Telecaster Guitar Forum - View Single Post - Has Anyone A/B'd the VCXD to an Original BF/SF Champ?

pbenn · May 5th, 2008, 06:42 PM

I don't know, Hoodster. I own a '77 SF Champ, and love the "modelling possibilities" between 2-1/2 and 3 with the guitar turned down in the condo.

I heard a SC XD at a 30-person small bar recently and wasn't really impressed, but there might have been other factors.

The April 2008 "Guitar & Bass Magazine" (Brit.) has a comparison test between the Vibro Champ XD and the Super Champ XD. A quick take from the article is that they both have printed circuit board front ends and tube power sections, one and two 6V6's respectively, with the SC being sort of loud enough for drums and the VC the most charming, the SC being more flexible.

But their conclusion that "we all need one or the other of these" isn't, IMO, aimed at present owners of silverface Champs.

Is your cabinet finger-jointed pine or particle board? It also determines the way the baffle board is secured.

If you had (as I do, I know) the particleboard mid-to-late '70s version I have read it is possible to achieve another order of tone improvement (maybe as much as your previous speaker swap made) with a real cab. And it's going to cost, too, especially if you get pro Tolexing (around $100 around here, I suppose).

But there you go. Do you want a 15 watt amp that can hold its own for 40 people (why does a Blues Junior come to mind?) or do you want playful control of preamp tube response with the guitar turned down?

I guess what matters is how close in feel to a tube preamp section the XDs really are......

May 5th, 2008, 06:42 PM	#2 (permalink)
pbenn Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Toronto Age: 52 Posts: 493	I don't know, Hoodster. I own a '77 SF Champ, and love the "modelling possibilities" between 2-1/2 and 3 with the guitar turned down in the condo. I heard a SC XD at a 30-person small bar recently and wasn't really impressed, but there might have been other factors. The April 2008 "Guitar & Bass Magazine" (Brit.) has a comparison test between the Vibro Champ XD and the Super Champ XD. A quick take from the article is that they both have printed circuit board front ends and tube power sections, one and two 6V6's respectively, with the SC being sort of loud enough for drums and the VC the most charming, the SC being more flexible. But their conclusion that "we all need one or the other of these" isn't, IMO, aimed at present owners of silverface Champs. Is your cabinet finger-jointed pine or particle board? It also determines the way the baffle board is secured. If you had (as I do, I know) the particleboard mid-to-late '70s version I have read it is possible to achieve another order of tone improvement (maybe as much as your previous speaker swap made) with a real cab. And it's going to cost, too, especially if you get pro Tolexing (around $100 around here, I suppose). But there you go. Do you want a 15 watt amp that can hold its own for 40 people (why does a Blues Junior come to mind?) or do you want playful control of preamp tube response with the guitar turned down? I guess what matters is how close in feel to a tube preamp section the XDs really are......