Fender is not only exceptional at manufacturing the guitars but all the other instruments and amps by Fender are highly valued and popular.
Since they are great in quality and performance, there is hardly any match that you can find out there for Fender equipment when it comes to musical needs. Fender also manufactures some great accessories for musicians too.
You can use these to achieve better tunes, clarity, loudness, and of course amplification on all the tunes that you might be playing with the guitar. These amps are certainly great for all the different genres out there as well.
Champion and Mustang are two such highly sought-after amps from Fender that you can get and they both are equally great when it comes to performance and durability.
Yet, there are some specs and features that vary on both these models and you must know about them before you can make a purchase decision to ensure that you are picking the right choice that will suit your needs.
Both are incredibly popular choices, so you can pick either of the two. However, there are some fairly obvious differences that you should know about.
Fender Champion vs Mustang
| Features | Champion | Mustang |
|---|---|---|
| Wattage | 20 W - 40 W | 25 W |
| Speaker Size | 12” | 8” |
| Presets | No | Yes |
| USB Audio | No | Yes |
Champion
The first thing that you will notice on the Fender Champion Amp is the timeless design that is renowned across the globe, and you get a grey mesh on the front with Fender branding on it.
There is a 12” speaker inside that produces some truly amazing sounds, making the Fender Champion a fantastic pick.
Connectivity and Ports
The input-output ports and all the knobs are also conveniently located at the front so you can not only control all the preferences on your amp pretty easily, but you can also take a peek at them and ensure that you have set them right.
The body has got a black covering on all the sides and that protects the amp and internal components from dust and all sorts of wear and tear as well.
Variants
The Champion has a convenient handle on the top, so you can easily lift it and move it around. The Champion is available in several wattage variants, though the Champion 20 W and the Champion 40 W are the most popular picks.
Champion 40 has also got a long list of cool effects and amp voicings that will allow you to set it up right for rock, blues, jazz, metal, and a lot more genres without having to compromise on the audio quality or clarity of the tones.
It is a two-channel amp, which just adds to its versatility. Whether you need an amp that’s ideal for practising at home or require something that you can use on stage without having to break your bank account, this is a fantastic choice.
The controls are incredibly easy, letting you dial in the changes to get the right amount of sound for blues, metal, jazz, country, or any other kind of music you like.
Effects
There are some built-in effects as well, which makes it a pretty good choice right out of the box. However, if you’re serious about playing, you’d want to consider adding a processor in the mix.
The Champion produces the classic Fender tone that most people love and want, with its bright clean tones and grunge-infused overdrive. There’s also a variety of British flavors in the mix, as well as voicing and distortion built in.
The effects include your conventional delay time and the tremolo speed effect, which you can set up by just pressing the TAP button. This is great when you want to match your output to the tempo of the sound.
There’s a ⅛” aux input if you want to hook up your media player, and there’s also a similar output for when you want to put on your headphones. This is great if you prefer jamming indoors, but don’t want to disturb others around you.
The total impedance is rated at 8 ohms, and it’s a digital amp that’s going to last you quite a while. The speaker inside is the powerful Fender Special Design 12” speaker, which is one of the best in the market.
Mustang
The Mustang series, on the other hand, is a bit latest in terms of technology and that is why most of the young guitarists prefer to have it and for all the good reasons.
Mustang amps are combo amps with 25 watts of power on them with an 8” of Fender Special Design speaker that is ideal for some really loud music.
It’s one of the best and most versatile amps on the market right now, and you’d be hard-pressed to find anything better in the 25W category.
Mustang amp comes with a wooden cabinet with a dark black finish on it that looks pretty cook and not only that, but it’s also practical to make sure that you can clean the amp with a wet wipe once and it will look as good as new.
Build Quality
The Mustang amp has the black mesh in front with white branding but the controls are located on the top, so you’ll probably need to adjust your positioning a bit so you can play freely and adjust the controls as you see fit.
The best thing is that all the ports are also located on the top but at the backside so you can manage your cables pretty cool and wouldn’t have to worry about them getting tangled or anything like that.
Mustang being one of the latest amps, you get a USB interface on it so you can record or even update the firmware for improvements on the aspects and features.
There are a whopping 50 presets for this amp, 30 of which are already pre-loaded. The interface is fairly simple, with a 1.8” screen and a color display.
When it comes to effects, the Fender Champion is quite loaded; it’s got 20 amp models, 25 different effects and 50 presets. The USB interface allows you to easily record your music, or push new firmware updates.
Additional Features
There’s also a built-in chromatic tuner within this amp, and the wooden cabinet is quite sturdy and reliable. There’s no speaker jack, and it’s a single-channel amp with an integrated recessed handle.
If you’re interested in buying an amp that’s going to last you a long while and is generally quite reliable, you can’t go wrong with the Fender Mustang.
But, it’s important to note that the Mustang is obviously a combo amp, so it’s slightly more versatile.
On top of that, it also features a USB interface and some new bells and whistles, so if you’re thinking of upgrading to a newer model, you may want to consider this one.
It’s an excellent choice all around and it’s going to last you for quite a long while.
Conclusion
If you’re going shopping for a new amp and are interested in future proofing your purchase, go with the Fender Mustang.
But, if you don’t really need all those fancy bells and whistles, then the time-tested and classic Fender Champion is just what you need.
The top mounted pots & inputs make the Mustang amp non-stackable. As a published/recorded songwriter I use a variety of mid range modeling amps for different tones. The Champion’s old school bright angled face works great in bottom, middle and top. Plus the legendary tones. I’ll take the Champion all day long.