Got this on eBay pretty cheap really. Hopefully it is all good. Serial seems to point to it being 1973. The listing info is: "A Vintage Fender old Tube Amplifier , I really can't date this Amp found numbers A 37857 also I believe Patent Number 023234 , Tested works sounds good , some wear from age , small hole in front cover , no back plate , Selling as is." Here are the pictures. It is missing the back board, but otherwise looks like it is in ok shape. Listing says it works, so I am excited to give it a go. Seems like lots of people say these amps are pretty good little things.
Whats up with that grill cloth? Spray painted black?
Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2014 7:39 pm
by HNB
Guessing that they used bad indoor lighting and a flash so the panel reflected it and the cloth looks dark because of the bad lighting. I will know better when it arrives.
Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2014 7:42 pm
by 71Smallbox
HNB wrote:Guessing that they used bad indoor lighting and a flash so the panel reflected it and the cloth looks dark because of the bad lighting. I will know better when it arrives.
Cool, if its really bad, I have some era correct grill cloth I got from a 70's Carvin cabinet(they used the same cloth) and its enough to redo your champ. I'd send it to you for free if you cover shipping.
Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2014 7:46 pm
by HNB
Cool! I appreciate that. Might take you up on it depending on how it looks when it arrives. The listing said there was a hole in it. If it is cruddy looking, it wouldn't hurt to redo the cover.
Anyone with these have an opinion on the speaker? It looks stock and I plan to try it out, but lots of places I was reading said the stock one kind of sucks.
Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2014 7:51 pm
by 71Smallbox
HNB wrote:Cool! I appreciate that. Might take you up on it depending on how it looks when it arrives. The listing said there was a hole in it. If it is cruddy looking, it wouldn't hurt to redo the cover.
Anyone with these have an opinion on the speaker? It looks stock and I plan to try it out, but lots of places I was reading said the stock one kind of sucks.
The stock speaker will have very low headroom and will distort alot sooner than you'd think. I put a Weber in mine and now its like a mini Twin, clean almost all the way up. It may sound good to you as is, try that first.
Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2014 7:53 pm
by 71Smallbox
That's a 1972 Oxford speaker and probably the original.
Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2014 7:54 pm
by HNB
Nice! I have a Showman and a Twin so it might be cool to have something that naturally breaks up.
Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2014 7:59 pm
by HNB
Any idea on that signature on the tube chart? Looks like Frank something Jr.
Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2014 8:11 pm
by 71Smallbox
HNB wrote:Any idea on that signature on the tube chart? Looks like Frank something Jr.
I've never seen a signature on any of my tube charts in my old Fenders. It looks like someone was just putting their name on it for ownership?
Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2014 8:20 pm
by HNB
Could be. I just know sometimes builders would stamp the inside of the chassis or in guitars sign the pickguard and such. Was curious if it might be an employee.
Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2014 9:52 pm
by Josh
awesome! love champs. awesome amps.
Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2014 6:21 pm
by HNB
Amp question for people who have built or updated their older tube amps: Is it necessary? I know amp techs say that if you don't update the capacitors they can/will fail and cause a fire or something, but I am unsure how much of that is common or exaggerated to sell the service they provide. With this amp I planned on making sure it had a grounded power cable if it doesn't already, but otherwise if it worked I figured I would leave it alone. Is this a bad idea? Would leaving it alone lead to terrible damage? I know capacitors are only designed to work for ten years or so reliably, but it seems logical to me that if they were to fail or blow, they would have already with an amp this old. Is that wrong?
I would like to learn how to service my own amps, but I know they can be/are dangerous with the amount of power they can store. I thought I would ask you all for thoughts.
Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2014 6:52 pm
by 71Smallbox
HNB wrote:Amp question for people who have built or updated their older tube amps: Is it necessary? I know amp techs say that if you don't update the capacitors they can/will fail and cause a fire or something, but I am unsure how much of that is common or exaggerated to sell the service they provide. With this amp I planned on making sure it had a grounded power cable if it doesn't already, but otherwise if it worked I figured I would leave it alone. Is this a bad idea? Would leaving it alone lead to terrible damage? I know capacitors are only designed to work for ten years or so reliably, but it seems logical to me that if they were to fail or blow, they would have already with an amp this old. Is that wrong?
I would like to learn how to service my own amps, but I know they can be/are dangerous with the amount of power they can store. I thought I would ask you all for thoughts.
The caps that tend to fail are electrolytic and paper/oil caps(usally in tweed amps). In the Champ, the only caps that should require changing will be in the power section, the tone shaping caps should all be fine. You won't have any fires or anything, the worst thing that can happen is that it will hum from not filtering out AC noise or it will stop working. You can install a 3 prong cord easily, so that shouldn't be a problem at all.
Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2014 7:19 pm
by HNB
The electrolytic ones are the ones that look like metal cans right? I figured since this amp was pretty simple design wise that it would be a great one to learn some of these basic things like biasing, changing bad caps (if any), removing the death cap if it has one, and adding a proper ground. Should be cool.
Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2014 9:22 pm
by Josh
my silvertone is totally stock. still had the OG power cable. and aside from changing it to a heavy duty appliance cable it didn't need anything done at all. the 3 prong got rid of all the hum, and made me stop getting shocked. lol
aside from normal single coil hum at least.
Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2014 3:27 am
by HNB
So it came in. Audio isn't working right. It is super distorted and cutting in and out. Any ideas?
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Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2014 3:30 am
by HNB
I messaged the seller about it because it was listed as "Auctioning: A Vintage Fender old Tube Amplifier , I really can't date this Amp found numbers A 37857 also I believe Patent Number 023234 , Tested works sounds good , some wear from age , small hole in front cover , no back plate , Selling as is." While I know it is "as is" it was also described as working and it is not working.
Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2014 4:54 am
by HNB
He is looking to send me the insurance forms. Should I return it or just get it fixed? I got it for under half of their normal price. Is it smarter to buy one in better shape or fix this one up?
Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2014 7:17 am
by benecol
Get it fixed - simple amps, so there's not too much there too go wrong. I replaced the filtercaps on my old on when I got it (Weber used to do a kit, but needs a big soldering iron, and the cap can can kill you); get a local tech to do it.
