Fender Champion 100 amp any good?

**Meggy** · 09-25-2017, 05:28 AM

I've noticed this model, which seems to be selling in the UK for under £250 - which would seem to be pretty good value for a 2x12" speaker 100 watt combo amp (comes in at least £50 less than most of the current crop of 100 watt modelling amps, even the single 12" ones). It's solid state (I assume modelling) but looks like a Twin, and the clean channel is designed to sound like one. So for someone looking for a gigging amp that can go loud and shift a bit of air if needed, it would seem like very good value.

Anyone tried one, and does it work for jazz tones if so?

**Meggy** · 09-25-2017, 05:28 AM

Meant to include a link: Fender Champion 100 Guitar Combo Amp with Effects at Gear4music.com

**Little Jay** · 09-25-2017, 07:28 AM

I play over it in a rehearsal room sometimes. It's not bad, but I don't find it very inspiring. For some reason it lacks "oomph" and feels spongy. It's one of those amps that sounds fine when you dial in your tone and when the band starts playing it just disappears in the mix - and it's not just a matter of dialing in more mids, my Twin doesn't do that! Just my opinion of course, try it out to see if it works for you!

**Meggy** · 09-25-2017, 09:22 AM

Originally Posted by Little Jay

I play over it in a rehearsal room sometimes. It's not bad, but I don't find it very inspiring. For some reason it lacks "oomph" and feels spongy. It's one of those amps that sounds fine when you dial in your tone and when the band starts playing it just disappears in the mix - and it's not just a matter of dialing in more mids, my Twin doesn't do that! Just my opinion of course, try it out to see if it works for you!

Cheers Little Jay.

A bit compressed and lacking dynamics maybe? Can't find any decent jazz oriented demos on Youtube. I guess it might not be anything brilliant - I was really just idly speculating if it had a good clean Twin model, then it ought to work for jazz, and might be a bit of a bargain.

Not that I only play clean jazz, but all I generally want from any amp is plenty of clean headroom and the ability to go loud-ish if needed, with a good, sweet clean tone - any effects or overdrive, if needed, comes from my pedalboard, and I'm either straight into the amp, or guitar-pedalboard-amp.

**Greentone** · 09-25-2017, 10:22 AM

It's a perfectly decent amp, but as reported above, there are other amps that are more inspiring. The C100 is perfectly serviceable for a guitar player's needs. It's just not very soulful, as it were.

**Meggy** · 09-25-2017, 10:41 AM

Originally Posted by Greentone

It's a perfectly decent amp, but as reported above, there are other amps that are more inspiring. The C100 is perfectly serviceable for a guitar player's needs. It's just not very soulful, as it were.

Ah well - I'm sure worth the money, but you're not selling me on it Greentone

Just thought it worth a forum consultation anyhow, and I do have enough amps that I like already, so...

**Alder Statesman** · 09-25-2017, 10:47 AM

I had one very briefly. Fender replaced it under warranty exchange, but shipped the wrong replacement. Fender graciously let me keep the Mustang IV V2. A far suprior amp.

**Meggy** · 09-25-2017, 12:05 PM

Originally Posted by Alder Statesman

I had one very briefly. Fender replaced it under warranty exchange, but shipped the wrong replacement. Fender graciously let me keep the Mustang IV V2. A far suprior amp.

Thank you Alder Statesman - so that is three "meh" reviews now, that really has to be it for this amp - obviously not one of those secret bargain buys then. Not to worry, and glad you ended up with a much nicer amp with Mustang IV.

**jazzimprov** · 09-25-2017, 02:16 PM

try the fender gt 100

search for for a video someone made for jazz modeled amps on the GT

$399 - %15 discount :-)

**GNAPPI** · 09-25-2017, 03:22 PM

Here's my take on that and other Champion amps I have owned or repaired.

1. Every one has crap jacks and needed replacements.
2. Every one has crap speakers that were Waayyy underrated in power and needed replacement.
3. Every one I tried with an extension cab with good speakers or had new speakers installed sounded way beyond the price tag.

**Meggy** · 09-26-2017, 03:25 AM

Originally Posted by jazzimprov

try the fender gt 100

search for for a video someone made for jazz modeled amps on the GT

$399 - %15 discount :-)

Cheers, I may well do that some time - I should say I do already have enough amps (Polytone Minibrute 2, Yamaha G50 112, Roland Cube 80XL).

It was just that I once owned a Fender Pro Reverb 2x12, which really had something fabulous about the sound, and I guess I was thinking maybe with it's Twin-esque styling and 2x12 configuration - ...just maybe it might have a "hidden gem" of a clean tone that captured a bit that "something". Daft of me I know, and a lot to expect for a budget solid state amp.

**Meggy** · 09-26-2017, 03:27 AM

Originally Posted by GNAPPI

Here's my take on that and other Champion amps I have owned or repaired.

1. Every one has crap jacks and needed replacements.
2. Every one has crap speakers that were Waayyy underrated in power and needed replacement.
3. Every one I tried with an extension cab with good speakers or had new speakers installed sounded way beyond the price tag.

Interesting - so fix 'em up and they turn into great amps. Worth knowing, cheers!

**GNAPPI** · 09-26-2017, 06:48 AM

Originally Posted by Meggy

Interesting - so fix 'em up and they turn into great amps. Worth knowing, cheers!

I should add that two of my fave practice amps are Fender Champion 110's. One in my bedroom has a GINORMOUS EV 10" speaker rated at something like a gazillion watts, the other in my living room runs through a 4x12 cab. Both I've hidden from friends and let them play through them none believed they were playing through a $40 (used) 25 watt SS amp. I had to let them follow the guitar cord to the little amp to get them to believe me.

Also if you like distortion, the Champion version of it rots, get a pedal, any pedal.. it WILL be better :-)

**Meggy** · 09-27-2017, 04:20 AM

Originally Posted by GNAPPI

I should add that two of my fave practice amps are Fender Champion 110's. One in my bedroom has a GINORMOUS EV 10" speaker rated at something like a gazillion watts, the other in my living room runs through a 4x12 cab. Both I've hidden from friends and let them play through them none believed they were playing through a $40 (used) 25 watt SS amp. I had to let them follow the guitar cord to the little amp to get them to believe me.

Also if you like distortion, the Champion version of it rots, get a pedal, any pedal.. it WILL be better :-)

Interesting, and useful, also to hear about this - I think it is true that any of us can sometimes be fooled into hearing with our eyes, as it were. I don't think I'll be buying a Champion to be truthful, but I'm glad you've got such good results by changing the speakers. As to distortion - if I'm using it, it always comes from pedals - I've spent far too much time over the last couple of years experimenting, and now have a setup that really works (IMHO) very well. All I look for in an amp is a flexible, good-sounding clean channel, with plenty of headroom, and that can go sufficiently loud...

**alfsboy** · 09-27-2017, 06:24 AM

I have the Champion 40 and it sounds good .Not great but very useable .Only tone sniffers will really notice in a live situation .I played at a open mike session doing jazzy bluesy stuff and it came through fine with a resident combo playing and a sax .I have just got a DV Mark Little jazz as the 12 inch in my Champion creates a lot of good 12' thud and carries the sound a bit too far in my house .My wife prefers the Little Jazz which is great with a Joyo American sound pedal as is the Champion .

**Meggy** · 09-28-2017, 05:58 AM

Originally Posted by alfsboy

I have the Champion 40 and it sounds good .Not great but very useable .Only tone sniffers will really notice in a live situation .I played at a open mike session doing jazzy bluesy stuff and it came through fine with a resident combo playing and a sax .I have just got a DV Mark Little jazz as the 12 inch in my Champion creates a lot of good 12' thud and carries the sound a bit too far in my house .My wife prefers the Little Jazz which is great with a Joyo American sound pedal as is the Champion .

Nice to hear alfsboy - I guess I'd put my Cube 80XL in the same kind of not great but decent kind of category - for jazz certainly. But it's still a nice amp for jazz, and way more versatile, not to mention louder, than the Polytone Minibrute 2 - although that one is a killer for jazz use. I have briefly tried playing through a DV Mark Little Jazz myself, and was seriously impressed - perhaps it errs a bit towards a slightly compressed, "smooth jazz" kind of jazz tone, but I wouldn't want to overstate that - basically, a very nice jazz tone in general I thought. Maybe I'll have to try one of those Joyo American pedals with my amps one day.

**entresz** · 09-28-2017, 07:18 PM

This thread makes me remember the Fender Frontman 212R amp I used to have.
The Champion series I understand were to replace the Frontman series of amps.

My 212R was extremely bright sounding and didn't have much in the way of low end. Judicious use of tone control on the guitar kept things sounding ok. For the price, it was a very decent amp though.