The Guitar Tone and Mix Thread

Thanks Robus, no I'm not going to record a full-blown cover, too much unnecessary work. My drummer knows it pretty well as we've been playing it live for years, but I wouldn't be able to record him well enough anyway, don't have enough drum mics. And programming them would take a while. Just did this for fun a few weeks back.
 
Marshall Origin 20 watt head: 1 watt setting

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I've had a few days with the new Origin 20 watt head. It's a groovy amp. Not what I really associate with Marshall, but my only first-hand experience is the DSL. This is a vintage style amp that loves clean to edge-of-breakup. It has a really present upper midrange and comes across as brash. It's often described as a bright amp, but it's not really chimy in the way of a Vox. It's more upper midrange bite. It's juicy but needs to be kept in check. The low end breaks up more like a Fender than any Marshall I've played. I like it. A good pedal in front really focuses the amp and gives a nice crunch. I've tried distortion and overdrive but a clean boost does best for me.

There is an interesting control on the front of the amp called "Tilt." It's explained that the control simulates the chaining of two channels on the old Marshalls. But it's a knob, so the effect is variable from nil to full. Turning it up increases the upper midrange bite and drives the preamp harder. Turning it down brings out the lower midrange fatness. It's a subtle control. A little bit goes a long way. It's the key control in defining the attack of notes, in combination with the presence and treble control. It also interacts with the midrange, which likes to be turned up pretty high for any rock tones. The tilt control gives that juicy "smack" sound on the biting edge of classic Marshall crunch. It's pretty awesome.

I have tried it out with every combination of guitar and cabinet I own. It likes the upper midrange juiciness of the Mesa 1x12 with the Vintage 30. It makes the stock Celestion 70/80 in my DSL40c cab sound harsh and cheap. That speaker might be due for replacement with a Creamback. It doesn't care for Celestion Black Shadow in my Mesa 1x12 open back--nor does any amp I own.

Funny thing. It has got switchable power attenuation down to 1 watt. I've been playing it at night on low power setting through a closed back Hughes & Kettner 1x10 with a Chinese Vintage 10 that really is nothing special. My wife is sleeping two rooms away. I'm impressed.

Here's what's up:

1. Doubled rhythm guitars, Gibson SG with P90 style pickups. Left is the Origin on 1 watt setting through a 1x10 cab, close miked with an SM57. Right is the Origin on full power setting through a closed 1x12 with a V30, miked with an SM57 and loud as hell!

2. A guitar solo recorded at 1 watt setting with my wife sleeping two doors down. Les Paul and the HK 1x10 cab with an SM57.

3. The full arrangement.

Origin 20H demo1_Ray Taylor.mp3 - Google Drive
 
View attachment 103810

I've had a few days with the new Origin 20 watt head. It's a groovy amp. Not what I really associate with Marshall, but my only first-hand experience is the DSL. This is a vintage style amp that loves clean to edge-of-breakup. It has a really present upper midrange and comes across as brash. It's often described as a bright amp, but it's not really chimy in the way of a Vox. It's more upper midrange bite. It's juicy but needs to be kept in check. The low end breaks up more like a Fender than any Marshall I've played. I like it. A good pedal in front really focuses the amp and gives a nice crunch. I've tried distortion and overdrive but a clean boost does best for me.

There is an interesting control on the front of the amp called "Tilt." It's explained that the control simulates the chaining of two channels on the old Marshalls. But it's a knob, so the effect is variable from nil to full. Turning it up increases the upper midrange bite and drives the preamp harder. Turning it down brings out the lower midrange fatness. It's a subtle control. A little bit goes a long way. It's the key control in defining the attack of notes, in combination with the presence and treble control. It also interacts with the midrange, which likes to be turned up pretty high for any rock tones. The tilt control gives that juicy "smack" sound on the biting edge of classic Marshall crunch. It's pretty awesome.

I have tried it out with every combination of guitar and cabinet I own. It likes the upper midrange juiciness of the Mesa 1x12 with the Vintage 30. It makes the stock Celestion 70/80 in my DSL40c cab sound harsh and cheap. That speaker might be due for replacement with a Creamback. It doesn't care for Celestion Black Shadow in my Mesa 1x12 open back--nor does any amp I own.

Funny thing. It has got switchable power attenuation down to 1 watt. I've been playing it at night on low power setting through a closed back Hughes & Kettner 1x10 with a Chinese Vintage 10 that really is nothing special. My wife is sleeping two rooms away. I'm impressed.

Here's what's up:

1. Doubled rhythm guitars, Gibson SG with P90 style pickups. Left is the Origin on 1 watt setting through a 1x10 cab, close miked with an SM57. Right is the Origin on full power setting through a closed 1x12 with a V30, miked with an SM57 and loud as hell!

2. A guitar solo recorded at 1 watt setting with my wife sleeping two doors down. Les Paul and the HK 1x10 cab with an SM57.

3. The full arrangement.

Origin 20H demo1_Ray Taylor.mp3 - Google Drive

I like it. Very open and articulate. At times it had also a knofler vibe. Where's the verb coming from ? On board or plugin/processor?
 
I like it. Very open and articulate. At times it had also a knofler vibe. Where's the verb coming from ? On board or plugin/processor?

The ambiance comes from a Strymon Timeline delay and TC Hall of Fame reverb in the loop.
 
Marshall Origin 20 watt head, full power setting

Here is the same arrangement with full power setting, and all of it loud! (Or so I'm told... the speakers are in a different room and I'm monitoring through my studio monitors at a hearing-friendly level).

1. Doubled rhythm guitars. Left is the P90 SG through the Mesa 1x12 with the V30 and an SM57. Right is a Tele through a Mesa 1x12 open back with a Celestion Black Shadow, miked with a Sennheiser e906. There is delay and reverb on the Tele.

2. Guitar solo is the Tele with the neck pickup and Boss Blues Driver in front of the amp, through the V30 cab with the SM57. Delay and reverb in the loop.

Origin 20H demo2_Ray Taylor.mp3 - Google Drive
 
And here is another rhythm track with the Origin 20, this time blended with a Vox AC15 head. Marshall is on the left, Vox on the right. Both are played with the P90 Gibson SG Special into the V30 closed back cab with an SM57.

I've been diming the master volume on the Origin and setting the gain up to noon. Seems to work pretty well. I was going for that edge of breakup sound, almost a crunch. I think the two amps compliment each other, the Vox giving that crispy high and the Origin contributing midrange balls.

Origin 20H demo3_Ray Taylor.mp3 - Google Drive
 
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