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Post by johnnyqb on Jul 31, 2006 19:57:41 GMT -7
First post at the Dr. Z place. I am looking closely at a Carmen Ghia 210 to replace my Fender '59 Bassman Ltd. I like the Bassman, but it is very bright and I am just kind of hankering for a change. I have never played a Carmen Ghia, or any Dr. Z amp. Is the experience going to be much different from playing a Bassman? I play teles in my basement, jamming with my kid. In terms of overall tonal quality, are the Bassman and the Ghia in the same ballpark? Any input appreciated.
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Post by pedalcr8z on Aug 2, 2006 19:28:29 GMT -7
First of all....welcome to the forum! You have the right person here as I own a Carman Ghia 12" combo that I installed a Celestion Blue in and I have a '59 Bassman LTD. Same scenario.....play at home exclusively. The Ghia stays clean with both my EJ strat and a '51 Nocaster until about noonish with tone at 1 o'clock. With my '58 LesPaul it's already breaking up at 9 o'clock. The LTD on the other hand is much more powerful obviously and sounds that way. Some folks feel they are both bright amps but I have a feeling that those folks haven't mastered their tone controls yet. I have included a link from a young Nick G from England a fellow member that posted a few songs of himself playing through his new Ghia 2X10 however I must warn you though that I wanted to shoot my hand when I first this teenager play....he is truly an excellent player. You will WANT the Ghia after you hear this but you MUST also keep the LTD ...........you would have to pry either one of them from my arsenal! I stopped trying to find the perfect amplifier inside one box.............it doesn't exist which is also why you need both single coil and buckers. drzamplifiers.proboards41.com/index.cgi?board=ghia&action=display&thread=1134844051
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Post by billyguitar on Aug 3, 2006 10:16:17 GMT -7
For home use I think a Ghia would be better. The clean tone, while not loud, is very pretty. Cranked into overdrive it has a very nice cathode bias sound making it lots of fun. I am one who thinks the Ghia is bright but that does vary with your particular guitar and speaker. All I have to do with mine is turn the tone pot down a little on the guitar and it's good. The Bassmans are great amps, but LOUD for home use. When I got my first 1957 and used it on a gig. Everybody said it sounds good but it's too loud. I changed it to cathode bias and that tamed a lot of the volume issue but it's still pretty loud. I also figured out to hook an attenuator up and used it like that a lot. Since I got my first Z I hardly turn on my other amps anymore but I'm not selling them, especially the Tweed Bassmans, classics!
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Post by myles on Aug 10, 2006 8:33:07 GMT -7
First of all....welcome to the forum! You have the right person here as I own a Carman Ghia 12" combo that I installed a Celestion Blue in and I have a '59 Bassman LTD. Same scenario.....play at home exclusively. The Ghia stays clean with both my EJ strat and a '51 Nocaster until about noonish with tone at 1 o'clock. With my '58 LesPaul it's already breaking up at 9 o'clock. The LTD on the other hand is much more powerful obviously and sounds that way. Some folks feel they are both bright amps but I have a feeling that those folks haven't mastered their tone controls yet. I have included a link from a young Nick G from England a fellow member that posted a few songs of himself playing through his new Ghia 2X10 however I must warn you though that I wanted to shoot my hand when I first this teenager play....he is truly an excellent player. You will WANT the Ghia after you hear this but you MUST also keep the LTD ...........you would have to pry either one of them from my arsenal! I stopped trying to find the perfect amplifier inside one box.............it doesn't exist which is also why you need both single coil and buckers. drzamplifiers.proboards41.com/index.cgi?board=ghia&action=display&thread=1134844051I have to agree with you on your statement of keeping both. They are very different amps and have their own points. To make the Bassman LTD sound much nicer replace the stock WA or WC Sovtek tubes that came in the amp with ANYTHING else.
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Post by myles on Aug 10, 2006 8:36:03 GMT -7
As far as the Bassman and Ghia being in the "same ballpark" .... when it comes to tone, feel, or anything you can compare they are sort of in this ballpark .... Think of comparing a lovely bench of master quality building that sits in the Louvre so the viewer can sit and look at a piece of artwork. Compare that to a large bag of some of the finest potato chips you have ever eaten. Yes ... the amps are that close
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Post by Phil (aka Phil) on Aug 11, 2006 4:32:20 GMT -7
What kind of speakers come in the Bassman LTD?
PDW
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Post by joetone on Aug 15, 2006 17:57:55 GMT -7
I am getting my first ghia tomorrow. A 2x10 combo. I have had 2 Maz. jr.'s and didn't care for them so much as they were kind of midrange harsh, no real chime for my ears. I am hoping he Ghia will be better.
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Post by myles on Aug 17, 2006 10:47:45 GMT -7
What kind of speakers come in the Bassman LTD? PDW Jensen P10R's .... the Italy reissues .... and they are very nice speakers and I personally find little need to change them for something else. Weber makes some great replacements and they are pretty spectacular but this is one of those amps that works with the stock speakers quite well.
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Post by detuned on Aug 17, 2006 16:04:22 GMT -7
I want to know what kind of chips?
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Post by real oldster on Aug 25, 2006 23:20:15 GMT -7
Mmm. Chips.
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Post by bustertheboy on Aug 26, 2006 20:51:14 GMT -7
As far as the Bassman and Ghia being in the "same ballpark" .... when it comes to tone, feel, or anything you can compare they are sort of in this ballpark .... Think of comparing a lovely bench of master quality building that sits in the Louvre so the viewer can sit and look at a piece of artwork. Compare that to a large bag of some of the finest potato chips you have ever eaten. Yes ... the amps are that close I've got to say that is one of the most ridiculously cool comments I've ever heard, Myles! I've got to admire your honesty and agree with you- my ghia allows harmonics through that other amps don't know even exist brett
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