Fender Champ

Reckon this must be a '72 model as I bought it new that year in Glasgow (McCormacks)with a Strat, only because it was small and relatively cheap. Guitar was #212 ($370) and the amp was around #80 ($115). At the time I was not concerned with the distinct lack of features as I just wanted to play that guitar. Bought as a bedroom amp, it did its job well and could also annoy the neighbours a little.
I also purchased a Cry Baby and so the lack of effects didn't worry me. Up until that time, all I had was my brother's Selmer AC 30 which seemed bland in comparison to the rich tone of the Champ so I guess that I was pleased.

Various guitars have been played through this box (inc.the Strat) eg Grimshaw LP copy - the humbuckers sounded good, a Futurama which didn't cut it, albeit a classic now, and, later, a '75 LP Pro Deluxe which sounded just fine. But these were all at bedroom levels (max 6 usually). Rock 'n Roll was not what it was about, but blues seemed to suit her fine, and still does.

Never been broke in all these years - total reliability. Tube never gave in although I got Sonus (respected amp guys in Glasgow)to put in a beefy sound years later. I kept the original Tube because it sounded sweet.Time to change back.

You dont need support with an original Champ.

Played since 1969 but only got reasonable 4 years later, then deteriorated. Had plenty of good guitars and boxes since then. Only rate the Champ, Twin Reverb, Marshall Mini stack (SS)and, on Guitars, Mike Vanden (have 2 - see his web site, he's good) LP Pro Deluxe, Strat and, most recently an Aslin Dane 335 - very good for under $200. The Champ is as good as amps get and are best played through a PA although its not the box for kids, too good really! Sorry - grumpy old man. If it got stolen, then some lucky guy just won the jackpot. Champs are now over-priced as players with all the gear in the world start to collect them but I can't understand why people sell them in the first place - don't!.

early 70's silver face.It has features that most amps don't.To see these features you must turn the amp on,plug in your sure dx mic,
close your eyes and play from your heart ! voila..It's features are FAT !!! This is the best harp amp a harp player can have for the price.(If you can find one )Mine is in Showroom condition and all original including the tubes.I am getting ready to install a Torres champ mod kit in it.Hoping it will do like everyone says it will.
Stock out of the box is supurb though.

I use a Sure DX 550 green bulletand sometimes a JT30 mic.
I use Lee Oscar harps and some Hohner(don't like the protruding reed plates on the newer ones )I also use a Boss Digital Delay which is incredible for a nice full sound.I've tried all the pedals .This one accually gives you some nice overdrive too.All you harp players- Try one today don't delay-If you want some delay .HA !

Would I use it on a gig without a backup ?? Come on,WE ARE TALKING FENDER HERE !!! of course.
This thing is bulletproof.
They should be re issuing these as we speak .

I don't need no stinkin warranty !
Never gonna need it !

Ive been playing Harp for 19 yrs and giging for 12
If it were lost or missing,I would put it on the back of a milk carton
What do I love about it? It does what it is told and it doesn't cost much to feed it !
What I hate about it is that it won't go to the fridge and get me a beer.

This is a silverface Fender Champ, between a '70 and a '74 according to the Ampwares Field Guide. I play rock, blues and "dieselbilly". It is a simple, single channel amp. I use this amp at home as a practice amp, but do jam with full band on occasion. All tube is a beautiful thing.

I use this with a 2001 American Standard Strat and a 1886 MIJ Tele (with USA pickups). Very quite amp. I did have some hum initially, but it turned out to be a bad cable. Although 6 watts through an 8" speaker dosen't sound impressive, this thing cranks pretty well. Clear, glassy, bell-like tones all the way up to about 6, then the nice crunch begins. I go with Bass on 10, Treble on 6 and Volume on about 5. Combined with an Electro-Harmonix Holy Grail, this rig is Pure Heaven.

Totally stock and RCA tubes appear to be original or at least pretty old. So far so good for reliability. Fender knows amps. For a 32 year old amp it shows terrific endurance.

Not applicable. Never had a problem.

Been playing for 25 years, also own a Marshall Valvestate AVT50 and a '68 Fender Bandmaster. Would definitely buy again if lost or stolen. Very impressed with this amp. I bought it because I wanted an all-tube amp and read that Clapton used Champs for Layla and all the Derek and the Dominos stuff - although his was an older tweed I believe. No matter, the Champ is one Fender amp who's circuit has changed very little. I put a replacement Jensen PR8 Alnico model and it blows the stock Fender speaker away.

'73 Champ, siverface, 6 watts, 3 knobs. Simple, has great sound. Great practice amp, especially for those who play through Fender siverface tube amps for their gig amps. Actually it's fine as a living room instrument- not too loud, but certainly loud enough for most needs. It can be heard above drums if your drummer is reasonably quiet, though not much "head room" to play with in this situation. 8 rating for few features. Want features, but something else. This is pure tone.

I use it with a Stratocaster, Les Paul, and for a slide guitar setup. It does the clean Fender tube sound VERY well, which is why I bought it. I play through a Super Reverb and a Princeton Reverb for most gigs, so I wanted something to drag around to practices that's light but represents my sound. It has no reverb, but that's the only thing it's really missing. If you want distortion, either leave the original speaker in and crank it (as Joe Perry did for his latest CD with Aerosmith), or use a pedal (I suggest this). I switched out the original speaker (and kept it, as always) for a new Jensen "Mod" 8 inch speaker. Let me tell you it makes all the difference in the world!! It is ultra clean at all volume levels (the speaker is rated at 20 watts, this amp puts out 6), which you can't do with a pedal- clean is clean, no substitute! I use a pedal for breakup and the edge I need on leads and on occasional riffs and rhythms. This is a small Princeton, wothout reverb. If you play through a Fender amp on stage, I suggest you use this Champ for practices, if you want a lighter, smaller version to carry around. Again, it stands on its own, too, just no reverb. I play rock, blues, and jazz.

I practice with it and use it as my backup at gigs. Realiable so far. All my Fender amps are reliable. They're all hand-wired. The newest one I have is 1975. I trust them.

Wouldn't even know.

Buy the amp, assure it has good tubes, put in the Jensen speaker replacement and save the old one. Just play through it. No comparisons for me, it is the best representation of bigger Fender silverface amps out there. Clean, clean, clean.

This review is for a '78 Fender Champ.

Even stock, it sounds great at any volume level above 2. The speaker is the weakest link - replace it as you wish...

Many no-mod tricks are possible to give the Champ a wider range of sounds. Heres' a few tried-and-true ones:

=> Use a 6L6 in place of the 6V6 for a bit more clean headroom before distortion. The only caveat is the cathode resisor bypass cap MUST be replaced with a higher voltage rated cap; say about 22uf @ 63VDC or higher. The rating of the stock cap (25VDC) will be exceeded with a 6L6. You may then elect to...

=> Replace the tube rectifier with a solid state one for even more headroom.

=> Replace the 5751 for a little less gain. This plug-and-play mod can be done on a stock amp. This ain't my cup of tea, some swear by it.

=> Get rid of the 330pf cap on the socket of the 6V6 socket. It bleeds-off high frequencies, sucking some of the life from the amp.

=> Plug the darn thing into a 2X12 cabinet. This is the best 'mod' of them all. Cranked Champ + 2x12 = Tone Heaven.

Reliability of the Champ is very good if you repace the 'can' filter cap. Antique Electronics Supply sells suitable, newly manufactured replacements. Also, if you have a silver-face Champ, have a spare 6V6 on hand. Champs are really rough on 6V6's, running them well over 100% of their maximum specified rating.

1979 Fender Champ. 6 watts from 1 12AX7 preamp, 1 5Y3 rectifier, and 1 6V6 output tube. Controls: volume, bass, treble. All you really need if you know what you're doing.

I play a Gibson Les Paul Studio with Gibson 490r and 498t humbuckers. I play mostly rock, from classic to modern, and some blues. The amp is perfect for all of the above. With the volume around 8 the amp breaks up nicely, very warm with nice tube compression. It responds to the most subtle nuances of your playing. Go from dirty to clean with a simple roll of the volume nob, or a change in pick attack. Great for practice and excellent for recording. The sound from a 100 watt stack with the preamp up high, and the volume low is buzzy and thin. Much better is using a low wattage tube amp cranked.

Very dependable. Fender is a great company. It is however, a tube amp and must be treated accordingly.

n/a

Great amp. I also own a Carvin MTS3200 100 watt tube stack which i use for gigging. The fender is my choice for studio work though. I would most definitely replace the champ. Do yourself a favor and find an amp like this one. You can learn much more about playing guitar when your amp reproduces exactly what you feed it.

1980 Silverface Champ. Three knobs, Volume, Bass, Treble. All tube, including power supply. Tube lineup -- 12AX7 (Preamp); 6V6 (PA); WY3 (Power Supply). The single tube 6V6 power amp is very nice and convienient. No biasing when changing tubes and matched PA Tubes are not necessary (only one PA!).

Wish it had Reverb -- but that's the only thing that I'd like to see that's missing. I use this amp for recording and for practice at home -- it's my main amp -- and it's highly portable. The volume level is very manageable, and you can crank it into distortion without blowing out the windows of your house. It is still loud though when cranked to 10 -- not loud enough to gig with though unless miked.

I changed out all of the stock tubes after I bought it and replaced the stock ceramic speaker with a new Alnico Jensen.

Get's a 6 in the category of "Features" ONLY because it has 3 knobs. But in this case, less is more.

Sounds awesome. I use this amp with my American Telecaster -- which I play rock / blues / jass / country on. I would not classify this amp as a "heavy metal" amp. But it nails Chuck Berry, Eagles, Sheryl Crow, Buck Owens, Travis Tritt, and any kind of Blues or Jass you could possibly play.

Distortion is warm and sweet -- not crunchy at all. I use a Route 66 Compression/Overdrive pedal with it and that's it. I will probably also get a Route 66 H20 Chorus/Echo pedal also simply so I can simulate the Lesley effect for my "Let It Be" solos.

The WY3 Power Supply tube adds an extra "dimension" to the sound that is hard to describe -- believe it or not. Because of that, the amp really needs to be turned up to at least "3" because using lower volumes really exaggerates the "lag" of the power supply tube. But at 3 or better, what you get is nice smooth pick attack articulation through the amp.

With the new tubes I put in and the Alnico Speaker -- I give this amp a "10" in the sound department because -- it is.

The amp is dependable, but since it's a tube amp -- it's going to sound better than a Solid State amp but it's not going to be as reliable. This thing is old and the tube sockets are a little loose, so I ensure that the tubes are well seated before turning it on. There are just a lot of little things you have to do to "nurse" a tube amp, especially an old one -- and this one is no exception. This is just something you deal with as a tradeoff in order to get that great "tube sound". So reliability gets a "7" -- for an old tube amp. A new Fender Frontman Solid State amp would probably get a "10" for reliability -- but they don't sound as good.

N/A -- You buy one of these things -- you fix it yourself or take it to a good amp tech. Parts are plentiful on the internet though -- so any old Champ can be fixed when it breaks down. Parts availability is also enhanced because this amp sort of has a "cult following". There are lot of them out there, people really love this amp. Where else are you going to get an ALL TUBE (including PS) amp for under $400?

Overall rating is a 10 -- that's a sentimental rating. This amp is 25 years old. Every one of these Champs from the past has it's own personality. If it were lost or stolen -- I'd be depressed. I'd certainly buy another one but these little amps are like Harley's -- you never want to get rid of them, trade them in, or see them broken or stolen.

This is a '64 Blackface. 1 preamp tube, 1 power tube, 1 rectifier. 6 watts rms into an 8' speaker. Volume, bass, treble controls. Just what I need for a studio amp and nothing I don't!

This is an unbelievable amplifier. I play an SG standard with humbuckers. I play all kinds of rock from classic to postmodern. I usually use distortion sounds. You need an od/distortion pedal to get really high gain sounds with this thing. Cranked up on it's own, you get a nice crunch and the amp maintains it's astounding input sensitivity. Put just a little clean boost or a tube screamer type pedal in front and this thing will rock as hard as you need it to. It is pretty quiet, even at higher volumes. You can't get as much tonal variety as other combos with more preamp features, but you can go from pristine clean to crunch just with the volume control, and the amp gives you YOUR tone (your guitar and fingers). I'm not sure where the amp breaks up, because I usually play at either a very low volume (home) or cranked up to 10 (studio). What really make this amp special are sparkle, clarity, and responsiveness. My fingers have begun manipulating the strings in nuanced ways they didn't used to when I only played through highly compressed/high gain amps.

I've had it for nine months, no problems yet, except for a dead pilot lamp which cost $1 to replace.

I wouldn't approach Fender about this amp. Hand to hand point wired amps are easily fixed I'm told, and this one has such a simple circuit. No worries here.

I have been playing guitar for over 10 years. I also own an '84 Marshall JCM800 2205 w/ 4x12 cab which I use for gigging. The Champ gets used in preference to the Marshall for 95% of my studio work. If my Champ were stolen, I'd kill myself. Then I'd go pay whatever I had to to replace it. This is the most important piece of gear I've ever bought, next to my guitar itself. It has taken my love of guitar playing to a new level. Long live the Fender blackfaces! Now I have to get a BF Super Reverb for gigging!

1971 Fender Champ SF, class A tube, three knobs, which is probably two too many. I use it everywhere I can. yeah, the feature I never use- power off.

I own one elctric guitar by choice, a Gretsch 6120-60 and it sounds beautiful and transparent. That great Gretsch sound and early Fender tubes. Talk about soul. The amp makes one sound- pure tone, breaks up around 6-7, which is nice. I'm 20-something and somewhere between the Buffalo Springfield box set and wasting hours on programmable, plastic crap of every variety I came home to this amp.

Based on the other reviews and given the age, these amps justify the cliche about things not being made the way they used to be.

Quality needs no warranty.

I'm not the oldest player or the best, in fact I'd consider myself willfully ignorant of many of the particulars discussed out here. I'm not a gear junkie either. But, I pay attention to tone and soul and this amp embodies both. I may start collecting these off ebay for all the obvious reasons.

This is a 1971 Silverface Champ. "Point to point" wired, 6 "Class A" watts, Volume, Treble & Bass knobs, 8" original Fender Speacial Design speaker, 3 tubes: a 12AX7 for the preamp, a 5Y3 rectifier, & a 6V6 power tube. I bought it used from my buddy's store, but he new the first 2 owners and how they "kept up" the amp, so functionally it's fine. The only cosmetic issues are a little discoloring on the grill cloth, and some tarnish on the metal parts on the top of it(Hey, it's over 30 years old).
I had been remarking for months that I wanted something simple that I could crank, with maybe just tone & volume knobs. When this cam along I snagged it immediately. No channel switching, no built in effects. At this stage in my musical "career", this is the perfect amp for me(I also have a Deluxe Reverb Reissue that I unfortunately don't get to use to it's fullest potential).
I use the Champ at home and for basement rehearsals(our drummer uses sticks that are essentially brushes, so a Champ on 3 or 4 is enough for band practice). I've used a Reverend Drivetrain 2 and a TS9 Tubescreamer Reissue for crunchy rhythms and leads, but I've been digging the "naked" tone of the Champ on it's own lately. Volume wise, it'll have to be miked for gigs. Fine with me! Think about it: what soundman isn't gonna tell you to turn down your 50 or 100 watt Marshall, and make you lose your tonal "sweet spot"? I'm gonna try it out. If I can hear myself on my side of the stage, I'll stick with it. Ratings are subjective, I found what I wanted with this amp.

I play rootsier music these days(classic rock, blues, and alt-country. I'm also a big fan of the Red Hot Chili Peppers & U2) and I'm using 3 G&Ls(ASAT Special, ASAT Classic, and a Legacy...all single coil pickup models)& a Hamer 25th Anniversary Edition Artist(Seymour Duncan humbuckers). The Champ, near it's highest volume settings, has a slight natural overdrive with the G&Ls that allows me to play clean with a touch of the guitars' volume knobs & a lighter pick attack, and a cool Keith Richards-type semi-crunchy tone when you max the guitars' volumes and lean into the strings with some hard strumming(this amp responds VERY well to picking dynamics!). My favorite sounds ever. The Hamer is a little tougher to keep clean at higher settings(humbuckers, dontcha know), but it gets some KILLER rock tones! The little 8" speaker can get kind of "farty" when pushed too hard. Maybe I'll get around to buying a fancy replacement speaker, but what do you expect from something this big?
The amp responds well to pedals, but I'm trying to get away from effects lately. It LOVES Tubescreamer type overdrive pedals like the TS9 Reissue & Drivetrain. On it's own, the amp doesnt have a "brutal" distortion, but it's perfect for Rolling Stones riffing and Chili Peppers funk. Decent sustain when cranked.

33 years old. I'll definitely have to replace the 2 prong power chord with a modern 3 prong(to be safe). My buddy went over the amp before I bought it, and it checked out fine. A year of use later, no difference in performance. When I get the chord replaced, I'll have the filter caps replaced as well. that way, I'll know EXACTLY when it was last service, and treat it according in years to come.
Simple circuit. Point to point wired. Given it's age, I'd say she's a dependable little amp.

Warranty doesn't apply(not 33 years later anyway!). My experiences with Fender's Customer Service people has always been great, but I really can't apply this category to this amp.

I've been playing for 18 years. The longer I play, the less I want out of an amp beyond, well, AMPLIFYING the tone of the guitar I'm plugging into it. Older Champs just have volume knobs, and I'd be fine with that. The Treble & Bass knobs on this amp are bonuses, as far as I'm concerned. If lost or stolen, I'd get another right away. I can't wait to record with it, and I'm sure I could gig with it miked. In fact, I plan on finding out ASAP. I'd love to run 2 or 3 of these at the same time in a club.
All around, a very pure-sounding, FUN little amplifier!