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Hiwatt Custom Super-Hi 50

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Page last updated Apr 22, 2026

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Description

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Welcome to Hiwatt’s ‘Next Generation’ amplifier, the CUSTOM SUPER-HI Building on the Legendary DR504 circuit, this is a Hiwatt modded for extreme Hi-Gain like no other by esteemed amp guru, Mike Fortin. Three and four cascasing gain stages (foot switchable) take full advantage of traditional Hiwatt punch delivering an impressively wide soundscape with unmatched depth, tightness, clarity and control. The SUPER-HI has classic Hiwatt at its core and offers rich and focused delivery that is especially suited for drop tunings. Add in an Effects Loop, foot-switchable Dual Gains and Dual Master Volumes plus foot-switchable fourth tube gain stage, this amp allows the most demanding Guitarists the ability to shape the sounds and carve the exact gain and tone they are searching for – Hiwatt’s CUSTOM SUPER HI 50 is a full-on Fortin Face Melt.

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TONE WARS

Fortin Hiwatt Custom Super Hi 50 Demo

TONE WARS

Hiwatt SUPER-HI 50 Head | Review | Guitar Interactive

Guitar Interactive Magazine

Custom Super-Hi 50

HiwattOfficial

Hiwatt Custom Super Hi-50 Super Tight High Gain Amp! Summer NAMM 2019 (Mike Fortin designed)

Angry Tones Riff Clips

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Owner Insights

We analyzed real musician discussions from forums and Reddit to find what players love, question, and tweak about Hiwatt Custom Super-Hi 50.

Features and functionality

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The Custom Super-Hi 50 is a high-gain version of the DR504, designed by Mike Fortin, emphasizing its unique tonal characteristics for enthusiasts seeking aggressive sounds.
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The DR504 is praised for its exceptional power, often described as louder than many 100-watt amps, making it ideal for large venues.
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The bias on vintage Hiwatts is not adjustable due to the original design catering to Mullard tubes, a concern for those preferring adjustable bias for modern tube replacements.
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Build quality

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The current Hiwatt handwired models have brought back the quality of original Partridge transformer specs, enhancing build authenticity and sound fidelity.
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Modern Hiwatt models strive to replicate the handwired construction of their predecessors, offering a genuine reissue experience unlike some PCB-based reissues.
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Comparisons

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The Custom 20 offers a clean tone with a chime quality distinct from the DR20, appealing to players seeking a more sparkling clean sound.
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Current Hiwatt amps, since their 2018 relaunch, are compared with Reeves Amplification and Hi-Tone, with the latter having a longer history in cloning vintage Hiwatt models.
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Compared to a Marshall DSL20, the Custom 50 maintains tonal richness at low volumes without needing power tube saturation.
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The Hiwatt Custom amps are likened to Twin Reverbs and Jim Kelley amps for their powerful clean tones but differ from the crunchy, compressed sound of Vox AC15/30 amps.
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The sound signature of Hiwatt amps is heavily influenced by vintage Fane speakers, which are praised for contributing significantly to their distinctive tonal quality.
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User experience

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The DR20/0.5 features a built-in linked input for blending channels, a mod inspired by David Gilmour's amps, enhancing versatility for tone shaping.
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Owners report that the amp remains big and full-sounding even at low volumes, especially when using the Normal and Bright volume controls effectively.
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Use cases and applications

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The Hiwatt Custom Super-Hi 50's immense headroom makes it unsuitable for edge-of-breakup tones without using a transparent overdrive pedal.
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The Hiwatt Custom Super-Hi 50 excels in creating explosive and dynamic overdrives when fully cranked, appealing to those seeking intense sound dynamics.
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Setup and maintenance

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Some users utilize a Suhr reactive load and Ox Stomp for cab modeling during recording, highlighting its versatility in studio settings.
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Critic Reviews

Hiwatt SUPER-HI 50 Head | Review - Guitar Interactive Magazine

guitarinteractivemagazine.com

A high-gain powerhouse, the Hiwatt Super-Hi 50 delivers ferocious distortion with impressive clarity and punch. Designed by Mike Fortin, this amp excels in aggressive riffing and searing solos, making it a dream for metal enthusiasts. However, it’s not for the faint-hearted; its "dirty and also dirty" channels lack distinct clean tones, and players seeking versatility will need to look elsewhere. Priced as a premium option, it shines best with the matching cab, but be ready to invest. For those who crave sheer high gain, it’s a must-try!

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Josh Elmore

Guitarist

Cattle Decapitation

Verified via YouTube

Producer Dave Otero talks about the new amp Josh got for the newest Cattle album in this video. "Josh had recently picked up a Custom Hi-Watt Super-Hi 50, Josh tends to gravitate more towards gear that other people aren't using or playing, maybe in effort to find a unique tone, or maybe just because he's a punk rock mother fucker, but reguardless you don't see anyone else in extreme metal playing one of these amps, some of that is 'cause it's new, some of that is because it's pretty crazy expensive...The Super Hi-50 is based on a traditional Hi-watt amp design, but with a mod by Mike Fortin which gives it that extra gain boost and brings it into that more metal arena. It has four gain stages with a boost on, which we had the boost on for all of te rythms, and it is an extremely percussive and tight sounding amp, we didn't use an tubescreamer any kind of boost up front, just guitar straight into the head, and it had as much punch, and clairty, and definition as you could possibly want out of an amp."

Belisario Dimuzio

Guitarist

Cattle Decapitation

Verified via YouTube

In Dave Otero's video titled "CATTLE DECAPITATION Guitar Recording Gear," it is demonstrated that Belisario Dimuzio runs through Josh Elmore's Hiwatt Custom Super-Hi 50 amplifier during the guitar recording process for the album "Death Atlas." Both Dimuzio and Josh Elmore are shown running through this amplifier, which is also used in the recording of "Terasite," as seen in the "Making of Terasite" video.