Guitarsenal: The "Jimmy Page" Hiwatt 50 & 100

The actual 'Jimmy Page' Custom Hiwatt 100

The Hiwatt 'Jimmy Page' Custom 50 and 100 were Jimmy's main amps he used from July 1969 to November 1971. As the name would suggest, one was a 100 watt amplifier, and the other was a 50 watter. These amps were essentially custom versions of Hiwatt's Special All Purpose amps with a few modifications. 

In contrast to the SAP's there is more gain on tap due to the preamp configuration and aside from increasing gain the tone and feel is a little different from what you would typically get from a Hiwatt, more in the direction of a Marshall.  The power section is a standard DR103 with the addition of a choke.  There is a footswitch that goes with the amp that plugs into the XLR input. It's used as a volume cut with a single head and was used as a cathode follower line out which would allow you to drive one head with the other when the amps were daisy chained which Page seemed to do early on.    

The amplifiers were powered by four EL34's, with three 12AX7, and a 12AT7 tube used for the pre-amp stage. The Hiwatts made their first appearance in July 1969 for the start of the 3rd American tour. From July 1969 to September 1970. Through most 1971 shows the Hiwatts are also still present, at times with Marshalls though. 

Though no longer in production, a boutique amplifier company called Reeves Amplification does produce handmade re-creations of the Jimmy Page Hiwatt that run for $2,000. In addition, the Royal Amplifier Company also make recreations of the Jimmy Page Hiwatt that run for around $3,000.

Jimmy with Both Hiwatts in the background