# Hiwatt UK now Canadian ownerhip?



## zerorez (Jul 4, 2008)

Hiwatt company was bought from the UK last year and is supposed be under new ownership with Canadian backing.

Apparently they go under Maxwatt in the USA because the Hiwatt trademark name is still held by another party in the USA.

I would like to see a few dealers in Canada offer the Hiwatt line.

With the new ownership and Canadian backing there are currently no Hiwatt dealers for Canada listed on the website.

here is the detail on the Hiwatt Facebook site
_In 2016, Richard Harrison sold his U.K., EU and world trademarks to a Canadian interest. The new Company, Hiwatt Electronics, are keeping production in The U.K. in Doncaster, under the watchful eye of "Aficionado" and Production Manager, Kee Mayer and Managing Director, Darren Atkinson. The new ownership is dedicated to restoring the build quality equal to the Dave Reeves originals._


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## colchar (May 22, 2010)

They will cost a fortune, but I will still lust after them.

A couple of years ago they released the Little J (Page), Little D (Gilmour, and Little P (Townshend). They were 20 watters that came with a 1x12 loaded with a Fane speaker. I want the Little J and Little P _bad_.

Or maybe I can finally convince a friend to sell me his mid '70s Hiwatt.


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## Guest (Aug 21, 2017)

colchar said:


> Or maybe I can finally convince a friend to sell me his mid '70s Hiwatt.


Too bad you didn't bring this up 7 yrs ago when I traded my early 70's half stack (chassis signed by Harry Joyce).


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## colchar (May 22, 2010)

laristotle said:


> Too bad you didn't bring this up 7 yrs ago when I traded my early 70's half stack (chassis signed by Harry Joyce).



Back then I had just started playing (well I played as a kid but walked away and only picked it up again as a hobby back around that time) and thought the Fender Frontman and Marshall MGs were good amps!


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## bolero (Oct 11, 2006)

interesting news!!


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## Pewtershmit (Jun 13, 2014)

More people playing hiwatts the better. I love my hiwatt.


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## zerorez (Jul 4, 2008)

Pewtershmit said:


> More people playing hiwatts the better. I love my hiwatt.


For sure!

New Canadian ownership just need to get some dealers onboard here in Canada.


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## JC103 (Oct 6, 2007)

I hope you all know that Hiwatt UK is not actaully the Hiwatt you think it is... google Music Ground and read the horror stories for yourself.

Hi-Tone is the only option if you want the authentic Dave Reeves experience. His son Glynn is actually 1/3 owner of Hi-Tone, along with Clayton Callaway and Mark Huss. No one knows Hiwatt tone better than these guys! 

Hi-tone Amplification
Mark Huss Hiwatt Amplifier Pages


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## zerorez (Jul 4, 2008)

JC103 said:


> I hope you all know that Hiwatt UK is not actaully the Hiwatt you think it is... google Music Ground and read the horror stories for yourself.
> 
> Hi-Tone is the only option if you want the authentic Dave Reeves experience. His son Glynn is actually 1/3 owner of Hi-Tone, along with Clayton Callaway and Mark Huss. No one knows Hiwatt tone better than these guys!
> 
> ...


Very true, Hi-Tone is a great product!

Music Ground however is out of the picture when Hiwatt UK was bought out by Canadian ownership last year in 2016!

The rep from Maxwatt replied to a thread on TGP earlier this year to clarify the new Hiwatt ownership (quote below)

_Hello. My name's Phil. I'm US Operations Manager for Maxwatt. My office and the Maxwatt Showroom is in Chicago, between O'Hare Airport and downtown just off the Kennedy. All Maxwatt amps can be demo'd here. I can answer some questions.
The new Canadian owners bought H***tt from Rick Harrison over a year ago. We've displayed under both names at NAMM, MusikMesse and MusicChina trade shows over the past year+. There has been a tm problem with the H***tt name in the US since that sale. Maxwatt was the name of the Chinese-made amps made by the last, MusicGround/Harrison, owners. Because of this tm problem, we've decided to use the Maxwatt name in the US for all amps: Chinese models and UK Custom Shop models until this problem is resolved. For the rest of the world, there is no problem with the tm and the name is the name these amps are supposed to be called. That name is H***tt. We have the same engineers who were making the Custom Shop amps in the UK for the last 15 years for the old owners. The new factory is still in Doncaster, using the same engineers, parts, quality, everything.........only by new owners and in a new building. ALSO, we're trying and successfully repairing burnt down bridges and hard feelings with as many of the old suppliers, distributors, retailers, end user customers and, even, some ex-employees as we possibly can. (Ollie, I mean YOU, in particular). I worked with them all, workers AND owners, and have seen them in action. The old employees were GREAT at what they did, had great pride in their work and the amps they made. Nothing has changed, except the ownership, the address and the new owners commitment to being straight-shooting/honest dealing and being builders of the best amps humanly possible. 
The pricing and product is wide ranging. There are inexpensive student grade amps to reasonably priced intermediate player/gigging musician amps to high end professional/collector's amps, both guitar and bass models in every category. Something for everybody. BTW, the new owner's pricing seems, to me, surprisingly, to be approximately 20-30% CHEAPER than the previous owner's in most categories.
Come see us at Summer NAMM in Nashville July 13-15 in Booth 1534 and say, "Hi-" to Maxwatt._


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## JC103 (Oct 6, 2007)

I suppose this is the thread? 
https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/maxwatt-amps.1805870/#post-24038213

Hadn't heard about the new ownership... but I don't see anything to get excited about. Importing from the UK is very expensive, more than the USA on average. Not to mention that everyone is working from the same circuits. I like the fact that Glynn Reeves is involved with Hi-Tone. I met him at one of the original VHC conventions about 10 years ago.


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## notjoeaverage (Oct 6, 2008)

Anyone know of any relevant updates or potential dealers yet


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## zerorez (Jul 4, 2008)

The new Canadian ownership of Hiwatt has now obtained legal rights for the name and distribution worldwide.




__ https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=2044895328920315


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## Christopher Clause (Jan 13, 2020)

Hello - new to the forum and had questions about Hiwatt. Why is it that the company is now owned by Canadians but there is no distribution here? Does anyone know where to buy Hiwatt products here in Canada?


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