trinityamps.com

That looks sweet! Like that "Link" input. Can't wait to hear it!!!

Will it be ready for Nov 28?

J.

For legal reasons, we can't use the TRIWATT name publicly, as much as we'd really love to. So we're actually calling this one the CUSTOM 203, at least for now, since the original Hiwatts were called names like CUSTOM 50, CUSTOM 100, etc. This one is around 20W (well actually 22W) and has 3 inputs, so it's the CUSTOM 203. We'd be interested if anyone has other cool/better suggestions for Hiwattish names for this amp that won't get us into the law courts.

Not quite sure what you mean by how're they're interactive. Like in a regular DR103, the Bright and Normal channels have independent volume controls. If you use the 3rd "Dave Gilmour" Link input, you can blend the two channels for more tone options (somewhat like a Marshall Plexi).

The Overdrive control is on a push-switch pot, so that the overdrive (OL) stage, which comes later in the preamp, can be switched out, making the amp pretty much the same as an early 70s DR103, with some late 60s Who amp vibe. With the OL stage engaged, the Overdrive control sets the extra gain/distortion level, the same as in the higher gain early 80s "Lead" model.

The Master Volume control comes before the phase inverter, like in any classic Hiwatt, and controls the amount of drive signal hitting the power tubes. Our aim has been to combine the best features and tones of some different legendary Hiwatts.

HTH

Why that's my mother-in-law's birthday. That would be a real cool day for it to be done by!

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Great tones come in small glass jars!

ZP, thanks for the reply I wasn't sure how the controls worked together. So with the OD control in, it acts like a gain control for the additional stage then?

Really looking forward to hearing tone reports

Also, I checked both the Canadian and GB trademark registration listings, the US one was bogged down due to traffic, triwatt gets 0 hits on the listings (as does trinwatt), so from what I understand there should be no legal issues, especially if Trinity secures a trademark, unless I'm missing something obvious

Anyways, my original suggestion was Trinwatt and I'm sticking to it

If you run into trademark issues you can always print out a different faceplate so they don't recognize it

Joe G

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Some assembly required,
Brain sold separately...

This project is hereby dubbed Code "TRIWATT" in this forum. I left it on for the purposes of this dicsussion.

I do like the consistent motif with the TRI inputs & power switching arrangement tho.

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Stephen
Web: www.trinityamps.com. Facebook: facebook.com/trinityamps. Twitter: @trinityamps

Yes, which is exactly the same as how the early 80s Hiwatt Lead models worked. All that we're doing different here is to provide the option of switching that stage right out of the signal path, so the amp then behaves like an earlier lower gain model.

Hiwatt also had an "OL" model, at the same time as the Lead, which had the extra stage, but without a gain control. Still a popular amp, but lacking some flexibility IMO. In previous Hiwatt models before those two, they just left half of a 12AX7/ECC83 tube unused, which to me always seemed a bit of waste of a good triode.


What we don't know, without the help of a legal expert, is whether there would be problems if we use a name that rhymes with another amp company's legally-owned brand name, and a similar faceplate style and text font. I'm thinking of when Fender took a law suit out on Tokai for making guitars that looked very similar to Fender's own ones, with the same style of headstock, and the "T" in Tokai being curved to look just like Fender's "F". I actually have one of those "lawsuit" Strats, and it's a real nice guitar BTW. Maybe if we called the finished product a "TRINIWATT" instead, that would make it different enough...?

Also AFAIK, before you can register a trademark as your own, you need to be able to establish that you have already been using the trademark commercially for some number of years - I've forgotten the exact number. This means that to start with you put a little TM sign after the mark, wherever it's used, in effect to indicate that you're staking your claim to it. Once it's officially registered, then you can put the (R) symbol after the name.

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Great tones come in small glass jars!

Or "Lowatt" since it's only 20W...

So when's the listening party at my studio?!?! I'm dying over here! And the beer's already in the fridge!!!

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Brent Bodrug
Producer-Engineer/Songwriter

www.slyfichapel.com

I mentioned Lo watt to coco, and he'll undoubtedly chime in that it evokes images of Low quality - definitely not the case. It'll be interesting what this babe's name ends up being.

Brent, I think there might be a long line to listen to this thing...a long line!

J.

Nuh-uh... it evokes irony, wit and humour to me.

Nuh-uh... I think I might be near the front of that line!!! LOL! We're already in talks about a play-test at my studio so we can hear the Triwatt side-by-side with my DR103... and yes, if coco/zaphod are in agreement, there will be clips!! I mean, I was always glad I bought that old Hiwatt, but now I'm REALLY glad!!!!!!!

If it's not obvious, I'm jumping out of my skin excited about this thing!!!!!!

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Brent Bodrug
Producer-Engineer/Songwriter

www.slyfichapel.com

Hi Triphod (Stephen and Phil) honour yourselves with this award winning tonemachine and give it the name it deserves TRIPHOD, not original but it fits the bill totally. (my opinion of course)
Delete the triwatt name on the faceplate and replace it with custom 203 (good idea Zaphod!)

I allready own a TC15 and S111 and this one is going to be number 3
Thank you Stephen and Phil

I vote for an hour with the copyright lawyer 'cause "TRIWATT" is SOOOO perfect!! I'm not sure it can be outdone...

Triwatt Custom 203

Has a nice ring to it... I think I will buy one!!!

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Brent Bodrug
Producer-Engineer/Songwriter

www.slyfichapel.com

That one's already been taken. IIRC it's something like a 2W or 5W amp - real low power.



Actually, that was Stephen's idea.

Yes, that's what I think but I'm not so sure we can get away with it.

Or to follow the traditional name format it would be more like Custom Triwatt 203.

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Great tones come in small glass jars!

I'm investigating the TRIWATT legal implications.

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Stephen
Web: www.trinityamps.com. Facebook: facebook.com/trinityamps. Twitter: @trinityamps

Hey, that's my name! I'll sue you! I'll sue you all!!!

Actually, the reason I have that name is why I am so excited about this project. I played a 100w Hiwatt 112 combo (that I got for $300 and a TS9 RI) all through high school and for a bit afterwards. It still is my favourite amp of all time, but it was too damn powerful and heavy and after about a 5 year run of not getting open it up fully with my band, I decided that I had to give it up and get something lower wattage.

That became a m@z Jr., which actually has a clean tone closer to a Hiwatt than any lower wattage amp I've ever played. But then I built the Trinity Deluxe kit, and the m@z Jr. stopped getting played and it got traded. The Trinity Deluxe killed it in every way. Now it all comes full circle with a low wattage Hiwatt-based kit coming from Trinity Amps.

Sorry to ramble, but this one has me very excited. I absolutely need clean headroom with my band (right now I'm using a Bumbox Lead 50 that I got in trade for the m@z Jr.). I'm after the 40w version when it is ready. I'm really hopefull that the 40w Triwatt can bump out the Bumbox the same way that my 12w Trinity Deluxe evicted the m@z Jr.

F@$& I ramble sometimes.

Regarding the TRIWATT name..

some legal input..

The Hiwatt trade mark is registered in Canada by a Japanese owner. There does not appear to be a registered Triwatt mark although that doesn't mean that there isn't a common law mark out there some place. The issue is whether there could be confusion between the two marks which use the term "watt" in connection with an electronic amp product - there are other "watt" trade marks registered - I didn't check to see if any were for amps - obviously the more the better as it detracts from the uniqueness of the watt portion of the name.

Normally when you infringe a mark, especially if they are not identical, you get a cease and desist letter and then you comply with it or fight it. Pursuing an infringement is expensive and may require proof of confusion and many people don't want to do it. If you lose you have to account for profits and to my recollection there could be some tripling of the loss

A practical question may be whether the Japanese owner values his mark enough to pay a lawyer to defend it. Generally doesn't become an issue unless there is real money involved.

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Stephen
Web: www.trinityamps.com. Facebook: facebook.com/trinityamps. Twitter: @trinityamps

I say it's worth the risk... at least for Triwatt Custom 203 #2... Ha Ha Ha I would think unless you're selling truckloads of these things (which I believe is certainly possible!!) there wouldn't be a problem... and of course all you have to do at that point is change it, and then the value of the original "lawsuit Triwatts" goes up... win-win for everybody!! LOL!



All right, all right, now that the boring legal stuff is out of the way, let's get back to the TONE...

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Brent Bodrug
Producer-Engineer/Songwriter

www.slyfichapel.com

Well, actually since it's being used on the Trinity site Stephen owns it so he's good to go... Hey wait, that means he owns bgroup too... now I need a new name too...

This legal stuff is getting way too confusing!

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Brent Bodrug
Producer-Engineer/Songwriter

www.slyfichapel.com

and now, back to the TRIWATT Amp...

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Stephen
Web: www.trinityamps.com. Facebook: facebook.com/trinityamps. Twitter: @trinityamps

Yes, but we need to keep these guys' attention diverted to legal issues about the name, while we're busy getting the amp finished.

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Great tones come in small glass jars!

In that case, as much as I want to promote the TRIWATT, wouldn't a regular 50W Hiwatt actually be what you need, maybe like a Hiwatt DR504....?

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Great tones come in small glass jars!