|
Making Champ 5F1 (or other Tweed
era amps) Louder
by Mike Marsh
How can I make my Champ 5F1 circuit or other Tweed Era amps louder?
The champ 5F1 is
not a
very loud amp. It wasn’t designed to be. That is why so many have
enjoyed it as a bedroom practice amp and useful (when set up properly)
as a great sounding recording amp. That said, there are two relatively
simple ways get a bit more volume and punch out of the Champ 5F1.
-
Replace the
rectifier tube from the stock 5Y3GT to a rectifier with less internal
resistance. This will serve to raise the plate voltage on the 6V6
power tube and thus add the bit of extra volume and Punch. 5V4 or 5AR
are preferred for this mod.
-
If the amp isn’t
loud enough then amplify it!!! It may seem an odd way to go but many
professionals (including Eric Clapton) like the tone of the Champs
circuit so much that they record their albums with it and some even
gig with it. For these applications a mod that adds a line level
output is the answer. The line out connection into a PA is being used
more and more by touring pros. For details on how to do this mod email
with info on that ohmage your output trannie is.
Back
To Tech Tips Home |
