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Post subject: Champ amp (80's red knob)-is it really a champ?
Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2008 12:42 pm
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Joined: Mon Nov 26, 2007 1:46 pm
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Hi- I posted this on modern amp forum but got no responses. I thought I'd try my luck here. I have an 80's (exact year?) Fender Champ 12 amp w/ red knobs. It has been sitting in the corner and very neglected for about 15 years as I've favored my twin and deluxe reverb (RI). I hope there are some of you out there familiar with this amp cause I know almost nothing. It is mexican made, it says "60 watts" on the back panel though I'm not sure I've ever heard it that loud and it is a tube amp w/ 1 power (6L6GC)and 2 preamp tubes (12AX7A). There are clean and over drive channels which are accessed via an unpluggable footswitch. I got the amp in college as a smaller tube amp to fit in my dorm and I have never been impressed w/ it. The clean channel is OK but not up to par w/ the usual fender spank (ie-twin reverb,etc). The drive sounds like... well, like crap to me. This is the only fender I own w/a drive channel but I've played some of the newer amps (ie-hot rod deluxe, blues deluxe) and I really thought they have nice drive channels. I still don't prefer that tyoe of drive but that's just my opinion. I think this champ is a chump. I do want someone to convince me otherwise though. I've seen some mods for this amp and I know she hasn't been retubed in forever. I pulled the tubes out and in the power socket there was a "5881 USR"-not a 6L6GC and the preamp sockets had "12AT7 USA RCA" tubes and not 7025/12AX7A as specified by fender. The amp still works though the reverb is out. I'm not sure how those tubes got in there to begin with but can someone tell me what kind of difference it would make by these substitutions? The amp just had a really poor tone quality both clean and dirty. Would the reverb being out be caused by the tubes by chance? Even when the "proper" tubes were in it (maybe a long time ago)- I still recall a rather weak sounding amp. Also, when the drive channel is engaged, the volume becomes super sensitive. The volume is bearable up to 1.5 but above that, there is a huge increase in volume (say from 2 going up to 2.5). The loudness is exponential and it renders the channel near useless as you can't control the volume at all-it's either fairly quite or ear-bleeding loud. Is this the way they made it? Is there a fix? Some volume pot thingy? Lastly, does anyone think that this could be a good first tube amp project in that i would basically pull it apart and try to replace/upgrade? Would I still wind up with a very mediocre amp in the end? i wouldn't start unless i am clear about the safety issues as i know people have been fried from residual power left in even unplugged tube amps. Any input you have for me will be deeply appreciated as i hate to part w/ any fender product-even if it is a bastard step-child.


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