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1986 Fender Super Champ Deluxe

1986 Fender Super Champ Deluxe

The ’86 Super Champ Deluxe featured here is one of the last examples of the modern circuitry upgrades that were housed in a more traditional package.


In response to a steep decline in amplifier sales in the late ’70s and early ’80s, Fender restructured their amplifier design team in 1982. Managed by Paul Rivera—of Rivera Amplification fame—the team moved quickly in creating the II Series of Fender Amps, which were produced until 1986. Often called “Rivera-era amps,” this line included recognizable model names like the Showman, Deluxe Reverb, and Twin Reverb, as well as new models, like the Studio Lead, London Reverb, and Montreux. Each model sported one or more modern upgrades, including master volume controls, channel switching, active tone controls, graphic equalizers, and effects loops, among others.

The ’86 Super Champ Deluxe featured here is one of the last examples of the modern circuitry upgrades that were housed in a more traditional package. With a nod to the early days of Fender Tweed amplifiers, the Super Champ Deluxe amps came with a natural oak cabinet and brown grille cloth. Two 6V6GTs pumped 18 watts of power into a 10" speaker, while a Master Volume knob controlled the overall output volume. Pulling out the Volume knob, or hitting a button on the optional footswitch, engaged a mid-gain lead channel, re-routing extra gain from the 12AT7 tube driving the reverb on the clean channel. A second Lead Level knob controlled output for this lead channel. If the player needed some extra cutting power, a tug on the Treble control resulted in a strong midrange boost.


Thanks to Glenn Weatherford for listing this amp on Gear Search. Whether you’re looking for a vintage piece or the latest on the market, there’s a great chance you’ll find it at Gear Search. More than 47,000 pieces of gear are listed, including some of the rarest gear in the world.