'78 Hiwatt Custom 100 vs Orange OR50 vs Marshall JCM800 2203

[JorisBlack]

So I'm looking for a new amp, and have had my eye on the Orange OR50 for a long time.
However, there's somebody nearby selling his Marshall JCM 800 2203KK Kerry King sig head.
Another dude is selling his '78 Hiwatt Custom 100.

A question about that last one: can you get a light crunch out of it without shaking the walls?

Which one would you prefer?
I'd like to get the amp set to a light crunch, and then hit it with a Beavis Audio FKR (rat) or Rockbox Boiling Point (tubescreamer-ish).
Just so you know, I'll use it for this style (this is actually my band): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhvjWl60szs

[iff]

I remember hearing your music in the Doom Room thread. Seriously love it.

Doubt you can get much crunch out of the Hiwatt without it being ridiculously loud. Can't see how you could go wrong with the Orange or Marshall.

What do you have now?

[JorisBlack]

I remember hearing your music in the Doom Room thread. Seriously love it.

Doubt you can get much crunch out of the Hiwatt without it being ridiculously loud. Can't see how you could go wrong with the Orange or Marshall.

What do you have now?

Ampeg V4 from the 70s, so it's loud and clean. Dirt comes from pedals. I also still have a Fender Twin Reverb RI that I'm trying to sell

I think I'm going to pass by a shop next weekend to check out the Orange, and a new Hiwatt Custom 100.

Of course, the Hiwatt I can get has serious vintage mojo. If only I could find an old Orange OR80 for a decent price

[clipless bumper]

I thought the doom guys loved clean amps and hit them with fuzz pedals.
the Hiwatt seems perfect for such an application.

[Van_Muddlestein]

I will likely always vote for a vintage hiwatt in this situation.

[SenatorClayDavis]

Hiwatts are fantastic for running pedals into. On their own though they are super clean, so I wouldn't rely on it for crunch tones. For sludge/doom stuff though it would probably be my choice of those 3, I'd just have a few dirt pedals up front. The Orange would be great too, but I'm less enthused about modern Oranges, so the Hiwatt's got the vintage thing going for it, and 100W over 50W.

[JorisBlack]

Hiwatts are fantastic for running pedals into. On their own though they are super clean, so I wouldn't rely on it for crunch tones. For sludge/doom stuff though it would probably be my choice of those 3, I'd just have a few dirt pedals up front. The Orange would be great too, but I'm less enthused about modern Oranges, so the Hiwatt's got the vintage thing going for it, and 100W over 50W.

So even with the master volume, you can't get some light overdrive out of it?

[SenatorClayDavis]

I dunno man, there's different Hiwatts. I've only played one, and it needed to be hit with a pedal to get any real dirt. I'm sure your RAT would sound awesome into it.

[100 watt]

Hiwatt with your Rat = winning

[macgaj3]

Hiwatt won't break up until you're too deaf to notice. That being said, Hiwatt without question.

[dickysofa]

mother fucking highwatts

[gb74]

I'd go with a regular 2203 without the KK stuff...

[cibyl]

So even with the master volume, you can't get some light overdrive out of it?

I've played through a vintage Hiwatt DR504 and owned a Reeves Custom 50 (essentially the same circuit). It had to be loud beyond most people's comfort levels to even get light overdrive/crunch. Just tons of headroom with those amps -- but man do overdrive, distortion and fuzz pedals sound good through them.

If you want a dirt clean type tone or some light breakup and then hit with pedals I think the Orange or Marshall would be a better choice. I've heard good things about the OR50.

[Elessar [Sly]]

My vote is for the Orange OR50.

[GAS KING]

I dig your band too!

I've never really played any of those amps, but I have played similar amps.

The OR50 probably has a little more thunder.......low end response.

The Marshall and Hiwatt are probably a bit more crunchy and mid focused.

Not sure if that's what you're going for?

I've played a JTM45 with various pedals in a similar genre, but the low end is too flubby and doesn't have that wall of sound ballsy growl. Great presence in a mix, but "manly" it is not.

[Jp77]

Those amps are pretty different from each other. I recently heard a band play through a new or50 and it had a nice crunch to it when turned up, not at all a modern high gain but a nice vintage type crunch like an old 800 but thicker voiced. The hiwatt will be pretty much clean unless really cranked up and even then its a very clean breakup.The kk 800 will have plenty of gain on tap with the built in boost but these aren't built in the same way inside as older 800's so keep that in mind. I would pick the orange out of the three mentioned here.

[JorisBlack]

Thanks everyone for your replies!

So even with the master volume, you can't get some light overdrive out of it?

I've played through a vintage Hiwatt DR504 and owned a Reeves Custom 50 (essentially the same circuit). It had to be loud beyond most people's comfort levels to even get light overdrive/crunch. Just tons of headroom with those amps -- but man do overdrive, distortion and fuzz pedals sound good through them.

If you want a dirt clean type tone or some light breakup and then hit with pedals I think the Orange or Marshall would be a better choice. I've heard good things about the OR50.

I read that there is a difference between the 4-input and the 2-input custom 100 (DR103). The one I can get is one with 2 inputs, which apparently should have more gain?