Fender Champion Model 600 Tube Amplifier (1952)
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Fender Champion Model 600 Model Tube Amplifier (1952), made in Fullerton, California, serial # 3014, Cream and Brown fabric covering finish.
The Fender "Champion 600" was the company's early '50s student amp aimed at the teaching studio market, and their success helped keep Leo's dream afloat in the early days. This one-knob wonder is about as basic and simple an amp as it was possible to make, but Leo and his crew did it studier and more tonefully than anyone else at the time and created a very successful then, now classic piece. These early '50s two-tone models are not as loud or overly crunchy as later tweed Champs; they start out sweet and remain fairly civilized at low volumes, but still get the grit when cranked!
Height is 11 in. (27.9 cm.), 12 in. (30.5 cm.) width, and 6 3/4 in. (17.1 cm.) deep.
This primal Champ is overall in decent shape overall, showing some typical wear and tear. The faceplate has most of the stenciled lettering intact, showing minor scratches and light-to-moderate pitting overall. The covering is showing typical wear, mostly scuffing on the corners and edges. The grille cloth remains tight and clean with a few minor blemishes. The handle is a high quality replacement. The cabinet also features the badge of the music store where it was likely initially sold, reading "Parker Music Co." in Houston, TX so one hopes some cool Lone Star guitar music flowed through it at some point.
Electrically, the amp is nicely original. The Cletron-branded speaker is original to the amp and has been professionally reconed, now sounding and testing fabulously. Both the Triad output and power transformers are original as well, the latter marked 6500. The amp has been given routine maintenance, including a 3-prong grounded power cord, replacement of all electrolytic capacitors, cleaning of all jacks, sockets and pots and power tube biased to spec. The piece of masking tape inside the chassis denotes it was wired up by Lily, who we find did the work on most of our favorite Fender amps!
A well-gigged and excellent sounding amp -- worn in but certainly not bad for being over 70 years old! Very Good + Condition.
The Fender "Champion 600" was the company's early '50s student amp aimed at the teaching studio market, and their success helped keep Leo's dream afloat in the early days. This one-knob wonder is about as basic and simple an amp as it was possible to make, but Leo and his crew did it studier and more tonefully than anyone else at the time and created a very successful then, now classic piece. These early '50s two-tone models are not as loud or overly crunchy as later tweed Champs; they start out sweet and remain fairly civilized at low volumes, but still get the grit when cranked!
Height is 11 in. (27.9 cm.), 12 in. (30.5 cm.) width, and 6 3/4 in. (17.1 cm.) deep.
This primal Champ is overall in decent shape overall, showing some typical wear and tear. The faceplate has most of the stenciled lettering intact, showing minor scratches and light-to-moderate pitting overall. The covering is showing typical wear, mostly scuffing on the corners and edges. The grille cloth remains tight and clean with a few minor blemishes. The handle is a high quality replacement. The cabinet also features the badge of the music store where it was likely initially sold, reading "Parker Music Co." in Houston, TX so one hopes some cool Lone Star guitar music flowed through it at some point.
Electrically, the amp is nicely original. The Cletron-branded speaker is original to the amp and has been professionally reconed, now sounding and testing fabulously. Both the Triad output and power transformers are original as well, the latter marked 6500. The amp has been given routine maintenance, including a 3-prong grounded power cord, replacement of all electrolytic capacitors, cleaning of all jacks, sockets and pots and power tube biased to spec. The piece of masking tape inside the chassis denotes it was wired up by Lily, who we find did the work on most of our favorite Fender amps!
A well-gigged and excellent sounding amp -- worn in but certainly not bad for being over 70 years old! Very Good + Condition.