Fender Champion 40 1x12" 40-watt Combo Amp Reviews

Sounds great more than I need. Glad I got it. Great price. Many settings learning lots.

Can't say enough good things about this amp, so I'll rant & rave about the features I like. It is light weight & easy to carry, which is a plus for us older folks. The sound is terrific, I play a Squier classic vibe tele with this amp & can't tell the difference between it and the Fender tube amps. Next to receive praise is how easy the effects are to use. No need for a blue tooth, smart phone, pass word & user name to use the effects. This is a plus for us older technically handy caped old guys. So there you have it, all the news you can use about the Champ 40.

What a great little amp! I'm amazed by the variety of tones and effects delivered effortlessly by this amplifier. There's plenty of volume for my purposes as well. A very portable gig amp. I love it.

Great amp .you guys got it to me in two days . That was awesome. My tech guy David Hess is the best . Thank you sweetwater .

just fer fun i swapped the fender original speaker for a Jensen N12K Neodymium speaker ( type used in tone master deluxe ) ,
well , mother of all flying cucumbers , fantastic sound , exactly the tone ive been searching for . The champion 40 with the N12K speaker is smooth and even with just the right sparkle . Tried many diff speakers but celestians had a " high note spike , cannabis rex was better but a bit too dirty , left the original in until now ...the N12K Neodymium ... has found its home , latah gatahs

I received the amp as a gift and it's everything I could have hoped for. I love the vintage look. This amp is easy to use, has lots of sound options, a headphone jack, and the volume range is great! I can practice on a low volume setting with great sound, and it can get really loud as well. This is absolutely a great choice for someone who is new to electric guitar.

Excellent customer service, provided by friendly staff who ensure speedy delivery. Thanks Sweetwater!

This Is A great starter amp for anyone that plans on seriously playing. You could even do a small set/gig with it. The internal fx are amazing for less than $ this is perhaps the best amp in this price range.

I'm a beginner and this is my 1st amp, I did my research and super glad I picked this one, all the features work great, Also picked up a Epiphone casino coupe from Sweetwater, I'm 65 and loving this stuff, I highly recommend sweetwater.

A special thanks to Jonathan Casarow for hand-selecting this prime amp. I can't find any negatives, and I'm super picky. The good: Thailand construction is flawless. There are no loose screws, dings or marks of any kind. Even the insides are nicely finished. It's quiet as a church mouse, even at high volume levels. There's no hum or hissing. Fender has used and developed these amp and effects models for quite a while. They are similar to those in the Super Champ X2, but these are better. I didn't expect to like the stock speaker, and planned on switching it out to a Cannabis Rex or other speaker. But at lower volumes, the lows are full and rich, and there are no ice-pick highs. At gigging volumes, I would change the speaker to get more headroom. The chorus sounds are surprisingly good, and the hall reverb is tops. The tap feature works fine. I had no trouble with D tuning. The sounds are rich and full, as if from a much larger enclosure. I especially liked the gain on channel two. You can turn it WAY up, without noise, and get a great distortion sound at lower volumes. Of all the amps I've played through in the last few decades, I honestly feel this may be Fender's best value. You get soooooo much amp for your dollars.

this is the 2nd champion 40 amp i've purchased from sweetwater....i regrettably let the first one go
with a guitar i sold to a friend of mine...
surprised to see on the back, this one was manufactured in thailand...the other one was made in china...

they both get 5 star ratings...i've been playing on a fender champion 20 amp for around a year now,
and wanted a little heavier sound i get with the champion 40...both are very good amps...and i play at
bedroom levels....."2" on the volume, and "3" on gain for both champion 20 & 40 amps....

in fact, i sent the boss katana back because i could not duplicate the fender tones i get with the champion 40...
sounds great with my 3 les paul guitars....i use the "tweed deluxe" & "blackface '65 deluxe" voicings...
cannot get those sounds on anything but my fender amps!!!

Recently got this amp as a birthday gift. It's everything I wanted from an amp and more. Great for practice and even a solid choice for recording. Love it!

These are great amps, I had a Vox Super beetle in H.S. our sponsor conjured up for us. new one. I never tried Fender amps and thought they were too bright. But play one, and you want one. The Champ 40 is on Sale, Grab one.

Home is where my Champ 40 came. What they say about Fender is true. I will hotrod this 12". soon. It sounds like a perfect sound. It is beautiful handed down. Lasting beauty.

At first glance, it may seem like an average amp, but it's surprisingly a quality amp! It's loud enough for gigs, and for home use. Its sound is also amazing, producing great tone for recording.

I previously owned the Champion 20, it does what that does, but better! I highly recommend this amp, for beginners and pro's.

It works and sounds great.

sounds awesome and very well made I" M thinking of getting the 100-watt version.

LOUD, QUIET, CLEAN, DIRTY, AMP MODELING, EFFECTS WITH TAP BUTTON. . . .WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED?
GREAT FOR PRACTICE, RECORDING, SMALL GIGS (larger ones if you mic it…and you may not have to do that. 40w holds its own).
2 channels. Switchable between clean and dirty sound.

I wanted a solid practice amp without too many bells and whistles and that is exactly what I got. I took the advice of another reviewer who upgraded the speaker to Cannabis Rex and it's fantastic!

I've always loved Fender amps and this one is no exception. Perfect for all my needs. I do a lot of recording and this sounds great in my home studio. I use it for guitar and my electric piano also sounds great through this amp. Highly recommended.

I bought this Amp 3 Days ago and it was delivered in 3 Days. I read the reviews to see all the positive feedback about the Champion 40 with the exception of a few. Ive been a full time professional musician for over 50 years. The Fender twin that I've used over the years I still have but it's just to Heavy for this 71 year old Jazz Guitarist to lug around.The Champion 40 is not the Fender Twin by far but I will tell it has enough power to fill a good size room with a four piece band no problem. I can get the sound I want out of this amp and then some. It has effects if you use them,I use the reverb which is pretty close to fender spring reverb.I recommend this Amp Highly and it's only 19 lbs.Buy it you'll be Amazed!!

Love my Fender Champion 40. Great sounding amp & Sweetwater shipped it to me fast & a very reasonable price

I order my Fender champion 40 on Friday and received it the next day. This is the second Fender I have owned and the not counting Fender guitars. Pure enjoy playing om the champion 40 the voice effects are great.If I was still in a band it would fit right in .

i have the champion 20 and 40 amps....
mostly play here at the house, so i bought the 20 as a bedroom amp for my three les paul's
and fender acoustic-electric...

wanted a little deeper, richer sound and the 40 is perfect for that...
if you're looking for a solid bedroom amp and only want to purchase one
or the other, buy the champion 40....it sounds great at low volume...

the only advantage to having both is, the champion 20 is good for moving from room to room...

For home practice and small gigs. You cannot get a better amp. This little beauty has a range of tones and enough column to have your neighbors pounding on your door. It's an excellent, little practice amp.

If there were 100 stars to rate this transaction, I would be giving it 100 stars.That should pretty much tell you everything but I am far from done. The customer service is fantastic. I found 2 amps that I like and couldn't decide on which one. I ended up take the Fender Champion 40. I have always been a Fender guy, so when Kenny recommended that over the other one that I was thinking about, I went with it. I spoke with Kenny over the telephone which made the customer service much more personal. He also helped me a bit with the pricing which sweetened the deal. There was a minor problem with the delivery. This was not a Sweetwater problem but rather a Fedex issue. Kenny, who was apparently tracking my order noticed there was an issue. He got back in touch with me and with the help of his shipping team, had it all straightened pretty quickly. I figured that I would have to deal with this myself, but like I said, before I even had a chance to do anything about it, he called me and got it handled. I want to keep praising Sweetwater and my new gear guy but I think I have said enough. Thanks!

Love my Fender Champion 40 amp. Lots of effects and sounds to play with and learn. Very pleased. Very versatile amp, great for using with headphones so as not to disturb the condo neighbors. Small footprint, portable but packed with lots of features. Sweetwater reps and delivery were excellent. Highly recommend this amp.

I mainly use this amp for my Rhodes piano at home for practising / recording, although I play a little guitar too.
It's worth so much more than its price tag. Takes effect pedals really well!

Received my Champion 40 a couple of hours ago and it is a great combo amp for my needs. When it comes to amps I try to keep it simple and this fits that bill perfectly. Has a great tone and plenty of volume for home but I'm thinking this would work in a small combo setting and I'm sure if it was miked and put through a PA system it could stand up and be heard. As always Sweetwater and delivered fast and in excellent condition and of course my Sales Engineer Clay McCown was involved and concerned as he always seems to be. Great job!

Love the tones that I can get from this beauty. Great first amp for me! Flick the channel select button and zoom from sweet to crunchy metal tones love it!

This is my first guitar amp and it rocks everything I want is right there. Effects- check, amp voicing- check what more could you ask for for a beginner?

I bought this amp with one thing in mind, to see how well a SS amp would stack up against a Tube Amp. The amp arrived in excellent condition. I love the Classic Fender look. Lots of sonic opportunities in this baby! However my issue was with the speaker. While not bad, it could never compare to a better sounding speaker. So I ordered a replacement speaker from Sweetwater. I chose the Eminence Swamp Thang. Wow! A Thang of Beauty! It paired perfectly with the Campion 40. Yes you can make a SS amp sound incredible. As others have found, this bedroom amp can become very gig worthy with a simple 10 min upgrade. I love mine.

I've owned expensive tube amps, modeling amps, combo etc... If your looking for good vintage style tone in a decent practice amp... This is fantastic.
I find the voicings more organic sounding than most modeling amps I've tried.
Nice clean channel, when using pedals.
Lightweight, and surprisingly well voiced for the price.
Haven't tried onboard FX, because I have pedals, so I can't speak to those.

I have used this amp for practice for over a year now and it is a very good practice amp. It has a 1/8 inch aux in for your computer jam tracks, which is convenient. I put a good speaker in mine and that made a significant difference in sound. Overall the tone is very good for a solid state and captures much of the Fender tone. It is however, not a tube amp. Sweetwater has done a great job for me for many years.

Nice amp, light weight. No discounts.

I've been recording and gigging for many years and I assure you this is one of the most powerful and versatile amps you can buy. Covers any genre of music you play and loaded with effects and voiced for all styles with plenty of tone and power. You WILL NOT be disappointed! Get one today.

I settled on the 40 due to aesthetics, effect and voice options, and a slightly lower price. It delivered today and I spent a couple of hours playing through it. This amp sounds better than I hoped it would. It takes me back to that special place, 10+ years ago when I last remembered being inspired and passionate about the tones I was getting back then. I was skeptical about the fact that a *Fender* amp lacked real spring reverb but when I heard the digital "spring" reverb on this amp, I became a believer. It sounds really good. I'm getting those HRD sounds out of this amp and I'm blown away. The stock speaker sounds great. I've never had a problem with stock Fender speakers and whatever they put in these is no exception. It's not even broken in yet so I can't wait until it is. I'm really impressed with the Champion line. They are doing this "modeling" thing right. It doesn't look like or sound like the other digital modeling amps from other brands. It's just a great sounding guitar amplifier. Easily the best gear purchase in a very long time! Shout out Ed Nystrom (and Jimmy Itela) for the support and thanks Sweetwater, for being the best in the business.

Love my Fender Champion 40 Watt Combo Amp. It reminds me of the Fender Twin Reverb tube amp I had when I played in bands back in the early 70"s. I hadn't picked up a guitar in years and decided I had to get back to my Gibson SG and Les Paul. This amp was a great compromise between a practice and performance amp for small venues. Sounds great and I love the built in preset special effects.

Sweetwater service and follow up were wonderful.

This amp works great for me and my needs. I play at home, and the volume of this amp is perfect. It can be loud when cranked though. I have two Fender Strats and an Epiphone Les Paul that I play through this amp. Some day I will upgrade to a tube amp, but this amp is perfect for me now!

Purchased the Fender Blues Jr. IV Tolex W/Cannabis Rex , but I couldn't deal with the "normal" hum of a tube amp . Then I purchased the Boss Katana MK II with the intention of modding it with a Eminence Swamp Thang speaker . The Swamp Thang's cage is too big , so I returned the Katana . Along comes the Champ 40 and it is quite amazing for the price . Just enough effects to keep me busy dialing into all 4 of my axes ( Gibson Classic Lite / Epiphone ES 335 / Epiphone Slash Les Paul / Fender Telecaster FMT HH . The Champ 40 also has plenty of open cab space to easily fit the Eminence Swamp Thang . It should make a GREAT COMBINATION ! Big Shout Out to Kurt Martin for dealing with my back and forthness !

I've had my new amp for ~ a month. It replaced a 15 watt Marshall, so there's no comparison between the two. My dream is a nice Fender tube amp, but I'm not to that point yet, but will be eventually. For a solid state 40 watt, the Champion 40 is amazing. I rarely turn the volume past 3 and rarely above 5 on my strat, because I stay up late at night and play - don't want to disturb the neighbors because this amp could easily do so. I've very happy with my purchase and feel I got a lot of amp for the money. I love all the effects capabilities. I typically play with 1/3 to 1/2 gain reverb. Crisp highs and thundering bass. The amp has zero hum, hiss or anything until you strike a chord. Yes, I'm definitely delighted with my purchase and the support from Sweetwater. That gang runs a smooth ship and there is always someone that will answer the phone and talk with you. That's a rarity in this age, yet very refreshing.

Fender Champion combo amps are reliable, lightweight, and sound great, ...if you know what you are doing.

Reliability: I've been using the Champ 40 for lessons four days a week, three or more hours per day, for over six years. Despite constant abuse by hormonally addlepated youths, it still works perfectly.

Lightweight: 19 pounds.

Sound: Like all Fender amps, including solid-state models, the clean sounds are gorgeous: crisp, chimey, full bodied. With only a good compressor, you can make them sound and FEEL like the best Fender tube-amps.

Like all Fender amps, the distortions kinda suck. Fender has improved their digital distortion algorithms in recent years, but they still don't "get it." They place the tone stack in the WRONG place in the signal chain for distortion to work right.
...No problem!

Use a good pedal for the type(s) of distortion you need.

The built in reverbs are actually very good.

The chorus is not great, but that's because chorus and all modulated effects absolutely MUST BE STEREO, or they always suck. Chorus in mono always has phase cancellation. That's why they have to use weird EQ to compensate for mono chorus.

Again, that's no problem if you are aware that chorus only works right in stereo, have a stereo chorus pedal and buy TWO of these feather-weight beauties.

Modern players are pedal junkies anyway, so why not spend the price of one premium pedal to get another Champ Amp?

Now you can have REAL STEREO for pauper-prices, any kind of distortion or modulation you need, and take advantage of the good reverbs these amps come with.

Jazzers! You only need ONE CHAMP AMP for any normal Jazz gig, including small concerts.

Pro tip: These amps do not have cab-emulation, and that's a good thing. If you're playing a louder gig on a big stage, make sound personnel do their jobs! Have them MIC the amp like in the good old days. Get some fold-back through the monitors.

The speakers Fender provides in these amps are actually very good quality, but they have that pronounced upper-mid ( around 2.5 to 3kHz) that sounds harsh and "beamy" at loud volumes. So be sure to mic OFF AXIS to prevent that lament.

Another old-school pro tip: Place duct tape in an X shape over the front of the cone. That reduces the harsh beaming effect of loud volume through small single-driver combos.

If you are wondering what the difference is between this Champ 40 and the slightly more expensive Champ 50 are, I can tell you: The cloth color and the speaker.

The Black-faced Champ 50 has a different ( not necessarily better) speaker. That's what accounts for the slight difference in price.

The stated extra 10 watts of power is a lie, based on how manufactures inflate power ratings with lower ohm speakers. Even if the 50 watt really did have an extra 10 measly solid-state watts, the volume difference would be inaudible. It might be measurable with sophisticated testing equipment and some questionable testing methods.

That does NOT mean the Champ 50 is bad. If you are deaf or inexperienced, you might actually prefer the sound of the Champ 50. When using humbuckers, the built in "british" distortion is actually tolerable! But as stated, you can get whatever distortion or preamp type you want with pedals, so why bother?

If you play adult music, all you need is ONE amp and a compressor. If you play blues, you'll need at least one good distortion pedal. If you want to RAWK, then buy TWO, run in stereo, and bring your favorite modulation effects.

Last crucial point: NOISE. All the Fender amp distortions bring WAY TOO MUCH noise with them. So you are far better off using a distortion pedal with a noise gate anyway. Rig your chain so that whenever you use your favorite distortion pedal, you include the gate. That tip works for EVERY AMP, not just these wonderfully lightweight SS amps.

Summary: The Champ 40 is one of the best sounding, most versatile, most reliable and least expensive amps ever made. And if you know how to use it, it can work for any type of gig. Use these pro tips, and you'll sound more like a pro without spending too much dough.

Stop reading reviews and just buy it. If you are using it for just recording, get the 40watt. If you are touring or playing a lot of larger venues, get the 100watt.


About 2 years ago, someone left one of these at my studio and after using it extensively... all I can say is that this is the ONLY guitar amp you should buy until you have some money to drop on a really nice tube amp. Actually, the guy was so cool that once he saw how much I fell in love with the amp, he told me I could keep it. and I've used it on almost every song I've made since then.

The clean settings on this thing sound amazing, it takes FX pedals EXTREMELY well, and it has a really nice digital reverb effect. Yes, the tone snobs will tell you its not the same as analog reverb, but, I promise you, if you know what you're doing when it comes to basic gain staging and mic-ing the speaker, no one will know it isnt a real deal Twin Reverb.

I find myself using this amp for re-amping a lot. Bands will come in with their guitar tracks that they recorded on really expensive half stacks and rare/vintage tube amps, which sound great, but sometimes it just aint gellin. So I plug up my re-amping box to the Champion, dial in the settings I'm looking for, and boom. done. sounds great.
To me, thats the ultimate compliment. Like, yeah, you may have fallen in love with your expensive tube amp, but it doesn't sound as good as this inexpensive modeling amp does in the actual context of the song. Although, sometimes a mini pocket amp setup in a closet is "the right sound".

Wow, I am pleasantly surprised by this little thing. I needed something smaller to replace my current amp and this did the trick and then some. I love the effects and really like the modeling options that my previous amp lacked. Even with my volume set on 3, I swear I felt the house shake just a little.

I'm not in a band, nor do I have any aspirations about becoming a rock star at my age. My thing is being able to play along with all my favorite artists. The bonus in getting this amp is that it increased the volume of my ipod, allowing me to crank everything much higher than I was able to before.

I also love the simplicity of it. It's really easy to use. Looking at the Katana, was just too overwhelming for me and so it really came down to ease of use. And at this price, it honestly can't be beat.

Thank you, again, Drew from Sweetwater! You guys rock!

If you switch it to metal sound and play to bands like Skillet, Drowning pool, ACDC ECT. it sounds very good!

I bought this amp because it had a dedicated channel that was basic Fender clean tone.I have an older Frontman 25R that I love for the same reason. Most modeling amps don't give you this option and without heavy modeling the basic amp/preamp tone of most modeling amps is just plain sterile because it has to meet so many modeling requirements. They give you lots of mediocre tone choices. Having all those settings and programing them is just a pain in the but and again you get a lot of mediocre tone choices. With this amp I like the channel one tone and the 65 Princeton tone on channel two. So a good two channel set up that is easy to use. The effects are good quality and easy to understand and use. The tap function is a nice touch and very useful as you can use it to control the chorus speed in addition to the delay. It sounds great with my pedals too.Another reason was that it had a 12" speaker.A 12' speaker gives much better low end and a smoother all around tone and really lets that Fender clean tone shine.It comes with a good quality speaker and sounds pretty decent right out of the box.Tonight I dropped in a Jensen CK12 and the tone was right over the top wow!I run a 3 channel rig in my studio so I will be buying another one of these little gems!

Picked this amp to use with my Player Series Telecaster. Still experimenting, but very impressed with the different voicings you can get out of this amp. Everything from crystal clean to dirty metal. And it is more than loud enough for home use (which is what I use it for).

I checked out amps online for a couple of months obsessing over various details and specs until my head was spinning. Finally, after reading enough reviews, I hesitantly decided on the Champion 40. No complaints from me!!! My other amp is a Hot Rod DeVille 410 which I rarely plug in anymore because it's too heavy for my old bones to drag around. I was very pleasantly surprised with the power and options built into this light-weight box of tone. I play both a Les Paul and a Taylor acoustic through this amp and there are enough options to get the sound I want from either guitar, without having to drag around all my effects pedals. I can even plug in a headphone so I don't wake up the neighborhood. If you're looking for a smaller amp for home/practice or small venue use definitely check out the Champion 40.

This amp is really fun to play and sounds great. I wanted something that had good sound for learning guitar (after playing bass for 55+ years) and this amp is light, but a nicely balanced combo for my use. Thanks, Mike Winebrenner for answering the call, and getting it to me!

I ordered this Champion 40 amp and as is usual I had it just in two days!! Thank you Sweetwater. I took this to a friends house and jammed for about 4 hours. It worked flawlessly and had great sound for such a small amp. The cabinet meddling was very cool as well as the effects. It is very light (under 20 lbs) and appears well built.
I am very happy with my purchase.

Excellent amp. Great for home practice, small venues. Fender always has great tone and options. Dial in almost any sound you want. Loud enough for small gigs perfect for playing in an apartment.

This is my first amp purchase so I didn't know what to expect as I am primarily using this for home practice and fun. I bought the Fender because of its guitar reputation and on-line reviews. The amp is not heavy and appears to be well made. It took me a little time to figure out the controls and special effects and what I could expect but after a few days playing with it I can appreciate its fine sound and quality for such a reasonable price. I think it is a great buy and I like the fact that here is a jack to place an MP3 unit to get some background music to accompany me. That was one of the main reasons I opted for the 40 Watt instead of the 20,and there wasn't much of a price difference between the two amps. Also Sweetwater personally contacted me by email and phone to see if I had any questions and if they could help me in any way. They shipped my order promptly and I received it in two days and the amp was in perfect condition.

My new amplifier is a great addition.
It was delivered on time and was professionally packed . Sounds great! Thanks SWEETWATER

I use this amp for all my gigs and it sounds so sweet. If the venue is to big I just mike it. I think my next amp will be the champion 100. priced right and light.

i recently bought this amp, ive played on many amps from a 1962 black front reverb amp to a marshall half stack 100 watt amp, this amp is easy to use, has a simple but effective effects cosm, and is plenty loud! its only 19 lbs but plays like a much bigger amp, i love its simplicity and big sound with its 12in celestion speaker, i wouldnt hesitate to buy this amp again, perfect for home play and small venues, sweetwater has the best deals and customer service, they are now my only supplier for music gear

My wife got me the champion 40 for my birthday and I love it!! It sounds amazing and all the affects are great! Thx again Sweetwater!!

It takes pedals well and, within its dynamic range, gives you excellent tones with single and humbucker pickups. Excellent price. The optional guitar amp cover is very nice.

I have used Sweetwater for a few years and have always been very pleased with their service and products. My last purchase was a 40 watt Fender Champion and a Jim Adkins Telecaster and couldn't be more pleased.

I like this amp. For the price it sounds really good and has a lot of versatile features in a light to carry size.

I purchased this amp from Sweetwater on 12/28/18.After using it for about 1 week I wrote a review stating it was a great value.Well now after owning it for almost two years I wanted to say my first impression was correct.I play in a trio using the BEAT BUDDY as our drummer.We do mostly originals,covering rhythm and blues,blues,some country,Acid Rock,and some Jazz.I use an Ibanez AM 93 guitar.This amp handles it all.It always gives me the sound I am looking for.Yes a $... amp can be great.

I bought this amp just for the headphone jack but it sounded way better then I had expected.

I only had the Fender Champion 40 amp for a week now, and man does it sound great, I am getting used to all the buttons and options that I can use when I play. It is magnificent

If you like Fender amps sounds then this is a good choice. The boost/modeling channel is better then many and the clean channel is as good as I could expect from a SS amp. Replaced cheap speaker (like a toy) with a good speaker and that improved the sound significantly. Would recommend.

Great amp. Easy to use. Great price.

Nice sounds!

I bought this to leave in my band's practice space. I have the foot switch from the Champion 100, so I can switch through channels and effects quickly.

It has the classic fender tone and is easy to transport.

I've always been a Marshall guy but a new band mate has a little Fender Champion 110 that sounds really good. So I'd been looking since for a smaller amp as I'm getting older and my Marshall 100 watt is just so heavy to lug to practices and jams. So I'd been looking at Black Star and Katana but they were out of my price range. I also looked at a 40W Marshall and the Fender 40W. It was really down to those two but the Fender was cheaper so I thought I would take the plunge not knowing if it would sound as good as my Marshalls. I am NOT disappointed. This little amp can get loud enough for practices and small venues. The cleans are amazing. I read that the gain was not that good enough to get some good Marshall crunch/distortion. As I fiddled with the Fender it appeared that what I read was true -- that was until I selected "British" on the "Voicing" dial. Now I'm sold. Amazing warm crunchy fuzzy tube like tone. The "Voicing" dial in my opinion is what really makes this amp great. I can switch from relatively clean tones to warm and crunchy tones by using that dial and not having to fiddle with any of the other dials (bass, treble, FX, gain, volume, etc).

I'm no expert, but this amp is everything it was advertised to be. It is simple to control, sounds great, and puts out a lot of noise. I recommend buying a foot switch for it for better control of channel switching and effects.

I have to agree with most of these reviews on the Champion 40, it is very good especially when you consider the size, weight and cost. I just wanted something small, light and versatile for taking to local jam sessions. It sounds plenty good enough, loud enough and has a few nice amp voicings along with some decent effects. You can quickly dial in some sweet sounds by just tweaking some knobs. Very simple. I don't really care for searching through menus, I sincerely believe the original fathers of music (Beethoven and those guys) never intended for us to have to deal with all that. My big amp is still here when I need it, but this little fellow is going to get used quite a bit. I like it more than I thought I would.
.
Thanks again to Jimmy Hart and Sweetwater for being always available to help me out with any questions or concerns I have. I'm sure I'll be bugging him again somewhere down the road!

Wonderful amp for the price we paid....

This is an awesome amp especially for $...! It sounds great, has lots of features and tones. The aux in and headphones out are great for practice and learning songs. It very easy to use and works great with the optional foot switch. It also gets plenty loud with that 40 watts. It is lightweight too.

I am loving this amp! I normally use my pedal board setup on a clean channel but I think I may start leaving my pedal board at home for practice and jamming. It has cool, good sounding built in effects and I surfed thru the voicings on channel 2 and found one that I really like that will work for me at practice and gigs too.

The clean channel has good Fender chime and takes pedals like.....well....like a Champ! I think this little guy just may rule the roost of my amp collection and just may get to perform at its first gig coming up Jun 8th.

Try one! See Ted Hunter, who has always been there for me. Thank You Ted and Sweetwater staff for your second to none service and fast delivery.

Kenny H

I was skeptical at first because I had purchased this amp years ago from a local music store and when I got home to try it out, it was DOA right out of the box! Ted Hunter and Sweetwater were very patient in humoring me when I asked them to make sure this one worked before shipping it out to me.

Thank You Ted and Sweetwater! It works with no issues and with a speaker upgrade, which was only a personal preference, I now love this amp! It's a Keeper and a Sleeper. I could not believe how light weight
it was when I first picked it up and Oh So Sweet - The Fender Tone just oozes out of it.

It is basically like having the Super Champ X2 with a 12" speaker instead of a 10" speaker and no tube maintenance.

Try one today before the price goes up. Now........gotta get back to rockin' out! Can't put my guitar down now!

Kenny H

Really nice sound. I had purchased a much smaller amp that wasn"t up to the task. Sweetwater swapped out the amps...no problem!

I used a Carvin SX100 as my praise band amp for over 10 years. It was solid-state but had a nice tone and built-in effects, which I wanted because of the limited floor space I have at church. After over 500 performances, it started to glitch out on me so I knew it was time to find something else. This Fender Champion 40 is perfect. Very lightweight, but with the 12" speaker, fairly decent bass response. The cleans are amazing, you'd swear your listening to a a set of 6L6s, and the Marshall amp voicing on Ch 2 is also very convincing. I throw a touch of reverb and delay on both channels, aim an SM57 at the speaker edge, and I'm all set for another service. The speaker is still pretty stiff and "immediate," but with time, I'm sure it will develop some sag and just get better… I am very satisfied with this purchase.

I've been playing lead electric in the praise band at my church for over 10 years, and all that time I used a 100-watt solid-state Carvin SX100 because it had a great clean tone, passable overdrive, and integrated effects, which I like because I have very limited floor space. About a month ago it started misbehaving and would crackle and occasionally even go into self-oscillation, which of course was very embarrassing and inconvenient when it did that in the midst of a service. So I decided it was time to retire that old beast and find something small and lightweight with built-in effects. I first tried a Fender Super Champ X2, but with my stage proximity to the bass, drummer, and keyboardist, it would breakup at the volume I needed to play at, which is not what I wanted. Then I discovered this little marvel. Just 19 lbs of pristine Fender cleans, and very nice amp modelling on Ch 2, all with built-in effects. I got a chance to debut it at two Easter services this last Sunday and it performed flawlessly. I added just a touch of delay and reverb to both channels, and dialed-in a very convincing Marshall sound on Ch 2. I got several compliments from the other players and am very happy with this purchase. I worked with two different Sweetwater reps to purchase the Super Champ X2 and then return it and get this Champion 40 shipped to me in time for Easter. They both were conscientious and professional in all aspects of the transaction.

Sounds great, lots of effects. Does a nice job at home while practicing and for a party in the backyard or a small event. Even helps my 120 dollar Epiphone sound pretty good. Would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a good practice amp or a small gig.

Great amplifier. Great price. Arrived quickly and well packaged. No damage in shipping and workmanship looks great.

I have owned a Katana 100 and I have tube amps and I love this amp! The clean tones are exceptional. The Bassman is my favorite with a littlle breakup on it. To me it blows the Katana away. The clean tones on the Katana are not great. Everyone keep bashing the distortion channels. I think their pretty good not as good as my Marshall DSL with my pedal board but pretty good. This amp has good clarity but warmth, it takes my Wampler tumnus Deluxe and OCD pedals perfectly. It sounds great especially with the TUMNUS DELUXE pedal. The pedal I love. I highly recommend this amp especially for the price point. I had a Mustang IIII similar sounds some are probably the same but love the simple interface. I work with computers sometimes 11 hours a day the last thing I want to do is use software like in the kATANA and the Mustang IIII The Champion has all the good sounds from the Mustang series anyway. My eyesight is blurry this morning I apologize for the misspells. Buy this amp it"s the best... especially clean tones.

The amp is very versatile, I can get plenty of different sounds out of it. The problem I had with it was the head would become Hot enough to almost catch on fire. After I upgraded the speaker to a Jensen Mod 8ohm, 50 watt speaker the head stayed cooler, and I have had no issues with it. The head itself didn't like the original speaker. Also noticed a sound increase and more clarity. The speaker is perfect for getting those classic Fender amp sounds with the voice control. I advise anyone who gets this amp to upgrade the speaker so you have no problems with over heating. It's a great amp . Jensen Mod speakers are pretty cheap, and worth swapping out the original speaker for.

This small amp is more than a practice amp, it has a much bigger sound than its size. Controlls are easy and intuitive to work and the voicings sound great. One of the best amps on the market for… $

Good Amp

Iam very satisfied with the sound of my new amplifier

I got this amp to go along with a guitar I am building for a relative. He doesn"t actually play at all. This gear will not deter him from trying!

First off, Jared Kalish is awesome!! He and I talked, and I wanted something portable that my kids could handle over my heavier Eric Clapton Twinolux and Silverface Twin Reverb. This amp is lght and can more than handle any jam sessiion. The one improvement I made was replacing the existing speaker with a Celestion Vintage 30. Solid state amps tend to be sterile and not as warm and glassy as tube amps. With the easily installed Vinatage 30, this little amp turned into a powerhouse!! The Celestion added warmth to the amp. I cannot ask for anything more from an affordable amp with the upgrade of a Vintage 30 speaker. It literally shook the floor and walls!! I can now easily carry this to jam sessions and not be overshadowed. Just a simple speaker upgrade can make this amp hang with any out there. I wished Gibson could learn from Fender in making affordable vintage appearing items. This looks like a mid 60s blackface amp. If you upgrade to a Celestion, it will definitely warm the amp up. As is, it s great, but a simple upgrade makes it outstanding. You cannot beat this for value. I highly recommend.

I like the hell out of this amp. Sounds great.

I have been playing guitar for 60 years.I have owned many amps.Through the years I ave utilized both fender tube amps and solid state.I just received this amp on 12/28/2018,and tried it out with an Ibanez AM 93 guitar.On the clean channel the sound was very smooth,on channel 2 I found lots of sounds I could use on a gig.Solid state fenders used to sound quite sterile,this champ 40 has character and warmth.Great job Fender.

I'm reviving my passion for guitar after years of letting my talent (such as it was) go dormant. This amp is a great value for the money and the sound keeps me motivated. The sound is terrific, and I can see myself using this for small to medium gigs if I can get back into the game. I have external effects pedals, but the onboard effects are good enough that I don't use my pedals for practice. Definitely worth buying.

Perfect fit for me at this time

The quality & tone of this lightweight SS amp is truly phenomenal considering the monetary outlay. This little box boasts a big 12" speaker that produces loud &/or articulate rhythm & lead capability. It only weighs 20 pounds which facilitates ease of transport & produces enough volume for small to near medium venues. Much easier to transport than my Mesa Express 5-50 which remains in my recording studio most of the time. This is much more than just a practice amp. I was impressed that this little amp is equipped with a 12" speaker which was the main selling feature for me. It is truly a versatile "little giant". Can't offer enough praise for this amp. It's no wonder this amp is a big seller with a multitude of excellent reviews. What might this amp sound like with a speaker of extraordinary sound quality? I just recently purchased this amp & am considering a speaker upgrade... maybe the 50W Eminence "C" Rex or a creamy Celestion. I'm not dissatisfied the way it is but I feel the tone & volume output could only be enhanced by doing so.

I bought this amp for my son to learn. If he play with friends it is loud enough for most uses. Not a giving amp but for practice , with him in a downstairs garage, we can hear it upstairs. He only uses the clean channel because he is just learning. The service from Sweetwater is as good as other reviews say. This amp is also light enough for a ten year old to carry up or down two flights of stairs. The price is good for what one gets. Thanks Fender.

I absolutely LOVE this amp! I wanted to give it at least several months' testing before writing in a review, and I've had it about 7 months now. Back in my high school years, I had a brand new '65 Fender Princeton Reverb amp and Fender Mustang guitar. I loved them beyond words.

Now I have a Squier Classic Vibe 60's guitar and this Fender Champion 40 watt, and it is like stepping back in time 50 years ago. I got the Classic Vibe and Champion 40 both from Sweetwater and they have been top-notch in customer service.

Tonight I've been using the Reverb and Tremolo features on the amp, and playing along with songs just on my laptop. And WOW!! This little amp is a powerhouse with a fabulous sound. It sounds EXACTLY like my Princeton Reverb did 50 years ago. It is perfect for home use or small-medium venues.

KUDOS to Sweetwater, Fender, and Squier!!

This amp was far more than I expected! It also arrived a day earlier! I don't need a single foot pedal for now. This thing is ready for whatever style you want to play.

Love it. Easy to attain sounds with just a turn of a knob.

Play this 80% of the time. Unbelievable SS amp. Terrific value for such a small price. Have considered other SS combos in the last 2 years but nothing is better. It's just a great amp with lots of voicings and effects. I looked for something better but I can't find it.

I was told if you want clean go Fender. I went with a Marshall MG30CFX. Although it's very responsive, I felt like it was to much in your face. The built in effects are ok, but I rather have a good clean tone and use some Boss pedals. Makes you wonder why this amp got over 370 reviews on Google and the Marshall got 48 I i recall. In any case the Champ 40 well worth the price and has good tones included Chan 1 for clean and Chan 2 for the effects

Enjoy

A is for Awesome!!!

I've been trying for two years to find a SS that's better and it's impossible....not for the money… Lots of great sound with a 12" speaker and plenty of
different voicings plus a dozen effects. Just a really great SS amp.

This Amp is awesome for the price! I am new to Electric Guitar and this Amp sounds great. Wanted an Amp that would grow with me, and this will fit the bill. Has everything I need and more. Solid built and light enough to be taken anywhere.

Great amp good sound lots of effects very light to carry. Love it.

I received the amp in December 2017 and it is marked manufactured in China in July 2017. While the major cosmetics match the Indonesian version pictured on the Sweetwater website, many minor details are different (the chassis mounts with two top screws plus two back screws, 1 screw per side handle, different 12 inch speaker with a 4-leg spider, all the various visible screws in the chassis are different, and it is marked Type PR 4222).

I have about 50 years of experience playing guitar, though mostly in an acoustic duo this last decade. To my ears trained on a Fender Twin Reverb, the clean Twin channel and the overdrive Black Face Deluxe both with spring reverb exactly meet my expectations. For 1/6th the price and half the weight, you get everything you need from a real tube Fender Deluxe Reverb. I have not enough experience with Fender Tweed amps or Marshals to comment on the other amp models and frankly I have all I want with those two.

The amp models are arranged in groups of three going from lower to higher preset gain. Presumably that makes sense as the models go from the most powerful to the least powerful amp (you would likely turn the smaller amp up higher to get to the same volume) and the model selection sort of works like a distortion knob plus equalization update most notable as you cross a grouping of three.

As a retired electrical engineer, there appears to be no mounting bolts for a transformer where the power cable attaches and the amp likely uses a switching power supply (which contributes to the light weight). The chassis gets warm when you play and that indicates the power amp is likely a class A-B module (instead of a class D switcher, so pushed to the absolute limits it might distort more musically). The amp will work with a 1/4 inch mono (T-S) phone jack (standard guitar cable) latching footswitch. The two options will be channel 1 no effects and channel 2 with effects. The Fender two button LED illuminated footswitch is reasonably priced. I have not yet tried the amp with a drummer, but I think the 40 watts should handle that task with ease.

If you carry and pay for your own equipment, the Fender Champion 40 is a good substitute for a Fender Deluxe Reverb.

The Champion 40 fits my needs perfectly. I use it for home practice and at small events - there's plenty of volume for that. The build quality is excellent, and the onboard voicing and effects features often allow me to bypass external effects boxes.

For the novice musician this is a great amp. Good for practice or for small room gigs. Very versatile with the amp modeling and great combo of effects...

awesome amp for the money. I was really amazed of the clear distinct sound coming from this amp. I would compare it to much more expensive amp! This one rocks!

Enjoying this amp a lot! - Very impressed w/ all the tones you get so easily outta this thing! It's as if a dozen pedals were built right into it - It's relatively small but can easily rattle the windows & the deep bass is really rich & impressive & enjoyable to listen to. I also appreciate the absolute absence of background noise or hiss. I'm just a novice player & have only had this about a month but I can tell already I'm going to get tons of enjoyment out of this amp. Well worth the money. Recommend HIGHLY!!!
PS - first one arrived DOA but NBD - Sweetwater employees were great assisting in providing a quick & hassle free replacement - great product- great company - don't hesitate

I am not sure my review will be interesting to guitar players since I am just learning to play. I bought this amp because I was not happy with the sound of my guitar through my keyboard amp. I am very happy with the sound I get now, BUT I should add that I have not tried out any of the many features of the amp. I plug the guitar into the amp and what comes out is sufficient for purposes of my practice. I am sure that I will learn much more about the amp once I can play better.

For the sound that you get from this amp plus throw in the price. Hey it's a winning combination. Thanks Sweetwater!

Great, simple versatile amplifier. You can compete with a drummer, too...!!!

More Versatile than expected... Little, but powerful for it's size with a lot of voice options with two channels.
Got to say I really like it and highly recommend it!

Do you want a solid, basic, not too busy, not too heavy, not too big (not too small) amp that has just the right amount of extras (but not too much)? Baby, this is it. Versatile, but does not require a large manual to plug and play. I don't like a lot of mind-numbing and esoteric options when what I really want is a solid workhorse. It has everything you basically need, and a little more. The dial goes to 10 - but I doubt that you will ant to go there unless you have a stadium gig. Fender, as always, brings home the bacon with this one.

I normally use a Soldano or Marshall head and various cabs. My gf bought me this for Xmas and I didn't know what to think. I saw the price and laughed! But OMG this thing is a mighty little beastie! I can get a screaming blues tone at bedroom levels, and I don't have to mess with pedals. A touch of reverb and delay are right there, combined, along with a lot of other effects. Whether your a tone fanatic like me or are on a budget, this amp will not disappoint. And it weighs next to nothing! Fender nailed it. I am now a believer.

I ordered this amp from Sweetwater on a Tuesday and it showed up at my home on Thursday in perfect condition. I build custom pickups and just wanted something small enough to use in my shop to test newly wound pups that had a good clean channel all the way up to high gain and distortion. This amp definitely does the job.

I bought this amp as an alternative to my Fender Super Champ X2 - I wanted something of a similar style, size and ability but more simple to operate and lighter to carry.

I was amazed by the price. OK, so the Super Champ is a tube amp with digital modelling and USB recording ability. The Champion 40 does not offer these facilities. But I have found that, in owning the SCX2 for three years, I have barely used the USB recording / amp modelling software at all, and I am actually downright frustrated by the selectable amp voicing on the SCX2 as it is so hard to distinguish one amp model from another.

The Champion 40 is a purely solid state amp, and to be fair you can tell the difference between the warm, full tube sound of the SCX2, and the slightly more restrained clean channel of the Champion 40. But that is not to say that the tube amp is better. There is a more balanced power delivery with the Champion 40, it sounds fantastic at lower volumes rather than rattling the floorboards and distorting. I found I was playing on Volume 4-5 rather than being limited to Volume 2-3, this meant that I could hear the full range of how the amp was meant to sound without annoying the neighbours.

The Champion 40 clean channel is in fact a thing of beauty, it sounds perfect with a Telecaster plugged in, really raunchy and responsive. The 12 inch speaker kicks out a lot of air and copes manfully with all that is asked of it. I found that tunes new and old came flowing from my fingers, as I was loving the sweet spot of the amp so much - this in comparison with the SCX2 which often requires a lot of knob twiddling to find the right sound. Jazzy chords and clean licks were well articulated.

The Champion 40 has slightly fewer amp voices in the distorted channel than the Super Champ (I think it is 12 to the SCX2's 16) - but these are much more easily distinguishable thanks to the traffic light LED which changes from red through to green for each of the Amp voice categories (Tweed, Blackface, British, Metal). It is much easier to remember, say "Orange Blackface" as a go-to voicing, than "number 11". After my first practice, I had got about half way round the amp voices without straying into Metal territory, but found that each was distinct enough to be a worthwhile addition. Again, maybe the Super Champ X2 has the edge on tone throughout, due to its vintage tube, but the Champion 40 sounds unashamedly like a quality solid state amp, there is no tininess or nastiness in the distorted channel.

The effects are good quality and can be adjusted using the Tap Tempo button. I also liked the fact that it was a good few kg lighter than the physically smaller SCX2, due to not carrying a tube around inside. Both amps have a footswitch socket - the SCX2 has a LINE OUT and USB, but the Champion 40 has an AUX IN and PHONES which the more expensive amp does not.

Altogether, the Champion 40 is a whole step up from the basic practice amps on the market, it offers way more in terms of effects and models, and sounds way better. It has many of the advantages of the Super Champ X2 tube amplifier, but at a much cheaper price and much easier to operate and carry round. For jamming at home or for taking to a small gig, it is ideal, although obviously the lack of LINE OUT is a drawback.

Good value, versatile amp for the improving guitarist or older player.

I have only had it a few hours, but it will probably be what I need to get me playing again. My old Fender 250 watt bass amp is just too much for an older guy to move in and out of the closet. I look forward to using this in the future.

Oh, and BTW, I almost ordered this off of Amazon because I have a Prime membership. However, it was cheaper and had two day shipping like their membership. I will do business with them again if needed

Hi Guys
I am a Fender strat user.
I have been through many amps ID30TVP that has closed back and lows sound boxy and closed.
Been through Bugera 5W that sound ok with no BASS response.
Than I tried my friend Fender bassbreaker 007 nice cranch but the bass is flaping and vibrating all over yhe cabinet with irritating voice and no good clean & lots of cabinet vibrations !!! and tube rattle (after adjusting every screw). My pathfinder15r was my best clean so far.
Finally I found my voice and place with Campion 40,
1. OPEN cabinet SO important for sound.
2. Hugh 12" speaker a lot better than 10" can't ignore ithe difference anymore anymore.
3. Beautiful CLEANS !
4. very nice overdrive for blues players like me.
5. NO tube Rattle no cabinet shake no buzzing no waste of time just pure good Fender Sound and FX and quiet as air.
6. You don't need to pay much to sound good.
7.AT last found my UPGRADE from pathfinder15r.

cons:

Should have tried it earlier.

Loving this amp! From the bedroom to the sanctuary (200 people), it's just what I was looking for! It sounds incredible, whether turned down low or cranked up. Never been happier with a non-tube amp. It delivers!

I bought this amp about a month ago and it sounds amazing and it's packed with a great amount of British and metal flavors which makes it sound different than the others on the market, I Totally recommend this amp for beginners and pros alike.

I bought this amp specifically for practice because of the headphone jack and price. However, I soon found that it is a serious piece of hardware! Excellent tone and tone controls. The effects are excellent and sound great. I would rather use this little box than some others I own costing five times the price.

Moved up from Champion 20 to the 40...amazing difference in sound quality. The 20 is very good, the 40 is great!

I couldn't believe the quality of this amplifier, especially for the price. The effects are cool and don't sound cheap like in past budget model amplifiers, has beautiful tube sounds, and gets LOUD!!! Perfect for silent practice with headphone jack and Aux jack. This is great for playing any genre and style. Honestly, the only dispointment I had, is it's made in Indonesia.

I bought this amp for a small practice option, and couldn't be happier for the price. I am a bass player that is just learning guitar, and the only other amp I have is a Blackstar ID:100 head over a 412 cab. It is great for loud volumes, but I wanted something small and convenient, and that worked well with pedals. This amp does the trick. I generally play it clean with my pedalboard in front of it. It takes pedals much better than my Blackstar does, although the built in sounds are nice too.. While the amp sounds great as it is, I also bought an Eminence Cannabis Rex which once installed warmed it up ever so slightly and gave it a fuller sound. Completely pleased with my purchase. If you are looking for a lightweight inexpensive amp, look no further. As always, my Sales Engineer Ted Hunter took great care of me. Just another reason why Sweetwater is my first stop shop for all my music purchases.

I purchased the Fender Champion 40 Amp about a month ago and am quite happy with the purchase. I play in a basement band that includes a bass, drums, keyboard and two other guitars and this amp had enough power to be heard. The other guitars used 100 watt amps and the only time I noticed being overplayed was when using the British voicing. The clean tone channel and Blackface voicing are great and have more volume. Normally I wouldn't be playing with two other guitarists but even with both of them this amp held its own.

I play a Squier Fender Classic Vibe Telecaster (reviewed separately) and it's sound is amazing through this amp. The voicings and effects provide enough choice. I didn't want an amp that was programmable or complicated. I also use the headphone input and auxiliary input with my iPad (for jam tracks) to practice without bothering anyone else.

I purchase the 2 button footswitch for this amp separately and I definitely recommend it. Makes changing channels and turning on effects much simpler.

Unless you need power for larger venues, this amp would cover all your needs.

Sweetwater was great to work with. Free shipping and quick delivery (FedEx). Sales Engineers are helpful and knowledgeable.

I live in an apartment and must use headphones......I have try'd to use w/o headphones and is very loud..I love my amp

Thee best lil amp out there. I own a Marshall DSL 100 watt tube amp and a Blackstar 2-12 combo tube amp. Why is this amp my new favorite? It's simple. And the effects are awsome. So light and still cranks. You can't beat it. This amp is FUN!!!!!!!!!! Serious. Also a great grunge amp .more then what I expected. Buy 2. This is aGreat amp.

For the money I do not think you can beat this one. Has great sounds and I am glade I bought it.

I took my other Fender amp to church. I wanted another one with a 12 inch speaker and knobs in the front for my studio. The effects are great. I bought the foot pedal to go with it. This amp sounds so good! Even at low volumes.

I own an American Special Telecaster (also purchased from Sweetwater) and what can I write but the Tele Twangs with this amp. The sound is natural, crisp clear with the different voicings really capturing that Tele tone. It's perfect for home use to go loud without disturbing the neighbors. What can I write but this is my go to amp when I want to practice without worrying about tubes heating up or interference in the environment to create static. It's the only amp I need for practice.

This little amp is a power house I did not know so much could be packed in a small package. Sweetwater technicians and sales people are the best. I will definately shop here for my gear. Thanks SWeetwater

Superb! very good amp giving me exactly what I want.
The price is spot on, the amp is easy to understand and the sound is perfect!

I was worried for a while because I couldn't get the amp to sound full, lacking on bottom, but I found it. I use a double neck with humbuckers & I need a variety of sounds & a full non tinny sound, I found that sweet setting on this amp & it sounds great. Plenty of power, if I need more I will mike it-no need to haul monster amps any more. If you play an SG, try this setting, you'll love it.Volume 1-set on5, push select switch in, Gain on 2, Volume 2-set on 7 .75, Voice-set on the e on blackface, Treble-set on 1.75, Bass-set on 10, FX level-set on 5.5, FX select-set on the plus (+) just pass the word delay. I still play out at least 4 times a month and this amp will be put to the test. So Far--Fender, you got it right, fantastic amp.

I love this little amp, it is perfect for me and what I do. Wanted something that was easy to carry and the Champ 40 does the trick. I was tried of logging around my Peavy Mace and years ago I had a Fender Vibrolux. Even though it is solid state it still has a good sound. I have already used it on a gig, I put a Mic on it to give it a little boost, it worked well. I did go back and pick up an amp stand which worked very well. Very pleased, it will work well in my Studio. Thumbs up on this purchase!

I had two problems. The first was that I've been playing smaller venues, and my 2x12, at 120 watts, was just overpowering. The second was that the stage volume was also too loud. Since most of my tone comes from my pedal assortment, I didn't need a fancy-shmancy amp. Mike, my sales tech, recommended the Fender Champ, at 40 watts. Problems solved! I mic the amp, which puts the volume out front, where it's needed. But, I can keep the volume down on the stage and talk to the other band members without shouting. And, a side benefit- This little Champ weighs in at 17 pounds, as opposed to the 2x12's 90! I bought 2; one for me, and one for the rhythm player. Another winning recommendation from Sweetwater and Mike, my Sales Tech!

I have a '72 model Fender Reverb amp and a new Fender Deluxe Reverb amp from Sweetwater. The Fender Champion 40 sounds great and has all the right features for all playing types. It also has the aux input and ear phone jacks which I need for practice. This is the perfect practice amp. Sweetwater is still my goto one stop shopping for all my needs. Ryan Wiltermood been most understanding spending so much time with me since my retirement and starting my music exploration. Though we have not met, I consider you a friend.

Thanks.




Jerry

but be careful buying a foot pedal.. as it does not include on. You must buy a fender pedal. A single button pedal does work properly. It will switch channels but not the fx.

I am a beginner player. This is my first amp. I had a lot of questions and my service rep, Ikes Taylor answered them for me and helped me choose. I ordered on Wednesday and received it Friday. Great service and really prompt delivery.

Received this amp yesterday and played around with the many voicing features and effects all night. What a GREAT LITTLE AMP. Has a warm feeling and tone. Anyone thinking of purchasing a practice amp or for a small venue, this is it. Has all the effects you will really need.

I use two of them in Stereo with Line 6 Pod 500.

I've had this amp now for over a month. This is the most overlooked and underrated SS amp on the market. With my American Special Strat the Fender chime is beautiful, classic Fender and to die for. Add a little reverb delay and 2, 1 second taps, on level 4-5 and you are in clean, chimey Fender tone heaven which is what I usually play. This thing has a 12 in speaker. 40 watts is more than enough to practice alone in your apt on 3, whisper quiet on 2 or use with $1 store headphones. Just mike it or better yet USE TWO and mike it for gigging with a live band. Most of these solid state amps sound wonderful on low to medium volumes and then get harsh, brittle with higher volumes. I have not used this amp over 3, it would be too loud for my apartment building. They stack nicely. At $179 you can afford it and you always have a backup. Light as a feather, 19 lbs. I love plugging in to the aux in with my laptop and jamming to YouTube backing tracks now. No maintenance, no back problems, and its much quieter than tubes with no hum, except for the ultra high gain presets with gain all the way up. I am extremely happy. I don't even want a tube amp now with all their hassles, weight and compromises. It would be to try using this with another SS amp and making both for a live performance. I think it would work well. If you use effects sparingly and rely on clean playing and tone you owe to yourself to give this amp a try. I use the delay reverb, wah, overdrive and tremolo settings and think they are just fine, except the auto wah can sound cheesy if overdone. I don't like the chorus or vibratone but I never have. No matter what your situation this amp is a jewel and you will enjoy it if you like clean and warm Fender classic tone and chime.

Take the Fender speaker and toss it.....Install a Celestion 30. Turn knob to black face. Plug in a Eric Clapton Strat. Turn master volume to 10 and over drive to 3 Crank guitar to 10 and Soar. My other amp is a Fender Super Sonic 60 Watts its speaker also a Celestion 30. I know what I hear you can not beat the price for this sound and you can not beat Sweet Water.

My 5 stars is based on the fact that this amp was perfect for my present live playing application, which is low volume Gospel/Worship music in a guitar duet arrangement. I do not have to compete with drums or keyboard, so 40 watts of solid state power through a 12" speaker is very appropriate.
This amp is fairly basic and ideal for my live playing. I do not want to be fiddling with amp settings, acting as a computer programmer or technician. I want to set and forget the amp and deal with the music at hand and turn the knobs on my Fender guitar a bit.
There are 2 channels. Channel one is supposed to be a Fender Twin type setting and is useable. Channel two has amp voicings grouped into 4 categories: 3 Tweeds (pretty bassy sounding), 3 Blackfaces (perfect for my tastes - what I expect out of a classic Fender amp), 3 British (mid-rangy "Marshall") and 3 Metal (very harsh for my tastes).
The effects, in a dial setting, are decent. You CAN NOT combine the effects at will, into a chain, but they do offer a combo reverb + chorus and a reverb + delay setting, which are logical and very useful.
You can play with the gain and master volume to get amp overdrive/distortion.
So, I basically set the amp with a Blackface setting with effects on a slight reverb+chorus to achieve a classic, clean mid 60's shimmering Blackface sound. If I want to add Tremolo or an Overdrive, I would use a pedal in front of the amp.
It's a good, basic solid state amp, without all the modern technology for a low price.
If you want to fiddle around in your bedroom with computer patches and modelling, look elsewhere.
For a basic live playing rig, this fits the bill for a low to moderate volume setting.
Also, being only one state away, I enjoyed free shipping from Sweetwater that was measured in hours, not days.

Here is the truth about this Amp. The price good. The weightis perfect for packing around. Tthe clean channel sounds great and when you add peddals to the front end the amp really sounds good. It is very easy to use. The 40 watt amp can handle band pratice and if miced canbe used for small venues. For the price, it can;t be beat. I love it.

Great amp! Just what I needed! Excellent sound and adjustment choices!

The Fender Champion 40 is well-made, has great sound, and is lightweight enough to carry around easily. It has great clean sound and a versatile bank of effects that add depth to your music. I would recommend this amp to anyone.

I love this amp. exactly what I need for what I need to do. Not too technical and more than enough sound. Love the overdrive/distortion. Got a peddle to go with it, let's just say, Stairway to Heaven sounds heavenly. Would recommend to anyone. Oh, I received it two days after I ordered it, like record speed. Happy, happy!

I have 3 boutique amps, a vintage Vibrolux and a few small Marshall combos. This little guy does an amazing job creating identical sound to most popular amplifiers. New and vintage amp sounds.
The quality happens to be extremely good and what a value. Sweetwater is an amazing etailer and Lucas is a great customer service /sales representative.
Thank you Lucas!

I have 3 boutique amps, a vintage Vibrolux and a few small Marshall combos. This little guy does an amazing job creating identical sound to most popular amplifiers. New and vintage amp sounds.
The quality happens to be extremely good and what a value. Sweetwater is an amazing etailer and Lucas is a great customer service /sales representative.
Thank you Lucas!

For years I gigged with a Fender Deville tube amp, but at age 60 it was getting just too heavy to lug around, so I got a Fender Excelsior, which I mic through a PA. Although I love the Excelsior, it's still a pain to drag around that and a pedal board if I want to play in the living room or out on the patio, etc, so I started looking at SS amps with effects.

I first purchased a Mustang II, but I seemed to spend all of my time on the computer trying to dial in a tone I liked. I was spending more time on the computer than I was playing, and to be honest I didn't like the tones or the closed back. Maybe the models are better now as I had a first generation model, but I'm just not a tinkerer, so this amp was not for me.

I started reading reviews on this amp and listening to demos online, and decided to take a chance and order the Champion 40 without trying it. It was EXACTLY what I was looking for.

The clean channel is classic chimey Fender roughly based on a Twin Reverb, and the amp models on channel 2 are MUCH better to my ears than the Mustang II was. My favorites are the Blackface Deluxe, Blackface Princeton, and British 70s models.

The effects (with the exception of the auto wah- which sounds a little goofy to me), are all very useable. The amp is as easy to use as it gets, and you don't need a computer to dial in great tone which was a huge plus for me. It sounds great with my Am Std. Strat, Epi 335 Pro and Godin 5th Ave. Kingpin.

It's a loud SS 40 watts, definately could handle smaller club gigs.I would have NO problem micing this amp and using it anywhere, and at 19 lbs. I may be doing just that from now on.

I highly recommend this great sounding little gem!

I regularly play fender hot rod Deluxe which has a Eminence Speaker. It sounds great, I even got the extension speaker and stack them. I been playing since 1967. This by far is the best amp I have ever had. With extra it out plays the fender twin amp I had. I changed because of the weight. But I wanted a practice and back up amp. The champion 40 was good but I used to the warm heavier tone. So I ordered the 50 watt
Eminence GB128 guitar speaker. It added a little weight but well worth extra $65. My mission was complete.

This combo amp... Its super powerful! Clean with lots of effects! Highly recommended!

For the cost, this amp is excellent. I wanted an amp for practice, and small venues. It came well packaged and with the excellent customer service I get with every Sweetwater purchase. I plugged my "Strat" in right away, and checked all the settings. I'm very impressed. It has features that I wish my Mustang IV had. I get better tone when playing it clean, and the effects level knob allows me to get just the right sound that I want. It will give you just a hint of the effect, or turn it all the way up for maximum effect sound. I got it set just right for the softer sound of Clapton's "Wonderful Tonight", and cranked up the distortion for some Jimi Hendrix. I would highly recommend this amp to someone who want's great sound, and has a limited budget.

Amazing Fender sound at a very good price. Channel one gives you that classic Fender sound, Channel two lets you select some amp modelings that offer a terrific range of options. And the effects are very impressive. I play a Strat through mine and use channel one clean with just a bit of reverb, and use channel two to dirty things up a bit for soloing. This amp also works great for recording as you can come out of the 'phone jack and go straight into the mixer. If you're looking for great bang for the buck, you will not be disappointed with the Champion 40.

Price vs. what you get....this one is a winner. Channel 1 is that clean Fender sound. Channel 2 has enough effects to do most everything a hobbyist, like myself, would want to do. I own this and a Mustang amp. If you like to play with your guitar, get this one. If you like to play with your computer, get the Mustang.

I've owned the Champion 40 for about one month and have found it to be a great "everyday" amp. It has plenty of power and a great sound. Are there better sounding amps - sure - but they cost a whole lot more.
Bottom line - I'd buy it again in a heart beat. No regrets here.

Great sounding amp.Couldn't believe how loud this little amp is for it's size.Plenty loud enough for a band, volume was on 7, didn't have an over abundance of power but got the job done.our guitar player liked this amp.Very light weight easy to handle and simple to adjust .A lot of different amp sounds and effects.Get one of these amps.

This is one outstanding amp for the money, If your thinking of buying it, do it, I read all the reviews and everything stated it true, what more can I say. Get it before the price goes up because its well worth the money. As always Sweetwater shopping is great, I won't buy anywhere else online, they have everything I need and shipping is very fast.

this unit is very easy to use. i am impressed by the big sound and quality.fender knocked this one out of the park. it was more than i had expected.

Super satisfied with my Fender Champion. Incredibly wide range of amp models and effects. I use it to practice at hone and have to keep the volume way down. This baby is a wall shaker! Very pleased with Sweetwater as usual. I get a call from my sales rep when I order and another when it arrives - you just can't beat that kind of service.

This amp. is fantastic. That Great Fender sound & distortion, plus the effect sounds are unbeatable for the Price. The 40 what is a perfect size & weight for me ( a little handicapped) to handle & puts out perfect.. I highly Recommend this product..

I wanted to get the 100watt Fender amp, but there was a waiting list for it. So I got the Fender Champion 40 -watt combo and saved a few bucks which I used to get a strap that is the Lock-it brand and a guitar stand. Over all I was
shocked that the 40watt amp sounded so good. I would recommend this amp to anyone of my friends. And on a side note the Lock-it brand strap rocks as well as the guitar stand I think it was a GFW-GTR-1000 brand of guitar stand.

for th emoney and the size, the amp is great and worth every penny. the only gripe is if you want to use on of the other effects you have to forgo the reverb. but it is great.

Incredible Combo Amp the sound is a High Quality like i always said Fender is Fender

I have a student that needed an amp. I am really impressed with the Mustang line and have 4 between students and me. The student needing an amp isn't into computers. I thought the Champion 40 would work for him. I ordered it from Sweetwater (great as always) it worked out perfectly. He loves it. I got to play with it for awhile and was impressed.
Its a nice sounding simple little amp. Pretty sure this will be my reccomended amp for beginning students.

I Couldn't Believe How Good This Fender Amp Sounded When I Hooked It Up To My Jazzmaster Guitar. You Get All Kinds Of Sounds With The 2 Channels It Offers Like, Tweed, Blackface, Etc. And With Built In Effects Like Wah, Tremolo, Chorus, Flange You Have A Great Selection Of Sounds And Effects To Go With Your Tastes. It's Easy To Operate And Doesn't Cost Alot Of Money Which I Really Like. With A 12 Inch Speaker And 40 Watts It Does Get Loud. I Would Gig With It. Maybe Put A Mic In Front Of It. It's A Great Amp And Is All I Will Ever Need.

I thought I would wait a couple of month to write this review to put it through the paced. I had a busy November and December gigs,and purchased the amp in mid October of last year from sweetwater. I did not care for the stock speaker so I installed a WGS Liberator 80 and my main pedal that I use 90% of the time is the Boss OD-3.
I don't use the dirty channel, I just go through the clean and The Boss OD-3 in front of it. I tilt my amp behind me while it stays on the floor and use an empty spray can bottle as my amp tilt stand that supports the top rear, and it works out great! audience in front of me does not get blown away and sound man is happy. Although there were times that I was told to turn down by the sound man cause I was too loud! this amp can hang with A live drummer and a five string bass player with two 4x10 cabs.
The way I have my set up I can hear my self real well and guys in the band would have me on their ear monitors or the wedges but not a whole lot cause it projects well by itself. its also and open back cab. Anyways I have not had any issues whatsoever with this amp,I sold my JC 120 which was always way too loud at gigs,way too heavy and this is now my go to gig amp and luvin it! very light,loud,good descent low end chunk,but usually its the Bass player that takes care of that anyways,great clean sound Boss OD-3 friendly and loves that WGS Liberator speaker.... By the way if your into Death style metal you should be looking at half stacks! but if you play hard rock,twang rock blues,funk,jazz,some heavier rock,Indie stuff in small stages using a descent pedal like the Boss OD-3 or the Boss OS-2 through the clean channel, then get this one...

I'm a tone snob. Through the years(read: decades), I've owned, played, gigged, and recorded through a Fender blackface Twin Reverb, Super Reverb and Bassman, a Prosonic and a Custom Vibrasonic. I still regularly use and love the Prosonic and Vibrasonic. My guitar line-up is one late-90's ES-335. Also, I don't use many effects at all, just a TS-9 at times. In addition to my splendid amps, though, I needed something very good yet portable for a jazz/funk project that rehearses in an urban 3rd-floor walk-up. Am I going to lug a Vibrasonic to weekly rehearsals through city streets and up(and down) three flights of stairs? NOT. GONNA. HAPPEN.

Enter this little chestnut; the Champion 40. This thing rocks! The Champion just sings for the jazz/funk as well as rock(but probably not metal), R&B, blues and jazz. Don't let the fact that it costs less than a boutique effects pedal and/or that it's solid state fool you. This is one very musical amplifier. It bears no resemblance to the brittle, harsh sounding solid state amps I had to use on gigs in the 1980's -- by contrast, it's very warm and musical all around. It also bears mentioning that it's one of the few modeling amps around that you don't need a computer science degree to figure out. It's laid out very simply and I love simplicity. For example, channel one has one control, "Volume." I just add a touch of the amp's reverb, dial in my volume and I've got a great clean, warm tone all night. Its lead tones are great as well; the "British" and "Tweed" settings sound great in particular with tad of gain with my guitar. There is one downside however; despite the fact that it's a two-channel amp, its foot switch is not included and you really need a foot switch to get the most out any two channel amp. However, the model 007135900 Champ switch with a regular guitar cable works perfectly.

Also, I gave a hard look at all of the smallish, under-$1,800.00 tube amps available in my area (San Francisco) and was deeply disappointed in their tone quality relative to price on all of them. After all of that, I'm convinced that the Champion 40 is the best value in guitar amps on the market presently. Don't believe me?, just hit a music store and a/b the Champion 40 with a Blues Jr., Pro Jr and so forth and hear it for yourself. Chances are, however that the Champion will be sold out but plenty of overpriced tube amps will be available. This, again is coming from a tone-snob and regulary user of a Prosonic and Custom Vibrosonic.

So If you play a lot in ensemble situations and need a simple, portable yet great-sounding working tool of a a gutiar amp, I'd definitely look into one of these before the price goes up and/or it's discontinued which is seemingly what usually happens on the rare occasion that a piece of equipment this good and well-priced comes over the transom.

Finally, a huge thank you to Aaron at Sweetwater for his exemplary customer service. Within minutes of my order, I got a call confirming the order and thanking me for my purchase. As this wasn't a multi-thousand dollar purchase, but a less- than-$200.00 order($161 -- I got a demo). I was really impressed by this. What a pleasant, nearly surreal change from the usual attitude-infested stoners at the competition! Plus, they shipped it for free. What a place!

This amp can't be beat for quality and price! Powerful and affordable. The sound is rich, crisp, full, and versatile. You can use this anp in your den, room, or personal cave. I love this amp! Sweet Water folks treat its customers right! With appreciation and friendliness like businesses used to in the old days. Thanks to ya all at Sweet Water! - Viv

I can't believe how good this amp sounds, which weighs only 19 pounds. Fender got it right for older musicians (like me) who are getting tired of lifting amps which weight in between 31 to 50 pounds, which I once considered easy to transport and use. The 12" inch speaker with a light magnet sounds very good, and the speaker baffle is very tight and well supported. It and does not buzz on a moderate attack of the low E string. The aux input can also be used for a keyboard input, (regulated by the keyboard volume control) independent of effects , so its almost like a 3 channel amp. The drive channel hosts the voice types which include tweed and blackface tones that can made to sound clean without distortion applied which I like. The amp has effects that sound real nice which pays for itself through the elimination of two or more effects pedals. The only thing that I miss is not being able to supper- impose the overlay of reverb on tremolo like the vintage Fender vibrio - reverb amps can, but the chorus and delay effects can be combined with reverb, to sound nearly as shimmery. The cosmetics are almost like a "baby" Fender Vibro King Custom.

If you need an AMP Cover for the Champ 40, like I did, the Fender Blues Junior cover will fit the Champ 40 very well, provided that the Fender Logo is faced toward the rear of the amp to accommodate the handle opening. Hopefully a Champ 40 cover will be released.
However, I am very satisfied with the fit of my Blues Junior amp cover, even if the logo is on the rear. So what, it does the job and covers the Champ 40 from top to bottom and looks great !

I took a chance on this new amp, and am overwhelmingly satisfied. I have several other amps, and notably an Mustang II. I just lack the technical attention span for the Mustang. The Champion is so much more intuitive. And the sound is EVERYTHING I was looking for! It makes my strat sing like never before. I cannot put down my guitar with this amp! It's understandable right out of the box and the quality is top notch.

This Amp is perfect for what I wanted. A practice Amp, and also great for open mic nights. It has very nice Amp modeling's, with all the old school effects. The best part, is having 40 watts.. and only 18 lbs. to carry. That's right. 40 watts/18 lbs. I always shop at Sweetwater. The best customer service any where. Bar none! Thanks Sweetwater!!

I took a gamble on this amp. It's brand new and no reviews. But I noticed it had the same voicing;s as the Super Champ XD (an amp I regretted parting with).
Channel #1 has ONE control - Volume. Engineered with Fender's super clean "Twin Reverb" voice. Couples with the plate reverb sound - this channel is amazing.
Channel #2 has 12 voices:
TWEED: Champ, Deluxe, Bassman
1965: Princeton, Deluxe, Twin Reverb
BRITISH: 60's, 70's, 80's
METAL: Supersonic, 90's, 2000
I already own a Line 6 Valve amp and a Roland CUBE 40XL. But I was looking for some lightweight, loud, with lots of voices.
I had even bought the Marshall MG30 CFX amp - but it has no clean channel. This Fender has everything. I returned the Marshall.
The right output level .. the right sounds .. and at 19 pounds - all an older guitarist will ever need.
I look for 3 basic guitar sounds:
#1 - ultra clean for rhythm/accompaniment.
#2 - Tweed OD, slight breakup,
#3 - Over the top, screaming solo voice.

I had a gen 1 frontman 25r (black) which I now believe had an upgraded speaker when I bought it used, and it was perfectly loud and sounded so good. I played in a project where I needed vibrato and some tonal variation, so I bought this while travelling, expecting it to be like the 25r, only louder and with variety and effects. Well, it worked but was quieter and could get to sound good, but wasn't automatic, like the 25r I had (black model, and again, upgraded speaker I have come to believe)- I gave the 25r to a friend who had a huge rig (rackmount boutique power and pre, and 4 x 12 cab at church), and he was an amp tech in a former life, he loved it and even did a repair to it, may have replaced the amplifier chip. In any case, he brought his whole rig home and just used that. WHen he wore it out, he gave it back to me after a few years. Anyway, the champion 40, I use my strat mainly, the champion 40 was still loud enough with that drummer when the amp was pushed and I learned what tones I needed- there are 3 "blackface" settings on the rotary switch and 2 or 3 on the "tweed" and it is hard to imagine much better sound than the sweet spot of those, but I dont like the wah effect, and it is digital..., Again it works great when "worked with". I eventually thinned out my old broken amps, salvaging a few parts- and I put in the Champion 40, a Randall speaker, marked "vintage"- 60 watts, 8 ohms- that I am pretty sure is an early celestion v30 re-badged (60 watts 8ohms)- a heavy 6 inch magnet, that has a sensitivity of 100db by specification. I did not notice a huge jump in volume at practice level, but it is louder and sounds a little better, not gigging now. I say it like that because the lightweight stock speaker was useable as designed, and I used it to similar effect as with the replacement speaker. Still the randall/celestion is in fact a better speaker for me and I already owned it. I have and have owned the best tube amps, and "tube amp" is too general to make a comparison, but it definitely works for me in those two light to moderate break up settings, and I sometimes play through all of the options in a session and there is a lot of musical harmonics in many of them. I get a darker, muddier tone in position 4 than one might expect, or you could get with a class AB, 6l6 type, not too much quack, but I put that strat switch position to use anyway, and I cant image a better result on position 1- even 3 and 5. Position 2 same as 4, (darker than expected) but I use it well. I have it on the stand in my practice space, and I crave the tones from that med overdriven tweed and black face is a different animal. It does make me want to play and when I ab it with my tube amp, I am not persuaded to switch for regular practice. As I said, some complex sparkle in the british channel and beyond, but both the amp settings and the guitar need to be tweaked, and then you have to play to the strengths of the tone. I consider it a killer amp and you get several amps in one. Feneder amps in general, solid state or not are excellent in my view, and don't have some of the annoying failures or idiosyncracies/defects that I have experienced in other inexpensive amps. I have come full circle on fender amps generally and I like this one, but not the wah effect. I am really lucky to own it. It makes me want to play it and there is nothing lacking. I learned word of the day "frisson" and the amp is enough to let music through on particular settings and experience a "frisson"

I've been hearing and reading the praises for this amp for a few years, and in the back of my mind I knew I would have to find out for myself what all the positive reviews were about. I ordered one from Sweetwater, and when it arrived I have to say I was still on the fence after playing it with three different guitars. The clean tones were good at lower volumes, but I didn't really get on with the modeling options, but found the effects useful.

The stock speaker doesn't handle what this amp has to offer as well as it should, but at this price point it seems where Fender cut corners. I installed an Eminence Legend 1275, and the difference was immediately recognizable. The harshness of digital modeling is gone and it can now effectively use the full scope of volume this amp has to offer. The original speaker was okay up to about half volume, but got muddy beyond that. Now I understand the great reviews. With a minor upgrade this is now a legitimate piece of gear at a friendly price.

I have owned and used this amp for my practice amp for a few months now. Like anything new, it took me a while to get used to how it works and how to get the tone and sound qualities out of it I wanted. Once I did, I was very pleased with how it performs on all levels. It is a great and versatile little amp, especially for the price!
One minor (?) thing, though...
Would it have hurt Fender to have included the footswitch as a part of the package? If you buy one, get the footswitch! The amp is great and usable without one, but what a difference that little switch will make for you in how you can use this amp! It allows you to set 2 or more different sounds and then switch between them effortlessly while still playing. I think that is a great selling point of making this good amp GREAT! I had to wait quite a while to get the switch, but I am glad I did.

I love it, it Carry's all the strength I want with all the sounds and tones I enjoy, great price.

This is a good sounding amp. for the money, and it is great to pickup and take to a friends house. I have a Hot Rod Deluxe IV that sounds better, but it is like carrying around a car.

I Bought my first Fender amp as I wanted to have a second practice amp for my Epiphone Electar Lap steel guitar. I have been playing lap since my 4th grade school days. I play songs mostly in Open E hawaiian style with a rich tone.After trying out different set ups in Fender 40 ,got satisfied with British 60 voice and reverb & delay FX at a level of little over 4 .
Used pre gain at 8 and vol2 at 8 and got an excellent tonal quality with the right amount of reverb and delay I need. One thing that this type of solid and modelling amps can enhance is by introducing noise gate as part of an app feature to suppress any buzzing noise. Otherwise , this is an excellent practice amp for the bucks!! Also Kudos to Sweetwater support who arranged to deliver this to me on a Sunday during this busy season , awesome !!!

I Bought my first Fender amp as I wanted to have a second practice amp for my Epiphone Electar Lap steel guitar. I have been playing lap since my 4th grade school days. I play songs mostly in Open E hawaiian style with a rich tone.After trying out different set ups in Fender 40 ,got satisfied with British 60 voice and reverb & delay FX at a level of little over 4 .
Used pre gain at 8 and vol2 at 8 and got an excellent tonal quality with the right amount of reverb and delay I need. One thing that this type of solid and modelling amps can enhance is by introducing noise gate as part of an app to suppress any buzzing noise. Otherwise , this is an excellent practice amp for the bucks!!

a great sounding amp love playing with the effects takes pedals extremely well. easy to control one minor grip is the effects is hard to memorize what does what. overall great for a bedroom player or maybe even a small gig if i get the chance

Am getting back to attempting to play guitar after an almost 50 year hiatus. Chose the Champ 40 for several reasons. First the Fender name means something - at least to me. (Sorry, not trying to start any brand loyalty wars.) Second, size and weight are geezer friendly - saving me the trouble of hiring a piano mover every time my wife runs the rug mower. Third, the feature set very much satisfies my needs at this stage of the game. Finally, it sells at a price point that didn't break the bank.
Am hesitant to call it a "practice" or a "beginner's" amp for fear of turning people off although that's what I am using it for. Fits in my office. Can play it thru headphones and spare my wife the abuse while retraining my fingers. And when she goes shopping, this thing can still rattle the windows - in my office. It's extremely doubtful that this amp (or I) will ever see a stage or a room that would tax its limits, it's got more than enough oomph for my purposes. Granted, have been out of the game for fifty years and have nothing recent to compare it with, but it makes me a happy camper and consider it money well spent.

Me and My Situation: I am a semi-professional musician and play in multiple bands and needed another practice amp to save hauling my tube amp around town. This amp fits perfectly for my situation, I use a BOSS GT-1000 effects peddle into my Mesa Boogie 50 watt amp on stage with little to no distortion coming from the amp, yes the tubes add colour and growl and I get the tones I need playing mostly covers and some originals - I play mostly Strat style guitars, and an acoustic on stage. I purchased the Fender Champ purely as a practice/peddle platform amp; the 40 watt model even has the same physical specs with the 12 inch speaker, but considerably lighter in weight.

Sound in my setup: This amp absolutely nails clean tones as I would expect, this is my 2nd Fender Amp but my first solid state. There are 2 channels which is a typical Fender setup. 1st channel is clean only and captures the classic Fender chime. 2nd channel has the tone colour wheel which allows you to add different tones and distortion levels depending on what you want. I use the 1st channel for rhythm and hit the foot peddle to change to the 2nd channel for solos.

Sound overall: This amp spanks clean tones and the first channels on the tone wheel reflect different amplifiers styles -such as different Fender models and "British" aka Marshall - the farther you turn the wheel it goes from clean, to crunch to all out death metal. It's solid state so these are simulations that lack the growl and mid-range sustain you would get from a tube amp - I believe most reviewers who claim the amp doesn't deliver might not understand the huge chasm that is tubes versus solid state amplification, however I was fully aware that this is not a $2k tube amp, it's a $... solid state practice amp.

3 months later: In my original review I stated I wouldn't play live with this amp (as an avowed tube snob) but I have found the sweet spot and would consider playing live with it after all. I would also recommend this amp to anyone in my situation looking for a light practice amplifier that if it gets stolen or damaged, is much easier on the wallet to replace.

Bought this amp for my wife. I was quite impressed with it. It has a great clean sound. It has some good effects and very good reverb. This amp is powerful enough for a small to medium venue. I would definitely recommend this amp for anyone looking for a smaller light weight one.

I think this is an incredible value for the money if you're just looking for a personal use amp. The Fender Champ 40. It has a 12" speaker, 2 channels, solid state, weighs just 19 pounds.... Plus, it's 2nd channel offers 16 voicings plus another 16 effects. For me, there's nothing better.....

Love it,it's more than I expected.

I bought this to replace my little 10 watter. It has a lot of nice features that I have only begun to experiment with. The sound is excellent, loud and clear. I have been using the clear channel more than the effects channel, But I have experimented with all of the effects [briefly] and it makes me feel like I unnecessarily spent money on effects pedals when the Amp has the same features. I am still unsure about the Amp Voicing feature. I do know that it simulates different Amp soundings. The clear channel is very clear, has good frequency response (Bass and Treble). Compared to the 10 Watt Amp If I turned the bass up on the 10 Watt Amp it sounded like I had just put something in front of the speaker to muffle it. I am very happy with this purchase. I am a novice guitarist and don't plan to do anything on stage or in the studio so this is perfect for me.

My gear is great. Thank you guys for making a really good shopping experience. Just the stuff I've been wanting for years and you made it easy.
Thank you Jim - my rep.
Much appreciate the Synchrony account.
Guess I'll have to take advantage and gear up some more.
Paul C.

Great little amp. Sounds good.

You cant go wrong with this as you practice amp, and for many will work on stage as well. At only 19 pounds, this has replaced my ultra heavy tube Vox AC 15 very well. Sound is good with the large speaker with plenty of volume and lows. Loud enough to play over a drummer, too. Excellent value!

I have a Deluxe Reverb that is modified and a celestion Fender extension speaker I used on gigs. I moved to Washington and it has been hardly used. The Champion 40 has a decent tone and is so much easier to carry where the Deluxe is getting heavy for me to carry. It has effects and plenty of volume if you need the head room. For a solid state, it has decent range and warmth if you like clean as I do.

For years I've tried to find something I could gig that had the same kind of sparkle and chime of my '65 Vox Berkeley (she doesn't like to road-dog it); my sound is mostly about that super clean tone, but my amp has to take an overdrive and play nice with the phaser, trem and delays too. My go-to has been the Roland JC77 and a Princeton reissue (great amp)….but… at less than 20 lbs....I decided to try the Champion 40 out: worst case, we had a lil back up amp in the band van for me or the viola player, right? So far, this lil sucker has great tonality, wayyyy better than the mid-nineties Champ practice amps. Although the effects i prefer to do with my pedals, the spring reverb is pretty good at 4+ on the mix, and the gain circuit functions as it should, with an attack-sensitive break-up that sounds pretty legit on the blackface setting. Our stage volume is always very managed, so we usually let the FOH engineer do the work on levels for the audience; without micing it seems to handle a 100-200 person room ably with a little help from a Cali 76 compression pedal in front, but a big drum kit or loud drummer might present more of a battle. The build on this box is not the same level as what you find in a real ply cabinet, and the faceplate is plastic appliqué, the grill cloth is a little crooked....but hey we are talking VERY inexpensive!!! I will take this deal all day long and leave my JC77, Vox Berkeley, '78 Mesa Boogie Mark II, '78 Music Man 65, '74 Music Man 130, Fender Blues Deluxe Tweed, Princeton and Blues Jr AT HOME, thank you very much. SO...it's only been a few gigs - we will see how she holds up, but I' a fan. I would definitely recommend if you are getting this for a beginner/student amp....you can take it to stage eventually. All in all, an epic deal.

Nice Amp for for the money.

I was mildly surprised at the volume, and range of sounds from this amp. Great for home use or small venue. It does not come with a foot switch to switch from clean to effects channels though. I think Fender should include the switch even if the price was increased. I guess the switch is a backorder item. But the amp is a good value for the price.

Great Amp to get back into playing again! Great features and it's a Fender

Excellent communication and services. Fast delivery .

This little amp would be great for beginners. I've been playing a LONG time and it is a great practice amp. It can handle band work but lacks volume with drums involved. The reason it's not a 5 is that I find the sound a little dark, but you run it full treble and it helps. Effects are nice but limiting as far as multiple effects go. Amp modeling is pretty good. For this price, it's a great amp to have at home. Can't beat solid state dependability. I liked it so much I got the Champ 100 and that handles everything our rock band does. Great clean amps and Fender quality.

The Champion 40 is a great little work-horse! Usable effects and solid amp models make this amp gig worthy. The only issue IMO, is the EQ. I wish Fender would include a tweekable mid range...but, they don't. The mids are pretty pronounced...however, it's nothing an EQ pedal can't remedy. Overall, it's a fantastic buy!

This little amp packs a punch. Best sound hands down and can't beat the price. The guys at Sweetwater are always professional and shipping is always great. Jed is awesome and always makes sure you are happy with your purchase.

Have the Champion 20 for practice and decided to move up in both size and power. I have a few other amps but Fender makes the Champion 40 such an attractive platform for basically pocket change that it's silly not to have one.

I love my pedal board and don't use any of the onboard effects. Can't hardly buy a SS amp these days without everything included but the price is so cheap it doesn't matter.

All I use is the clean channel and it works perfectly with my pedal board. The amp is light, build quality is good enough and it sounds great. What's not to like?

For practice, small gigs, etc. the amp is perfect. Did I mention they're practically giving these things away?

Frankly I personally would like to see an amp of the same weight, power, speaker size and price that includes a line out and a mid control. One channel, master and gain knob, no effects. Well, maybe a reverb. Kinda sounds like a solid state blues junior, doesn't it? Only way cheaper.

I needed a small, inexpensive "grab n go" type amp for a local blues jam that I could just plug into and not have to spend much time thinking about. This fits the bill perfectly. It does a pretty good job of emulating the classic Fender clean and crunch tones you're used to. It has a few "metal" voicings as well. I don't really think I would use it in a hardcore death metal band, but then I wouldn't use most Fenders for that. If that's your thing, maybe you want to look at a comparably priced Peavey Vypyr.

And really, that's pretty much the story with this amp. As long as you set your expectations properly, you will not be disappointed. It's not a Mustang, and it's also not going to impress you like a feature packed $2,000+ piece of bling. But I would maybe put it somewhere in the neighborhood of a Mustang? It's got enough flexibility, without the technical learning curve. Plug into it, get the tone close to what you like (or try a new sound!) and get on with actually playing your guitar vs. playing with your amp.

I've had this amp for a few months. First and not least is the weight. One handing a 40 plus amp across a parking lot is no longer fun. Just get the sound close and it does. At first I did not think of using the voices. I got to messing around with them finally. On any of them you can dial in how much gain you want or in my case don't want. I am not a metal player in the least. But this thing i more fun than a barrel of monkeys on the high gain voices. At one time I thought I'd try a Marshall of some kind. No need to bother.
The only effects I use is reverb with some delay.
The clean channel is clean clean clean. A slight OD pedal in front helps.

I swapped the speaker out for a Jensen Mod 35. I've run this thing on 8 or more at jams. Yet to break up the speaker. The stock speaker is fine but I just thought I'd see what the Jensen did to the sound.

Bottom line: I can go to the local jams with just amp in one hand and guitar case in the other and hang. And I don't need a trip to the chiropractor after.

So the big question is: Will it do a gig? It's right on the border line. 50 watts would have been nice. I bump the volume with a compressor or OD pedal. Alone in a trio it will work. I have had a loud 15 watt tuber kind of cover me up if the amp is next to his. If for some reason I will need a louder amp for gigs I seriously would get the 100 watt version. Just because of the Fender reliability and what the amp can do with the voices. And still only 40 lbs. And the 100 has an extra jazz voice I'd like to hear. If I start to get band gigs again It will be on order. Sweetwater ships same day it will arrive in time to be on stage Friday night.

Took a chance, wanted a light weight amplifier, decided on Fender Champion 40. Less than $200, got it today, all of 19 lbs. Sounded pretty good, and surprisingly loud for 40 watts solid state. I read some reviews where guys said they put a better speaker in it, so I put a 12" Celestian speaker in it that I already had, and now it weighs a whopping 23 lbs. Still lightweight compared to my Fender Deluxe VM Combo Tube Amp which weighs 45 lbs. (it seems heavier!). And this new little amp sounds great. Very happy with my purchase! Would've given 5 stars, if there was a line out and separate Reverb control.

Great amp. Sounds good and perfect for practice and small gigs.

I have 6 guitars and 3 amps. Mustang III v2, small Marshall and the Fender Champion 40. The speed of free shipping keeps me coming back to Sweetwater. I like the Champion a lot better than the Mustang. Champion sounds great. It's a lot simpler to use than the Mustang, and a lot of the Mustang's presets are not what I want my guitar to sound like. There may be only 5 or 6 presets I use on the Mustang. Don't get me wrong, the Mustang is a good amp, but I just like the Champion a lot better. It's in your best interest to consider the Champion 40 rather than the Mustang. If you could get access to hear both amps, you'll see what I mean.

This little amp has a lot more to it than I would have imagined. The voices and effects are great . Anything from clean slow Blues to hard hitting chi splattering rock comes out in the champion .
From a light reverb to Echoes from the pit of hell , you're covered

I am a fan of the frontman , I have a hot rod deluxe , l wanted something light and managable this is great 19 lbs and a 12 inch speaker. With built in effects I can go with out an effects board. This amp is fun to play with it sound good. I also used it on a small gig no drummer.I really like it ,price is great, mostly play clean with little slapback. If your a fender fan i would try it
I do wish it had a built in tuner ,wish the reverb was separate,wish it had a cover
sweetwater shipped it fast

I loved this amp ever since I turned it on. The head phone jack gives a great idea of what's possible out of this lil powerhouse, I highly recommend a quality full size headphone. Now the speaker......blehhhhh.
Hears a secret....swap it with an aged celestion that came in the early Line 6 amps.... wow......

My main amp right now is my Mesa/Boogie, but I'm also using a Line6 POD HD500X. I got the idea of running two amps on stage. The Mesa is behind me, and I got the idea of running the little Fender on the other side of the stage. I let my bass player control it. Works great!

I found the champion 40 to give me all the variety of sounds I usually use. Without all the noise of some vintage amps and I can get these different voices at a reasonable volume.
I am handicapped and the size and weigh of the makes it a real plus in my book.

Picked this one up as a demo from Sweetwater, and when it arrived it still had the hang tags and was just like new, other than the box. Plugged in my Fender Tele and was pretty much blown away by the sounds this thing puts out. I will be using this in small venues, and see no problem with it being heard over drums and room noise, with power to spare. Very loud for it's size, and lightweight! It will certainly be no problem carrying this guy almost anywhere.
The included effects are pretty good, too, but hey it's a Fender. They're supposed to be good. I really like the clean channel, and the effects channel is very versatile. I especially like the realistic amp modeling (known here as "Voicing" ). The effects are selectable in combination with chorus and / or echo in a clever (red-yellow-green) light indicator near the control knob that is easy to use. Easy to use is the intent here, and you'll find yourself dialing in all the features this thing has in just a couple of minutes, as it's very simple and well laid-out. The stock Fender 12" speaker seems adequate and tuned to the open-back housing very well, so I won't be changing this one out. The housing itself seems sturdy enough, although it's not very heavy so caution should be taken not to throw it around much due to the thin gauge of the cabinet material. The 1/8" headphone and aux in jacks are handy and located on the front panel, along with a foot switch jack.
If there's any negative to be said about this amp, it would be it's inability to use some of the major effects (i.e., vibrato) in combination with reverb. It would be so nice to dial in that nice Fender Vibrato and then add some lush reverb, like most of the other models of classic Fender amps, but it's not possible with this one. You can still replicate the effect to some extent by messing with some of the other combinations, but it just isn't the same in the end. It's also somewhat of a bummer that it doesn't come with a foot switch, but at this price point I can see where that is probably not possible.
All in all, a very, very good little amp for practice or small to medium sized gigs, which you're sure to use often. This model IMHO is a step up from the Mustang series, and you don't need a computer degree to figure it out. Good job, Fender!!

Excellent practice amp, but can also be used if you're playing out somewhere. It has the great original Fender tone that people are used to hearing. Great bang for your buck if you are interested in value.

Performs very well. Lots of options and sounds great. The 12' speaker is a real plus.

I test drove this amp and researched comparable offerings; I found it to be quite an asset because of sound quality, tones, and the grab and go weight !
As usual Sweetwater remains Top Notch also; Thanks guys !

I've always been partial to tube amps, but they can be a bit "pricey." This is my first solid state unit. This little powerhouse ROCKS! All controls are straightforward & simple to use, 2 channels (clean/dirty), plus effects. Was skeptical of modeling feature, but was I really surprised! It can actually mimic several different Fender amps. Unit is quite loud for it's size with very clean highs & booming lows. No signs of any unwanted distortion or breakup. When it's time to get "dirty" she's down for it! Unit is well made, sturdy, yet light enough to tote if need be. She will interface with computer/player/listening units, is foot switchable, & headphone jack will keep neighbors from squawking. Granted, it's not a tube amp or "stack", that's not what you're getting here. But for 180.00 it's a good practice amp that can handle small venues. Treat her right & you'll get great use out of this little gem for years to come! You won't go wrong with this one! As always, great job & service from the guys & gals at Sweetwater. Thanks.

For the money you cant beat it. Great practice amp. Very good sounds.

Bought this little gem from Sweetwater recently (thanks for the candy!) - but only just now got my new guitar to fully check it out - what a great value-! I'm extremely pleased with this little amp, smokin' deal, --- 40 watts, 12" speaker, clean channel, or a variety of amp voicings from mellow to metal, has decent basic effects set with a foot switch jack, auxiliary jack and headphone jack for quiet time practicing -- not to mention how great the 12" speaker sounds. Also like the looks, no Darth Vader futuristic death star plastic like a certain other one I looked at -- a nice retro looking amp with an all business face and solid performance. I was going to buy the Champ 20 which is also fine, but I figured not much more with the sale price to go from an 8" speaker to a 12" plus 20 more watts & glad I did, makes the most of my new Fender strat. Sweetwater was awesome too, kept me informed all the way, first rate place to shop for online gear - If this amps features fit your needs do not hesitate, its a great buy on a great sounding amp and has the Fender name--!

For the money the new Fender Champion line of amps are fantastic. I got one of these amps for use at home for practicing but there's more than enough power in this champion amp that it's able to be used for much more than just home practice. The built in effects are great as well as the amp models built into the amp so this amp certainly isn't lacking. The only reason I gave this amp a 4.5 instead of a 5 is because I felt that Fender should have put a extension speaker jack on this amp.

Had a Fender Twin and was just too big for my needs. Got this amp and sounds great for my home use. The effects are good. I wish that I could use more than one at a time but still was a great choice. Sweetwater staff is the best!!

The Fender Champion 40 is my first Solid State Amplifier. The amp takes pedals well and has a nice clean channel. The preset voices and effects can produce many different tones that I use regularly. It produces a good tone and gets loud, all in a light and small package. I use this amp with the foot pedal that allows me to switch between the clean channel and voices, as well as the effects toggle. For the price, I recommend this amp for beginners, regular players, and everyone in between.

Great amp. The speaker sucked so I replaced it with a "Cannibis Rex" (or it would have received five stars) & it took on a whole new life. At 20 pounds it stays easily with a lot of its "bigger/badder" brothers. I have several "bigger/badder" Fender brothers & Cube 80 GX and I use this whenever I can. Hasn't failed me yet.

Great gear, very professional, and a wonderful Staff to help with all your musical needs

I got this amp this past weekend and I really enjoy it; very loud and lightweight. I will say that the distortion can sound pretty meh at times (probably because of the amount of saturation; the overdrive sounds pretty nice though) it's not bad however. The FX are pretty good and the amp models are pretty sweet. since I just got it, it makes sense that I'm tweaking it constantly until I dial it in right.

Overall: Loud enough for what I need it for and Lighter than the amp I was using previously. If they made a version of this with tubes, I would buy it.

Perfect for an intermediate player as myself. Gives me a lot more features than I had with my previous amp and sounds so much better. Perfect for practicing but, has enough kick I could easily use it to play live in a modest venue. Really a fun amp.

After having to use a super basic amp, it's really refreshing getting to use one this good. My only complaint is it's too loud at times.

Nice compact size amp. Easy to learn controls. Full sound. Built in effects have good quality sound and add a nice touch to your sound. The two-channel setup is also nice. You can get enough output for some live playing. Fender quality shines with this little amp.

This is a good amp for home use. I use it in my office and am getting a lot of use out of it because I am home all day
practicing social distance.

Mainly I use the clean channel with a Squire Contemporary Telecaster that I purchased at Sweetwater.

I would like to thank Sweetwater for getting the amp to me a day early and Wayne Wildman for helping me pick out the amp.

In time, I will probably try out the other features of the amp but really like the clean channel.

Very good sounding amp, for the money. Owned it for 2 years now, no problems. Would have given it 5 stars, if they had put the on/off switch, in the front, where it should be. 2 years and I'm still looking for it(switch) on the front, like all of the other amps I've owned.

I just upgraded from a Champion 20 to this 40 Watt amp with one 12 inch speaker.
It dwarfs the little 20 watt by an order of four. Weighs 20 lbs. as opposed to 6.6 lbs. for the 20 watt.
This is all the power I can stand in my office/studio before sheetrock starts cracking.
As usual, Sweetwater comes through with an excellent product and a great delivery time.
Item was properly packaged from Fender, then over-boxed with a Sweetwater box for extra protection.

I wanted a simple amp without any computer requirements, just basically of/on and the voicing choices, and this is the one. It's awfully pretty and very simple to use.

This price is pretty much universal so I'd suggest you get a hold of Mike Morgan at Sweetwater and get him to send you one.
That young man if going places in the organization and he specializes in customer service.

The 4 stars is because I don't gush over anything, just report the facts.

Great lightweight amp for studio or stage. Great Fender sound. Excellent quality at an affordable price!

I was using an old Crate 20 watt and it was serviceable but I just got this amp [Champion 40] TODAY! and I am blown away. I am a returning guitarist after not playing for 40+ years {due to music is not in my DNA but all my buddies were in bands so I did it too} I am quickly regaining my sea legs and I also just bought a Fender Electric Acoustic to go with my Squire Telecaster and other that I have wasted sitting in closets.

This amp is so advanced for its design and sound. Its light, it is crisp and I have just ordered the two switch pedal as recommended by Mark in another review. Can't wait. I wish I someone to jam with to get better!!!

I needed a larger amp to use with our Praise Band. The Champion 40 is perfect for our size band and congregation. I like the 2 channel option - I can easily switch between acoustic and electric. The onboard effects are nice options to have. The only thing I miss is the preamp out option to send a signal to the main sound board, but was able to overcome this with a direct box.

Bought this amp for low volume church band. It can get pretty loud, I keep the volume on about 3. I swapped the stock speaker for a celestion seventy-80 that i got here on sweetwater for only 30 bucks, which is a great deal even though this amp runs at 8 ohms it handles the 16 ohm speaker just fine. The stock speaker gets flubby with pedals and gain, but the celestion sounds great. It's a fender, so it does nice cleans. The onboard effects are pretty decent too. Just don't forget you're buying a $ combo. Sounds are usable but don't expect it to blow your mind

The amp is exactly what I hoped it would be. It's small enough for in home use yet big enough for entertaining outside the home. The sound is crisp and clean. Very satisfied with your recommendation and my choice.

First off, let me say that this is an excellent practice amp for the price paid. It has decent sound projection for lows highs and mids in the clean channel but when you switch over to the dirty side, it's ehhhh. You'll notice a distinct drop in volume and clarity and becomes muddy. But if you're using it on the clean side with a pedalboard to get your dirty sounds, like me, it's not bad. The effects are alright. I don't use them except the occasion that I'll use one of the reverb and one of the delay settings. Another thing is that this little combo has a pretty strong output. It can get loud! I use it to practice in my basement and I usually have it on 4 out of 10 and it's loud. I feel like you could definitely use this for a small venue gig. One last huge plus is that it's small and lightweight. Easy to grab and go. Overall, this amp shocked me. It's obviously not going to sound like a great tube amp but for the price and what it was built to do, it's a great buy. If you need something for practice or small gigs, I would recommend this in conjunction with a pedalboard (if you need effects and distortion).

I have done three gigs with this amp since I bought it. The amp cerntainly does what it clams to do quite well.
I like the models and the effects. As an aging musciian I like the fact that it only weighs around 20 lbs.
My only negative would be that I wish it had a line out so I could go straight tthe board.
I also believe that for every asset there is a liability. I own a 66 Fender Vibrolux that is a most incredible amp I realize these are two different classes of amps but if you are expecting the same kind of punch and sound that you would get from a tube amp it just isn't there. Maybe I am spolied on the 66. I think I will use this amp for small venues and jammin with friends or rehearsal. it will work just fine when people show up just to jam and need something to play through. One last thought great for beginners and players.

Noob guitarist. I bought this as a practice amp, so I cannot compare it to anything else. The price was in a range I could afford for new. I play at home so the volume is set to "2." I imagine it could handle a small club setting if cranked up.

Perfect amp for small gigs or practice sessions.
Good sound and no pops when you switch channels.
For the price, you can't beat it. And as always the people at Sweetwater made it a pleasure to do business.

Great clean sound,the main reason to buy a Fender amp right ? Put a good dirt box through it and enjoy.This thing is light,looks good and can't be beat for value.Why Fender didn't put a separate reverb is beyond me though…maybe in V2 ?

I am really impressed with the sound of this solid state amp. I have always believed that a fender amp matched with a Stratocaster is one of the great tone combinations. This amp does not disappoint. I am a firm believer that only tubes give the best tone but this amp comes very close to matching tubes.. Considering the price point, that makes it even more impressive.

After comparing several comparably priced amps, I chose the champ 40. Weight is a big factor for me with a "grab and go" amp and this was a featherweight.
My other requirement was filled with a very nice sounding Fender amp. That Sparkle was there, and nice sustain; I have really been enjoying this amp. I recommended this gem.

very nice practice combo @ 40 watts/ 12 speaker...everything the desciption says it is. Light weight and easy to dial in. Nice voicing. Will be taking its maiden voyage this weekend w/ my national group as a stage amp. Crew @ Sweetwater does it again. Quick delivery safe and sound. Thanks Tom!

Nice effects. plenty of power. wish it had a jack to add another speaker.

Great sound collection and size for the price. The headphone jack is helpful. It just works good.

I am one of those guys (like so many of us) that just can't leave my music equipment alone and have to experiment a little (sometimes a lot). In the case of the Champ 40, I wanted to see what a Celestion G12-65 Creamback would do in the place of the stock Fender speaker.
The results: Creamback had more hiss, was not as clean, but did have more drive.
Stock speaker better on clean, less hiss, and had less drive.
My conclusion, is that you probably will never get a better sound from another speaker than the one the Champ 40 comes with.
This is not that surprising, as most of the low end amps are designed to match speaker and amp to come up with an acceptable product. I use this amp for practice, and upgraded from a Frontman 25R that has a 10" speaker. I was looking for a fuller sound with some limited amp modeling, in a small package/footprint, and that is what I got with the Champ 40, and the overall sound is much better than the 25R. My only wish for the Champ 40, is that the drive would work on both channels, and I have seen the same request from other reviewers.

I PURCHASED THIS AMP FOR MY SON TO USE AS A DAY TO DAY CARRY AROUND FOR COLLEGE. It is to replace a Fender Twin due to weight and size of the Twin. We have had the amp for about a month and works well, sounds good. It is not a Twin or a tube Camp Amp, but works well and we have no issues with the performance or sound. It is a inexpensive , lightweight amp at a very reasonable price. -- Sweetwater is a great place to purchase gear. I have been using them for about 4 years. Customer service is excellent!

This is a very nice little amp for small venues and studio work. Lots of good features and very smooth sound.

Great little Amp. Has two inputs and the power for small gigs. Great for practice at home too! I sold my Fender amp back in the late 60's and forever regretted it. The price was reasonable for this 12" speaker amp. Headphone jack is great for practice, so the neighbors don't go ballistic. LOL

THIS IS A GREAT LITTLE AMP FOR THE MONEY. Enough Power for good headroom and the amp and and effects are actually useable in a few cases. No this amp was never designed to gig with but it will give you decent cleans and a very decent amp for friends to play when you don't want to give up your VOX AC2 15W to company this will more than work. Some of the cabs are fuzzy but that's just solid state and some of the effects are actually more useable than you'll find on any Mustang. Overall a very nice clean sounding amp with some useable effects and Excellent Cleans. Well wort the money and much better than a lot of amps costing 2 and 3 times the price. I'd take this over a SuperChamp X2 any day of the week. the 12#Speaker sounds so much fuller than the SuperChamp 10# Speaker, that I feel the Champion 40 is a Hands Down better amp and keeps some bucks$$ in the Bank!Best Buy for the Money bar NONE!

I watched this a while before pulling the trigger as I had a Super Champ XD for many years that I sold in the last year and didn't want to duplicate it per se, but needed a small practice amp to avoid hauling and setting up the live rig all the time at home between gigs. Just a week old and first impressions were it was plenty loud and the settings, while similar to the XD are different enough to select a few I like. With a stock Fender (small magnet) speaker and an open back, the general tone is a tad honky but changing out the speaker helped. The solid state can't imitate tubes but gets somewhat close and while no match for my main amp is small and lightweight, loud enough @ 40 watts and a decent practice amp.

Bought this amp for practice and jamming with friends...something less weighty than my gigging amps (40 pounds). Have only had a short time to play with the sound, hence the less than wonderful rating, but I think it will do fine. The clean tone is good, channel 2 shows promise for tailoring the sound, and the effects are much improved over the old Fender DSP 2x12 I had previously. Overall quality seems to be a good value for the dollar. I would recommend this as a practice amp that can also do small gigs.

I purchased this for practice. I'm using a Fender American Standard Strat and having a small amp with a 12 inch speaker was appealing. After watching the videos of this amp in action I decided to purchase it. I have used mostly tube amps over the years with the exception of some Peavey solid states and was used to the sound of the tubes. This amp was great for amplification, but the overall sound was too clean and brittle for my tastes. The special fx were just 'ok' for me, but I really didn't need them since I have plenty of pedals and multieffect options. Still a good amp for practice though.

Bought this amp at a semi-local shop. Paid more than what is offered at sweetwater. Was supposed to meet with a guy to buy a peavey bandit 112 red stripe but he flaked on me. Needed a small combo amp for church, so checked the closest music store and bought the Champ 40 in hopes of greater portability than the other combos I have. Anywway, tones are good at low volumes. Disappointed at lack of mid control, but bass, with setting at zero is horrendous. Has way to much bass and becomes very muddy at higher volume levels. Amp has no effects loop. Well mine does now. Modded successfully and can now place an eq in the effects loop to tame bass and mids. The modeled amps are ok. digital effects are so-so as mentioned in other reviews. I noticed that when using the trem or vibe settings, if you hit a low enough note , it will reset the effect. Its a decent amp to practice with, not sure how it will sit in a live mix or what kind of response it will have in an open venue as I haven't gigged with it yet. As other mentioned, does not come with footswitch. Normal cheapo footswitch works, however effects are not effected. Ordered a official fender footswitch and will be experimenting soon.

Overall, its a decent amp, however, I really had my hopes set on getting that red stripe so maybe I'm a little biased and had greater expectations. It is light and I'm sure my back will appreciate that carrying back and forth.

I owned this amp for a long time. It's very loud and gig worthy. The Fender amp models are good. Other amp models not so much. You'd be better off using a pedal. Effects are pretty good except wah. It has a simple layout that's intuitive. Decent amp but I think there are better options out there now.

First it's transistor not tube. The first notes I played made me think I made a mistake. However, most players don't take the time to work the amp. I've spent the last 5 days working on the sound. Finally have it sounding good.
Channel 2 blackface, gain at 3 volume at 6 gives a good clean sound with a touch of attitude. Using a ts9 for overdrive and delay + reverb. Used a CD taped to speaker cloth over the amp cone. This diffused the treble and smooths out the sound. All fender amps are treble monsters. A lot of players use duct tape or a cone cover. It does help with the piercing highs. Biggest plus is weight. Tube amps are heavy. 19 pound's a pure joy. I'll use it tomorrow at a gig. Let me say this, the people at Sweetwater are great. They know their stuff.
So if you're looking to save weight… this amp is for you. You will have to work it to get your sound. 53 years of gigging and yes tube amps are heavy, I hope this review works.

I've had this amp for a couple of years now and it does the job. To be honest with you and very rarely use the amp models, called voices, I usually use a distortion pedal. The clean is great and some of the Fender models are pretty good. All the others not so good. Its real nice to have built in effects and they work just fine. Plus it has a 12" speaker do it sounds full. It's certainly gigable. For the money I think this is a pretty good amp.

It works, the cleans are actually really nice. However the distortion could definitely use work. It doesn't sound very good and cant get loud. If you crank the volume it starts to sound like a literal tube/neck pickup x100. I wouldn't recommend, save your money or get something better.

I bought mine used for a pretty good deal. Looks the part, sounds okay, but I found some shortcomings. The first thing I found was that I couldn't turn the effects off, wasn't getting the right effect, and the thing was randomly changing effects on me. Since the effect selector is a pot, and since pots get dirty, I pulled out the amplifier board. I noticed the board had been sprayed with some sort of sticky stuff, obviously some of which had made it's way inside the pot. I gave the pot a good spray with switch cleaner, and now it seems to be okay - for now. Beyond that the thing pops when I turn it on, and when I'm wearing headphones the pop is unpleasantly loud. Also I like to play along with songs from my phone or my tablet, but when I plug into the auxiliary input, I get a very unpleasant hiss. In summary I'd say a nice design, partially spoiled by subpar quality control. The fact that the amp was practically brand new, and I bought it for less than half the retail price tells me that the first owner wasn't very satisfied either. Since I primarily intended to use the amp for headphone practice, I suspect I'll probably play with it a bit, and then sell it off to some kid who won't know the difference. On the positive side it does resemble the old tube Champ, and does a pretty good job of sounding like it too. In a pinch it would be a nice amp for my acoustic.

Good little Amp for the money. Sweetwater service and follow up is great, Great place to do business with.

Died out of the box been waiting over a month for a replacement. Also had a fender excelsior tube amp...died out of box took store credit.

Sweetwater and my representative are always great. The amp sounded good and when I put a quality speaker in it, it was even better. It died after 2 1/2 years. Techs say can't be repaird, circuit fried. No schematics and parts not available. First solid state that I have ever had fail in 50 yrs. I have larger tube amps (Fender) but I liked this little amps tone. Won't buy another.

Nice clean sound. Distortion and online effects are only so so.

Bought a 40 watt Champion Amp, the effects are nice but trying to get a clean tone in channel 1 suck's. It is so solid state sounding. I bought it because I could use headphones and not bother anybody. Very let down in it so far, It seems like it would be more for a kid learning how to play. No comparison to my older Fender amps tone wise, If I can't figure how to get a better clean sound out of it I'll put it in the closet and just forget about it. It is nice and light weight, It may just be me I am a bit older and know what I want, this is not it. Does Anybody out there want it.

For starters, this amp is missing an important control: MID SETTINGS!

Fender, PLEASE, bring back the FRONTMAN 25! For teaching, and even small gigs, I want a small, reliable, lightweight amp WITHOUT cheesy digital effects that can't be mixed. Instead, give me a solid amp with just bass, mid, and treble controls, a plain over drive channel with a footswitch, and plain reverb, and a decent 12" speaker ---- I will add any other affects if I desire with pedals!!!!!!!!

This amp doesn't compare in sound quality to the FRONTMAN 25.... it is not a decent replacement!!

Disappointing sound! Lacking clarity punch and presence this has been a bad experience with me putting it up for sale almost at once! I have the Mustang III and G-Dec 3 models which sound superior and it's not just the speaker. I changed this for an eminence and despite extra brightness still lacked any real tone!
It is obvious this amp has been built to a price, not just in construction but in the electronics too. In fact the amp sounds like an 8bit chip rather than a 16bit comparison wise.

On it's plus sight it has a few amp models to choose from and some useful effects although there is only a simple EQ to cover both channels. Styling wise the amp looks good but is of a thin mdf design which is apparent the moment you pick it up. The speaker is a lightweight generic unit but changing this did little to the lacklustre tone anyway!

This amp is really a way to corner the lower end market of budget guitars and amps that most youths starting out would purchase without really knowing about tone yet!

This amp might be loud and light, but it is impossible get a clean,clear tone. Of course, there are some beginners and hacks who think that is what they want, and for them, boy I've got a deal for you...
But if you really want to control your sound, forget this one. It's all smoke and mirrors.

I bought this amp for practice with effects and recording. I really hate the effects rotary selector dial. It is nearly impossible to dial in an effect you really want. My suggestion would be to have less effects but use an ON/OFF switch to select the effect. Also, the effects dial will move on it's own while you are playing it, changing the effect to something different. This is 2021! Get it right!

beginner amplifier at best. the tone from this amp is horrible no matter what you dial in from the various selections or whether you are plugged into the clean channel or channel 2 input. stepped up and ordered the fender 57 custom deluxe tube combo...