I picked up a Fender Champion 40 awhile back and thought it was time to do a review on the amp. I used it a lot a first with a Gretsch playing jazz standards. Works great for that style of music. Now I use it all the time playing a 6 string lap steel. It’s good for this style also,,,playing clean.

There are a ton of reviews around on this net. You can have it delivered in 2 days or find a fender dealer near you and work a deal. Overall it’s a good amp, make a good back up for the pros. Let me start out by saying what it is not. It’s not a tube amp, especially on the front end. What I’m saying is, if you’re used to having good finger response like you get from your favorite tube amp, it’s not suddenly going to appear in this amp. :)

I don’t care how many Marshalls and tweed Fenders they sample. If you want to know the skinny, find a good book on transistor vs tube harmonic overtones or do like 95% of players and use your ears. With this said it’s still a good amp and worth the money ($180). Has decent effects, 12 in speaker (makes a difference) and looks cool. I look at it like a multi-effects box with a 12 in. speaker.

I’ve had it for about a year now so I know what it can do and I’m happy with the purchase. It’s easy to figure out. I haven’t used it for recording but will try it out soon just to see how it does and will report back. I have a black face champ from the 60’s that I could use for some jamming but with the effects built in to this champion 40, I can leave the pedals at home. All I need is my lap steel, a cord, the amp and I’m ready to play.

 

I use a touch of reverb and echo on the lap steel. I can tap in my delay time with the button on the front. I usually put it on tweed/blackface sample and I’m good to go. I like the way this amp lets you tweak from the front knobs as opposed to some of the other fender modeling amps. I rarely ch. switch with it so dont’ have much to report on it but it’s real straight forward and you can pick up a foot switch.

You really can’t go wrong with this amp with a 5 year guarantee, it  sounds good and like all these reissue/sampling amps you’re going to need to baby it a little but it should last a long time. (this is for pro players wondering if it will hold up being thrown in car trunks).

 

Here’s one on Amazon. ^

 

————-UPDATE:  I’ve had this amp almost 2 years..Still going good, playing lap steel through it also, plays great…you can’t beat this amp for a inexpensive guitar amp.