replacement for Hiwatt 504 transformers?

[beasleybodyshop]

Im contemplating a Hiwatt 504 build. What is the spec on the PT/OT for this amp? Or could you at least point me in the right direction. Thanks.

[beasleybodyshop]

Looked at these here, not "Hiwatt" per se but the 345-0-345 secondary option is close to the 360-0-360 that the 504 requires. Not too far off (300 bucks for the mojotone hiwatt iron is out of my price range)

Also appears that the marshall OT iron (3.6K primary) is damn close to the 3.7K hiwatt.

Never mind, I answered my own question i suppose! Ive posted some classictone datasheets. Someone tell me im wrong. lol.

http://www.classictone.net/40-18025.html

http://www.classictone.net/40-18095.html

[beasleybodyshop]

double post.

[Turret]

Other options www.merrenaudio.com - expensive
http://www.inmadout.com/ - not so expensive

[M Fowler]

Mojotone 50w set is $189 not $300

[beasleybodyshop]

Mojotone 50w set is $189 not $300

Sorry Mark, I was quoting their "actual" Hiwatt trannys. They are like 140 each PT/OT lol.

[M Fowler]

I was quoting their price as well $100 for PT and $85 for OT. Dealer price

So get your dealership papers sent in and get the good prices. Plus shipping of course.

I have their 100w set sitting here for a DR103.

[gldtp99]

The ClassicTone iron is great for a 50 watt Marshall circuit----- but in a Hiwatt circuit, it won't give the headroom/clarity/note articulation that orig spec Hiwatt type iron will give----- It may not sound bad but it won't sound like a Hiwatt DR504.
Heyboer, who makes the Mojo Hiwatt iron, has hit the nail on the head with their Hiwatt replacement iron.
I've built versions of Hiwatt clones with non-Hiwatt type iron and have been disappointed with the overall tone/feel---- I know what it's like to play genuine Hiwatt amps---- I own several.
I have a set of Mojo 50 watt iron on hand for my next DR504 clone build----this iron works for Hiwatt clones.
You're only comparing some of the specs of the Marshall iron vs the Hiwatt iron------ there's more to it than just PT voltage and OT Primary Impedance.
The 50 watt Marshall PT is only rated for 150mA current draw---- this means that it isn't rated to supply power (without voltage sag) to a pair of EL34's pushed to full power------ so sag is designed into the power supply of this type of amp------ A Hiwatt has very little, if any, power supply voltage sag so the proper Hiwatt type PT has specs much different than a PT spec'ed for a 50 watt Marshall circuit---- and this just scratches the surface.
Just save up the money for the right iron----- you will be happy you did.
Here's a short clip of one DR504 clone I built with Heyboer Hiwatt type iron:

http://youtu.be/EF1fWpIM6Ts


It's the white one on top of one of my Hylight Hiwatts:

[IMG:800:600]http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f112/gldtp99/DR103andDR504clone001.jpg[/img]

[gldtp99]

I have a Hiwatt Lead 30 that was made in California by the Sterling company in the 1980's----- it has a version of the Hiwatt Late 70's circuit except with V1a cascaded into V1b------ EL84 x 4, fixed bias.
It sounds/feels much like a 30 watt Marshall JCM 800 with a moderate gain boost, if you can imagine.
Lots of sag/compression.
It is pretty cool but it isn't anything like a classic Hylight Hiwatt.
If you want to build a DR504 clone that sounds like a Hylight DR504----- start with the right Hiwatt spec iron-----there's no way around it.
You can see the size of the iron used in this non-Hiwatt sounding Hiwatt 30 watter:

[IMG:800:600]http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f112/gldtp99/Hiwatt%20Lead%2030/HiwattLead30001.jpg[/img]

[beasleybodyshop]

Thanks Goldtop, I see what you are getting at.

Gonna save my pennies

And Mark, I submitted my paperwork to Mojotone. Fingers crossed because this hobby is expensive enough as it is!

[Colossal]

Huss knows Hiwatt

http://hiwatt.org

[beasleybodyshop]

Huss knows Hiwatt

http://hiwatt.org

Yeah i perused that sight yesterday. What an awesome wealth of info! It's what inspired me to build my own.

[rp]

I have a set of Mojo 50 watt iron on hand for my next DR504 clone build----this iron works for Hiwatt clones.

Thanks for this excellent news. Means it works for an Orange build too. Unless Hiwatt and Orange partridges were different models.

To the OP there are some other sites out there doing the Partridge clones, here's an offbeat one:

http://www.inmadout.com/
http://www.uraltone.com/catalogsearch/r ... q=inmadout

Not sure about the quality, so I'd surely stick to reliable TAGer gldtp99.

used to be here too (was this Huss?) but it's gone apparently:

http://vintagehiwattrestorations.com/

Someone (here?) did a Hiwatt with Edcors. That is in the right direction, wonder how it sounded? Maybe Hammond 1600 series might be in the hifi ballpark.

[gldtp99]

I built the DR103 clone with Edcor iron several yrs ago:

[IMG:800:600]http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f112/gldtp99/DR103%20Clone/HiwattDR103Clone007.jpg[/img]

[IMG:800:600]http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f112/gldtp99/DR103%20Clone/HiwattDR103Clone006.jpg[/img]

[IMG:800:600]http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f112/gldtp99/DR103%20Clone/HiwattDR103Clone003.jpg[/img]

It seemed that the Hi-fi type Edcor transformers would help make that clone sound very much like a Hiwatt---- but they didn't.
People that were unfamiliar with real Hylight Hiwatts loved the amp and it sold in a reasonable amount of time.
But I had to mod the Neg Feedback to get the amp sounding semi-Hiwattish to my ears-- it was just too flat/tight sounding to be mistaken for a real Hiwatt.
I don't post about this one anymore because I don't want to say anything bad about Edcor iron----- Edcor is a great company and I've used their products in many projects since this DR103 clone build.
It's just not right for a Hiwatt clone build, IME.
And the Heyboer Hiwatt clone transformers are fantastic sounding for Hiwatt clone builds----- i'm not kidding, they nail the tone.
I also built up two lower wattage Hiwatt clones at 20 and 35 watts using somewhat oversized iron pulled from old tube PA amplifiers--- I thought this approach would yield great results at low cost----- the 35 is a good sounding amp that takes pedals well----- but in no way is the tone, clarity, punch of this amp worthy of the Hiwatt name---- the 20 just doesn't even get close.
The only Hiwatt clones I've built that do sound like Hylight Hiwatts, besides the ones where I used Heyboer Hiwatt iron, are the four Sound City 120-to-Hiwatt conversions I've done----- these use the orig Sound City Partridge (or EV in some cases) iron and the orig Sound City EL34 x 6 configuration---- I know mhuss wrote that the SC 120 OT doesn't sound like a DR103 OT------ but he was using EL34 x 4 into the SC 120 OT----- I built another SC 120 conversion (SLO lead channel) with EL34 x 4 and it both sounded like crap and ate EL34's until I changed it to the EL34 x 6 that this OT is spec'ed for-----now the amp is both reliable and sounds monsterous !!.

Main Point:

Use Heyboer Hiwatt transformers in DR504 and DR103 clone builds ----- anything else is a waste of time and money if you want to build a Hiwatt sounding Hiwatt clone----- pay the asking price for the iron.
Heyboer will gladly wind custom transformers----- If you need a Hiwatt clone transformer that has a different spec that what is offered (almost anything can be a different spec) by the current resellers, contact Heyboer directly and talk to them----- my white DR504 clone in the vids has a custom Hiwatt type PT sourced directly from Heyboer----- they cost less than buying from a reseller---- the OT is the same spec as the Hiwatt OT offered by the resellers, it was less expensive because it was bought directly from Heyboer as part of a custom multi unit order.
Again, for my next DR504 clone---- I have Heyboer Hiwatt iron bought from Mojotone----- this was simpler and the iron is worth the asking price, IMO.

[rp]

it was just too flat/tight sounding to be mistaken for a real Hiwatt...Edcor is a great company and I've used their products in many projects since this DR103 clone build. It's just not right for a Hiwatt clone build, IME.

Getting the right OT is a really big part of sound and it isn't easy, and it sure sucks when you get it wrong as it's lost money and wrong holes in your previously perfect chassis. Deciding on the OT is always the most nerve-racking, I'll experiment with caps and resistors but I've become really unadventurous w/ OTs.

What you describe is my experience w/ Hammond 1600 OTs. I wonder if it's the M6, I've got it in my head now that M6 makes for a flat sterile sound which may not be true at all. Any idea if those Partridges were M6 and hifi or just top-shelf standard use transformers w/o M6 lams?

I will say though that the edcor in my 5C1 is terrific. Doesn't sound a bit Fenderish, much different and much better actually. One of those cool discoveries that sometimes happen when you take a risk.

I got so many bills, two amps on my bench (kitchen table) for 3 months now that I can't afford parts to finish, and now that I know I can get the right sounding trannies, I'm just itching to do an Orange. So thanks for that.