1953 Fender Champ Restoration

[torren61]

I bought this amp from a Reverb seller. He was selling the chassis in a crappy homemade cabinet that I really didn't want so I just bought the chassis. I should have asked him to include the nameplate and leather handle but I messed up and didn't think about it and found out later that the nameplates are hard to come by but I did find one.

Anyway, this is what it looked like when I got it.







Notice the piece of tape with "Lupe" written on it. Lupe wired up my amp.

 

[torren61]

I didn't know how hard it was going to be to find a reproduction cabinet. No one makes them. I contacted Peter Mather and he didn't make them either but he said he'd give it a shot and this is what he did.

 

[torren61]

I wired in a Weber six inch speaker and added a special output jack so if I plug in a speaker cable, it bypasses the Weber and if i pull out the cable, it re-connects the Weber.





Here's a gut shot after the cap job. I had my amp tech keep any components that were not out of tolerances. The solder connections to the chassis look a bit sloppy but it's difficult to solder to such a giant heat sink.



The only remaining issue I have is how to mount the output jack so that it looks right...

 

[garywright]

these type threads are the greatest

 

[torren61]

these type threads are the greatest

Hey, thanks! Yeah, I like them too. This one was a sympathetic restoration. The speaker needs a few more hours of playing time to break in properly. I pretty much finished the resto around six months ago but I didn't like the speaker wiring from then so I redid it this morning. It's a lot cleaner than it was. I have about $1600 in it.

The amp sounds pretty good for a six inch speaker but it sounds like a six inch speaker, lol. It overdrives nicely when dime'd and it's loud but not too loud at around 5 watts. I have a Fryette Power Station so I can run a cable out from the Champ to the Fryette and into a larger 2x10 '65 Fender cab and even boost the volume using the Fryette. Plus, the Fryette has an effects loop so I can add in reverb, tremelo, echo and such.

 

[seafood]

great pictures and story!!!! thanks!!!!!! it picked up my day!!!!.....and cheers to Lupe!!!!!! great job.

 

[torren61]

Lupe Lopez

 

[Wally]

@torren61, kudos on a great job. Mather did it well, 8mho. I do have one observation.
With regard to the AC wiring, it could be done in a better and safer manner. The white neutral should go directly to one end of the PT primary. The black Hot should go through the fuse to the switch and thereby on to the other end of the primary.
And….that .05mfd death cap is still there, isn’t it? One would also want to leave more length in the ground wire than in the black or white wires, but then reorienting that black Hot to the end of the fuse housing accomplishes that…maybe??
I have owned several ‘Lupe’ amps. I had a Pro that Elena did.

 

[torren61]

@torren61, kudos on a great job. Mather did it well, 8mho. I do have one observation.
With regard to the AC wiring, it could be done in a better and safer manner. The white neutral should go directly to one end of the PT primary. The black Hot should go through the fuse to the switch and thereby on to the other end of the primary.
And….that .05mfd death cap is still there, isn’t it? One would also want to leave more length in the ground wire than in the black or white wires, but then reorienting that black Hot to the end of the fuse housing accomplishes that…maybe??
I have owned several ‘Lupe’ amps. I had a Pro that Elena did.

If I knew what to do, I'd do it myself. I'll send it out to have it worked on. My guy here is convenient. Thanks for the input!

Looking at the first gut shot, should I de-solder the primary tap and the .05 cap and remove the cap, then shorten and solder the white neutral directly to the PT primary. Then move the AC hot leg from the switch to the end of the fuse holder and solder another wire from the other end of the fuse holder to the AC hot side of the switch?

 

[torren61]

How's this look? @Wally

 

[ourmaninthenorth]

these type threads are the greatest

Hear Hear.

Thanks for a fantastic thread torren61, I love these labour of loves.

 

[bluesroom]

Hey, thanks! Yeah, I like them too. This one was a sympathetic restoration. The speaker needs a few more hours of playing time to break in properly. I pretty much finished the resto around six months ago but I didn't like the speaker wiring from then so I redid it this morning. It's a lot cleaner than it was. I have about $1600 in it.

The amp sounds pretty good for a six inch speaker but it sounds like a six inch speaker, lol. It overdrives nicely when dime'd and it's loud but not too loud at around 5 watts. I have a Fryette Power Station so I can run a cable out from the Champ to the Fryette and into a larger 2x10 '65 Fender cab and even boost the volume using the Fryette. Plus, the Fryette has an effects loop so I can add in reverb, tremelo, echo and such.

How do you like that fryette???

 

[torren61]

I will never not have a Fryette again. It's the centerpiece of my gear. I preach these. Buy one and you will not regret it.

 

[RAB]

Beautiful and congrats! But you need to change out the newer fuse cap, and possibly fuse holder too to complete the correct vintage look! Should be a fairly easy vintage part to find!

 

[CoyotesGator]

I love a good rescue!

 

[Any Name You Wish]

Check out the light bulb. Great story with Lupe's signature in there. I wonder what year the first Champ was made? Thanks for posting.

 

[Wally]

Check out the light bulb. Great story with Lupe's signature in there. I wonder what year the first Champ was made? Thanks for posting.

1948….
The Princeton was introduced in 1946…no power switch, no volume, no tone control. In 1948, the Princeton got a volume control and a tone control with the power switch on the Tone pot. The Champ was 8ntroduced that year with a Volume/switch pot.