I nipped into PMT in London after work yesterday because I was ampless, to pick up a few possible ideas, was mainly thinking Orange amps. Tried an OR15 head, which was good, but they sadly didn’t have the TH30 which I really wanted to try with a Jag.
About to leave the shop, realised I’d never given any Marshall amps a chance, and they had an Origin 20 combo in stock. Very impressed. Using a CS Jag, having been used to Fender cleans, Marshall cleans are a different experience, but I really like the grit on them, winding up the gain, still impressed, and it took dirt pedals really well: putting an OD3 in front of it: pure Hendrix. Reverb and delay sounded great in the FX loop. I thought I’d be having another ponder and getting back to them later, but I loved the amp’s simplicity and range of tones from just one channel. Then I saw that another shop were selling them for £364.... and (a bit grudgingly) PMT price-matched them. They knocked £195 off. I think for £364 this amp is an absolute steal for how good it sounds. So I walked out with one. I am ampless no more and very happy. Never thought I’d own a Marshall. Very glad I do now.
Now. Pedals....
Comments
£364 is a bargain!
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I was in Anderton’s yesterday with my partner (she wanted to go for a while and has been nagging me to... she’s a keeper) and made the “mistake” of trying out an Orange TH30... REALLY liked it way prefer the cleans, the dirt channel is huge amounts of fun, my Chase Bliss Brothers will bridge the gap between the 2 channels beautifully if I keep it, the 7W setting is perfect for home use, the FX loop is better... and the TH30 is available for only £499.
Gaahhhh! I think this might be the quickest NAD U-turn in history.
Don’t get me wrong, the Origin amps are great, I just found at higher volumes (even with the tilt and treble dialled Down), which I wasn’t able to test in PMT, that it became really bright-sounding with the Jag. The TH30 cleans were much more balanced-sounding for my guitar.
I use Marshall Guvnors - I & II through mine and it gets very hairy/metally
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