I own both of these amps and they are very different. The Champ is my go to, as it is more user/neighbour friendly in terms of volume. It never comes across as trebly, if anything it could sometimes do with some additional treble. (I'm usually playing my modded Highway one strat). I'm actually gonna sell the Pro as I don't use it. Might be different if I was gigging but i'm not and no plans to currently.
I bought a pro jr iv LTD The secret for my sound is I installed new tubes JJ's with cooler set of EL84s and a balanced 12ax7 phase inverter and 5157 in V1 What a difference it made, more clean head room ..up to 7 or 8 them you start getting breakup. Much sweeter sound to my ears .but that's what I wanted in this amp for my blues style of playing . Oh and the Jensen didn't hurt ,I can only expect it to get sweeter as the speaker breaks in time. Fenders pro jr iv is the best buy for the money in my opinion.for what it is ...plane jane tube amp . My tube swap just made it sweeter for me. Great review by the way...
Thank you for the review. For commenters, please remember that most reviews are done with new equipment so the speakers are not broken in. Yuri mentioned below the Champ is brand new - I am interested to know if the Pro Jr is new too. It does sound surprisingly muffled but still sounded good in a mix.
Soon before pandemic I set out to buy the champ, then after trying them both out with my tele, opted for the pro jr. sounded warmer at the guitar shop. No regrets, only have been playing mostly acoustic so have maybe 10 hours of use so far on the jr.
It depends on the occasion; for me the Champ is the to go option. In fact the only option. If need something "extra" just unplug the speaker and plug an extension cab, that's it. No big deal.
Thank u! Very good comparison. I enjoyed hearing the 57 and have always wondered what it sounded like. Beautiful tone. I’ve owned and loved pro jrs for years. It’s my only amp.
Before mods, my Pro Junior didn't sound well at all. I settled on a Eminence Copperhead speaker and a set of low output tubes for better headroom from Eurotubes (Fender Pro Jr Low Output SRV Option). Now that works.
I recently bought a Pro Jr IV with the Jenson speaker. I've been really enjoying this amp. And to resolve the issue of volume, as it gets incredibly loud if you're looking to get natural break up. I built an attenuator box for just under $50. Or buy the one built by Bugera for $100. Then you can play at apartment levels easy. I've heard great things about the Champ, but haven't been able to play through one yet, seems like a really nice amplifier.
Hey, when installing an attenuator in this amp is it as simple as plugging it in between the power amp and speaker? or was any soldering involved. Cant find any info
I had a Pro Jnr for years and was never really happy with the sound until I installed a Jensen speaker in place of the Fender original and various Eminence models...big improvement in clarity! Is this the latest model with the Jensen C10R? I have a 5F1 clone right now that has a really nice warm output...not trebley at all - once again probably the speaker choice (Celestion). I think that's what makes the main difference in tone.
Just listening to it again, is the Champ you're playing new? It could well be that the new (not broken-in) speaker could be the culprit. My Champ sounds seriously mellow. I'm not rich and the only way I could spend a grand on an amp was if it was very special. It is. :)
@@denieledwards6893 I had a first year Pro Junior. I bought it brand new, and I would still have it if it hadn’t gotten stolen in 2014. I’d probably be willing to pay over $1,000 if I could that exact one back maybe even more than that if it was still in the same condition it left me in. However, short of having mine back I won’t ever buy another one, because I would just stay upset about the first one.
@@charlesbolton8471 I know what you mean, I had my pedalboard stolen in the late 90s and could never bring myself to replace my sovtek big muff, now they're simply too expensive
It isn’t even close the ‘57 is a point to point hand wired amp with the most used tone circuit in Jazz & Rock and if that other amp sounds better you need to learn how to work a Champ
1000% Agreed. I own a few amps, all point to point accept for one. The Champ is my number one player every day. A Tele, straight into the amp. The amp is cranked, and the volume and tone on the guitar shape the sound….
@@steveb9325 Technically, in an amp that is truly “point to point” every connection is soldered directly to the amp chassis. The 57 Champ and most other hand wired amps are not actually point to point because they are connected to a turret board instead of directly to the chassis. Both of these methods were used from the beginning of tube amps up until solid state technology entered the amp world in the 1960s. Fender (and many other companies) went completely to PCBs (printed circuit boards) in the 1980s. By the mid 90s, they came back to their senses and started offering high end hand wired amps again. PCBs still dominate most company’s amp line up because they are cheap to produce and are very consistent from one board to the next. If it is a good design using quality components they can function great for an extended period of time just like a hand wired amp. However, when something does go wrong or a component simply wears out it is usually much more difficult (and in some cases impossible) to repair a PCB.
When mixing videos, please don’t bury your voice under the background music. I wanna hear what you have to say. Thanks.
I own both of these amps and they are very different. The Champ is my go to, as it is more user/neighbour friendly in terms of volume. It never comes across as trebly, if anything it could sometimes do with some additional treble. (I'm usually playing my modded Highway one strat). I'm actually gonna sell the Pro as I don't use it. Might be different if I was gigging but i'm not and no plans to currently.
Wish I could hear what both amps sound like when pushed hard instead of a distortion pedal when played clean. That would really tell you a lot.
I bought a pro jr iv LTD
The secret for my sound is I installed new tubes JJ's with cooler set of EL84s and a balanced 12ax7 phase inverter and 5157 in V1
What a difference it made, more clean head room ..up to 7 or 8 them you start getting breakup.
Much sweeter sound to my ears .but that's what I wanted in this amp for my blues style of playing . Oh and the Jensen didn't hurt ,I can only expect it to get sweeter as the speaker breaks in time.
Fenders pro jr iv is the best buy for the money in my opinion.for what it is ...plane jane tube amp .
My tube swap just made it sweeter for me.
Great review by the way...
Thank you for the review. For commenters, please remember that most reviews are done with new equipment so the speakers are not broken in. Yuri mentioned below the Champ is brand new - I am interested to know if the Pro Jr is new too. It does sound surprisingly muffled but still sounded good in a mix.
Soon before pandemic I set out to buy the champ, then after trying them both out with my tele, opted for the pro jr. sounded warmer at the guitar shop. No regrets, only have been playing mostly acoustic so have maybe 10 hours of use so far on the jr.
1 year later??
It depends on the occasion; for me the Champ is the to go option. In fact the only option. If need something "extra" just unplug the speaker and plug an extension cab, that's it. No big deal.
Thanks for this... I'm deciding between these two
Thank u! Very good comparison. I enjoyed hearing the 57 and have always wondered what it sounded like. Beautiful tone. I’ve owned and loved pro jrs for years. It’s my only amp.
Hearing the fender champ always reminds me of Clapton and brownie on Derek & the dominos… one of the best sounds ever
Before mods, my Pro Junior didn't sound well at all. I settled on a Eminence Copperhead speaker and a set of low output tubes for better headroom from Eurotubes (Fender Pro Jr Low Output SRV Option). Now that works.
What tubes did you use? 12au7 or y7?
@@tims001 try 5751 tubes. 70% gain versus 60% for the 12AT7. its my go to.
Fender 57 Champ Amp Undisputed !!!
I recently bought a Pro Jr IV with the Jenson speaker. I've been really enjoying this amp. And to resolve the issue of volume, as it gets incredibly loud if you're looking to get natural break up. I built an attenuator box for just under $50. Or buy the one built by Bugera for $100. Then you can play at apartment levels easy. I've heard great things about the Champ, but haven't been able to play through one yet, seems like a really nice amplifier.
Hey, when installing an attenuator in this amp is it as simple as plugging it in between the power amp and speaker? or was any soldering involved. Cant find any info
@@pugforce8315 it goes between the power amp and speaker. No soldering unless you're building one from scratch.
@@TheKingacevedo thanks for the quick reply, guess i gotta buy one
I had a Pro Jnr for years and was never really happy with the sound until I installed a Jensen speaker in place of the Fender original and various Eminence models...big improvement in clarity! Is this the latest model with the Jensen C10R? I have a 5F1 clone right now that has a really nice warm output...not trebley at all - once again probably the speaker choice (Celestion). I think that's what makes the main difference in tone.
Yep, thats pro junior IV. Indeed speaker choice may change everything
Fender Champ 57 all the way. Absolut worth the money
Why are you wearing a mask 😷,alone in a room? 🤷🏻♂️
Thats exactly the question I asked the shop owner, however he insisted...
@@yuri-guitarist lol, I would have farted up the room! Bwahahahaa!!!
I’d find a different shop
I would told him to kick stones and I’ll go spend my money with your competitor AH , see ya.
Just listening to it again, is the Champ you're playing new? It could well be that the new (not broken-in) speaker could be the culprit. My Champ sounds seriously mellow. I'm not rich and the only way I could spend a grand on an amp was if it was very special. It is. :)
Yep, it just came out of the Box. In fact I was suprised with the sound a bit
lower the level of your backround music, its squashing your talking
Hello every one needs a champ be it tweed blackpanel what ever you all just need to get one
Use onboard distortion/overdrive otherwise what's the point of a compare and contrast?
Pro Jr sound better to me hands down , a lot more warmth than the champ
Yep, indeed I also find it fuller and more versatile
I HAVE TWO EARLY TWEED ONES EARLY 90'S SOUND AMAZING BEEN OFFERED OVER A GRAND FOR THEM
@@denieledwards6893
I had a first year Pro Junior. I bought it brand new, and I would still have it if it hadn’t gotten stolen in 2014.
I’d probably be willing to pay over $1,000 if I could that exact one back maybe even more than that if it was still in the same condition it left me in. However, short of having mine back I won’t ever buy another one, because I would just stay upset about the first one.
@@charlesbolton8471 CHARLES KEEEP LOOKING ON EBAY ONE WILL SHOW UP SORRY YOUR'S GOT STOLEN LIFE IS A BITCH, GOOD LUCK.
@@charlesbolton8471 I know what you mean, I had my pedalboard stolen in the late 90s and could never bring myself to replace my sovtek big muff, now they're simply too expensive
You're too soft-spoken so when you are talking the background music is overpowering you.
geeezz take the pillow off that pro junior.....sounds crappy
I don’t hear a difference.
geezzzvideo is too dark and sound quaity is not good,, try again
It isn’t even close the ‘57 is a point to point hand wired amp with the most used tone circuit in Jazz & Rock and if that other amp sounds better you need to learn how to work a Champ
1000% Agreed. I own a few amps, all point to point accept for one. The Champ is my number one player every day. A Tele, straight into the amp. The amp is cranked, and the volume and tone on the guitar shape the sound….
What is point to point? (I'm mainly Classical guitar and acoustic guitarist....). Thank you in advance
@@steveb9325 Hand wired amps, no circuit board
@@MrBluesilverred appreciate it!
@@steveb9325
Technically, in an amp that is truly “point to point” every connection is soldered directly to the amp chassis. The 57 Champ and most other hand wired amps are not actually point to point because they are connected to a turret board instead of directly to the chassis. Both of these methods were used from the beginning of tube amps up until solid state technology entered the amp world in the 1960s. Fender (and many other companies) went completely to PCBs (printed circuit boards) in the 1980s. By the mid 90s, they came back to their senses and started offering high end hand wired amps again.
PCBs still dominate most company’s amp line up because they are cheap to produce and are very consistent from one board to the next. If it is a good design using quality components they can function great for an extended period of time just like a hand wired amp. However, when something does go wrong or a component simply wears out it is usually much more difficult (and in some cases impossible) to repair a PCB.
Take the mask off hoser