Cleveland, OH amp maker Dr. Z has announced the release of the limited 35th Anniversary Carmen Ghia – a specially tweaked take on the 18-watt, 1x10 combo amp that formed its first product line.
As math fans will have figured, Dr. Z was established in 1988 by Mike D. Zaite. It was among the first brands to set the template for what we now refer to as the boutique amp – producing high-end, US-made heads and combos at power ratings that were out of step with the towering stacks of the 1980s.
“Ghia bucked the trend,” says Dr. Z. “Showing that with less watts, less knobs, and less channels the player could experience more dynamics, more tonal colors, and more freedom. As Dr. Z recommends, this is an amplifier you can plug-in, close your eyes, and play.”
Back in 2023, the 35th Anniversary Carmen Ghia offers the same hand-wired 18-watt build, with a 10” WGS Veteran 30 speaker in the cabinet.
On the amp side, there are two hand-selected NOS 6n14n power tubes, which are described as a “highly reliable and smooth sounding” sibling to the EL84 and two 12AX7/ECC83 preamp tubes.
The chief modern innovation comes in the form of post-phase inverter master volume (PPIMV), which essentially allows you to drive it to high-heaven at “whisper-quiet” practice settings.
The control panel offers a super-simple setup of just Volume, Tone and Master dials, while on the rear panel there the option of 16-, 8- and 4-ohm speaker outputs. It’s all housed in a lightweight cabinet that comes it at a super-portable 30lbs.
Finally, it’s given a bit of subtle limited edition sparkle, thanks to the commemorative badge adorns the grille cloth and the inclusion of a signed certificate of authenticity from Zaite himself.
The 35th Anniversary Carmen Ghia retails for $2,099. For more information, head to Dr. Z.
