Fender Champ
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The Fender Champ was a guitar amplifier made by Fender. It was introduced in 1948 and discontinued in 1982. [1] An updated version was introduced in 2006 as part of the "Vintage Modified" line.
The Champ had the lowest power output and the simplest circuit for all of the Fender tube amps. The Champ had only one power tube, which meant that the circuit is single ended and class A. Five watts and the simple toneful circuit meant that the Champ was often used in recording studios.
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[edit] Champion 800/600
First introduced in 1948, it sported the name "Champion 800" (with 8" speaker), changing a year later to "Champion 600" (6" speaker). It was rated at about 3 watts, featuring a "T.V. Front" style cabinet with two-tone blonde & brown vinyl covering. This style lasted until 1953, when Fender's cabinet style changed to the "Wide Panel" design with a tweed cloth covering. Fender also named the circuit the 5C1, 5 standing for the decade (1950s), C stood for the third circuit revision, and 1 was the Champ's circuit designation.
[edit] The Champ
By 1955 Fender started putting its amps in the "Narrow Panel" tweed cabinet, and by this time the Champ was officially named the Champ. Up until 1956 Champs only had a six inch speaker, but the new 5F1 circuit of 1956 featured an 8". This circuit was also a little beefier than the original "Champion 800's" circuit, and was about 5 watts.
[edit] Blackface/Silverface
The 5F1 lasted until 1964, when the Champ finally made the transition to the "Blackface" style of circuit and cabinet. A small number of the last 5F1 style cabinets were covered with the "Blackface" amp cosmetics around this transition, as the factory most likely ran out of the tweed cloth covering. In 1964, a Champ with tremolo was also introduced. It was called the Vibro Champ. In late 1964 the Champ switched to Blackface. In 1968 it switched to silverface. It switched back to blackface in 1981.
[edit] Champion 600 reissue
In 2006, Fender "reissued" the Champion 600. They modified the 5E1 (1955) circuitry slightly, switching to solid-state rectification from the original 5Y3 tube, and adding a more modern tone section, at the cost of circuit gain and vintage tone. Fender chose to remain faithful to the original cathode-biased output stage design while boosting the plate voltage to bring the output to 5 watts. The current look is the TV-front with two-tone tolex and speaker grille cloth of imitation suede.
[edit] Specifications
- Available as a 6" Combo, features an internal 4 ohm speaker output jack
- 5 Watts RMS
- Volume Control
- Power Switch
- 2 Input (high, low), 1 Channel
- 1x 12AX7 and a 6V6
- Solid State Diode Rectified
- Class A, Single Ended
[edit] Vibro Champ
The Fender Vibro Champ was a guitar amplifier made by Fender. It was first introduced in 1964 and discontinued in 1982. The Vibro Champ featured built-in tremolo with controls for speed and intensity. The silverface version served as a basis for the Bronco student amplifier of 1967.[2]
In 2007, Fender reintroduced the Vibro Champ as the Vibro Champ XD, part of their "Vintage Modified" series. Aesthetically, the XD is based on the Champ from the blackface era. Unlike the Champion 600, which has a straightly all-tube audio signal path, the Vibro Champ XD's tube circuitry is complemented by a digital signal processor (DSP) that functions as a pre-amp by modelling 16 different amplifiers. The effect of the volume, gain and tone control knobs varies according to the selected amp model. The digitally modelled signal is fed into a class-A single-ended tube circuit, with a 12AX7 output tube driver, and a 6V6 output tube. The amp also comes equipped with DSP effects, including reverb, delay, chorus, and tremolo (there is no spring reverb tank).
[edit] Specification
- Available as a 8" Combo, 4ohm output
- 5 Watts RMS Class A, Single Ended
- Controls: Volume, Voicing, Treble, Bass, FX level, FX select
- 1 Input, 1 Channel
- 1x Sovtek 12AX7 and 6V6
- Solid State Diode Rectified
- DSP provides 16 effects, including chorous, delay, tremolo, reverb
- Made in China
[edit] Super Champ
In 1983, in order to combat its decreasing amp sales, which at that time was selling 10,000 unit per year, Fender hired Paul Rivera (of Rivera Amplification fame) and ask him to help design amplifiers with a modern sound. The end result is the 2-channel Super Champ, featuring a 10" speaker and a new circuitry, including Master Volume and a Mid Boost switch. In order to increase gain and cut cost, Super champ utilized 1x 12AX7 for the first and second stage preamp, a 1x 12AT7 for spring reverb driver tube, while a triple-triode 6C10 are used for three functions; one as a third stage preamp for even more gain, one as the phase inverter (instead of two for most class-AB circuits), and one as pickup tube for the spring reverb. When the volume knob is pulled, singals from the 12AT7 is routed, resulting in higher gain. Two 6v6 power tubes provide it with 18 RMS watt. The Super Champ was sold until CBS sold Fender.
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In 2007, Fender resurrected the Super Champ name with the Super Champ XD, part of "Vintage modified" series. The look is based on the blackface model. Unlike the Champion 600 (all tube circuitry) and Vibro Champ XD (class A circuitry complemented with modeling), the Super Champ XD is a hybrid. Aside from one dual-triode 12AX7 and two 6V6 output tubes, it also has a digital signal processor (DSP) models 16 different amplifiers and programs the volume, gain, and tone controls accordingly.
It has two channels, channel 1 being a clean channel, and channel 2 having both clean and distortion voices, using modeling technology to provide 15 additional voices. There are two stages of amplification: the first stage is done by solid-state op amps and the DSP[citation needed], which also provide the desired voicing of the amps. It is then fed into the first triode of the 12AX7, which acts as a second stage preamp, provides the additional tube gain for both channels and acts as an interface between the solid state circuitry and the tube circuitry. The second triode is a phase inverter, which creates mirror images of the signal to drive the output tubes. This arrangement provides the same feel of a complete tube amp while allowing multiple voicing. The DSP chip also provides effects, including reverb, delay, chorus, and tremolo. There is no spring reverb tank.
[edit] Specifications
- Available as a 10" Combo, features an internal 8 ohm speaker output jack
- 15 Watts RMS
- Controls: Volume 1, channel select, gain, Volume 2, Voicing, Treble, Bass, FX level, FX select
- 1 Input, 2 Channel (Clean and voicing)
- 1x 12AX7 and 2x 6V6
- Solid State Diode Rectified
- Class AB, push pull
[edit] Models
- Champion "800" (1948-1949) - First version of the Champ.
- Champion "600" (1949-1955, 2006- ) - Replaced the Champion "800", modified/reissued in 2006
- Vibro Champ (1964-1982; 2007-) - A Champ with tremolo; reissued in 2007, with modified tube circuit, and utlization of DSP for 16 effects
- Champ II (1982-1983) - 18 watts/10" speaker.
- Super Champ (1982-1985; 2007-) - channel switching and reverb; reissued in 2007 as an hybrid, with modified tube circuit, and utlization of DSP for 16 effects
- Champ 12 (1987-1992) - 12 watts/12" speaker
- Champ 25/25SE (1992-1994) - tube/solid state amp
