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Post by steveinnashville on Nov 1, 2005 23:41:14 GMT -7
So, my Ghia is an earlier model. It's got chickenhead knobs, which I notice the current ones don't have. It also has no standby switch and the power cable is hardwired directly to the amplifier. They are both blonde tolex and oxblood grille. It also has a purple lamp jewel. What does purple signify? A long time ago Dr. Z answered this question, but I have forgotten what he told me. I've read that the green ones are "especially good" or something like that. Either way, I've really enjoyed it. I even got it custom amp covers- with bottom flaps & a pocket for speaker cable- for the head and 1x12" cab. It does read "J 2734" lightly on the back panel of the chassis.
-Steve
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Post by steveinnashville on Nov 1, 2005 23:50:21 GMT -7
So, I found this: "It is actually based on a Hammond Reverb chassis and some Ghia's actually have tubes taken from Hammond reverbs (you can spot the Hammond Dr. Z amps by their green jewel light, instead of the standard red jewel)." It comes from this page, which is very cool: www.prorec.com/prorec/articles.nsf/files/C3751A446285E75A862568D70069A0A1But nothing about a purple jewel... -Steve
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Post by G'OlPeachPhan on Nov 2, 2005 9:20:15 GMT -7
The Jewel Lamp may have meant something at the time, but it's stricly urban legend at this point... Anyone with a Ghia, a few bucks, and opposeable thumbs can order a green jewel and screw it on to their amp, so it's really not a good indicator of details about your particular amp -- unless your the original owner of the amp. Same with the chickenhead knobs... those can be changed at will.
However, the transformers, the hardwired power cable, and the serial number all offer good details about your amp. If your serial number begins with "J," your amp was made in 2000. (for more details on serial numbers, see the second post in the "News from Dr. Z" part of this forum).
At present, Ghia's still do not have a standby switch... I can't remember the tech detail as to why, but the design of the Ghia provides that it does not need one. Also, I believe Dr. Z uses detachable power cables on all of his amps at present, but I may be mistaken on that detail.
Sounds like you've got a sweet amp - I dig the oxblood on blonde look!
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Post by steveinnashville on Nov 2, 2005 10:02:29 GMT -7
Actually, I got the amp in 1999, I'm pretty sure...
Dr. Z told me at one point years ago that the purple jewel as his doing, I just can't remember what he told me.
Thanks,
-Steve
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Post by G'OlPeachPhan on Nov 2, 2005 10:22:46 GMT -7
Actually, I got the amp in 1999, I'm pretty sure... Dr. Z told me at one point years ago that the purple jewel as his doing, I just can't remember what he told me. Thanks, -Steve That's cool man... I don't doubt it a bit. Did you get the amp new? If Z said it to be true, I'm sure the purple jewel stands for something. The serial number thing was just what Z wrote... 1990 is "A," 1991 is "B," and so on and so forth. Maybe the Z amps are like car model years or something where a "J" or "2000" amp really came out in 1999. I dunno... Just going based off of what I read. Anyways, sounds like a cool amp. All the Ghia's are "special" amps in my book!
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Post by steveinnashville on Nov 2, 2005 11:27:59 GMT -7
"All the Ghia's are "special" amps in my book!" I concur 100%. I got the Ghia used, about 6 months old, from Lou, the same person I would eventually buy my PRS from. After having the Ghia only a little while, he wanted to trade up to a Route 66, I believe. I can understand, but I can neither afford nor make any use of the much greater volume of that amp. So, the Ghia suits me perfectly. I think he was selling the PRS to buy a CS RI Gibson LP... He was kind of like my older & wealthier counterpart... Someday, maybe it'll be me, without all the selling of PRS and Dr. Z... I am fairly certain that Lou didn't do anything to the Ghia... he actually shipped me the PRS in perfect tune (!). -Steve
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Post by steveinnashville on Nov 2, 2005 23:57:09 GMT -7
The word from Dr. Z: "That was the last ghia built in that millennium, Build date Dec. 22 1999." Cementing my resolve never to sell it... -Steve
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Post by G'OlPeachPhan on Nov 3, 2005 10:26:58 GMT -7
The word from Dr. Z: "That was the last ghia built in that millennium, Build date Dec. 22 1999." Cementing my resolve never to sell it... -Steve Whoa man... that's AWESOME! That puppy has some mojo for sure!
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