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Post subject: Re: My Modded Champion 600
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 6:07 pm
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And here is the location of the new thread.

http://forums.fender.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=83260

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Post subject: Re: My Modded Champion 600
Posted: Thu Feb 07, 2013 9:57 pm
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Art1 wrote:
And here is the location of the new thread.

http://forums.fender.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=83260

Art


Already signed up. :D

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Post subject: Re: My Modded Champion 600
Posted: Mon Feb 11, 2013 3:39 pm
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Damn! No wonder my nut drivers wouldn't grab the nut on the back of the baffle. It's a friggin' 7mm metric!!! :evil:

Now I got that licked, I can pull the old staples, install the new grill cloth and speaker an post photos in another thread. :lol:

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Post subject: Re: My Modded Champion 600
Posted: Fri Mar 29, 2013 10:58 am
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Bluesky,

Thanks for your exhaustive modification and testing efforts on the Champion 600. You've made so many mods that it's hard to keep track of what's been done and what's been changed. Would you be willing to post photos of the "final" circuit board with details of the final configuration?

I have done some mods already on my 600 that are substantially different than the ones you have done. Unfortunately, I am not happy with the sound of mine. Your enthusiasm for your modded amp makes me want to try your mods.

Thanks.


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Post subject: Re: My Modded Champion 600
Posted: Fri Mar 29, 2013 11:39 am
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Sorry. No new photos. :(

The only thing a new photo of the board would show is the removal of the small black electrolytic cap in the lower left, a few different value resistors, and the fact that I went back to 0.022 mfd coupling caps (see the two large white caps) but of a different configuration. Everything else in the thread is pretty much step by step. If you have specific questions, I will be glad to answer them. :D

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Post subject: Re: My Modded Champion 600
Posted: Thu Jan 16, 2014 5:09 am
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Hello everyone and Greetings from icecold Germany :)

I am really new to modding and building effectpedals etc. but my way is learning by doing.
I know about danger of tube amps but i modded my excelsior succesfully and talked to a friend of mine who taught me some basic about tubeamps because he is a skilled radio and television electric :)
So now i am going on to start modding my Gretsch G5222 aka Fender Champion 600.
I bought new grill cloth, a 6" Jensen mod Speaker, 2 Preamp Tubes to test (5751 and 7025) and a Tungsol 6V6 plus a "matched to the grill cloth"-coloured chicken head knob for volume control. :D
Question 1: Do i need to take care when replacing the 6V6 output tube regarding biasing (what does that mean btw?) or can i simply install the 6V6 like i do with the preamp tubes?
Question 2: I want to try the r7 and r19 mods to see if the sound of the amp with increased gain suits my taste. I want to unsolder one leg of r7 and take a listen, resolder and test if it works and than unsolder one leg of r19 and take a listen too.
Does unsoldering r19 take out the whole tonestack (some folks say some don`t)?
Question 3) I have the idea, if the r7 and/or r19 unsoldered sound suits my style, to install a pot with a value of the removed-resistor to make the amount of gain controllable. Is that possible or am i wrong and do not see the problem because of my low electrical knowledge? And if i am wrong, why? ;)

I hope Bluesky or some other experienced one will answer cause i am really interested in understanding and modding this little beast. I like that, nice hobby :)

Regards Sascha


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Post subject: Re: My Modded Champion 600
Posted: Thu Jan 16, 2014 7:43 am
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Sascha,

First off, I suggest you read through my thread carefully. I explained each mod in detail regarding what the mod is and why I made the mod.

Secondly, please start your own thread on modding your amp. It's not polite to hijack someone else's thread.

Now to answer your questions.

Medronio wrote:
Question 1: Do i need to take care when replacing the 6V6 output tube regarding biasing (what does that mean btw?) or can i simply install the 6V6 like i do with the preamp tubes?


In simple terms, biasing an amp is like setting the idle speed on your car. You are setting the power dissipation of the output tube (actually any tube, but the power tube is the one you need to worry about) at idle with no signal going through the amp. The amp is just sitting there powered up. There are basically two types of bias used today, cathode and fixed. Do a Google search for more details. Your amp is cathode biased (self biasing) and is plug and play. You can swap power tubes without worry. Sometimes a slight adjustment needs to be made to the bias, but I wouldn't worry about it with this amp.

Medronio wrote:
Question 2: I want to try the r7 and r19 mods to see if the sound of the amp with increased gain suits my taste. I want to unsolder one leg of r7 and take a listen, resolder and test if it works and than unsolder one leg of r19 and take a listen too.
Does unsoldering r19 take out the whole tonestack (some folks say some don`t)?


R7 is the negative feedback resistor. Removing it will make the amp sound harsh and somewhat uncontrolled. I do not like the sound of the amp with no negative feedback and do not recommend this mod.

Yes, lifting R19 leaves the rest of the tone stack in the circuit. In my opinion, removing the entire tone stack as I described in my thread results in the most overall gain and best sound. I really don't understand why people insist on just lifting R19. If you are going to mod the amp for best sound, do it right.

Medronio wrote:
Question 3) I have the idea, if the r7 and/or r19 unsoldered sound suits my style, to install a pot with a value of the removed-resistor to make the amount of gain controllable. Is that possible or am i wrong and do not see the problem because of my low electrical knowledge? And if i am wrong, why? ;)


I wouldn't waste my time adding pots. The amp does not use a whole lot of feedback. You will hear a difference between R7 in place and R7 removed. Otherwise, there is no real value to adjusting it.

R19 is a fixed midrange resistor. It is not a gain control. Replacing R19 with a pot will do very little to the overall gain of the amp as the rest of the tone stack is still in place dragging the gain down.

Good luck and have fun. I look forward to reading your thread on modding your amp. :wink:

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Post subject: Re: My Modded Champion 600
Posted: Thu Jan 16, 2014 9:10 am
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Thank you!
Maybe i will start a thread with a photo documentary of my moddings :)
(Nice idea!)
Regards Sascha


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Post subject: Re: My Modded Champion 600
Posted: Thu Jan 16, 2014 9:35 am
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Looking forward to it. :D

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Post subject: Re: My Modded Champion 600
Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2015 7:15 am
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A really great thread with a raft of information. Thank you for all your efforts.

I recently picked up a 600 off ebay and love the tone and compact nature of the amp. I play a Strat through it and it seems to bring the guitar to life in respect of the tone variation available at your fingertips.

I have fitted a commercial modding kit - mainly aimed at those of us in the UK - to reduce hum and fit a standby switch. Great results, if not a little challenging in execution, as it includes modifying the board. The provided instructions were comprehensive though and highly recommended for those considering wielding a soldering iron inside their amp for the first time.

Following my earlier sucess I am now pondering fitting a triode/pentode switch. This includes further (and surgeon like precision) board mods.

If it ain't broke, fix it 'till it is. :-)

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Post subject: Re: My Modded Champion 600
Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2016 12:44 pm
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Hi,

I'm having a little problem understanding where to connect the cap across v2. From the picture it looks like one end attaches to the bottom of R21 and the other the bottom of C2? Is this correct? In the picture the other end is hidden under the green wire. I tried the schematic, but I could not make heads or tails of it.

Thanks!


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Post subject: Re: My Modded Champion 600
Posted: Sat Mar 05, 2016 1:12 pm
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EsquireFuzz wrote:
Hi,

I'm having a little problem understanding where to connect the cap across v2. From the picture it looks like one end attaches to the bottom of R21 and the other the bottom of C2? Is this correct? In the picture the other end is hidden under the green wire. I tried the schematic, but I could not make heads or tails of it.

Thanks!


I'm TDY right now with limited internet access. I'll respond Sunday or Monday after I get home.

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Post subject: Re: My Modded Champion 600
Posted: Sun Mar 06, 2016 9:49 pm
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EsquireFuzz wrote:
Hi,

I'm having a little problem understanding where to connect the cap across v2. From the picture it looks like one end attaches to the bottom of R21 and the other the bottom of C2? Is this correct? In the picture the other end is hidden under the green wire. I tried the schematic, but I could not make heads or tails of it.

Thanks!


You really need to learn how to read a schematic before attempting to make any mods to a guitar amplifier.

First of all, the white cap with the long leads does not "connect across V2". It connects the two halves of V2 after the tone stack is removed. In the first post I said:

"The first mod to the main PCB was the removal of all components that make up the tone stack (C1, C8, C9, and R18, R19, R20, R21, R22). Once those components were removed the two halves of V2 were coupled with a 0.022mF DC blocking capacitor. (I used a Mallory 150M type cap. I also used the same type cap to replace the cheap coupling cap used in C2)."

Once the tone stack is removed, you need to connect the output of V2A to the input of V2B. That is done by connecting the 0.022 mfd cap to the bottom solder pad where C1 was and the bottom solder pad where R21 was. The new cap provides DC blocking between V2A and V2B while allowing the AC guitar signal to pass.

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Post subject: Re: My Modded Champion 600
Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2016 5:49 pm
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Hi,
I decided to modify my C600 following what you did. I do not have a lot of experience so I really appreciate you documenting all this.

I have found pretty much everything needed but I was wondering what's the voltage of the 0.022 mF Orange Drop cap you soldered across R5.

Thanks


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Post subject: Re: My Modded Champion 600
Posted: Fri Nov 11, 2016 12:11 pm
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Luxter wrote:
Hi,
I decided to modify my C600 following what you did. I do not have a lot of experience so I really appreciate you documenting all this.

I have found pretty much everything needed but I was wondering what's the voltage of the 0.022 mF Orange Drop cap you soldered across R5.

Thanks


FYI, bluesky636 kind of jumped off the radar a while back, hopefully and maybe this will bring him in for a little bit
Bill is missed
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