Dumpster find

[335clone]

So I was at the dump this weekend, and while tossing out an old mixing board in the e-waste bin, I see an amp. Flip it over, and it's a Fender Champion 110. Kinda rough condition, multiple rips in the dirty tolex, which was also lifting up at a few seams. Looks like it got wet, and some of the particle board is swollen. The dump has a NO scavenging policy, but I asked one of the guys if I could recycle it. He said he didn't care. Took it home, cleaned it up and plugged it in to see if it worked. Perfect. Sure, it's just a 25w SS amp with a 10" speaker, but it was FREEEEEEEE!

So my question is what is the difference between a Champion 110 and Frontman 25R?

Both are 25W SS with reverb, T/M/B tone controls, 2 channel, footswitch, headphone and ext speaker jack. 10" speaker.

The clean channel is nice and chimey, and the dirt channel is useless except for a low gain OD tone, just like a 25R.

I will post pics eventually, but it's not anything spectacular.

Thinking about seeing if my sons friend wants to make a new cab for it. He is apprenticing in a cabinet shop, and has talked about learning to make amp and speaker cabs. I figure if he does a great jub, I will just stain it, and if it's a bit ugly I can use it as a platform for learning to put down tweed tolex. It's silverface now, but I see an oxblood grille cloth in it's future.

 

[Knox in Box]

Definitely give it to the kid for practice. It could be a nice little side business recabbing old beat up amps.

 

[Chad]

I've recovered a few amps, it's not difficult. The easiest way to do it, is to carefully remove the existing tolex and use it as a template.

 

[Andrew Sak]

Sounds like a great practice amp. This is begging for a song. 'Dumpster Diving'. The discovery, the clean up, the jam.

Maybe a concept album. 2020.

What can this strange device be?

 

[335clone]

I've recovered a few amps, it's not difficult. The easiest way to do it, is to carefully remove the existing tolex and use it as a template.

That was my plan.

 

[335clone]

Definitely give it to the kid for practice. It could be a nice little side business recabbing old beat up amps.

That is what I have been telling him, even before I found this. I wanted him to build a speaker cab for an old 12" speaker I have anyway.

 

[335clone]

I've recovered a few amps, it's not difficult. The easiest way to do it, is to carefully remove the existing tolex and use it as a template.

The fact that the "wood" got wet and the tolex is lifting tells me it should be pretty easy.

 

[Chad]

The fact that the "wood" got wet and the tolex is lifting tells me it should be pretty easy.

a hair dryer or heat gun helps too.

 

[Bob411]

HNAD

 

[335clone]

Anyone know if there is an actual difference between the 2 amps, or is it the same amp in a slightly different package and year range? I'm leaning towards the latter.

 

[Bob411]

No clue. I found this. No idea if it's correct or not. Basically saying Champion came first, was replaced by Frontman.

https://www.tdpri.com/threads/champion-110-vs-frontman-25r.406171/

 

[Steverino]

Took it home, cleaned it up and plugged it in to see if it worked. Perfect.

I'll never understand why someone would throw away a working amp, or a working anything. Their toss is your gain!

 

[335clone]

No clue. I found this. No idea if it's correct or not. Basically saying Champion came first, was replaced by Frontman.

https://www.tdpri.com/threads/champion-110-vs-frontman-25r.406171/

Yeah, I saw that as well.

 

[335clone]

So the headphone out is sucky and sounds like the dirt channel is on but is clean when unplugged. I plan on pulling the amp out of the chassis and cleaning it up.


What it boils down to is that I also have a 25R I put a Ragin' Cajin in a while back, and is in better shape. Trying to decide if there is any reason to put much effort into this one if it's the same as my cleaner 25R. I think the combo cabinet is slightly larger on the 110 vs 25R, but I have not put them next to each other yet to verify. I don't use the headphone out too much, so it's not a deal breaker. Just not completely sure what to do with 2 25w SS practice amps.

 

[Bob411]

Maybe make it a head?

 

[335clone]

Maybe make it a head?

Thought about that, for both actually. If I have the kid make a 12" speaker cab plus a couple of head enclosures it could be cool.

 

[shoeless]

I'll never understand why someone would throw away a working amp, or a working anything. Their toss is your gain!

I never got that either. I mean, if you just don't want it anymore and can't be bothered with trying to sell it, just donate it to a charity or local public school. Anywhere is better than the landfill.

 

[335clone]

It got wet, the particle board is a bit soggy.

The only thing that is wrong with it is the headphone jack is whack and sounds clipped and distorted, with the amp running the clean channel.

Anyone know of a good source of 1/4 PCB mount female jacks?

 

[FLEURNOIR]

That is what I have been telling him, even before I found this. I wanted him t auto clicker word unscrambler jumble solver o build a speaker cab for an old 12" speaker I have anyway.

. He said he didn't care. Took it home, cleaned it up and plugged it in to see if it worked. Perfect. Sure, it's just a 25w SS amp with a 10" speaker, but it was FREEEEEEEE!
So my question is what is the difference between a Champion 110 and Frontman 25R?

 

[OGG]

I'll never understand why someone would throw away a working amp, or a working anything. Their toss is your gain!

Several years ago my wife spotted a guy putting a Fender Frontman 212 out on the curb with the trash so she "rescued" it for me.

Damned thing was near mint condition but had a blown speaker. Everything else was tip top. Found an exact match replacement speaker for it on CL for $25. Put it in, and it worked fantastic. Turned right around and sold the amp on CL for $200. Total win!