craig
New Member
Posts: 6
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Post by craig on May 5, 2006 19:50:16 GMT -7
I'm looking for an amp that has chimey, voxy cleans, but sounds just as good with OD/distortion. I really like the range of tones that the Edge from U2 can get from his AC30. In reality, I don't need 30 watts...most of the time, I will be playing at home and recording. When I play live, it will almost always be mic'd. However, having all that headroom and a cut knob might be worth it.
Would the Ghia suffice, or should I go for the Stang?
In a 112 configuration, could the Ghia blow a Celestion Blue speaker?
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Post by billyguitar on May 6, 2006 10:06:54 GMT -7
I have a Ghia and a Maz 38 sr. I don't know if I would call the Ghia Voxy. Really, it's more of it's own thing. However if you're mostly using an amp for recording and at home I think the Ghia is great for that, plus it can easily gig if you're not going for squeaky jazz clean at a gig volume. It has a beautiful sparkly clean, which is loud enough for rehearsal with my band. We rehearse pretty softly since the sax player does not mic for rehearsal and we finally found a good drummer who can sound good playing quietly. Crank the volume past 12:00 and you've got a screaming, meowing overdrive that's loud enough for a gig but not too loud to record with. Listen to BW's Cochanga's gig in the General Section. I think a Celestion Blue would be fine with a Ghia but if you're constantly playing distorted at max output you'll generate enough heat that it may fail someday. You never know for sure, an 18 watt amp and a 15 watt speaker may be okay indefinitely. The Stangray will probably be the Voxiest. You'd probably want an attenuator for recording. I have a Stangray on order myself.
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craig
New Member
Posts: 6
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Post by craig on May 7, 2006 17:28:39 GMT -7
I ordered a Carmen Ghia 112 combo yesterday afternoon. This will be my first Z amp, and it is the most versatile choice for me at this point. I know I can't go wrong with a Ghia...and I can always add a Stang Ray later ;D
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Post by JASON (aka jgleaton) on May 7, 2006 21:44:34 GMT -7
Craig,
Just a thought, but I would highly recommend NOS tubes for your ghia when you do get it.... WORTH the price for a Mullard rectifier from Mike @ KCA... Don't get me wrong, my stock tubes sounded good but when I put THAT rectifier in it and a couple of NOS pre amp tubes...WOWZA!!!!! between speaker and tube swaps...you can really fine tune the sound you want.... AND can make a BIG difference.
I DO use the standard Groove tube el-84 (rated at 6) pair I got from Myles... and if you call/ e-mail Myles at Groove Tubes he can and will hand pick a set of tubes for ya for the price of the tubes because you are a forum member and it's for his favorite amp... the GHIA... ;D
Jason
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Post by Hohn on May 8, 2006 6:24:55 GMT -7
I'm looking for an amp that has chimey, voxy cleans, but sounds just as good with OD/distortion. I really like the range of tones that the Edge from U2 can get from his AC30. In reality, I don't need 30 watts...most of the time, I will be playing at home and recording. When I play live, it will almost always be mic'd. However, having all that headroom and a cut knob might be worth it. Would the Ghia suffice, or should I go for the Stang? In a 112 configuration, could the Ghia blow a Celestion Blue speaker? You can always take down the 30w power using a Hot Plate or other attenuator. In extreme circumstances, a tube amp can have double or triple its rated power output, so I'd say that YES a Celestion Blue is vulnerable in the 1x12 application, but you'd be pushing the amp REALLY hard to get it that far. I was in a similar situation with buying my first Z. I wanted one, but had never played one and didn't know which one was best for me. Listening to BP's sound clips of the Stang Ray sealed the deal for me, and I ordered one. Unlike others, I don't have the means for more than one Z amp at the moment, making the decision even more crucial. When I think of the universe of good tones that I want to emulate, so many of them come back to Voxish sounds-- especially different AC30 variants. True, the SR is no AC30, but it "plays one on TV", so to speak:)
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Post by myles on May 9, 2006 12:45:07 GMT -7
Sam Austin has a Stingray (the one Brad is playing in the little video I have up here elsewhere) and then played my Ghia ... and is now waiting for a Ghia too. It is not a matter of one or the other .... they are very different amps and you just have to bite the bullet and have one of each
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Post by billyguitar on May 9, 2006 12:55:26 GMT -7
That is exactly my plan. "He says as he patiently waits for the Stangray ordered on May 31st"
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Post by guitarhero on Jun 26, 2006 20:43:37 GMT -7
I know that the Ghia doesn't like the overdrive pedals if they boost it too much. It likes the non-boost kind more, whereas the Stangray seems more fit for the boost type of pedal. I have only tried it with the Ghia, so someone else will have to tell you about the stangray. I have read that the ray does like the boost though.
-Mike
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Post by johngourlay on Jul 15, 2006 10:25:43 GMT -7
This is all interesting. I'm in the UK and a Ghia fan, I had the Ghia since early 04 and was thinking of changing to a Stangray (the critters don't land here until aug/sept). I'll think about it carefully now. I just got a Danny Gatton Tele and it sounds great through the Ghia.
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Post by benttop (Steve) on Jul 15, 2006 13:31:25 GMT -7
This is all interesting. I'm in the UK and a Ghia fan, I had the Ghia since early 04 and was thinking of changing to a Stangray (the critters don't land here until aug/sept). I'll think about it carefully now. I just got a Danny Gatton Tele and it sounds great through the Ghia. Lots of sound clips available for the Stang Ray in the sounds forum. I have one and I'm in love with it. A great, world-class amp in my view. And I am one picky SOB...
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Post by billyguitar on Jul 15, 2006 15:22:38 GMT -7
I hooked my Ghia head up to my 2 x 10 cab that I play my Ray thru. Very similar tone but the Ghia is rehearsal volume and the Ray is gig volume. The Ray will never distort as much as the Ghia either, if that's something you want. The Ray can play clean and loud enough for jazz which the Ghia could never do except in the quietest dinner set.
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Post by dock66 on Jul 17, 2006 13:43:59 GMT -7
Owning both is a great idea.
Warning: all Dr.Z amps are addictive , you can never get enough of them after you own one and the list keeps on growing.
dock66.
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Post by billyguitar on Jul 17, 2006 14:13:47 GMT -7
Man, it's a curse!
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Post by kccheers on Jul 17, 2006 14:32:21 GMT -7
Don't I know it.....(Thanx Billy!) LOL
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Post by Hohn on Jul 17, 2006 19:22:25 GMT -7
I'd love to have more than one Z. If I could, my next Z would be a 66, then a Ghia.
jh
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