I cut the gain to 1/2 [5] on the HBE, pushed it with a ZW-44 set at 1/3rd open, thru a Les Paul with the pup selector in the middle, neck volume about [4], bridge all the way, big fat sound.
I slightly roll back the tone knobs on the Les Paul & ZW-44.
Mostly your hearing the rightous voicing of Dave Friedman's HBE circuit, hard to beat, when you back off the gain and hit it with a pedal the tone just POPS OUT OF THE SPEAKERS!!!!
Pickups are Seymours SH-5 Duncan Custom [brdg] & 59' [neck], speakers are G12M 25 watt Blackbacks.
If these settings are too brite you can always roll off the Presence.