If you’re interested to find out if Fender Champion 40 is a good amp or not, don’t worry – you’ve come to the right part of the Internet! In today’s article, I’m going to take a very close look on that popular and affordable model. A lot of guitarists claim that this is one of the best cheap amps made by Fender, but is it actually that good?
The truth is that Fender Champion 40 offers a great value for the money. It’s powerful and it gives you access to a really wide range of different tones. No matter how advanced guitar player you are, you’ll definitely enjoy the high quality of this combo!
Let’s dive deeper with research to find out what exactly makes the Fender Champion 40 so good and so popular. Firstly, we’ll have a look at the specifications and the main advantages of that model. We’ll also investigate if it has any flaws. Hopefully, this guide will help you to figure out if this amp is a good fit for you and your style of playing.
Specs & Pricing
Fender Champion 40 is a solid-state amp designed for the most demanding guitarists out there. It’s a really versatile and affordable piece of gear that can be used by pretty much all musicians out there. In fact, it’s one of the most popular amps manufactured by Fender!
What makes it so popular? Well, the combo features 40 Watts of power, a 12″ Fender Special Design speaker, two separate channels and several built-in effects such as chorus, tremolo, delay and many more. What’s important, there’s also a headphone jack, so you can easily practice without making too much noise.
It is also worth mentioning that Fender Champion 40 is really well made and it looks fantastic from the outside too. The combo features a classic design – a black vinyl covering, a silver grille cloth and black vintage-style knobs. Honestly, it’s really tough not to love that legendary design!
When it comes to pricing, it’s not the cheapest combo in the world, but at the same time it’s not overly expensive. It’s a bit more expensive than Fender Champion 20, but it’s less expensive than Fender Champion 100. Surely, it offers a fantastic value for that amount of money – it’s definitely not overpriced.
Overall, Fender Champion 40 exceeds all the expectations. It has everything that you need from a solid-state combo at this price level – it’s versatile, loud and really functional. That’s why I highly encourage you to check it out!
Here’s the sound demo – feel free to check it out below.
Who Is It For?
Fender Champion 40 is suitable for both amateur and more intermediate guitar players. It doesn’t really matter how advanced you are – you will definitely appreciate the high quality and versatility of that combo.
The amp is loaded with various different amp voicings and built-in effects, so it can be used in a lot of different styles of music. Whether you like the subtle, bluesy overdrive or the experimental and weird sounding chorus and vibrato – this amp won’t disappoint you.
It is also worth mentioning that the Champion 40 tends to be pretty loud. As a result, it can be efficiently used for home practice, band rehearsals and even small gigs.
This combo will also be a good choice for anyone who doesn’t want to spend too much on a new piece of gear. As I mentioned before, it’s actually a pretty affordable amp, so it’s within reach of any guitarist. If you don’t want to overpay – this amp is for you.
Overall, Fender Champion 40 offers a fantastic quality for the money. I have no hesitation in recommending this combo to all musicians who are looking for a good sounding, inexpensive and reliable piece of gear.
Here’s an another sound demo – feel free to check it out below.
Disadvantages Of Fender Champion 40
Although Fender Champion 40 is generally a great combo, it’s not a high-end guitar amplifier. There’s a few things that may be considered as disadvantages of this amp, but of course – it all depends on what you’re looking for. Here’s a few things that you should be aware of.
Firstly, this is a solid-state amp, so it will never be as responsive to touch as an expensive tube amp. It’s not necessarily a disadvantage, but if you’re looking for a really unique tube-like tone, the Champion 40 may not be the best choice for you.
Additionally, in most cases the Champion 40 comes without a footswitch. This is not a huge con, but if you like to play or perform with a footswitch you’ll have to get it separately. But again, if you’re just a beginner, you probably won’t even need it anyway.
What’s important, the Champion 40 is also packed with a lot of different amp voicings and built-in effects. This is actually a big advantage of that amp, but at the same time, it makes things confusing for beginners. It will take you a while to memorize everything and you’ll have to spend some time to find your favorite settings.
Summing up, the main disadvantages of Fender Champion 40 are:
- it will never sound like a real tube amp
- there’s no footswitch included
- at first it may be confusing for beginners – it offers a lot of different settings
Still, Fender Champion 40 is one of the best solid state amps that you can possibly find at this price level. Honestly, it will be really tough to beat it. That’s why I highly encourage you to check it out!
Fender Champion 20 vs Fender Champion 40
Many guitarists wonder whether they should choose the Fender Champion 20 or Fender Champion 40. Both of these amps are really good, but which one of them is actually better?Well, the truth is that it all depends on your personal preferences.
In my opinion, the Champion 20 works better as an amp for home practice, while the Champion 40 is better for small gigs and rehearsals with the band.
The main difference between these amps is the fact that the Champion 20 has just one channel, while the Champion 40 has two channels. This is a really important feature, because it gives you more versatility while playing live. The Champion 40 is also louder, but at the same time it’s not as portable as the Champion 20.
Still, I’m sure that no matter which amp you decide to choose, you won’t be disappointed. If you don’t necessarily need a loud combo, choose the 20-Watt version. But if you’re planning on playing gigs or rehearsing, grab the 40-Watt one!
Here’s a really good video about these amps that you can also check out.
Are There Any Alternatives?
If you don’t like the sound of Fender Champion 40 and you’re sure that this combo is not made for you, that’s totally fine! There’s still quite a few other really good amps that also deserve a lot of attention. Of course, it all depends on what you’re looking for and how much are you willing to spend.
Here’s a few more amps that you can also check out if you’re searching for a similar amp for home practice and rehearsals.
Firstly, I encourage you to check out the Marshall MG15G. This is an another really good and great sounding solid-state amp suitable for home practice and rehearsals with the band. It’s inexpensive and it offers the classic Marshall tone, which is perfect for rock and blues. If that’s what you’re looking for, make sure to check it out!
If your budget is a bit higher, you can also consider getting the Peavey Classic 30. This is a high quality tube combo that can be efficiently used for home practice, band rehearsals, live gigs and recording in the studio. I have to admit that this is one of my all-time favorites, so I can totally confirm that this tube amp offers a truly amazing quality.
Alternatively, you can also check out the VOX Pathfinder 10. This is a pretty cheap and small amp designed mainly for home practice. I had the pleasure to test it out on my own and I’m positive that even more advanced players will appreciate the high quality of that amp – it’s not only for beginners.
Still, Fender Champion 40 has everything that you need from a solid-state amp of that size at this price level. It will be really difficult to find something better, so I think that it’s really worth it to stick with that option. I’m sure that you won’t be disappointed!
FAQ
Where is Fender Champion 40 made?
Fender Champion 40 is currently manufactured in Indonesia.
Where can I find the manual to that amp?
The manual to the Champion 40 combo can be found here.
Where can I learn more about Fender amps?
If you want to find out more about the amplifiers made by this legendary manufacturer, check out the official website of Fender.
Summary
As you can see, Fender Champion 40 is a truly amazing guitar combo. Considering how versatile and affordable it is, it’s definitely one of the best solid state amps that you can find at this price level. That’s why I have no hesitation in recommending it to all guitar players who are searching for a high quality piece of gear!
What do you think about the Champion 40? Would you get it for yourself? Leave a comment down below and let me know what you think, I’m really interested to hear your thoughts!
Thanks for checking out today’s review, hopefully it was helpful. If you enjoyed this article and you’re looking for more gear recommendations, you may also like:
