Brian Mena revives the glory years of the legendary British Hiwatt DR103 Custom 100 Amplifier - with his superb MenaWatt compact edition Preamp Pedal

There was a time when Hiwatt stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Marshall and Vox at the top of the British Amplifier hierarchy. In fact during the Dave Reeves Era (1966-1981) Hiwatt was considered the superior amp brand of the day - with significantly better build quality than all the rest. This had much to do with Dave’s dual apprenticeships at Marconi and Mullard - where he was imbued with MilSpec production values - such that those devices could be more easily and expediently maintained.

MilSpec precision was most apparent in the neatness of the wiring - where Dave’s builds were head and shoulders above anything else made around the same time. The DR103 was sometimes associated with the Marshall Super Lead Plexi, but it’s an entirely different circuit - which delivers a lot more headroom on cleans, and more flavour / vibrancy when overdriven and distorted. Some mentioned that a Marshall could sound positively anaemic when driven next to a Hiwatt DR103 Custom 100 in full flow.

For a long time the DR103 was known for being the preeminent gigging amp of its time - as it was consistently louder than pretty much everything else available - and as a result you had a broad collection of artists who used the amp in a variety of ways.

Notably this was the original Who amp - as favoured by Pete Townshend and John Entwistle. While it’s probably best known for being David Gilmour’s favourite amp across his extensive career - where he loves it for that super massive clean headroom that helps make his lead lines soar so well.

The DR103 roster used to be a who’s who of the rockstars of that time and while it still endures to this day, some of its most significant following waned somewhat in the wake of Dave Reeves’ sudden passing in 1981. Had he lived on - we would most likely be recounting Hiwatt alongside Marshall and Vox in the pantheon of all-time greatest British Amps!

The Hiwatt DR103 Custom 100 has been favoured by David Gilmour, The Edge, Pete Townshend and John Entwistle of the Who, Eddie Vedder, Robert Fripp, Ronnie Wood, Kevin Shield, Neal Schon, J Mascis, and Tommy Bolin.

And Brian Mena’s take on that great amp should hopefully help reevaluate and rehabilitate the core amp’s standing in the public conscience.

You have the ability to blend Brilliant and Normal Amp Input Gains, with 3 Band EQ, and a further mini Power Gain knob - for that extra degree of sear.