PRS HDRX 50 head
Product information "PRS HDRX 50 head"
Paul Reed Smith had been searching for many years for the magical sound of the Plexi amp that Jimi Hendrix used during his legendary performance at Woodstock. The legendary Woodstock amp delivered an incredible, brilliant tone with insane dynamics. During a visit to the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle, Paul Reed Smith and his buddy, amp designer Doug Sewell, had the opportunity to take a look at one of the original Hendrix tour amps. The result of this research is the PRS HX 50 Head, a 50-watt tube top in Plexi style that is capable of reproducing the magical Woodstock tone. The original amp was heavily modified; it had to be adapted to the American mains voltage and made more reliable for touring. The purist circuitry is based on the old original, with special transformers and pickups ensuring dynamics and power. There are two channels, lead and bass, which can be mixed continuously. The 3-stage bright switch allows you to fine-tune the high frequencies. Like its old role models, the amp is very, very loud – a good power attenuator is the ideal partner for the PRS HX 50 amp.
- Channels: 2
- Country of Origin: USA
- Dimensions (WxHxD): 54,61 x 25,4 x 25,4 cm
- EQ: Bass / mids / treble / presence
- Housing size: Medium Size
- Impedance: 4/8/16 ohms
- Inserts: no, according to Vintage Specs
- Power: 50 W
- Power Amp Valves: 2x EL34
- Power Range: 31 - 50 W
- Pre Amp Valves: 3x ECC803S
- Technology: Valve
- Weight: 10,52 kg
PRS Guitars sets its own standards when it comes to electric guitars. At session you'll find not only the high-class PRS Custom Shop guitars but also mid-range models and PRS electric basses. At NAMM 2016 PRS looked to the past and reintroduced CE 24 models to the main range after many years, featuring bolt-on and maple necks — an interesting alternative to the traditional construction. Later, a hugely successful instrument emerged through the collaboration with John Mayer: the Silver Sky series, which was initially expanded with more colours and later complemented by the more affordable SE series.
Through a great passion for guitar making and meticulous research and optimisation of his models, founder Paul Reed Smith has been creating instruments for over 40 years that are rightly regarded as true works of art. Not only guitar legends like Carlos Santana play the high-quality PRS guitars from the Standard line, the exclusive Private Stock or the more affordable SE production.
Paul Reed Smith makes a name for himself
Officially the American guitar maker PRS Guitars was founded in 1985, but founder and namesake Paul Reed Smith has been active in guitar making since around 1975. By giving his guitars to stars like Carlos Santana, Al Di Meola and Peter Frampton and convincing them directly, his instruments became increasingly well known. In 1985 serial production of the Custom 24 began. With former Gibson president Ted McCarty as an experienced advisor, Paul Reed Smith set the course for success for the guitars with the characteristic bird inlays on the fretboard.
Every guitar a Custom Shop model
PRS guitars are generally positioned at the higher price points due to high-quality materials and careful workmanship. Since the 1990s there has also been the SE line, manufactured in Korea, which despite more affordable materials still competes at a high quality level. The S2 series forms a bridge: the instruments are made in the USA but remain relatively affordable.
PRS refers to all its instruments as Custom Shop instruments because of the high quality and the options for customisation, but with the Private Stock instruments the company goes one step further and sets real benchmarks in terms of materials, quality, originality and individuality. One thing all PRS guitars have in common: they are true workhorses with great versatility and they look outrageously good. This is also evident from the countless endorsers who swear by their PRS, as well as the numerous signature models from artists like John Mayer, Carlos Santana, Orianthi, Mark Tremonti and Chad Kroeger.
