HiWatt/MaxWatt Designed by Mike Fortin.

[technomancer]

Not these guys, right? http://www.maxwatt.com/wordpress/

Yup, the Custom Super-Hi 50 on that webpage would seem to be the amp in the vids. Slightly different graphics, but designed by Mike Fortin, so that must be it.
Sounds pretty good, I just hope it's less than $5k

Yep. From what Mike said the vids are the single channel proto. It's HiWatt UK and MaxxWatt USA

Thing sounds crushing

 

[engage757]

At least they didn't name it 'The Lucifer'.. or something along those lines

THink it is actually going to be branded, "Restless Bowel Syndrome at the Gates Ov Lucifer's Hadean Pit of demise."

Isn't that the name of a Dimmu Borgir album?

It might actually be.

 

[the4thlast1]

On the Maxwatt facebook it says this amp has the "fortin mod"...Anyway point being is that this is basically an amp designed by hiwatt and then tweaked by fortin ? Fortin won't be involved in building the production models it seems , he probably jjst sold them a design for a mod , I'm just assuming.

 

[napalmdeath]

At least they didn't name it 'The Lucifer'.. or something along those lines

THink it is actually going to be branded, "Restless Bowel Syndrome at the Gates Ov Lucifer's Hadean Pit of demise."

Isn't that the name of a Dimmu Borgir album?

I think it's a Necrophagist song. It's the one after Fermented Fecal Discharge.

Amp sounds pretty killer! Fortin stuff always does.

 

[bubbastain]

My fucking god that sounds killer!

 

[technomancer]

On the Maxwatt facebook it says this amp has the "fortin mod"...Anyway point being is that this is basically an amp designed by hiwatt and then tweaked by fortin ? Fortin won't be involved in building the production models it seems , he probably jjst sold them a design for a mod , I'm just assuming.

The amp isn't finished. From what Mike said they just inked the deal a couple weeks ago and he did some tweaks on this one as a proto to show at NAMM. He is headed to the UK in IIRC March to work with Hiwatt on the final amp design. Might actually end up being two amps, one two channel with a clean and one single channel. This is mostly still up in the air.

So Mike is doing the design for a production amp from Hiwatt (or potentially two ).

 

[the4thlast1]

On the Maxwatt facebook it says this amp has the "fortin mod"...Anyway point being is that this is basically an amp designed by hiwatt and then tweaked by fortin ? Fortin won't be involved in building the production models it seems , he probably jjst sold them a design for a mod , I'm just assuming.

The amp isn't finished. From what Mike said they just inked the deal a couple weeks ago and he did some tweaks on this one as a proto to show at NAMM. He is headed to the UK in IIRC March to work with Hiwatt on the final amp design. Might actually end up being two amps, one two channel with a clean and one single channel. This is mostly still up in the air.

So Mike is doing the design for a production amp from Hiwatt (or potentially two ).

Cool thanks for the info. The amp sounds great in clips , I hope the final design kills and Highwatt does it justice.

 

[skoora]

Why the Maxwatt name if it is actually Hiwatt?

 

[technomancer]

Why the Maxwatt name if it is actually Hiwatt?

I think it's a trademark issue as somebody bought the US rights to the Hiwatt name when the company was dormant. So it's Hiwatt in the UK and rest of the world (where the company is and the amps are built) and Maxwatt in the US.

 

[Mr. Willy]

Eh, not what I want from a HiWatt at all.

I agree. There’s sooo many other amps on the market that do the brutal thing. Not many at all do what a DR504/103 do. That being said, it does sound good. Meatier than the typical laser beam focus style Fortin stuff.

 

[hehasthejazzhands]

Eh, not what I want from a HiWatt at all.

I agree. There’s sooo many other amps on the market that do the brutal thing. Not many at all do what a DR504/103 do. That being said, it does sound good. Meatier than the typical laser beam focus style Fortin stuff.

Not every amp can do brutal like Mike Fortin's amps, I find. They have this unique clarity and grind that you can't get with your standard 5150 or Recto, or etc etc.

And as someone said before, this is just one (or two) offerings. Nothing wrong with HiWatt wanting to expand their lineup.

And I agree. This amp seems to have a lot more growl than Fortin's other amps.

 

[skoora]

It will be a mute point when you find out how much it costs...

 

[steve_k]

Hopefully its not another prog or doom metal amp. Plenty of that trash on the market.

 

[shred-o-holic]

That last Jason link sounds incredible. So menacing love it! I'm glad I can't afford it lol. It will keep the GAS wheels from spinning

 

[CrazyNutz]

Sounds killer, but, and I mean in a good way, it sounds like a Vht doesn't it?

Yeah, it does sound VHT like to me. Interestingly Steven Fryette played, and modded his Hiwatts before he designed the Pitbull. Basically VHT/Fryette amps are hi gain hiwatts.

 

[stephen sawall]

Sound City should be out soon also. I always liked Hiwatt...so interested in trying them all.

 

[Wizard of Ozz]

Not sure I get the point of buying a "Hi-Watt" styled (named/styled) amp to have it sound like a Fortin fire-breather?

If I want a Fortin I'd rather just buy one... instead of just buying an amp designed by him from a company that couldn't create their own designs? Doesn't give me a lot of confidence in their products. What happens when or if it needs service/warranty work... and they are gone tomorrow. Looks like Randall amps all over again.

Fortin = Drive By Amp Designer. Have soldering gun, will travel.

 

[Wizard of Ozz]

 

[technomancer]

Not sure I get the point of buying a "Hi-Watt" styled (named/styled) amp to have it sound like a Fortin fire-breather?

If I want a Fortin I'd rather just buy one... instead of just buying an amp designed by him from a company that couldn't create their own designs? Doesn't give me a lot of confidence in their products. What happens when or if it needs service/warranty work... and they are gone tomorrow. Looks like Randall amps all over again.

Fortin = Drive By Amp Designer. Have soldering gun, will travel.

So you think for some reason a company that is delivering high-end tube amps won't be able to service a high-gain circuit just because Fortin designed it? I guess Marshall can't service all those amps Santiago designed since he no longer works there and Peavey can't do anything for their 5150 variants since Brown isn't there anymore

 

[Wizard of Ozz]

Not sure I get the point of buying a "Hi-Watt" styled (named/styled) amp to have it sound like a Fortin fire-breather?

If I want a Fortin I'd rather just buy one... instead of just buying an amp designed by him from a company that couldn't create their own designs? Doesn't give me a lot of confidence in their products. What happens when or if it needs service/warranty work... and they are gone tomorrow. Looks like Randall amps all over again.

Fortin = Drive By Amp Designer. Have soldering gun, will travel.

So you think for some reason a company that is delivering high-end tube amps won't be able to service a high-gain circuit just because Fortin designed it? I guess Marshall can't service all those amps Santiago designed since he no longer works there and Peavey can't do anything for their 5150 variants since Brown isn't there anymore

A. Not what I said.

B. Flawed comparison. Very flawed.

Marshall and Peavey are big companies that have been around awhile. Established is a good word to use. They are not brand-new start-up companies trying to sell amps some other guy designed, with a website hosted on a Wordpress Blog site.

MaxWatt? Never heard of them. New company trying sell amps. But they are using the name, cosmetics, and throw-back history to older established brand... and using the designs from another person to sell their line of amps. If their amps are good, they should be able to stand/fail on their own merits.

James Brown and Santiago were not contract employees... they worked for each company for several years and designed a lot more than a single amp... and were not paid as a consultant or contractor. Also when the amps they each designed were released, you didn't hear a peep about who designed it... did you? If anything ghost-builders are usually just that... ghosts. Unseen/unheard for a reason.

Not on the designs, cosmetics, nostalgia, history of others. If you want a Fortin, just get the real deal.

I've seen many other "new amp companies" following this business plan... and it never ends well.