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Post by juxtapolice on Jul 31, 2017 10:07:00 GMT -7
Been thinking about one for a long time but not sure if I should spring on it or a Remedy, which I've also been jonesin for a very long time. Maybe I can find some guidance here. I currently own two Z's, an RXJR (my main amp) and a KT45. I absolutely love the RXJR, it was my first Z and best amp I've played through. It sits in the mix really wonderfully and has this overdrive that just kills. The KT45, though sounding terrific, is too much volume for my setup band, I think it needs a good attenuator or a real large stage to disperse some sound, so I am currently selling it and hopefully will be able to use the proceeds towards a Ghia or Remedy. As far as other amps, I own a super and deluxe style amp, that cover my "fendery" sounds and the RX which somewhat sits in the Vox camp but is it's own thing. I was considering the Remedy since I'm worried I'll be missing some low end punch with the Ghia, alas this is just an assumption since I haven't played one. I fear with the remedy though I'd only have it at 20 watts most of the time so the Ghia makes more sense. Also, I love the simplicity of the tone stack, I play dirty all the time and clean with the volume knob, I need that balance of tune compression but thump in the notes. The RX doesn't really have that thump when the band kicks in but it sounds and feels so good plus kills in the mix so it gets a pass. Can Ghia users chime in on this perhaps enlighten me on the strengths and weaknesses of this wonderful amp? Thanks!
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Post by Rockerfeller on Jul 31, 2017 10:22:54 GMT -7
I can't say anything about the Ghia because I have never owned nor played one. But I can tell you about the Remedy: The Remedy is loud and proud. It is a GREAT amp with stellar dirt tones and terrific clean tones as well. If you get it with the MV you won't have any problem playing it anywhere. It is a great MV!
Mine had the MV, but I pretty much just dimed that and took it out of the equation and played on 40 watts. But I ran the Hi/lo volumes around 10am and played it in a really loud band that often was on outdoor stages and bigger rooms.
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Post by juxtapolice on Jul 31, 2017 11:06:35 GMT -7
I can't say anything about the Ghia because I have never owned nor played one. But I can tell you about the Remedy: The Remedy is loud and proud. It is a GREAT amp with stellar dirt tones and terrific clean tones as well. If you get it with the MV you won't have any problem playing it anywhere. It is a great MV! Mine had the MV, but I pretty much just dimed that and took it out of the equation and played on 40 watts. But I ran the Hi/lo volumes around 10am and played it in a really loud band that often was on outdoor stages and bigger rooms. Man, making this a tough call. For all intents and purposes the remedy has seemed the choice, and I'm sure eventually I'll have both of these. I suppose, there's just something about the Ghia that's calling me and I can't figure out what it is, I think that's why I posted here instead of the Remedy thread, everywhere I look the Remedy seems an easy sell so I guess I'm searching for the mojo on the Ghia. Thanks for the input, certainly factoring all responses/experiences. Dr. z amps just have the best dirt around and I can't help but the gas for them all! |
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Post by freddieg on Jul 31, 2017 11:29:52 GMT -7
If you like 6V6 you should look at the Z28.
That being said, you can do any type of music with the Ghia tone knob at your disposal.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 31, 2017 13:17:58 GMT -7
Everybody needs a Ghia.
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Post by Rhythmark on Jul 31, 2017 14:31:01 GMT -7
Had a Ghia, but prefer the Cure.!!
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Post by simpleton on Jul 31, 2017 15:08:25 GMT -7
The Ghia is a wonderful amp that has a unique flavor....to me the Ghia is an amp for people who want their own sound. Other amp will do "familiar " sounds more easily....but the Ghia has it own voice - which I love.
I never had a Remedy.....but I am sure the Ghia will add something you don't have. The Ghia begs for speaker trials to hone your perfect audio pleasure. I miss my Ghia the most of the Z amps I've sold.
I don't consider the Ghia an amp that thumps. The low end will depend on speaker choice.....the Therapy had a considerable thump in the low end. The Ghia is full sounding.
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Post by John on Jul 31, 2017 18:54:59 GMT -7
I've had both a Ghia and a Remedy. (for years, both at the same time) When I stopped gigging, I sold the Ghia...but I miss it. I chose to sell the Ghia because I'm an old 4 input Marshall guy, and if I'm only going to have 1 amp, I wanted it to be the Remedy. I gigged both amps extensively. Big stages, small stages, good gigs, bad gigs....mostly classic rock and modern country.
I will do a little contrast and compare....but keep in mind...both amps are absolutely TOPS. So if I say something good about one amp's feature, that doesn't mean the other amp lacks in that area.
There probably doesn't need to be much discussion about the Remedy. It's a 6V6 plexi based amp. With big bottle 6V6 power tubes, it's going to have more low end firmness than a 2 x el84 amp. That's pretty much the way it is. And that low end firmness is helped along by the solid state rectifier. The Ghia has a tube rec, so it can get a little softer when pushed. Solid state rec amps can have a slight 'immediateness' or 'quick attack' to the feel. (neither good or bad) Tube rec amps like the Ghia, can have the slightly softer feel I mentioned. Some people think this softer approach can be more expressive. It's personal taste. One is not better than the other.
The Ghia, for an el84 amp (of which I've had 5 el84 amps) is surprisingly in the Marshall camp. Most people associate el84 amps with 'chime'. And the ghia doesn't have nearly as much chime as a maz or AC30 type amps. This is neither a positive or negative thing. It's just what it is.
When you have the Remedy cranked pretty high, and you start playing with the guitar volume low and cleanish tone, it will sound great. But as you start to turn the guitar volume up (while still playing) there is a certain wonderful compression and bloom to the feel and sound of the amp. (This is part of the plexi feel/tone) The Ghia is surprisingly close to this vintage marshall bloom. Perhaps this is why I bonded so well with the Ghia. I had a 1x10 combo, and it was the best grab and go gigging amp I've ever had.
The tone knob on the Ghia is more of a mid-sweep than a traditional tone knob. When most people think tone control, they're thinking of a cheap music player. And the tone control is more of a boost/cut for treble and bass. But for the Ghia it's more of a mid sweep. Not completely, there's still some bass/treble boost and cut...but not like a music player. If the Ghia seems too bright, but you don't want to change the tone knob, you have to control the brightness with the tone control on your guitar. You'll get used to doing that in 5 seconds. (it's no big deal...but you DO have to do it)
Yes, the Remedy will hit you in the chest with a more robust low end thump. This is partly due to the big bottle 6V6, and partly due to the solid state rectifier. So the Ghia may not whomp you in the chest as much, but some people may not want that chest whomping. The Ghia sounds so good you may not miss the chest whomping!
Power wise, the Ghia will sit along side the Rxjr. (and your Rxjr may get/feel jealous or neglected! You've been warned) The Remedy will sit in between the Rxjr and the KT-45. When I had both amps, the Ghia got most of the gigs...but that's because we played a lot of smaller stages. (not to mention easy to move) The Remedy was brought out for the bigger stages where I could crank it up on the full 40 watts.
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Post by TelePrankster on Aug 1, 2017 1:38:15 GMT -7
I've had both a Ghia and a Remedy. (for years, both at the same time) When I stopped gigging, I sold the Ghia...but I miss it. I chose to sell the Ghia because I'm an old 4 input Marshall guy, and if I'm only going to have 1 amp, I wanted it to be the Remedy. I gigged both amps extensively. Big stages, small stages, good gigs, bad gigs....mostly classic rock and modern country. I will do a little contrast and compare....but keep in mind...both amps are absolutely TOPS. So if I say something good about one amp's feature, that doesn't mean the other amp lacks in that area. There probably doesn't need to be much discussion about the Remedy. It's a 6V6 plexi based amp. With big bottle 6V6 power tubes, it's going to have more low end firmness than a 2 x el84 amp. That's pretty much the way it is. And that low end firmness is helped along by the solid state rectifier. The Ghia has a tube rec, so it can get a little softer when pushed. Solid state rec amps can have a slight 'immediateness' or 'quick attack' to the feel. (neither good or bad) Tube rec amps like the Ghia, can have the slightly softer feel I mentioned. Some people think this softer approach can be more expressive. It's personal taste. One is not better than the other. The Ghia, for an el84 amp (of which I've had 5 el84 amps) is surprisingly in the Marshall camp. Most people associate el84 amps with 'chime'. And the ghia doesn't have nearly as much chime as a maz or AC30 type amps. This is neither a positive or negative thing. It's just what it is. When you have the Remedy cranked pretty high, and you start playing with the guitar volume low and cleanish tone, it will sound great. But as you start to turn the guitar volume up (while still playing) there is a certain wonderful compression and bloom to the feel and sound of the amp. (This is part of the plexi feel/tone) The Ghia is surprisingly close to this vintage marshall bloom. Perhaps this is why I bonded so well with the Ghia. I had a 1x10 combo, and it was the best grab and go gigging amp I've ever had. The tone knob on the Ghia is more of a mid-sweep than a traditional tone knob. When most people think tone control, they're thinking of a cheap music player. And the tone control is more of a boost/cut for treble and bass. But for the Ghia it's more of a mid sweep. Not completely, there's still some bass/treble boost and cut...but not like a music player. If the Ghia seems too bright, but you don't want to change the tone knob, you have to control the brightness with the tone control on your guitar. You'll get used to doing that in 5 seconds. (it's no big deal...but you DO have to do it)
Yes, the Remedy will hit you in the chest with a more robust low end thump. This is partly due to the big bottle 6V6, and partly due to the solid state rectifier. So the Ghia may not whomp you in the chest as much, but some people may not want that chest whomping. The Ghia sounds so good you may not miss the chest whomping! Power wise, the Ghia will sit along side the Rxjr. (and your Rxjr may get/feel jealous or neglected! You've been warned) The Remedy will sit in between the Rxjr and the KT-45. When I had both amps, the Ghia got most of the gigs...but that's because we played a lot of smaller stages. (not to mention easy to move) The Remedy was brought out for the bigger stages where I could crank it up on the full 40 watts. I'm setting up my first wet/dry rig and I've chosen my Carmen Ghia for the dry (dirty) "channel". The wet (clean) "channel" will be covered by my Z-28, which has a beautiful breakup but I prefer it for cleans. The reason why I choose the Ghia for dirt is because it's very similar to a Marshall, but it does its own thing. It's a very unique amp and it's MY sound. You need to understand how to tame it's brightness when using certain speakers but you know how to do it at this point, I guess. |
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Post by juxtapolice on Aug 1, 2017 8:34:59 GMT -7
Thanks for the thoughtful replies, these have been very helpful. I am currently leaning towards the Ghia. I love the tonestack and simplicity. I'm predominately a tele and Jr. player, using mostly tone and volume control. The one major color I'm missing on my amp palette is something Marshall-y, doesn't have to fit squarely in that camp but just more towards it, I know the remedy will have a firm low end with the solid state rectifier but I also LOVE the sag of the 5y3 on my RXJR plus I know Z's amps in either case stay together remarkably well and are always really clear. Hopefully I'll have an opportunity to try both of these. Thanks again!
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Post by Deleted on Aug 1, 2017 19:13:01 GMT -7
PM sent.
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Post by tpritchard on Aug 3, 2017 8:10:57 GMT -7
You can't go wrong either way. I have had a Ghia for years now and my friend and band mate has a Remedy. Both deliver the Z goods, but are different beasts.
The Remedy does the plexi thing, but with a bit more clarity and sparkle. Big, bold and crunchy.
The Ghia, like others have said, is just so unique. In my mind it's the perfect blend of vintage Vox, Marshall, and Fender with a twist that is only Z. It actually delivers really great cleans, fairly loudly, and then breaks up beautifully beginning at 10-12 depending on pickups. After that, it just saturates more and gets a beautiful tone that is equal parts sag and crunch.
The Remedy gives you more control, for sure, but the Ghia's simple design is deceptively versatile and those tone and volume knobs interact uniquely. Once you're used to them, you can really dial in a broad variety of tones. I typically run mine on the edge of breakup to get a semi-clean platform and then use pedals from there.
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Post by eggman on Aug 3, 2017 21:55:30 GMT -7
Howdy,
It's hard to go wrong with a Ghia; I won't part with mine. Good chimey clean tones at lower volume and even better for 'Stones style raunch when turned up.
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Post by TelePrankster on Aug 4, 2017 1:26:28 GMT -7
I'm running mine at 1 o'clock recently and while it delivers a very Marshally dirt tone, it can do cleans just controlling dynamics. I'm not using guitar's volume knob at all, just picking softly. It's the only amp I own that can do that, and I have very good amps. The only pedal I use with my Ghia is a Timmy, I'm sure you know how it works.
My Z-28 have more headroom for cleans, it's a more "polite" and easily manageable amp and breakups very nicely, but once it's distorted is not as dynamic as the Ghia.
I see the Carmen Ghia as a "no-filter" amp, a unique beast. While adding its own voice, it seems to let all frequencies pass depending on the guitar you're using. This can cause some little "problems" if you're using certain guitars, but everything can be solved using volume and tone knobs. This amp forces you to know your instruments better and to make contact with them better.
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Post by T-R☼CK ♫ on Aug 4, 2017 14:01:33 GMT -7
Zachary what I came here to say. |
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Post by ss "Shane" on Aug 5, 2017 6:47:46 GMT -7
Here is, in my opinion, the best way to sum up my Ghia:
- Volume at 7-9:00, a really nice sounding amp
- Volume at noon and past, maybe the best feeling and sounding amp on the planet if your not wanting crystal clean.
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Post by nicholas on Aug 5, 2017 13:51:22 GMT -7
^^ Yup. I might just add with the volume all the way up you might sell any overdrive pedals you have acquired over the years. It really smokes with buckers or P90's.
To the OP, the Remedy I had was the first version without a MV. It was a splendid amp, but it was a bit loud to get to the dirt. That's why I parted ways with it. I don't have any experience with the newer MV Remedys. That might be the ticket? But comparing the Ghia to the non master Remedy, for my needs the Ghia wins. I can use all of the amp and crank it right up. It sounds absolutely glorious. Super easy to dial in. Has a great feel, easy to play. I skipped over it for the 10 years I've been hip to Dr.Z's. Wish I tried it sooner. It's all sorts of excellent.
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