Fender Champion 20chat_bubble_outlineFrom real comments

Many commenters emphasize the amp's excellent price-to-performance ratio, especially when bought used for $50-80, calling it hard to beat for practice or backup use.

@Tbbbbzzzz

Funny how it’s actually a $150 amp but most people ended up buying one used for around $50, myself included, when I bought it with a guitar. It’s not going to blow you away if you’ve used high quality tube amps, but for an all-in-one practice amp it’s incredible. I’m amazed by some of the tones I can get out of this thing. Just make sure to write down the settings, too often I’ve spent time dialing in the perfect sound only to mix them up and forget how to get back to it 😂launch

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April 18, 2026

@jacobdarrigan826

Idk what’s going on rn but this was the first amp I’ve ever bought. After practicing 8 hours every day in my basement on my deceased hero’s (my grandfather’s) acoustic amp (no pedals) I finally was able to go to my local guitar store and bought an actual amp (the fender champion 20). What I don’t understand is that I remember I payed 70 dollars for it. For that price it’s probably the best thing I’ve ever bought, I literally still use it.launch

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September 25, 2025

@codybuffoord3172

I’m a bedroom player, small venue (easily micd up) and altho I am saving towards a tube and just lager amp I have found that to most people listening, who don’t also play, have no idea if my amp is 60 or 600 dollars lol. Once you play a tube amp at volume you understand, but there is nothing wrong with some of these little solid state amps nowadays. I can’t sound exactly like my idols but for 50 bucks I get plenty close for nowlaunch

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October 1, 2023

@javiersanchez2874

Picked one of these up for 50 bucks in a pawn shop to use with my harp. I already loved this thing but now I know how much more I can do thanks dude.launch

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September 15, 2023

Reviewers highlight the variety of amp voicings (tweed, blackface, metal) that let players find many different usable tones, from clean jazz to rock. Several long-term owners say they're still discovering new tones years later.

@davidarnold7498

I've had a Champion 20 for 5 years and I'm still finding great new tones, really love this amp!launch

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February 14, 2023

@michaelbajorek1972

I use this amp in my apartment fot Late night practice. Headphone and aux input features are extremely handy. Thanks for the tutorial. Is also a good choice for a beginner amp. Lots of flextbility with this amp. I also use a Super Champ X2 for home recording. Similar effects but with a tube power section. Handy dandy little amps.launch

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December 18, 2022

@blastergame

I actually bought this amp because of your videos, I have to say I love every bit of it, and how versatile can it belaunch

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September 6, 2022

@CodyTheBassist

A buddy of mine gave me his champion 20 and I've been in love with this amp. This little thing is more veristile than I could've expectedlaunch

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September 1, 2022

Several users were surprised at how well the metal voicing handled chugging riffs, describing it as unexpectedly tight and heavy for a small practice amp.

@JAYD4NZ

Woah! That metal voicing was fire man! It chugged SO MUCH BETTER than I expected. That was surprising and unexpected😮launch

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October 29, 2023

@mc12358

Hey Ola, New sub here! Also very very new to learning guitar and I love the tight metal chug on records like Metallica's Puppets/Justice era. Thanks for this video. I was at guitar center and got a Dean Razorback because it just looks like something I want to pick up and play all day. Then the Fender Champion 20 was just sitting close by for 70.00 USD and I really don't care much about dialing in a perfect tone until I learn to play with some degree of proficiency, so I went with the Fender on price alone. For the money, I'm happy with it as a starter amp. It's not going to get the tight, crunchy sound like Hetfields OG Mesa Boogie stack, but until i get to that point where I'm confident in dropping thousands on a good head and cabinet, I can enjoy the Champion 20. For a starter combo amp it has some decent voices and FX. High gain doesn't sound so great but that's what pedals are for right? Enjoyed your review/demo!launch

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July 25, 2022

@JonMurray

What a cracking little amp! Awesome for someone on a budget or just starting out. You get a good range of noises for the price! And it CHUGS!!! 🤘🏻😄✌🏻🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿launch

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June 23, 2022

@jacobhair6382

Seems like it’d be a great practice amp! \nHandled the chugging really well lollaunch

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June 23, 2022

Many first-time buyers and beginners say it does everything they need, calling it a great first amp that's still useful even as skills grow.

@jacobdarrigan826

Idk what’s going on rn but this was the first amp I’ve ever bought. After practicing 8 hours every day in my basement on my deceased hero’s (my grandfather’s) acoustic amp (no pedals) I finally was able to go to my local guitar store and bought an actual amp (the fender champion 20). What I don’t understand is that I remember I payed 70 dollars for it. For that price it’s probably the best thing I’ve ever bought, I literally still use it.launch

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September 25, 2025

@michaelbajorek1972

I use this amp in my apartment fot Late night practice. Headphone and aux input features are extremely handy. Thanks for the tutorial. Is also a good choice for a beginner amp. Lots of flextbility with this amp. I also use a Super Champ X2 for home recording. Similar effects but with a tube power section. Handy dandy little amps.launch

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December 18, 2022

@mc12358

Hey Ola, New sub here! Also very very new to learning guitar and I love the tight metal chug on records like Metallica's Puppets/Justice era. Thanks for this video. I was at guitar center and got a Dean Razorback because it just looks like something I want to pick up and play all day. Then the Fender Champion 20 was just sitting close by for 70.00 USD and I really don't care much about dialing in a perfect tone until I learn to play with some degree of proficiency, so I went with the Fender on price alone. For the money, I'm happy with it as a starter amp. It's not going to get the tight, crunchy sound like Hetfields OG Mesa Boogie stack, but until i get to that point where I'm confident in dropping thousands on a good head and cabinet, I can enjoy the Champion 20. For a starter combo amp it has some decent voices and FX. High gain doesn't sound so great but that's what pedals are for right? Enjoyed your review/demo!launch

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July 25, 2022

@mstewart401

I got one these a year and half ago. I thought it was a great little practice amp with all the effects built in. I ended up buying a blues deluxe four months ago. The blues deluxe sounds much better (especially when the volume gets loud) but it cost 5 times as much and I had to go out and buy a bunch of pedals just to get the sounds I was use to. I still use this amp when I want to play somewhere and not have to lug the blues deluxe around. Kids and beginniners have it good these days. When I started playing in 1993, I had a little 20 watt Goriliia solid state that sounded terrible.launch

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July 9, 2022

Numerous users say the amp sounds much larger than its compact size and modest price would suggest, surprising them during guitar demos and gigs. This 'bigger than it looks' quality is one of the most repeated praises.

@nousernameneeded-l4t

30 years ago I had an amp that size & it SUCKED. Truly, SUCKED. It made me hate playing guitar sometimes just because how bad the amp sounded & no matter what pedal I used, it sucked because the amp was just soi terrible. \n\nTruly incredible to think how far we've come in that time even with these small inexpensive amps, nevermind the guitars.launch

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June 23, 2022

@JohnnyRebKy

I used one to demo a new telecaster today with no interest in the amp. But I was quickly surprised by how good it sounds. It also sounds much bigger than it is. Said 125 bucks on the tag and I decided to just buy the damn thing. Bought the American telecaster too 👍🏻😎\n\nI was only interested in the clean sound though. Couldn’t comment on how it sounds dirty. I don’t really play driven stuff. But the clean was great and the delay and reverb sounded good toolaunch

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January 19, 2022

@JohnnyRebKy

I had no intent on buying one today until I tried it. Sounded way better than I ever expected. What surprised me is it sounds bigger than what it is. I had a little frontman amp like these 20 years ago and it didn’t sound near as good as these new one. I just used it to demo a tele for a few mins and ended up leaving with the tele and little amp lollaunch

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January 19, 2022

@James-zy5lh

I was using this amp to demo guitars at my local GC. I was so impressed with it that I brought one home with me!\n\nFor such a small amp it doesn’t sound small. Its modeling is very good, and the range of tones you can find are excellent. As a practice amp it goes above and beyond, and it’s very usable for jams and small gigs. The weakest link for the amp are its effects, but they still get the job done well enough. For the price, you can’t beat it!launch

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May 30, 2019

Multiple users praise the amp's clean tones, with one noting enough clean headroom to play over an entire jazz band, and others favoring the blackface/tweed clean settings.

@cobhc182

I’ve had this amp for about 6 months. I use it only for cleans for practice paired with a Peavey Vypyr 1 with an AB pedal. It was cheaper to get this than get the foot switch for the Peavey. I love this amp!launch

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June 25, 2022

@JohnnyRebKy

I used one to demo a new telecaster today with no interest in the amp. But I was quickly surprised by how good it sounds. It also sounds much bigger than it is. Said 125 bucks on the tag and I decided to just buy the damn thing. Bought the American telecaster too 👍🏻😎\n\nI was only interested in the clean sound though. Couldn’t comment on how it sounds dirty. I don’t really play driven stuff. But the clean was great and the delay and reverb sounded good toolaunch

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January 19, 2022

@TheStrataminor

I got one second hand for $80, and for the price it is excellent. Is it an all tube Fender Princeton Reverb? No, but a great foundation clean for practice. I run into a 12\" cab that is really nice, but to be fair, the 8\" is fine as is. If you plan to keep it, I would upgrade the speaker or run into a more beefy 10 or 12\" speaker. Excellent jazz and clean tone. Also the Tweed overdrive setting is so good...honestly it is fantastic...very surprised indeed! But it signs on the 'green blackface' setting (around the 2:36 mark here)...deep and rich!launch

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March 17, 2021

@rustygrant

The fender amp voices sound as good as 90% (and better than some) of tube amps that around 4x's more expensive. I actually mic it when practicing and use monitors. It's easier to deal with than my bf bassman, twin and even blues jr because you don't have to crank the crap out of it to get good tones, which means less bleed.launch

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August 31, 2017

Users appreciate the straightforward controls compared to more complex modeling amps, making it quick to dial in sounds without digging through menus.

@johnnybgood7812

I really like the fact that this is a fairly simple amp by current standards. To my mind some of the modelling amps are just too complex for their own good and it would take me half a day to find what I’m looking for. Time I’d rather spend playing guitar. Also only £117 here in the U.K. which is not a lot of money.launch

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February 26, 2022

@vmat1000

Holy crap, I'm in love with this little amp. Had a SS Princeton 112 in the mid '90s that was great.\nFirst gen Cyber Twin now that i feel spawned the G-Dec and now this killer little Champ. Love the simplicity of the control layout. Tone is nice as well.launch

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December 28, 2017

@teledx76

this video is what sold me on the champion 20. it's small footprint. variety of quality sounds (tweed and BF). and yet simple (no weird buttons or screens). and only $100. thank Shane! great stuff.launch

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February 6, 2014

The headphone and aux inputs are called handy for late-night or apartment practice, with one comment noting the phones output is actually stereo via the internal codec.

@michaelbajorek1972

I use this amp in my apartment fot Late night practice. Headphone and aux input features are extremely handy. Thanks for the tutorial. Is also a good choice for a beginner amp. Lots of flextbility with this amp. I also use a Super Champ X2 for home recording. Similar effects but with a tube power section. Handy dandy little amps.launch

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December 18, 2022

@erikas6874

One more thing about the Champion 20 (and 40 / 100). According to the electronic circuit diagram the \"phones\" output is in fact a stereo output from the internal Codec-processor (AK4556 chip). While the power amplifier and speaker (of course) is mono output. Aux in is also stereo and pass on to the phones output. Plug in a set of stereo headphones an try the effects :) Or why not to a mixer? Just loving the Champion series combos :)launch

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August 10, 2020