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Does anyone know the impedance of a speaker in a early 70's Vibra Champ?

Pulled into the Cabin this weekend and plugged a guitar into the amp. Got a horrid sound. Checking the back, it had been gnawed on and the dang mice ate a hole in the speaker. Checked the other amp and it was fine so I spent the rest of the weekend plotting the murder of rodents.

About half way home I realized that I forgot to pull the speaker. Figured I could just pull my Pitman tube amp book and look it up. Nope. I have the schematic for every Champ ever made but no speaker specs.

Checking my parts shelf, I have an 8 inch Weber but its 4 ohms. I have a feeling that post CBS champs were 8 ohms ( and I don't want to blow a 40 year old transformer). If anyone can confirm the 8 ohms, I can just get a Jensen 8/ 8 ohm from Torres.

I really want to be carrying a speaker rather than a VOM the next time I go to the cabin.

Thanx
Rich

They are 4 ohms. http://www.ampwares.com/amp.asp?id=43

I had a Weber in my 79-80 Vibra Champ for a while and it's worked great but decided to put the original back in and leave it since I rarely play it anymore.

Rich, I have a freind who has a Vibra Champ. Hh
ow do I tell if it's Earl 1970's? I recall that the lettering is blue.

dubtrub wrote:They are 4 ohms. http://www.ampwares.com/amp.asp?id=43

I had a Weber in my 79-80 Vibra Champ for a while and it's worked great but decided to put the original back in and leave it since I rarely play it anymore.

Thank-you Sir.

I'll use the Weber until I have the mouse bait reconed
This one sees so little use, it still has a faded hang tag. But its lite and I like to take it out on the front porch and point it at the mountain.

Sarah93003 wrote:Rich, I have a freind who has a Vibra Champ. Hh
ow do I tell if it's Earl 1970's? I recall that the lettering is blue.

I'm not an expert on Fender amps after CBS. The Viba Champ was around from the mid 60's till the early 80's I think. Its face didn't change to silver until the late 60's. All I have seen look about the same; maybe a grill cloth change. SO you have to check the serial number or the model number OR if it has the original speaker the date code should work. Fender speakers at that time the last 2 digits should be the year.

I cheated on mine. A friend thought he wanted to play and I was there when he bought the thing. He used it for a couple weeks and put it in a closet for 20 years. I gave it a new home and the receipt is still sitting in the amp

Very cool!

The Vibro Champs stayed pretty consistent electronically through the production run. Unlike the "professional" amps, they never got master volumes or ultra-linear circuits. I imagine the quality of the components might have been better during the blackface era, but of all Fender amps, the Champ / Vibro Champ line was the least tampered with.

I recently bought a 1976 Vibro Champ that I really enjoy. Mainly it's a bedroom amp, but I'll be pulling it out for recording the new MBP album.

Mel

I sold my silverface Fender Champ a while ago. Stupid mistake. I'd really like to find a nice Vibro Champ. They are superb!