Change to SF (Vibro) Champ power switch?

[bigdipper]

First post, so let me live, please!

I've just bought a silverface Vibro Champ. European spec. Probably dated 1978 or later. Every photo I've ever seen of this amp has a power switch on the front that slides up and down, with the legend 'on' at the top and 'off' at the bottom. The screws holding it onto the panel are above and below the words.

The one I've bought is different. It has a toggle switch. The words 'on' and 'off' are where the screw holes would be on the other type. There are no screw holes - the switch is held on by a nut.

Are European models different? Was this a date related change? Have I bought a 'parts bin' special?

I'm happy with the amp, just curious. Anyone out there know the answer?

[Euthymia]

My guess is that if you undo that nut and pull the switch out, you'll see where someone drilled out the old rectangular hole to replace the switch with the bat toggle.

European ones may have been different, but any SF Champ I've ever seen originally had the slide switch (like they used for the Bright switch on the higher models).

[bigdipper]

Enk, thanks for your guess, but I already explained that the words 'on' and 'off' were where the screw holes are on others I've seen. I should have included some pictures, so here they are:

You can see that the nut for the switch is small enough that the screw holes from a 'slide switch' type would be clearly visible. You can see that the words 'on' and 'off' are much higher/lower on my 'toggle switch' panel than they are on the 'slide switch' panel. They are, in fact, where the screw holes should be if the panel had originally had a 'slide switch'.

Either it came from the factory like this or someone has replaced the control panel as part of a repair.

So, still curious. Anyone else got an idea? Thanks!

[Alex R]

I've seen Vibrochamps with toggle on/offs in the UK. I should imagine the standard bright-switch-type slider wouldn't be rated to 240v, which might be the reason behind this, but I don't know definitively that the UK ones all had toggles, just that one I once saw did, and it didn't strike me as non-factory, and that I've no recollection of seeing the slider type over here.

Funnily enough, and just to complicate things a bit more, the small s/f amps often had 2 x 110v primaries wired together in parallel, which can be rewired in series to give 1 x 240v. I've done this a few times and still don't recall seeing a slider on/off... mind you my memory's not what it was...

Send us a shot of the inside of the chassis and we'll be able to say more.

[J Martin]

Having seen many of those amps come through my shop, I noticed that the chassis is cut to be able to use either switch. It just depends on which face plate is used.

[Jag]

IIRC several books I have read say this is stock for later SF Champs. I think yours is factory correct for the period/country.

[bigdipper]

OK chaps, thanks for your interest and help. I think that's enough on this topic for me!