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Post by ss "Shane" on Feb 27, 2016 14:22:54 GMT -7
First off let me say that I'm a Therapy owner and couldn't be happier, so with that said I'm not looking for a new Z to sound better than what I have, just different. I have a few questions if you guys don't mind:
- does the Ghia eat tubes frequently?
- is the clean side a little too hi fi? I set my Therapy V to about 10 o'clock and work the master for a clean tone with a little hair.
- can th Ghia do classic country? I know it can do rock
- Tele friendly, mini Humbucker friendly?
- I like Vox chime, what about the Ghia in that department?
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Post by John on Feb 27, 2016 14:35:50 GMT -7
The Doc said on this forum a few months ago: The Ghia is much easier on power tubes than most other el84 cathode biased amps. So the power tubes will last much long.
Yes, the Ghia can do classic country. I'm not sure what you mean by hi-fi. (it can mean different things to different people.)
It is very tele friendly. I my personal opinion, I don't like humbuckers with el84s. That said, I can handle humbuckers better with my Ghia than I did with my maz jr.
Vox chime? Not so much. Definitely not as much as the maz jr. It still doesn't have the big bottle sound, but not as chimey as the maz.
As I've said before, they're kind of opposites:
Ghia:
1/3 Vox...2/3 Marshall
Maz Jr:
1/3 Marshall....2/3 Vox
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Post by ss "Shane" on Feb 27, 2016 14:50:02 GMT -7
Thanks John! I guess what I mean by hi fi is so clean to where it can get a bit ice picky and amplify chicken pickin a little too much. Not sure if that makes sense but it does to me lol.
I'm glad you used the Maz Jr. In comparison since I use to own one. So tell me this if you can; what makes the Ghia so beloved and popular?
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Post by simpleton on Feb 27, 2016 15:09:29 GMT -7
Thanks John! I guess what I mean by hi fi is so clean to where it can get a bit ice picky and amplify chicken pickin a little too much. Not sure if that makes sense but it does to me lol. I'm glad you used the Maz Jr. In comparison since I use to own one. So tell me this if you can; what makes the Ghia so beloved and popular? The Ghia was my first Z....However I am also in Therapy these days sooooo... The Therapy seems more hi fi to me where I felt the Ghia, maybe because of El84's, was a bit warmer? Lo fi? Indie? Smooth? It's hard to describe sound, but the Therapy is more transparent where as the Ghia may color tone more. tube wise I found the Ghia was easy on tubes in a loud rock band.... the first clip HERE is a great country tone with Tele and Ghia I think, and John above played his 1x10 in a modern country band till the cows came home. Mine loved my Strat SSS, and SSH, as well as a Gibson LP W/HB as well as my favorite the mighty P90's. Took pedals great too. Chime wise the tone knob takes you from bright to dark so it should be fine...Again Johns take on 1/3 Vox & 2/3 Marshall felt exact to me. Overall if I didn't need the extra watts I never ever, ever, ever would of sold my Ghia...but that as well as my second mid life crisis sent me thru the gear roller coaster and I've landed in serious Therapy.  The Therapy can get close to both the Ghia and Monza I had prior to it...but the Ghia is a magical amp that took me from twiddling with knobs and pedals to remembering the joy of just playing. it's the one amp I would like to own again besides the Therapy even though I'm not really looking. For me the Ghia with my LP P90's and a PCNS Cable was the perfect guitar tone. I loved mine with 2x10 Eminence Legends 10516 and a WGS REAPER 55hz. Really it sounded great with every speaker but we all have favorites. My favorite Ghia is the older green jewel light era but I had for a brief bit one of the Mini Anniversary Ghias and they both were great. |
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Post by freddieg on Feb 27, 2016 16:25:28 GMT -7
As far as ice pick, The Ghia tone knob will easily dial in or out whatever tone you want. You can go from a Tele to an LP and turn the tone knob a little and you are there. Or put a greenback in it.
I played a Joe Barden treble position P90 pickup in my 50's tribute LP for a short while. It was ice picky to beat any ice pick I have ever heard,out of any tele etc... I dimed the Ghia tone knob. It sounded stellar. No other amp I had could tame it. Granted I only have one Z.
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Post by nmz on Feb 27, 2016 19:25:18 GMT -7
I currently have both and they complement each other very well. I agree with the Therapy sounding more HiFi (to me).
The Ghia really fills my el84 amp spot, no need for another. It is more out front like you would expect from an 18 watt amp. The tone mix is exactly like John described. Country to rock it is a workhorse!
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Post by John on Feb 28, 2016 5:31:01 GMT -7
So tell me this if you can; what makes the Ghia so beloved and popular? There is a responsiveness to the amp that makes it a pleasure to play. There are so few components in it, that it really does transfer tone from your fingers/strings to the speaker. Not that other Z amps don't. But the WAY it does it...especially for a lower volume 18 watt amp is what's great. This "WAY"...is what's hard to describe. The Doc's ef86 based amps have their own unique dynamics. (Stangray, Z28, Route 66...etc) ...and so does the Ghia. I never really pushed my Ghia hard, so I can't compare it in that context. I ran low/vintage output tele pickups through it, and had it set for medium to low gain. At near full guitar volume, I'd get a little crunch. Back off the guitar volume and I had real clean, without being lower volume. (ok, maybe just a touch lower) But a lot of the time, the difference in clean/crunch is in your fingers. If I needed something much more crunchy, I stepped on a pedal. Something I did with the Ghia I've never done with any other amp: Used the guitar TONE knob. My tele w vintage pickups is rather bright, so I normally ran the guitar tone around 6-7. That would tuck me nicely in the mix for rhythm. If I needed something brighter, it's there if I need it. (especially solos) |
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Post by T-R☼CK ♫ on Feb 28, 2016 22:30:59 GMT -7
EVERY serious guitar player on this planet, should own a Carmen Ghia.
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Post by fishyfishfish on Feb 29, 2016 16:32:01 GMT -7
Hi! New to the forum. I had some questions about the amp as well. I am coming from a Bad Cat CubII 2x10 ( traded it when I was doing a lot of out door gigs with cruddy monitors).
Now I am seriously looking at Z amps to return to something that does not need a forklift to move around. Would a Ghia 1x12 keep up with a moderately ham fisted drummer?
I primarily set my amps to break up a bit and either goose them with an over drive or roll back on the guitars volume for clean. Also looking the Maz 18 and 38.
Any help is appreciated!!!
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Post by purpletele on Feb 29, 2016 17:32:57 GMT -7
^^^^^^ I would throw the Therapy into that mix as well.
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Post by Jaguarguy (Mike) on Feb 29, 2016 18:35:40 GMT -7
EVERY serious guitar player on this planet, should own a Carmen Ghia. At least one!! (I've got 2  ) |
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Post by pcns on Mar 24, 2016 6:16:45 GMT -7
I have both a Therapy and a Ghia LE. I love them both and both sound very different from each other.
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Post by telego on Mar 25, 2016 6:23:48 GMT -7
I just bought a Maz18 but already had the Ghia. I think the Ghia is one of those amps you just gotta have then get whatever else after that. I would never part with mine, its a no fuss amp, no bells and whistles, just pure tone.
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Post by eggman on Apr 19, 2016 11:55:24 GMT -7
Howdy,
The Ghia doesn't eat tubes. With a Weber AlNiCo silver bell (and other popular speakers) the Ghia has beautiful British Invasion chime at lower volume. As to whether the Ghia is "hi-fi" or "lo-fi", I cannot say. It's also great for Keith Richards type raunch! If you want authentic Classic Country tone you'll need a Tele and a Twin, though The Ghia is adequate for Bakersfield twang. Hey, you aren't expecting an 18 watt EL84 amp to sound like a glassy 6L6 Twin, are you? I know that my 335-at low volume is great for early Beatles tones, with the AlNiCo silver bell speaker. I'm 52 years old and have owned a dozen Fender tube amps and the Ghia has only one peer for great tone and versatility: My '68 Vibro Champ!
PS: I haven't found an electric Guitar that didn't sound fantastic through my Ghia; bring your mini-humuckers and your Tele and enjoy 
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