Fender VibroChamp Eric Clapton, has anyone tried one? Opinions?

[cupric]

Has anyone tried one of these? Or the reissue 50's tweed Champ? Opinions?

Fender EC Vibro-Champ Eric Clapton Signature 5-Watt 1x8" Guitar Combo 2012 - 2015 | Reverb

The Fender EC Vibro Champ is a 5W, handwired tube combo amp with 1x8 Weber Signature speaker and custom transformers. The circuit is based on the late-50s 5F1 Champ circuit.This amp is part of Fender's collaboration with Eric Clapton.

ablink.info.reverb.com

 

[Default]

Not sure what the difference is but the name. I would get a clone in a bigger cabinet, with a 12", 4 ohm speaker first and pocket the $1200 left over.

 

[Coop47]

I tried a friend's a few years ago. As I recall, it was a good sounding amp, but so are most Vibro-Champs. I think there are more reasonable options out there depending on what you want. (Unless what you want is something with an EC badge).

 

[SFIV1967]

I have one and I like it. But I only use it at home... And I quickly removed the EC badge...

But that price is ridiculous...The speaker is not original but replaced with a Warehouse speaker! (which is probably fine but it's not original anylonger and who knows what else was changed.)

And I paid half the price in Germany when new in 2012!

Ralf

 

[cupric]

I believe the price of this one is too high. I believe they were about $1000. new? The fifties tweed Custom Shop point to point wired amps are available new for about 1000.
I had a few 60s and 70s Champs and VibroChamps. Never a tweed 50s. I'm not prepared to buy at the moment, but would like a vintage type amp when I upgrade my Super Champ X2. Something for home use.

 

[cupric]

I have one and I like it. But I only use it at home... And I quickly removed the EC badge...

But that price is rediculous...The speaker is replaced with a Warehouse speaker! And I paid half the price in Germany when new in 2012!

Ralf

I was writing when you answered. And you provided info I was thinking about! Thank you...lol.

 

[cupric]

I find that I am shying away from newer board mounted units. The Princeton series are very nice, but the point to point vintage series are $$$$. Maybe I am being too critical of modern stuff. Just seems sub par to me.

 

[Default]

There are enough champ clones around. If you are good with a soldering iron, kits are even more reasonable.

 

[SFIV1967]

I believe they were about $1000 new?

Spot on. MSRP in the press release was $1,399 and MAP was given as $999. I think to remember the store I got my one from advertised it as "display model", that way undercutting the MAP.

Here's the board in my one:



The ec badge is simply added with two nails, so easy to remove:



Original Weber speaker:





Ralf

 

[Default]

So, you get a power attenuator.

 

[Just_Guild]

There used to be a dedicated website for this little amp that posted pictures of my ‘66 Vibro Champ, but it seems to have disappeared some time ago.

 

[walrus]

I have one and I like it. But I only use it at home... And I quickly removed the EC badge...

Ralf

Why did you "quickly remove" the EC badge? Personally, I'm not a big EC fan, but was it more about the "look"?

walrus

 

[Coop47]

I had a few 60s and 70s Champs and VibroChamps. Never a tweed 50s. I'm not prepared to buy at the moment, but would like a vintage type amp when I upgrade my Super Champ X2. Something for home use.

FWIW - I have a late 50's Gibson GA-1 which has a very similar circuit to the tweed Champ, I much prefer the sound I get from my SF Champ, Princeton or Deluxe. To me, the early 70's Fenders are the sweet spot between price and sound.

 

[cupric]

FWIW - I have a late 50's Gibson GA-1 which has a very similar circuit to the tweed Champ, I much prefer the sound I get from my SF Champ, Princeton or Deluxe. To me, the early 70's Fenders are the sweet spot between price and sound.

What is SF?

 

[geoguy]

Probably "silver face".

 

[Coop47]

Probably "silver face".

Yup.

 

[Walter Broes]

Fender's recent handwired (as in "non-pcb based") are good amps, but compared to the many clone builders out there they're a little overpriced for what they are. They're not better quality than a typical say, Victoria amp or similar.

 

[SFIV1967]

So, you get a power attenuator.

Nice if used in an appartment. The output is cut to approximately 1/4 power.

Why did you "quickly remove" the EC badge? Personally, I'm not a big EC fan, but was it more about the "look"?

Purely look. I like EC but it "ruined" a classic look to me. The size was too big for the little amp in my opinion. I like it better without such EC logo. (right is a normal Custom Champ)





There is a new small 5W one which came out only this year, the '68 Vibro Champ Reverb with a 10" (G10R-30) Celestron speaker, but it has digital reverb.

Fender '68 Custom Vibro Champ Reverb 1x10" 5-watt Tube Combo Amp

5W, 1-channel, 1 x 10" Tube Combo Amplifier, with Celestion Ten 30 Speaker, Reverb, and Tremolo

www.sweetwater.com

Ralf

 

[Default]

On the list on considerations is a Rob Robinette Micro Champ. Runs off a paralleled 12AU7 for 1 watt

 

[krysh]

I love my champ clone head made by coastie99 (on top, middle my custom kind of dumble clone, bottom custom power amp based on an old soundcity power amp , both built by dieter lender here in hamburg)