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Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 6:05 pm
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Joined: Mon Jul 16, 2007 5:33 pm
Posts: 1084
Location: NoHo in SoCal
I've probably horribly abused my circa 82 Champ over the years and it still works fine. It's been through four or five moves, I use it outside and while I cover it up, it's still not a nice indoors environment. Never been babied and still sounds great.

Amazingly, the tubes still seem to be working fine, no excess hum indicating cap (or other problems).

In fact, when friends come over to jam, most of the time I just use my old Champ and let them use the new SCXD. (That's a great amp too, if you're looking for something small, modern, with tubes and versatile.) So I think you'd do well with vintage but then if not, around $400 will get you a new Champ too.


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Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: 1966 Vibro Champ
Posted: Thu Apr 16, 2009 11:21 am
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Joined: Mon Mar 09, 2009 2:02 pm
Posts: 15
Well...I went vintage rather than new and I hope I don't regret it. I just bought a 1966 Vibro Champ for $599. It sounds great and is plenty loud for my purposes even though only 6 watts. I bought a Holy Grail reverb pedal and a Keely compressor pedal and they provide the additional tone elements I want. I'm very happy.

But a word of caution to vintage buyers. I was recommended to a guitar shop by a good friend who said I could trust the dealer to be knowledgeable and honest about vintage amps and that he had a 60's vintage Vibro Champ in stock. I called the dealer, discussed the amp, and he sent pictures. I asked him what had been replaced on the amp as I was concerned that the price he was asking ($599) should merit an all original amp based on my research. He said the amp was 100% original except the power cord had been replaced.

I was not concerned about power chord replacement as this is often done and not considered to be a major problem except for the most high-end collectables. The amp arrived and immediately I saw something amiss. Even to my untrained eye one of the 1-10 control knobs didn't look right. On closer inspection, it was not original but a new "vintage-style" knob. These replacement knobs are close, but not exact matches to the originals.

I called the dealer and he said, "geez, I never noticed a knob had been replaced." I'm not going to question his honesty, but I do question his due diligence. Am I wrong to think that a reputable dealer when asked directly by the buyer to declare any non-original parts should take the time to examine the amp before saying it's all original? He said he would acquire a vintage knob for me, but that it might take awhile.

Today I went over the amp as thoroughly as I could without disassembling the chassis and most of what I saw proved very good. The amp chart dates the amp to April, 1966. The stamp on the transformer dates to the 8th week of 1966. The face and printed labels say "Fender Musical Instruments" and the label on the back panel says "Fender Electric Instruments" which suggests that the label came from pre-CBS stock though the amp was manufactured in 1966. All very good.

The speaker looks old, but it has a blue label saying "Fender Special Design" which I do not believe is correct for a 1966 amp. I cannot find any reference to this type of speaker in a blackface amp of 1960's vintage. The correct speaker should have been either an Oxford or Jensen speaker, I believe.

I haven't called the dealer back because I have to decide whether it matters to me that the speaker in non-original. It sounds great---probably better than it would sound with an original speaker. But it just chaps my hide that the dealer didn't tell me in advance. And I think at the price he was charging which is in the upper range for amps of this type and vintage, he owed it to me to tell what he knew and what he didn't know about the amp.

I think I'll just bite the bullet and keep the amp. As I say...it's a wonderful sounding amp and perfect for my needs. But be forewarned that even honest dealers can inadvertently screw you because they don't care to take the time to check out what they're selling. Buyer beware, as they say. Do your homework BEFORE you buy a vintage amp and you'll not suffer the problems I have.

But....it is a SWEET amp...that's for sure. So I'm going to get over the fact it's not 100% original and just enjoy it for what it is. And if I ever sell it, I WILL make sure the buyer knows exactly what he's getting.

[img]1966%20Vibro%20Champ.jpg[/img]

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On the 7th day God would have created a Fender, but Leo beat him to it.


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