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Topic: Fender Champ |
Gianni Gori
From:
Livorno, Italy
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Posted 11 Apr 2010 4:04 am |
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Hi,
I've just purchased this Fender Champ lap steel...
The seller owned a music shop which went out of business over 30 years ago, and this lap steel is a real "New Old Stock", in absolutely mint conditions and it sounds great!
The serial number on the bridge plate is # 8568 and there's no rubber stamps or pencil date inside any cavity of the body.
He said it was made in 1962 but I don't think so...
The Fender logo plate and the shape of tuners knobs make me think it should come from the mid of '60s of later.
I don't really care about it's value, I paid it a lil' bit more than one of the asiatic Fender FS52 on the market today, so it was a real bargain, but I'd like to know "what" I've bought 
Can you, guys, help me finding out its age?
Last edited by Gianni Gori on 13 Apr 2010 4:40 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Rich Hlaves
From:
Wildomar, California, USA
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Posted 12 Apr 2010 9:04 am
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Gianni,
Dating Fender steels is a difficult task because the serial numbers mean little to nothing. The pickup on the guitar may have a date written on the bottom. I had a champ PU from '64 that was dated. The other method of getting an idea of when it was built would be from the date codes on the pots.
A code of xxx-6721 would mean xxx is the manufacturer of the pot and 67 being 1967. 21 would be the 21st week of that year. Sometimes the codes are covered by solder and can not be read. Also if the case has a Fender tail logo it would be made prior to '73 or so. Logo without the tail would be '73 or later.
From looking at the guitar I would think late '60s to early 70s but that is just a guess. Having a logo plate on the body rather than a decal is rare. Fender must have been out of decals that day and used a plate for a Deluxe or a Stringmaster.
Also.....that is not a Champ if I am seeing legs in the photo. Legs would make it a Studio Deluxe. Basically the same instrument as a Champ with a thicker body and leg sockets/legs.
Other interesting features that are rare are the chrome tuning knobs that lead me to believe Fender used a tuning pan from a Deluxe 6 or a Stringmaster D6. Typically a Studio Deluxe from the era would have black tuners and black control knobs to match.
You got a real nice example with some rare factory parts on it! Good find. Best of luck nailing down a date.
Best,
Rich
_________________
On man....let the smoke out of another one. |
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Tom Pettingill
From:
California, USA (deceased)
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