Fender Champion 100 Review

• The Fender Champion 100 offers a plethora of classic Fender tones
• A gigging combo at a price that won’t break the budget
• We review everything this little powerhouse has to offer

The modern amplifier market is flooded with options. Models such as the Boss Katana push digital modeling to a new level while others, such as the Positive Grid Spark Go, bring the small amp market to a new plateau.

With so many market niches filled with products, there is one glaring omission. These days, it is hard to find an old-school high-wattage solid state with a simple two-channel layout.

Rest assured, for anyone needing a high-wattage, high-headroom combo ready to blow the doors down, all for chump change, the Fender Champion 100 is the answer.

Anyone after a lower-wattage Fender combo amp can check out our review of the Fender Frontman 25R here!

Fender Champion 100 Verdict? (High Wattage, Low Cost)

Our Score 8/10

The modern amplifier market can leave your head spinning with options. With so many manufacturers providing endless features that are just overkill for some players, it’s hard to navigate the sea of choices to find which suits you and your playing style.

The Fender Champion 100 is a breath of fresh air for anyone looking for a high-wattage combo amp that has all you need to get through the gig, no more and no less.

Pros

• 16 useable amp models with inbuilt FX cover a variety of genres
• An excellent option for any player looking for their first gigging amp
• Affordable

Cons

• Other options may make the Champion 100 seem “bare bones.”
• No gain, voice, or mid-control on Channel 1

Fender Champion 100: Full Review

Overview

The Fender Champion 100 is a high-wattage combo amp that packs classic Fender sounds into an affordable Solid-State package. The Champion can be considered the replacement for the long-running Fender Frontman 212R Solid-State combo. 

The Champion gives the old Frontman a new lick of paint, adding some digital FX and 16 different voicing options. These changes give some added versatility to a working player’s favorite, with Fender also opting to update the amp’s overall aesthetic. 

This gives the Fender Champion 100 a visual vibe akin to the coveted Blackface Fender amps of the 1960s, such as the Twin Reverb and Bassman. With the Champion 100 existing in such a competitive market, let’s dive in and closely examine how this all adds up.

Build Quality

The Champion 100 is covered in a tolex-like material. While unsure if it is real tolex, it did feel like it would endure numerous load-ins before showing noticeable signs of wear. The control plate boasts plastic knobs of the same style as the classic Fender witch hat knobs, and they do an excellent job of adding to the amp’s vintage aesthetic.

All the potentiometers feel easy to turn, and we did not notice any crackly pots when sweeping the controls across their whole bandwidth. Like all Fender solid-state amps, the Champion 100 would hold up well to the rigors of local gigging and even some professional gigging. 

Given its modest price point, I can’t help but approve of the overall build quality of this amp. 

Sound Quality

The Champion 100 is a two-channel amplifier that packs in some natively hosted digital amp models and FX. I found the Champion 100 to have a clean Blackface-style sound with plenty of classic Fender flavor. 

Opting to put this combo through its paces, I took my test model to a jam session with an exceptionally hard-hitting rock drummer. This is a true test for any moderately priced solid-state amplifier, and I’m pleased to report that the Champion 100 passed with flying colors.

Packing plenty of headroom, the Champion 100 punched through the mix consistently and avoided unwanted breakup, even when pushed to the limit. The onboard effects include the standard echo, vibrato, tremolo, and reverbs, as well as others. All of the digital variety, with none leaving much to be desired and performing their job well enough in a full mix.

While the amp models packed into the Champion 100 include some classic Fender tones, it is hard to recommend this amp to anyone looking for the cutting edge in digital modeling when other competitors offer so much more on this front. 

However, the modeling aspects of the Champion 100 may appeal to anyone looking for a plethora of Fender-specific sounds within one box. Where the Champion 100 excels is in the way that Fender has managed to incorporate a high-powered solid-state amplifier into a budget-friendly package. 

This makes the Champion 100 worth looking into if you are a younger player looking for your first gigging amplifier or a veteran looking for a backup on the cheap.

Features

What’s In The Box

The Fender Champion 100 is a solid-state 2×12 combo amplifier with 2 Fender branded speakers. A footswitch is included in the base price of the Champion 100–a very welcome acknowledgment in an era where such additions are commonly paid extras. 

Also included is an IEC cable that will get your new purchase up and running quickly.

Changing Presets

All presets are controlled by a rotary dial on the amp’s second channel. Altogether, the amp features 16 voicings offering the following options (on channel two only):

Clean + Comp

1. Fender Clean 1 (Studio Preamp)
2. Fender Clean 2 (65 Twin)
3. Fender Clean 3 (65 Deluxe)
4. Fender Clean + Comp (65 Twin with Compressor)

Crunch + OD

1. Fender Crunch 1 (59 Bassman)
2. Fender Crunch 2 (57 Deluxe)
3. Fender Crunch 3 (65 Princeton)
4. Fender Crunch + OD (65 Deluxe with OD Pedal)

British + Dist

1. Brit Clean (60s British)
2. Brit Crunch 1 (70s British)
3. Brit Crunch 2 (80s British)
4. Brit + Dist (70s British Crunch w Distortion)

Metal + Oct

1. High Gain 1 (Fender Super Sonic)
2. High Gain 2 (90s High Gain)
3. High Gain 3 (00s High Gain)
4. Metal + Oct (90s Metal w Octavia)

These options offer a heady mix of tones on channel 2, providing the Champion 100 with considerable versatility.

Effects

Channel 2 also hosts many digital effects that can be used with any of the previously mentioned amplifier voicings. The following list details what precisely the Champion 100 is packing in terms of modulation, delay, and other effects, as well as what these effects are based on. 

1. Wah – Touch Wah
2. FLNG – Flanger
3. VIBRA – Vibratone Slow
4. VIBRA – Vibratone Fast
5. CH + DLY + REV – Chorus
6. CH + DLY + REV – Chorus and Delay
7. CH + DLY + REV – Chorus and Reverb
8. Delay – Delay Slapback
9. Delay – Delay Long
10. Trem – Trem Slow
11. Trem – Trem Fast
12. Reverb + DLY – Reverb + Delay
13. Reverb + DLY – Reverb 1
14. Reverb + DLY – Reverb 2
15. Reverb + DLY – Reverb 3

Extra Features

The Fender Champion 100 features both a headphone output and aux input, making it a viable option for anyone looking for a unit that will double as a practice amp. The amplifier also features an integrated FX loop for players who require one within their immediate setup.

Final Thoughts

In a market packed with amplifiers that boast more options than most would ever use, the Fender Champion 100 yields some impressive principles despite its concept being rooted in the past. 

Any players currently in the market for their first gigging amplifier could do far worse than picking up the Champion 100, and even seasoned veterans may find some use in this budget-minded combo as a practice or backup amplifier.