Fender Vibro Champ XD

[SecretWeapon]

They can be had for $150 shipped, brand new.

Whatcha guys think of them?

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/fender-vibro-champ-xd-guitar-combo-amp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehD3TgcE5G8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNHai9tOnVQ&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVn9EQ7tOss

[OysterBoy]

Damn, that's a sweet deal.

[rcross7]

Well, you already have a Blackstar HT-5. Are you sure you need another 5 watt? The only thing I can think that would make me want this is if the cleans were good and didn't break up easily. That's the big problem with the HT-5. It has good clean tone but it breaks up too quickly. I wonder if an external speaker will clear this up? Coincidentally, when I use headphones, it doesn't break up. R u not finding good tone with the HT-5?

[sonofaglitch]

Great deal, but I wonder if the money would not be better spent on something else?

[SecretWeapon]

Well, you already have a Blackstar HT-5. Are you sure you need another 5 watt? The only thing I can think that would make me want this is if the cleans were good and didn't break up easily. That's the big problem with the HT-5. It has good clean tone but it breaks up too quickly. I wonder if an external speaker will clear this up? Coincidentally, when I use headphones, it doesn't break up. R u not finding good tone with the HT-5?

Great deal, but I wonder if the money would not be better spent on something else?

I didn't mean for me.  I wouldn't mind having one but my HT-5 really does everything I need it to and then some.

I just thought it was a phenomenal deal on a 5 watt tube amp with some really cool features and was wondering if you guys agreed. 

[sonofaglitch]

Well, you already have a Blackstar HT-5. Are you sure you need another 5 watt? The only thing I can think that would make me want this is if the cleans were good and didn't break up easily. That's the big problem with the HT-5. It has good clean tone but it breaks up too quickly. I wonder if an external speaker will clear this up? Coincidentally, when I use headphones, it doesn't break up. R u not finding good tone with the HT-5?

Great deal, but I wonder if the money would not be better spent on something else?

I didn't mean for me.  I wouldn't mind having one but my HT-5 really does everything I need it to and then some.

I just thought it was a phenomenal deal on a 5 watt tube amp with some really cool features and was wondering if you guys agreed. 

Oh. Well yes. But Id much rather get a Blackstar or a Marshall

[Franky G-String]

Sounds like it would make a great practice amp.  The high gain tones are lacking low end, but one can't really expect much from speakers that small.  Besides leaving me asking "Where's the beef?" it seems to be a very versatile amp and worth the cash.  I would have liked to hear him turn the reverb down or off at some point, but otherwise that guy in the first two did and excellent job at the demoing the amp.  

[Meeeoww]

I used to have that amp. It's excellent as a practice amp, and the built in effects don't sound bad.

I only used the first three presets (Fendery sounds) because franky, the rest of them sounded awful. The acoustic preset was decent but insanely bass heavy.

I also didn't like the lack of middle EQ knob...gotta have one of those.

It sounds marvelous if you dime it on preset 1 (clean) and really let those tubes heat up (~30 minutes). Tight, sustainy, tube overdrive with zero flub. Unfortunately not loud enough to keep up with drums without an extension cab, which is why I sold it.

[SecretWeapon]

Oh. Well yes. But Id much rather get a Blackstar or a Marshall

Me too. But you have to admit you're not going to find an HT-5 or even an HT-1 for that price brand new. And the HT-1 doesn't have nearly the features that this does.

I also didn't like the lack of middle EQ knob...gotta have one of those.

I was thinking the same thing. My thoughts were 'it only costs and extra 50 cents for the pot, knob and a few capacitors and resistors, why not add it?

On a side note I think that the two band it has is a 'Baxandall' tone stack. It actually increases the mids as the bass and treble are decreased and decreases them as you increase bass and treble. So with the knobs at '5' (of 10) you get a basically flat freq. response, at 1 you get a mid hump and at 10 you get a mid scoop.

[Chris]

Fender doesn't normally put a mid control on their amps do they?

[Meeeoww]

Fender doesn't normally put a mid control on their amps do they?

Every Fender I've come across does...except this one.

[SecretWeapon]

Most Fender amps have a three band EQ. I think that the bass/treble on this one were meant to be a reasonable compromise between a three-band and a single tone knob.

Though as I said before I always wonder what the company is thinking when they leave out little details like that which would cost them pennies per unit to add.

I guess maybe the chassis was too small to accomodate the extra pot and wires. 

Even so, if it has a 'Baxandall' tone stack like I was describing it will be equally as versatile as a three-band. Many builders actually prefer a Baxandall over a three-band in their build because you can actually get more mid-scoop or mid-hump than you can with the traditional 3 band.