New Amp Day: Fender '57 Custom Champ Handwired Series - Page 2

Tom60 · #16 08-08-2021, 03:50 PM

My Victoria Champ has no more hum than you d expect from any amp with tubes

) and Mark´s Bandmaster is quiet as a mouse.. Fenders 5E3 Dlx RI head is the same

SpruceTop · #17 08-09-2021, 03:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockabilly69

If you think the Fender Bassman is nice, you REALLY need to audition one of these...

https://www.victoriaamplifier.com/am...ictoria-45410/

take a look at who's on their Artist page, and Victoria doesn't give away amps!

I like the VickyVerb!

rockabilly69 · #18 08-09-2021, 04:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SpruceTop

I like the VickyVerb!

I do too

dnf777 · #19 08-11-2021, 12:35 PM

Congrats! Thats a sweet little amp. I love the one knob simplicity, which forces focus onto playing and off of gadgetry and tinkering. (And thats coming from a gadget guy!)

SpruceTop · #20 08-11-2021, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dnf777

Congrats! Thats a sweet little amp. I love the one knob simplicity, which forces focus onto playing and off of gadgetry and tinkering. (And thats coming from a gadget guy!)

Thanks! Yes, the '57 Custom Champ is refreshingly plain and simple! I just peg its Volume knob at 12, sit down at the other end of my 25-foot cord and control any volume variations and the amount of gorgeous overdrive with the guitar's master Volume knob.

Glennwillow · #21 08-15-2021, 09:33 AM

Very cool amp! Congrats!

- Glenn

Tom60 · #22 08-15-2021, 11:46 AM

not that many parts there to mess with the sound of your guitar

I like my 5F1, but I much prefer the 5C1 with octal preamp tube

I think that was the original and best design for that raw sound

SpruceTop · #23 09-12-2021, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonfields45

The class-A 60/50 Hz hum is only the output stage and not impacted by the volume control setting. You would only be able to hear it if you're not playing. The light fixtures and power conditioning are not part of this equation. Just a fact of life with simpler circuits delivering audible power. The preamp is also all class A but it won't hum because they use a second (6V6 control grid voltage) and third stage of filtering for their power supply (two cascaded RC filters in total). The preamp tubes run at a lower voltage and need less power. This much RC filtering is as good as and cheaper than the inductor Fender used on more expensive amps (at least for the preamp triodes).

Hi Jon, In the latest Vintage Guitar Magazine, there's an excellent article on the Gibson GA-8 Discovery Class A amp from circa 1960 that explains the basics of Class A and Class AB amp designs. Now, for the first time, I understand what's going on with these designs. As you've mentioned, the Fender '57 Custom Champ Handwired, being a Class A amp, does have some constant hum from its output stage but in this amp, it's fairly quiet. Thanks for your ongoing expertise in the electrical/electronic aspects of amps and other guitar gear as it's much appreciated!

SalFromChatham · #24 09-13-2021, 12:35 AM

Congrats… these things are so highly rated.

Tom60 · #25 09-13-2021, 03:29 PM

There´s so much smoke and mirrors about A or AB class amps.. the only true class A are single ended ones like a Champ, or paralel single ended like an old Gibsonette (hope to get one someday...

- you can never get output over 25-30 watts with true A Class amp - it would be bigger than a fridge and heat your house

What most amp manufacturers do these days is that they just mislead the public and (knowingly) mistake the cathode biasing vs fixed .. so the 50W 2xEL 34 is 35 W (aka Class A, but in fact just cathode biased) or 50W AB when fixed biased..
I had an exchange of emails with Orange about this when I bought (a great amp) HW AD 50 CS.. but they kept their line

"no, it IS Class A .." .. LOL

jonfields45 · #26 09-13-2021, 03:34 PM

I need more stuff to do... If I was to assemble a Weber kit with the intention of selling it, which one? Would an BSEE/MEngE and many Heathkit background be a positive???

Tweed Champ, Tweed Deluxe, Black Face Princeton, or Black Face Deluxe???

My goal would be to not lose money :~).

acoustigoat · #27 09-14-2021, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonfields45

I need more stuff to do... If I was to assemble a Weber kit with the intention of selling it, which one? Would an BSEE/MEngE and many Heathkit background be a positive???

Tweed Champ, Tweed Deluxe, Black Face Princeton, or Black Face Deluxe???

My goal would be to not lose money :~).

I'd encourage you to check out the Shock Brothers sub-forum over at TDPRI. Folks there have contributed hundreds of "build threads" of different amps and you will find lively discussion about building amps to sell.

Would you build your own cabs or buy those? Other than the transformers and chassis that's probably the biggest cost.

A significant factor is whether you already have the tools needed for amp building or if you have to add those costs to the kit. Obvious needs are a soldering iron (preferably station) and multimeter. You'll also want to build a light bulb limiter and tool to drain your filter capacitors.

It's a super fun hobby!

jonfields45 · #28 09-14-2021, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by acoustigoat

I'd encourage you to check out the Shock Brothers sub-forum over at TDPRI. Folks there have contributed hundreds of "build threads" of different amps and you will find lively discussion about building amps to sell.

Would you build your own cabs or buy those? Other than the transformers and chassis that's probably the biggest cost.

A significant factor is whether you already have the tools needed for amp building or if you have to add those costs to the kit. Obvious needs are a soldering iron (preferably station) and multimeter. You'll also want to build a light bulb limiter and tool to drain your filter capacitors.

It's a super fun hobby!

My electronics bench is also set up to handle fine pitch circuit boards with a solder vacuum and everything digitally temperature controlled... Point to point is not a problem.

I would buy a Weber kit since locating parts and woodworking are not something I would enjoy.

rockabilly69 · #29 09-18-2021, 03:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonfields45

My electronics bench is also set up to handle fine pitch circuit boards with a solder vacuum and everything digitally temperature controlled... Point to point is not a problem.

I would buy a Weber kit since locating parts and woodworking are not something I would enjoy.

Many people buy with their eyes, and if it doesn't say Fender on it many shy away. So while waiting for a buyer it would be good to have a nice amp to play with, so if I was to build one, I would build a Weber Princeton Reverb kit, and add a few of this guy's mods... https://robrobinette.com/AA1164_Princeton_Reverb.htm

TiffanyGuitar · #30 09-18-2021, 06:53 AM

I had one and at first absolutely loved it! But after a couple of months, mine developed a bad hum and rattle. I think it was tube rattle. I replaced the tubes - helped some. Then I put some of the tube dampers on it, helped some - but the hum continued to worsen. I sold it. I was very disappointed. I disclosed the issues I was having when I sold it. Now, I do think I have a power issue in my basement that I haven't figured out. Some amps hum worse than others.

But, then I got one of the handwired Princetons. It is awesome. No issues have developed.

I hope yours does not start having any issues, because it sounded great (at first!)

Enjoy.