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Post by paddywhacker on Dec 10, 2005 6:14:55 GMT -7
....impossible...how is that my Ghia is more versatile than the amp it replaced...a 2-channel switching amp with masters on both channels and a footswitch with boost that puts the 4 separate mixes at your wingtips desire...a Rivera R-30.....a great amp really and i suppose some might say it is the more versatile amp....but they would be wrong......it might be an el-34 thing...those tubes have a lot to say about sound and my various guitars did not exhibit the variety of tone/personality like they do through a Ghia....that tone knob is the most musical and magical knob i've found to date...(followed closely by the cut knob on a maz jr)...its no wonder we're all smitten....thanks Doc
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Post by Curt on Dec 10, 2005 9:06:03 GMT -7
Part of it IMO is there is no time wasted tweakin' knobs, plug and play, no wondering in the back of your mind "What if I adjusted the ____......" VERY distracting, again, plug, play. happy.
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Post by G'OlPeachPhan on Dec 10, 2005 10:42:33 GMT -7
yeah, the tone knob on a Ghia IS amazing! I'd say it's just as versatile as many other amps with three times as many tone control knobs. Glad you're diggin' the Ghia - ENJOY!
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Post by hollywood5150 on Dec 10, 2005 22:42:43 GMT -7
I thought the 2 knob Ghia would be kinda lame, until I played one and brought it home. I remember reading an on old Eddie VanHalen article where they asked him why he only 1 volume on his guitars. His response was turn the volume up and down, and there is your tone. Great response, same principle. And it works!!! I am a big fan of the "KISS" method (Keep It Simple Stupid!!!!).
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Post by Matt H. on Sept 30, 2006 21:20:49 GMT -7
Two knobs! That's it. That's all I need!
I'm just revisiting some old pages of the forum and found this great post. It reminds me of the first time I tried out the tone on the ghia. I was floored. I had a full rack of gear in the past that seemed to do less than that one tone knob on the ghia. This knob is too good to be labeled tone.
Z should rename it
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Post by taswegian on Oct 1, 2006 4:24:10 GMT -7
Played a joint this weekend and was all excited cause it had a big, deep stage and I thought I was going to be able to give the Route 66 some JUICE. Well after a couple songs the manager brings over a ordinance from the council they had received the week before to keep the volume down All these new residential buldings in the inner city have wrecked the venues and forced all the bands to play rock, cabaret style. It really pisses me off. My Route 66 sounds like it's anesthetized Where am I going with this? Well I think it's time to start thinking about a ghia for these clubs so I can actually turn it up a little past "barely on" Keep the 66 and my beloved GECkt66's for the bigger gigs. I've got a nice green 1-12 cab now, your ghia for sale Peach? ;D
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Post by flem on Oct 1, 2006 18:06:10 GMT -7
I'm seriously gasing for a 210 combo. Great amp. Less is more!
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Post by myles on Oct 10, 2006 18:53:02 GMT -7
Remember .... every extra tone knob (it's a resistor) will put part of the signal that passes though it out of phase to the original signal. The more of that the less open and dynamic the amp sounds.
Tweed Champ and deluxe (Layla) .... Supro 10 watter (Led Zep) recordings .... Vox AC-15 / 30 ... Fender Brown face Princeton .... not a lot of tone knobs or "wire" in the path.
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Post by guitarboy02451 on Oct 13, 2006 15:53:37 GMT -7
The Ghia's one two knobs rock. The Ghia hands down is the best sounding amp out there.
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Post by Don on Oct 16, 2006 14:42:21 GMT -7
....impossible...how is that my Ghia is more versatile than the amp it replaced...a 2-channel switching amp with masters on both channels and a footswitch with boost that puts the 4 separate mixes at your wingtips desire...a Rivera R-30.....a great amp really and i suppose some might say it is the more versatile amp....but they would be wrong......it might be an el-34 thing...those tubes have a lot to say about sound and my various guitars did not exhibit the variety of tone/personality like they do through a Ghia....that tone knob is the most musical and magical knob i've found to date...(followed closely by the cut knob on a maz jr)...its no wonder we're all smitten....thanks Doc My eyes (actually, my ears) were opened back in January 2006 when driving home from a Florida Christmas vacation, I stopped in at Willcutt's in Lexington, KY and experienced Dr Z amps firsthand. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Yep, just 2 controls did it all! This coming from a guy that previously was playing Marshalls and Mesa/Boogies, each with 146 knobs. Well .... okay, that was an exaggeration, but you get the point. Before stopping at Willcutt's, I had spoken with the good doctor himself, and he guided me to what I needed. I came home with a beautiful red Ghia combo with a Celestion Blue in it. Myles nails the point when he speaks of the "pure" signal path and simplicity of the Ghia.
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Post by tjstrat on Oct 16, 2006 17:05:01 GMT -7
....impossible...how is that my Ghia is more versatile than the amp it replaced...a 2-channel switching amp with masters on both channels and a footswitch with boost that puts the 4 separate mixes at your wingtips desire...a Rivera R-30.....a great amp really and i suppose some might say it is the more versatile amp....but they would be wrong......it might be an el-34 thing...those tubes have a lot to say about sound and my various guitars did not exhibit the variety of tone/personality like they do through a Ghia....that tone knob is the most musical and magical knob i've found to date...(followed closely by the cut knob on a maz jr)...its no wonder we're all smitten....thanks Doc My eyes (actually, my ears) were opened back in January 2006 when driving home from a Florida Christmas vacation, I stopped in at Willcutt's in Lexington, KY and experienced Dr Z amps firsthand. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Yep, just 2 controls did it all! This coming from a guy that previously was playing Marshalls and Mesa/Boogies, each with 146 knobs. Well .... okay, that was an exaggeration, but you get the point. Before stopping at Willcutt's, I had spoken with the good doctor himself, and he guided me to what I needed. I came home with a beautiful red Ghia combo with a Celestion Blue in it. Myles nails the point when he speaks of the "pure" signal path and simplicity of the Ghia. Yeah, my main amp from '88 to early 2006 was a Mesa Mark III combo with all the tricks, with a Budda Superdrive and a Rivera R-55 as reserves. Th Maz 18 convinced me to sell the Rivera and some gear to afford her. Then I sold the other two to buy a Maz 38 Studio Lead and a second G&L Comanche (a STEAL at $750.00 at GC). Then I recorded with the 18, didn't care much for it, found a Ghia for sale in Rockford where I do most of my playing, sold the 18 and bought the Ghia, and the CG has been the main amp ever since. Just set the volume and tone for the room's size and acoustics, and rock out.
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Post by myles on Oct 16, 2006 17:41:30 GMT -7
The Ghia's one two knobs rock. The Ghia hands down is the best sounding amp out there. I agree but need to add that it is also the most fun amp I have ever played as well.
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Post by Matt H. on Oct 17, 2006 5:39:55 GMT -7
myles
I agree that it is a ton of fun! I wish I had this amp as a kid. It is so easy to dial in a good sound that it could have a sign on the box saying for ages 6 and up.
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messenger
Full Member
life is good!
Posts: 194
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Post by messenger on Oct 17, 2006 9:54:32 GMT -7
i'm gasin!!! my next z may very well be the ghia. i assume it sounds good at low volume also?
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Post by Don on Oct 17, 2006 13:59:19 GMT -7
i'm gasin!!! my next z may very well be the ghia. i assume it sounds good at low volume also? Oh Yeah! Remember, the Carmen Ghia is an 18 watt amp. This will allow you to turn it up and overdrive the power section at a more usable volume. Choose your speaker to taste.
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Post by real oldster on Oct 17, 2006 18:45:39 GMT -7
I agree with all the accolades for the Ghia, but try before you buy. One person's little 18-watter is someone else's LOUD LITTLE BEAST!
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messenger
Full Member
life is good!
Posts: 194
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Post by messenger on Oct 18, 2006 10:05:17 GMT -7
yes, i agree oldster. i like the maz jr, but it has a mstr vol. was curious as to the ghias' tone at low vol. without the mstr. vol.
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Post by zdogma on Oct 18, 2006 12:57:28 GMT -7
I think it sounds great at low volume.
Trouble is, it is too loud for a bedroom amp even at lowest volume. At the point of breakup, which is about noon on the dial (higher or lower depending on what you're using pickup wise), it is really loud. Not damage your hearing loud (unless you're in a small room), but loud enough to wake the kids and piss off your wife, if you're like most of us.
Soundwise, it doesn't have the pristine clean sound (for me) that you get with say a blackface 6L6 fender amp. The cleans are a bit fatter with a little hint of...."fuzziness"? It sounds very cool. At the point of breakup it is probably as good as any amp i've heard. It has a huge sounding, tight bottom end.
Maybe if you use lower output pickups, like vintage strat pups it might be a bit cleaner.
If you want a good sounding, quiet amp without a master I'd get tweed champ, or a mini Z or a victoria 518 or 512, for a bit less than the ghia.
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Post by Don on Oct 18, 2006 19:08:52 GMT -7
yes, i agree oldster. i like the maz jr, but it has a mstr vol. was curious as to the ghias' tone at low vol. without the mstr. vol. Messenger - one more thing - Dr Z amps are fantastic with pedals. If you're sometimes worried about volume, a good overdrive or boost pedal in front of a Ghia will give you a great sound at a more manageable volume.
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Post by Matt H. on Oct 18, 2006 19:28:55 GMT -7
I agree w/ Don - The Z's take pedals very well. I have a hotplate that I use with my Ghia, but I dont really need it. I use an AC Booster for distortion, and the Ghia sounds great at a low volume - even at a bedroom level.
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Post by johnnyl on Oct 19, 2006 10:41:03 GMT -7
I use mine in my basement with the volume just before 9:00 most of the time and it sounds great. However, yesterday I goosed it up to about noon... R A W R !!! What a little beast!! I can't wait to start playing out again and get this sucker crankin'..
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Post by robb on Oct 29, 2006 8:55:19 GMT -7
One thing that I feel should be noted about the Ghia only having two knobs is that on many guitars, using the guitar's tone control is now a MUST. Through other amps, I never, ever used the tone controls on the guitar. I normally leave the instrument wide open and twak the amp to suit. Through the ghia, you simply cannot do this...I was shocked the first time I plugged in and my esquire sounded like a knitting needle through both eardrums. I was having a simliar problem with my strat as well....the Ghia has tons and tons of presence. As the 'tone' knob on the ghia cant just simply eliminate highs (cant on mine at least), you NEED to use the tone pot on the guitar...I ended up re-wiring my strat so that the tone knob works on the bridge pickup as well.
However, between the tone knob on the amp and the one on the guitar ANY tone is pretty much yours for the taking.......
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