I played clubs for over 30 years, used a numerous assortment of amps. A few years back I sustained a back injury that sidelined me pretty good. I started looking for a usable amp that featured significantly less weight than most I’d used before. I first obtained a 40 watt Fender Mustang II. Played several gigs, did ok but left a little something to be desired in the warmth department. A few months ago I got one these (Champion 50 XL) and it has been a home run all the way. I think the Celestion speaker helps a lot with getting rid of the sometimes shrill, ice picky highs of other Fender SS models. Very warm, responsive, touch sensitive, great sounding amp. Takes pedals great too. Fender had to leave out a lot of extras with this one to get the price point down but they came up with a real winner in the end IMO. Highly recommend
I love a bit of reverb on it’s own BUT Reverb Hall (3) and Reverb Spring (4) FX settings always give a highly noticeable hissing noise which interferes with the tone. It seems to me that reverb+chorus, FX setting (02) is the only option to get some reverb but it has to be combined with chorus. What a shame. This must be due to a software glitch for this solid state digital amp? Fender must rectify this. Others here have also said this.Otherwise lovely, sparkling clean tones and an excellent Celestion 12” Midnight speaker that’s warm, clear,responsive and room filling, definitely NOT “boxy” sounding as others have described for the Mustang GT series with all it’s gadgety, WiFi, fiddly bluetoooth settings.This is great for simple plug and play to get one’s way super quick.
I am trying this new Premier feature for an unboxing. I will be in the live chat when the video goes live! This is only a short video but I thought it might be fun to try this feature out. 😀 ►Sky Music - alnk.to/7M3Rl49 ►Sweetwater - imp.i114863.net/BXPDGx ►Thomann - bit.ly/3c1wwxD (affiliate links)
@@narbonneguitars9331 It's pretty loud on the drive channel but would it be as powerful as my Blues Deluxe in terms of filling a room? I am not so sure of that. You might be better with the 100 version.
@@sonyajones I will see what I can do. The one I got for the videos is a professional one that sits on the floor but it's a handheld type of one. I will see if there's something like that I can get hold of.
Favorite solid state amp I’ve ever played. Yes the blackface clean channel feels and sounds great, and the effects esp. the verbs sound very organic. The drive sounds are great too, just as good if not better than the katana. The secret is you have to have some volume behind them, they don’t sound good at anywhere below 10:00 on the volume. Thus making this more of a gigging amp than a practice amp
This is supposed to give the Katana 50 a run, but its not quite there. It doesn't have the effects options and the drive sounds of the Katana. It does however do the best Fender clean and tweed tones that the Katana can't do and because of that its a better pedal platform for band situations or even as a good stage monitor for a multi effects (BOSS to Helix). The black looks is nice, personally I would get the regular Fender Champion 40 cause it looks more classy for clean tones :)
Thanks for sharing. I have been thinking of making one of these my new amp...but, might have to wait until the 100 XL comes out next month for more volume for rehearsal and gigs.
Sounds good ! In '96 i bought a used Fender Princeton 112, 42 watts. Great amp. About 10 years ago I demoed a guitar marked 50% off, A DeltaTone HSS strato. Ran this thru a FrontMan 212. Sounded killer,,,ran thru every Michael Schenker solo i knew. Bought the guitar. $75.00. Out of 12 here it gets played the most. Read about the Champion series 6 or so years ago. Demoed a 112 and 212 and neither grabbed me. This new offering is sweeet.
I have a Fender Champion 100 with two 12" speakers. It's been in the box for over a year and about a month ago I finally unboxed it and took it out to some gigs. I play in a Gospel Band now and have my own band & recording studio. I was impressed with it, normally I play thru a tube amp or thru the PA. The speakers sound even better after they break in a little. It has a lot of volume and after some playing around and getting the sound you want dialed in, Really it sounds pretty good for a solid state amp, I am impressed. Fender got this one right. And I only paid $300 for it brand new.
I've always thought that the Champion series amps were best budget options for these Fender type clean/pedal platform amps. I know they already had Champion 40 and 100 out there, but the 50 seems like a good option, and it comes stock with a celestion speaker. I would love to see the 50 version compared to Champion 40W because I'm really tempted to buy either one of them. Thanks for the content, as always!
I love a bit of reverb on it’s own BUT Reverb Hall (3) and Reverb Spring (4) FX settings always give a highly noticeable hissing noise which interferes with the tone. It seems to me that reverb+chorus, FX setting (02) is the only option to get some reverb but it has to be combined with chorus. What a shame. This must be due to a software glitch for this solid state digital amp? Fender must rectify this. Others here have also said this.Otherwise lovely, sparkling clean tones and an excellent Celestion 12” Midnight speaker that’s warm, clear,responsive and room filling, definitely NOT “boxy” sounding as others have described for the Mustang GT series with all it’s gadgety, WiFi, fiddly bluetoooth settings.This is great for simple plug and play to get one’s way super quick.
I have a Katana mk2 100 amp and actually love the Fender xl50 more lol mainly because its cleans
5 лет назад
I like when reviewers say, "Here's the owner's manual, who needs that" and they toss it away. Quick review different that we are accostumed from you. I digged it!
I love a bit of reverb on it’s own BUT Reverb Hall (3) and Reverb Spring (4) FX settings always give a highly noticeable hissing noise which interferes with the tone. It seems to me that reverb+chorus, FX setting (02) is the only option to get some reverb but it has to be combined with chorus. What a shame. This must be due to a software glitch for this solid state digital amp? Fender must rectify this. Others here have also said this.Otherwise lovely, sparkling clean tones and an excellent Celestion 12” Midnight speaker that’s warm, clear,responsive and room filling, definitely NOT “boxy” sounding as others have described for the Mustang GT series with all it’s gadgety, WiFi, fiddly bluetoooth settings.This is great for simple plug and play to get one’s way super quick.
With a Fender Champion amp, all you really need out of the manual are the lists of amp voicings and effects. You can cut those out and stick them in a notebook.
I actually choose this one above the Katana 50. One mistake.. for 45 $ more i had this one in 100W version. Anderton's does a battle between this and the Katana 50 for who's interested.
I have this one.. it's loud enough to jam with drum, trust me..i dont even turn up the volume to the fullest when playing with rock genre, together with drum..best amp for gigging in a small gig around 50-100 crowds without mic'd..
The champion series of amps are great "plug in and play" pedal platform amps. They offer a great base for building tones upon imo, also you won't get that horrible choice paralysis, so if you like to fiddle with in built effects and don't have the sound you're after in your head already, I'd go for a Katana instead.
That looks like their special edition version. The grill cloth looks much better than their "standard" which looks like offcuts of shade cloth! Sounds pretty good for a solid state and might give a bandit a run for it's money?
I think Fender's Champion series amps are actually better value than Mustang GTs. They're much simpler to set up and use, and have a more appealing basic sound. Are you going to look at the Champion 100XL any time soon?
@@s1iznc1d34 These Champion amps are solid-state digital, not to be confused with Fender's similarly named Champ valve amplifier. They don't offer programmable presets like the Mustang amps, they don't have anywhere near as many effects options on board. But 16 amp voicings give them an amazing variety of tone, and you can easily complement the onboard FX options with your favourite pedals. That's been my experience with the Champion 100.
Hi, would be nice if you took 5 min in the next review to compare with the champion 40. In fact I think it would be a nice video to compare the 50,40 and 20, the latter apparently being very popular budget practice amps lots of people choose. would be very helpful.
I’ll “like” a review of the first reviewer who can tell me the advantages or even the differences of the 50XL over the 40. So far, no one - not Fender, not the Anderton crew, none of the American folks I normally would check into their demo/review videos - no one has given anything even close to the beginning of an adequate explanation for the differences between the Champion 40 and the 50XL.
That's a great question. From my ears and experience, The extra ten Watts are the last ten yards into the end zone of LIVE tonal happiness. Especially in the 1965 Fender Super Twin Reverb feeling. And, the open back Midnight 60 Watt Celestion speaker. The low end presence is immediately larger, louder and WARM...! Shane has mentioned that solid state & digital amp Watts sound less than true to the loudness and presence of a tube amp. This extra Ten Watts (and extra 60 Watt speaker) and an open back make up for that. Its a very nice amp for $ 200. Band rehearsal and small gigs dynamite. and, best of all really light. PS: My normal rig is two Peavey Classic 30 heads (with 12 cabs) in stereo.
I have one of these and the katana 50. In my opinion, the katana is much better sounding, more versatile, and easy to use. I love fender but this amp was disappointing. I use them as practice amps at home.
Looks exacly lke a Super Champ XD in solid state form, with 50w solid state rather than 15w tube. The modelled preamps on Ch. 2 and the effects setup are identical identical.
This is the butch version of the XD and X2 - they have cranked the herbs and added a bigger speaker. It would be good for seventh floor or above out-the window of hotel on-tour car bombing -- its got to be heavy enough to impress the roof of a Mercedes, a Lexus, a higher end BMW. Top marks, Fender.
Shane nice video, thanks! What is your opinion on this Champion 50XL vs the Champion 40 that you've tested in the past? I have the 40 and was wondering if it would be worth looking at the 50XL. Your opinion would be appreciated. Thank!!!
Good, how's that amp going for rehearsals and small venues? I currently have a junior blues, but I'm looking for some transistors with a speaker and that the pedals are swallowed well. I also think of the katana chief, how do you see it? thanks
Hi Shane great review I am interested in this amp, I have a modelling AMP VOX VTX 20 great amp but as I progress in my playing I cannot be arsed to fiddle around with a modelling amp I just love to plug something in and just go, my question is you have dual combo on the effects, could you just bypass them and use just pedals ? But I love the sound that Celestian Speaker it's brill, I am looking for a decent amp that I can practice at home and who knows, but I am big on sound , either you go with a tube or solid state, I am not sure,
From Leo: Good Demo, looking forward to hearing a bigger test. I do like an amplifier with control knobs, I will never submit to scrolling through digital menus on a guitar amp. It looks like the same controls from the Champion 40. That is a good amp for students, tones are pretty good but is really weak for an amp rated 40 Watts and the speaker was nothing to brag about. I put an Eminence Cannabis Rex in and it mellowed the sound but was still weak volume. Maybe the 50 watt output would make it more usable.
I’ll stick to my Katana. I feel Fender have dropped the ball with their cheaper amps recently especially with the GT series. This particular amp sounds a bit better but I would need to hear what it’s like cranked before I totally bag it. Cheers.
they do and are making amps sound better ! They have very expensive Fender Custom modeling amps that are UN real good. After all its called Capitalism and you get what you pay for.
That's kind of been the problem. They make you pay for that professional tone. So they keep it for the people that have money. It's always been like that I guess. BlackStar is kind of trying to give us that sound for less money. But it's not quite there.
SWEETWATER customer complaints in the Review's - WHITENOISE with the REVERB. Please check this issue . My question ::: I see NO effects loop, does it not have one? I mean, I love my reverb, my delay, my flanger... But if there isn't a Loop, I'm stuck.
I bought 2 of these from Sweetwater . Sent the first one back because some of the reverb selections sounded awful. When the second one came it sounded just as bad. It went back as well . I have a Super Champ which I really like but this wasn't even close and the Katana 50 I have played circles around it. Plus was not a fan of the looks of it at all. Ended up buying the Vox Mini Beetle instead and haven't looked back.
maybe not except that it only costs $200 and a couple of good pedals cost that, so. for the $200 on a budget and a back problem/working musician this little honey is AMAZING ! Fender got this little bugger nailed finally.
I really don't want to be negative- maybe I just got a bad one. But, I bought one with an open mind, figuring that the celestion speaker might be useful, even if the amp wasn't. I'm not prejudiced on solid state, nor on low or high end. I've found useful tones on Crates and Mesa Boogies- The Champ XL sounded the worst I've ever heard. It was the biggest amp disappointment I've had in years, I could not dial in a tone at all. At bedroom levels, it sounded very flat, and at practice levels bass was either gone, or it was unacceptably boomy. It never made it to the stage. The built in effects and distortions sounded cheap and fake. It was just horrible, all around. The cabinet rattled, and the knobs were loose- I mean there was not one good thing about it. Easily the worst amp I have ever played. However, like I said, it might just be mine- except one caveat- I buy most of my gear at Sam Ash, and had to sell it back to a Guitar Center, because Sam Ash cannot sell them- there's three others that just sat there until they returned them to Fender. So, there are evidently others that are terrible as well.
I got mine from Sweetwater. The reverb setting on mine was terrible. I played it over the phone to the amp tech and even he said send it back. They sent me another one and it was just as bad. Plus, I hated the control panel. Why they didn’t make look like my Super Champ x2 is beyond me.
The effect and voice controls with their minute lettering make it way to difficult to change during a song. The lack of a foot switch is a huge omission. The tiny coloured lights are very confusing. It has enough power for small gigs but way too user unfriendly for that situation. I think it is a mish mash of ideas poorly thought through.
@@chrisjeneson5091 I haven't tried one, but it sounds like you all agree that the on-board effects suck. How is just the clean cleans with like a tubescreamer? Has someone gave that a shot yet?
Hey Proteus, no, I have not tried pedals through this amp, my beef was about the operation of the amp, how poorly it is designed, the layout of the controls etc. I am not saying that it is impossible to get a good sound from it, you can but it is very difficult to use in a live situation where you need a mix of sounds and have to move quickly from one to another. At present mine is in my garage with my other junk, I doubt if it will ever return to my music room. My suggestion for what it´s worth is if you want to use pedals, get a basic two channel amp without any modelling features at all except perhaps reverb.
Well moyle, I saw Dave´s unboxing and the full revue on the days they came out. My mind was boggled even then. Dave as you know is a little unconventional with his settings and sound and it may well suit him. What nobody has said yet is what a difficult amp it is to use in practice, in a real life setting. How difficult it is to move from a decent clean to a reasonable distorted tone. How awful the tin pot controls are. I bought mine after the launch video from Andertons was shown expecting it to be a good product for a gigging player in small clubs and the like. It is not! I love Fender, I own several of their guitars and they are very good. This amp is nowhere near as good as the Mustang 3 V2 which I also own, it is probably as good as the Mustang 2 V2 which I also own but that is not saying a lot as the controls on that amp are probably even worse. To make the Champion 50 XL even remotely practical you need the footswitch and that is not supplied, criminal in my opinion. So, please tell me how you manage to use yours to good effect, perhaps you can teach me something, I am always ready to learn.
See the Anderton's vid on this amp. Its a live gig and rehearsal amp. Its doesn't offer a lot of choices in modeling. But, what is does do, it does very well, model Fender tones.
I love a bit of reverb on it’s own BUT Reverb Hall (3) and Reverb Spring (4) FX settings always give a highly noticeable hissing noise which interferes with the tone. It seems to me that reverb+chorus, FX setting (02) is the only option to get some reverb but it has to be combined with chorus. What a shame. This must be due to a software glitch for this solid state digital amp? Fender must rectify this. Others here have also said this.Otherwise lovely, sparkling clean tones and an excellent Celestion 12” Midnight speaker that’s warm, clear,responsive and room filling, definitely NOT “boxy” sounding as others have described for the Mustang GT series with all it’s gadgety, WiFi, fiddly bluetoooth settings.This is great for simple plug and play to get one’s way super quick.
@@lal2235 those extra ten Watts and THAT Open back Celestion Midnight Special 60 Watt speaker changed all of that. IMHO I avoided the 40 Watts for your reasons.