Marshall Origin Heads

[GuitarStv]

Had a chance to play one the other day. These are really, damned nice. Put it into low power mode and a 1x12 for home use, or high power mode and a 4x12 for gigging. They have a lovely classic rock sound. The only thing missing from the amp is reverb though, which is kinda a bummer.

[Demanic]

Re: Marshall Origin Heads

Does it have an effects loop?

Sent from my Alcatel_5044C using Tapatalk

[GuitarStv]

Re: Marshall Origin Heads

Does it have an effects loop?

Sent from my Alcatel_5044C using Tapatalk

Yep.

[Lake Placid Blues]

Re: Marshall Origin Heads

They are a good value. Unlike so many in their price range and wattage range they use EL34s instead of EL84s. I think I would prefer these before a Bassbreaker if I was in the market. The tilt control is a more user friendly way of providing a jumped channels arrangement than the Detail and Body gain knobs of the Vintage Modern.

[Jr_vw2]

Re: Marshall Origin Heads

what does it compare to tonaly?

[GuitarStv]

Re: Marshall Origin Heads

Disclaimer - I typically play and prefer Fender style amps, so can't rattle off vintage Marshall amp names/sounds.

That said, it really sounds like a classic Marshall to me . . . nice cleanish (although not super clean sounds). Very dynamic and uncompressed sounding. Kinda middy, kinda bright (gets less bright at higher volumes), not high gain at all. With an OD pedal in front of the amp as a boost you can easily switch between light/slight breakup and ballsy lead tone, or with the attenuator running you can dime everything and use the pedal to switch between a nice crunch and decent lead gain sounds. If you play blues or classic rock, this is a great amp.

I tried both the 20 and 50 watt heads through a 4x12 with greenbacks, and they both sounded the same to me. The 20 watt one was just quieter.

[NecroPolo]

Re: Marshall Origin Heads

They are amazing on their own right as well as a pedal / preamp workhorses.

I've always been a Marshall guy so I'm biased but also I must admit that apart from the reissuses nothing really impressed me after the DSL. The Origin series did. It kicks major ass I think.

I tested both heads. The raw tone is mid-gainy, somewhere between a JCM800 and a Plexi, rather towards the Plexi side but without dealing with the face melting volume. They feel '70s classic Marshall to me, in a friendly, more flexible package for today.

If I wanted to buy a fresh tube amp, I'd buy one without hesitation. For stage use I'd go with the 50 watter but in a quieter application (reamping / recording) the 20 watter is awesome too as the tone is exactly the same. At least they felt absolutely identical to me.

[Diego]

Re: Marshall Origin Heads

This guy has a great demo on the Origin 50 head:

I want it!

[Empty Pockets]

Re: Marshall Origin Heads

They sound correct but they're very light and feel flimsy. I would be afraid to gig with one.

[lp1987x]

Re: Marshall Origin Heads

I gig regularly with a 20H into either a 2X12 with Greenbacks or a 4X12 with WGS Invaders. As was previously said, it sits kind of between an 800 and a plexi gain-wise when you can turn it up. If you can't turn it up, it has very little gain (like a plexi).

My 20 watter is more than enough, even with our loud drummer. In fact, I use a Bad Cat Unleash 2 to bring the volume down to reasonable levels. If I didn't use an attenuator, I wouldn't be able to turn the amp up past 3 live. I use gain 100% of the time and roll back my guitar volume for cleaner sounds so any perceived lack of headroom from a 20 watter is not a problem for me.

I've owned approximately 15 real Marshalls in my life, from a '68 JTM50 all the way through a DSL100 and almost everything in between. My frustration was always with an inability to turn them up to get the goods. (This was prior to getting the Unleash). I'd always have to resort to using drive pedals, which to me, never sounded as good as the amp turned up. That's not a problem with the Origin. I've toyed with the idea of getting a Studio Vintage 20 but, considering I'm totally happy with my Origin, I don't think I need to spend that kind of money for the SV.

I replace all of the stock tubes with real, Made In Great Britain Mullard 12AX7's and old Siemens EL34's, which warmed the amp up a lot. I run Presence, Treble, and Mids on 10, Bass between 0 and 2, Tilt between 8 and 10, and Master and Gain on 8. With my Les Paul with Pearly Gates, I get really close to KISS Alive tone, which is what I'm going for.

[BloodRose]

Re: Marshall Origin Heads

New guitar One has a review of the Origin. They rate it pretty high. Was surprised by the facts its: tube, el34s and relatively inexpensive for a Marshall. IIRC, they compare it to a JCM45 as far as gain and all..