the matching Hiwatt cab with the Fane speakers because I don't want to blow the 2x15w Blue speakers with this 50w monster. I use the DR504 with a 1994 Rickenbacker 330 and a 1993 Gibson SG. Forget the legendary combination Rickenbacker-Vox (this is a Vox fan speaking) : play a power chord or a full chord progression with the Ricky through the Hiwatt and you'll be SHOCKED for a while. Play the same progression with a SG and you will really understand what THICKNESS means. Plug into a Fender Strat and you'll know what BRIGHTNESS is. I agree with another reviewer on this post (Snowy, 01/18/2002) : the DR504 offers very little tonal coloration ; it's a very neutral amp whose only job is to amplify the signal from your guitar without introducing a signature tone. The only obvious "character" I notice is the purity, the clarity and the thickness of every note played through this amp: every other amp will sound THIN compared to this thing. In others words : the DR504 has BALLS and is quite aggressive. You will adore or hate this with passion. It's a no-compromise amp. I also think this amp is the perfect tool for beginners (but hey, don't panic : it also fits the pros?ah ah) : why ? Because the Hiwatt is an unforgivable amp (once again : it may be a good or bad thing) ; it only amplifies, but it will amplify everything : gorgious guitar playing or crappy guitar playing. If you're a novice player, I think you need to hear you don't sound good if you want to improve ; don't worry : the DR504 will make you aware of this fact much more than any other amp?

When I bought this amp, it was in a funky condition : it had been left unused for 10 long years in a cellar, so the vinyl was quite dirty and the chassis was oxidized. It took more than one week of hard work to clean everything inside out (advice : to clean the chassis, use a chrome polisher ; to clean the vinyl, use a plastic protector spray). Fortunately, everything on the inside was in working order and with the restoration I've performed, it's like I own a new amp?really. The inside of the amp is impressive ; it has everything Hiwatts are famous for : huge Partridge transformers, Mullard tubes, military spec, point-to-point hand wiring & turret board construction,?It's a masterpiece. But as stated on the Harry Joyce tribute website : " if these weren't some of the best sounding amps in the world, it wouldn't make any difference that the electronics are hand-built to British Military-Spec". In one word : the very best components & wiring techniques are used in this amp ; it's very important but it's not the most essential thing. What matters the most is the way the DR504 sounds : awesome.

Hylight Electronics (= Hiwatt Amplification) has been out of business since its founder Dave Reeves passed away in 1981. The Hiwatt name is now owned by Fernandes for USA/Asia, and by Music Ground for the UK and Europe. These 2 companies are currently producing reissues as well as new design amps under the Hiwatt flag (check out the D. Gilmour & P. Townshend signature amps by Music Ground). Anyway, if you've got a problem with your Hiwatt, I will advise to look for some kind of amp tech guru who knows everything about vintage British amplification. You will also find a lot of useful informations about Hiwatts on the www : I strongly recommend to visit www.mhuss.com (for technical information) and http://members.tripod.com/~dcsbulldog/ (= The Hiwatt Story).

I've been playing for 14 years (God?). In a world of overpriced musical gear (new & used), I think old Hiwatts are a TERRIFIC value. Who can afford a nice ?69 Super Lead Plexi, a ?57 Bandmaster, a Two Rock or a Matchless ? With the Hiwatt, you have the opportunity to stop dreaming about these and to own equivalent or superior quality for a very reasonable price. Don?t forget this : the Hiwatts manufactured by Hylight are not average amps : we?re talking high-end amplification here. These things sound fantastic and were build to last forever. What else do you need ?

My DR504 head is probably a '73, serial no is in the 4000-range. The DR504 is a 50W head. The very early ('67-'68) 50W Hiwatts had a tube rectifier, mine is solid state. Judging from the way this amp sounds, (more on that later), I think moving to solid-state wasn't such a bad idea. The preamp has 4 12ax7/ECC83s, and the power comes from a pair of EL34s.
This amp has two non-switchable channels (brilliant and normal), each with dedicated high- and low sensitivity inputs. Controls include separate volume for each channel, common bass/middle/treble/presence and master volume controls. Two speaker jacks on the rear can take a total load of 4, 8 or 16 ohms (selector on the rear panel). That's all there's to it. As frills generally annoy me, this simplicity grants a high rating.

I play different guitars, but a battered SG special from the early '70s maybe more often than others. The pickups on that guitar are not stock, but I don't know excactly what brand they are. They remind me of PAFs, but I suspect they are a bit on the hot side. They are good PUs, I prefer them over Tom Andersons. At times I play a Chandler 555 with Duncan mini-humbuckers, I also own a Tom Anderson that I hardly ever use. The DR504 seems to go well with any good PU, humbucker or sigle-coil.
My style of music is anything with loud guitars, usually in the alternative/RnR/punk-park. Does the Hiwatt suit my music? Totally. I'll never part with it. I should add that I love stomp-boxes, though. The amp is not noisy on any setting.
This is not an amp for preamp gain. If I had to do with only one pedal, it would either be an MXR micro-amp or T.C. Booster+. A boost pedal just before hitting the amp effectively gives you channel switching. You could also use an ABY box to select channels. (That "Y" is crucial- I always bridge the channels. It's a great way of balancing the overall tone of the amp.)
I LOVE the sound of this amp. I've had and played many different amps before, from Vox to Mesa. The all-time favourite is my DR504.
The distortion in this amp is anything but brutal. One of the keys to make it sound good is keeping the master (which isn't anything like a master volume on modern high-gain amps) way up high. Past 9 o'clock, at least. It starts to break up really nice if you crank the input a bit, too. That's also when you start to feel the pathomechanism behind pressure-induced tinnitus. In another word, loud.
I haven't had the chance to check them out yet, but I guess a HotPlate would be a good idea for anyone who likes the sound of an overdriven Hiwatt.

I can't think of any guitar amp more robust than a Reeves-era Hiwatt. In fact, I have never even heard of blown transformers in Hiwatts. Would I use it on a gig without a backup? Not if I had a backup, ha-ha. Yes, I would. And I have, many times. The inside of this amp inspires confidence. Even today's boutique amps come short of the craftsmanship.
There is no bias-adjustment in a Hiwatt. At the time when these amps were conceived, super-precise Mullard EL34s were plentiful. Also, the output section in a Hiwatt is different from most other amps. It wouldn't be very easy to bias it even if you wanted to. I've read some articles I didn't understand about this. My way around this has been to use very precisely matched pairs of tubes, of good makes. Currently, there's a pair of Electro Harmonix in there. (I am stupid and believe in advertises.)

Whatever you do, DO NOT DEAL WITH FERNANDES, the company that owns the rights to the Hiwatt-name in the Americas and Asia. It's horrible how they have ruined a beautiful line of amps.
In the UK, the name is owned by people with a totally different approach, and they are really friendly and helpful. You will find them associated with Music Ground (Can't remember the website. You'll find it.)

Have played for 15 years. Own a lot of stash, mostly pedals. Try to make my own sometimes. Would replace it, if stolen. Love everything about it. Don't hate anything in particular.
You can hear it at www.stigroarhusby.com

My oldest HIWATT is a 1969. My others are from mid 70's. Quality. Two channels. Superior design. Not the tone or amp for anybody. This is the only amp I will use. I get my best sounds and performances when using these amps. All the tones I ever wanted. Exceptional build quality. British naval construction technique throughout thanks to Harry Joyce and David Reeves, R.I.P.

1957 Les Paul T.V., 1994 PRS McCarty std.I use these amps exclusively.
Lots of flexibility as most flexibility comes from the player's hands. Not the dirtiest amp out there-just push it a little/alot for best results. Many sweet settings.

100%. Keep an eye on your power tube sockets. Allow for adequate ventilation at all times. Partridge transformers of this vintage are impossible to buy used. Never broke down.

Absolutely none to be found. Fernandes guitar company has destroyed the HIWATT name. They should give it up immediately but they're too greedy and incapable of supporting this great amp line. They import cheezy little amps from the far east and can't deliver an amp that isn't even built by them.The older real HIWATT amplifier can be easily repaired by any qualified electronic technician.

I've been playing for 40 years. I would buy another. I had my best DR-103 stolen from the truck in 1983. I hope you love my amp you piece of shit. Few amps are built like this nowadays. You will pay dearly for this quality now. Please boycott Fernandes guitars.

THIS AMP WAS HANDWIRED, POINT TO POINT IN 1980. THIS AMP IS PERFECT FOR INDIE ROCK, PUNK, HARDCORE, CLASSIC ROCK, ETC. PRETTY MUCH AND ROCK. HOWEVER IT DOESN'T HAVE FOOT SWITCHING, SO THE SONG MUST BE ALL DIRTY OR ALL CLEAN. IT HAS A BRIGHT AND NORMAL INPUT. UNFORTUNATELY NO EFFECTS LOOP OR HEAD PHONE JACK. IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE A FOOT SWITCH. BUT IF YOU THROUGH A DIST PEDAL IN ON THE CLEAN YOU CAN MANAGE PRETTY NICELY. THIS AMP IS LOUD LOUD LOUD. ONE REASON I GOT THE 50W IS TO CRANK IT. I PLAY THROUGH A MARSHALL 4x12 WITH THE AMP AT 4OHMS. IT'S A MONSTER. 7 BECAUSE NO FOOTSWITCHING OR FX LOOP

AMERICAN FENDER WITH VARIOUS STACKED SEYMOUR DUNCAN HUMBUCKERS TO FIT IN A SINGLE COIL SLOT. MEXICAN MADE STRAT WITH STOCK P/UPS AND A GIBSON LES PAUL DELUXE RE-ISSUE WITH MINI HUMBUCKERS. I PLAY MOSTLY INDIE/PROGRESSIVE/HARD ROCK. A LOT OF CHANGES FROM CLEAN TO DIRTY. THE CLEAN IS UNBELIEVABLE. IT IS ALMOST SPARKLING ON THE BRIGHT INPUT. VERY CHIMEY(LITERALLY ALMOST LIKE BELLS) ON NORMAL INPUT. THE DIRTY CHANNEL IS FUCKIN MEAN. VERY GROWLING CRUNCH. AWESOME HARMONICS. STAYS RELATIVELY CLEAR( NO BUZZING ) EVEN AT HIGH VOLUMES OF GAIN. IT IS AN OLD SCHOOL MASTER VOLUME SO IT STARTS CLEAN WITH THE GAIN AT ABOUT 9 O'CLOCK AND WHEN THE GAIN IS CRANKED IT'S DISTORTION IS AWESOME. VERY VERY MEAN

HASN'T FAILED ME YET. BUT I'VE ONLY HAD IT ABOUT 6 MONTHS SO I WON'T RATE THIS CATEGORY.

HIWATT IS LONG OUT OF BUSINESS.

I'VE BEEN PLAYING ABOUT 8 YEARS AND I HAVE A MESA MKIII AND MESA 4x12 CAB.(ALSO AN AWESOME AMP) IF THE HIWATT WAS STOLEN, I WOULD DEFINITELY REPLACE IT. WHEN CLEAN IT CAN'T BE BEAT. WHEN DIRTY IT'S A BEAST. IF YOU LIKE SPARKLING CLEAN TONES AND ROMPING DISTORTION, THIS IS YOUR AMP. IT HAS ENOUGH BALLS TO BLOW YOU ANOTHER HOLE. (YOU PICK THE SPOT.

1976 CUSTOM HIWATT 50 (DR504) 4 Input model.(2Brilliant/2Normal) Single Channel, All Tube. (2EL34's/4 12AX7's) Brilliant/Normal/Master Volume. Bass, Midrage, Treble, Presence. Standby/Mains Switches. Very Low Bullshit Factor, ...which i like! I'm giving it a 10 BECAUSE it isnt loaded with useless crap. I Bought this originally for $150 CANADIAN! & all it needed was new tubes!.....unfortunately it cost me $800US to get it back, which was $200US more than i sold it for...came back with new caps though so good value in return all being said:)

Playing a custom made Electric with dual (rhythm/lead) high-output Gibson Humbuckerz. One toggle, One Volume...again, a Low Bullshit Factor:) The head is powering a Marshall 1960B 4x12 cab with Celestion G12-T75's. (which i'm planning to sell...anyone interested??) My style is basically "in your face" rock, with a lot of subtle passages thrown in for flavour. This amp REALLY works with your picking attack & style. Every nuance will be revealed & i love it! This amp has the most headroom i have ever encountered, when you read other reviews stating the Volume these amps are capable of, BELIEVE THEM. At low volume, the clean sound is Absolutely Unbelievable, UNMATCHED as far as i'm concerned. With the preamp & master at about 7-8, it gets Crunchy, but PERFECTLY retains the sonic signature without adding mudd/coloration....basically, as you turn it up, IT GETS LOUDER! And belive me when i say LOUD! Think AC/DC Crunch, but with CLEAN, DEFINITIVE, PUNCHY, CHURCHBELL TONE, instead of the Loose or Thin response of a Marshall. Even at Full Volume, you can hear each individual note PERFECTLY in arpegiated chords....AWESOME. The Feedback is also unbelievably Musical! You have PERFECT control over it all the time & it never wanders....SWEET. I sold this head in July (2000) and just recently purchased it back because as far as i'm concerned, this amp IS IT. If youre looking for a head that will just plain do its job...AMPLIFY. Then if you find one, BUY IT. I havent come across any other amp that will just take the signal from your guitar and MAKE IT LOUDER, without adding a "signature tone" or other Bullshit. Just add some pedals and your set. Put Simply, this amp ALLOWS YOU to find your OWN sound through it!...how cool is that?! A Perfectly Blank Canvas.......A LOUD CANVAS ;-)

I could drop this off my roof & onto the driveway and not worry. I might take out the tubes first though;-) When you read other reviews that say "Built like a Tank", BELIEVE THAT TOO.

Never had to contact them, and i dont anticipate ever having to.

Been playing for about 14 years & i dont see myself ever using another amp...i've found "the one". I think i'm gonna insure it because replacements of this year/model are going up in cost almost daily....still a FAR better value than some "Vintage" Marshall Plexi which i see on ebay for like $1500US! I love it the way it is, i'm a no Bullshit type of player and its the perfect amp for me. It allows me to reveal my own style and really works WITH me as i'm playing regardless of volume. The scooped sound of the Celestion G12-T75's in my Cab are holding it back though so i plan on selling them and picking up some Vintage 30's. That should really bring it to Life. Thats about it i guess! If any of you have any questions/comments, i'd be happy to talk shop! Cheerz*

1980 Custom 50 watt head, all tube, made in England, with the "Hylight Electronics" serial number badge. This head is from the tail end of Hiwatt's glory days. Still has the same basic construction/Design, heavy on the structural integrity, light on the features. two inputs (as opposed to the earlier four), Normal and bright channels (non-switchable) with individual volumes, master vol., bass/mid/treb/presence, square red pilot light (earlier ones were round), power & standby toggles. rear has 4/8/16 ohm tap, voltage selector for international AC currents, two speaker jacks. Thassall folks! what you are buying here is THE SOUND, which is....

GOD LIKE!
My first Hiwatt was a later, american made Lead 30 (see those reviews) which sounded like a cheesy Marshall (cheesy in a good way!). I bought this to get the same sound but louder. I was relly disappointed after finding no grit at all at moderate settings. I really didn't appreciate this amp until I realized that it just starts to get good at the volume levels that my Hiwatt 30 - and most other hot rod amps - begin to crap out.
To let this amp hit its stride you must play it LOUD! pre & master vols at 75% or more. No noise, no bad notes or wolf tones, no shrill feedback. Just glorious thick sonority, like the kind Townsend's audiologist hates!
I have heard Hiwatt freaks say you need the classic 4x12 Fane loaded Hiwatt cab to truly let it rip.I Believe it, despite never having had the pleasure! I initially played this amp through low wattage speakers to try and coax a little dirt & gain out of it. No more - I now use the most powerful speakers I can afford, and make use of not only the prodigious headroom but the potent EQ as well.
It also kills as a bass amp at low volumes!

Hiwatts are known for their reliability. I have gigged very little with it but it has the ptp wiring, Partridge trannies and all the other features associated with their rep, so I have no worries. Classic Hiwatts have devoted followings rivaled only by Harleys and other fanatics so .....

............Customer support will never really be a problem!

Just don't expect cheap service!

While I initially hoped for more grit, I have kept this as my "Loud clean" amp, even selling some beautiful old Blackface Fenders rather than this one. It definitely has its own distinct sound. All Hiwatts are rapidly escalating in price. So if you cannot find one you can afford I would recommend checking out a Sound City Head, which get mixed reviews but are similar at far lower prices. Just remember - no gain here! And figure in the price of earplugs and/or regular tympanograms when purchasing a Hiwatt!

All my musical life I've wanted to own a HIWATT Custom 50. Last week that desire was finally realized with the purchase from another HIWATT devotee of a DR504, circa 1978. The "head" is equipped with only two inputs (normal and brilliant) and a master volume. The remainder of the chicken head knobs serve channels one and two, treble, middle, bass and presence.

"Less is more!". The addage couldn't be more true of this simple yet eloquent piece of audio/industrial design. Extensive features are not required, as this amp easily translates expression and dynamics directly from the guitar.

I test drove the DR504 with my '95 Gibson Les Paul Standard and "61 reissue SG. From "My Generation" through to "Won't Get Fooled Again" convinced me that here was the dynamic range and sound I've been searching for all these years.

I havn't gigged with this amp, yet. So I can't vouch for it's dependability. It currently has two Westinghouse EL34 power tubes and four Sovtek 12AX7's. All will be replaced with a matched pair of Svetlana EL34's, three JAN-Philips 12AX7WA's and one JAN-Philips 12AT7WC (for a slightly tighter sound).

I'm blessed with a number of very good amp technicians in the Toronto region and there appears to be a number of suppliers available locally, in the U.S. and U.K. to obtain compatible repacement components.

I've been performing for over 30 years and I've gone through many guitars and amps. Currently, I have three Gibson's including a '95 LP Stnd., '61 reissue SG and a gorgeous '95 ES335 dot neck. I use them all through a minimum number of Roland Boss pedals into a blonde tolex, 60 watt Fender Blues De Ville 212, re-tubed with NOS JAN-Philips 6L6WGB's and 12AX7WA's. From Blues to Crunching Rock, it's a great rig and sound. But, it's not a HIWATT!

The only thing that's missing at the moment is a HIWATT 212 or 412 cab with FANES to compliment the DR504. Although, some guitarists have been reported to replace the FANES with Celestion "green-backs". The search resumes...

My 50 watt Hiwatt was made in the late 70's. I traded a plexi Marshall (that blew up regularly) and a hundered bucks for it in 1982. It has a normal and a bright channel with a master volume. Don't ever think a 50watt amp is not loud.

This is a pretty clean amp up to the distortion point. It has the Hiwatt sizzle when cranked to the hilt. I use it clean most of the time because fuzz boxes sound very good this way. It makes a great canvas for effects and such. This amp can be very loud and clean.

The inside is a work of art. All components are mounted individually between studs (no pc boards here) This amp is rock solid.

I think the company was out of business before i even aquired the amp. Most tube techs will know how to retube and re-bias this amp. It's hard to imagine anything else going wrong with it.

This Hiwatt head was made in 1974. It is the early 4 input model. Rated at 50 watts. It is a 2 channel head with the top 2 inputs - normal and brilliant - are gained normally while the bottom 2 are padded down -6dB. A very straightforward head no less. No channel switching, no reverb. What it lacks in features makes up for it in tone. And then some. My only complaint is that at times I wished for more gain. I am considering replacing the preamp tubes with all hi gain 12AX7wxt's. Mine is also modded with a line-output jack installed in one of the empty tube socket holes (the DR504 and DR103 chassis are quite similar with the DR504 having the 2 outer tubes sockets empty). Its useful for plugging directly into a mixing console or multitrack recorder but as for obtaining the pure HIWATT tone, I would suggest miking the speaker cab preferbly fitted with Fane speakers.

Tone to the bone! It runs at class A up until 60% of maximum power output. My style isn't high gain with mondo crunch. I like an "edge" to my sound and this amp provides that with no complaints. The EQ controls are the most interactive that I have ever run across. They seem to have a parametric sweeping effect to them. Rather hard to explain but cool nonetheless. The amp remains clean until you dime the normal / brilliant volumes and turn the master up about half-way. The tubes start saturating by then. I haven't got a chance to dime the master yet but before I do, I will get some hearing protection! The amp is very LOUD and very punchy. It may be only 50 watts but don't take that lightly. I am currently running a Gibson SG through it; yes, I am another Pete Townshend fan :)

I give it a 6 on reliability because when I obtained the amp, it had no bias for one of the tubes. The tech fixed that in a hurry and tightened one of the tube sockets as well. It works just fine now. As for gigging with a backup, it should hold its own provided it is in good condition ( which mine is ).

I definitely like this amp. It suits my playing style ( power chords, etc ). If it were stolen, I would be heartbroken to say the least. These amps are not very plentiful but whenever you run into one, give it a try. You might like it. As for metalheads looking for extreme crunch, this amp doesn't provide that. Try the Marshall 900 series or Mesa Boogie if you want extreme gain. Its mine to keep. DEFINETLY not for sale!