Did you have a good Christmas and New Year?
I did: I spent a lot of time with my old Marshal Origin 20H amp and the Wampler tcd drive pedal. Great-sounding combination.
And that got me thinking about what I want to cover in my long-term review of the Marshall Origin 20H, and why I still want to write about this amp at all after nearly 8 years of owning it.
Table of Contents
- Background
- Motivations
- Questions For The Long-Term Review
- Questions That I’m (Probably) Not Going To Cover
- Turning It All Into A Plan
- Final Thoughts
Background
I’ve owned a Marshall Origin 20H amp head since they first hit the shops back in 2018.
These were a big deal when they first came out. Not only were they one of the first 20W amp heads that Marshall made (along with the Marshall DSL 20HR), they were also the first truly affordable vintage-voiced Marshall amp.
Back then, if you wanted the sound of the plexi or JTM45 era with the Marshall logo on the front, you either had to get a second-hand vintage amp, or pony up for one of Marshall’s full-size reissue amps (which came with a price tag to match).
Today, that’s no longer the case. Marshall now has you covered, with a choice of the Marshall ST20H Studio JTM and Marshall SV20H Studio Vintage. If budget allows, either of these amps is going to be the better choice if you’re chasing those specific guitar tones.
So what’s the point of writing about the Marshall Origin 20H in 2026?
Motivations
Motivation #1: The Origin Line Is Still Relevant Today
Despite the launch of the Studio series, Marshall never phased out the Origin line. Marshall still makes them today, and even featured the Origin 20H on their YouTube channel recently.
Along with the Marshall DSL 20HR) they’re still extremely affordable for a valve amp. Even before allowing for inflation, shops are selling them for less than they cost when I bought mine. Once you take inflation into account, they’re often less than half the price (if you pick one up in a sale).
If you can’t (or won’t) pay brand-new prices, here in the UK the Marshall Origin 20H is always cropping up on the second-hand market for even lower prices. It’s not unusual to see them listed for below £300.
Motivation #2: How Has My Take On The Amp Changed Since 2018?
If you’re searching online for reviews of the Marshall Origin 20H, you’re very likely to come across my old blog posts. I was a very vocal supporter of this amp online, both here on the blog and across the forums that I was active in at the time.
Here in 2026, are my 2018 opinions of this amp still accurate? Marshall has changed what they say about this amp since it was first introduced. I imagine that I will too?
The best way for me to figure that out is to put in the work required for my long-term review.
Motivation #3: Do I Still Have A Use For This Amp?
I stopped using my Marshal Origin 20H a few years ago. I moved on to other pedal platform amps, and eventually switched to the Axe-FX 3.
And now I’m (kinda) looking to move back. Sort of.
For 2026, I’m looking to incorporate affordable amps into my audio demos. I’ve already picked up a Blackstar Debut 100RH, but that’s a solid state amp. Some readers will definitely prefer it if I also use an affordable valve amp. And Marshall makes two of the most affordable valve amps currently out there: the Origin 20H and DSL 20HR.
(It’s kinda mad how no-one seems to make an affordable blackface-voiced valve amp head right now …)
So, I need to work out whether it makes sense to start using my Marshall Origin 20H once again for (maybe some?) pedals. And, if not, whether I can use it as a reference crunch tone if I crank it.
Or is it time to say thank you, and move it on?
What Can I Take From That?
My long-term review is for three audiences:
- readers who are looking for my experience with the Marshall Origin 20H;
- me, to see what I think of the Marshall Origin now (compared to back in 2018); and
- me again, to see if I can find a use for it in my hobby.
The next step is to build out a list of questions that I need to cover.
Questions For The Long-Term Review
The Biggest Question Of All …
… is this: why did I switch over to other amps?
Any long-term review blog post has to be centred on my personal experience, and there’s no getting away from it: it used to be my #1 amp, and now I hardly ever use it.
Hopefully, that’ll be explained by some of the other questions that I want to cover. And, just maybe, those answers will change whether or not my Marshall Origin 20H will see more use going forwards?
Is This A Good Pedal Platform Amp In 2026?
I bought this amp hoping that it would be a great pedal platform for me. And for a while, I definitely thought it was – and said so, quite often!
Eventually though, I realised that the boutique drive pedals that I’m into seem to work far better into a Fender-style clean channel. When those kinds of amps became affordable in 2019, I switched, and never really looked back.
(Interestingly, it’s not just my opinion that’s changed on this. Marshall used to market the Origin as a pedal platform amp. I’ve just checked their official product page, and they no longer do.)
That was then. What about now?
While the drive pedals haven’t changed, my hybrid signal chain definitely has. With all the tools that I have access to – and eight years more experience – can I make the Origin 20H work as a pedal platform in 2026?
- How well does it take generic overdrives and distortions (ie pedals that are not chasing a specific tone)?
- Is it a good platform for Marshall-in-a-box (MIAB for short) pedals, such as Marshall’s own Gov’nor et al? And how well does it take Marshall’s latest gold-box drive pedals?
- Is it a good platform for my beloved tweed-tone pedals?
And …
- How well does it compete with the Blackstar Debut 10RH that I picked up as a pedal platform a few months ago?
- How well does it compete with my Marshall DSL 20HR?
Is It Plexi Enough?
This question has only gotten more complex in the years since the Marshall Origin 20H was launched.
Back in 2018, the question was more about whether or not a Marshall Origin 20H could be the plexi amp for those on a budget. (I never saw Marshall market it as such.) Do a quick YouTube search for the Marshall Origin, and you’ll see that plenty of content creators are still trying to answer that question.
Today, the question has changed, because we now have more options to choose from. If you want the classic Marshall plexi tones on a budget, should you just buy one of the Marshall Studio amps, or will the Marshall Origin 20H get you close enough for less money? (Or should you just buy the Marshall DSL 20HR and a pedal?)
What makes it even more complicated is that, from discussions with other Marshall Origin 20H owners, it is possible that my particular unit overdrives a lot less than some other examples.
There’s a lot to unravel there!
Can I even answer this question using my unit … or do I need to somehow get my hands on a more recently-made unit first? (I think I need to explore this as its own topic.)
And can I answer this question when I don’t own either of the plexi-voiced Studio amps? Can I use a substitute or two instead (I own a couple of plexi-voiced Synergy modules, for example, as well as a “5w Plexi Recording amp” from years ago).
How Does It Compare To A Fender Bassman?
I might be the only person who’s interested in this.
Marshall started building amps because Fender amps were almost impossible to get in 1960’s Britain. Their earliest amps were based on the Fender Bassman, modified to work with the components that Marshall could get at the time. These earliest amps evolved into the legendary JTM45, also known by its Rose Morris catalogue number as the Marshall 1987.
And that got me thinking. Why did Marshall call the Origin amp … well, ‘Origin’? If the Marshall Origin isn’t a plexi amp, does its bridge the gap between the legendary Tweed Bassman and the JTM45 amps? (Which would be really cool to me.)
Origin 20H Or DSL 20HR?
Marshall’s other budget valve amp head is the Marshall DSL 20HR. I own both; I switched to the Marshall DSL 20HR as my pedal platform amp.
I think it would be very useful to post a side-by-side comparison of both amps. There’s going to be folks out there trying to decide between the two, especially for pedals.
Plus, I’m very interested in seeing if I can get good recorded tones from my Marshall DSL 20HR. Comparing the two amps will force me to get that sorted!
Questions That I’m (Probably) Not Going To Cover
I Can’t Answer Everything
I feel bad saying this.
In the grand scheme of things, the Marshall Origin 20H isn’t an important guitar amp. It’s not important to me, and it’s not important to the guitar player community at large.
- It’s an amp that I rarely use these days. I’ve found my passion, and it’s for 5e3 Tweed Deluxe amps, not the classic Marshall tones that I grew up with.
- It’s not one of Marshall’s best-sellers (looking at Thomann’s sales rankings on Mon 29th December, 2025, where 11 other Marshall amp heads sell more units).
- I don’t get many (if any) readers asking questions about my Marshall Origin 20H.
So it probably isn’t sensible to pour all of my spare time, energy and gear budget into writing about my Marshall Origin 20H for this long-term review.
Unless something surprises me along the way, I’m not going to answer every question that I have about my Marshall Origin 20H.
My Origin 20H vs Today’s Origin 20H
I really want to answer this one, because it’s definitely bugging me, and it’ll definitely put an asterisk against everything I will say in the long-term review.
It just seems a bit much to buy a second Origin 20H, especially when I’m already thinking of selling the one I already own. You don’t see professional reviewers buying a second example of an amp to review!
Origin 20H vs Origin 50H
The Origin 20H’s bigger bother, the Origin 50H, is also still in production, and is also very affordable for what it is (especially on the second hand market). I am curious about the differences between the two.
I just don’t have the space to own both amps.
Origin 20H vs Studio Vintage SV20H
I just don’t see myself making enough use of a Marshall Studio Vintage SV20H amp to justify the cost of buying one.
I’m more likely to pick up the new Marshall JMP preamp module for the Synergy amp system in the Boxing Day sales. Costs about half the price, takes up almost no space at all (compared to an amp head), and compares very favourably to a vintage plexi amp in Michael Nielsen’s demo.
Failing that, there are plenty of well-regarded plexi-amp models in my Axe-FX 3. I just suck at dialling them in.
Origin 20H vs Studio JTM ST20H
This one’s trickier; Marshall’s Studio JTM ST20H has a reputation as being a stellar pedal platform amp (which I am interested in). I can see myself using one long-term.
And space won’t be an issue if I end up selling both my Marshall Origin 20H and DSL 20HR.
(Would be great if Synergy launched a JTM module at NAMM 2026 …)
Origin 20H Through A Budget Signal Chain For Home Recording
Even though I do think this is an important question, I’m sorry, I can’t do it. I simply don’t enjoy the sounds that I get when I use an affordable signal chain – ie, IR loader in a DAW like Reaper. (I did that back in 2018.)
This long-term review needs to be about how I use the amp, and I’m only going to use the amp if I like the sounds I can create with it.
I will run the amp through an old school Two Notes Captor load box, as well as my Fryette PS-100 Power Station, though. I want to hear the difference for myself.
Can I Recreate The Tones Of Guitar Heroes With The Origin 20H?
Many guitarists are trying to build a rig that will allow them to sound like their guitar heroes. For example, AC/DC’s guitar tone is one that I’ve seen mentioned in the past with the Origin 20H.
Nothing wrong with that. It’s just not something that I do myself.
Turning It All Into A Plan
Draft List Of Blog Posts
I think I have enough now to put together a draft list of blog post titles.
- Marshall Origin 20H in 2026: Planning The Long-Term Review (this blog post)
- Marshall Origin 20H in 2026: Does My Unit Have Less Gain Than Other Examples?
- Marshall Origin 20H in 2026: For Plexi Marshall Rock Tones
- Marshall Origin 20H in 2026: As A Pedal Platform Amp
- Marshall Origin 20H in 2026: Compared With Vintage Fender Rock Tones
- Marshall Origin 20H in 2026: Compared With The Marshall DSL 20HR
- Marshall Origin 20H in 2026: Long-Term Review and My Conclusions
- Marshall Origin 20H in 2026: Readers’ Questions
- Marshall DSL 20HR in 2026: Long-Term Review and My Conclusions
I’m worried that the “As A Pedal Platform Amp” blog post will end up being as long as all of the other blog posts put together! It’s easier for folks to find, though, if it’s all in the one post.
I’m not 100% sure that I’ll get enough (any?) questions from readers to manage a “Readers’ Questions” blog post at the end. But let’s keep the possibility open, just in case.
That’s not a typo at the end of the list. As part of this series, I’m also going to be deciding whether or not I’m going to keep my Marshall DSL 20HR. It might be time to move both amps on!
When Will You Publish The Blog Posts?
I’d love to have all these blog posts ready to go for the first May bank holiday (May 4th, 2026), as that would be the 8 year anniversary of my original set of Marshall Origin 20H blog posts.
That’s four months to prepare a minimum of six in-depth blog posts, all with audio demos.
I’m not precious about the deadline. If I need to spend longer on any aspect of this (for example, dialling in the sound comparisons that I want), or if I discover an important question that hasn’t occurred to me yet, I’m okay with that.
I definitely don’t want to publish these as a series over several months. I think they’ll be more coherent and accurate if they’re written as a set and published around the same time. Too much can change if I spread them out over a long period of time.
I am happy, though, to publish the conclusions about my Marshall DSL 20HR at a later date, if I run out of time.
Final Thoughts
Regular readers may be aware that I’ve been promising to do this long-term review of my Marshall Origin since 2019.
The original title was going to be “Long Term Review: Marshall Origin 20H, One Year Later”. As the years have gone on, the proposed title morphed into its own joke, such as “Long Term Review: Marshall Origin 20H, One Year Later (Five Years Late)”.
I think it’s the right time to bring this running joke to a close. I’d love to get both of these amps back in regular use. And if that isn’t going to work out, I need to figure that out so that I can move them on.
In some ways, I think it’s helpful to be going into this long-term review after a period away from the amp. While it’s not exactly a fresh pair of eyes, maybe it’ll allow me to bring a fresh perspective.
I’m looking forward to reaching my conclusions, whatever they will be.