Google Groups no longer supports new Usenet posts or subscriptions. Historical content remains viewable.
Dismiss

DATING AN FMIC AMP

1 view
Skip to first unread message

DANIEL ROBERTS

unread,
Nov 11, 1996, 3:00:00 AM11/11/96
to

I am trying to date my red-knob Champ 12. I got it used, so the original
purchase date is not available, but here's what I've come up with so far:

1. Owing to the fact that this amp was not made in Mexico and not in Lake
Oswego, this must place it in somewhere in the early 90's, as I notice that
the limited-edition custom coverings like snakeskin were only offered up
through 1990. The discontinuation of these coverings is almost certain to
have coincided with the shifting of the production to Mexico.

2. The speaker has a code in big numbers printed on a label stuck to the
permanent magnet: 025923. According to the book Fender Amps: The First Fifty
Years, Fender always used the first three digits to indicate the
manufacturer. In the case of the Champ 12, I understand that Fender used
Eminence speakers. So, is 025 then the code for Eminence?? Anyway, the last
three digits are supposed to indicate the week and year of the speaker; so
does this mean that the speaker is from the 3rd week of 1992??

3. The serial number on the amp has a 2 as the first digit. On the
mexican-made guitars, one can use the first digit to find out the year it was
made. Is this also the case with the mexican-made amps??

Owing to these questionable findings, I think this amp is almost certainly
from 1992, but I'd like to know for sure. Any help would be greatly
appreciated.

Daniel Roberts
---
ţ MR/2 2.26 NR ţ If at first you don't succeed, work for Microsoft.

Gruvmyster

unread,
Nov 11, 1996, 3:00:00 AM11/11/96
to DANIEL ROBERTS

DANIEL ROBERTS wrote:

> 2. The speaker has a code in big numbers printed on a label stuck to the
> permanent magnet: 025923. According to the book Fender Amps: The First Fifty
> Years, Fender always used the first three digits to indicate the
> manufacturer. In the case of the Champ 12, I understand that Fender used
> Eminence speakers. So, is 025 then the code for Eminence?? Anyway, the last
> three digits are supposed to indicate the week and year of the speaker; so
> does this mean that the speaker is from the 3rd week of 1992??


Unless I'm mistaken, that date code indicates the 23rd week of 19(8?)9.

Doug

Doak Wattigney

unread,
Nov 12, 1996, 3:00:00 AM11/12/96
to

As feared: Matching tubes has now led to dating amps!

This is unnatural, or am I being tube-o-phobic?

-Doak-

0 new messages