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Post subject: Re: 1976 Fender Champ
Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2015 3:32 pm
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Thanks Arjay, I will have to get it in to be gone over, it also needs a good cleaning, it smells funky.


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Post subject: Re: 1976 Fender Champ
Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2015 3:56 pm
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Cleaning is something you should be able to handle yourself; see my recommendations here......

viewtopic.php?f=12&t=98807

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Post subject: Re: 1976 Fender Champ
Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2015 6:36 pm
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ok, followed your instructions and started cleaning, did everything except the grill cloth, I need to pick up some 409. I am surprised how nice it cleans up, cleaning the inside removed most of the smell, I suspect the rest is in the grill cloth.Next question, when I pick up some cleaner, what holds the grill on beside the two screws holding the Fender logo on?


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Post subject: Re: 1976 Fender Champ
Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2015 7:08 pm
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The cloth should be attached to a removable grill frame that's held fast with a concealed square of Velcro at each corner. It simply pulls free from the front of the cabinet, leaving the baffle board with its speaker in place. It should pry off quite easily from the top if you first remove the chassis from the cabinet.

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Post subject: Re: 1976 Fender Champ
Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2015 7:22 pm
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Great, thanks, thats the next step for this weekend.


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Post subject: Re: 1976 Fender Champ
Posted: Thu Apr 23, 2015 10:26 pm
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Work methodically and carefully. Documenting your efforts with a camera may be helpful as well. "Before" and "after" shots are much more useful, comparatively, than relying on the naked eye alone.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: 1976 Fender Champ
Posted: Sat Apr 25, 2015 5:51 am
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Arjay, just took the chassis out to continue cleaning, looks all original to me, am I correct?Image


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Post subject: Re: 1976 Fender Champ
Posted: Sat Apr 25, 2015 6:36 am
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Everything looks factory stock to me.

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Post subject: Re: 1976 Fender Champ
Posted: Sat Apr 25, 2015 7:01 am
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Great, thanks, here is a pic after cleaning, the stuff that came off the grill was nasty, black crud, almost all the smell is gone now, only the speaker stinks, has yellow nicotine on it, I am changing that anyway.Check the 1st page pic. to compare, the grill looked like a cat pee stain, it came out much better.Image


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Post subject: Re: 1976 Fender Champ
Posted: Sat Apr 25, 2015 11:20 am
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A significant improvement indeed.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: 1976 Fender Champ
Posted: Sat Apr 25, 2015 11:31 am
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Thank you! I just ordered a Kendrick blackframe 8" 4ohm speaker, and need to get it to the tech. to go over the list you gave me, while I had the chassis out I reglued the tube chart down, and it was really apparent how loose the tube sockets are. It's really nice to have that funky smell gone.


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Post subject: Re: 1976 Fender Champ
Posted: Sat Apr 25, 2015 1:08 pm
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Seriously, any era you just got to love a Champ! I'm glad I picked up my used beat up VC in 95. All the tubes are OEM except for a Russian 6V6. I'm running all JJs in it right now. The Fender (Says "Fender" on glass) 7025 I pulled out don't have the grit I like from the JJs. I still have the crummy non-OEM 4 ohm speaker it came with. I replaced it with an Italian Jensen P8R four ohm speaker. The P is suppose to stand for the ALNICO horseshoe magnet it has. I have 20 amps and, this is one of my favorites. Champs and VCs rule!


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Post subject: Re: 1976 Fender Champ
Posted: Sat Apr 25, 2015 1:31 pm
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Wow! you said it! I just pulled the tube box out and started digging in, first replaced the 6v6(the whole tube seemed to be glowing red when on)so I put in a new JJ 6v6, the tone improved right away, next pulled the 12ax7, I had 1 more NOS RCA 12ax7 from my Deluxe amp upgrade, DAMN! that old one was shot, this thing came alive! volume, tone clearity, did I say tone? damn, I can't even imagine what the speaker change will do, no wonder that guy sold it so to me so cheap, that original tube sucked all the life out of this little monster.A stratocaster plugged straight in volume only on 3 and this thing sounds so sweet, I can't believe that tone is coming out of that little amp! I called my amp tech, dropping it off this week to go over the items Arjay mentioned, it's funny the JJ6V6 fits snug in the socket, the old one was very loose, but I tried a different 5y3, and it was so loose in that socket I had to put the original in.So glad I picked this amp up, and am learning quite a bit as I get into this.


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Post subject: Re: 1976 Fender Champ
Posted: Fri May 01, 2015 5:31 pm
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Ok, I need some advice, brought the champ to my amp tech, he found a 10 amp fuse in there, replaced with the correct 1 amp.He retentioned tube sockets while I waited, when I got home and played a bit started getting a weird oscellating sound when playing on low E string, I changed the 6v6 tube back to the old Sylvania, noise stopped, problem is the tube was so tight it pulled a pin out with the tube.What will this do? amp sounds great now, and the weird noise is gone, here is a pic of tube with pin.Image


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Post subject: Re: 1976 Fender Champ
Posted: Fri May 01, 2015 5:54 pm
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I'd surmise that the bakelite insulator of the tube socket has shrunk with age, and the pin's tang separated when the tube was pulled.

Likely it's time for a new socket. And the others should be inspected for similar state of decay.

One bright spot......that pin appears to be unnecessary since it seems nothing was ever soldered to the lug.

Arjay

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