gear...
They're always there, you just don't notice... or is it you don't care to notice?
The Hiwatt amplifier... it showed it's grilled face many a times for more than a decade. Although not yet having decayed, many of these amps were destroyed in various, entertaining ways when Pete and the Who started smashing up their stage equipment... an act that made them famous, among other things. Pete can often be seen with a stack of Hiwatt amps behind him. The most memorable, as pictured in the various pictures on this page, are from the Isle of Wight concert with Pete and his famous signature SG Gibson. Just as he had done with the SG guitar, Pete endorsed the Hiwatt amp.
There were many a amplifiers used by Pete, each with their own special details. Details which can be found on TheWho.net at this page. There were, of course, custom made amps. Some with a simple, modest plate on the front reading "The Who" while other amps came with "WHO" painted on the side of the case in big, block letters.
The Marshall stack. We have John and Pete to thank for such a creation. It was their desire to have the loudest sound that led the Marshall company to create the first 100 watt amp. Although it didn't really drown out the audience, or make them sound any louder than the likes of Keith Moon's drumming, the Marshall amp was a success of it's own kind. Many other artists began using the amp in their shows. Like the Hiwatt amp, there were custom amps made for the Who. Like the ones with grills with the British flag design.
"...We insisted to Marshall that we needed a 100-watt amp. They insisted that it was impossible, but made one anyway. Pete and myself bought the first four." (~ John - Guitar Center interview; June 2002)