I wish Weber still had the DR103 kit. a DR103 is my ultimate dream amp. Absurdly loud of course, so It'd have to be attenuated significantly, but I suppose a master volume &/or Torpedo/other reactive load box would make that mostly a non issue (I don't get the complaints about master volume controls. sure, its different, but not necessarily in a bad way), and at least then I could still use it as a true, unrestricted DR103 if I ever get a chance to turn it up in the middle of nowhere while I have multiple layers of hearing protection on and stand 1/4 of a mile from the amp, for recording purposes of course
IDK... I'm just a Fripp and Lifeson fanboy, so I want a DR103 really bad.
If only those could be built for a few hundred bucks, instead of like 3 grand
I didn't use a kit, I just made tag boards from scratch (using 3/8" between turrets) and followed the layout. I used Mercury magnetic transformers which cost about $550. They're only a few miles from my house, so even tho they're expensive, after you subtract freight it's actually cheaper for me to buy from them. I also get "the good guy" discount as I've ordered over 30 trannys from them.
I use a Felker tile saw, cooled with water for sawing the G10 epoxy board which REALLY helps keep the intensely nasty smell down, and a drill press for drilling the holes and for pressing in the turrets (referred to as swagging). You can find the layouts on Mark Huss' website.
https://mhuss.com/ just follow the links to his Hiwatt.org site.
And if you have any questions you can ask me. The order in which you put things together is very important, as is in pedals!!!
There was a site, I forget the name, that only sold the chassis. They are gone. But Mojotone.com now has HIWATT Kits!!!!! 50 and 100. Plus they sell the chassis if that's all you want.
My total cost for these ran around $750 close to 20 years ago......
edited: I'm awake now, having had a late breakfast and 20oz of coffee. The Hiwatts do not breakup, at all. You get significant speaker breakup at full volume but the amp is clean. So it's why people call it a pedal amp. As such you really don't need an attenuation device. I routinely play mine at bedroom volume, and it sounds the same as it does at very high volume. I use a 4x10 and a 4x12 together so the amp doesn't breakup the speakers even at high volume.
It's a dream amp. I mulled over making a 100, but this thing PUSHES AIR like crazy, especially with 8 speakers. I dare say that when I crank this puppy outside, no one can hear the drummer, lol.... I was cranking it inside when I was first testing it, and turned it off feeling all cool and proud of my work, turned around and there was broken glass all over the floor. WHAT THE??? I thought, then I looked up and saw the $60 ceiling light had unscrewed itself and fallen to the floor.
Whoops.....
