Fender Champion 600... my thoughts

[Bryan]

I went to my LMS today to look for a mic stand. While I'm there the salesman is noodling away on this amp. He is aware of my search for a replacement for my Deluxe Reverb that I unfortunately sold and calls me over to have a listen.

So he runs the amp through its paces using a PRS Santana. Not a bad sound clean or overdriven. I'm somewhat impressed. Then he tells me that it really likes single coils. I quickly grab a Highway 1 and sit down to demo it myself. Then the real fun began.

After a few minutes I'm sold. This amp is incredible! Captures the Fender Clean sound perfectly. It doesn't break up as quickly as the Pro Jr does, but it can give up a nice driven tone if needed. It's got 1 6V6 and 1 12AX7 to supply 5 watts of power. The controls are on the upper rear of the amp and are made up of, power switch, red dome light, volume knob, and two inputs. The low input is the regular input and the high input is for the overdrive work.

Now this thing won't wake the neighbors and definitely won't cut it at any sort of reasonable stage volume. However, that's not what I bought this for. I will be miking this amp wherever it goes.

So I bring it home for my own round of testing, meaning through my pedal board. Well the amp doesn't miss a beat. It had no problem taking my effects chain and giving up a great tone with very little added noise.

So in summary, if you need an amp with the Fender clean sound at a low volume then this is an amp worth looking into. And at $199 for a tube amp, I don't see how you can go wrong. And for those who like a retro vibe it's got a nifty two color leather cover and a "suede" speaker cover for the 6" speaker.

I was going to take pics but my camera battery died. Instead here's a link to Fender's site.

http://www.fender.com/products/searc...tno=2330100000

Enjoy!

[guitar08man]

kinda like the fender version of the epi valve junior...

you should pick up a epi, and run it with the fender in stereo, haha.

[hippietim]

Thanks for the review! I am going to go check one out ASAP. I might even be able to keep that one in the living room

[lefty]

After a few minutes I'm sold. This amp is incredible!
So in summary, if you need an amp with the Fender clean sound at a low volume then this is an amp worth looking into. And at $199 for a tube amp, I don't see how you can go wrong. And for those who like a retro vibe it's got a nifty two color leather cover and a "suede" speaker cover for the 6" speaker.

Enjoy!

Thanks for the review. Esp. because one's on its way to
my house and should arrive today. I was onboard as soon
as I saw it had a 6V6. What are you using for distortion
up front and how is it set? Also, have you tried it through
an extension cab yet, and if so, what's your opinion?


theo

[thebisch]

I played the Champ 600. I also owned a Epi VJ which went through a few mods in the time I had it, including putting a 6V6 in it in place of the el84. The Champ is HEAD AND SHOLDERS better than the VJ IMO.

[Bryan]

Here's a few pics.

The amp by itself:



A size comparison with my 50s classic Strat.



And the back panel of the amp. Simple no?



I almost hated posting this last pic because I didn't want any of you stealign my top secret amp settings! :ROTF:

[hippietim]

I picked one up yesterday. Very cool! Thanks for the tip.

[shobet]

I've gone and bought one as well, it was just looking at me sending out "take me home" vibes. I've had a quick go through it tonight and I must say I'm very impressed. At lower volumes it's nice and clean - I'm used to Marshalls so it seems a different kind of clean, well to my ears it does anyway - but turn it up and it breaks up rather nicely. It's not something that's for metal but more classic rock tones at the higher volumes. Some slap back echo on the clean settings and I'm sure it would make a passable country sound.

I really like the simplicity of it and it wont drive the next door neighbours too nuts as well. I only bought it on an impulse but boy am I glad I did so far.

What do you other owners think, now you've had time with it?

I so dig the retro syling as well, all I need now is a '52 Strat and I'm sorted...

Go and buy one!

[jtr]

How would you compare it to a Pro Jr or a Blackface Princeton Reverb ,they're the best low wattage amps i've have?

[shobet]

No idea sorry, this is the first Fender amp I've tried.
It's so cute I had to take a pic.

[Cygnus X1]

Gibson reissued the GA-5 Amp, also.
One potential problem (maybe), why didn't they use the
original 5Y3 rectifier tube? I always thought that tube rec
cotributed to the "brown" warm distorted sound of these.

I give the 6V6 a lot of credit for the warm disortion I get out of the Deluxe Reverb.

[shobet]

Gibson reissued the GA-5 Amp, also.
One potential problem (maybe), why didn't they use the
original 5Y3 rectifier tube? I always thought that tube rec
cotributed to the "brown" warm distorted sound of these.

I give the 6V6 a lot of credit for the warm disortion I get out of the Deluxe Reverb.

Cost maybe?
I'm falling in love with little thing.