Fender Super Champ X2 - a Princeton for 1/4 the price?
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- Опубликовано: 5 дек 2023
- Here's my thoughts on the Fender Super Champ X2. For players on a tight budget, this is perhaps the nearest Fender amp to a Princeton...and at almost 1/4 the price it is much more affordable.
Why do I suggest this?
Both are valve (tube) amps (the Super Champ is valve/tube hybrid),
They have 10 inch speakers,.
Both put out about the same power (Princeton 12 Watt , Super Champ
X2 15 Watt)
They are both relatively light and compact.
I know people endlessly compare Fender's various models against one another, and go into the subtleties of tone and complexities of considering what valves are in the amps, but in crude terms these are two small low powered valve amps, from the same manufacturer, but one costs four times the other.
For years I've used Session solid state amps, a Sessionette 75 and more recently a Session Blues Baby 22W. I decided to clear out the amps that I wasn't using, so got rid of a Fender 75 combo (all valve, switchable but way too heavy and at about 70 pounds plus, heavier than a Twin Reverb), a Session Rockette, and because I though the new Blues Baby sounded better than it, my trusty Sessionette 75 also went.
I'd tried the ToneMaster Deluxe - the light weight was a real plus point, but I wasn't convinced enough to part with £1000. I'd seen Debbie Bond using a Princeton with her band and she sounded great , and this set me to wondering if Princeton might be the ideal amp for me, but the real world intervened. I came across an almost new Fender Deluxe Reverb' 68 FSR (lightweight pine cab and speaker) at a very good price, used it live a couple of times and loved it. The twin channels with reverb and trem on both channels was an attractive feature for me.
This sort of turned me back to the idea of valve amps. I did wonder about something a little lighter and smaller, and after drifting around the internet for a while, the Fender Super Champ XD or X2 started to look interesting. So here it is, the only thing I miss is that I cannot have trem and reverb on at the same time, but a Boss trem pedal sorts that out, and I've now got a simple channel switchable set-up for smaller gigs.
I know it's not a Princeton, it's not all valve, but at the price it seems to be a great package. These amps are discontinued but they do keep popping up for sale on eBay and Reverb. The fact that the "Fuse" software is no longer supported by Fender doesn't worry me, as digital tinkering isn't my thing.
The one I've got is the Limited Edition, so I did pay quite a lot for it compared to the normal model or the XD, but still 1/3 the price of a good used Princeton. However, you do get the upgraded Eminence Ragin' Cajun speaker, nicer cosmetics, and this one came with a cover, footswitch and was effectively brand new.
www.chickenbonejohn.com 
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Excellent video sir! Thank you for shedding some light on these amps. This amp series was quite incredible for the sound and options available. I recently purchased the Super Champ 15W head, and I was very impressed with it. I would strongly suggest one of these to anyone looking for an excellent amp at an incredible price.
I saw a head for sale, and spotted the matching Fender 12" cab, but both of them sold pretty quickly. Seems like the speaker is quite important in getting the most out of the amp, but I've ony got the experience of the ugraded speaker version. I'd like to try the head and cab combo to see if the 12" makes much difference. In the meantime, this is fine for me.
Wonderful review. I have one of those amps, too. Got the footswitch and cover, too. Great amp.
i have both its not even close!!! btw great video. the princeton has the most beautiful cleans a tube driven reverb tank..lol after all its called the fender Princeton Reverb!! and an incredible breakup at 5 or 6 on the dial.......my super champx2 doesnt cut it not even in the same league. when I play with a drummer or anyone with a good tube amp they blow me off the stage...HOWEVER WHEN I PLUG INTO MY SUPERCHAMP I have alot of fun with the effects and delay...like the mustang series ....a great toy but not even 10 percent what a real Princeton can do. Let alone a vintage silverface or black face!!!
Interesting to hear your experience, as I haven't got a Princeton to compare it with. I recently got a Deluxe Reverb '68 and love that, and did indeed wonder if I should have got a Princeton, but the Deluxe came up at a very good price and I went for it. I used it shortly after getting it, at a showcase performance at a guitar show and gigging with my band and I was well pleased. However, the Super Champ is a little more convenient, with the channel switching, and it's a fair bit lighter and smaller, and at the price thought it was worth giving it a go. I used it yesterday for at a busy barroom gig with a harp player and was well pleased. I didn't need to put it thru' the PA, switching between clean and overdriven channel gave me the sounds I needed without needing a drive pedal. Apparently the upgraded "Ragin Cajun" speaker makes a difference in the Super ChampX2 Limited Edition, but again, I have not had the opportunity to make a direct comparison with a stock one. This suits me for small gigs - I don't play at high volume, and as long as it sounds good at the back of a crowded room, the convenience and price has a lot to commend it. I must admit, I still keep my eye open for 2ndhand Princetons...
@@ChickenboneJohn the superchamp kicks ass. really can't beat it for the price. can a princeton sound better? perhaps marginally. definitely isnt worth all of the extra cash in comparison and the superchamp can do a lot of things that a princeton can't when it comes to the modeling.
I used the Super Champ at a gig last weekend and it was great for my set, but afterwards there was a jam, with a full band, and someone borrowed my amp to join in and it did get swamped by a loud drummer , bass and two other guitarists. At 15 watts with a 10 inch speaker, it didn't quite have the punch to cope, although I didn't have the opportunity to try different voicings to see if there was one that would cut through a bit better. Whether a Princeton would have coped any better is a moot point, at 12watts with the same size speaker..maybe a 12 inch speaker would have made a difference. It was interesting to listen to how it performed, and when I apologised to the Marc Hayward (from the Professionals) who'd used the amp that it wasn't really loud enough, he was gracious enough to say it was OK, and it's all that was needed. @@1997Ghost
I’d say calling it a “toy” is a bit harsh. This amp covers a lot of bases for a lot of people. Hard to find something better for the money
Modify the mids - that works only with FenderFuse software, and you’ll enhance your sound a lot! It seems mids are are not fitted with different DSP sounds…
Also, having the head, I gigged with Ragin Cajun in pine DIY cab, but the other guitarist & tube amp tipped me with his full tube sound.
What corners did you use? I ordered corners for my tweed super champ but they don't fit
They were fitted when I got it. I bought it 2ndhand but the whole thing was absolutely like new.