Fender 57 Custom Champ Review
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- čas přidán 28. 08. 2024
- Switched the original 12AT7 pre-amp tube for a 12AX7. Also, the cage in the back that protects the Rectifier and Power tube rattled. I removed it and put a 1/16 inch thin piece of rubber behind it and re-screwed it in, no more rattle.
I keep watching tweed champ reviews, but keep coming back to this one because DJ uses it the way its supposed to be used and the sound is just brilliant! Like a record.
Great review, these are the best ones with no flashy production gear recorded through a computer, well done.Im getting one .
Excellent review! Infectious enthusiasm and great advice in the closing second.
I salute you sir. 🙃
I bought one of these used and my upgrades were a 12AX7 and NOS 6V6 from the 60's and a Jenson speaker from the 70's. I keep the volume around 3 - 4. I play a Tele and a P-90 equipped SG. If I want more volume it's there, if I'm on stage I have a mic or two. If I need effects I have a '74 Vibro-Champ that I mix in with it. Keep it simple, it rocks, it's rock n roll at it's best.
Man, everything here is so dead-on. Totally get it.
Best champ review I have seen. Great Job!
I bought the latest version (2024) and it doesn’t sound like this vid at all. The drive in this vid is what I would expect in a vintage…sounds great! I tried to love the new 57 custom, but returned it. Looking at a Victoria 518 now
I do that pillow thing to my wife. It works.
haha! No sock and duct tape?
Best advice for a new champ owner. Thank you. Been trying to figure out tone and rattles (do think I have a Glass like rattle in the power tube). The pillow does help me to balance out the tone in my small room. Very nice trick!! Without the pillow sounded a bit flubby it was unreal loud and still not good sounding breakup. Thank you really enjoying the amp tone now!
Yeah man. I am so impressed with the videos of this amp. Every review I have heard has been great sounding. I want this amp.
I’ve said this before but thank you for making the best Tweed champ video on earth
Thanks for one of the best review on this amp! So many bands have used this amp it's great ! All I have done for years is try and get a decent tone right now I'm using a 11 rack which it good but not as good as your little amp. I've probably spent thousands on line 6 and boss digital fx and I just hate digital gear some how I keep finding myself buying it though. 1000 bucks is a lot but it's no where near what I've spent over the years. This video makes me want to sell everything and start over lol !
Man that sounds just like the song! Just amazing!
Not sure why you would need to swap preamp tube. It’s a Single ended Class A with all the gain anyone would ever need in its stock form. Crank it up with the AY7 bc these amps are running as hot whether it’s at 4 or Wide open but You must think you know more than fender. Take that stupid pillow off it and play it as it’s designed. Reason I’m able to say this is my buddy just bought a brand new one a few weeks ago and they are some impressive in its stock form without needing more tube saturation from a AX7.as fender used to have them setup. Fantastic little amps and my 09’ should arrive Monday
Great video DJ. I want this amp! I have the 2014 Fender EC 9Eric Clapton) Vibro-Champ which is the exact same amp, but it adds a tube tremolo and a tremolo control knob, which is switchable on / off with a $16 fender single button floor pedal-which I have. I can also use the chicken head tremolo knob to turn off and on the tube tremolo as well as use the knob to control the tremolo speed. it's a really nice amp.
Looking at your room, I see it has a similar feel to our house as I have music gear and also I am an artist with easels and paintings everywhere.
I sometimes think of exchanging the stock pre-amp 12at7 (?) 12ay7 (?) tube with @ 70% gain factor into a 12au7 that has 16% gain factor. You went in the opposite direction and installed the 12ax7 that has a 100% gain factor. Maybe I'll try both changes and see what I prefer. To be honest I forget what the stock pre-amp tube is, it may be a 12ax7 but more likely a 12ay7 or a 12at7 because the amp overdrives from just around 5 or 6.
In stock form mine breaks up from around 4-12 or maybe 5 depending on the vol of my guitar. I recently heard that these amps sound best set at 3 on the amp volume scale.
These amps are specifically designed to provide over driven tube amp distorted tone at a reasonable non ear damaging decibel level. I think they nailed it!
-Peter
Great demo!
DJ, don’t have the pillow in front for the demo.
It’s a Legend !!!
that pillow thing is strange WTF
Thanks for the review !!!
show us a demo with a strat without the pillow im waiting for my amp to come great review thanks
I've got one of those! However, mine is an original 1963 in pristine condition ; )
Fender Tweeds traditionally had 12AY7's I thought
Great playing!
Nice review ✊
Did you ever upgrade the stock 8” speaker
Are you sure it came with a 12at7 and not a 12ay7? There is not a lot of gain difference from a at7 vs ax7 tubes. But fender lists it as having an 12ay7 tube which is much less gain than a 12ax7
Cool video!
I have been thinking of a silverface champ but you are selling me on the tweed.
Man that sounds incredible. I’m trying to decide on my first tube amp right now. I don’t play out so I’m trying to find something that won’t blow my windows out at home and have the neighbors beating on my door. Problem is I might be moving into an apartment soon so idk if I should even bother going tune so I may be stuck in modeling purgatory. Can this little guy be played and sound nice at low volumes? I could throw a tube screamer or something with it for some over drive. I play a Professional tele and a tribute Les Paul. Thanks for the review and any info!
George Hale this'll definitely be too loud for an apartment. I think when people describe these amps as being for home use, they mean in a basement or something like that.
If I were you I'd try a used fender Greta. It's 2w, but since it only has a 4" speaker it's fairly quiet. Genuine tweed sound, assuming that's what you want.
@@benjamincs1 Depends sure it's loud enough to piss off your neighbours cranked.. It has a sweet spot around 4-5, fender strat rolled back a little on the neck pickup and/or use the 2nd input. Even at 3-4 with a boost or compressor, you get a great tone not too loud. If you must, the speaker unhooks and you could put an attenuator in there.
I like mine better than I did the custom deluxe I sent back because it’s a very simple setup. I still can’t seem to get the kind of tones you get but that’s likely due to my suck levels being high. Wish there was a knob to turn that down lol.
Would be a great amp for $99.99 but not a grand. Have a Super Champ XD and am very happy with it at volume on 3. On 10 hooked up to a 12" Celestion Vintage 30 made in England sounds very fine.
Lots of things sound very fine with a good player. However that old saying is true one man's Pearl is another man's turd
twoway so you hesitate to purchase a quality tube amp because of the price? Listen dude, $999 is a bit of money, true. Now look at a Marshall 100 watt tube head and a Full Stack of 412's. $8,000 depending on which head and which speaker cab's. Yes a 100 ss can be loud as fuck too! Given the choice as in if I were offering you either one of them for free which would you select? Be honest with us!
Ha ha I traded my super champ Xd (and lots a 💰) for this amp. Don’t regret it for a second.
Why are people so cheap? This might have the 'features' of a $99 amplifier, but it's a fender champ. As far as I'm aware, back in the day this was the equallivent of today's $100 piece of crap, and musicians still had to pay an arm and a leg to get it. We're so spoilt today with so many options that people forget that to get a quality product you have to put up some decent money. I understand that not everyone can afford it, and thats why we are so lucky to have so much equipment available to us today for so little money. But it still drives me nuts when people talk about a quality product like the champ and complain about it's price, when it has nothing but the highest value components and top quality construction.
Wow, obviously had some stuff built up there. Hope people understand where I'm coming from.
Those are great amps , I have one.
Those amps are great. They feel like they suck the notes out of the guitar.
$1,000 for a bedroom amp someone's got a good job
A 1000 bucks really isn't that hard to save up.
I have a jtm45/100 full stack loaded with 8 12in scumback h75 pvc speakers in my bedroom
@jpotts345 you say it like there is something wrong with someone having a "good" job.
Go build your own for under 1000 bucks. ha
Aren't they 12AY7?
WAXMAN 95 Yes
Sounds like there’s a pillow or blanket covering the speaker? 🤷🏼♂️🥞
haha
what 12ax7 did you use ?
DJ, can you post a pic of your rectifier cage solution (I’d really appreciate it)? I just got mine, so we’re breaking it in, but yeah...cage rattle is definitely an issue. Cheers
Did you figure it out yourself, yet? Not a difficult fix.
Sorry I missed this comment! Go to Michael's or any arts and crafts store. They sell for $1 black rubberized sheets - looks like construction paper. It's very thin, like 1/16". Take off the cage, cut the sheet to match and place it behind the cage and screw back on. It's thin enough to not really change the mounting and rubbery enough to absorb the rattle. I also sometimes have to use it around where the metal amp guts mount into a combo cabinet. Cheap an easy solution, no glue and has worked a charm for me!
Fender put a 12AT7 in it?
...that's so weird
Can it be played at bedroom volume ?
I doubt it. Not if you want it to break up anyway.
I think putting a pillow in front or this amp kind of defeats the whole purpose of the review.
Awesome video!!
Is the amp made in USA?
Yes, California
What is the third chord in China Grove? 🙏🏼
Not sure the name. On the A string it’s the 4th fret. On the D string it’s the 7th fret and on the G it’s the 6th. Very commonly used sound you’ll see
😎😎😎
Mine gets really hot is that normal?
WAXMAN 95 Yes that’s normal.
Mine too like I’m afraid to put the cover back on.
I had a brand new laney super cub 12 and it got so hot if I touched the top vent under the handle it would burn my fingers. ha
Turn off the Reverb pedal
burn the pillow
And let the amp
sing like a champ
And, don't play through a cabinet. We want to actually hear "the" amp. Thank you! All these comments on what a good demo....for what? The pillow? The cabinet?
hi guys what overdrive works good with that champ?i have same one plimsoul is ok
I've got the same amp and normally just dime it to get the crunch that I want, but when I can't turn it up like that I use a TS-9 through it and it sounds great. The one drawback with this amp is lack of reverb, so I bought a used Catalinbread Topanga- good god, such a beautiful sound, it's really the only pedal I use regularly with it.
@@keseysvenisonchili that what i use only reverb for now i use dispatch master
Get a Detroit Casket Fluid Drive by Nocturne pedals.
Best o.d there is.
Dump the messy booger and get a deluxe reverb.