1962 FENDER 5F1 TWEED CHAMP Electronics Repair and Restoration

In this video, we'll repair and restore a really nice 1962 Fender 5F1 Tweed Champ tube amp. We'll talk a little bit about the circuit and show how to restore one of these in the least invasive way possible by restuffing the Astron electrolytic capacitors. At the end, we'll demo the tone with my Zio "Meteorologist" Meteora copy and my PRS CE24.
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[@iaingraham4911]

Glad to see the old Brad back and repairing amps KOOL

[@yqwgjsg]

Funny how most people only care if it works and what it sounds like. Only electronics people care about looks and originality. Great job my man.

[@somearchitectTX]

Great video!! I just discovered a wonderfully dusty 1959 Champ 5F1 in a corner of a neighbor's home and am going to help him sell it. The amp is 100% factory original. This video was super helpful in giving me an idea of what it may need to go another 60+ years.

[@Bob-Whiting]

"Tone Webs" LOL Dude, you crack me up.

[@DChrls]

Now people can argue which webs have the best tone. :D

[@Bob-Whiting]

@@DChrls Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's either gonna be the Violin or the Black Widow

[@cchavez248]

Only Gibson Tone Webs will do, play authentic!

[@topa1798]

Amazing guitar playing and tone🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻😍

[@apatriot613]

As an Amp tech guitar player and source for amp/music History This is one of the better people to spend your time checking out.

[@martinreid1740]

Sat up till the wee hours in Scotland the to watch this. A very nice sympathetic restoration.

[@jasoncourtright3978]

I love seeing such original pieces of history. And you taking the time to make it appear to the eye that nothing has been touched is top notch. 100%

[@Natures_Intentions]

Totally love the vintage amplifiers and all vintage electronics alike. Great video for sure.

[@edwardhannigan6324]

Nice to see another oldie on the bench..! Great job, and nice playing..Ed..UK..😁

[@michaelnewell3823]

Hi Brad, I have been watching g you and uncle Doug forever. I absolutely love your videos. Please don't ever stop doing your videos. You are amazing. This videos are entertaining and informative. Keep this great stuff coming. Thanks Michael Newell from Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada

[@mattvdh]

i like watching guys with skills do their thing...very cool look into their world

[@wayshot]

Nice video and nice amp :-) The good old tubes rarely die. My modified "Knutsen" amp still has the original '63 Telefunken EL84 pair and Telefunken ECC83 PI tube. The EL84s may have been stressed or even red-plating at some point as the original PI coupling caps were leaky, but they appear to work great.

[@jimdevries9479]

great vid ! built one last year and use it every day!

[@bluesbubba7429]

Hey Brad, good to be viewing your channel once again. I scored on a perfect 63 Tweed Champ 5F1 circuit, a few years back. Actually a bit cleaner than the one you are recapping. Got it for $800 bucks. By the way, love your comment you made a few days ago. I'm the one that lives in California, that has to put up with that crap.

[@thomasplooij9795]

When I see "the Secrets off..." in my subscription feed my heart beats a little faster. Great video man!!

[@gregjarvis3288]

Great vid. You seem to have mellowed a wee bit...good to see. In 1962 my dad made me an amp for the bass guitar I had built (aged 16) ..reminded me of that time. Post war austerity and ex military electronis...those were the days😊

[@docholliday3150]

Awesome video Brad. Nice work. Thanks,Doc

[@SeanKerns]

Beautiful little amp.

[@gerardcousineau3478]

Beautiful work. Thank you for your great advices. 👍

[@holmes1978]

I own the Fender 57 Champ amp reissue I believe from 2008 !

[@golgothaassassin5035]

I love the amp repair and rebuilds.

[@john-cm8yn]

As much as I'm a fan of the old Silvertones, I swear those tweed Fenders are just monsters. Thanks Brad.

[@208414]

That is a great sounding amp!

[@jamesincharlotte]

Looks like one I left in my attic in 1990 !!! Didn’t know what I had then !! It was my dads he had as a kid and he died in 89. Left in attic In Charlotte nc. Hate it now !! 😩

[@imannonymous7707]

My favorite amps...and some amazing restoration n repair

[@seanlavery2236]

Great video as always Brad! The spider story was wicked too! 😆

[@saleseng]

One of the best amps ever!

[@filonome]

man that guitar is gorgeous, I remember the video when you got it! great sound through that amp!

[@payday1963]

Check out: www.zioguitars.com/

[@jonny1251]

Love the champ and the vintage 635a mic!

[@russl9029]

Very nice work! Really cool video!

[@simonnotthepieman1581]

Just had to come back and rewatch this video after deciding to get inside my 5F1 and get rid of the tone webs. Glad I did as all the date codes inside confirm it's a 1957. Valves are Tung Sol & RCA, transformer is Triad. Thanks for the breakdown of the amp in video, it really helped me

[@boco1951]

Looks great When I got mine I used an encapsulating liquid on the asbestos that they had on the rear cover of the amp.

[@Mojoman57]

Great video, Brad. Thanks!

[@Floww-]

heyyyyy fearless!! that was cool. just saw roger in atlanta! first time seeing any of them

[@DChrls]

Nice video, glad you are making these types of videos. Now all that amp needs is a Weber speaker. :)

[@jasonkirkham550]

Beautiful job on a beautiful amp ! I hope you were able to score that amp.

[@Ton7Tube]

Popped pokniio 🎉pi too Ii 😅🎉🎉 kk pb boo off

[@mark5150ty]

Uncle Doug stuff some capacitors by using dowel wood with the tiny capacitor on the inside LOL it look great when he got done though

[@cchavez248]

Uncle Doug grabs a big handful of booty and gives it all a good kick! Love his videos!

[@tomstiel7576]

@@cchavez248 love uncle doug,,,,where the hell is he ????

[@cchavez248]

@@tomstiel7576 he has posted fairly recently, he's older like most good techs in the tube biz, he can only post so often since he does his videos by himself. New Mexico is definitely not the tube amp Mecca, and good projects just come up once in a while. Also, he has to wait until Jack and Ollie are good and ready to demo the finished amps, they're not so much Johnny-on-the-Spot like Rusty was! Lolollllll, I barely got past that last sentence with a straight face, 😂!!!

[@YeeThirty]

Man i got so much respect for Brad and Uncle Doug... wouldnt know half of what i do about tube audio with out them.

[@leighsayers2628]

😂😂spider mojo 😂😂..haha ..you are a funny man ..

[@rdpurdom]

Saw you cleaning up that chrome chassis. I’ve discovered some great stuff called Never Dull. It’s cheap and at WalMart. Comes in a tin can and it is pre soaked cotton wads. Very gentle yet great cleaner for chrome abd bright metal. Will not scratch! I found it in the automotive cleaner section at WalMart. Works great on all guitar chrome parts, brass, alum etc.. Love your channel Brad. Waiting for you update on your legal issues! We support your fight. Been through that stuff myself!

[@leighsayers2628]

Love your friends blues playing .. fabulous.

[@lozzas-shed]

Hey Brad, another awesome video man, please keep em coming. Best wishes from Oz 👌👍🏻

[@TheGuitologist]

Glad you dug it, Laurie.

[@holmes1978]

Sir that’s so Beautiful those vintage Tweeds amps I Love , and your work you do Excellence well done Pride , as you were saying you should own that one ! Gorgeous. Peace respect.

[@lanceriffle4841]

Great Job and super fun video!

[@toysbackzen]

Really sweet! Great work!

[@R3TR0R4V3]

Man, what a rad lil amp! Super nice shape. I'd be trying to hang on to that one, if I were you. ;) Loved hearing "Fearless" too.. Haven't heard that tune in a long time. Gonna have to give some Floyd a listen now! ✌️

[@hrsey71]

great amp! also, your commentary on this one reminded me of bob ross; especially with the brush haha. just need to add a happy little capacitor in there

[@Bob-Whiting]

@@ZombiedustXXX I take a handfull of happy caps daily! lol

[@6nosis]

I smoke a handful of happy crystals daily…. Really helps my adhd 🤷🏼

[@Bob-Whiting]

@@6nosis I bet!

[@leighsayers2628]

😂😂

[@electroKrunch]

Great work & vid, Brad! Amp sounds awesome, I always like a slightly damaged cone for it's "hanging onto life" sound. Worth envy!! Keep it up man!!

[@bluesingmusic3443]

That Zio has a bit of snarl in those single coils!!! Those old Tweeds make a single coil sound so sweet!!! Beautiful amp!!! To think I was 5 when that bad boy came out!!!

[@payday1963]

Check it out: www.zioguitars.com/

[@jeansj7027]

Great work brother!

[@ibanezleftyclub]

Your making Uncle Doug real proud stuffing those caps :)

[@lonnieo4676]

love that guitar,,, great job Brad...

[@payday1963]

Check it out: www.zioguitars.com/

[@tomk1tl39]

UD did a 'stuff job' on one of his projects with the original electrolytic caps as per customer request....he did a great job on it !

[@VlrGuitarWorld]

A dream amp. Cool content indeed.

[@mykitwigger]

Great video! Wanted to know if you were interested in fixing and modding a Ross Flanger Distortion effect. It defaults to white noise after about 10 minutes...also wanted to be able to put a option switch for flanger before or after distortion.

[@stevelueb7787]

Thanks Brad, You are Absolutely Correct About Tubes!! Tubes last Way Longer than any Music Equipment Store tells ya.

[@holmes1978]

Sir your playing is excellent as well !!!

[@frankhughes5702]

Great video 👍 best amp tech on KZbin! God bless

[@ThePandaProcrastinates]

I like videos like this! Great job!

[@ebudae26]

The only tech who packs heat on his work bench.

[@giulioluzzardi7632]

Re-stuffing cool looking caps is a great idea!

[@TheBigGuppy]

I’ve recapped all my vintage Fenders but they weren’t vintage back in the 70s or 80s. Just used amps.

[@iaingraham4911]

Excellent work KOOL groovy

[@sski]

Vely niice... Tired speaker or no, that amp's a sweet little demon. Cleaned up nicely. Great work as always, Brad. Love the jams at the end. Any time you're in WI I know a drummer and bassist/singer with a killer studio who would love to host your talents. :D

[@desert-paradise]

Nice work, Brad. First time I've seen old caps get re-stuffed like that. I have some old radios I'm restoring, including a tweed Zenith Universal and I might try doing that with it when I re-cap it. Thanks for this enjoyable little trip back to 1962!

[@jeffconley819]

Have you ever tried to convert an old tube radio to a guitar amp. I found one guy that did it years ago with amazing result.

[@joebikeguy6669]

Uncle Doug "stuffed" some caps in a vintage amp awhile ago. Came out nice.

[@mstecker]

You're killing me, man. Now I have to figure out how to play 'Fearless'.

[@kengevers8738]

Oh no, no more wolly bully. Looks good Brad. Nice to see your back. Cheers

[@danytoob]

Hey Brad ... great restore! And no controversy, historical, socio-political or otherwise! Thx ... DT

[@74dartman13]

I have a modern copy of that amp...same tube values. I freakin love it! It growls!👍😎🎸🎶

[@YeeThirty]

I make modern copys in head form lol, right now experimenting with adding a bypassable gain stage using a 6829 and 6DJ8 in the preamp and 6P1P-EV for the power amp same core 5f1 circuit with a few add ons and a diode rectifier using some diodes from an old organ, power transformer is extremely small so diode rectifier is needed if i wanna pull off a 2nd twin triode.

[@74dartman13]

@@YeeThirty cool!👍😎

[@alanmorton527]

Brad great job and care on this restore,I am impressed at your care to details. You rock dude I noticed from your demo a book with schematics would you share your resource. Many thanks Fonz60

[@Dutchamp]

Nice recap

[@ylelevier]

You have to hand it Leo for designing something to be loud and in as small a package as possible. He definitely had giging players in mind.

[@holmes1978]

Sounds Great !!!

[@WendysAnime]

Love the random gun on the table

[@geronimostade8279]

Good job!

[@mattbortz10]

Definitely sounds better than my 1980 Champ!

[@noisefuljoy]

Did I just hear some old Meddle era Pink Floyd (A Pillow Of Wind)? Whtever one that had "You'll Never Walk Alone" at the end...You're the best.

[@krasht1]

The song is "Fearless" off of "Meddle"

[@MrWilly2204]

Great video.

[@Jstall7543]

Brad! Your Back! Yes!

[@mark64tanner]

great info brother. thanks 👍✌😎

[@robbysguitars8223]

I'd love to hear a strat thru that thing. I loved the old Floyd, my friend.

[@graxjpg]

Me too, I really want to build an amp like this, and also a tweed bassman for my strat.

[@keithhuckabee9859]

Finally someone I agree with on amp repair.

[@johnmorris1266]

When I was in high school, the janitor threw away 12 of those in the dumpster when the music department got new ones. My buddy and I tried to claim a few but we got caught and told we couldn't dumpster dive, we came back later that day and someone beat us to them 😢

[@TheGuitologist]

Ouch

[@mark5150ty]

Hey man next time you clean one of those break out the water hose in a wire brush🤣🤣🤣

[@R3TR0R4V3]

Bwahahaha! Oh, god, THAT guy. 🤣 You gotta make sure you you're randomly walking along the river bank, then magically discover this laying there in the mud first though. 😅 Might as well paint all the caps & resistors red afterwards too! 😉

[@scottmulrooney3130]

Uh yeah, clean all the pots, jacks, tube sockets THEN brush all that debris around the chassis. Good times people.

[@mark5150ty]

@@scottmulrooney3130 dude it's a joke. We are longtime viewers and we know the joke and so does Brad.

[@scottmulrooney3130]

@@mark5150ty And so do I.

[@mark5150ty]

@@scottmulrooney3130 sorry you're comments didn't seem like you're being sarcastic.

[@R1GAMBLER]

2 favorite amps... MATAMP GT120 ♥️ FENDER CHAMP ♥️

[@graxjpg]

These amps, along with the tweed bassmans are totally lightning in a bottle. Thanks for letting us zap ourselves with this lovely information

[@howabouthetruth2157]

What a nice little amp. I used to own an old black face Champ. Don't know if he was using a tweed or a black face, but they say Joe Walsh used a little Champ on those classic studio albums.

[@ThunderExpress]

I have a handmade Champ that i got a couple years back, never been a Fender guy, i'm all about distortion, but man, i really liked the sound of that amp. Need to send it to repair, i believe the power transformer gave up for some reason.

[@paulcowart3174]

Nice lacquered tweed..I have a 61 Princeton tremolo in brown Rolex cream knobs

[@joelaughlin2815]

Freedom!! Stand up for what’s right! Best stuff on u tube!

[@deepwater2652]

Sounds BOSS!

[@silaszimmermann5177]

No one is gonna mention the weapon haha ? I love it how it lays next to you until it somehow dissapears around 32:55. Germans going crazy :D BTW @The Guitologist found your Channel a few days ago and i love it. You do a great Job and its just a pleasure to watch you !

[@BMichel347]

Loved that old Pink Floyd 🎸

[@rolandpeachie9807]

1965 My Cousin loaned me his Champ and Duo Sonic, I had it about a year and then he decided he wanted it back-with broken heart I returned his guitar and amp only to hear that about a year later his house got ripped off and good bye amp and guitar, both of the early 60's vintage.. I wouldn't mind another Champ, I gave my Daughter my Strat and Super Reverb (65 original) but still have a Strat and a Pignose, - believe it or not a Pignose is pretty good for bedroom playing.

[@davidkelsey7937]

Hello, great video. Could you please share what you used to polish the chassis. I have an old Harvard that could use that kind of love. Thank you

[@soapboxearth2]

I just took the original tubes out of my 1973 Traynor YBA-1. the preamp ones anyway... 2 were microphonic. I'll keep them. Not bad for 48 years old

[@kevinolson1710]

L❤ve it Brad, Smooth as Makers Mark and as smokey as a Tatuaje Miami.👍

[@jjn11235]

That's the nicest sounding Champ I think I've ever heard. I'm curious about the voltages.

[@Stasisofseasons]

Dude, hell yeah! That was so cool! When I get moved, I really need someone to look at my twin, I'm not bothering with that right now, it's a reissue 68 custom and it's likely something fucking stupid just haven't had a chance to look it over due to moving and the like, either way good to see the videos again! pretty pissed I wasn't getting notifications even though the bell is rung!

[@roncarter2188]

What a gem of an amp.