Mustang vs Super Champ x2

Johnny N.

Johnny N.

Kick Henry Jackassowski
I know the answer is to go play them, and I will, but it will be a while and I'm bored.

So I am thinking about getting an amp to replace my RP355 and these two seem to be the most likely due to price and sound. The most important part to me is to have an aux input because I only play at home and it have found that playing along with drum tracks or backing tracks is the only way I can improve. My RP355 has drum tracks built in and it is one of the reasons I still have it. Looking for a change though.

So I started thinking about a Mustang due to price. The problem is, I tend to start thinking that I might as well get the III if I am going to get one but that starts to get closer in price to the Super Champ x2. So if I went with a Mustang, it makes more sense to go with the I or II.

So I guess my question is, has anyone played with both and is the quality of the sound significantly better in the SC?
 
The Superchamp probably sounds better. I've only played one at Pragestock so my memory is a little fuzzy though. :embarrassed:
 
Johnny N. said:
Yeah, sounds like Pragestock has a tendency to make one's memory fuzzy!
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I own two Mustang amps. One is a Mustang I at home that I barely use and the other is a Mustang II at work that died when someone knocked it over.
 
I have both and there is no contest. The SC X2 is by far a much better sounding amp, plus it has the touch sensitivity of a tube amp. I bought the head so I could pair it with a 1x12 instead of the combo's 10" speaker. I did a little tweaking (amp sag, I think) with the Fuse computer interface, but most of the presets are already good.

It is not like most 2 channel amps, but more like 2 separate amps that share power and effects. Channel 1 skips the modeling circuit completely so you have a nice, simple Champ tube amp.

Channel 2 has the amp modeling settings. Naturally the Fender models are very close in accuracy, but the Vox channels (one clean, 1 driven) are surprisingly awesome.

Models:
1. Tweed Champ
2. Tweed Deluxe clean
3. Tweed Deluxe dirty/compressed
4. Tweed Bassman
5. 65 Princeton clean
6. 65 Princeton dirty/compressed
7. 65 Deluxe
8. 65 Twin Amp
9. 60s British clean (Vox)
10. 60s British dirty/compressed (Vox)
11. 70s British (Marshall)
12. 80s British (Marshall)
13. Super-Sonic™
14. 90s Metal
15. 2000 Metal
16. Jazzmaster™ (flat, solid-state clean)

Amp Manual:
http://support.fender.com/manuals/guitar_amplifiers/SuperChampX2_manual_rev-D.pdf

Fuse Manual:
http://support.fender.com/manuals/software/fender_software/fender_fuse/FenderFUSE_v2.x_(SuperChampX2)_revA_English.pdf
 
Just realized the Superchamp doesnt have the aux in. Unfortunately a deal killer for me. I'm a sucky at home player who needs to play along with a track or beat or something.
 
Tig said:
It is not like most 2 channel amps, but more like 2 separate amps that share power and effects. Channel 1 skips the modeling circuit completely so you have a nice, simple Champ tube amp.
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Channel 1 is a solid-state clean channel. SS does clean really well (just think about the Roland JC series and the Fender Princeton Chorus).

The tubes don't come into the circuit until the tail-end f the preamp circuit.
 
Wyatt said:
Channel 1 is a solid-state clean channel. SS does clean really well (just think about the Roland JC series and the Fender Princeton Chorus).

The tubes don't come into the circuit until the tail-end f the preamp circuit.
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I believe you are confusing channel 1 (Fender Champ tube) with channel 2's Voice 16, which is "Jazzmaster (flat, solid-state clean)".
I have yet to read anything saying channel 1 is solid state.
 
Tig, the preamp is solid state. channel 2 is a modelling preamp. both feed through a tube power section (one 12ax7 and one 6V6 tube).
 
Aw hell, I get it now! messedup0 My brain damage is showing up again as I misread Wyatt's post. :facepalm:

You can later refer to this time period as the "back when Tig started to lose it" days. wave0
 
Tig said:
I believe you are confusing channel 1 (Fender Champ tube) with channel 2's Voice 16, which is "Jazzmaster (flat, solid-state clean)".
I have yet to read anything saying channel 1 is solid state.
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The schematic says it.

One half of the 12AX7 is a plate-driven recovery stage after both preamps that drives the other half of the 12Ax7 which is the cathodyne phase-inverter.

The actual Ch 1 preamp is TL072 op-amps (as is the footswitch...those chips do all sorts of stuff!).
 
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Having had both, and liking them both, here's my personal opinion:

The SC sounds great and is quick to tweak settings, but TBH I didn't really notice as much "tubiness" as a "straightforward" tube amp. The MIII sounds fantastic and does the Fender models really well, and you can get good Marshally sounds as well IMO. It is much more versatile, has an effects loop and XLR outs, and the Celestion speaker. Due to the DSP modelling, you get the same great tones at whisper-low volumes, or cranked. I brought mine to Pragestock last year, and the master volume at 4 was near too-loud :embarrassed: - which considering my playing is not a good thing :tongue:.

You may want to consider this, plus a decent powered FRFR speaker:

FEN%202301060%20000.jpg


FEN%202301060%20000_R-Large.jpg



For $199.00, you get the V1 MIII in mfx pedalboard form, plus midi in/out and an expression pedal. If you have a decent powered monitor, IMO is even a better value than the amp by itself. (Disclaimer: I currently have the MIII v1 AND the Mustang Floor... :wink: )
 
I actually have a DigiTech RP355 now that I run through monitors. It sounds great but my whole reason for changing is to not be locked in to having to play in that one room in my house. I figure at least with an amp if my daughter is hogging that room (she does homework and watches tv back there) I can grab the amp and go play somewhere else. Otherwise, I probably prefer the floorboard style. Easy to use and sounds really good. In fact my only hesitation is that the DigiTech has drum beats built in but I found a couple of apps I can use to play beats with my phone as well as backing tracks.

The only other thing I can think of is that the DigiTech has a bass simulator model. So if I want to do any recording I could use it to play the bass parts. I dont know that the Mustang has that. It's not like I am any good playing bass so it's not a huge deal but good to have. Plus, my recordings arent very good anyway so I could probably just use virtual instruments if necessary too. Anyone know if the Mustang has a bass simulator model?
 
CBHScott said:
Having had both, and liking them both, here's my personal opinion:

The SC sounds great and is quick to tweak settings, but TBH I didn't really notice as much "tubiness" as a "straightforward" tube amp. The MIII sounds fantastic and does the Fender models really well, and you can get good Marshally sounds as well IMO. It is much more versatile, has an effects loop and XLR outs, and the Celestion speaker. Due to the DSP modelling, you get the same great tones at whisper-low volumes, or cranked. I brought mine to Pragestock last year, and the master volume at 4 was near too-loud :embarrassed: - which considering my playing is not a good thing :tongue:.

You may want to consider this, plus a decent powered FRFR speaker:

FEN%202301060%20000.jpg


FEN%202301060%20000_R-Large.jpg



For $199.00, you get the V1 MIII in mfx pedalboard form, plus midi in/out and an expression pedal. If you have a decent powered monitor, IMO is even a better value than the amp by itself. (Disclaimer: I currently have the MIII v1 AND the Mustang Floor... :wink: )
Click to expand...


This option would also work well into a small clean tube amp... while still providing the aux in.
 
I have had both. The SC2 does well with Fender and most other tones - but not so good with the Mesa Boogie, and one or two UK tones. You may note like my advise - but play/buy a Peavey Vypyr VIP 1 or 2. VIP does a really nice fender clean, as well as about a million other things.

Interesting option on the Mustang Floor model.

BTW- The VIP has Aux input.

Have fun
 
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