Hiwatt gear on the Anagram

Hiwatt is a British amp brand founded by Dave Reeves. Its heads were known for heavy-duty construction and a huge amount of clean volume. In the late 1960s and 1970s they were used by some of the biggest rock bands of the era, and the DR103, a 100-watt head, is the classic model.

Darkglass's built-in Hi-Five 103 is likely the DR103. Darkglass does not name it, so that is inferred from the name and the controls.

The DR103 is famous for headroom. Where many British valve amps of the time break up early, it stays clean and loud for a long way up the dial. When it does break up, the drive is firm and clear rather than loose. Its tone is bold and full-range, with a strong low end and a clear, glassy top.

That makes it a favourite for players who want their drive pedals to sound like themselves, with the amp just making it bigger. A fuzz or overdrive into a clean Hiwatt is a well-known recipe for big classic rock tones.

For bass, a clean, loud valve head with a solid low end is useful too. Hi-Five 103 can work as a full-range bass amp, or as the dirty side of a parallel setup.

On the Anagram, pair it with a 4x12 cab block for guitar, or a 4x10 or 8x10 for bass. Keep its gain modest and let your drive blocks do the work.

Try Hi-Five 103 first with a fuzz or overdrive block in front. The amp's clean headroom will let the pedal's character come through.