Despite having a simplistic design, the Carmen Ghia offers a surprising amount of versatility. Unlike most tone controls, this one becomes bassier and thicker as you turn it clockwise, while delivering a bright, cutting sound at its lowest setting. Both the amp and cab are in excellent condition, showing only minor signs of previous wear. Here’s what Dr. Z has to say about it:
"At first glance, the Carmen Ghia looks rather, well, modest. Is this why, over the past 35 years, the Ghia leaves so many people floored from the first note? Or is it the notes spilling out with a warmth, complexity, and sustain that one would never expect from such a small amp. Each pluck has a hugeness to it that belies it’s 18 watt power section. All this before the amp really starts to sing. As you turn the Volume clockwise, the clean tones resonate even bigger than they were.
Sustain rolls out smoothly, as musical as you have ever heard it. Notes seem to hang in the air forever. Rich, harmonic overdrive is easily coaxed just by digging into the strings. Just seconds into playing it, you’ll have trouble putting your guitar down as the hours pass like minutes. The Carmen Ghia interacts with your guitar, your touch is in complete control of the amp, it’s dynamics, it’s distortion, it produces a sound that is as uncanny as you."