# NAD: 70's Fender Champ for $20 (Pictures inside)



## acdc54_caddy62 (Mar 12, 2007)

On Saturday, I was looking through the local classifieds, and also Craigslist and Kijiji. I found a Peavey Renown 2x12 for sale for $75 bucks and I was pretty set on buying it, since I have no solid state amplifiers and I quite miss the sound of them, mainly the distortion. So before I called the guy, to confirm that he still had it, I thought I would check out Kijiji. Just to make sure I hadn't missed anything.


I came across an add for 2 Fender amplifiers, and I saw in the first picture, that it was a 70's Champ. Then I saw the price for the both of them. $100 O.B.O. So I called the number and the first time, they didn't answer and I left a message. I called again after 10 minutes and a woman picked up. I asked if she still had the amps for sale and if she would split them up. She said, yes of course. They were her sons and blah blah, he doesn't use them anymore, and the one is a little finicky and may need some fine tuning. 




Long story short, I drove to the house. She showed me the amplifier and told me that it may have suffered some water damage. Either way I was gonna buy it. I plugged it in to the one outlet in the garage. Turned it on and it was dead. So she told me to use the one on the porch. Same result. So I looked up at her and said, "So, it's pretty much dead, would you take $20?". She said sure. 




I brought it home, and removed the back covers from it and checked the fuse.... it was blown!. So I removed it, popped a new one in, stood back and flicked the switch. The light turned on. I was honestly so stoked and relived that there was nothing wrong with it, and that I scored huge.




Check it!:thu::thu::thu: Sorry for the long read, just thought I would share the story/experience in scoring on a nice little Fender from the 70's, for nothing short of the deal of the year for me. :thu::thu::thu:

Also, if someone could date this amplifier by using the serial numbers, that would be very appreciated too!


S/N is : A613650





Looks pretty after cleaning it all up












Very happy, that it turned on.
























Before cleaning it up and wiping it all down. Leaves, dust and spidey webs. Original speaker from Fender too. Matching serial numbers. Not a rip or tear in the speaker. Sounds great. All original tubes from what I can see also. 













Took it apart for some of your techs who may want a closer view of the original internals. I'm a beginner repair tech for amplifiers. I mainly work on my own stuff if the situation arrases, but from what I can tell, it looks to be all original tubes, and no signs of mods or possible repairs. 




































Sitting on top of my Laney AOR 30 watt tuber. 














Enjoy!


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

acdc54_caddy62 said:


> ........ a nice little Fender from the 70's, for nothing short of *the deal of the year for me.
> *
> Looks pretty after cleaning it all up


I don't want to jinx your luck or rain on your parade...but this might be the deal of your life, not just for this year. Unless, of course, you are blessed with having more ongoing luck/good fortune than most of us mortal souls ....LOL

Congratulations !! (meant sincerely)

What a fantastic little amp.

Cheers

Dave


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## acdc54_caddy62 (Mar 12, 2007)

greco said:


> I don't want to jinx your luck or rain on your parade...but this might be the deal of your life, not just for this year. Unless, of course, you are blessed with having more ongoing luck/good fortune than most of us mortal souls ....LOL
> 
> Congratulations !! (meant sincerely)
> 
> ...




In the past years I have been blessed with the more luck than I ever thought I would have. Last year I got an Epiphone SG G-400 with a hardshell case for $40. Then the year before that, I picked up the Laney Pro Tube 30 Watt combo with a Celestion G12-75 that the Fender is sitting on top of for $80 dollars. Then also last year I picked up a beautiful Sakura Hummingbird copy in 10/10 condition with a hardshell case for $50. 

I may not have enough luck to win the Lotto Max or 6/49.... but if I have enough luck in my life (already at 21 years old) and have it continue throughout my life.... It's just as good


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

acdc54_caddy62 said:


> In the past years I have been blessed with the more luck than I ever thought I would have. Last year I got an Epiphone SG G-400 with a hardshell case for $40. Then the year before that, I picked up the Laney Pro Tube 30 Watt combo with a Celestion G12-75 that the Fender is sitting on top of for $80 dollars. Then also last year I picked up a beautiful Sakura Hummingbird copy in 10/10 condition with a hardshell case for $50.


OK...So disregard everything I wrote. 

At this rate, you could easily still be finding great deals when you are 113 years old, because you will likely be lucky enough to live that long also.

Now I understand what is meant by that old saying "Some people have ALL the luck"

Enjoy that Champ !!....and thanks for all the great pics BTW...the gut shots were much appreciated.

How does it sound as it is now?

Cheers

Dave


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## TheRumRunner (Sep 29, 2011)

Great deal on a great lil amp....enjoy

DW


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## dcole (Oct 8, 2008)

Dude, you scored big time! There is one of these up on Kijiji Edmonton and the guy is asking $600.


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## Kenmac (Jan 24, 2007)

Fantastic deal. I've got an early 70's Fender Champ that looks the same as this one that I bought in the mid 90's for $250.00. I was in a band at the time and the bass player thought I overpaid for it but as dcole says if they're selling for $600.00 now then I guess I did pretty well, but not as well as you of course. ) Enjoy the amp.


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## bluzfish (Mar 12, 2011)

Man, I want to kill you. You are sucking the luck out of all the rest of us! OK not really. I only wish you all the best with your new amp.


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

Damn acdc54. I don't want to kill you, being you're sorta a home town boy.....I'm from up the road about 35 or so miles, just put a leash on you and say find. Early MIJ Tele Thinline copy for cheap. And 21? But hey, good score. Enjoy.


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## Roryfan (Apr 19, 2010)

acdc54_caddy62 said:


> They were her sons and blah blah, he doesn't use them anymore, and the one is a little finicky and may need some fine tuning.
> 
> "Would you take $20?". She said sure.


Reminds me of the time my mother sold 2 boxes of hockey cards at a yard sale for $5. There was a Gretzky rookie card in there. Too bad, she mighta gotten a CS brazzy strat for mother's day.


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## blam (Feb 18, 2011)

Wow...that pretty much never happens on the Edmonton kijiji.

Congrats and enjoy the new amp!

I keep surfing kijiji in hopes to score a great buy but it has yet to happen


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## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

Great story and a really great find! Congrats on that cool little amp.

So, will you take Paypal and go shopping for me? 8)

It looks super clean too, nice.


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## middleagedfart (May 9, 2012)

Two words: TOTAL SCORE:rockon2:


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## loudtubeamps (Feb 2, 2012)

Talk about being in the right place at the right time.

Date code on one of the cathode caps puts it at 1974.

Nice one!


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Bugger !!! What a deal !!!!


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## georgemg (Jul 17, 2011)

acdc54_caddy62 said:


> I came across an add for 2 Fender amplifiers, and I saw in the first picture, that it was a 70's Champ. Then I saw the price for the both of them. $100 O.B.O.


Great story and what a score. Just curious, what was the other Fender Amp she was selling?


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

> OK...So disregard everything I wrote.
> 
> At this rate, you could easily still be finding great deals when you are 113 years old, because you will likely be lucky enough to live that long also.


Ha Dave.... 
While not a Champ..... I got this at the dump.... for free....


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## loudtubeamps (Feb 2, 2012)

shoretyus said:


> Ha Dave....
> While not a Champ..... I got this at the dump.... for free....


 It's a good thing you have neighbours who are understanding.
Talk about "Disturbing the Peace!"
Nice one, what does it sound like? and...........
where's the EFX loop?


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## acdc54_caddy62 (Mar 12, 2007)

sulphur said:


> Great story and a really great find! Congrats on that cool little amp.
> 
> So, will you take Paypal and go shopping for me? 8)
> 
> It looks super clean too, nice.


Haha yes of course I will :smilie_flagge17:



loudtubeamps said:


> Talk about being in the right place at the right time.
> 
> Date code on one of the cathode caps puts it at 1974.
> 
> Nice one!



Very awesome! I knew it was from the 70's era, but not the exact year. Always nice to know the specifics of what you got. Thanks LTA!



georgemg said:


> Great story and what a score. Just curious, what was the other Fender Amp she was selling?


Another Fender Champ actually, but her son actually wanted to keep it. No worries though. It was a newer solid state version. So just a practice type amp.


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

loudtubeamps said:


> It's a good thing you have neighbours who are understanding.
> Talk about "Disturbing the Peace!"
> Nice one, what does it sound like? and...........
> where's the EFX loop?


Your typical tube amp.. ya know breaks up about 6.... the whole reason to buy a SS amp.:2guns: The awesome thing is that it allows me to play elec in a room of autistic guitar players....


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## loudtubeamps (Feb 2, 2012)

That's neat Pat. Lucky it's working after all these years and after being tossed.
You've probably seen this.........if not.........Vintage Amps Bulletin Board • View topic - Ever seen a 1948 Symphony Porto Amp?
Guitar amplifier manufacturers | Stage | Standel |
Cheers, Doug


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

loudtubeamps said:


> That's neat Pat. Lucky it's working after all these years and after being tossed.
> You've probably seen this.........if not.........Vintage Amps Bulletin Board • View topic - Ever seen a 1948 Symphony Porto Amp?
> Guitar amplifier manufacturers | Stage | Standel |
> Cheers, Doug


No I had not seen that. I came back from the dump and checked on Ebay .. one sold that week for $185....Captain Foldback's Hammond and Leslie Page! my bud recapped it for me ....


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

blam said:


> Wow...that pretty much never happens on the Edmonton kijiji.
> 
> Congrats and enjoy the new amp!
> 
> I keep surfing kijiji in hopes to score a great buy but it has yet to happen


I've had some luck on Edmonton Kijiji, a few great deals, won't go into all of em but my favorite was a 1981 Marshall JMP 2204 50 watt head. It was all stock, the tubes were original and tested great, the whole thing was in beautiful shape cosmetically except the rear panel which I replaced by building and tolexing another one, the guy cut a hole for a fan in it but no real harm done, and it sounded awesome, paid $260 or $300, can't remember, plus it came with a Marshall slipcover. I'm pining for the next deal like this one.


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