The Hiwatt Hi-Gain 100W Head is a Hiwatt amplifier, currently around $1407.11. Close alternatives include the Strymon Iridium and the Two-Rock Bloomfield Drive 6L6 100W Head. It pairs well with the Marshall Guv'nor and the Browne Amplification Gritador.

Hiwatt Hi-Gain 100W Head

Hiwatt · amplifier

The Hiwatt Hi-Gain 100W Head is a 100-watt high-gain all-tube guitar amplifier head from Hiwatt, expanding beyond the brand traditional clean Custom DR character into medium-to-high gain territory. While Hiwatt is most famous for extraordinary clean headroom, the Hi-Gain series provides saturation and overdrive capabilities for players who want Hiwatt construction quality and power in a gain-capable platform. At 100W the Hi-Gain head provides commanding stage authority.

What stands out

  • “100W output provides commanding stage authority and headroom even at high gain”

    — from the reviews

  • “While Hiwatt is most famous for extraordinary clean headroom, the Hi-Gain series provides saturation and overdrive capabilities for players who want Hiwatt construction quality and power in a gain-capable platform”

    — from the listing

  • “A serious, powerful gain-capable head for players who want Hiwatt build quality in an aggressive gain format”

    — from the reviews

  • “at 100w the hi-gain head provides commanding stage authority”

    — from the listing

  • “The Hiwatt Hi-Gain 100W Head is chosen by players who want Hiwatt construction quality and 100W output power in a gain-capable amp”

    — from the community notes

  • high gain
  • platform
  • clean headroom
  • gain
  • stage
  • aggressive
  • rock
  • hi gain series

Good for

  • Live
$1407.11View on Reverb

Price updated Oct 23, 2026

Genres the Hiwatt Hi-Gain 100W Head is commonly used in

  • Rock
  • Metal
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Hard Rock
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.
  • Alternative
    citedInferred from shared tonal signals, not a stated genre tag.

Pedals that stack with the Hiwatt Hi-Gain 100W Head

Marshall Guv'nor

Marshall

26% match
$106via Reverb

clean 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

Browne Amplification Gritador

Browne Amplification

24% match
$219via Reverb

clean platform takes the driveA clean, high-headroom stage takes on dirt it can't generate by itself. (high headroom → mid-forward)

Run Browne Amplification Gritador into that high headroom platform and it finally leans toward mid-forward

Goes in front of the amp

Catalinbread RAH

Catalinbread

24% match
$159.99via Reverb

clean platform takes the driveA clean, high-headroom stage takes on dirt it can't generate by itself. (high headroom → mid-forward)

Into a high headroom tone, Catalinbread RAH brings a pull toward mid-forward that's missing

Goes in front of the amp

Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble

pedal

15% match
$570via Reverb

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Keep Hiwatt Hi-Gain 100W Head's high gain voice out front: Boss CE-1 Chorus Ensemble goes after Hiwatt Hi-Gain 100W Head in the signal chain so its lush voice doesn't muddy it

Goes in front of the amp

Universal Audio 1176 Compressor

Universal Audio

14% match
$129via Reverb

shapes the dynamic responseShapes how the tone responds to picking dynamics rather than its frequency or gain. (high headroom → compressed)

What Universal Audio 1176 Compressor brings here leans toward compressed — that's worth building a pairing around

Goes in front of the amp

Keeley Halo

Keeley

10% match

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Put Keeley Halo in Hiwatt Hi-Gain 100W Head's effects loop, clear of Hiwatt Hi-Gain 100W Head's own gain stage — goes in the amp's FX loop (or last, into a clean amp)

Sits in the amp's effects loop

TC Electronic Alter Ego V2 Vintage Echo

TC Electronic

10% match

sits in the right chain slotPlaced for where it does its job cleanly in the chain, not for a tonal interaction with the anchor.

Keep Hiwatt Hi-Gain 100W Head's high gain voice out front: TC Electronic Alter Ego V2 Vintage Echo goes in Hiwatt Hi-Gain 100W Head's effects loop so its pristine voice doesn't muddy it — 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 match
$229.49via Reverb

Goes in front of the amp

Friedman BE-OD Deluxe's own voicing points at Marshall-style amps, and Hiwatt Hi-Gain 100W Head delivers it

Cheaper alternatives

Friedman IR-J Jake E. Lee Preamp

Friedman

72% similarity
$499via Reverb

Friedman IR-J Jake E. Lee Preamp recreates this amp's tone in pedal form

Friedman IR-D

Friedman

72% similarity
$377.94via Reverb

Friedman IR-D recreates this amp's tone in pedal form

Soldano SLO

Soldano

72% similarity
$119.99via Reverb

Soldano SLO recreates this amp's tone in pedal form

EVH 010

Evh

55% similarity
$469.99via Reverb

Shared character: aggressive playing, high gain settings, stage

Revv Generator G20 20-Watt 2-Channel Tube Head

Revv

54% similarity
$1199via Reverb

Shared character: high gain settings

Fender Twin Reverb Head

amplifier

41% similarity
$639.06via Reverb

Shared character: gain

Boutique & premium upgrades

Two-Rock Silver Sterling Signature 150W Head

Two-Rock

55% similarity
$6873.36via Reverb

Shared character: gain, stage

Hiwatt High Tube 100 Head

Hiwatt

49% similarity
$1899.60via Reverb

Shared character: stage

Two-Rock Classic Reverb 100W Head

Two-Rock

90% similarity
$5299via Reverb

similar tone character

Mesa Boogie Triple Crown TC-100 Head

Mesa Boogie

89% similarity
$2999via Reverb

similar tone character

Amplified Nation Six String Sustain 50W Head

Amplified Nation

89% similarity
$4399via Reverb

similar tone character

Similar charactersee all similar tone character →

Strymon Iridium

Strymon

72% similarity

Strymon Iridium recreates this amp's tone in pedal form

Two-Rock Bloomfield Drive 6L6 100W Head

Two-Rock

57% similarity

Shared character: gain, high gain settings, stage

PRS MT100

PRS

54% similarity
$1329.26via Reverb

Shared character: high gain settings, stage

Hiwatt DR88 88W Head

Hiwatt

50% similarity

Shared character: stage

Orange Rockerverb 50H

Orange

49% similarity

Shared character: aggressive playing, high gain settings, stage

Milkman 85W Pedal Steel Amplifier

Milkman

48% similarity

Shared character: stage

See all alternatives to the Hiwatt Hi-Gain 100W Head (cheaper + boutique) →

Questions people ask

What are good alternatives to the Hiwatt Hi-Gain 100W Head?+

The closest matches in character are the Strymon Iridium, the Two-Rock Bloomfield Drive 6L6 100W Head, the PRS MT100. Budget picks: Friedman IR-J Jake E. Lee Preamp, Friedman IR-D, Soldano SLO. Boutique upgrades: Two-Rock Silver Sterling Signature 150W Head, Hiwatt High Tube 100 Head, Two-Rock Classic Reverb 100W Head.

What pairs well with the Hiwatt Hi-Gain 100W Head?+

Strong matches from rig and tone-complementarity evidence: Marshall Guv'nor, Browne Amplification Gritador, Catalinbread RAH — The high headroom tone has headroom to spare — Marshall Guv'nor leans it toward mid-forward to fill it in.

How much does the Hiwatt Hi-Gain 100W Head cost?+

Around $1407.11 (live listing price, updated Oct 23, 2026).

Compare

Related searches