oz-bass Posted February 25, 2016 Share Posted February 25, 2016 I took some pictures, unfortunately the plate with the information is not there. http://imgur.com/a/Pg82N I'd like to know if this is one of those that work good on bass, maybe the Year of manufacture and what i should pay. I am located in Germany btw. I want to buy it and the seller had it in his basement for over 10 Years. We both have no clue what this is worth, we are good friends for over 4 Years and i don't want to underpay him, of course i also not want to pay way too much. Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted February 25, 2016 Share Posted February 25, 2016 [quote name='oz-bass' timestamp='1456369437' post='2988382'] I took some pictures... [/quote] Good evening, oz-bass... A nice amp, at first glance, but it's impossible to really evaluate these amps without what are called 'gut shots', that's to say: detailed photos of the inside of the amp, most especially the wiring and circuit boards, but also the state of the smoothing capacitors and the transformers. There's every chance that that's an authentic Hiwatt, but the 'collectors' value would depend on the originality of certain components. Is this good for bass..? Undoubtedly, it's a great amp, but much better suited to guitar than bass; there are other Hiwatt models (specifically the 200w, 4 x KT88 bass amps...) that are really the kings of the crop. Ultimately, it's up to the both of you to come to some agreement between yourselves as to how much you wish to pay, and how much he wants to get from selling. Either that, or get it properly evaluated by an expert; one or the other of you may be disappointed by such a procedure. To a collector, the criteria are strict; to players, it's just another excellent valve amp. Disclaimer: I've owned several Hiwatts, and our current bass amp is a pristine, original DR205 PA head, for which I paid £600, including a top-quality (and very heavy..!) flight case. Hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ukulelelab Posted February 25, 2016 Share Posted February 25, 2016 Based on the front panel it was made between '69 and '73. To get a more accurate year you need to take the chassis out and check the date codes on pots and caps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ukulelelab Posted February 25, 2016 Share Posted February 25, 2016 Btw dr103 are all purpose amps and great for bass too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oz-bass Posted February 26, 2016 Author Share Posted February 26, 2016 OK thanks, i will make some pictures of the insides and post em here soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oz-bass Posted February 29, 2016 Author Share Posted February 29, 2016 (edited) OK, here are some more pictures of the insides [url="http://imgur.com/a/nwa2J"]http://imgur.com/a/nwa2J[/url] Edited February 29, 2016 by oz-bass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted February 29, 2016 Share Posted February 29, 2016 [quote name='oz-bass' timestamp='1456786466' post='2992352'] OK, here are some more pictures of the insides [url="http://imgur.com/a/nwa2J"]http://imgur.com/a/nwa2J[/url] [/quote] That looks to be in very good, original, condition, with no bulging of the big caps in there. Of course, we can't see the preamp valves, but, judging just from those pics, I'd say it's a good'un. You're looking at a higher than average value, I'd say, but not 'museum' condition (no longer the original Bulgin socket, for instance, which is a Good Thing for players, but deters some collectors. In Euro terms, below 4 figures, but not by a huge amount, at a rough guess. I don't know if that's good news for you or your buddy; you'll have to discuss that between yourselves. Just a remark about usage for bass... The 'king' of bass amps, for me, are those with KT88 valves. These will maintain 'clean' tones until the concrete crumbles, given suitable (powerful...) cabs. It's very difficult to 'bend' those valves. That's fine if, like me, you go for 'clean' tones for bass..! If, however, a more 'gritty' sound is required, the EL34's (as in this amp...) can be pushed in distortion, but they won't sound like an Ampeg, nor even a Marshall. Splendid for guitar (Pete Townsend, anyone..?), but not the most 'typical' tone for bass. Some did use these, back then, but most bass players went for the 200w version, with either 6 x EL34's or 4 x KT88's. They do, however, take pedals very well, so, if any 'grit' is to come from there, the Hiwatt will pass it on in spades. Just sayin', hope this helps. Subject to completion, correction and/or contradiction from others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oz-bass Posted March 2, 2016 Author Share Posted March 2, 2016 (edited) Uhm, when hooking up two 8 Ohm speakers are they in series or parallel? What i really want to know is if i have to set the amp on 4 Ohm or 16 Ohm? Edited March 2, 2016 by oz-bass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted March 2, 2016 Share Posted March 2, 2016 [quote name='oz-bass' timestamp='1456927021' post='2993613'] Uhm, when hooking up two 8 Ohm speakers are they in series or parallel? What i really want to know is if i have to set the amp on 4 Ohm or 16 Ohm? [/quote] In parallel (that's with the two speaker positives together and the two speaker negatives together...), that's a 4 Ohm load, so you'd set the amp to 4 Ohms. In series (that's where one speaker positive goes to the amp, the negative goes to the other speaker's positive, the second speaker's negative back to the amp...), that's a 16 Ohm load, so you'd set the amp to 16 Ohms. If, by 'speaker', you really mean 'cab', as in 'speaker cabinet', then it's the first option (4 Ohms...) that'll apply if each cab is connected to the amp. Never run the amp with no speakers connected, either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chriswareham Posted March 2, 2016 Share Posted March 2, 2016 Wow, DR103. Peter Hook used one of these for most of Joy Division's existence and then we'll into the 1980s with New Order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Apple Posted March 2, 2016 Share Posted March 2, 2016 You can't argue with that lead dress. Superb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ukulelelab Posted March 4, 2016 Share Posted March 4, 2016 It's a '71 overall in great shape. From the era when the pre-amp design finally settled and Harry Joyce just started to wire amps for Hiwatt. Serial number would have been somewhere around 11xx - 12xx. Great amp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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