# Fender Champion rumble



## marcos (Jan 13, 2009)

Anyone know if its normal for a small transistor amp like my Champion 110 to have a really bad rumble sound when the volume hits 5 and up. Using the clean channel only, i noticed this the other night.
been using this amp for a while now and miking it through our system and never played pass 4 vol. and it was perfect but as soon as I hit 5 and more, seems the speaker starts to rumble real badly.
Tried another speaker yesterday to compare and same thing.
What gives
Thanks
Marc


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Does the rumbling sound like it comes from the speaker itself, or from the cabinet?

The other thing I wonder is whether we're talking about mechanically generated "rumble" or some sort of electronic inability to handle excessive amounts of low frequency content. Does it "rumble" the same way if you turn the bass down a bit at higher volumes?


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## marcos (Jan 13, 2009)

mhammer said:


> Does the rumbling sound like it comes from the speaker itself, or from the cabinet?
> 
> The other thing I wonder is whether we're talking about mechanically generated "rumble" or some sort of electronic inability to handle excessive amounts of low frequency content. Does it "rumble" the same way if you turn the bass down a bit at higher volumes?


What I did was add a separate speaker cab with a 12 in. speaker and it was the same rumbling. I guess it does come from the speaker. It really distorts not in a good way .Did not try to lower the bass and gonna try this.
Thanks buddy.
Keep you posted.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Consider some sort of vibration-absorbing/isolating material where the speaker meets the baffle board. Who knows, it may even be as simple a fix as tightening the screws that hold the speaker to the baffle board.


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## marcos (Jan 13, 2009)

mhammer said:


> Consider some sort of vibration-absorbing/isolating material where the speaker meets the baffle board. Who knows, it may even be as simple a fix as tightening the screws that hold the speaker to the baffle board.


Already took it apart and tightened all the bolts and screws.What bothers me is that it does the same thing with an external speaker.


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## washburned (Oct 13, 2006)

Not sure what you mean by rumbling, but is there a chance that the tremolo is leaking by and moving the speaker at higher volumes? I have seen it a couple times on SS amps.


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## marcos (Jan 13, 2009)

washburned said:


> Not sure what you mean by rumbling, but is there a chance that the tremolo is leaking by and moving the speaker at higher volumes? I have seen it a couple times on SS amps.


There is no tremolo on this amp. The sound i am hearing is like a speaker breaking up very badly and it just makes this rumbling sound. hard to describe.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Is it a rumbling that is clearly distinguishable from an otherwise reasonable guitar tone?


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## marcos (Jan 13, 2009)

mhammer said:


> Is it a rumbling that is clearly distinguishable from an otherwise reasonable guitar tone?


You can hear it especially when hitting the strings hard. It does affect the tone of the sound. The sound becomes muddy. Just noticed that it is getting worse at lower volume now. I had it at 2-3 this morning and its starting to act up .


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## marcos (Jan 13, 2009)

Brought it to my local tech and he thinks maybe a cap. Dont know too much about it but will wait and see how it comes out.


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## marcos (Jan 13, 2009)

Well getting my Champion back tomorrow and my tech went through it with a fine tooth comb and tells me this is as good as it gets. Suggested an extension speaker but all in all its the way they are built. I will keep it for practice but will look for something a bit better for small gigs in the near future. The good news,No Charge. Thanks Tom at Spaceman Music in Ottawa. Really nice guy.


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## keefsdad (Feb 7, 2006)

If it didn't rumble before, I'd have to say your tech is wrong.


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