Need Hiwatt advice in a rush!!

[Bryan]

I am a big fan of David Gilmour's tone. I know he uses Hiwatts. I also know he uses his own models. I know he uses them for cleans and uses pedals for his distorted sounds.

But I have a line on an 80s Hiwatt 50w combo with a 1X12 Fane in it. Will this do a good job of coming close to a Gilmour-type clean sound? The reviews I've read aren't too kind to its lead channel but I don't really care about that. There are enough distortion pedals around that I can put together what I need. I need some quick advice on how good a Hiwat clean tone is.

Thanks!!

[Twisteramps]

Two different beasts imho... I bet gilmour used the old single channel Hiwatts, the 80s ones were channel switching.

To put it into perspective... would you use a JCM900 to get a Hendrix tone? Both are Marshalls, right?

[data187]

i found hiwats to have ear piercing highs.
i think for the pink floyd clean tone, a roland jazz chorus does the trick very well.

[Rupe]

I'm no sure about the 80's Hiwatts but I am sure that you will need more than his amp to sound like Gilmour.

As long as you have a loud amp with good clean headroom, you should be able to get close with the right distortion pedal and a set of EMG singles with the tone circuitry that he uses. Now you'll just need his "touch" to complete the package.

The closest that I have ever heard anyone get to David's tone was with a Fender Strat Elite with a humbucker (SD Dist) added to the bridge, through a series of Boss pedals running into a Mesa Boogie .50 Caliber (EL84 model)...not even close to what Gilmour uses.

[Bryan]

Thanks for al the input. I am just curious as to how helpful this amp would be to help me get close to Gilmour's clean tone.

What Rupe said is what I'm trying to find out. Will this Hiwatt have the good clean headroom that I'm looking for? I'm not worried about effects, guitars, etc. I have an '88 American Standard Strat with the EMG DG-20 installed so I'm covered there. Distortion tones I can duplicate (or get in the same area) with pedals. I just need an amp with a good clean tone and I'm wondering if this Hiwatt will be able to do that.

[Larz]

Gilmour also had or maybe still has a big association with the Boss CS-2 compressor/sustainer. For some reason I always see his name linked to that pedal.

[darrellm]

There was an article on Gilmore's setup in a UK guitar magazine in the late 80s, always remember it as it had a picture of a huge piece of plywood with 16 Boss pedals on it, all the same model, but with different settings for each song - might have been the CS2, really can't remember.

Next time I'm up in the loft I'll see if it's up there and scan in the pic....

[Twisteramps]

Gilmore uses Pete Cornish effects, I thought...

[Larz]

Gilmore uses Pete Cornish effects, I thought...

You must be right, I googled Gilmour and Cornish and got lots of hits on it with regard to pedal boards and also for the CS-2.

[Bryan]

You're both right. In Gilmour's "Pulse" rig, he used a CS-2. But he also used several Cornish effects as well. In his new smaller rig, he uses more Cornish effects and less pedals in general. Plus he has the Cornish pedal board that integrates pedals in the board's design.

I have the issue of GW you're talking about but it's at home. I can scan and post later tonight. It's a really good read.

[bibz]

We have an original dr103 and if you want volume check it out! Just dont expect neighbour friendly volumes from it

[Bryan]

That's kind of why I was looking at something in a smaller 1X12 combo. I bet those heads are loud as all get out!!

[mrhiwatt]

I used to have an Hiwatt Lead 30 1x12 combo from 1986. It is not the same as an older hiwatt as it had a master volume that allowed it to get quite dirty. When run clean I could not tell any difference between the older models and this one. Plenty of clean head room for 30 watts it was incredibly loud. I usually ran it clean and used distortion pedals for dirt. From what I have read Gilmore uses his Hiwatts as clean power amps and all tone comes from pedals. Your best bet would be try to play it first and if its suitable for you.


MrHiwatt

[Bryan]

Thanks for the response. This Lead 50R seems like it's really close to the Lead 30 just a tad more wattage. The setup you're describing is exactly what how I want to use the amp. Clean with pedals for distortion.

[mrhiwatt]

Bryan,

The Lead 50 is the same as the Lead 30. They are the only Hiwatts with Reverb and effects loops. Mine had a Celestian GT-65 in it. I went to rack mount gear and it just sat and I sold it in 2006 for $50 more than I paid for it in '86. It was very dependable.

MR Hiwatt