Have you a Fender Champion or Fender Champ lap steel ?

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 22 Jan 2009 11:28 am

If you have a fender Champ Lap steel guitar and would like to see pictures of it in a future book to be published, then read on :

One of the members of the European Steel Guitar Forum is an author of various books of some repute, or is it vice versa ?
and he requires GOOD quality photographs of the Jack socket, machine heads knobs and bridge assembly of a Mk1.
And a photograph of the pickup and bridge assembly of a Mk2
Pickups with the plastic cover removed showing the bobbin and polepieces if possible.

He assure me that sources will be credited.

This is a Mk1.

and the parts referred to:-

JACK SOCKET

Kluson Tuner

Knobs and Control Plate

This is a Mk2. showing the bridge and pickup assembly

Title changed by Brad Bechtel to reflect the actual model names.

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 22 Jan 2009 4:05 pm

Basil,
What you're calling a Champ Mk. 1 is the Champion model, made between 1949 and 1955. The Champ Mk. 2 is the actual Champ model, made between 1955 and 1981. This is according to Gruhn's Guide to Vintage Guitars and the catalogs displayed here by Michael Lee Allen.

I can't help with the Champ, but would be happy to take pictures of my Champion.

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 22 Jan 2009 4:48 pm

Well I'm glad you put me right on the terminology and chronology, I kinda suspected that the National Music Museum at The University of South Dakota had the right name but others called this model a "Champ"

Right so that's settled, can I beg steal or borrow some pictures as explained above ?
They will be included in a forthcoming book..by a celebrated author.. I said celebrated not inebriated, but you never can tell..
Of course as ever, there is a limitation on the budget, but credits WILL be given as well as a copy of the said book..

Richard Shatz · Post by **Richard Shatz** » 23 Jan 2009 3:34 pm

How's this one?
http://s140.photobucket.com/albums/r39/ ... t=819f.jpg

I have a yellow one, too, if you're interested.

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 23 Jan 2009 7:13 pm

Superb Richard a unique example.
A picture of the other one would be nice also..

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 28 Apr 2009 11:12 am

Still looking for high resolution pictures.. ANYONE ?

Rick Alexander · Post by **Rick Alexander** » 29 Apr 2009 5:06 am

Basil, I have one of each.
These pics I have aren't exactly right for the purpose, but I can take some that are.
As soon as I get home this afternoon from some errands I have to do, I'll take them.

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This Champion was my first lap steel.
I paid $50 for it many years ago.

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 29 Apr 2009 7:13 am

Anyone who has high resolution pictures should email them to Basil. Pictures on the Forum are condensed. For publication he's going to need a better resolution.

Rick Alexander · Post by **Rick Alexander** » 29 Apr 2009 11:55 am

Good point Alan - that's exactly what I'll do.

Rick Alexander · Post by **Rick Alexander** » 29 Apr 2009 5:17 pm

All set Bas, I sent you an email through the forum.
All you have to do is reply to it and I'll be able to email you the photos.
I hope they do the trick for you!

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 29 Apr 2009 6:54 pm

Thanks a million Rick, much appreciated, Likewise Richard Shatz, yes the Yellow one please..

Rick Alexander · Post by **Rick Alexander** » 29 Apr 2009 7:00 pm

You're most welcome Bas -
Here are the reduced versions of the pics I took:

Not the cleanest Champion on the planet - it's been around, and it's been played.
The hand rendered blue magic marker "insignia" was done about 30 years ago, right after I acquired it for $50 from a vintage guitar shop in Miami FL.
I also bought a Fender Dual 8 Pro for $75 the same day.
I'll never forget the store owner's words: "Now get these crappy things out of my store!"
I had no clue about how it should be tuned, so I tuned it to this G6 hi2lo E B G D G D - and played it at the gig that night.
When we didn't get fired, I knew I must be on the right track.
There was no Steel Guitar Forum in those days, and I didn't know anyone who played Non Pedal.
I actually thought I had invented that tuning, and when I later dropped the 1st string to D - I was certain I had invented low bass G tuning.

Garry Vanderlinde · Post by **Garry Vanderlinde** » 30 Apr 2009 8:00 am

Don't forget the Champs three-legged brother, the Studio Deluxe. I could take some photos of mine over the weekend.

Tom Wolverton · Post by **Tom Wolverton** » 30 Apr 2009 8:16 am

Not to start up the "compensating bridge" thread again...but...this last photo shows that bridge set-up clearly. It is interesting that in some of the Fender literature, they call it an "adjustable bridge", so that the guitar intonation can be fine-tuned. I wonder how many people acutally do that. I sure don't.

Richard Shatz · Post by **Richard Shatz** » 30 Apr 2009 4:21 pm

Basil,
I sent you an email. Maybe it didn't get to you.

I sent some photos awhile back. Was the resolution high enough? Do you want or need more photos of the same instruments?

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 30 Apr 2009 5:35 pm

Yes please Richard..The E-Mail must have been "Lost in Space"

Rick Alexander · Post by **Rick Alexander** » 30 Apr 2009 5:59 pm

Basil, did you get the photos I emailed to you?
They were quite huge, and I put them all in a single email - so it may have made it too large to go through.
If you didn't get them I could resend them one at a time . .

basilh · Post by **basilh** » 1 May 2009 1:09 am

Rick, I did get them, they were ideal.
Sorry about not letting you know, I'm up to my eyes trying to finish the garden and getting ready for the shows in Holland..

Rick Alexander · Post by **Rick Alexander** » 1 May 2009 2:45 am

Okay good - I'm glad I could help.
Good luck with the Holland shows!

RA

The Steel Guitar Forum

Have you a Fender Champion or Fender Champ lap steel ?

Have you a Fender Champion or Fender Champ lap steel ?

1949-55 Champion or 1955-1981 Champ

done!

adjustable bridge