Author Topic: Fender Champion 600 Vintage Modified & Hum (Read 4793 times)

ElTel · « **on:** April 24, 2008, 02:20:08 AM »

Hi... does anyone have a recent Fender Champion 600... I bought one about a year ago and it had an obtrusive hum so I returned it. Does yours have a hum... has the hum gone now? Originally the Epi VJ had bad hum but then the later models were free of that... any comments, thanks

Elliot · « **Reply #1 on:** April 24, 2008, 09:27:02 AM »

Most still have hum - and unlike Gibson/Epiphone, Fender can't be bothered to change the design to stop it.

BTW - I did a test of different speaker 'upgrades' with my Apaches loaded strat if your interested:

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=827641

ElTel · « **Reply #2 on:** April 25, 2008, 05:25:09 PM »

Hi... thanks for that information. I notice in reviews though that no one hardly is mentioning the hum with these amps... perhaps it does not bother most guitarists. The Epi VJ is now really hum free... I have one and it sounds OK.

Thanks for the sound clips. Years ago [15!] I auditioned lots of pick-ups and found David Whites to be the best single coil alnicos by a long way. Still have them in my Strat. Sadly they are no longer made as the maker went to meet his maker!

I know nothing about Bareknuckle pick-ups other than that they are well pricey!

Cheers.

Elliot · « **Reply #3 on:** April 25, 2008, 08:11:21 PM »

ElTel - what speaker did you prefer?

Johnny Competent · « **Reply #4 on:** April 26, 2008, 11:56:48 AM »

Hi,
I heard that the Gretsch G5222 model... http://www.dolphinmusic.co.uk/page/shop/flypage/product_id/35120

...is basically just the champ 600 but with the problems fixed.

A little bit more money of course but it might be worth looking into.

Elliot · « **Reply #5 on:** April 26, 2008, 12:50:20 PM »

Where did you here the problems had been fixed - I thought it was exactly the same circuit.

Johnny Competent · « **Reply #6 on:** April 26, 2008, 01:09:23 PM »

Hmm, you got me there - I cant remember - it may have been another forum.
I have not been helpful!

:oops:

Isnt there that guy on ebay that mods epi VJ's? He does champ 600's too, he might be able to help.

Elliot · « **Reply #7 on:** April 26, 2008, 04:58:13 PM »

Checked it out - the Gretsch is exactly the same circuit inside - in fact it even say FMIC C600 on it.

The guy you are talking about is called Alnicomagnet - His Champ 600 mods work on the hum - but they are not for the faint hearted as they involve cutting new tracks and drilling the PCB.

This guys mods are more like Monte Allums pedal kits - nothing too difficult:

http://300guitars.com/index.php/articles/diy-hot-rodding-the-new-fender-champion-600/

ElTel · « **Reply #8 on:** April 26, 2008, 06:47:21 PM »

Hi... I liked the 2 Jensens best... possibly the MOD just edging it but both were very good. It's interesting how these things evolve is'nt it...!? We have now found out that an amp called the Fender Champion 600 is also a Gretsch but with the hum sorted... costs more? Fascinating stuff!

Cheers

ElTel