The Hiwatt DR504H is a Hiwatt amplifier, currently around $4700. Close alternatives include the Hiwatt DR103H and the Strymon Iridium. It pairs well with the Black Arts Toneworks LSTR Fuzz and the Marshall Guv'nor.
Hiwatt DR504H
Hiwatt · amplifier
The Hiwatt DR504H is the 50-watt head version of the Hiwatt Custom DR504, the mid-power variant of the iconic DR Custom series. Sharing circuit lineage with the famous DR103 100W head, the DR504H delivers the defining Hiwatt character — extraordinary clean headroom, punchy and bright British tube tone, tight low-end — at 50W of output. David Gilmour and Pete Townshend helped establish the DR Custom series as the benchmark for clean British tube amplification power.
What stands out
“The Hiwatt DR504H is the 50-watt head version of the Hiwatt Custom DR504, the mid-power variant of the iconic DR Custom series”
— from the listing
“A preferred choice for blues, classic rock, and clean-based playing styles that want British tube punch at 50W”
— from the community notes
“punchy and bright british tube tone”
— from the listing
“The Hiwatt DR504H is the 50W Custom DR head — a more practical stage wattage than the DR103 100W while retaining the essential Hiwatt DR Custom character”
— from the community notes
“The Hiwatt Custom clean punch, bright top-end, and massive headroom before breakup define the DR504 as much as the DR103”
— from the community notes
- british
- bright
- low end
- clean headroom
- tight
- massive
- stage
- punchy
Good for
- Live
- Studio
Price updated Oct 24, 2026
Genres the Hiwatt DR504H is commonly used in
- Classic Rock
- Blues
- Surf Rock
cited
Inferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
Pedals that stack with the Hiwatt DR504H
Black Arts Toneworks LSTR Fuzz
Black Arts Toneworks
28% matchclean platform takes the driveA clean, high-headroom stage takes on dirt it can't generate by itself. (high headroom → fuzzy)
Black Arts Toneworks LSTR Fuzz leans this high headroom tone toward fuzzy, which it doesn't make on its own
Goes in front of the amp
Marshall Guv'nor
Marshall
27% matchclean platform takes the driveA clean, high-headroom stage takes on dirt it can't generate by itself. (high headroom → mid-forward)
The high headroom tone has headroom to spare — Marshall Guv'nor leans it toward mid-forward to fill it in
Goes in front of the amp
Wampler Plexi Drive
Wampler
27% matchclean platform takes the driveA clean, high-headroom stage takes on dirt it can't generate by itself. (high headroom → crunchy)
Into a high headroom tone, Wampler Plexi Drive brings a pull toward crunchy that's missing
Goes in front of the amp
Origin Effects MAGMA57 Amp Vibrato & Drive
Origin Effects
16% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Origin Effects MAGMA57 Amp Vibrato & Drive is voiced for Marshall-style amps — Hiwatt DR504H gives it exactly that
Goes in front of the amp
Lab Ratz 3D Boum Warming Unit
Lab Ratz 3d
16% matchshapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain.
What Hiwatt DR504H brings here leans toward bright — that's worth building a pairing around
Goes in front of the amp
Binson Echorec Delay
Binson
12% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Keep Binson Echorec Delay in Hiwatt DR504H's effects loop, clear of Hiwatt DR504H's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Sits in the amp's effects loop
Eventide Modulated Delay
Eventide
10% matchsits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.
Run Eventide Modulated Delay in Hiwatt DR504H's effects loop, clear of Hiwatt DR504H's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)
Sits in the amp's effects loop
Friedman BE-OD Deluxe
Friedman
tonal matchGoes in front of the amp
Friedman BE-OD Deluxe's own voicing points at Marshall-style amps, and Hiwatt DR504H delivers it
Cheaper alternatives
Soldano SLO
Soldano
72% similaritySoldano SLO recreates this amp's tone in pedal form
Friedman IR-D
Friedman
72% similarityFriedman IR-D recreates this amp's tone in pedal form
Friedman IR-J Jake E. Lee Preamp
Friedman
72% similarityFriedman IR-J Jake E. Lee Preamp recreates this amp's tone in pedal form
Hiwatt Custom 20/40 'Studio/Stage' Head
Hiwatt
68% similarityShared character: punchy, bright, stage
Hiwatt DR20/0.5 Head
Hiwatt
60% similarityShared character: punch, stage
Orange OR30 Head
Orange
44% similarityShared character: high end, bright, middle
Similar charactersee all similar tone character →
Hiwatt DR103H
Hiwatt
86% similarity“The DR Custom voicing — massive clean headroom, bright and punchy British character, tight low-end — translates at 50W with more natural power tube saturation accessible than the DR103 at the same stage volume.”
Strymon Iridium
Strymon
72% similarityStrymon Iridium recreates this amp's tone in pedal form
Hiwatt Custom DR20H
Hiwatt
66% similarityShared character: pete townshend, punchy, headroom
EVH 5150III LBX II
Evh
52% similarityShared character: punchy
Plush P1000 70's USA All-Tube Amp Head
amplifier
47% similaritySimilar voicing: high headroom, dynamic
Rivera Bonehead
Rivera
45% similarityShared character: headroom, bright, middle
See all alternatives to the Hiwatt DR504H (cheaper + boutique) →
Questions people ask
What are good alternatives to the Hiwatt DR504H?+
The closest matches in character are the Hiwatt DR103H, the Strymon Iridium, the Hiwatt Custom DR20H. Budget picks: Soldano SLO, Friedman IR-D, Friedman IR-J Jake E. Lee Preamp.
What pairs well with the Hiwatt DR504H?+
Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Black Arts Toneworks LSTR Fuzz, Marshall Guv'nor, Wampler Plexi Drive — Black Arts Toneworks LSTR Fuzz leans this high headroom tone toward fuzzy, which it doesn't make on its own.
How much does the Hiwatt DR504H cost?+
Around $4700 (live listing price, updated Oct 24, 2026).