Fender Vibro Champ – Fender’s Ultimate Home Amp?
In today’s video, Paul Drew from The Studio Rats is looking at the absolutely banging FENDER 68 CUSTOM VIBRO CHAMP REVERB COMBO.
For this video, the Fender Champ was connected to a Two Notes Torpedo Studio. The reverb was Universal Audio Lexicon 224.
Here is what Fender say about the 68 Custom Vibro Champ Reverb
At just 5 watts, the original Vibro Champ® was famous for classic Fender tremolo, tube sparkle and killer grind at a reasonable level. The ’68 Custom Vibro Champ Reverb improves on this classic amp by adding a hall reverb and using a larger 10” speaker for increased low end. These additions make this little wonder perfect for rehearsal, home recording and even small gigs. Amplifier comes with fitted cover.
FEATURES
Output Power / Output: 5 Watts
Controls: Volume, Treble, Bass, Reverb, Speed, Intensity
Amp Type: Tube
Preamp Tubes: 2 x 12AX7
Power tubes: 1 x 6V6
Speaker: 10″ Celestion® Ten 30
The Studio Rats are core band members Paul Drew on guitar/production/mixing, drummer James Ivey and Dan Hawkins on bass. They collaborate with singers and musicians to produce radio-ready songs.
#FENDER #FENDERvibrochamp #fenderamplifiers
#Fender #Vibro #Champ #Fenders #Ultimate #Home #Amp
Originally posted by UCW-S0JAM1Rtte4lU0HsD8BA at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pG8s9KP-QU
Add 10" Jensen Blackbird ????❤❤❤
I'm pretty sure you just sold some of them
What guitar is that?
The idea of a home amp is outdated. These little amps are crap and they sound like crap and they are still really loud. Surely home amps are now much cheaper and better modellers. Headphones.
Nice tones, shame about the reverb. My issue at home is playing loud enough to drive the speaker and get the he feel – I'm not sure how you are recording thisz but doesn't sound like ajybroom mics?
Just got it a few days ago, it’s incredible: and WAY louder and more powerful than I expected
Wish I had one
PCBoard? They couldn't even handwire a tiny little circuit like this one?
Not even a proper spring reverb??? ????
Sounds very small and tinny thru my phone ???? hmmmm not worth $1000
This is the best sounding demo of this amp…how much of that is the torpedo? (And how does the torpedo work?)
Nope. Fender's Ultimate Home Amp is the Fender Champ XD. It has the Champ thing, but also 1 Clean channel and 15 other Voices to help out with. And alll the basic Effect needs, including a jolly goodf Spring Verb and the Tremolo to match. Basic effects, greatest Clean Pedal platform ever.
Awesome sounding amp. I would rather build one, than buy it. 900$ is certainly a reasonable price, however I would build a hand wired one, with personally sourced components. Nice vid
The hall verb is soo nice. Found this amp at a pawn shop today and am very happy I picked it up
nice playing – you really make the amp sound great!
I'm looking at getting this amp or the Supro Amulet. Did you find the vibro champ produced a lot of hum? I hear the amulet is pretty quiet.
I played one at my local shop recently. I can't stop thinking about it. Hopefully I can buy it soon!
It's too loud for anything but clean sounds at home. Just too loud in the room. It really needs a master volume. The video would have benefitted from trying out some some drive pedals and a look round the back.
Lovely piece of playing at the start of the video ????
Hi. U can use it also live ? Or it's too small ? Thanks a lot
Nice!! I like it better than my silver face 1971 champ
How did you record it for this vid? I have the same amp, every time I put a close up microphone it picks up some low hums on 40hz, 95hz, 120hz, the hum is there even without the guitar plug in, I’m wondering does the hum also on yours too or just mine?????
great review, wonderful playing! What song did you play at the very begining?
That intro song is spectacular! What is that?!
I just bought one and I'm going to use this as my main stage amp from now on. There's something about mic-ing an amp on stage that gives perfect tone and the perfect level of stage volume so everyone can hear me. Can't wait to try it out.
A couple years ago i built a Champ based on the "Champ Amp AA764" schematic. But i got a wild hair and decided to build it with two output tubes. One 6V6 and one EL84 that can be selected via switch on the front of the amp (but only one of them active at a time of course). There are also a few other optional mods (mid boost push pull on the bass pot, bright switch push pull on the treble pot, High/Low input on the volume pot which ive actually found very useful but it used to be a tonestack defeat but that circuit has more than enough gain especially when you switch off the NFB loop, and a switch to defeat the NFB loop) . So what i ended up with is basically a Champ and a Gibson GA5 in one amp lol. I truly love it and it gets just as much play time as my 100watt Marshall does. The EL84 brakes up quicker and needs less input signal for a given output so it makes it seem as though the EL84 is much louder when switching from the 6V6 but each has its own unique character. The only thing that id change if I could do it all over again would be to use the "Vibro Champ Amp AA764" schematic so i could also have the tremolo. But i built a Harmonic/Bias Tremolo about 5 years ago so in the meantime its been able to cover the tremolo for now. But if i do build another Champ in the future, which is likely (even though there are a million things i want to build lol), it will be a Vibro Champ.
A word of warning, there are MASSIVE quality control issues with these units! I got through FIVE brand new units all of which had significant problems before I gave up.
Having tried and loved one of these amps in a local shop, I ordered one brand new from a reputable UK supplier. It was basically DOA. The blue jewel light came on but no sound came out.
The supplier sent me their one remaining alternative unit. This one had what I assume was a microphonic valve…. Sounded great until turned up to around 6 or higher at which point it gave off an intermittent pinging/rattle at certain frequencies. Mainly if I sustained an E note at the 9th fret on the G string. The supplier took it back and refunded me as they had no other stock.
I waited a month or so for stock to come in to an alternative supplier and I tried three that all had the exact same issue…. The last one actually gave off a little smoke from the back grill which was the point I decided to give up and go for something else.
A real shame as this was the perfect amp for my circumstances and the sound when they do work is phenomenal.
Strongly advise thorough testing and a solid warranty before you part with £800!!!!!
"ultimate" really dude? smells like clickbait
At 5:09 when you said let’s see how far we can drive it, was that only turning volume up, or did you kick a drive pedal on? Also do you think there’s enough room to change baffle to 12” so that speaker basket and small magnet do not hit tubes or trannys….your best guess. Thanks TSR.
Must be using a od.They dont have anywhere near that much drive.I have this amp.
Price just went up to $999.
"For this video, the Fender Champ was connected to a Two Notes Torpedo Studio. The reverb was Universal Audio Lexicon 224"
Uhhh… Ok
Damn you!, you just made me buy this amp ????
My brother found one for me in a pawn shop. Turns out it was a real 68 vibro champ. I replaced the caps, speaker and put in a 3 prong plug and now its my go to amp for gigs too, as long as it miked. There is no reverb on mine though.
Nice playing BTW!
These usually sound like crap to me, but you made it sound great. I'm now seriously considering one. Fender should kick something back to you! 😉
Sounds nice…
Hi
Wots the tone differance between input 1/2 ?