Hot Rod Champ (sorta Fender)

vic108 · April 3rd, 2006, 12:00 AM

This gets shipped to me Monday:

From the builder...

This qualifies as "other" since its really not a Fender
creation, although it looks like Fender made it from
the outside.

This is a conversion of a 70's silverface Fender
Champ, from single ended 6watts to push pull
18 watts. It has adjustable grid bias, and a long
tail phase inverter. Circuit wise, its about the same
as a Fender Princeton, with no reverb or vibrato.

Transformer wise, its half way between a blackface
Deluxe and a blackface Princeton in power available,
so the estimation of about 18 watts is close.

The speaker is an Eminence 10ALK (the same as
the current Legent 102). These are a great speaker,
lots of low end (Fender uses them in the Bassman
Reissue, or did before the Jensen deal came to be).

The amp has a board of my own construction, made
of Micarta, with turret lugs, and cloth wire. I put on
the blackface panel, and the baffle is done in blackface
era cloth. It will come with the a new set of output
tubes, existing preamp tubes and have the bias set.
Its small enough that it wont need to be dis-assembled
to ship.

This is a point to point amp, totally hand wired, and is
a solid performer. It does clean well, and dirty's up
at higher volumes, as all Fender's of the blackface
era did.

getbent · April 3rd, 2006, 12:17 AM

cool. how much? who did it? will they do it again?

vic108 · April 3rd, 2006, 12:24 AM

Same guy that built me the modded CHAMP chassis
inside a DELUXE cab with 12" Celestian.

Same guy is building me a modded BASSMAN clone.

He builds VERY few amps and doesn't do it
for the money. Just for friends. I consider
myself lucky on all counts!

getbent · April 3rd, 2006, 12:35 AM

Cool! Mojo, secrecy and multiple awesome versions.....

I hate you!

Okay, to really make me feel true agony, how about some sound samples of this nougat of guitar tone grail?

JohnnyCrash · April 4th, 2006, 01:59 AM

That looks like really clean work. Watch fer tube rattle with that kinda SOCK in an amp that small. That's really cool man! I like it!!!

Right now I'm building "the low watt's low watt"... the tweed 5D8 circuit Twin...

BUT...

I just finished a Champ head unit with a switch for using a 6L6 or an EL34 in place of the standard 6V6. I threw in a bigger output tranny so it's about 10watts or 6watts depending on the tube/setting. It's also got a 4, 8, or 16 ohm selector switch and a Solid State rectifier (you get no "sag" out of a single ended "Class A" amp anyways).

Sounds awesome in a 2x12" closed back V30 cab or a 4x10" alnico open backed cab.

I also just finished an old standalone Fender Reverb unit copy. Heavenly reverb sounds man.

Save your money and build em yourself... the first few are a big headache, but after that it's fast and DIRT CHEAP... you can make em how you want em for less than half of what you'd buy em for.

Scott S · April 4th, 2006, 02:09 AM

Speaking of super-Champs, I've been jonesing to build a single-ended amp around a KT88 or 8417 tube lately. In theory, it would be good for about 15-20 watts. And with only three tubes!

Ah, so many ideas, not enough time to build them all... ;)

vic108 · April 7th, 2006, 12:27 AM

Here she is in all her glory!

GREAT sounding amp too! MAN!!!!!!!

April 3rd, 2006, 12:00 AM	#1 (permalink)
vic108 Tele-Holic Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Mudwogweap, VA Age: 52 Posts: 947 9 Photos	Hot Rod Champ (sorta Fender) This gets shipped to me Monday: From the builder... This qualifies as "other" since its really not a Fender creation, although it looks like Fender made it from the outside. This is a conversion of a 70's silverface Fender Champ, from single ended 6watts to push pull 18 watts. It has adjustable grid bias, and a long tail phase inverter. Circuit wise, its about the same as a Fender Princeton, with no reverb or vibrato. Transformer wise, its half way between a blackface Deluxe and a blackface Princeton in power available, so the estimation of about 18 watts is close. The speaker is an Eminence 10ALK (the same as the current Legent 102). These are a great speaker, lots of low end (Fender uses them in the Bassman Reissue, or did before the Jensen deal came to be). The amp has a board of my own construction, made of Micarta, with turret lugs, and cloth wire. I put on the blackface panel, and the baffle is done in blackface era cloth. It will come with the a new set of output tubes, existing preamp tubes and have the bias set. Its small enough that it wont need to be dis-assembled to ship. This is a point to point amp, totally hand wired, and is a solid performer. It does clean well, and dirty's up at higher volumes, as all Fender's of the blackface era did. __________________ Guitars will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no guitars

April 3rd, 2006, 12:17 AM	#2 (permalink)
getbent Moderator Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: San Benito County, California Posts: 10,585 37 Photos	cool. how much? who did it? will they do it again? __________________ 'never pet a burning dog'

April 3rd, 2006, 12:24 AM	#3 (permalink)
vic108 Tele-Holic Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Mudwogweap, VA Age: 52 Posts: 947 9 Photos	Same guy that built me the modded CHAMP chassis inside a DELUXE cab with 12" Celestian. Same guy is building me a modded BASSMAN clone. He builds VERY few amps and doesn't do it for the money. Just for friends. I consider myself lucky on all counts! __________________ Guitars will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no guitars

April 3rd, 2006, 12:35 AM	#4 (permalink)
getbent Moderator Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: San Benito County, California Posts: 10,585 37 Photos	Cool! Mojo, secrecy and multiple awesome versions..... I hate you! Okay, to really make me feel true agony, how about some sound samples of this nougat of guitar tone grail? __________________ 'never pet a burning dog'

April 7th, 2006, 12:27 AM	#7 (permalink)
vic108 Tele-Holic Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Mudwogweap, VA Age: 52 Posts: 947 9 Photos	Here she is in all her glory! GREAT sounding amp too! MAN!!!!!!! __________________ Guitars will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no guitars

April 4th, 2006, 01:59 AM	#5 (permalink)
JohnnyCrash Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Lost Angeles and Orange County Posts: 7,128	That looks like really clean work. Watch fer tube rattle with that kinda SOCK in an amp that small. That's really cool man! I like it!!! Right now I'm building "the low watt's low watt"... the tweed 5D8 circuit Twin... BUT... I just finished a Champ head unit with a switch for using a 6L6 or an EL34 in place of the standard 6V6. I threw in a bigger output tranny so it's about 10watts or 6watts depending on the tube/setting. It's also got a 4, 8, or 16 ohm selector switch and a Solid State rectifier (you get no "sag" out of a single ended "Class A" amp anyways). Sounds awesome in a 2x12" closed back V30 cab or a 4x10" alnico open backed cab. I also just finished an old standalone Fender Reverb unit copy. Heavenly reverb sounds man. Save your money and build em yourself... the first few are a big headache, but after that it's fast and DIRT CHEAP... you can make em how you want em for less than half of what you'd buy em for.

April 4th, 2006, 02:09 AM	#6 (permalink)
Scott S Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: SW CR IA US NA PE Age: 28 Posts: 1,916	Speaking of super-Champs, I've been jonesing to build a single-ended amp around a KT88 or 8417 tube lately. In theory, it would be good for about 15-20 watts. And with only three tubes! Ah, so many ideas, not enough time to build them all... ;)