1975 Fender Champ | Restoration and Cabinet Upgrade | The Electric Lady

Watch me restore a heavily modified Fender Champ! I also replace the filter capacitor can and re-house the amp in a beautiful new cabinet.
NOTE: Thank you for all the great comments! If you have left a comment about a suggestion for improvement, or having me repair an amp for you, please send me an email: [e-mail]
PATREON: / fazioelectric
Thank you all for watching my videos!

[@edb1149]

You are a much-needed role model for young girls. No longer are electronics repair the domain of we elderly, gray-haired males. Love watching you work; I marvel at your knowledge of old amps.

[@Patrick-857]

These amps were almost entirely built by ladies.

[@michaelsteven1090]

If she was teaching plumbing, you'd like her too, I'm sure..

[@robertinogochev3682]

bonk

[@DeathCapAmplification]

Smashing job on this amp. The best part about this is including a demo by the owner. No one does that. Brilliant! - Mike from Black Cat Amplification (Baltimore, MD)

[@extramolestrial5417]

Hi Mike

[@FazioElectric]

thank you Mike :)

[@pennylessz]

@@9uidin9li9ht2 1

[@9KDRAGON]

@@FazioElectric ....1y.t1w 1 1t 1.

[@shibdoge2977]

apeswap bts

[@scienceisgod1]

I found this video very "soothing" as well as educational after a shitty day at work!

[@wilsondunlap]

Yeah I noticed the same thing. Good Bob Ross vibes here.

[@ianjackson8308]

Hello from Northern Cali!! After watching your “1/4” speaker jack replacement” and “Draining your filter caps” videos I decided to repair my 1978 Silverface Champ myself. I successfully replaced my fuse link, installed a new Jensen speaker, and retolexed the top and bottom of the cab with red sparkle vinyl. I had never heard the amp in the ten years since it was gifted to me! It sounds incredible! I’m sure it could stand to have those old worn caps and resistors replaced and I now have the confidence to attempt the job myself. Thank you for the comprehensive and encouraging videos! Keep up the excellent work, Colleen!!

[@R3TR0R4V3]

You can learn just about anything on KZbin! Gotta love it. No better feeling in the world, the satisfaction you get from learning how to, then successfully fixing your own gear. 😎

[@trbr1799]

Nicely done! I think your videos fill a niche that others don't. You show clearly things like the layout, wiring (well explained) actual soldering work, component function/purpose, and more. This is super valuable for those just learning about amp work and what's often lacking in other amp tech videos. Showing the bias calculation steps (Rob's calculator! ) also great! Thanks and looking forward to future posts as well.

[@Ten80pete]

This is a perfect description of what sets her apart from so many amp repair channels. As a musician that began to take a keen interest in the technology of my gear and wanted to be able to effect smaller repairs about a year ago, it can be very frustrating trying to get a grip on so many aspects, but your explanations are not specially tailored to impress the Go-Go Gadget Cap crowd. I appreciate that you're willing to share your expertise and knowledge. Hope you can do this for a long while!

[@JC-11111]

Oh snap! Look at this! Uncle Doug would be glad to see someone from the younger generation taking up this lost art. I know I am! Keep up the great work!

[@noyd4172]

One of the clearest explanations on the internet of anything technical, let alone amp-related. Keep up the good work! It's so satisfying to see someone know exactly what they're doing.

[@ben91069]

I learned basic DC and AC electronics when i was around 11 years old then learned RF and digital electronics. This was my hobby as a child. So I highly respect what you are doing. It amazes me that someone your age today has this knowledge. It's a very rare set of skills and knowledge you have today.

[@Nick-ky3vl]

Respect. You made a messed up old amp sound like a true champ.

[@VlxWIZzZARDxlV]

It sounded fine wdym dude

[@jamiemascola6614]

Great restoration to stock! Thanks for including the before and after clips. It's a thing so rarely done, and yet so important to hear.

[@bigwavedave8492]

Thanks so much for the knowledge you're passing on... I feel you are demystifying tube amps and its awesome

[@carlos2175]

I just wanted to say Thank you for sharing! It is so interesting how you diagnose and bring back to life vintage amps! When I watch you work, I understand more and more about electronics. You really inspire and encourage people! Thank You!!!

[@peyotepete4903]

I feel so old because I did this stuff so long ago but wtf, it's nice to see people still learning from it! I mean that in respect because it isn't as easy as people think.

[@angeleocorrodead]

Youre not old, only experienced.

[@salossi]

Great job, well done! Just two wee tips from my side: Those late 70s cheapy Fenders often have one massive construction failure, that Fender probably came up with to lower production costs: Instead of running twisted leads to the filaments of the tubes and balancing the center either via grounding a centertap of this winding or by adding two resistors (usually 2x 100 ohms @ the pilot lamp), the changed to running one side of the filaments via the chassis - which was a VERY bad idea... This should be modded back to twisted wires, which will result in a significant noise reduction! I did this mod with my 79 Musicmaster Bass amp - and it was a MASSIVE improvement! Also, I would solder the filtercap directly to the chassis, to prevent it from starting to rattle in the future. Check out Mr Carlsons soldering tips - he uses a modded soldering-gun for this purpose - works great! For biasing cathode biased amps, a "Resistor decade" (don't know, if this is the proper word - we call it Widerstandsdekade here in Germany) can be very handy - so you can dial in the resistor values, until you'll find the perfect bias, then replace the item with a proper resistor, and you're done! Greets from Salossi's Ampschmiede :)

[@julioperez5588]

I just stop by, to check out on the video and I was mesmerized by it. This young woman is really a pro on what she does. I become a subscriber in a heart beat. Thank you

[@pwman]

Great amp restoration and love the clear explanations of the things you were doing! The resulting amp sounds fantastic!!!

[@chrisdrake447]

Thoroughly enjoyed this video and will now make my way through your other projects. What I particularly liked was the pace of delivery plus the on-screen notes about the function and impact of certain components (and the impact of changing the component value on the sound) on the circuit, and the way you highlight the section you’re speaking about on the schematic and layouts. I feel functionally dyslexic when it comes to understanding schematics etc, and this helps immensely. Thank you.

[@oldguy5381]

It’s good to see your channel taking off. Your following growing every episode. Thanks for your hard work.

[@rciancia]

I love that you are into this hobby and do it very well. Congrats to see someone young like you so knowledgable.... You go girl !!

[@rciancia]

@@electrofrying1685 I don't want to assume... if its her vocation, even better

[@rciancia]

@@electrofrying1685 well.. I do this as a hobby and I work on customers amps... What is your point ? She is great and I am so happy to see someone so young doing this... Dont try to make it more than I am saying.. thank you

[@davidrees1840]

Ah, my first amp, and my favourite. Bought it 2nd hand in 1978, never forgot how good it sounds, as per your customer's demo! Thanks for the memories :)

[@bsullivan7]

I really enjoy watching you restore these wonderful amps. You are an excellent Diagnostician and Technician. As a musician who's played for over 50 years, it's a pleasure watching you do your work. 😁 👍

[@joelbloggs8212]

Great job. I tried for the first time the other day to change the electrolytics on my 66 deluxe reverb cct board, and found it quite difficult, you make it look so easy. I manged to do the single, but couldnt get the doubles in. lol Will try again when i get the time and have calmed down. Thanks for the tutorials.

[@clutch1141]

I have this exact amp. It's so addictive to play on. I'm always blown away how an old school bedroom amp has stood to amps far above it's price range, for decades. Love your channel. I've worked in low voltage for the last twenty years and really want to build my own amp. I've been building transformers and fly back coils for the last year, or. I need to get back to work. Channels like yours are inspiration. Thanks!

[@valeriemanners7796]

My first amp was an early 70's Champ. It is great to have found your channel..

[@jambajoby32]

Girl you ARE a silver faced champ! :p Love your work and videos ! Thanks for sharing

[@FazioElectric]

Hehe thank you ;)

[@TunedupFlat]

I could watch amp restoration videos all day long. Great job!

[@tomcaron9113]

150 cable channels and nothing on so I watch amp rebuilds. And I love it! So glad I found Fabio Electric! You do such a great job! Dave Gries of Gries Amplifiers does an amazing job using the Blackface Champ as his base for building his Gries 5. It is my main gigging amp for low volume gigs. My favorite design along with the Deluxe Reverb.

[@kbkman7742]

It's very satisfying to undo strange mods/poor repairs. Love the camerawork

[@danh.8490]

Nice job, compliments on taking the time to remove the old solder with your solder vac. Makes a cleaner, more reliable connection.

[@bobneptune]

Sounds great! Also, waiting for the same Gram tee to arrive - so cool!

[@tremorrs]

Excellent job at showing how to use the layout document and schematic to put a modified amp back to stock!

[@adhaskym.a9536]

I learn a lot from all these videos. I am not a repair man by profession but I enjoy messing with things. Thank you for all the knowledge.

[@bernardcromarty485]

I'm really impressed by your attention to detail! The future of valve (toob) amps is safe in your hands!

[@dabsNbrews]

This is the best thing I’ve found on YT in many moons. You are awesome!

[@TheWickerShireProject]

Nice clean Build. Love looking at schematics. Felt good to see it cleaned up and put back to stock. Thanks Fazio Electric! Much Love, "The Shire".

[@boggsty]

You converted it from a Fender Cramp back to a Fender Champ! Nicely done love it.

[@michaelj.podlovics2246]

nice! - I'm just getting into amp work & restoring a champ, so this was a useful walkthrough!

[@Clmkxoxo]

Hi found this by accident when could sleep tonight ... wow great stream and awesome job showing/telling changes you expect to do to restore back! Love it Good job young lady keep on preserving amps !

[@danielgregory7200]

Wow!!! What a huge difference!!!

[@3kil0w4tt]

OMG, I can't believe my good fortune in stumbling onto this video. You are so thorough in your explanation and camera work that I subbed immediately. Thank you!

[@SrDeMaFp]

Wish I found this channel sooner! Good stuff!

[@JamesMcCutcheon]

Thank you for all the nice videos. I gave my son a 1974 Champ. These amplifiers are amazing.

[@kennethdubard9065]

Thanks for the video. I'm going to make a cap voltage discharge tool so I can get inside of my Music Man 65 and tighten up some pots and take a look around. In an industry that's been so dominated by guys, it's hard not to sound patronizing when I say you are an inspiration.

[@pneumatic00]

Good idea. Always be careful with those Music Man amps---their B+ is often 100 volts higher than Fenders.

[@emilianoranfagni7198]

Hi. Short version :Solder a 220k or 330k resistor in parallel across the first filter cap ( normally ) or across any filter cap from B+ to ground. Better if the resistor is 2 or 3 W . The heater elevation, also does the job. With a value of 220k , a 32uF cap and a voltage of 300 V on B+n you can achieve a safety threshold voltage of 10 volt in maybe 25 seconds. Always check the voltage with a tester before to put the hands in.

[@drew945101]

Got to love the creak of those old eyelet boards.

[@Robert-xn3jb]

Amp sounds great after repair. Great job and I love the videos.

[@josephmagedanz4070]

And this video got me to become a patron...looking forward to more. Glad to see a new generation doing this work. Keep it up and thanks!

[@TheyreStillOutThere]

I love the short explanation text that gives us a quick idea of what some of the lingo means and what the components are doing in the circuit, etc. That's really cool. I service my own vintage amps and gear, but I don't actually know what most of the stuff does. I just replace filter caps, replace way out of tolerance carbon comp resistors, rebuild negative bias supply, and clean stuff up while I'm in there. Your vids are rad

[@picksalot1]

Enjoyed the video and appreciate your explanation of what the different parts are doing. The repaired amp sounds and looks great. Thanks

[@johnrules81]

Your videos are excellent. The work you do is so tidy and logical.

[@mystic638]

Thanks for sharing! Long live Fender ☝🏻

[@tomcarre8280]

Been really enjoying your repair videos! I’m about to start on converting a pcb deluxe reverb to an eyelet board so these videos are very handy!

[@jayformicolamusic1337]

Just what I needed to see at just the right time! Thank You!

[@blugoose86]

I'm very impressed. I like your "slower pace" and relaxing delivery of your knowledge and explanation. Very meticulous and neat work. Thank you!

[@BeachJazzMusic]

Great job, amp sounds killer! My first amp when I was 13 was a 1965 Blackface Vibro Champ. There was no distortion pedals back then so I use to put it in the closet with a bunch of pillows and crank it up. Then the 'Maestro Fuzz Tone' came out and I could take the amp out of the closet and play it without driving my parents nuts.

[@Eric-oz7di]

Another great video from you. That Champ sounds great now!

[@helter2K10]

Great video - well presented, great use of the schematic and layout, great explanation. Just fun to watch - looking forward to many more. Greetings from Australia - hope your channel and business gets the support it deserves

[@fieldfullofthistles]

Thats what an amp should sound like. The clean tones are just whooaa! Great job as usual Fazio!

[@arturosaenz4450]

You have the best amp tech explanation videos I've found keep it up!

[@srtamplification]

Sounds just like a Champ now. Good Job!!!

[@erikshen1107]

Absolutely IMPECCABLE WORK!!!

[@jeffreysmith9369]

Thanks for the calculator link. Very handy. Nice work on the amp. There is competency galore around your work.

[@David.S.]

Good video! The 70% dissipation rule doesn't normally apply to single-ended amps, so for a single 6V6 you can bias more around 90% at idle.

[@FazioElectric]

ah that's great to know! Thank you :)

[@michaelhager4270]

100% correct. There are so many discussions on single ended bias out there. Most champs with the 470R bias resistor are dissipating well over 100% and have been going for years. If it's not redplating a lot of folks seem to like them that way. I'm with you though, cooling them down a bit is a good idea

[@FedericoBiancoMusic]

True, although a little note about terminology. The reason because you can push the dissipation at 90-100% in this case is because the power valve is cathode biased. Not because it is single ended. - Cathode Bias: 90-100% Max Dissipation - Class A, Fixed Bias: ~90% Max Dissipation - Class AB, Fixed Bias: ~70% Max Dissipation These are just guide lines though. There is a really nice video of Uncle Doug in which he compare different bias level and the tone associated. GREAT VIDEO nonetheless! Great repair and servicing.

[@whiskybravo4648]

Awesome video. Enjoyed the restoration and thank you for making the amp sound as it should. Subscribed.

[@svt4001]

This is how you do an instructional video! Great camera shots and lighting; clear, concise descriptions of what you are doing and why; and I really like the supplemental notes added in screen. Subbed!

[@Metalbass10000]

Absof###inglutely! I've been building guitars and basses for about 25 years, playing them and working on them since 1986. I replaced the stock pickups, with Dimarzio pickups, in my first guitar, a Japanese made Kramer Focus 4000, the day after I received it. I replaced the Dimarzio set with a set of Seymour Duncan pickups, which are still in that guitar. All these years later, I NEVER did anything to the inside of any of my amps, aside from replacing tubes, de-ox some pots. This was as good, or better, than ANY work done, and explained, on an amp that I have ever seen. Like you said, clear, concise, and as thorough as I would want it, because I understand everything she's doing, why she's doing it, why it makes sense, and I'm not getting overwhelmed by details and tangential information that isn't pertinent in the moment. Combine that with the relaxed tone of her delivery, good pacing, and easy to listen to voice, and I would feel confident, right now, that if you put that amp in front of me I could follow her video and do that job.

[@AMERICANPRIDE1100]

I suck at soldering lol

[@orionwarren4244]

Nice job, lady! And the customer looks stoked...win-win!

[@reggiewallace260]

Greetings from sunny Ft Lauderdale! Nice job on the amp and putting the video together. Keep 'em coming....

[@thomasmoore1003]

Huge improvement! Great job

[@FransvandenBergeMuziekschuur]

Love the playing! Taylor you are an awesome player!

[@drdbailey]

I just discovered you. I know nothing, zilch, nada about amps. You are mesmerizing. Just watching you work. I'm 72 and before I head to Jimi's abode, I'm going to build an amp! Thank you!❤

[@jasonbone5121]

Nice work! Amp sounded great - loving the channel.

[@anthonybrock9435]

Colleen, lassie, we need ye in Scotland ! Glasgow to be precise. Seriously, these videos are a joy to watch and ye are a bonnie lass indeed. Looking forward to many more. 🍀🌹🍀

[@edsanders9605]

Great worthwhile project- with an excellent presentation!!!!

[@janjohansenmusic]

Amazing watching you work! Beautiful job.

[@wongnaichungrd]

Love your Gram Parsons t shirt at the end! Brilliant spread the word

[@hotlineoperator]

How could someone know so much about old electronics. I'm impressed.

[@waynewayne3709]

She's learning from other techs and it's good to see people interest in analog electronics.

[@Twildason]

Sounds amazing after restoring it, like a Champ should!!

[@leemparry]

Hey! Great job, very thorough. I did notice that the Warehouse is an 8ohm speaker, but the Champ calls for a 4ohm (I think!)

[@tommyfoley]

Eagle eyes Lee Parry.

[@jcool0122]

They make the warehouse speakers in 4 ohm. I have one in my 5f1 copy I built last year.

[@preiter20]

I really enjoy your videos! Thanks for the detailed explanations.

[@SarcastSempervirens]

nice little amp, sounds good, great job!

[@yestoES355]

Amazing work, love the explanations as well!

[@realdocloco]

Thank you for restauring this wonderfull lil' amp to its original state - I have one from the same year and it doesn't need any mod at all!

[@ancienttech4636]

You do nice work! The only thing I would change would be to make the cathode bypass capacitor a 50 volt part, since you now have 32 volts across it and it needs to be derated further because the 6V6GT is underneath, cooking it. For the electrolytic tabs, I have a beastly 450 watt weller gun! Nothing like a fire-breathing dragon for those tough jobs! 💪 You have tremendous expertise! Keep on truckin'!

[@isgood100t4]

Moving it farther away from the resistor would be a good thing also_

[@UTubemar25]

Stumbled across your channel by accident and it was a lucky get. Retired electronic/tech/engineer with 38 years experience. Also a guitarist. I still have the first amp my dad bought me. 64 Fender Princeton that I will be restoring. Excellent videos. I was watching this video and just wanted to comment on the part installing the multi cap in the chassis. The choice of not grounding to the chassis. That chassis is s huge heat sink. Lol. We had an iron we called the solder bat for things like that. This is great. I subscribed. Thanks!!!!!

[@thalesb1324]

Uncle Doug would be proud, nice job!

[@Nobody-NoOne]

Ha :) better check her DNA eh? She might be related. Darn good work Electric Lady !

[@patrickmay9034]

Totally agree. Good job indeed.

[@aleksej79novosibirsk]

Watching uncle Doug brought me here :)

[@mattier3030]

Ahahah dude it’s Uncle Doug’s granddaughter

[@edwardwilliams9466]

Trt

[@midwestrepairdesk]

Awesome video. You do really great work! Especially soldering

[@ryangunwitch-black]

Watching you flow solder is so satisfying.

[@billedwards2657]

Solid! Commenters are right on the biasing. I tend to replace champ filter caps with a 4 node 40-20-20-20 in case they want to use the other version power supply. 40 is technically too high for a 5Y3 but who really cares. The other main mod worth doing is converting the tube filament winding to parallel from series.. especially on speaker changes. Helps cut out the hum. Great video! Keep them coming!

[@eternalme6077]

So nice to watch you, a young woman who not only has knowledge of electronics and such but is even interested in this to begin with......so Awesome. I'm an old geezer who plays several instruments and this takes me back to a time around 73 - 74 when I would plug in my 67 Gibson SG Jr. into my 74 Fender Champ. You can imagine the sound that single plastic P- 90 pickup strapped in a plank of deep burgundy mahogany in my Champ cranked up to 10......oh HELL YEAH! I know you Guitar player's out there can tell this Deadly combination is nothing short of a ROCK MONSTER, lol.....anyways love this video.....🎸🎸🎸♥️

[@canaan_perry]

I really appreciate the education about guitar amps. Thanks for making these vids.

[@dreamingone615]

Cool. Great job. Super informative. Nice tech approach to restoration. I wish you all of the good stuff in life.

[@mikelewis_94]

Sounds great! Looks killer! Nice work dude!

[@cstony111]

I enjoyed your work once again. A Vibro Champ was my First amp back in 1971 blew it out at the first band practice when my friend showed up with a new 1971 Bandmaster , which was funny because a TV show "My Three Sons" had an episode where the same thing happened to one of the sons fender amp. I replaced it with a Vox Pacemaker and then a used Fender Super Reverb.

[@hkguitar1984]

Great job Oh the stories that little amp could tell.

[@larrydering1598]

Nice work and great tone after the repair.

[@josephpickard3108]

These amps are SO GOOD cranked. A great example of a well-kept Champ was demoed by Ariel Posen for someone like Collings

[@JasonFerguson1283]

I love soldering! I love the sound and the smell of the flux!

[@1967250s]

Careful. The flux smell is bad for your lungs and sinuses. I also like the smell, but gotta watch your health.

[@TravisTellsTruths]

That guy Taylor was pretty good! Awesome work. Sounds much better.

[@BadChizzle]

You do good work. A lot of gain stages and masters volumes were added... I’m thinking around the time Mesa Boogie’s came out. Trying to remember the exact timeline is hard now. You know... after the eighties! Ha ha! I remember going in to repair shops and seeing the techs doing these mods often for people. These years of Fender amps weren’t getting much Love until more recently. Funny how our ideas change about such things after time. I mean... now... copies of Fender products from that era, made by Fender go for a lot of money. Lol. Well... by my standards anyway... Again... nice job... and... Thank you for the video!

[@patwhelan3307]

just started watching your videos, and i love them, keep making them, please.

[@AMERICANPRIDE1100]

I love that the young folks are doing this keep this trade alive as long we can