HDRX 20 questions

[bigben55]

First post here. I've had an HDRX 20 now for about 3 months. I run it into a small 1×12 open back cab loaded with a Scumback H55 speaker. I play blues and rock, mainly with strats and teles. I have 3 other amps and a ton on pedals.

My question to HDRX 20 owners, do you crank it into overdrive and ride the guitar volume knob for cleans? Or do you set it clean or mostly clean and use pedals? Since I have other 'clean pedal platform amps" I figured let the "plexi type" do what it does best, crank it! It does sound good that way. I've pushed it with several drive pedals, and that works well. But recently, I've been setting it at that edge of overdrive and relying on pedals for dirty tones. That too sounds great with a bunch of different pedals.

How do YOU all run it? On one hand, plexi types are known for their dirty tones. Not running it dirty seems like I'm not letting it reach its potential. Like, why get a plexi type amp if you don't let it sing? OTOH, either pushing it into overdrive with a Klon or SD-1, or just letting a Wampler Plexi Drive Mini provide the overdrive all gets the job done and sound really good too. I "get" all the cliches: use your ears, if it sounds good it IS good, etc. I'd like to hear how YOU all run this amp. Thx

 

[Lewguitar]

On its own, the HDRX 20 doesn't get saturated overdrive tones like Santana gets from his Boogie.

But it loves pedals and mine especially likes Klons, the Hot Cake, and the Dover Drive pedal Eric Johnson helped develop.

I rarely have the master volume up passed about 1/2 and i set my amp up for a cleanish rock tone.

I blend the bright and bass channels like bass and treble controls. They are never lower than 2 or 3.

I use them to set my overall treble and bass as well as volume. Jumping channels is an old Marshall trick and it's already wired into the amp with the HDRX 20.

I love this rig, and it gets great rock clean and semi clean tones

But my overdrive tones all come from pedals.

On my small board are two Rockett Jeff Beck Klon clones.

Same pedal Jeff Beck used after he stopped gigging with his Klon Centaur.

I use one as a clean boost and one as an overdrive, and often use them together.

The HDRX 20 also benefits from some delay and reverb and the Keeley Halo and TC Hall of Fame II are what I have on my small board in the photo.

I have a Celestion Heritage Made In the UK G12H30 75 HZ speaker in the 1:12 Matchless cab.

It's an open back.

https://imgur.com/6doR6lP

 

[Rider1260]

Run mine mostly clean ( depends on the pickups of the guitar) and hit it with a combo of Line 6 HXFX , a Nux Horseman and a PRS Horsemeat pedal Run mine into a Closed back 1x12 ( mostly ) think its a Creamback in there.

 

[bigben55]

Thx. I'm kinda thinking I like it better with pedals. No surprise, I have 3 pedalboards! Today, with a strat, I had the MV at 4, with both channel volumes at 6 so it was loud and not exactly clean. Cleanish, but dynamic via pick attack. Played 9 dirt pedals thru it: Wampler Plexi Drive Mini, MXR Timmy, and Dunlop Jimi Hrndrix Fuzz Face mini were my favorites. But if I crank the volumes upping the amp gain, I actually prefer the lowly Boss SD-1 as a lead boost.

I need another reverb pedal though. If im gonna use pedals for dirt, I can make a reverb work. It's like all plexi amps that one cranks and rides the gtr vol for clean/Crunch.....reverb pedals suck with that set up. It's either not enough verb with the gtr vol rolled back or way too much with it at 10.

 

[Lewguitar]

Thx. I'm kinda thinking I like it better with pedals.

I think Doug Sewell designed it to be used with pedals driving the front end of the amp.

The right pedals kind of "complete" the amp.

 

[Lewguitar]

Thx. I'm kinda thinking I like it better with pedals. No surprise, I have 3 pedalboards! Today, with a strat, I had the MV at 4, with both channel volumes at 6 so it was loud and not exactly clean. Cleanish, but dynamic via pick attack. Played 9 dirt pedals thru it: Wampler Plexi Drive Mini, MXR Timmy, and Dunlop Jimi Hrndrix Fuzz Face mini were my favorites. But if I crank the volumes upping the amp gain, I actually prefer the lowly Boss SD-1 as a lead boost.

I need another reverb pedal though. If im gonna use pedals for dirt, I can make a reverb work. It's like all plexi amps that one cranks and rides the gtr vol for clean/Crunch.....reverb pedals suck with that set up. It's either not enough verb with the gtr vol rolled back or way too much with it at 10.

A nice simple pedalboard with overdrive, delay and reverb, COMPLETES this amp.

For me, it would be INCOMPLETE with no pedals in front. I couldn't use it.

But with pedals it's become my #1 go to amp.

I think the intention of this amp's designer, Doug Sewell, is that it be used with pedals in front.