1956 Fender Tweed Champ 5D1 Wide Panel
Description
No sales tax for US customers outside California.
This 1955 Fender Tweed Champ 5D1 Wide Panel is a pure slice of early Fender history. Small, simple, and astonishingly expressive, the 5D1 Champ delivers raw tweed tone in its most intimate form—an amp that responds instantly to touch and rewards every nuance of a player’s hands.
This example is all original with the exception of the grounded power cable. The amp functions well as-is, so we're offering it as such. I do recommend the replacement of electrolytic caps if you intend to use the amp regularly. I can do the work at additional cost before we ship the amp, but I thought that it would be good to present it in its original state as some collectors prefer to buy pieces with minimal or no changes.
You probably noticed the difference in tweed coloration on one side of the amp. The tweed is original, but it appears that Fender used two different types on this amp. When it was built, the coloration of the two types was probably more of a match. With Leo being the frugal guy that he was, I'm not surprised at all when I see this - everything at Fender was used if it was usable. This is not the first amp I have seen like this, and the work is absolutely original.
The tubes have been tested, and the tube sockets and jacks cleaned. The tubes are likely original to the amp and they work great.
The wide panel tweed cabinet houses the classic single-ended circuit that produces warm, rounded cleans at lower volumes and smooth, harmonically rich overdrive as the amp is pushed.
This example presents beautifully with honest wear consistent with age and a sound that is nothing short of inspiring. It’s the kind of amp that opens new creative doors.
As with all amplifiers at Mahar’s Vintage Guitars, it has been fully inspected, photographed accurately, and evaluated for performance and authenticity.
We buy, sell, and take trades.
Excerpts from real online end-user reviews:
“The 5D1 Champ is pure tweed magic.” – The Gear Page
“Nothing records better than an old Champ.” – TDPRI
“Simple, raw, and incredibly musical.” – Harmony Central
“Touch sensitivity is unreal.” – Reddit r/GuitarAmps
“The ultimate small vintage amp.” – Ultimate Guitar
Be sure to check out the other cool guitar related stuff on our site:
Fender Electric Guitars
Gibson Electric Guitars
Fender Amplifiers
Vintage Acoustic Guitars
Vintage & Used Effects Pedals
SPECS:
Case/Cover?: No
Color: Tweed
Dimensions: H 11-1/4" x W 12-1/8" x D 7-1/4"
Weight: 10lbs 12oz
Watts: 5 Watts
Date: 1955
Where is Date Noted?: Serial#, Codes
Speaker 1 Brand: Oxford
Speaker 1 Size: 6"
Speaker Code: See Pics
Speaker 1 Cone: Original
Power Transformer Brand/Codes: See Pics
Output Transformer Brand/Codes: See Pics
Extension Speaker Out? No
b or other effects?: No
Rectifier Tube: 5Y3 GT
Rectifier Tube Brand: ?
Power Tubes: 6V6
Power Tube Brand: GE
Preamp Tubes: 6SJ7
Preamp Tube Brand: RCA
Filter Caps: Original
Pedal: No
Pots/Codes: Original
Tolex/Tweed: Original
Grille: Original
Knobs: Original
Handle: Original
Power Cord: Grounded upgrade
Notes:
Shipping policy:
When you purchase this item you are hereby agreeing to this shipping policy. We remove tubes from amps that could be damaged in shipping. These cases require the buyer to re-install them on delivery - it is very easy with this amp, and we label them so you know exactly where to put them. We do this because we have experienced shipping issues in the past, and this is our prevention measure. Vintage amps are sold as-is because they can need service intermittently. Everything is tested here in our shop on the way into our inventory, and again before shipping. We will cover shipping damage, but we cannot be responsible for the failure of vintage components in 20-to-50-plus year old amps. Shipments will require signature on delivery, no exceptions. If there is damage, the buyer must retain all packing materials intact and picture them immediately and send them to . Less than 1% of our shipments are damaged in transit, and we are committed to making sure your item arrives safely, but we are taking these additional measures to make sure you are happy with your purchase.
This 1955 Fender Tweed Champ 5D1 Wide Panel is a pure slice of early Fender history. Small, simple, and astonishingly expressive, the 5D1 Champ delivers raw tweed tone in its most intimate form—an amp that responds instantly to touch and rewards every nuance of a player’s hands.
This example is all original with the exception of the grounded power cable. The amp functions well as-is, so we're offering it as such. I do recommend the replacement of electrolytic caps if you intend to use the amp regularly. I can do the work at additional cost before we ship the amp, but I thought that it would be good to present it in its original state as some collectors prefer to buy pieces with minimal or no changes.
You probably noticed the difference in tweed coloration on one side of the amp. The tweed is original, but it appears that Fender used two different types on this amp. When it was built, the coloration of the two types was probably more of a match. With Leo being the frugal guy that he was, I'm not surprised at all when I see this - everything at Fender was used if it was usable. This is not the first amp I have seen like this, and the work is absolutely original.
The tubes have been tested, and the tube sockets and jacks cleaned. The tubes are likely original to the amp and they work great.
The wide panel tweed cabinet houses the classic single-ended circuit that produces warm, rounded cleans at lower volumes and smooth, harmonically rich overdrive as the amp is pushed.
This example presents beautifully with honest wear consistent with age and a sound that is nothing short of inspiring. It’s the kind of amp that opens new creative doors.
As with all amplifiers at Mahar’s Vintage Guitars, it has been fully inspected, photographed accurately, and evaluated for performance and authenticity.
We buy, sell, and take trades.
Excerpts from real online end-user reviews:
“The 5D1 Champ is pure tweed magic.” – The Gear Page
“Nothing records better than an old Champ.” – TDPRI
“Simple, raw, and incredibly musical.” – Harmony Central
“Touch sensitivity is unreal.” – Reddit r/GuitarAmps
“The ultimate small vintage amp.” – Ultimate Guitar
Be sure to check out the other cool guitar related stuff on our site:
Fender Electric Guitars
Gibson Electric Guitars
Fender Amplifiers
Vintage Acoustic Guitars
Vintage & Used Effects Pedals
SPECS:
Case/Cover?: No
Color: Tweed
Dimensions: H 11-1/4" x W 12-1/8" x D 7-1/4"
Weight: 10lbs 12oz
Watts: 5 Watts
Date: 1955
Where is Date Noted?: Serial#, Codes
Speaker 1 Brand: Oxford
Speaker 1 Size: 6"
Speaker Code: See Pics
Speaker 1 Cone: Original
Power Transformer Brand/Codes: See Pics
Output Transformer Brand/Codes: See Pics
Extension Speaker Out? No
b or other effects?: No
Rectifier Tube: 5Y3 GT
Rectifier Tube Brand: ?
Power Tubes: 6V6
Power Tube Brand: GE
Preamp Tubes: 6SJ7
Preamp Tube Brand: RCA
Filter Caps: Original
Pedal: No
Pots/Codes: Original
Tolex/Tweed: Original
Grille: Original
Knobs: Original
Handle: Original
Power Cord: Grounded upgrade
Notes:
Shipping policy:
When you purchase this item you are hereby agreeing to this shipping policy. We remove tubes from amps that could be damaged in shipping. These cases require the buyer to re-install them on delivery - it is very easy with this amp, and we label them so you know exactly where to put them. We do this because we have experienced shipping issues in the past, and this is our prevention measure. Vintage amps are sold as-is because they can need service intermittently. Everything is tested here in our shop on the way into our inventory, and again before shipping. We will cover shipping damage, but we cannot be responsible for the failure of vintage components in 20-to-50-plus year old amps. Shipments will require signature on delivery, no exceptions. If there is damage, the buyer must retain all packing materials intact and picture them immediately and send them to . Less than 1% of our shipments are damaged in transit, and we are committed to making sure your item arrives safely, but we are taking these additional measures to make sure you are happy with your purchase.