RE: [Harp-L] Substitute for tweed champ

[Buck Worley <boogalloo@xxxxxxx>]

If your into the vintage tube stuff you can pick up a silver face champ at reasonable price. I have a '69 SF that I use more than my '59 tweed. It is my understanding that when CBS bought Fender in 1965, they did not mess around with the circuitry of the smaller amps, champ, princetons etc. Even when they went with SF in late '60s I dont think they messed around with what existed in the small amps until perhaps mid '70s. Just a thought. Looks like you got a lot of good suggestions. My frustration with a small amp is that you are at the mercy of the sound man so when the sound check happens, I leave myself plenty of headroom because and especially jams, the stage volume will tend to creep up. You probably know this already. Good luck. Buck

> Date: Thu, 24 Oct 2013 13:41:20 -0500
> From: bbbean@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [Harp-L] Substitute for tweed champ
> 
> I've been out of the scene for several years, playing only the 
> occasional sit in and studio gigs, but I'm starting to pick up a few 
> more harp gigs. I have a great 6X8 Sonny Jr Bassman clone amp that's 
> great for big rooms or battling obnoxious guitarists, but I've been 
> using my mid-50s tweed champ for gigs with a decent sound man or small 
> rooms.
> Unfortunately, it's beginning to pick up a few crackles it didn't used 
> to have, and a quick check of prices show it's worth a whole lot more 
> than the $250 I paid for it in 1990 or so.
> So I'm thinking I should set it aside with my 54 Les Paul amp for studio 
> use only and get something a little newer and more easily replaceable 
> for gigs. I've seen the website for the Harpgear 2 amp, and am trying to 
> track down a Sonny Jr., but are there any other comparable small tube 
> amps worth checking out  these days? I'm not made of money, but I'm 
> willing to spend a few extra $$$ to get something that sounds right. I'd 
> much rather have a $1500 amp that barks like my sax than to have a $200 
> amp that yips like a chihuahua.
> Suggestions?
> 
> BB