Missing fuse box on Fender Champ

[tatittle]

Hey guys, I recently bought a Champ on ebay and may be learning the lessons of prudent internet purchasing the hard way. The Champ seems to have NO FUSE. There is just an empty hole where the fuse should hang down.
Would the circuit function without a fuse or is this evidence of modification?Tone is good and was a good price so I cannot decide to keep or get a refund (offered).

I am a humble player and have NO tech experience, but when I opened up the chassis (hoping to find it had just fallen inside) there is nothing there that looks out of place or "unfufilled"/open-ended to my virgin eyes. There are a couple of wires which seem joined by a "hood"-like cover near the fuse hole in the chassis (to the left of it looking from top).

Has anyone heard of people doing this to amps?--Removing the fuse.
I cannot tell if the circuit has been modified from the original spec's. Will this be a fire hazard or risk burning out internal electronics? The amp sounds fine to me (quite good) and functions properly as far as I can tell. Do I need to bring this in to a tech immediately?

Another suprise was it has a speaker stamped "Mexico" in it. From the code: 187-8409 I am thinking it is a CTS from 1984. Did they manufacture CTS speakers in Mexico back in 1984? The amp is a 1978. The amp likely came back over the border recently because the market is good here.

Any help and schooling would be much appreciated. The good news is I am pleased with the sound--running it in stereo is great. I do wish I had been more thorough in investigating the specifics before purchasing. The seller offered to refund my purchase price-but for the $80. shipping back and forth I might as well just keep her. I was not planning on spending more money for work though--but definitely do not need a fire hazard or blown amp waiting to happen!

Much obliged! Thomas

[tatittle]

Well for anyone else who runs into this strange situation:

I have been advised that removing the fuse assembly places the amp and indeed people at risk should any catastrophic failure occur. I have no idea why anyone would pull it out, but "the truth is stranger than fiction"---because we make fiction to suit ourselves!

Other changes may be likely if someone did this to her. Sad. I am gonna run her by a tech tomorrow and see if this isnt the only thing wrong, and what can be done about it.

Peace be with you... TM

[Dave Hopping]

If the missing/bypassed fuse is all that's wrong(cross fingers here) it shouldn't be a lot of trouble to fix.If it sounded good before you shut it down,that's a hopeful sign.

[Ronsonic]

It is something of a fire hazard without the fuse. You might post a photo and we'll see if some sort of internal fuse was spliced in there. The amp would certainly not function without the fuse holder and fuse unless something was modified. No, this isn't a known / common mod. But, if someone was in a hurry to get'rdone, and had some other sort of fuse holder handy he might hack that in. An irresponsible moron might even hot-wire it without a fuse, but such would usually leave the holder in place and use it as a tie point. That'd be the easiest way, but then, who knows what a moron might do. They surprise me all the time.

I'd ask for a partial refund to pay the tech who fixes it for you. Expect a $40 - 80* bill depending on where you live and whether the guy who hacked it left a puzzle or other problems in there. It wouldn't cost more to add a 3 prong cord if it doesn't have one already.

[tatittle]

Great thanks guys. The partial refund is a wonderful idea. This is only my 2nd vintage amp--Learning about these vintage amps can be painful, but I know it pays off with tone...maybe it will elsewhere one day.

[backline]

Good Heavens!
The amp will not function without that fuse holder, and a fuse in that.
You need to take it to a tech ASAP.
"Ronsonics" post should not be taken lightly!!!!
You have no idea what some idiots do with an amp chassis to make it "Work".
Just follow the advice that was posted by "Ronsonic".
Good Luck

[zook]

I have never seen a Champ with no fuse, someone likely broke it and hard-wired the AC in.

That being said, I have seen Musicmaster Bass amps with fuses, without fuses but with the fuse hole pressed in place but not cut, and without fuses with no reference for one. All this straight from Fender.

Winnie

[tatittle]

Much obliged guys, without the prodding of the wise folks here at TDPRI, and at Fender community, I may have been tempted to put off this repair in order to enjoy playing this guy for awhile. That could have led to a fried amp or worse...a fried house! Ironically I just noticed the AC adaptor to my EH Blackfinger (special connector 12V) is melted on one side. I am thinking that when I unplugged it last, both posts rested against the metal of the pedal housing allowing current to heat up and melt the plastic around the plug. This, and the unique adaptor is a weak point of this tube compression pedal. Appears some mysterious/supernatural force may be having a go at burning my house down (if not me)!

I dropped her off at a tech recommended by some people here at TDPRI, he seemed excellent. Dave of Dave's Sound in Whippany for those of you in Northern NJ. He even agreed to take a good look before he went on vacation Saturday. I am hoping that it is exactly what someone here suggested--that somebody broke the fuse assembly, and just hardwired the AC....and that is the ONLY thing changed on her. If so I will have Dave fix her up, possibly ask for 1/2 the cost of that from the seller, and be a happy picker.