2024 Fender Champion 100 Solid State Amplifier

It’s not fancy but, it’s loud.

This is overkill for my needs. I had a wonderful Fender Princeton Stereo Chorus amplifier that I picked up for around $180. It was one of those “never should have sold” things that I regret to this day.

I wanted a basic, solid state, non-modeling amplifier. This fits two of those criteria. While it is considered a “modeling” amp, the clean channel produces outstanding Fender “Twang” and (so I am told) is very good with pedals.

Light weight (compared to its valve cousins) and extremely well-built, this will last for years and sounds great at lower volumes while providing more than enough power to keep up with an acoustic drum kit.

I slowly traded up to this starting with a BOSS Katana 50 Generation 3 Modeling amplifier which I did not like at all. The sound was “thin” and “digital” so I returned it to Guitar Center, gave them another $20 or so and got a Fender Mustang GTX50.

The GTX50 was a major improvement over the BOSS, but still did not have the “thick” sound I was craving. So, back to Guitar Center again where there was my Champion.

Now, about four years ago, I was in Guitar Center and played a Telecaster through one of these First Generation 100s. The sound stuck with me. And spending another $20 was a small price to pay for the sound I was looking for all of these years.

So, ultimately, it was $310. Not a great deal, but a deal nonetheless.

The 2017 Ampeg PF-20T Rig (with PF-115HE Cabinet)

I picked this up in Jacksonville, Florida while visiting with my Father who was down from North Carolina.

It is an all-tube amplifier head with two 6v6s for power and two 12AX7s in the preamp positions. This is the sound that I associate with classic bass tone.

If one was to buy this setup new, it would set you back over $1400. I snapped this one up for $400!

I am chasing down a buzz that is produced when the low E string is played. I have ordered new JJ tubes for the head and will update this page after I have installed them.