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Post by ruger9 on Nov 29, 2006 16:55:52 GMT -7
1) I read in another forum that the Ghia has lees headroom than a MazJr... true?
2) I also read (in HC reviews) that the Ghia's headroom can be lowered by swapping a 12AX7 for the 5751... is this a Doc-approved swap? (will it hurt anything?)
I think I'm 90% decided that my 1st Z will be a Ghia, but was curious about these. The headroom questions relate to the fact that this will be a home amp only. I'd like to be able to get a little "hair on the note" (ala Brad Paisley or Brian Setzer) at a somewhat reasonable home volume. I'll be using an attenuator with the Ghia as well.
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Post by yinielin on Nov 29, 2006 18:27:00 GMT -7
Yeah the maz can be louder and still clean then the ghia. But with the master the maz can be distorted at lower volumes then the ghia.
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Post by billyguitar on Nov 29, 2006 18:56:00 GMT -7
The Maz would be more versatile. You can improve the clean headroom on the Ghia by trying lower gain tubes. I currently use two 12AY7s in mine, against the experts recommendations, and think it sounds great. One of these days I'll try a 12AU7 just to see how low I can go but I haven't done that yet.
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Post by ruger9 on Nov 29, 2006 19:22:21 GMT -7
I'm not a fan of master volumes much (even tho I've read numerous times how good the Maz's master vol is). I'm from the camp of "all tube amps should come withOUT master volumes, but WITH built-in attenuators." An attenuator is much more of a "true" master volume to my ears.
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Post by JASON (aka jgleaton) on Nov 29, 2006 22:16:34 GMT -7
The headroom questions relate to the fact that this will be a home amp only. I'd like to be able to get a little "hair on the note" (ala Brad Paisley or Brian Setzer) at a somewhat reasonable home volume. I'll be using an attenuator with the Ghia as well. 100% positive with your statement that your first Z should be a Ghia... with what you just said, I think it's perfect for what your looking for, sounds great at lower volumes too... I think you will LOVE it... I love mine ( blonde 2x10 combo) for everything you want to do with it... cause it does that ( lower volumes) and a whole lot more my friend... if there was any way I could get the clean levels I need live ( and I ALMOST can) I'd play it at gigs... I think with the right speaker / or cab like a Z-best I could gig with it even as loud as my band is… so a head and cab may be more versatile for ya but I do love my 2x10 combo… hair on the note, thick n chewy too... Jason
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Post by ruger9 on Nov 30, 2006 4:28:27 GMT -7
Thanks Jason. Music to my ears.
Now, here's another one: (I could just call the Doc, but I don't want to "bother" him until I'm ready with the money to place an order)...
Every Ghia HEAD I've seen has a cloth grille. Other Z heads have either cloth OR tolex grilles. The "Green machine" Ghia has a tolex grille... I want a red Ghia head with a red tolex grille... does Doc still do a tolex grille on the Ghia?
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Post by billyguitar on Nov 30, 2006 6:58:45 GMT -7
ruger: You need to spend a bit of time with Zs amps with masters. I actually think it sounds better than being 2 clicks or more down on an attenuator. I've owned and used lots of amps over my many years and Zs master is done better than most any I can recall.
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Post by Curt on Nov 30, 2006 10:18:38 GMT -7
Thanks Jason. Music to my ears. Now, here's another one: (I could just call the Doc, but I don't want to "bother" him until I'm ready with the money to place an order)... Every Ghia HEAD I've seen has a cloth grille. Other Z heads have either cloth OR tolex grilles. The "Green machine" Ghia has a tolex grille... I want a red Ghia head with a red tolex grille... does Doc still do a tolex grille on the Ghia? As the proud new owner of "the green machine", I'll share that Chad made the Tolex front panel, original to the amp was salt and pepper cloth. I have never seen a solid front Ghia. Let me add this is my second Ghia and the Ghia is the only amp that I just DO NOT like the airbrake with, it neuters the Ghia IMO. Also, I think either the JR or Ghia would suit your needs equally well with the Jr having the edge in versatility. Curt
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Post by Matt H. on Nov 30, 2006 14:25:34 GMT -7
I would have to say - go w/ the Ghia! It's the best amp ever IMHO. I do agree w/ Curt when it comes to the attenuated Ghia - it takes away some of the charm of the amp -
I have a Hotplate, but never use it w/ the Ghia anymore - It's not needed. The Ghia sounds so good at low volume and takes pedals so well, that an attenuator is somewhat of a waste.
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Post by ruger9 on Nov 30, 2006 15:34:57 GMT -7
OK, so now you guys are making this HARDER...you're supposed to be making it EASIER! What I NEED is to find a Ghia & a MazJr in the SAME PLACE so I can play them both. Unfortunately, there's only 2 Z dealers around here, both of which are 90min away- 1 of them in is NYC (which I generally try to avoid)... Bad news about the Ghia (no solid) grille. I actually dislike the salt & pepper grille. I could live with black, oxblood would be cool if Doc still did it... but a solid red tolex front would be the bomb. If I do get the Ghia, maybe I'll have to try a DIY & makes the "Big RED Machine!" (I'm originally from Doc's state, Ohio, for all you baseball fans.)
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Post by yinielin on Nov 30, 2006 19:57:55 GMT -7
What are u using it for??? If gigs then maz, if recording or just at home use the ghia.
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Post by ruger9 on Dec 1, 2006 5:08:29 GMT -7
Home playing only. My own enjoyment. If I ever gig again (I hope to someday, when I can simplify my life enough to have the time to be in a band for the love of it), I already have a 50 watter, and by then if I want another Z for gigs I'd just gets the RxES. This purchase, my 1st Z purchase, is for home use only- specifically, for reasonable volume levels at home... not "bedroom" levels, just loud enough to let the amp breathe & react, while at a reasonable enough volume that I can play dowstairs (with a door closed) while the wife wacthes TV upstairs. At first, I wanted a Jr, with all it's knobs & versatility- I thought it would be the "safest" bet. But the more I play, and the closer I get to buying (currently saving), I want to SIMPLIFY. I want to get rid of most of my pedals, and knobs just piss me off lately. Seriously- if the Ghia & Jr had identical tonal palletes, I'd pick the Ghia no contest. The simplicity of it's design, the "you can't get a bad sound out of these things" tesimonials, and the posts on "how to tweak the MAZ's tone stacks" all have me wanting a Ghia. Then I read on a fourm that the Ghia had less headroom than the Jr. For the sounds I'm going for at the volumes I'll be playing (see above) that's even better. Then I saw the attenuator comment above- about how the Ghia doesn't like it. Now I'm worried all over again... 18 watts is loud enuff that I'll need a MV or an attenuator, and my experiences have me preferring attenuators. On my 50 watter, the attenuator is SO much better than the MV, and on my current 15 watter (Peavey C20, cathode-biased, little headroom, great amp) the MV combined with the low wattage actually works quite well. But if my C20 did not have the MV, I wouldn't be able to turn it up where I want it without an attenuator. Still too loud. Again, maybe I'll get lucky and 1 of the 2 dealers anywhere near me will have a Jr & Ghia on the floor at the same time- but I'm not holding my breath. I'm resigned to the fact that I will probably be buying this amp unplayed, like so many here have done. I'm fine with that, but that's why all the questions. If I were to only find a Ghia locally, plug in & love it, I'd never think of the Jr again. So everything tells me that I should be looking at Ghias. EXCEPT for the attenuator comment above. I've done the whole "get dirt from pedals" thing for years, and that's not what I'm looking for- I want the drive to come from the amp, the power section. A MV or attenuator is going to be essential for my mission.
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cosmo
Full Member
Posts: 156
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Post by cosmo on Dec 1, 2006 22:35:12 GMT -7
I have a JR and a Ghia--got the Maz first and loved it but was seduced by all the buzz on this forum and especially the Dean Parks video, so snagged a Ghia head. I personally don't hear a lot of what I would consider power tube distortion at lowish volumes with either one--these are LOUD amps, at least to my ears. But the Ghia has such a sweet voice that it would be my desert island (with electricity) amp for sure. I use a BB Preamp for dirt, and the combination makes me really happy.
I still love the Maz too--they make a great pair. So get both!
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Post by bustertheboy on Dec 2, 2006 3:27:42 GMT -7
The Ghia is a loud 18 watts and unless you gig again with no possibility of miking up i don't see the need to go louder- my ears don't love huge stage volumes and nor do sound men. The ghia tone is sweet, fat, rich, lots and lots of harmonics you won't hear on may other amps. It also responds amazingly to tube changes due to the very simple circuit. At home I use a weber mini mass to attenuate and at a lot of gigs I still use it to cut back maybe one notch. Yes there is some tonal trade off but not in the context of a live band. I can also substitute a 12BH7 in phase inverter if I want more clean headroom, though the harmonics aren't as good as with a nos 5751. It's a beautiful thing! Brett
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Post by guitarboy02451 on Dec 2, 2006 9:09:23 GMT -7
Ruger: I started with a Maz Sr and then months later I tried a CG. I had to have the CG so I went back an bought one. It's plenty loud with good head room. It takes pedals very well, probably better than any other amp. With the Ghia, you're only looking at two pedals. Your favorite reverb and a Xotic AC. The AC sounds incredible with the Ghia.
The Ghia tone is incredible, the first time I tried one I said: "I now have to have a CG!" Prior to bying one, I thought for a minute that I might want a Fuchs BJ 21. I tried one and walked away saying, "It ain't no Ghia".
As far as giging, the CG is just fine for gigging. I've gigged twice now with my CG and I actually had to use the Z Brake and both times I was told to turn down.
Remember, (18 Dr. Z Watts) = (50 Marshall Watts). :-) Or at least thats how my ears see it. ;-)
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Post by guitarboy02451 on Dec 2, 2006 9:27:22 GMT -7
Oh, and any Attenuator is giong to put a little draw on the tone of pretty much any amp. But it's not that bad with either the Maz or the CG.
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Post by ruger9 on Dec 2, 2006 9:43:57 GMT -7
It's really looking like I'm going with a Ghia, and an attenuator (I'll probably try the Mini-Mass first, I have one, love it with my current amp), and if that's not cool maybe I'll try an airbrake.
if THAT doesn't do it, then I guess I'll have to try the MazJr.
FWIW, I'll be going with an open-back 2x12 for the Ghia: a Silver & a Blue, both Alnico. I already have a 410 cab (that I can re-wire 2 of the speakers for 8ohms to play with the Ghia), so I'll be able to really experiment.
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Post by Don on Dec 2, 2006 12:11:10 GMT -7
ruger9 - Let me add my 2¢ here. The Ghia is a loud 18 watts. But I've found that with the volume knob right about 12 o'clock and after, it doesn't really get louder, but more saturated, which is why so many of us use this amp. And if you're looking for a bit more "overdrive" at a lower volume without waking the family up, this amp LOVES pedals.
(Hey Curt - they "neuter" Ghias in Texas? Owww!)
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Post by ruger9 on Dec 2, 2006 15:24:23 GMT -7
I know 18 watts certainly can be loud- but the Ghia's 18 watts wouldn't be any louder than the MazJr's 18 watts, I would think. So how loud the 18 watts "is" is sort of irrelevant. The MazJr has a master, but I'll be using an attenuator with the Ghia, so "6 of one, half-dozen of the other."
My choice between the 2 was really about tone, and about headroom- specifically overdriving at lower volumes. Sounds like the Ghia does it at lower vols than the Maz, which is perfect for me, especially since I'll be attenuating the Ghia.
My choice was also about simplicity. Quite frankly, I'm getting tired of knobs. And the 1 tone knob on the Ghia, if it "works for me", sounds like an absoulte DREAM. I'm tired of fiddling with amp settings, especially when switching guitars. I just want a great amp that I can plug into, turn it up to the desired vol/drive level, and love it. I don't need versatility (except with MY guitars), I don't need a gigging amp, I guess you could call this amp search of mine my "desert island" amp. I'll throw a few pedals in front of it (delay, OD, compressor) and be done with it.
The only reason I'm not looking at minis is that they have NO tone knob, and I think I'd want at least A LITTLE control over that, for switching between my tele & hollowbody if nothing else. Plus, I've been wanting to try out that Blue/Silver speaker combo for a long time now.
Now, having said all that, I'm sure this won't be my last amp purchase! Whan the Doc finally gets around to making an RxES Jr (come on Doc! You know you'd sell a bunch of 'em!) I'll be one of the 1st in line.
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