Post by nicholas on Jul 20, 2017 15:56:03 GMT -7
So after a some time with the Ghia, I really feel like I have this guy figured out. I started playing around with it. Tinkering if you will. I play LP's with humbucker primarily, but have taken a liking to P90's too. I play blues and blues rock mostly. This amp smokes at that stuff. But me bieng me, I wanted to see if I could wring a little more out of it. What exactly? No idea lol. This amp blew me away from the start. First was the speaker. Mine shipped with a Creamback.
I tried a Blue. Not my bag at all. It seemed to lose all the low end extension. It was also pretty bright. I think the Blue sounded real nice around 9:00. Nice edge of cleans. But past that it took on a character I didn't really like at all. Maybe if it broke in, might be better. But it wasn't at all what I was after. Total 180. I moved on.
WGS G12C- I've been enjoying American style speakers lately. I had this one kicking around and gave it a try. I liked it better than the Blue. It was clean and bright. Tight and Spanky. I liked it. It definitely is on the loud side. About as loud as the Blue, but a much bigger more open sound. It is nice, but in my memories the Creamback tone make me think something was missing. I don't use pedals and loved how the CB sounded with the amp at 2:00 or more. Very Marshally. The G12 was no slouch. But it didn't have the thickness of the CB. Would be nice for cleans, or maybe a pedal guy. Nice, just not for me or what I intend to use the Ghia for. Straight in OD.
WGS G12C/S- After the G12C the C/S was much closer to my idea of great tone. The rounded highs really worked. It's not as loud as the G12C. At least in the room it doesn't appear as loud. Maybe because it is so much smoother. This is one of my all time favorite speakers and resides in my JAZ. It's broken in and spectacular in the JAZ. But after a few days, I feel it wasn't bright enough in the Ghia. While very nice sounding, I think my idea of the Ghia is with the volume past 2:00. The C/S didn't have the Marshally treble like the CB. Even though it is the second best from what I've tried. It's out. I put it back I. The JAZ and that's where it will spent the rest of it's days.
I tried each speaker for a few days. Then put the CB back in after each. It always sounded better.
Not leaving well enough alone I ordered a WGS ET90. I've heard very good things. It it will really have to be amazing to beat the CB. The Ghia sounds absolutely fantastic with the CB. I love the cleans around 9:00, but usually go right past those. My favorite characteristic of the Ghia is how the volume works. It sounds like there are three zones. On - 10:00 clean, 10:30-2:00 crunch, 2:00-max lead. It does get louder past noon, with a bit of a kick at 2. But works perfectly for me without needing any od pedals or attenuators.
Then I moved on with tubes. My Ghia shipped with 12AX7's in both slots. I read alot of guys like a 5751 in either, so I tried an old JAN 5751 I had. Right off the bat I decided a 5751 was not for me. It was like spilling perfectly good beer on the ground
. After a bunch of rolling I have a RFT 12AX7 in V1, and the factory TungSol in PI. Perfect! The RFT tubes are my favorite. I have one in the V1 of just about every amp I've owned. I need to find some more, cuz I'm out now!
Power tubes. I like the JJ's just fine. But I tried a pair of RI Mullards. I found these in my tube stash. If anything they seem to calm a bit of fizzyness at max volume, but I'm not settled for sure. I'll experiment some more with those.
Rectifier- When I first got the amp I plugged in an old RCA 5Y3. Amps with rectifier tubes have been problematic for me with out NOS type tubes. I think it's because I lean the combos against the wall and the vibration kills new production tubes. I was happy with that 5Y3 all the while. All the speaker swaps and pre amp tube swaps were with the 5Y3. But I tried a 5V4 and for the last 3_4 days I can't see going back. It makes it sound thicker and fatter. It really helps with the humbuckers, and with the amp cranked mostly all the way up.
I tried a Blue. Not my bag at all. It seemed to lose all the low end extension. It was also pretty bright. I think the Blue sounded real nice around 9:00. Nice edge of cleans. But past that it took on a character I didn't really like at all. Maybe if it broke in, might be better. But it wasn't at all what I was after. Total 180. I moved on.
WGS G12C- I've been enjoying American style speakers lately. I had this one kicking around and gave it a try. I liked it better than the Blue. It was clean and bright. Tight and Spanky. I liked it. It definitely is on the loud side. About as loud as the Blue, but a much bigger more open sound. It is nice, but in my memories the Creamback tone make me think something was missing. I don't use pedals and loved how the CB sounded with the amp at 2:00 or more. Very Marshally. The G12 was no slouch. But it didn't have the thickness of the CB. Would be nice for cleans, or maybe a pedal guy. Nice, just not for me or what I intend to use the Ghia for. Straight in OD.
WGS G12C/S- After the G12C the C/S was much closer to my idea of great tone. The rounded highs really worked. It's not as loud as the G12C. At least in the room it doesn't appear as loud. Maybe because it is so much smoother. This is one of my all time favorite speakers and resides in my JAZ. It's broken in and spectacular in the JAZ. But after a few days, I feel it wasn't bright enough in the Ghia. While very nice sounding, I think my idea of the Ghia is with the volume past 2:00. The C/S didn't have the Marshally treble like the CB. Even though it is the second best from what I've tried. It's out. I put it back I. The JAZ and that's where it will spent the rest of it's days.
I tried each speaker for a few days. Then put the CB back in after each. It always sounded better.
Not leaving well enough alone I ordered a WGS ET90. I've heard very good things. It it will really have to be amazing to beat the CB. The Ghia sounds absolutely fantastic with the CB. I love the cleans around 9:00, but usually go right past those. My favorite characteristic of the Ghia is how the volume works. It sounds like there are three zones. On - 10:00 clean, 10:30-2:00 crunch, 2:00-max lead. It does get louder past noon, with a bit of a kick at 2. But works perfectly for me without needing any od pedals or attenuators.
Then I moved on with tubes. My Ghia shipped with 12AX7's in both slots. I read alot of guys like a 5751 in either, so I tried an old JAN 5751 I had. Right off the bat I decided a 5751 was not for me. It was like spilling perfectly good beer on the ground
. After a bunch of rolling I have a RFT 12AX7 in V1, and the factory TungSol in PI. Perfect! The RFT tubes are my favorite. I have one in the V1 of just about every amp I've owned. I need to find some more, cuz I'm out now! Power tubes. I like the JJ's just fine. But I tried a pair of RI Mullards. I found these in my tube stash. If anything they seem to calm a bit of fizzyness at max volume, but I'm not settled for sure. I'll experiment some more with those.
Rectifier- When I first got the amp I plugged in an old RCA 5Y3. Amps with rectifier tubes have been problematic for me with out NOS type tubes. I think it's because I lean the combos against the wall and the vibration kills new production tubes. I was happy with that 5Y3 all the while. All the speaker swaps and pre amp tube swaps were with the 5Y3. But I tried a 5V4 and for the last 3_4 days I can't see going back. It makes it sound thicker and fatter. It really helps with the humbuckers, and with the amp cranked mostly all the way up.
