I'm in love with my new amp (Danelectro Challenger)

[adam]

Just needed to express my glee about my new purchase -- Danelectro Challenger -- Vintage (Year??) tube amp -- 2 6l6's, 15" speaker, 2 channels, vibrato.

Does anybody know anything about these amps? No luck on the web, ebay, harmony central, etc. Only found a few mentions of it. Anyone know where I can find a schematic? The folks in the store said the vibrato worked, but it doesn't have a footswitch (1/4" type). I tried an A/B switch and some generic footswitch and couldn't get it to turn on. Do you need the matching footswitch or is there a particuar type that would work? Also, will jumping/bridging the 2 channels together cause any harm? It sounds great this way.

I've only had it a day, so I won't give it a review. However, after searching for months for an amp that fit my criteria (tube, great in-between/"electric sound, loud enough to play with a band but not overbearing, $300-800, fairly light for carrying).

I tried probably 100 amps, new and used over the past few months, including Reverend Hellbound, THD Univalve, various fenders (Fender Blues Jr., Deluxe Reverb, Bassman etc.), Rivera Chubster, Peavey Classic. They all were OK but didn't do it for me.

So far the tone on this is unreal for me. Decent headroom with good overdrive sound, surpisingly not too bassy/flabby (considering the 15" speaker) -- actually kind of the opposite. Will it hold up? No idea, it is very clean, tubes look like they can be changed, 2 prong cord replaced, overall seems like a fairly simple design.

It was $450, probably about $150 over what you could get in on ebay or other places (If you could find one), but it is in great shape, could take it home that day, no shipping etc. Also, it was cheaper than most other amps I was looking at.

After trying all these amps I have to say I prefer the 6L6 amps. They gernally sound "bigger" and cleaner than EL34/84s and others.

That's all. If anyone has any info, let me know. Now back to playing.

[BINGEWOOD]

i have one of these amps that im trying to get back in shape. if you have any info on the tube types or anything else you have found out about it pleaese post.

thanx

[A Reel Person]

We want pics!!

[boingoman]

The vibrato on Danelectro amps is among the best I've heard. Very smooth.

Are you jumping the channels with a guitar cable? That is a easy way to get some more gain. Works great. I do it on my Bandmaster all the time.

Never found any schematics for them.

[adam]

wow, what a blast from the past! thanks for bringing this thread back up.

i still have this amp and still love it. Recently it was featured in a live show I did and it was the best sounding amp out there.

Here is what i learned about the amp, and it isn't much

Danelectro seemed to have a number of 'spacey' names for their amps. The challenger's I have seen on ebay, not too many, maybe 4-6 since i bought this, all look different from this one, and even to some extent one another. Most look like this one: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...779404792&rd=1 Mine is covered in like a blue patterned almost veneer/wallpaper with a camel colored straw/cane grill (not like mesa boogies). The grill looks like this one: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...778561204&rd=1

I have seen a few similar amps with different names - namely a 2x15 combo with 4 6l6s that is HUGE, dwarfing a twin. The other one was a 2x15 stereo version that opened like a book, on a hinge and the 2 halves were able to be separated from one another.

I'll try to get some pics up today.

I never got the vibrato working, even took it to a good amp repair place in NYC. Maybe one day *sigh*. I learned it runs in class A. It has less headroom than i orginially thought, now that I don't live in a NYC apt and can crank it. It pretty much overdrivers after about 10:00 on the volume. The speaker is nice and percussive, but gets woofy/buzzy if too much bass is dialed in or if i play bass through it. Bass doesn't sound good through it except at the lowest volumes. I think the speaker might not be in perfect shape, bc it farts out sometimes, but on guitar it adds a nice tone to the overdrive. It is very sensitive to changing guitars, and it sounds magical with my swamp ash, hardtail, 11s, tele-ish sounding guitar. Sounds good but very different with my bassier galanti jazzmaster/jaguar type guitar. Not so great with my silvertone lipstick, gretsch hi/lo tron, or ibanez. I think it likes hot pickups. The cab is kind of particle board, but much stronger than my silvertone combo, which easily dents and is very soft.

That's about all I know!

[boingoman]

I just read your post and realized this is from 2001.

If the vibrato problem was from the optical element, I think there is a company making them again.

[adam]

ahhhhh - i recall that he said that they didn't make the parts anymore - maybe that is it? Do you have any details on it? Would love to get it working.

[BINGEWOOD]

i opened up the challenger to see if the insides were rusted out or what(found it in an alley as trash) insides look ok. im just wondering if u know what tubes are in yours. mine says challenger series:d model:89, has 1 15", and looks alot like the second example you put in yer post(textured covering and similiar grill) i want to get new tubes in it to try it out. as it is now it passes signal but really meakly. i havent found much info on the amp anywhere. the tubes that still have markings are:

1x6sj7 1x5y3 1x12ax7 1x12au7

but im not about the others:

1x6sn7(?) 2x6v6(6l6?)

if you have a tube chart in yer amp or still have markings on yer tubes and can let me know what they are it would make my day.

[adam]

Can you lay out the tubes as you know them in order, left to right?

Also, on mine, the chasis is split - half is on the bottom of the amp - most of the tubes are here, but there are others on the top, hanging upside down. I will need to take the back off, hopefully in the morning.

I know in mine the power tubes are 6L6s.

[BINGEWOOD]

first off thnx fer the info/reply. the amp is at the studio right now but i believe the layout was like this:

12ax7


6sn7

6sj7 12au7 6l6 6l6 5y3



with the 12ax7 being the only tube in upper section and the rest on the bottom section with 6sn7 behind 12au7. i tested the tubes and they all came up questionable so im sure theyre not in the best shape. too bad mostly old GE.

[adam]

I have a similar tube complement, though mine are arrayed all on the same line. Also, where you have a 12au7 I have a 12ax7 underneath a metal tube socket protector. I recall trying various different 12a types - the 12ax7 gave more headroom, bite and pop than the au7 if I recall.

[BINGEWOOD]

Cool, u have 2x6l6 and 1xsn7. do u have a similiar model# and series letter as well? im still putting out feelers for schematic etc. if i find anything else out ill post for you(especially relating to vibrato). thanx again fer the help.

[BINGEWOOD]

Ended up getting the amp werkin found a bad resistor was all that was needed to be replaced. this amp sounds great! went through and replaced most of the capacitors as well to 86 the noise throughout. havent gotten the vibrato going yet but i need to get a new tube(6sj7). the vibrato system itself looks to be real simple just a few caps and resistors and a tube so im sure your's can be brought back to life. i dug the sound enough to buy another one i found on ebay, should be here soon. thanks again for your help.