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Topic: $1100 Champion!!! |
Ron Victoria
From:
New Jersey, USA
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Posted 28 Jun 2008 5:27 pm |
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I can't believe this one just sold for $1100 in less than one day. I wish I still had the 2 I sold years ago. He's calling it a Tele blonde finish but it looks like the yellow MOTS to me.
Item number: 140244351506
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Gerald Ross
From:
Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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Posted 28 Jun 2008 7:03 pm
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To be quite honest with you, I'm not that impressed with an all original Champion. The original pickup is a bit too twangy and trebely for Hawaiian or mellow steel.
Mine came with a Seymour Duncan replacement pickup which I quickly destroyed trying to "make it better".
Jason Lollar then made me replacement that has a bit more middle and bottom end.
I love the guitar now and it didn't cost $1300.
_________________
Gerald Ross
'Northwest Ann Arbor, Michigan's King Of The Hawaiian Steel Guitar'
A UkeTone Recording Artist
CEO, CIO, CFO - UkeTone Records
Gerald's Hawaiian Steel Guitar/Ukulele Website |
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John Dahms
From:
Perkasie, Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted 29 Jun 2008 4:18 am
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Gerald has a point when he refers to Fender's twangy, treble tone. Remember that most early generation amplifiers did not produce much high frequency response and that designers (like Leo Fender) worked by ear and would compensate by increasing the highs going in because they would loose them comming out. This gave Fender a big advantage at that time. Of course electronics improved and full range response is possible so these exagerated highs are more evident.
I don't think this is usually a deal breaker because you can E.Q. it out but I know for sure that you can't tweak it if you ain't got it to begin with.
_________________
Time flies like an eagle
Fruit flies like a banana. |
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Robert Salomone
From:
Carefree, Arizona
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Posted 12 Oct 2008 2:45 pm
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The main reason behind the increase in price on those early '50s Fender Champion lapsteels is the vintage guitar parts market.
The parts on those old lapsteels are the same as used by Fender on the early variation of the Telecaster family. Potentiometers, knurled knobs, milled jack cup, ferrules, capacitor and slotted screws. The pickup can be converted to fit a Telecaster with a few adjustments. |
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Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
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Posted 13 Oct 2008 6:53 am
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I can vouch for Geralds little Fender. I played it Sunday morning (about 2:30 AM  ) I was impressed. It was through a Roland "Cube Street" amp. Really surprising tone. |
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Wally Pfeifer
From:
Illinois, USA
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Posted 13 Oct 2008 7:55 am 1950s Champ
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My very first electric steel was a Fender Champ exactly like Gerald's. I sure wish I would have kept it. But I traded it in on a Professional Dual 6 (Fender Stringmaster).
Gerald's Champ really sounds good. And by the way,- if you want a nice CD,- get Gerald's "Moonlight" CD.
Ukulele & Steel.
Wally |
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Gerald Ross
From:
Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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Posted 13 Oct 2008 8:08 am
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Thank you Wally and Bill.
Bill Creller actually did the rewiring of the guitar for me after Jason Lollar created the pickup.
BTW Wally - it's a Champion, not a Champ. Ian Ufton and Kamaka Tom both played Champs this past weekend at Joliet.
_________________
Gerald Ross
'Northwest Ann Arbor, Michigan's King Of The Hawaiian Steel Guitar'
A UkeTone Recording Artist
CEO, CIO, CFO - UkeTone Records
Gerald's Hawaiian Steel Guitar/Ukulele Website |
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Nick Reed
From:
Russellville, KY USA
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Posted 14 Oct 2008 4:53 pm
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| I'm not real impressed either |
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