Hiwatt Custom 20 Mini Stack

It's all Korean to me!
Hiwatt Custom 20HD Mini Stack is a mini (about 43 inches high)version of the Hiwatt Stacks[head and 2 cabs]
Two Channels, clean and Distorted works off footswitch or button on front.
20 watt Solid State. Loud enough for home or in the studio.
Effects loop, Aux.In, headphone jack, and speakers out (2-8ohm)
My cabs contain 10" Hiwatt speakers.
The "look" is 100% Hiwatt!

It's not suppose to be a Stadium Amp! I don't get the bad reviews here. This amp is everything it states to be! 20 watts of Solid State , trying to sound like it's big brothers but without the tubes!
It does it pretty darn well imho! Mine does have a slight hiss.. reason a 9! But hiss is gone once playing!
Turn all your knobs OFF.. crank your Master to what you wish top volume to be for in-home or studio!
Now start bringing all the other knobs up a little at a time.. My goodness..that worked!
The amp sounds great! Has presence and all.. even from two little 10 inch speakers!
The cleans are just that, Clean! Add some pedals into the clean.. use your distorion pedals up front ,
put your flangers/phasers/chorus/delays/reverb thru the effects loop, thats why its there!
Now tell me this does not sound like an awesome little Home/Studio amp!
I personally use it this way, I don't care much for the distortion channel, although it to can be used.
its just another tonestack..added bonus imho.
I don't know about over the top heavy metal..
But for Blues to Classic rock and Alternative it's all there to be had!
Want a home version of Pink Floyd? Here it is..just add backing tracks and pedals!
Want some WHO? Hit the Distortion and again just add backing tracks and pedals!
Use the Aux in and put some Backing tracks into it..
your not going to keep above a LIVE drummer guys.. it was not designed for that!
Use what you have available.. Backing tracks at a descent Volume!
Gain, fine, treble, mids, bass and master all work together.. use them properly and this amp rocks!
Headphones can be used as private listening or lineout to Computer for direct recording..
what more can you ask for? This is one sweet sounding unit for what "it is"!

I got mine used... it works.. it's solid state? it should continue to work! The Tolex is not thick
Like the BIG Hiwatts..but it's useable if handled with care. Same with the handles and cabs.. just
don't knock it around and it should last!

Hiwatt/Fernandes answered e-mails right away, but I was looking for a manual just to have. Either
written or PDF. They have neither to offer. Short to the point return e-mails. Don't have Sorry.

I have been playing for years now and have gone thru a ton of amps.
This Hiwatt Custom Mini Stack was purchased for looks alone! I was actually going to gut it and
put a little 5 watt tube amp inside. Once I started playing it, that Idea ended! I went by reviews here that
this amp sucks! The reviews imho are mainly wrong! This is a great USED deal on the market! For what it is
A HOME/STUDIO amp! Great looks and sound! Would buy it again in a heartbeat! Great Cleans and takes to pedals
like a tube amp.. Actually, I have a pedal that cost more then this whole mini stack.. together they are
awesome! think of what you really want.. 20 watts is not for gigging or playing "live" but with Backing tracks
and at descent volumes this amp delivers!! Compared to the $3000 version , whats not to like?

My Hd 20 Shorty was made the last year of production.This is a solid state 20w 2cabs w/ 1x10" each, 2channel foot switchable ,effects loop,headphone jack, aux in on front panel and usual controls.
I purchased this as a practice amp. It's not even worthy of that.
Absolutly no power.

I play a PRS 24 Custom with Hfs and Vintage p/u's and a strat with EMG 81/85's.Neither one of my guitars sound good through this amp.I play mostly rock/metal but I love to spend time playing with no distortion to keep my playing versitile and tight.The strange thing about this amp is that you cant switch through the two channels or change volumes without having to be right beside this amp to correct the tone knobs. No matter,it lacks definition any way you set it up.I've heard better tone come from my ass. I didn't expect much from this amp when I bought it but even still I'm very disappointed. I relied on reviews from this site and understood that the 4x5.5 speaker cabs were shit and the 1x10 cabs were OK. NOT SO!!!!!

This amp came to me half wrecked at no fault to the shipping,it's just a piece of shit. The tolex was peeling off of all three pieces and one of the cabs was much louder than the other.I switched them around to make sure it wasn't the amp. I would NOT gig with this, mostly because it has no power also it makes you sound like shit!!!

I was able to get in touch with Fernandes/Hiwatt right away and they offered to fix it but the shipping would have cost me more than it would be worth. They confessed to having problems with the tolex on some of their models.They actualy appologized!!!

I've been playing for 13 years and have owned high and low end gear but next to my peavy classic 50 4x10( long gone ),this is the worst purchase I have ever made.If I thought someone might steel it I would probably turn my back or maybe help them load it up!!!The only thing I like about this amp is the way it looks from far away. Get too close and you can see the poor craftmanship. I wasn't able to compare it to the Marshall firsthand but I read many reviews saying that the Hiwatt was superior. If this is true I feel sorry for the people that own the Marshall. Although I can't see anything being worse than this. I wish I had bought anything other than this but living in Canada its hard to even find stores that stock anything worth buying nevermind to try out. If you buy online DO YOUR RESEARCH and if you have any doubt, don't do it. The only thing I could suggest to the other people that own these is to find a tube amp kit and try to corvert it. Probably not worth the effort???

2004 model featuring 20w solid state with a max power of 40w. It has the typical HIWATT set up in the head. It has enough power to jam with but you arent going to be playin with this little beast in a stadium concert.

This little guy has a wide variety of sounds. You can go from clean to metal with just a few turns of the knobs and push of the buttons. I play mostly stuff like The Who, Beatles, Stones, STP, Soundgarden ect and this is versatile for them all.

Hasent blown up yet. I dont think you can gig with this unless you are miking it into a PA. IT is reliable but who gigs without a backup?

The warranty is for 3 years which is cool

I used to play mainly through fender tube amps and I still love them. I always wanted a HIWATT but the vintage ones are usually pretty pricey. The "new" generation of HIWATT is by no means a slouch

solid state head 2 cabinets.(4) 5.5"/ cab. speakers.Older model,the current unit consits of (1) 10"/ cab.Cool to look at...thats about it.I'll give it a 6,just 'cause it did look cool.

This amp sounds like the dry heaves!Like total shit!Clean and overdriven.Anything above 1/4 volume...forget it!I'm being generous.Mabey the 10" cabinets sound better.(?)

Who would gig with it?Very,very cheaply made!Doesn't really apply.

Never dealt with the company...but,I returned the amp about 30mins after trying it.(yes that is what happens when you don't audition it first)Lesson learned!Exchanged it for a MARSHALL MG 50 DFX.Add $70 bucks.The Hiwatt isn't worth a pimple on a hobo's ass!

Lets put it like this.If the dealer didn't exchange the thing,I would leave it at the end of my driveway for the night!

The new Hiwatt Custom 20 Mini Stack is just what it is described as....a mini version of the hugely popular Hiwatt Stack(ie. head and 2 cabs)!
The amp is a 2 channel monster that pumps out 20 watts solid state...defintiely loud enough for practicing at home or in the studio.
There is also an effects loop, headphone jack, and speaker outs.
The cabs each contain a 10" Hiwatt speaker.
This gear sounds amazing for everything from clean bluesy playing to the most insane rock/metal tones around...think dimebag, zombie, manson!
The sweep knob is the key....TOTAL EQ FROM HELL!!!!
I use the amp to record with all the time and it gets huge sounds both clean and distorted!

If you want nice clean tones and then KILLER monster brutality...then guess what??????

THIS IS THE LITTLE MONSTER TO HAVE!!!!!!!

The custom mini stack always produces the sounds I need and I've never had a problem with it at all!
This amp is not for gigging...although if you use it as a "slave" preamp......totally amazing!

Hiwatt/Fernandes is a 100% hands on customer friendly outfit and are quite easy to get in touch with and talk to....I've dealt with them on a few occasion, to ask questions, not only about Hiwatts, but also about their great sustainer guitars!

I have been playing for many years and have tons of gear....

So the Hiwatt Custom Mini Stack is a definite PLUS to add the arsenal of tones....ewspecially if you're looking for modern crushing tones and beautiful variations on clean to overdriven delightdrive!
I LOVE THIS LITTLE GUY....IT'S A GIANT KILLER IN THE STUDIO!

This amp looks really cool and is definately a conversation peice, but that may be about it.
On top is a head version of the Hiwatt Custom 20, 20W of power with a peak of 40W drives 2 speaker cabs loaded with 4 5-1/2? speakers. Flip a switch to choose clean or distorted tone. Other controls include gain, fine, 3-band tone, and master. Also has an effects loop, send, and footswitch input, and includes an aux in and headphone out.
Only thing lacking here is reverb, but no biggie. Good overall features.

Honestly, this amp sounds good at low volume on the master (less that 3) which is reasonably loud, but after that the amp loses it. The sound just falls apart. The little 5-1/2" speakers don't seem to be the real problem here as most of you are already thinking. I hooked up the speakers to a 50 watt tube head I have and they took it better than I thought they would. Another thing that tipped me of about the head being the real problem was when I took a look inside the head. The power supply has really whimpy sized capacitors. What this means is that when the amp needs to put out a lot of power, the caps are there to prevent any drop-out during a power surge (ie low note runs or power chords), bigger caps are better suited to handle this. They act kinda like a battery. Also I could not get a statisfactory clean sound at a reasonable volume. I used a Les Paul and a Fender Strat to do my testing.

It didn't explode, so thats a plus.
No real way to gauge this as I am returning this to try out a Hughes & Kettner Attax Series Metroverb.

Once again no real comment, only that after the testing I did I don't feel that mine was defective, it was just how the design was done.

You know, I really wish this thing worked out better, but it can't really put out its rated volume in a usable format. My old Fernades FA-15 (coincidently, Fernades now owns Hiwatt!!!) practice amp kicks this amps butt! If you are looking for cool looks, this is it, but if you are looking for tone and volume, you need to look for something else. My final decision is thia, "If I'm gonna own something this big, its gotta sound big!!!"

later,
shaggy