The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    Lately I’ve gone a deep dive on the tweed Champ. I don’t play shows, just in my guitar room. There are two amps there. An original harmony 8418 (basically a champ-kinda not) and an Ampeg Super Jet SJ-12RT.
    I have a great opportunity to get a Lil Dawg Champster with a 10” for around $300. Trying to figure out if the the two Champ style amps would be enough to keep me happy. Any input?

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  3. #2

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    yea youll be pleased for home use. youll have enough volume without overdriving the amp.

    any possible issues you might have with it would be solved by a cheapo boss EQ and maybe...MAYBE...a reverb pedal.

  4. #3

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    A Champ circuit with a 10" speaker is a beautiful thing.

  5. #4

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    Get the lil dawg. $300 for handwired tube amp is an amazing deal. A champ is only really a champ with an 8" but they're better with a 10". Add a tone knob (which would technically make it a princeton) and you are completely set for home practice amp.

  6. #5

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    Here's the amp a champ wishes it could be. Put a champ in a larger cab with a 10 and add a tone knob. You're set. I play mine all the time.

    Could a basement guitarist be happy with a Champ?-dsc_83241-680x451-jpg

    Vintage DeArmond R5 and R15 Amplifiers – True Vintage Guitar


    I'm 90% confident I recorded this with an R5:


  7. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by Korey
    Lately I’ve gone a deep dive on the tweed Champ. I don’t play shows, just in my guitar room. There are two amps there. An original harmony 8418 (basically a champ-kinda not) and an Ampeg Super Jet SJ-12RT.
    I have a great opportunity to get a Lil Dawg Champster with a 10” for around $300. Trying to figure out if the the two Champ style amps would be enough to keep me happy. Any input?
    Tone and loudness-wise, a Champ is plenty of amp for most home-playing purposes, especially with a bigger/better speaker than a typical champ-like-object comes with. I had a Galanti-branded Valco Vibro-Champ clone for a long time, which had a 10" speaker. It sounded great, perfect for drummer-less jazz sessions, and could get nice and dirty for bluesier stuff. If all I ever did was play at home I wouldn't have needed anything else.

  8. #7

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    Man I would love to give some good advice but there aren't really basements in Texas, even at the alamo. I would think two Champs would be decent. At least it's not a modeling amp or some phone app for guitar. But it is a child's practice amp kinda like the princeton. Like scooters and fat women it might be a fun play thing for a while until your friends find out about it.

  9. #8

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    I've got a vintage BF, non-vibro variety. Sweeter than a Princeton, more than loud enough cleans for home use. Even with a 8".

  10. #9

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  11. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by DawgBone
    Man I would love to give some good advice but there aren't really basements in Texas, even at the alamo. I would think two Champs would be decent. At least it's not a modeling amp or some phone app for guitar. But it is a child's practice amp kinda like the princeton. Like scooters and fat women it might be a fun play thing for a while until your friends find out about it.
    Scooters and fat women? In the Harley world that joke entails Hondas and fat chicks....

    I prefer Harleys and trim women myself....Just sayin'

    BTW, the Princeton is a great studio amp for jazz (the oldtime jazzmen called it " half a Twin" though in my mind it is more like 1/5 of a Twin), but I would not want to use one for a blues or rock gig. Of course, I haven't had a blues or rock gig in 15 years. As luck would have it, I have all the gigs I need, they all pay OK and they are all jazz.

  12. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by Stringswinger
    Scooters and fat women? In the Harley world that joke entails Hondas and fat chicks....

    I prefer Harleys and trim women myself....Just sayin'

    BTW, the Princeton is a great studio amp for jazz (the oldtime jazzmen called it " half a Twin" though in my mind it is more like 1/5 of a Twin), but I would not want to use one for a blues or rock gig. Of course, I haven't had a blues or rock gig in 15 years. As luck would have it, I have all the gigs I need, they all pay OK and they are all jazz.
    So is a Twin Reverb though, and cheaper! A few years ago during ROT rally I was offered a gig with backline provided since parking load in is a real headache downtown. They had a princeton for the guitar amp. It was one of the factors contributing to me cancelling the gig. The other being that tips and parking are crap during ROT rally. I do a lot of corporate H-D dealership gigs here but since the 90's the music of choice for bikers went from blues to hair/butt rock. BTW picked up my first HD the other day, rolling '76 FLH chassis w/kick only 4spd. I've built a few bikes but they were all metrics when I was younger and poorer so I'm excited for this one though I might have to sell my archtop to fund an engine....

    It's great that you are playing nothing but jazz and getting paid. Nice to hear.

  13. #12

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    Quote Originally Posted by Korey
    Lately I’ve gone a deep dive on the tweed Champ. I don’t play shows, just in my guitar room. There are two amps there. An original harmony 8418 (basically a champ-kinda not) and an Ampeg Super Jet SJ-12RT.
    I have a great opportunity to get a Lil Dawg Champster with a 10” for around $300. Trying to figure out if the the two Champ style amps would be enough to keep me happy. Any input?
    Their current price list does not include a 10" speaker.

    And, the prices new start at $1189 for the cheapest version. There are additional options for more money.

    I don't know anything about the sound.

  14. #13

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    I've got a SF champ that I absolutely love. I put a JJ 6v6 (that I've seen described as a mini 6l6) and a high efficiency speaker in it and it's honestly the perfect amp for jams. Although I like the amp to break up a little for more of a 50s/60s straight ahead sound. But I've taken it to a few restaurant jazz jams and it's been the perfect volume even with a drummer

  15. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by DawgBone
    So is a Twin Reverb though, and cheaper! A few years ago during ROT rally I was offered a gig with backline provided since parking load in is a real headache downtown. They had a princeton for the guitar amp. It was one of the factors contributing to me cancelling the gig. The other being that tips and parking are crap during ROT rally. I do a lot of corporate H-D dealership gigs here but since the 90's the music of choice for bikers went from blues to hair/butt rock. BTW picked up my first HD the other day, rolling '76 FLH chassis w/kick only 4spd. I've built a few bikes but they were all metrics when I was younger and poorer so I'm excited for this one though I might have to sell my archtop to fund an engine....

    It's great that you are playing nothing but jazz and getting paid. Nice to hear.
    It is pretty amazing that a vintage Twin can be picked up today for a fraction of the price of a vintage Princeton. I like my 1964 Princeton and don't miss my 1970 Twin at all so it is all just fine with me. I don't want to carry anything that weighs more than 35 pounds these days.

    The Harley guys of today are not the Harley guys of yesterday and frankly, I have not been on an organized run in years. I remember Blues and Country rock bands back in the day. I still have my 83 FLH, which I bought new and I have personally torn it down and rebuilt it a number of times. PM me if you need any advice on your build. A set of Andrews close ratio gears for the 4 speed Tranny will make it a much smoother ride. Moving up to a Hog from a riceburner is a very cool thing, as you will see. And it is like the old saying, if I have to explain, you would not understand....Good luck on that build. 76 was a birthday year for America, and Harley-Davidson remains a part of America's story along with Fender, Gibson and Martin guitars. It is hard to be humble when you are the best.

  16. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by Stringswinger
    It is pretty amazing that a vintage Twin can be picked up today for a fraction of the price of a vintage Princeton. I like my 1964 Princeton and don't miss my 1970 Twin at all so it is all just fine with me. I don't want to carry anything that weighs more than 35 pounds these days.

    The Harley guys of today are not the Harley guys of yesterday and frankly, I have not been on an organized run in years. I remember Blues and Country rock bands back in the day. I still have my 83 FLH, which I bought new and I have personally torn it down and rebuilt it a number of times. PM me if you need any advice on your build. A set of Andrews close ratio gears for the 4 speed Tranny will make it a much smoother ride. Moving up to a Hog from a riceburner is a very cool thing, as you will see. And it is like the old saying, if I have to explain, you would not understand....Good luck on that build. 76 was a birthday year for America, and Harley-Davidson remains a part of America's story along with Fender, Gibson and Martin guitars. It is hard to be humble when you are the best.
    I paid $500 for the '72 Twin and traded a reissue plexi, and OD box, and a hundred bucks for the '69. I acquired JBL's for the '69 bu the '72 has Celestions. Probably the cheapest big daddy professional grade amp besides the Peavey Classics and the 2x12 Music Man.

    Thanks for the offer of advice on the bike. The fella that sold it to me sold it cheap and is giving me some assistance and pointers. We have kinda become buddies. Definitely a cut above my old Yamaha in terms of frame quality. It's just a more robust arrangement. I'm going for the old school bobber look. Lowered, wide glide front end, t-bars, dished tank, solo seat etc. Trying to maintain some semblance of comfort because TX is big and the roads are such crap I didn't really feel the hardtail/struts route was the correct choice this time.

    Every Harley I've rode had mediocre brakes so I plan on spending the extra for some 4 piston calipers. Also I can't tolerate the jacked up brake arrangement and floorboards on those bikes. It's for a guy who is like 5' 3". It just doesn't work for me so I need to get some decent forward controls. I have never had much interest in organized runs. I like to ride alone or with one or two other riders whose riding style I am familiar with. This is probably a 1 or 2 year project but I'm pretty pumped and am trying to get r' done asap so I can go ride. I have had many offers to borrow Harleys but I like beating on my own stuff more, lol.

  17. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by omphalopsychos
    Here's the amp a champ wishes it could be. Put a champ in a larger cab with a 10 and add a tone knob. You're set. I play mine all the time.

    I'm 90% confident I recorded this with an R5:

    Beautiful tone (and playing).

  18. #17
    I couldn’t imagine me ever wanting to own a Harley haha. Much rather a cafe racer. Which I guess makes sense with my amp choice. Less is often more ?

  19. #18

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    Quote Originally Posted by Korey
    I couldn’t imagine me ever wanting to own a Harley haha. Much rather a cafe racer. Which I guess makes sense with my amp choice. Less is often more ?
    Harley Davidson made some very cool cafe racers in the past. Going fast with class are not mutuality exclusive.

  20. #19
    That’s true, and they’re slowly stepping back into that style. For me I think I’d rather modify something Japanese. Most of my vehicles have been Japanese.

  21. #20

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    Quote Originally Posted by Korey
    That’s true, and they’re slowly stepping back into that style. For me I think I’d rather modify something Japanese. Most of my vehicles have been Japanese.
    I cannot deny that Japan produces some high quality vehicles. My next car may well be made in Japan (I am considering a 4-Runner). But I will stick with Harley for my 2 wheel needs.

  22. #21

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    Correct me if I am wrong. Champs are class A, Princetons are not class A. That is what my memory tells me. In my limited experiences, class A amps have a little different sound, then class a/b. Matchless amps are pretty nice. (I know in the past they built class A amps).

    At one point, I believed that Vox also were class A. That is not true. They utilize a negative feedback loop, and that helps to give them their sound. I have a feeling that Hiwats are class A…. I can not remember. I could be wrong.

  23. #22

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    Just a reminder that some of us here prefer Bob-built Benedettos and Ducatis.

    Could a basement guitarist be happy with a Champ?-saddle-jpg

    Could a basement guitarist be happy with a Champ?-bspring-jpg

  24. #23

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    Quote Originally Posted by SierraTango
    Just a reminder that some of us here prefer Bob-built Benedettos and Ducatis.

    Could a basement guitarist be happy with a Champ?-saddle-jpg

    Could a basement guitarist be happy with a Champ?-bspring-jpg
    Nice bike, nice axe. Now impress me by telling me you do your own valve adjustments on that puppy and I ain't talking about the Benedetto.

  25. #24

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    I built myself a 5F1 Champ with a 10” Jensen P10R. It’s my favorite amp!I
    With a Tubescreamer, Boss FRV-1 reverb and a eq-pedal (any will do) it can do every sound you want. When I want Blackface sounds I just set the EQ-pedal to a V-shape setting and have a mini Twin/Deluxe Reverb.


    Too bad it’s too small to stay clean on stage with a drummer…. But it’s the ideal bedroom/practise amp.


  26. #25

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    No valve adjustment :
    Could a basement guitarist be happy with a Champ?-153-5318_img-jpg
    And as for truss rod adjustment, thanks to our mild climate here, no need also once you've set up the neck to your liking with your preferred strings