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  #31  
Old 07-03-2020, 02:38 PM
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I have not used the Mini Mass. I've heard good things about it, but thats only what I have read online. One nice thing that sticks out to me is that the attenuation knob is totally variable. The one on my Swart Nite Lite only has a few fixed clicks, so if they don't fall within the attenuation you want, oh well.
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Old 07-03-2020, 02:45 PM
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Originally Posted by anton View Post
I have not used the Mini Mass. I've heard good things about it, but thats only what I have read online. One nice thing that sticks out to me is that the attenuation knob is totally variable. The one on my Swart Nite Lite only has a few fixed clicks, so if they don't fall within the attenuation you want, oh well.
I ended up going with the Webber Mini Mass. For a slight upcharge you can get it with a headphone Jack! Add to that bench made in the USA? Winner winner chicken dinner!
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  #33  
Old 01-10-2021, 01:34 AM
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Well I decided to keep both amps. I sent the Carmen Ghia off to Dr Z to get the master volume installed and a general checkup. It sounds great and the master volume makes it more flexible. The breakup on this amp is wonderful.

I got a Weber 12A125S and put it in the tweed deluxe. It cut down on the bass quite a bit, and the tone to me is what I hear on all those blues records. I am still learning how to use the amp and understanding the inputs and interactive volumes. I'll post my thoughts in another thread. I think the speaker sounds pretty good.
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  #34  
Old 01-10-2021, 09:40 AM
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If I was shopping for a new amp it would be the Carr Sportsman. Both of your amps are keepers. I have a '58 Fender Tweed Deluxe and a Victoria Tweed Deluxe. I also have a hardwired Black Face 1980 Tweed Deluxe and a PRS H50 watt dual channel head.

It depends on volume desired, band set list, venue, and type of music.
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  #35  
Old 01-10-2021, 11:54 AM
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I'm not familiar with your amps, but there's nothing wrong about owning two amps. I have three and I don't want to part with any of them......

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  #36  
Old 01-10-2021, 01:01 PM
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Anyone have any opinion on the Webber Mini Mass?
Sorry Blue, I never saw this one, but my friend who has all the vintage amps has one of those, and he likes it very much for his lower output amps.
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  #37  
Old 01-10-2021, 04:03 PM
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I'll keep thinking on the Ghia. Maybe I'll try a different speaker. I know I can send it off to Dr Z to get a master volume installed, which might be cool.
Rather than a master volume, why not just put a Z-brake attenuator in the back? Super easy mod, and probably a little less than a custom mod.

I bought a used Ghia with the brake mounted inside the cab, and wont ever part withit. I love the single knob tone and manageable volumes.

Good luck with your decision!
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  #38  
Old 01-13-2021, 11:10 AM
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Rather than a master volume, why not just put a Z-brake attenuator in the back? Super easy mod, and probably a little less than a custom mod.
I thought about that. I currently have a Swart Nite Lite that I was using with the Ghia before getting the MV. The Nite Lite sits outside the cab. It worked out fine, but I wanted something that would sit inside the cab, so I wouldn't have to worry about connecting/disconnecting speaker cables.

I was going to send the Ghia off to Dr Z for a once over anyways, so I thought why not have him install the Master Volume. It wouldn't be much more than buying an attenuator I could mount in the cab. Its a Post Phase Inverter MV that works pretty well I think, and adds some value to the amp perhaps. He only put a master volume on the small lunchbox size 25th Anniversary Ghias.

Its a chicken head knob on the back of the chassis, so easy to adjust by feel.
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  #39  
Old 01-14-2021, 06:03 AM
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Heres my z-brake mounted in my Ghia. It really opens up my amp to full tone while at family-friendly volume levels. This is my “if you could only keep one” amp. Although NAD brought a ‘57 Champ that is a gem, too, with only a volume knob.
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  #40  
Old 05-18-2022, 08:23 PM
paulorr8179 paulorr8179 is offline
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Default Couple years late but …

Just seeing this post in 2022. I thought I would add to the conversation for future readers.

I had the Carmen Ghia in a 1x10, a 1x12 and a 2x10 combo formats. The 2x10 sounded the fullest.

To get more clean head room, put a 12AT7 in V1 and you can push the volume up to noon with out breakup.

The best sounding speaker is the Celestine Gold. In 10” or 12”. What a fine speaker.

I’m looking at a Richter 5e3 to buy right now. From what I read it has that tweed bite to it. Great for blues.
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  #41  
Old 05-19-2022, 02:10 AM
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Plus one on the Celestion gold. I have one in my Princeton and semi or solid bodies sound great thru it…. Also nice call on Bill Frisell’s version of Surfer Girl 😎👍
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  #42  
Old 05-19-2022, 11:45 PM
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Cool stuff, thanks for those latest comments. I've still got the Ghia, and have been enjoying the master volume mod. I currently have a Weber Greenback clone in it, which sounds nice. It came with a Weber Alnico Blue Dog, I should put that back in it sometime and remember how it sounds.

I've never tried a Celestion Gold, that would be fun to do one day. I've still got the Richter 5E3 but I'm leaning towards selling it. Having two amps of this size is kind of overkill, it would be fun to get a small tweed champ or something similar for quieter home playing.
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  #43  
Old 05-20-2022, 05:16 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by anton View Post
it would be fun to get a small tweed champ or something similar for quieter home playing.
Zombie thread! Its nice hearing long term follow up, though. Cant believe its been two years.

That 8” 57 Champ RI is a really nice, simple amp. Really forces you to learn your guitar’s V/T knobs
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  #44  
Old 05-27-2022, 07:30 PM
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Hi Folks,

I've got two nice amps, and I need to decide which one to keep. I know, nice problem to have. I know this is pretty subjective and ultimately up to me, but thought talking it out might help. Or at least we can have some good discussion.

My two amps are a 5E3 Tweed Deluxe made by Sara Richter and a Dr Z Carmen Ghia. Both are 1 x 12" combos. The 5E3 is a pretty straight ahead clone from what I understand, with a Jensen Electric Lighting speaker. The Z has a well broken in Weber Alnico Blue Dog.

I like to play blues, and have a Baja Tele and Eastman T59, which is a 335 type clone. I am playing mostly at home and with friends. Yea my amps are probably a bit overpowered for that.

To me the Deluxe has a more familiar and recognizable tone. It sounds right for blues. It sounds good with both my guitars. I do find the bass response a bit much, and there seems to be this woofiness I can't dial out. From what I understand that is the nature of the circuit. I really like the touch sensitivity and fat clean tones.

The Carmen Ghia is not dissimilar. It has a single volume and tone control, and not a ton of clean headroom, especially with humbuckers. To me the break up is perhaps a bit smoother than the Deluxe, and it is also a very touch sensitive amp. It seems a good bit louder overall. To my ears it sounds like a much brighter amp than the Deluxe. I usually have the tone on my guitars down quite a bit when playing through it. I don't really play my Tele with this amp as everything seems almost to bright. There is this kind of directness and rawness to the tone, its very cutting. I understand alot of Z amps have this quality, and the Ghia is a very simple and direct circuit. I hear alot of string separation, which is a nice when fingerpicking the electric.

So thats where I am at. I don't NEED the money, but it feels wasteful to have one amp sitting there if I am not into it and could use the cash for something else.

I'd be interested to hear others thoughts/opinions.
Keep them both and get an amp switcher. Then you could use one or the other, or a blend of both.
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