What modern champ is best champ?

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Pepe Silvia
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What modern champ is best champ?

Post by Pepe Silvia » Tue Jun 05, 2018 3:47 pm

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?

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green_mario
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Re: What modern champ is best champ?

Post by green_mario » Tue Jun 05, 2018 6:44 pm

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

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jesterpunk68
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Re: What modern champ is best champ?

Post by jesterpunk68 » Tue Jun 05, 2018 9:59 pm


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marqueemoon
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Re: What modern champ is best champ?

Post by marqueemoon » Tue Jun 05, 2018 10:14 pm

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.

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Pepe Silvia
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Re: What modern champ is best champ?

Post by Pepe Silvia » Wed Jun 06, 2018 1:42 am

Oh wow, that VHT is interesting, especially in head form as it has a 4 ohm output

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UlricvonCatalyst
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Re: What modern champ is best champ?

Post by UlricvonCatalyst » Wed Jun 06, 2018 2:48 am

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.

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Re: What modern champ is best champ?

Post by marqueemoon » Wed Jun 06, 2018 5:16 am

eurotrashed wrote:
Wed Jun 06, 2018 1:42 am
Oh wow, that VHT is interesting, especially in head form as it has a 4 ohm output
Yeah. That was one selling point for me. It also has a low power setting. The boost circuit is not good sounding though.

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.

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Re: What modern champ is best champ?

Post by Kent » Wed Jun 06, 2018 5:34 am

Image

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Pepe Silvia
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Re: What modern champ is best champ?

Post by Pepe Silvia » Thu Jun 07, 2018 5:49 am

Just ordered the VHT Spevial 6 head. For $219, my expectations are low but I'm hoping for the best.

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Re: What modern champ is best champ?

Post by marqueemoon » Thu Jun 07, 2018 7:47 am

eurotrashed wrote:
Thu Jun 07, 2018 5:49 am
Just ordered the VHT Spevial 6 head. For $219, my expectations are low but I'm hoping for the best.
Curious to hear your thoughts on it.

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/

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Re: What modern champ is best champ?

Post by Larsongs » Tue Jun 12, 2018 5:20 am

I've got one of these on my list.

Fender RI 57 Custom Champ.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail ... -combo-amp

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Re: What modern champ is best champ?

Post by repoman » Tue Jun 12, 2018 5:47 am

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.

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Pepe Silvia
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Re: What modern champ is best champ?

Post by Pepe Silvia » Thu Jun 14, 2018 2:29 pm

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.

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