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Post subject: Why I'm returning my Champion 600
Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 10:32 am
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There are a few reasons...

1) My particular 600 has a crackling noise which is evident on all settings

2) My dysfunctional 600 isn't a rare occurence; I tried several (5-6) 600's prior to purchasing mine and was dissatisfied by all of them due to "noise" issues (crackling, static, etc.), or due to a sub-par tone - I found that the variance between 600's was quite significant. I asked for mine to be brought "brand new" from the back and hoped for the best.

3) In comparison, I prefer my Pignose 7-100 as my go-to amp when I feel like being a "big man" and cranking an amp to distortion; it's bass response seems to "break up" better than the Fender. Although, I planned to upgrade the tubes and speaker in the Fender, which would have made a significant difference.

I'm just tired of sorting through numerous 600's that all have the same inefficiencies. Although, I love the Fender tone, and if I do come across that elusive 600 that gives me crystal clear tone, I'll surely buy it.

4) Reason #4 = the wife
"Do you really need all these amps?


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Post subject:
Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 1:15 pm
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My 600 went back for the same reason. I'm sympathetic to the school of thought that the speaker is just too close to the valves.

Shame, because at low volume and clean, I don't believe there is a better (non custom) sounding amplifier..

Unfortunately, Fender don't seem to make another such low powered amp. I had to buy a V*X AC4TV to suit my needs.

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Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 2:53 pm
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I agree. As far as pure tone, there is no match for the champion 600 (for the price).

I tried a VOX AC4 and wasn't impressed. I preferred the Epi Valve Jr for smooth breakup and the 600 for tone.


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Post subject:
Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 4:00 pm
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There are many better tube amps than the 600. It really needs a better speaker. IMHO The stock 6" just goes all raspy and boxy near full volume. Any SF or BF Champ sounds better to me. It's a $150 tube amp. It's cheaply made and sounds it. I know someone who gutted his and turned it into a PTP 600 with a better speaker and it sounds great. He used the same iron and used high quality caps and resistors.


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Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 4:05 pm
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I tried one out at GC and it seemed pretty noisy. Too bad the 57 champ is so pricey.Price it about the price of a blues jr and it would really sell.Heck , if they would have made it a pcb version and put it with the vintage reissue it would have been nice.


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Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 4:21 pm
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I agree, budglo. A reasonably priced 57 champ reissue would sell out. At $500 or less I'd consider buying one.

Supro, do you think that people who bought the 600 during the price increase (at $299) revered it as a boutique amp and looked at the noises as part of its lo-fi nostalgia?

If I was to keep the 600, I would put in a Weber or a Jensen to improve the sound. I just couldn't get by the noises.


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Posted: Mon Nov 16, 2009 5:54 pm
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djv18 wrote:
I agree, budglo. A reasonably priced 57 champ reissue would sell out. At $500 or less I'd consider buying one.

Supro, do you think that people who bought the 600 during the price increase (at $299) revered it as a boutique amp and looked at the noises as part of its lo-fi nostalgia?

If I was to keep the 600, I would put in a Weber or a Jensen to improve the sound. I just couldn't get by the noises.


I hope not.


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2009 2:49 am
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You are expecting too much from a cheap amplifier. I think they sound great and sure they are overkill when turned up, you just have to know how to play them. Reducing allot of the muffled sound can be done by plucking the strings softly and using the dynamics of the amp, harshness can be reduced by using your tone controls. This is not an amp that you can turn all the way up and blast away some vintage tone, there are factors that need to be considered. After many brands and gauges of strings later I now have a very nice tone from my Champ600 and the static noises are of little concern to me because they are minimal and I did not purchase this amp to record with. The amp should not be making these noises but everyone should know the common problems/complaints that this amplifier has and make a decision from there, these can be found all over the internet.

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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2009 11:44 am
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[quote="adey"

Unfortunately, Fender don't seem to make another such low powered amp. [/quote]


How about the Vibro Champ?


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2009 3:14 pm
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Strat0Blues wrote:
You are expecting too much from a cheap amplifier. I think they sound great and sure they are overkill when turned up, you just have to know how to play them. Reducing allot of the muffled sound can be done by plucking the strings softly and using the dynamics of the amp, harshness can be reduced by using your tone controls.


So let me get this straight, you revised your playing style in order to get a suitable sound out of your Champ 600???? Seems inhibiting to me. I play the same way through my Champ 600 as I do all of my other amps and pluck soft, hard, and everywhere in between. The only mod I'm going to do to my Champ is replace the thick blanket of a grill cloth Fender decided to put on this amp. Hopefully that will get rid of the muffled sound.

Strat0Blues wrote:
This is not an amp that you can turn all the way up and blast away some vintage tone, there are factors that need to be considered. After many brands and gauges of strings later I now have a very nice tone from my Champ600 and the static noises are of little concern to me because they are minimal and I did not purchase this amp to record with. The amp should not be making these noises but everyone should know the common problems/complaints that this amplifier has and make a decision from there, these can be found all over the internet.


That's fascinating yet incomprehesible to me. I've never heard of anyone else that has an amp that is restricted to only one brand of guitar string to be used when playing it. I was under the assummtption that all amps don't really care what brand or guage strings are on the guitar. May I ask what brand and guage of strings you decided on that sounds best through a Champ 600? If you add up the costs of all the string brands and guages that you went through, would it have paid for a better amp?

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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2009 3:24 pm
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Yeah Champ 600's are pretty inconsistant in quality. Mine is a year old now and no problems (knocks on wood). Sometimes new tubes will take care of a crackling problem. I see the OP's other thread that he already tried that. Yeah, return the amp back.

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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2009 3:27 pm
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Sounds like a lot of work to me just to get a tiny amp like that to sound decent. I would just get an extension cabinet and use the 600 as a head. My buddy did that and it turned into a whole different amp.


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2009 4:24 pm
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[quote="metropolis74] May I ask what brand and guage of strings you decided on that sounds best through a Champ 600?[/quote]

Sure, but if your are going to pull the piss out of my post and my right to my opinion then NO, I will not tell you which gauge/brand of string I use and the fact that I have been changing string brands/gauges way before I had a Champ600, and I will not even bother to explain my position.

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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2009 4:56 pm
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63supro wrote:
Sounds like a lot of work to me just to get a tiny amp like that to sound decent. I would just get an extension cabinet and use the 600 as a head. My buddy did that and it turned into a whole different amp.
Yeah for a cheap amp it seems like alot of work..Like I said, i was pretty unimpressed .


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Nov 17, 2009 6:00 pm
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Just my 2 cents: JJ Tubes. I love mine! It's not an amp you can dime anyway. I got mine for the house so I could practice without having my DeVille destroy my ears.
I think that for the price they are wonderful.

CC

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