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Post by G'OlPeachPhan on Nov 8, 2022 13:27:27 GMT -7
Plugged straight in, no pedals just guitar controls, what’s your favorite way to be able to get the cranked Ghia goods at a slightly lower volume while preserving the magic?
My reference volume with the small-but-mighty (racing stripe) Ghia is a either a Z 1x12 Creamback M, or an Avatar 1x12 V30. Much of the time those speakers/cabs are perfect, but there are times where it’s just a bit too loud to crank it up as much as I’d like…
Options I’m considering: -1x10 Greenback cab -Airbrake -Buy a second Ghia with a factory MV mod -Suck it up and just play cleaner when forced to do so
I’m open to any suggestions/recommendations you guys have. Thanks!
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Post by pcns on Nov 8, 2022 13:32:41 GMT -7
MV is awesome on the Ghia. I am also a 1x10 Greenback fan but that won't give you the control you want. MV mod or another with the mod done. I don't recall ever seeing one for sale though Todd
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Post by GuitarZ on Nov 8, 2022 14:32:15 GMT -7
With my strat, my sound with the Ghia is volume 100%. I back it off a little for my Les Paul.
So, the Airbrake was/is the magic to keep my sound & tone. My UA Ox does the trick too.
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Post by adam on Nov 8, 2022 15:27:49 GMT -7
Maybe your best option would be to send it in and have them add a master volume? For me, I love the amp just as is, cleaner, but it has compression and is just kind of perfect as is. But, it just kind of shows that all of us are sort of looking for different things from an amp and every opinion is just as valid as the next.
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Post by premiumplus (Dave) on Nov 8, 2022 15:37:54 GMT -7
↑↑↑ This. The master volume mod is great. That plus a lower efficiency speaker is perfect for me.
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Post by nick0 on Nov 8, 2022 17:31:17 GMT -7
+1 master volume mod for sure
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Post by G'OlPeachPhan on Nov 9, 2022 6:50:30 GMT -7
Thanks for the input everyone! Sounds like MV mod for the win, but I’m hesitant to modify my current Ghia because it’s kind of perfect for many of the ways I use it as-is… Hmmm… Well, I guess it’s something I’ll have to ponder further.
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Post by John on Nov 9, 2022 7:02:29 GMT -7
I'm sort of in favor of the 1x10 greenback cab.
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Post by G'OlPeachPhan on Nov 9, 2022 9:49:04 GMT -7
I'm sort of in favor of the 1x10 greenback cab. I’m kind of curious about that option regardless of the volume aspect. I really like having and experimenting with speaker and cab options, and that’s one I haven’t tried that interests me… Further, I also really want to try one of those 10” Red Fang Alnicos that I have read Dr. Z and others raving about, and that would make that possible as well. EDIT: I just noticed Dr. Z doesn’t offer a standalone 1x10 cab. Anybody have a suggestion on a good 1x10?
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Post by dcarver on Nov 9, 2022 14:53:11 GMT -7
If it were me, I would try a Z Brake-Lite before modding it.
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Post by John on Nov 9, 2022 16:47:58 GMT -7
I'm sort of in favor of the 1x10 greenback cab. I also really want to try one of those 10” Red Fang Alnicos that I have read Dr. Z and others raving about, and that would make that possible as well.
My 1x10 Ghia came with the Red Fang. It was a really LOUD speaker. I did not care for the tone, but others like it.
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Post by nick0 on Nov 9, 2022 17:03:29 GMT -7
I'm sort of in favor of the 1x10 greenback cab. I’m kind of curious about that option regardless of the volume aspect. I really like having and experimenting with speaker and cab options, and that’s one I haven’t tried that interests me… Further, I also really want to try one of those 10” Red Fang Alnicos that I have read Dr. Z and others raving about, and that would make that possible as well. EDIT: I just noticed Dr. Z doesn’t offer a standalone 1x10 cab. Anybody have a suggestion on a good 1x10? Guitar Center has a used dr 1x10 listed.
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Post by runninwiththerevil (Matthew) on Nov 9, 2022 20:37:41 GMT -7
I also really want to try one of those 10” Red Fang Alnicos that I have read Dr. Z and others raving about, and that would make that possible as well.
My 1x10 Ghia came with the Red Fang. It was a really LOUD speaker. I did not care for the tone, but others like it.
I concur. If the goal is to tame the volume on the Ghia the Red Fang is not the answer. It’s way too efficient and because of that made the amp too much to handle. Like your Greenback idea, I found one of the old 10” THD speakers. It was less loud. If you really want to get to what you’re describing I would totally send it in to get the MV. They only need the chassis, not the whole amp. So consider that when thinking about shipping cost to and from.
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Post by G'OlPeachPhan on Nov 10, 2022 7:07:25 GMT -7
Thank you all for the good thoughts/discussion on this topic! I appreciate all you guys.
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Post by The Bad Poodle Experience on Nov 10, 2022 12:07:21 GMT -7
Is the PPIMV mod something i can have a local tech do? is there a schematic for the mod?
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bmalo
New Member
Posts: 3
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Post by bmalo on Nov 17, 2022 16:28:09 GMT -7
Another vote for the mod. I sent mine in last year for the PPIMV and it's been glorious. Previously, I'd been wrangling the volume with a Weber mini mass attenuator and I could never get along with it. It made the Z almost a different feeling amp at every volume level I dialed in. The highs weren't right either, especially bleeding them back in with the onboard toggles.
The MV gets you glorious overdrive at speaking volumes and it doesn't lose the character, feeling and charm of the amp at the same time (without factoring speaker breakup).
It's very worth it.
Maybe better attenuators are more effective at retaining the magic of the amp at lower volumes but I'd guess they'll multiples of the cost of the mod.
Plus, it's going to Z so it's as factory and official of a mod as you can get. I don't think it'll ding you on resale value, the opposite might be true.
Also, If you are concerned about the circuit changing from what you already love, I believe turning the MV all the way up has no affect on the circuit.
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Post by Chilly Gibbons (Todd T.) on Nov 17, 2022 16:37:17 GMT -7
I don’t own a Ghia, but have had the mothership mod my Maz and ZLux with updated master volumes and couldn’t be happier. A permanent solution that’s golden and does not require additional stuff like attenuation.
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Post by G'OlPeachPhan on Nov 19, 2022 8:04:03 GMT -7
I think you guys have me convinced on the MV mod. Honestly resale value isn’t even a factor, as this Ghia is mine ‘til death… Learned that the hard way around once already. The mod being done officially at Z headquarters eases my mind completely, and my biggest reservation is really about the inherent risks involved with shipping the amp. There’s also some some goofy part of me just wants to keep this racing stripe Ghia 100% original as the Doc intended… Although, “modding” a ‘racing stripe’ Ghia does seem poetically appropriate in keeping with the classic car metaphors; Also, kind of all-importantly, I think the MV would make the amp even MORE useful and special to me than it already is.
On a related item, it would seem safer, and only marginally more expensive, to ship an amp it in it’s head cab rather than just the chassis, right?
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Post by GuitarZ on Nov 19, 2022 8:25:05 GMT -7
I could have sworn I just saw a post with pics on shipping your amp and also that if you talk to the shop, they'll tell you how to do it right. I searched and couldn't find the post. Maybe someone else can provide it.
I do have a question. What are the concerns about an AirBrake or other attenuator? Affect on sound/tone? I'm curious since I've been an AirBrake guy for 15+ years. I do agree that there are tonal changes. Although, they are slight with minimal attenuation and increase as the attenuation increases. Maybe since the AirBrake is always engaged, what I consider 'my tone' already includes the AirBrake.
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Post by Chilly Gibbons (Todd T.) on Nov 19, 2022 11:18:01 GMT -7
For mine, just shipped the very carefully wrapped and padded chassis. Then it came back in a new Z box.
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Post by donovantyler on Dec 3, 2022 4:49:37 GMT -7
I'm sort of in favor of the 1x10 greenback cab. I’m kind of curious about that option regardless of the volume aspect. I really like having and experimenting with speaker and cab options, and that’s one I haven’t tried that interests me… Further, I also really want to try one of those 10” Red Fang Alnicos that I have read Dr. Z and others raving about, and that would make that possible as well. EDIT: I just noticed Dr. Z doesn’t offer a standalone 1x10 cab. Anybody have a suggestion on a good 1x10? fwiw.. red fang alnico is super loud! 102 spl i think
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Post by smolder on Dec 3, 2022 7:06:06 GMT -7
I’ve got a 1x10 with an internal Z brake. Just a notch makes a difference. I took the red fang out. Very forward and aggressive speaker. A PPIMV would be helpful.
mine is not the oldest, but older. Over time it seems they gained headroom with bigger transformers.
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Post by G'OlPeachPhan on Dec 3, 2022 8:55:56 GMT -7
Over time it seems they gained headroom with bigger transformers. That definitely seems to be the case, though my personal sample set of Ghias is too limited to state anything definitively. Not sure what the present-day OEM Ghia transformer spec is, but my racing stripe version (w/ Heyboer set, iirc) is a noticeably stronger amp than my first mid-90s 2nd gen. Ghia, as well as compared to several other earlier Ghias I have played through… Sonically they’re both unmistakably the same circuit, and thus comparably the same ‘driving’ experience, but it’s like the newer ones came off the line running a little higher ‘boost’ pressure as the years wore on (in keeping with the fun car analogies ).
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Post by mrcapers on Dec 3, 2022 10:48:46 GMT -7
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Post by smolder on Dec 3, 2022 11:23:18 GMT -7
Over time it seems they gained headroom with bigger transformers. That definitely seems to be the case, though my personal sample set of Ghias is too limited to state anything definitively. Not sure what the present-day OEM Ghia transformer spec is, but my racing stripe version (w/ Heyboer set, iirc) is a noticeably stronger amp than my first mid-90s 2nd gen. Ghia, as well as compared to several other earlier Ghias I have played through… Sonically they’re both unmistakably the same circuit, and thus comparably the same ‘driving’ experience, but it’s like the newer ones came off the line running a little higher ‘boost’ pressure as the years wore on (in keeping with the fun car analogies ). Yah… if you look at the size of transformers on an old AO-35 Hammond reverb amp (donors for early Ghias) the newer models are huge by comparison.
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