What modern champ is best champ?
- Pepe Silvia
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 5701
- Joined: Thu May 14, 2009 11:44 am
- Location: Philadelphia
What modern champ is best champ?
I've been craving a champ for playing at home as my Bandmaster Reverb is much too loud, but vintage champs have gone up in price. I just want that Fender sound from a low watt package and Fender has had a few options over recent years but I cant get a clear opinion on which one does the best Fender sound. Vibro Champ XD, Super Champ XD, Super Champ X2, other like the Monoprice $100 amp?
- green_mario
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 61
- Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2016 7:48 am
Re: What modern champ is best champ?
I owned the Super Champ XD for a little while, thought it sounded perfect, then sold it because I needed more volume for my loud band. Eventually I saved up enough to have 2 amps (one for the band one for home), but by then the XD was discontinued so I got an X2. I liked it, but I always felt like the XD sounded better... could easily be my imagination though. I played with the X2 for a while in a quieter band too, so lmk if you have any specific questions.
Very glued and greasy reverb sound
- jesterpunk68
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 107
- Joined: Fri Dec 09, 2016 3:38 pm
Re: What modern champ is best champ?
What about the champ 600? You can get them used for under $200 like this
https://www.musicgoroundboston.com/p/92 ... gKbUPD_BwE
https://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/Fende ... 4301481.gc
or these
https://reverb.com/marketplace/amps?que ... Casc&page=
https://www.musicgoroundboston.com/p/92 ... gKbUPD_BwE
https://www.guitarcenter.com/Used/Fende ... 4301481.gc
or these
https://reverb.com/marketplace/amps?que ... Casc&page=
- marqueemoon
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 7389
- Joined: Mon Jun 20, 2016 9:37 pm
- Location: Seattle
Re: What modern champ is best champ?
I have a VHT Special 6 head. I feel like it’s about 75% there (I also have a silverface Vibro Champ). The way the tone control is voiced and the ss rectifier being the differences. It does work better with larger cabs than my VC does.
Longer term I’d like to replace it with either a Swart Atomic Jr. head or a Lil Dawg Prince (5F2A tweed Princeton) lunchbox head. For clean sounds at low volume I don’t miss a tube rectifier, but when things get crunchy I do.
Longer term I’d like to replace it with either a Swart Atomic Jr. head or a Lil Dawg Prince (5F2A tweed Princeton) lunchbox head. For clean sounds at low volume I don’t miss a tube rectifier, but when things get crunchy I do.
- Pepe Silvia
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 5701
- Joined: Thu May 14, 2009 11:44 am
- Location: Philadelphia
Re: What modern champ is best champ?
Oh wow, that VHT is interesting, especially in head form as it has a 4 ohm output
- UlricvonCatalyst
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 7193
- Joined: Mon Dec 14, 2009 4:05 am
- Location: Glasgow, Scotland
Re: What modern champ is best champ?
There are a few eBay sellers upgrading Epiphone Juniors to Champ spec. (re-biasing and replacing transformer is all it takes, seemingly).
Maybe you could find a used one if a new one's too spendy.
Maybe you could find a used one if a new one's too spendy.
- marqueemoon
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 7389
- Joined: Mon Jun 20, 2016 9:37 pm
- Location: Seattle
Re: What modern champ is best champ?
Yeah. That was one selling point for me. It also has a low power setting. The boost circuit is not good sounding though.eurotrashed wrote: ↑Wed Jun 06, 2018 1:42 amOh wow, that VHT is interesting, especially in head form as it has a 4 ohm output
It was my gateway into using a low powered amp live. Since getting an At Mars Specialist head it’s not seeing much use though.
- Kent
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 741
- Joined: Fri Apr 06, 2007 2:56 am
- Location: Vienna, Austria
- Contact:
- Pepe Silvia
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 5701
- Joined: Thu May 14, 2009 11:44 am
- Location: Philadelphia
Re: What modern champ is best champ?
Just ordered the VHT Spevial 6 head. For $219, my expectations are low but I'm hoping for the best.
- marqueemoon
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 7389
- Joined: Mon Jun 20, 2016 9:37 pm
- Location: Seattle
Re: What modern champ is best champ?
Curious to hear your thoughts on it.eurotrashed wrote: ↑Thu Jun 07, 2018 5:49 amJust ordered the VHT Spevial 6 head. For $219, my expectations are low but I'm hoping for the best.
I found this when I was searching the interwebs for mods. If I hang on to mine I may eventually get this done to it. I feel like people modding these with extra tone controls and shit are kind of missing the point.
http://www.musicgarage.fi/mods-repairs/ ... od-repair/
- Larsongs
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 2426
- Joined: Mon Aug 18, 2014 9:39 pm
Re: What modern champ is best champ?
I've got one of these on my list.
Fender RI 57 Custom Champ.
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail ... -combo-amp
Fender RI 57 Custom Champ.
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail ... -combo-amp
- repoman
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 385
- Joined: Fri May 22, 2015 3:30 pm
Re: What modern champ is best champ?
The RI Champ 600 is awesome. Its the one amp I've had the longest, there are some really easy mods you can do to it to make it much more "champ like." Its the most dynamic/pick sensitive amp I've ever had.
There are also a lot of off brand champ clones made in the 50s/60s that you can find without much trouble and a little investigation on Reverb for 200-300 ish with a little patience. It shouldn't be too much trouble to snag a silver face Champ for 400.
There are also a lot of off brand champ clones made in the 50s/60s that you can find without much trouble and a little investigation on Reverb for 200-300 ish with a little patience. It shouldn't be too much trouble to snag a silver face Champ for 400.
- Pepe Silvia
- PAT. # 2.972.923
- Posts: 5701
- Joined: Thu May 14, 2009 11:44 am
- Location: Philadelphia
Re: What modern champ is best champ?
I put a JJ 12AX7 and a Tungsol 6V6GT in the Special 6, this is exactly what I wanted. I just wish it wasnt made China.