Early 70's Champ (silverface) - what's a fair price?

bad porcupine · May 5th, 2008, 12:28 PM

I've been looking around for a silverface Champ, and someone is asking me to make him an offer... anyone have an idea what a fair price would be? On Ebay, they are going between $270 - $350 or so, which seems high to me.

This is (supposedly) in good condition, new tubes, missing the handle.

eugenedunn · May 5th, 2008, 12:42 PM

I think 300-350 is OK, but the condition has to be reasonable. No gross Tolex problems or grill cloth damage. Should have a handle for that price. Figure you're going to have to fork out another 150-250 bucks on top of that for a recap job, speaker upgrade and 3-prong plug, if need be.... This seems to be the general way things go for an Champ of that era.

tbradshaw · May 5th, 2008, 03:22 PM

Conventional wisdom is usually that eBay sale prices on popular amps will be a bit higher than local-market cash deals. I guess there's something to the idea of bidding frenzy. You'll hear of people picking them up for much less than typical eBay prices all the time.

My approach would be to offer somewhere between $200-$225. Then be prepared to negotiate up to some pre-determined limit that's based on how many of the aforementioned updates might be necessary.

chet · May 6th, 2008, 12:22 PM

I have one I was thinking of selling but there's no way I'd get what it's worth since the tolex was trashed and I had to take it off and stain it to make it look OK.

I see Champs at the local Guitar Centers for $300.00 to $400.00 all the time. A bit too much IMO but then again the next step up is the Princeton and those go for over $800.00.

Wardpike · May 6th, 2008, 04:54 PM

I'd offer no more than $200. Not a great amp...an OK amplifier, even a pretty good amp, but not great.

tiktok · May 6th, 2008, 05:45 PM

They seem to go for $300 pretty regularly, but I couldn't imagine spending more than $200, and I used to own two of them.

Dennis68 · May 6th, 2008, 05:50 PM

I'm curious as to how the new Super champ XD and Vibro Champ XD will impact the older champs. Seems Fender priced them smack on target where vintage champs have been selling... I'm betting that many who sat on the fence or waiting for a nicer old champ to show up may be enticed for one of the new models...

chet · May 6th, 2008, 08:30 PM

I'm using mine for practice right now. I think that after I really break in the Weber C8R it'll sound even better. Loud enough for practicing around the house for sure.

eugenedunn · May 6th, 2008, 08:46 PM

Hey Chet,

I recently put in a Weber 8F125 (30-watter) in my SF Champ. I have been wailing on it for almost 2 months now. It's been used during more than a few low volume rehearsals recently. It has to be fully dimed on all controls for it to cut through the mix though. I have a 12AY7 in V1 which brought the overall volume down, but the clean headroom and sweet bloom increased significantly.

Anyway, I think that Weber is pretty well broken in and I can heartily recommend it to anyone wanting to put a robust aggressive, when driven speaker in their Champ. It has gotten a lot brighter and warmer when guitar volume is backed off, now that it's broken in.

I really feel that the Weber products are so well thought out and they fit our niche market so perfectly.... I never have issues with the quality.

Gosh, with that speaker in the amp, I feel it's well worth the money I've spent tweakin' it out because , it's has the biggest fun-factor while playing. So to answer the original thread question.....Yes, get the Champ.

getbent · May 6th, 2008, 08:57 PM

3 hundy. 3 and a quarter for the vibro.

chet · May 7th, 2008, 07:51 AM

I have NOS tubes in mine so along with the speaker it's easily worth more than $300.00.

The speaker in it is the Weber PQ8- I also have the CQ8 ready to use at any time.

May 5th, 2008, 12:28 PM	#1 (permalink)
bad porcupine Tele-Meister Join Date: May 2006 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Age: 47 Posts: 157 9 Photos	Early 70's Champ (silverface) - what's a fair price? I've been looking around for a silverface Champ, and someone is asking me to make him an offer... anyone have an idea what a fair price would be? On Ebay, they are going between $270 - $350 or so, which seems high to me. This is (supposedly) in good condition, new tubes, missing the handle. __________________ My loathings are simple: stupidity, oppression, crime, cruelty, soft music. -- Vladimir Nabokov

May 5th, 2008, 12:42 PM	#2 (permalink)
eugenedunn Tele-Holic Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Sacramento, CA Age: 54 Posts: 598 33 Photos	I think 300-350 is OK, but the condition has to be reasonable. No gross Tolex problems or grill cloth damage. Should have a handle for that price. Figure you're going to have to fork out another 150-250 bucks on top of that for a recap job, speaker upgrade and 3-prong plug, if need be.... This seems to be the general way things go for an Champ of that era. __________________ Ono Boy says "good n' swampy....."

May 6th, 2008, 12:22 PM	#4 (permalink)
chet Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: The Jersey Shore Posts: 5,696	I have one I was thinking of selling but there's no way I'd get what it's worth since the tolex was trashed and I had to take it off and stain it to make it look OK. I see Champs at the local Guitar Centers for $300.00 to $400.00 all the time. A bit too much IMO but then again the next step up is the Princeton and those go for over $800.00. __________________ I don't like those other guys lookin' at your curves....- Elvis Costello

May 6th, 2008, 05:45 PM	#6 (permalink)
tiktok Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Seattle Posts: 3,161	They seem to go for $300 pretty regularly, but I couldn't imagine spending more than $200, and I used to own two of them. __________________ It takes two people to paint a perfect painting: one to paint it, and the other to shoot him when it's done. http://www.myspace.com/travishartnett http://www.myspace.com/sugarcanemutiny http://www.myspace.com/davidbavas

May 6th, 2008, 05:50 PM	#7 (permalink)
Dennis68 Tele-Holic Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Hudson Valley Posts: 757	I'm curious as to how the new Super champ XD and Vibro Champ XD will impact the older champs. Seems Fender priced them smack on target where vintage champs have been selling... I'm betting that many who sat on the fence or waiting for a nicer old champ to show up may be enticed for one of the new models... __________________ -Dennis

May 5th, 2008, 03:22 PM	#3 (permalink)
tbradshaw Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 128	Conventional wisdom is usually that eBay sale prices on popular amps will be a bit higher than local-market cash deals. I guess there's something to the idea of bidding frenzy. You'll hear of people picking them up for much less than typical eBay prices all the time. My approach would be to offer somewhere between $200-$225. Then be prepared to negotiate up to some pre-determined limit that's based on how many of the aforementioned updates might be necessary.

May 6th, 2008, 04:54 PM	#5 (permalink)
Wardpike Tele-Holic Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: St. John's, Newfoundland Age: 43 Posts: 585	I'd offer no more than $200. Not a great amp...an OK amplifier, even a pretty good amp, but not great.

May 6th, 2008, 08:30 PM	#8 (permalink)
chet Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: The Jersey Shore Posts: 5,696	I'm using mine for practice right now. I think that after I really break in the Weber C8R it'll sound even better. Loud enough for practicing around the house for sure. __________________ I don't like those other guys lookin' at your curves....- Elvis Costello

May 6th, 2008, 08:46 PM	#9 (permalink)
eugenedunn Tele-Holic Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Sacramento, CA Age: 54 Posts: 598 33 Photos	Hey Chet, I recently put in a Weber 8F125 (30-watter) in my SF Champ. I have been wailing on it for almost 2 months now. It's been used during more than a few low volume rehearsals recently. It has to be fully dimed on all controls for it to cut through the mix though. I have a 12AY7 in V1 which brought the overall volume down, but the clean headroom and sweet bloom increased significantly. Anyway, I think that Weber is pretty well broken in and I can heartily recommend it to anyone wanting to put a robust aggressive, when driven speaker in their Champ. It has gotten a lot brighter and warmer when guitar volume is backed off, now that it's broken in. I really feel that the Weber products are so well thought out and they fit our niche market so perfectly.... I never have issues with the quality. Gosh, with that speaker in the amp, I feel it's well worth the money I've spent tweakin' it out because , it's has the biggest fun-factor while playing. So to answer the original thread question.....Yes, get the Champ. __________________ Ono Boy says "good n' swampy....."

May 6th, 2008, 08:57 PM	#10 (permalink)
getbent Moderator Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: San Benito County, California Age: 48 Posts: 8,703 37 Photos	3 hundy. 3 and a quarter for the vibro. __________________ I got a room at the top of the world tonight, I got a room at the top of the world tonight, and I ain't... comin'... down.

May 7th, 2008, 07:51 AM	#11 (permalink)
chet Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: The Jersey Shore Posts: 5,696	I have NOS tubes in mine so along with the speaker it's easily worth more than $300.00. The speaker in it is the Weber PQ8- I also have the CQ8 ready to use at any time. __________________ I don't like those other guys lookin' at your curves....- Elvis Costello