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Re: NAD: sound city hiwatt conversion head.
Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2014 10:14 am
by Ben79
Surely brightness is easily rectified with cap changes/switches?
Re: NAD: sound city hiwatt conversion head.
Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2014 11:59 am
by GAS KING
I would think so..........I suppose it all depends on what I find out.....which hiwatt it's modeled after, if one at all......what differences that exist in the build.
If it's just a few tweaks and done....I'm all for that.......
If it's something more, I may consider an overhaul to a standard classic Hiwatt circuit.
Re: NAD: sound city hiwatt conversion head.
Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2014 9:38 am
by GAS KING
It's a mess, and beyond my abilities.
The seller was willing to accept the return, or refund $150 to keep it.
Taking the refund.
I'm sending it off to a tech to be gutted and rebuilt as a true 70s Hiwatt.
Fuck my wallet, my GAS, and my brain.....but at least I'll end up with EXACTLY what I wanted in the first place (for less than a real hiwatt), and not have to worry about build reliability.
It's going to be a monster though......since it'll be like an early Hiwatt 4 input DR.......120w via 6 EL34s.
Re: NAD: sound city hiwatt conversion head.
Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2014 10:30 am
by GAS KING
Now the 3 month+ wait begins. done deal.
Probably going to be entirely too loud.....a DR123. *oof*
Re: NAD: sound city hiwatt conversion head.
Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2014 10:33 am
by D.o.S.
Re: NAD: sound city hiwatt conversion head.
Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2014 10:47 am
by GAS KING
His work looks good too....

Re: NAD: sound city hiwatt conversion head.
Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2014 10:48 am
by skullservant
Awesome!
Re: NAD: sound city hiwatt conversion head.
Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2014 11:25 pm
by theavondon
Oof.
Re: NAD: sound city hiwatt conversion head.
Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2014 4:47 pm
by GAS KING
Well. resolution. finally.
got the amp back Friday.
Jammed on it for a little while over the weekend.
Will have to spend more time with it and see if I can dial it in better.
**stealth edit: probably should give it time before I post my impressions**
Will post pictures when I can in the near future. Doubt I can do clips, since my recording computer is shite.
Re: NAD: sound city hiwatt conversion head.
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2014 10:48 am
by Hacken
I have a Sound City 120. It´s bright and has no gain at all. It fattens up a bit when you push the volume past 6 (1 o clock) and starts to fart out a bit in the low end when you are close to 10 on the volume.
Good to play with fuzz or any dirtbox that sounds good on it´s own. Eq-ing can be a bit tricky because the eq section is active, but that just means you got to fiddle some to get what you want. I think i usually set mine for bass: 4 mid: 6 treb: 5 with the channels bridged, presence at some level where it doesnt add too much hiss and pierce your ear drums.
Re: NAD: sound city hiwatt conversion head.
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2014 12:31 pm
by GAS KING
Cool.
I'll keep that in mind if I ever get a stock SC120.
one I got is an early hiwatt circuit......only thing sound city left are the transformers and chassis.
Re: NAD: sound city hiwatt conversion head.
Posted: Sat Oct 04, 2014 4:47 pm
by GAS KING
Re: NAD: sound city hiwatt conversion head.
Posted: Mon Oct 06, 2014 9:25 pm
by GAS KING
purple. yes.
At first I wasn't overly digging the tone. solo, in my basement.
Had a chance to try it with the band.......whew! sounded really good.
Kinda fit our mix perfectly. I'm typically the tighter brighter mid focused tone.
I had struggled with other amps....... in that, I cut real good in the mix, but when the other guitar player stopped playing (big fat fuzzier tone) and I continued on.........my tone was sorta wimpy and weak.
this amp changes that.
Just pure power. Growling power.
I'm really happy it worked out. I think it shall become my main gigging amp.

Re: NAD: sound city hiwatt conversion head.
Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2014 1:00 am
by Fuzzy Picklez
Woah looks good! I've always wanted to get my hands on a Hiwatt of some sort, but they're so expensive!
Worth it?
Re: NAD: sound city hiwatt conversion head.
Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2014 7:03 am
by GAS KING
Well.....I suppose that depends on your needs and wants.....if it's worth it.
The quality is usually there.....in a hiwatt type amp.
Both build and components.
I have a Trinity Triwatt....which is much more affordable and manageable in volume. Gave me a taste of the hiwatt tone without the financial commitment.
I may part with it....now that I have the 120.
Overall.....I personally would definitely say that it's worth the admission to get tone like this.