Fender Super Champ X2 Head Reviews

4.3/5.0 based on 12 customer reviews

Write your own review for this product

Sort By Date Sort By Rating

Customer Reviews

from
March 29, 2013Music Background:
Hobbist

Super Champ X2

Love it. I can get the exact sound I have had in my head with this amp. I had to get down and dirty with the fuse program to get it. I'm stuck on the 59 Bassman with some slap back echo. I do not like many of the British or metal stuff, it is just not me, but the old fender stuff is great.

Russell St George
from NY
April 7, 2012Music Background:
Semi pro musician (guitarist,vocalist)

super champ x2 head

Has a great sound thru my Deluxe cabinet and sounds incredible, a bigger sound than the Blues Jr. The 16 different amp models really sound great and the effects are awesome. This is by far the best sounding amp for the money and seams to be built tough enough. If only they had included the foot pedal, I would have paid the extra, now I have to go out and buy one. Anyway go try one and see for yourself , they have that Fender all the way tone!!

Chris
from Chicago, USA
October 4, 2012Music Background:
hobbyist

Solid

Sounds great, lots of choices. I like the fake Vox and Marshall. Obviously, they fenders sound great. I don't like the "compressed/heavy" versions of some amps. It's more of an audible peak squashing than a natural compression to my ears. But that stuff is icing on the cake, so not a major complaint. The metal stuff sounds a little thin, but I'm not a metal guy. I paired the head with an Egnater 1x12 cabinet I already had and it sounds great. The sound seemed a little tighter on the in-store demo (the combo version), but that could have been the smaller speaker.

Haven't used the computer tweaking stuff, probably won't ever.

In general, I love this thing. The amp models have lots of character and sound great. You have to tweak for each model and for different guitars, you can't just sit the knobs at 5. I don't use the effects much. I like a pure amp sound. I think this modeling is a cut above the fender mustang and line6. i would say that this amp has less range than the vox modeling amps (which I like), but the models are definitely more robust/complex/whatever.

Ryan Curran
from New Haven, CT
July 27, 2012Music Background:
Recording Engineer, Hobbyist

AWESOME AFFORDABLE HEAD

I bought this amp for versatility and it certainly is versatile. Matched with my Avatar Cabinet it's butter. Channel 1 is the great champ sound but Channel 2 is where all the fun lies. All the amp simulations are great except the Hi Gain settings, presets 13-15. I especially love the Ac-30 emulation. Adding to the sixteen presets is easy too, because of the USB function. I removed some compression from a few of the presets with ease just by downloading Fender Fuse. It saves your edits right on the amp. The effects are pretty sweet as well. When I record I can easily dial up some different settings for doubling guitars . . with just a simple twist of the effects knob. I especially like the Reverb and Tremolo. I give this amp 4.5 stars because there's no mid on the eq and I would love the ability to select different effects via footswitch. For the Price though, I can't complain. Anybody looking for a tube amp / line 6 emulation style amp this is the way to go. Makes a great beginners guitar head.

gilbert dakanay
from newnan, ga
June 17, 2012Music Background:
hobbyist

best $250 spent on gear!

I've been an on-and-off guitar hobbyist for the longest time, and have been playing through solid state amps ever since. it's my first time owning a tube amp and i couldn't be much more happier with my purchase. for me it's money well spent. thanks to sweetwater and fender for the 50 dollar price rollback. this is the best choice for a 250 dollar tube amp, and the sound it creates is not actually bad. lush clear cleans, 16 amp voices. i'm satisfied. also, my thanks to tony dayton for the usual support.

Sport
from W. Michigan, USA
March 1, 2012Music Background:
20 years

Lotsa Fender Bang for the Buck

Real tube amp head w/12AX7 Preamp Tube & a pair of 6V6 Power Tubes. It has 2 channels: 1 clean and another that you use for the 16 different voicings. They range from Tweed Bassman to '80's British to 2000 Metal. My favorites are the '65 Princeton Dirty and the Supersonic. There are also 15 built in effects ranging from delay to reverb to chorus. My favorite is one of the (count 'em) FOUR different reverbs: Classic Fender Spring Reverb. Overall, a great value with very good tone and something for every player. Constructive criticism? A standby switch would be nice, as well as a footswitch (sold separately). However, for under $300 you can't go wrong here. I have a 212 cab with Celestion Greenbacks and it sounds great for blues, country or rock. I don't think you can buy a better amp head for the money. If you have a nice cab, you should give this a shot. You can can spend WAY more for a boutique low wattage tube head (I've had a few). This stands up to them quite well.

Rich G
from Trumbull, CT USA
February 25, 2012Music Background:
semi pro guitarist and vocalist

Super Champ X2 Head makes it!

First a trivial observation, the Super Champ X2 head has the same Super-Sonic type Fender Logo as the cab and combo version. Not like the standard photos.

I've been playing guitar for 47 years. (Yeah I should be better than I am.) But one thing I have always focused on is tone. Volume isn't that important anymore. I used to drag around a '65 Bandmaster which was a loud 40W of tube tone and power. Then went solid state so I didn't need to haul around a backup. That was a Fender Stage, a solid 100W with nice DSP effects.For practice I really like the VOX VT-30 with its amp models and 12AX7 tube in the power amplifier...but I have been craving the real thing again. The Super Champ X2 is a dream! Clean channel is pure Fender tube tone which starts to saturate sweetly on about 6 on the dial. Played through the Bandmaster cab (2x12) it wails. With a Gibson LP the humbuckers drive it perfectly for rock and blues. I don't miss the MID range tone control. This little monster is quite versatile with BASS and TREBLE controls. It sounds great with my Strat and Tele as you might expect. Fenders love Fenders and Gibsons and Epiphones and...

The VOICING control on CH2 is a lot of fun. It is also a clean and easy interface to a host of amp models. I am not much of a metal fan, but it gives me pause how cool the LP sounded driving power chords through this set up with both of the metal selections. The Super-Sonic setting really captures the modern high gain Fender sounds I've made playing through a 22W Super-Sonic and adjusting the CH2 GAIN sounded just like the original. The British 60's models are obviously VOX AC clean and top boost. Not because of the name, but because of the tone! Still, my favorite settings are the Tweeds and Blackface Fenders. In particular the 65 Deluxe. The effects section is really well done. Reverbs sound correct. Fender had a really good emulated spring reverb in the DSP series Stage and this is a match. I like the addition of the touch tempo for tremolo, delay and vibratone. I only wish the reverb was separate so I could mix it with tremolo. In general the effects are good. The slapback delay gives a nice rock-a-billy vibe! And all the modulation type effects can have their rate set via tap tempo.

I haven't done anything with the Fuse software yet except read the manual. It looks extremely powerful. Amp models and stompboxes can be added to and modified. I recommend taking a read of the Fuse manuals on the Fender website. For those with the Mustang series this old news but the Super Champ has an extra added attraction for me, a simple user interface. And oh yeah! A real tube amplifier to drive the models through. What you do with your fingers on the strings and fretboard is communicated with the warmth and sensitivity of real tubes.

With the 2x12 cab this thing can rattle the windows even though its only 15W. I have the SC112 cab on order and will write that up when it arrives. I really like the deeper bass response of closed cabinets. The Super Champ X2 can easily keep up with a drummer and bass player. My primary playing out these days is with a contemporary church band. Two drummers, keyboards, bass and 2 guitars as well as singers. This amp can easily fill our 500 seat venue and is light enough to keep me (and my back) happy.

Summary: light, quality build, great tube sound, good amp models, good effects, easy interface, great price. This is a winner!

John
from Boise Id. U.S.A
January 2, 2013Music Background:
Hobbyist, of many

Fantastic little amp.

For the money, I think you would have a hard time beating this little head. The only thing I didn't like about it was where Fender put the on/off switch. The clean channel is kinda clean, not quite as clean and snappy as a Tone King, or Vox but for 274.00$ It's a great little amp. Compare this to Peavy Vypyr, I chose the Super Champ X2 hands down.

Dave
from Redding, CA USA USA USA USA ALL THE WAY!
July 17, 2012Music Background:
Hobbyist

Not an XD for sure!

I have the XD and my friend has the X2. We A/B them with the same settings and found the XD has the mojo!!! The X2 is lifeless and dull using the gain channel compared to the XD. I can only assume Fender spread the power out through the USB section resulting in a loss of SOUND! VERY SAD! Sure, it does make it easy to connect and adjust via the computer but that comes at a BIG PRICE! The XD is IMHO "THE ONE"! Since I have placed my BELOVED XD in a solid pine cabinet and upgraded the speaker to an Eminence GOVERNOR which made a HUGE DIFFERENCE from the Rajun Cajun although that sounded great also! The governor has given me nuances and sparkle along with headroom the RC just could not! Truly these are both great amps, yet the XD BLOWS AWAY THE X2! Fender should either figure a way to obtain the USB function WITHOUT BLEED-THROUGH aka LEAKAGE OR RETURN TO THE XD FORMAT!!!!! THE XD IS THE BOMB!!!!!

shawn
from montana
March 29, 2012Music Background:
pro retired

great amp

Note You can store fuse settings to amp. Read manual again. compared next to my deluxe reverb ,sounds lifeless , but this is a practice amp . The features are all very good if used in moderation with the tubes natural distortion . very marshall like and fender like. Good time's all around. pick speaker that is not to brite. Amp can be brittle thru jensens.

JD Smith
from Jamestown NY
March 13, 2012Music Background:
Been playing for 50 years, play in church and blues at home.

Fender Super Champ X2 head

I'm really liking this amp in head form. I had a SCXD a few years ago and traded it for a blues jr. and regretted it ever since. The X2 is basically the same amp. If you really can save the setting using the FUSE software, I haven't figured that out yet. I have a Mustang II and saving presets is a piece of cake. I have the 1-12 cab that goes with this amp and I'm not impressed with that. Like the XD I think a speaker upgrade is in order. I'm looking at the Eminence Patriot Swamp Thang, I had the Ragin Cajun in the XD and loved it.

Rex Masters
from SLC
February 29, 2012Music Background:
35 yrs. Masters in Music theory.

TRYING TO DO WAY TOO MUCH AT ONE TIME

I have the Super Champ XD and it walks all over the X2. The X2 is dull and lifeless on the gain channel. The clean channel is wonderfull. The Fuse interface does give you some more options for the gain channel, but it still remains dull. I have ran the XD and the X2 on mulitiple cabs with different speakers and the XD is the one on top. For me the last thing I want to do is lugg around a Laptop to control the effects on my amp when I am playing a 10,000 seat venue. It is not reliable since you cannot store the fuse setting directly into the head. It would be great if it was a 2 channel tube head instead of the 2 channel crap it tries to do. Its not a Marshall and will never stand up to one, "I put it next to many amps and the only quality sound is the CLEAN channel" I will be giving this head away very soon.