1976 Hiwatt Custom 100 Refresh!

[slowhand84]

So right before the pandemic struck I was hit with a bit of bad luck...my 1976 Hiwatt Custom 100 (built by Harry Joyce!) made some kind of loud pop and was suddenly in a coma. The power light would come on, but no sound. I had owned the amp for about 11 years at that point without ever having an issue, but it was finally time to have it serviced for the very first time. Took it to the legendary Blackie Pagano here in NYC, and recently picked it up after a quick 3 week turnaround.

I can honestly say Mr. Pagano is the best amp tech I have ever had the pleasure of working with, and the amp sounds better than it ever has in the 11 years I've owned it. Hittin' that power switch and feeling it come back to life was definitely one of those feelin' like a kid on Christmas type of things.

There was a lot done to this bad boy, but just to provide a quick list - replaced all tubes, cleaned and tightened all pots, connectors, switches, and tube sockets, replaced incorrect power supply caps, replaced old power supply diodes, rebuilt bias circuit and installed adjustment pot, replaced the janky power cable assembly, and more.

In short, I can wholeheartedly recommend Blackie to anyone in the NYC area looking for an amp repair or refresh. Super professional, dead on with his completion estimate (and quick!!), and very fairly priced for the super high quality work done.

Here's a pic of my Custom 100 back where it belongs, ready for many more years of enjoyment. And I found a neat way to display some of my beautiful @TVvoodoo Well-Hung straps (I have about 5 others but they're attached to guitars on wallhangers).

[mozz]

I had a mint DR103 with a matching 4x12 back in 85' , when the band broke up a few years later, got rid of it. I don't think the amp knew how to distort, if you turned it up enough you could not possibly stay in the same room.

[slowhand84]

I had a mint DR103 with a matching 4x12 back in 85' , when the band broke up a few years later, got rid of it. I don't think the amp knew how to distort, if you turned it up enough you could not possibly stay in the same room.

Yeah that’s exactly what I love about it, it’s clean as can be until you’re shattering the windows. I think that’s part of what makes it such an incredible pedal platform too. I have never in my life been so satisfied with an amp, this one’s a lifer for sure!

[redman]

Glad you got it squared away @slowhand84 those are awesome amps one of my oldest friends has a Hiwatt 100 watt head from the 70's and I always tried to buy it from him and he neve3r would sell it to me every time we played together I grabbed amp. He's retired to Montana now so no more access to that sweet amp. This guy managed to keep all the gear he's ever acquired he has several old Strat's and LP's but the one guitar he has I lust after is a 1943 Martin D-28.

[slowhand84]

Glad you got it squared away @slowhand84 those are awesome amps one of my oldest friends has a Hiwatt 100 watt head from the 70's and I always tried to buy it from him and he neve3r would sell it to me every time we played together I grabbed amp. He's retired to Montana now so no more access to that sweet amp. This guy managed to keep all the gear he's ever acquired he has several old Strat's and LP's but the one guitar he has I lust after is a 1943 Martin D-28.

Nice! I too have had several offers on this amp from various people but there’s no way I would ever sell it. If my own opinion on it wasn’t enough hearing the comments from the legendary amp tech who just worked on it cemented this even further. Really a special amp and I’m so glad I finally took the plunge to bring it back to life. My little backup VOX MV50 is a great amp but absolutely pales in comparison.

[glasshand]

I've never had dealings with Mr. Pagano myself, but everyone I've ever known who has, has nothing but good things to say about him.

[slowhand84]

I've never had dealings with Mr. Pagano myself, but everyone I've ever known who has, has nothing but good things to say about him.

For sure, this was my first time ever dealing with him but I couldn't possibly be more satisfied. No bs, no extra stuff done that wasn't needed to jack up the cost, and a very fair price for quick & flawless work. He said this amp will now never need anything other than fresh tubes for the rest of it's life and mine but if it ever does he'd be the only person I'd consider to work on it again.

[andrewsrea]

Sounds like you had some worthwhile maintenance performed to a fantastic beast!

I find the Hiwatts into any other 4x12 cabinet, to have the British sound, with much more headroom. I've goten similar results by replacing the inverter of a Marshal model 1959, from a 12AX7 to a 12AU7 - like the Marshall Majors had.

But like @mozz mentioned, couple a Hiwatt head with a 4x12 (or two) Hiwatt cab with Fane speakers and you get that unique Hiwatt sound. Those speakers are voiced in a way I have not heard in other speakers.

[slowhand84]

Sounds like you had some worthwhile maintenance performed to a fantastic beast!

I find the Hiwatts into any other 4x12 cabinet, to have the British sound, with much more headroom. I've goten similar results by replacing the inverter of a Marshal model 1959, from a 12AX7 to a 12AU7 - like the Marshall Majors had.

But like @mozz mentioned, couple a Hiwatt head with a 4x12 (or two) Hiwatt cab with Fane speakers and you get that unique Hiwatt sound. Those speakers are voiced in a way I have not heard in other speakers.

For sure, the Fane speakers are really great. I actually have tried the head into the matching cab, but found I like this 80s Marshall cab much better with my Custom 100. I play a lot of modern metal stuff too and I find this cab with these speakers sounds tighter. I've had it for so long that I don't even actually recall what speakers are in there, but they're a great match for the head. With the pedals I use I have a really wide tonal palette, anything from the classic Pink Floyd Hiwatt cleans to full on drop tuned metal meltdown, it does it all