The Super Champ XD club

[ecosse]

Thanks Perch!

I built a footswitch for an older VOX solid state amp I had laying around. Channel select and effect on/off. I tried it out on the SCXD and it worked. Well, half worked. The channel select button switches between channels no problem, BUT the effects don't change. They either turn on when plugging in the switch, or turn off (depending on if they were on or off before plugging in the foot switch) and then stay either on or off regardless of whether I toggle the switch. I really only wanted to be able to switch between channels anyway, so I guess that's a plus.

Now I'm looking to replace the speaker in the SCXD for something louder with a little more low end/punch. There are SO many speakers out there and youtube doesn't really help at making a decisions. Any suggestions?

[Mr Perch]

I have one of these, and it sounds terrific. I run my XD through the DI box into it, and if you need more volume (which would be unlikely,) it has an XLR out jack so you can daisy-chain it into the PA.

[davidwhitson]

I got my SCXD at GC a few months ago. It was tucked away - hidden under all of the floor effect pedals on display. They were using it to test all of their effects pedals. I saved it from a life of misery.

It was on clearance for $199! I had been looking for a small tube amp with channel switching and a line out to use for my church rig. This fits me perfectly! I love the warm tubey cleans and the od from voice 9 - using my 95 Strat Plus Deluxe. It's great. Now I want to find one for home...

[JohnS]

Ain't love grand? I really enjoy mine.

[Hiker]

The 2 button footswitch enables channel selection, and effects bypass, and sells for about $27.

It was the same cost as my Fender '3 button' footswitch from a popular auction site in like-new condition.
There's nothing like lots of knobs or switches! (One button is a spare when used w/ this amp.)

[fly135]

I bought a 2 button f/s from eBay that looked exactly the same but didn't work right. Fortunately I already had a F/S (has 2 SCXDs) and was able to look inside the good one and mod the other to work. Cut and jumper a wire or two.

[Mr Perch]

Here is the text of the email I sent to Fender Consumer Relations:

Dear Sir or Madam,

I would like to draw your attention to some discussions at the TDPRI Telecaster Forum, which has a high volume of participation. They concern the now-discontinued Fender Super Champ XD amplifier, and its successor, the X2. Here are links:

The Super Champ XD Club (over 1800 messages posted)

Super Champ X2 Club--Tubes with Benefits!!

Here is my summary: the XD has a large and devoted fan base. The reaction to the new X2 amplifier has been mixed, but largely negative. The consensus seems to be that the digital modeling voices on the X2, although they can be tweaked and customized, do not have the convincingly natural tube sound that was available from the XD voices. The consensus seems to be that the XD was the better amp. If the software on the XD could be made available on the FUSE program, that would be nice. However, I would urge you to consider bringing the XD back into production.

Sincerely,

Ozzie Perch

[t-luxe]

That should shake 'em up!

[JohnS]

Well written. Unfortunately, accountants can't read letters, only numbers.

[Snoop Maggie]

Hi Everyone,

I’m new to this forum – (and have never posted anything on a forum before), but since I found this thread about a week ago I have read all 47 pages.
The overwhelming impression I have from this thread is how knowledgeable, generous and articulate everyone is, so it makes this newbie (actually, double newbie) feel comfortable in asking a couple of possibly dumb questions later on.
In the meantime, let me say that the 1800+ posts are indicative of how much this amp is loved.
My own experience is that I’m an old guy, still trying to learn, practicing and noodling at home, never gigging. For years I just had a no-name 10-watt ss amp, which was fine, but one day I wandered into our local music shop, and was just looking at a Roland Cube. Nobody else was in the store, and the owner came over, demo’d the Roland, but then said “If you’re looking for a small amp, for about the same money you should really look at this”, and proceeded to demo the SCXD.
I was blown away. The sound was so much warmer than the Roland; to me was the sonic equivalent of liquid honey. The modeling effects were a bonus, an easy way to start to understand how effects, combined, can make some incredible sounds. The rest, as they say, is history.
And even though I’m a little late to the party, thanks for all the previous comments on this thread. I’ve learned a lot, and with the SCXD now being discontinued, this thread will be even more important to those of us who have one .

[JohnS]

Welcome! Enjoy!

[Nick-ON]

Hi Guys:

I decided to try the output tranny (Low Profile TO20 Output Transformer) upgrade from http://billmaudio.com/wp/?page_id=65.

It is a pretty straight forward swap - took about an hour, including taking speaker and tubes out etc. The colour of the leads are marked on the PCB, which I've shown in one pic. They're all marked except the RED, so by process of elimination . . . there's only one place it can go. I've included some pictures to document it, and compare the two trannies.

[Mr Perch]

How does it sound?

[Nick-ON]

Originally Posted by Mr Perch

How does it sound?

I haven't had a chance to crank it up a bit. I'll let you know when I do.

[wabashslim]

Nick did you have any communication with Billm? There was that business about oscillation in the XD and last I knew (about a year ago) he was shying away from any more XD tinkering. But I'm still curious about the OT change after hearing what it did for my 67 PRRI.

[Nick-ON]

Originally Posted by wabashslim

Nick did you have any communication with Billm? There was that business about oscillation in the XD and last I knew (about a year ago) he was shying away from any more XD tinkering. But I'm still curious about the OT change after hearing what it did for my 67 PRRI.

We communicated quite a bit - he's very helpful. He did mention the oscillation, and he included a capacitor if I needed it. No problems on mine though.

What did it do for your Princeton?

[Mr Perch]

Here's a fun XD setting: put the pickup selector switch on your Tele to the middle position, select voice 11 (Hotrod) on the XD with the gain at 8, and on the FX select the slow version of "vibratone," at 6:00, with the FX level on about 5. Makes a delicious Hendrix/Robin Trower sort of tone (YMMV -- tone is really in your fingers.)

[brewwagon]

last night after a couple pops and what sounded like a bad ground hum our scxd went dead jewel & tubes are glowing nicely i did smell some burning odor

so off to t l for warranty

matt was upset as it is his favorite practice amp & he had to play thru my vox

[JohnS]

I sure hope they give you an X2 as a warranty replacement.

[Mr Perch]

If it's GC, they give you a GC gift certificate for the price you paid for the amp (if you have Pro Coverage.) I bought my first XD used, and when it kicked the bucket, I turned right around and bought another.