The Fender Champ, Five Watts of Famous Tones; or The Need for Tweed
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Sadly, in the trend of YouTube to copyright hit even the educational vids, I’ve had to cut the section on Eric Clapton using a Champ on Derek and the Dominos “Layla and Other Love Songs”. YouTube had cut the audio so I’ve now removed the video. So the somewhat awkward jump from the studio mention directly to Julian Lage is just that, a bit awkward with my apologies. I will be more hesitant to use music in the same way in the future videos (see my video on the Deluxe Amp as an example.) Thanks for understanding and enjoy the content as it is. 🙂
*Argh! I made a mistake in my zeal for simplicity I overstated the longevity of the simple three tube compliment in Champs. Many of my august subscribers (thank you, sincerely) pointed out that the early champs had an octal, 6SJ7 preamp tube, which is absolutely correct. Mea culpa. And thanks for watching.
The Fender Champ has been around in one form or another since 1948. Production of the original circuit was discontinued in 1982 but by then so many Champs have been built or clones of the originals around, that they are still a mainstay in recording studio both large and small.
Here at Five Watt World I’ve long been fascinated with the perfection of different five watt amps for studio recording and practicing. All the trouble of adding a gain pedal or compressor to make you 15 or 30 watt amp act like it’s at “breathing volume” is unnecessary with a 5 watt amp already “breathing” at living room volumes.
And yes, I know that the live audio clips I’ve used either (other than the Julian Lage clip) don’t use the original Champs but this is the best way to include the songs without running into copyright issues from one record company or another.
Thanks in particular to Dan Lurie at FYD Amps for his years of tutelage on Champs, putting up with my endless questions once I’d become obsessed by them.
I’m sure I didn’t get every little thing right and I can count on the contributors over at TGP and TDPRI to help me out on this score no doubt. Thanks in advance. This is all about learning things and sharing that with others. Building a community of folks questioning how much we need to make music in our lives.
#Fender #Champ #Watts #Famous #Tones #Tweed
Originally posted by UC5OAMxnvhTyc3rjgpY6u8cA at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCcmvK8oOFk
I love my 1969 Silverface Drip Edge Champ Amp. glorious tones.
Just saw the video fantastic! But some 64's came in the old tweed. Mines a verified 64 & old style tweed cloth to boot
And 12 is two more
I have a 55 that needs work. If the shop fixes my Gibson Ranger right , I'll let them fix the 55.
Mr.Willams, do you use blue chip picks..RocknRollflat5
There's too many people with '????' in the comments, and they're not even bothering to fact check! ????
Great channel
저는 당신의 애청자입니다. 저는 한국사람입니다. 자막이 필요합니다.
I HAVE A 1956 FENDER CHAMP
AND A 1959 HARVARD AMP
BOTH PROVIDE EVERYTHING
CARLOS GUITARLOS 90042 USA
hate to break it to you… but the Epiphone Valve Jr sounds better. That little 5 watt that came out in the early 2000s. Crank it to 10 and be amazed. Crank it to anything else and it sounds really really nice.
I am new to electric guitars as I play acoustic and old 1920's style rag time stuff. When looking for a surf guitar amp, most if not everyone is a club player and insist on a big amp. I will just be playing at home and do not need to replicate the original surf sound, but need something clean and small. Also I was thinking of the Fender '57 Custom Champ 1×8" 5-watt Tube Combo Amp plus I was going to get the Fender 63’ Reissue Reverb Unit Brown Tolex to go with it. How does this combo sound and playing with a Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster – Cobra Blue with Maple Fingerboard? Thank You very much!!
This is one of those that just doesn't work for me at all. I bought a 1961 model in 1999, It was ok but i didn't find it "Magical" My magical amp is a BF Princeton Reverb. I wanted that Champ to go to a good home so I sold it to My Doctor. He loves it and works for him. I need something that stays clean, and the Champ didn't work well for me
I totally agree. I have a few amps, but my hands down favorite is my “Champ” (in the form of my hand built Tungsten Mosaic, the best “Champ” I’ve ever played????)
What song is in the background?? It’s driving me crazy that I can’t remember!!
I love 5 watt AMPS!! GOT THREE OF THEM!!
I have been into Magnatone amps for decades – since someone gave me a non-working model 432 with a single Telefunken power tube!
So I spotted a small model 401 behind the door in a CA music shop and had to buy it. The tubes are Mullard (is that the correct spelling? I ought to go look), "The Musical Tube".
The class A sound is so smooth and fast, and the two knobs are not volume and tone but volume and tremolo – that tremolo heard in the spooky guitar at the opening of the Twin Peaks series, for sure.
Yet I have this, slightly damaged, black beauty 'Estey' made in CA, on theebay for months now and no offers. So pardon me, I am so poor and may sound desperate but –
Hey 5 watt lovers check this super lightweight tone heavyweight out!
" It was a cheesy little amp, with a sign on the front that said Fender Champ"
Every older rocker knows the 1st Ronnie Montrose album with Sammy Hagar on vocals. Ronnie used a Fender Champ on that album. Huge sound for 1973
I just built a 5f2a. Used the iron from a crate v5 cheapy amp
So ive got a bridge recitfier. I added a master vol and an amazing addition, a negative feedback pot. Taking the nfb from 5k headroom to 100k filth.
Glorious glorious amp. Ive got a nos soviet 1515 power tube ( 6v6) and a nos mullard 12ax7. 20 watt greenback seems to be my favorite speaker so far (from what i have laying around)
Im a big fan of Big Sugar . Gordy uses a Garnet Herzog, which is basically a champ used as a preamp . Ill be making that mod.
Beutiful organic sounds.
His & Her champs ! She took the 59 champ ! Hay Robbin ford A classic 5,4,1 in the key of whatever you like man????
So what year was the best of the tweed champs? 59?
Am i the only one who likes hearing the amps?
For $250 I just scored an all original 1959 Lectrolab r200b, tones like a tweed fender champ (this particular model mistakenly says 25 watts on it when in reality it is 5 watts). So the actual biggest difference is the price—4 months ago an all original ‘59 champ on reverb sold for $4300.
Your edits are kind of Max Headroomish.. but it's an informative cool vid.
Your thing about a Fender style guitar, a Gibson-style guitar, a Marshall, and a Champ, and making music all the time is so true! I'm in a creative state of grace right this moment, with my Jazzmaster and my Riviera P93 (which I keep in open G), and my British-style amp (in this case, an AC4), and my Fender – in this case, a Princeton. Lovely channel, I respect your clear passion for history!
What's the best speaker for a 1974 champ. I inherited one but the speaker had turned into dust. I bought the Warehouse speaker everyone rates highly but still not as great as my old blackface.
Your great thank you Sir !❤❤❤
In 70's I got a '64 Gibson Firebird, because that's what Johnny Winter played. Being short on $ to buy it, got a '67 Supro Trojan for $25. The rig sounded great but being the 70's and all, wasn't loud enough!???? So later I got a '63 Fender Super Reverb. But now it's too loud, hear it down the block loud and it wouldn't "break up, or overdrive" until past 5-6 volume? So I picked up a EV microphone, mic'd the Supro with the volume on 7. Plugged into the Fender set on 1 with the reverb on 4 and eureka! Just an amazing all the way around sound at a tolerable volume! The Supro's overdriven crunch with classic blackface Fender clean and creamy reverb! It sounded like it was a dimed tube amp in an empty theater! And I remember being embarrassed about it thinking this can't be cool? Remember it's the 70's???? That is until I saw Elvin Bishop in '77 do his hit,"fooled around and fell in love"! Elvin had a tweed Champ on a folding chair with his ES335 and a guitar cord. That was miked into the PA, straight up awesome tone and feedback if he was inclined!
As always Keith awesome content I own a champ x2 and love it. It was the best bang for the buck as a got it in a deal when I bought a used strat.
6:30 How old is this video? I wonder if Keith inadvertently JHS'd the silverface Champ. Lol
If you want the reai Champ amp buy a Victoria 518, they're made with the same components Fender used in the late 50's.
That is a great last statement. Fender guitar, Gibson guitar played thru old tube amps you have no excuse for not creating great tone..
It's called the Champ for a reason.
It was the last amp I purchased, but it should have been the first.
I play mine, miced, in churches and they won't ever let me go past 4.
That's enough,…
But this one goes to 12.
Fender ( and predecessor K&F ) was making Steel Guitars back to the begining , and the amps to go wiith them . Specifically in this case , the Champion Amp was meant to be a companion to the Champion Lap Steel .
A slogan that caught my eye: "I feels da need 4 tweeeed"????????????. Am awaiting delivery of serviced 77 Silver-face original driver included but Warehouse Vintage swapped in. Looking 4 small, neighbour-friendly studio tube amp 4 cleaner but toneful sounds 4 jazz-oriented sounds. 1×8" nice.
Love my early 80's silverface Vibro Champ. Original speaker still sounds great. Would love a tweed late 50's Champ to go with my big brother 1960 Tweed Deluxe holy grail.
????????????
Why no mention of the Fender reissue of the tweed 57 Champ? (youtube wont let me add a link)