Tonefrenzy Champ
There's a bunch of text below. We often avoid that, but here's a story with meaningful history, plus the tale of a real, passive/aggressive genius: it's guaranteed to inspire! Think ya had your clank pulled, by an unprofessional technician; then read this, pal! All followed by comments on the Amp, and MP3 audio samples. The text is divided by three headings:
1.) Part of our history / context.
2.) A lasting impression, from the "Torture Garden". Followed by,
3.) In the groove: getting the Amp built, and recorded.
Part of our history / context In the Vintage years; when someone rolled an Amp out, you knew exactly what it would sound like. When someone stood on a stage; plugged a Fender guitar, into a Fender Amp, you knew exactly what that guitar was going to sound like, and had a reasonable idea of the range of styles the person might play. Businesses couldn't help much, when asked questions like: can the midrange be increased? Can the amount of gain be altered? Can this knob be assigned a broader, or narrower response? Usually, you'd hear "No"! "not much", or "that's impossible".
Becaus
e of their affordable price , and mass production, this reporter ended up with small Fender amps of various time periods, they're easy to carry, and sound good. Having ended up with four or five different Champs, some Deluxes, etc. of various vintage, and playing through as many more, we enjoyed them for what they were. Yet occasionally, we wanted an amplifier in a very small container that had more power, grind, EQ options. Not to offend Vintage enthusiasts: a vast aftermarket & botique subculture crystalized, as a testiment: people wanted other options, other sounds, a broader pallete. Even Icons of of good taste, and authenticity openly share, that they, also, use botique Amps, booster pedals, and change, or mix speakers, use aftermarket pickups, to reduce the noise of non-humbucking pickups.
Skipping ahead a few years: As the after-market scene began to bloom we realized we wern't alone! Everybody had vintage gear, because there was nothing else! Problem solving was done by guess work, so.many great pieces were ruined in this way. Some ancient solutions begin to crystalize though. Telecasters began to appear that had Gibson "soap bars" (P-90s) installed in the neck position. People began wrapping single coil pickups with copper foil to cut the relentless noise, and microphonic qualities they had. Altec/JBL speakers were discovered to double, or tripple the perceived volume of a combo Amp.
One night; when playing on a bill with "Pablo Cruise", I was plugging in my Amp for a sound check. There was David Jenkens' Amp, a Fender Champ. I figured he used this to warm up. I looked in the back of it and noticed it had a 10 inch, Altec speaker, and an extra tube or two. There was also an extra knob on the front, dialed to a specific area with a notation, "do not touch"! Later that night PC took the stage as headliners, a Mic was placed in front of the Amp, an Mr. Jenkins played the gig with this tiny amp that sung like a little bird. On the elevated stage, noone could see me laying half under Cory Lerios' baby grand piano. I was listening to a great band, and trying to integrate the paradigm shift: enter the cascading guitar preamp!
A lasting impression, from the Torture Garden
The ability to modify; by adding preamp tubes, was heralded far and wide, by the Jungle Tom-Toms. Many people experimented, in the attempt to learn this new trick. There was a guy near us, who worked at a very technical job, and his love was guitar alterations and amp mods in his spare time. We struck an agreement: he would beef up a Champ with a Princeton power section and an additional preamp boost. It would be terribly convenient. A few weeks into this project, he contacted me and said "I've become aware of some new options; if you'll agree wait a few extra weeks; and spend $25 more, I can make you a great amp"! YAS SIR,! It seemed very worth while.
The reason for this lead in? The man had nothing but problems..and; apparently, some them were in the real world. Hee Hee! This genius ended up keeping the amplifier for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 4, 6, 7 years! (Yes folks, seven years). During this process, there were endless, supposed barriers to his completion of the project. After refusing my offers to pay him more for the difficulties, I began sending him anniversary cards, calling him two or three times a year. Eventually, even talked to his wife a few times, (he wouldn't come to the phone). Eventually it got to, "Hey man.don't talk to my wife"! This gentleman eventually bought out the agreement.
In sending a final note with his check. he noted: I should understand, this, ended his involvement. Hard to know exactly what he was involved in, except for bringing me down. It goes without saying that the situation left an impression! Better to be real about it, and admit he screw-up the Amp. He was bright enough, but had the emotional integration of an ANGRY child! He couldn't be wrong! The adept have chuckled at this story, it's funny in hind-sight.
Newer & younger players only: These experiences make us leery of "Great Genuis" types, those with ultra technical approaches to music, technology, recording, tone. Unless the apparent means is an end for you, (unless the procedure itself, gets you hot, as opposed to playing the music).
We'd like share our humble opinion: Learn to play, do your home work. Get a good sounding rig together that suits you, and radiate what YOU think it's about. Play for the joy of it, the money may be thin, but the experiences are precious. Your audience will always consist of human beings: reach out to them, in a feeling way. They will make or break your career, pay your bills, or not: communicate, connect! It's much more important that you have something to say, when you pick up your guitar, bass, paintbrush, tools of your trade, than obsessing on technical refinements.
In the groove: getting the Amp built (and recorded). Yaay!
There was a Fender Champ received from a friend of Ronnie Montrose. Vintage equipment lovers should know; the box it came in is not from an original BF Fender, it's from a Super Champ, built much later. The original reverb tank was rusted too. A pristine museum piece wasn't savaged. Some of the modifications were done to this amplifier in stages; there was a minor power increase, and gain boost with some midrange manipulation. Eventually it develpoed into the champ that ate our Frenzy. We went to a 6L6 power tube, there was a new transformer installed, plus a tube powered, six position midrange boost, plus high and low gain inputs. There's also a master volume, and the EQ in general, was shifted down just a bit.
OK: so here's how we maintain our credibility, since it appears we may sorta know the builder. First, we don't record a sample with the gain maxed, and say: " Wow; listen to that sustain, kids"! Then we record it in a way that reveals a meaningful range of its performance capabilities. Mission accomplished.
1.) The first audio sample is a rock/boogie thingie, you can hear some rhythm, mixed with single note fills, played in an appropriate overdrive setting. Mixing rhythm, and lead makes it a little harder for any amp to stay focused, and it does a nice job. Sounds good to us. This is the center of where this Amp's identity seems to reside. It's range expands significantly, yet it seems totally integrated, and at home in this arena. You can back off and play cleaner rhythm, fills ext. You CAN also wind the gain into the stratosphere, and use it as a lead machine.
2.) The second sample goes right for the heart of the Amps ability to handle dynamics. When designing a single ended power section. (For younger players: what this means to players is: this Amp has only one 6L6 power tube. Tube amps often use two tubes for this purpose, in a "push-pull" arrangement: it allows them to be used together; aand tends to produce a more stable, quieter, more punchy, and solid feel: particularly from the lowest notes of your guitar).
In the first part of sample two, you're hearing a slightly distorted Amp. Single notes of chords are played in an arpeggiated sequence, mixing highs and lows. This lets us listen to how the amp deals with the task. (Younger players: remember, the small size, and the single power tube, present some limitations that challenge the builder/designer). Part two of this sample, shows the amp coping with it's most difficult dynamic task: it's similar to the first test, but shifts the emphasis down. This is heard repeatedly, while it's coping with loads of complex harmonics in close and distant harmonies. For this circuit, it's like asking a person to see how much they can lift, while bending backward, and being pulled in different directions.
3.) In the third sample you're listening to the six position mid range switch being adjusted. The amp is set to a slight distortion, some notes are played, primarily above the normal midrange. As you hear the pot being adjusted to increase the mids, you'll hear the knob turning, but notice how little change occurs in the final signal. In this slightly distorted mode, additions would stand out. Now; the playing is repeated across notes more in the midrange: as the mids are turned up, the tone slowly gets thicker; more than than most would usually need. This Midrange switch, can add just a hint of bite, or a bucket of fat.your choice. This is followed by some sparse Strat rhythm, the Amp can thinned out, if you want.
This project turned out rather well. There's a series of articles about building one your own amps, at this time (Fall/Winter of 2K), in Vintage Guitar Mag. Some variations, and further refinements are planned as well. The MP3 audio samples below are below.
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