Curious, what's your amplifier of choice?

[László]

I considered the HXDA 20 head for a bit. I love Hendrix type clean and overdriven tones in general (not so much the fuzz type stuff) but yeah, I thought PRS's take on a Marshall era of sound was very interesting!

PRS' nomenclature can be confusing.

The HXDA is actually a clone of Duane Allman's actual "Live at the Fillmore" amp. There were 100, 50 and 30 Watt versions, all with EL34s. It's different from the current HRDX model.

The backstory is that when the Allman Brothers were still touring, they endorsed PRS amps, and knew where Duane's old amp was, hence the "DA". They let PRS take it apart and clone it.

The "HX" part was because PRS got hold of one of Eric Johnson's Superlead Plexis that was a Hendrix style amp, and upon taking it apart, discovered that it was the same circuit as Allman's Superbasswith only a few different parts.

So they added three switches that let you progressively go from one to the other. Makes the amp even more versatile, as you might imagine.

The HXDA is different from the HDRX amp, which is based on a clone of one of Jimi's Plexis that was modded by a guy in LA.

The HXDA was one of PRS' handwired CAD amps; the HDRX amps are circuit board amps, and have a different feel. Not that there's a thing wrong with circuit board amps, I have a couple I love, but there are a few minor differences in how they sound v handwired .

Of course, one person's "minor differences" is another person's "I can't live without those tiny differences."

Guilty as charged, your honor.

 

[László]

Les ...You have the cleanest , coolest room .. .

I'm obviously very OCD, but take away the Pottery Barn nicknacks and gear that distracts the eye, and you'll see the reason I call it Studio Craptastic!

There was already a finished basement when we moved in, and all I did was replace the original worn out carpet with plain office carpeting, have it painted, have a laminate inset made in the floor near the workstation so my chair can roll around easily, and have a company install a better ceiling grid than what was already there, with heavy acoustical ceiling tiles. I did invest in excellent acoustical wall panels, though.

I hate grid ceilings, but I didn't want to go through another studio construction project, and the room sounded pretty good. All I had to do was get a bunch of acoustical treatment to make it sound just about perfect for my needs. But the bones of the room are still crap.

Everything deserves an upgrade, from flooring to walls to ceiling. The basement was dug deep enough for a ten foot ceiling, and that would really open up the sound for live recording, if I could get it together to move everything out of the room, and have someone good come in and do it.

I just haven't had the energy. Seems every time I decide to get going on it, a project comes in the door, or something else comes up with the health situation, and I can't seem to get off the dime.

Excuses, I know, but at least it sounds good in there.

For me it is what fits the gig . For electric I bring my 30+ yr old Mesa Studio 22+ , for acoustic depending on which instrument it's usually the Fender Acoustic 100 . The Steve Fischers like the Mesa Rosette better or need a para EQ.

I don't gig my PRS amps due to size and value. For Bass , I have a Mesa 800w with thier 2x15 , or a DSM &Humbolt bass station DI

You have a great looking room with those PRS amps, and I'd guess it sounds good, too. I don't blame you for not gigging the PRS amps, They're pretty hard to replace at this point, too. Plus the Studio 22+ is a cool amp, and seems like it'd do great in a live rig.

 

[BrianC]

Friedman, Marshall.....Helix

 

[El Fenix]

Suhr SL67

Has a variac mode built in.

 

[aamefford]

Currently Mesa MKv25 and a Kemper Stage with a powered Kab.

 

[AP515]

I'd love to see a pic of yours. That sounds like it'd look really sweet. It's hard to see in that iPhone pic; mine is the ostrich leather. They didn't have a tan alligator leather choice when I ordered it; that would have been very tempting!

Ok, Here's mine.

And here is the top showing the alligator leather.

I'm between music rooms since the remodel so the surroundings are much less than yours. I have a plan for the new room though.

 

[László]

Ok, Here's mine.

And here is the top showing the alligator leather.

I'm between music rooms since the remodel so the surroundings are much less than yours. I have a plan for the new room though.

That is a very cool looking amp!

Mine’s very similar, a few details are different, but the same overall concept as yours. You can see the ostrich quill bumps better in this pic.

Edit: Couldn’t live with the blurry old iPhone pic from years ago, took a different one today..

I got mine because my son toured with them when his band, Partybaby, was on the road. He still uses them in shows with The Academy Is and 30 Seconds to Mars; I think he gets a great rock tone. You can hear the amps cranked nicely in this video they did for Warner Records a 5-6 years ago.

The blue Lone Stars for both my son, who sings and plays, and the lead player, Noah - who's an absolutely great guy, and was in Portugal The Man before forming Partybaby with Jamie, are the only amps miked.

I guess the Marshall cabs were for atmosphere!

 

[AP515]

I like your grill better, I like my leather better. They are both pretty cool.

 

[László]

I like your grill better, I like my leather better. They are both pretty cool.

I'd take either one and never complain!

 

[SteveGlitch]

PRS' nomenclature can be confusing.

The HXDA is actually a clone of Duane Allman's actual "Live at the Fillmore" amp. There were 100, 50 and 30 Watt versions, all with EL34s. It's different from the current HRDX model.

The backstory is that when the Allman Brothers were still touring, they endorsed PRS amps, and knew where Duane's old amp was, hence the "DA". They let PRS take it apart and clone it.

The "HX" part was because PRS got hold of one of Eric Johnson's Superlead Plexis that was a Hendrix style amp, and upon taking it apart, discovered that it was the same circuit as Allman's Superbasswith only a few different parts.

So they added three switches that let you progressively go from one to the other. Makes the amp even more versatile, as you might imagine.

The HXDA is different from the HDRX amp, which is based on a clone of one of Jimi's Plexis that was modded by a guy in LA.

The HXDA was one of PRS' handwired CAD amps; the HDRX amps are circuit board amps, and have a different feel. Not that there's a thing wrong with circuit board amps, I have a couple I love, but there are a few minor differences in how they sound v handwired .

Of course, one person's "minor differences" is another person's "I can't live without those tiny differences."

Guilty as charged, your honor.

Ahhhh okay!

Thanks for that! I'll check out the HXDA 30, I'm actually looking for a good 3rd amp (got a main and a backup but now think it's time for an oddball/wildcard and that would complete my main "lightweight" amp rig).

 

[Rider1260]

Mesa MKV 90 , PRS HDRX 20 , two completely different amps but great fun in different ways.
I would like a 3rd amp again leaning toward a Friedman Little Sister

 

[Bogner]

All Of Them!

 

[aamefford]

All Of Them!

 

[ViperDoc]

For about 4 years, I used a modded Tweed Deluxe that I built as a pedal platform, feeding all effects into the input. It was a great way to run it, simple, easy to set up, and it sounded awesome. I also used a Carr Telstar with its onboard spring reverb (just awesome).

 

[SteveGlitch]

For about 4 years, I used a modded Tweed Deluxe that I built as a pedal platform, feeding all effects into the input. It was a great way to run it, simple, easy to set up, and it sounded awesome. I also used a Carr Telstar with its onboard spring reverb (just awesome).

Was the mod to make it have more headroom?

 

[Tony M.]

1- 1964 Fender BF deluxe non reverb.
2- Supro Comet with a Jensen P10Q upgrade.

 

[Simon Says]

They’re all connected to an amp and cab switcher so any amp can play through any cab at the flick of a switch or via MIDI. Lots of different combinations can be switched on the fly when recording under tight deadlines. It's a pretty slick rig that way.

What amp switcher do you use, Les?

 

[Simon Says]

PCB should never be considered to be a bad word. It can many times mean higher quality and less noise. Josh Scott, JHS Pedals, had a video where he discussed this. He said that the PCB versions of his pedals sound exactly the same as the hand wired versions and they didn't have the noise issues that the hand wired versions have. PCB is just a different way of running from one point to another in a more efficient manner.

The real difference is the design. For example, the Fender Hot Rod Deluxe is a great amp. I have one. (I have more amps than I need.) The design on the amp has some weak spots. There are a few components that get hot when the amp is used and they mounted them right down on the PCB. That causes them to burn the board over time and that eventually causes some traces to stop working. You can fix it by replacing those components and mounting them higher, off of the board, before any damage is done. It can still be fixed after a board is burned but it can be a PITA to fix if you have to start cutting traces and splicing wire into them.

I 100% agree. One disadvantage of the PCB is; it its often tricky to service. Back in the early 2000s, I made lots of money by fixing EHX pedals. Usually, simple fixes like corroded wire or user-inflicted crap like adjusting internal trimmers. One thing I noted was that the traces and pads on EHX pedals were lifting even if you looked at it funny. But as long as the traces are thick and the board is quality made, there are no issues

 

[Simon Says]

Hmm, as far as tube amps go my favorites over the years are either Rivera or Bad Cat. I used Rivera from 1990 to about 2015, then I got into Bad Cat in 2018.

With Rivera I used the M60, M100 and S120. I was super blessed that Paul Jr sold me a variety of empty cabs - (2) empty head shells, 1x12 combo box, 2x10, (2) 1x12s and a 4x12. All I would need to do was swap chassis' into what I needed for the gig.

I'm such a Rivera slut. I used to melt in my early guitar years looking at R series amps in the catalogues. I had an M60 before I bought Fillmore. Amazing amp, but noisy, like a motherfucker. It could be age-related; I never cared about changing these crusty filtering caps in the PSU

 

[markd21]

I'm such a Rivera slut. I used to melt in my early guitar years looking at R series amps in the catalogues. I had an M60 before I bought Fillmore. Amazing amp, but noisy, like a motherfucker. It could be age-related; I never cared about changing these crusty filtering caps in the PSU

A noisy M60?!? LOL, yeah....as mine got older they began having weird issues. Especially using the built in reverb. The reverb was always "bad" from the first new amp I bought in '90. I paid $1899 for an M100 head in 1990. Turned on the reverb and it had a built in "feedback" on the high-end. Rest of the amp killed, so I removed the reverb cables from the chassis and rocked out.

The M60 1x12 did the same.

The S120 head did the same.

Kinda pissed me off, but the amps gave me EVERYTHING else I wanted tonally. I mostly play dry, so the lack of reverb didn't bother me.