Ultimate Guide to Victory Amps
Since launching in 2013, Victory amps have gone from strength to strength – and are showing no signs of slowing. Their range of UK-made valve amps ticks just about every box – so how do you choose which one to go for?
In this guide, we’ll explore each area of the diverse Victory line-up, and hopefully answer a few burning questions along the way!
About Victory Amplification
Victory Signature Artists
Victory artists include Guthrie Govan (The Aristocrats/The Fellowship), Rabea Massaad (Toska/Frogleap), Richie Kotzen (The Winery Dogs/Smith/Kotzen) & Pete Honore (Purple). These signature artists have all worked in collaboration by contributing their experiences, resulting in amps that are perfect for their needs!
Range
- Compact - Lunchbox-style heads with metal enclosures. Streamlined valve tones with a more manageable form factor!
- Heritage - Full-blown valve-powered heads/combos with increased controls, rugged pine enclosures and higher wattages.
- V4 - Compact pedal-style versions of some of Victory's most popular amps. The perfect alternative to a traditional amp setup.
- V1 - Enjoy the Victory tones, in the form of a regular sized guitar pedal.
This is Victory's take on the classic Plexi sound. If the looks didn't give it away, the sound certainly will. Expect sizzling-hot British sounding gain by the bucketload. With a straightforward set of controls, you'll get a natural midrange bump, saturated lows and crisp highs. The addition of the the bright switch helps you tame the top end for less sizzle and more classic rock warmth.
The Sheriff comes in a number of forms. The Compact Sheriff 22 contains roaring EL84 power tubes and is perfect for massive gain without blowing your speakers. The larger El34-equipped 44 model is great for more demanding live situations or high-volume recording. The V4 preamp version crams all of that grit into a compact pedal form, great for live DI-ing or recording, and the V1 is perfect to include on your pedalboard!
Boutique sounds with built-in reverb and tremolo, the Duchess range offers classic high headroom clean tones. This versatile number uniquely combines vintage California cleans with '60s Brit chime.
A rich, velvety bass response and a top-end that boasts rich harmonic depth, Duchess amps will sing when pushed to their valve-powered limits. A single-channel design can be tweaked with a voice switch to suit your style. It's also known for its high headroom, making it a brilliant pedal platform amp.
The Duchess comes in several forms, from the compact V40 to the monstrous V140 Super Duchess with 100W of power. The compact versions feature a digital reverb built-in, while the larger heads and combos have valve-driven reverb and tremolo to boot. Exprerience the Overdrive of the Duchess on your pedalboard with the Victory V1 "The Duchess" Amp Overdrive Pedal. Lush.
The Jack is considered Victory's flagship amplifier - one of the company's first designs. It's also considered their most versatile, offering a broad palette with a uniquely British flavour.
Originally designed in conjunction with Guthrie Govan, Victory's "The Jack" amplifiers are known for crystal-clear cleans and barking British overdrive channels. The clean channel also boasts a footswitchable crunch mode, essentially turning it into a 3-channel design.
Again, you've got a number of configurations on offer, from V4 preamp to the V130 "The Super Jack". As with many of their compact amps, you get to choose between EL34 or 6L6 power valves, the latter of which are more synonymous with American amps and provide a smoother sound.
The Kraken is Victory's most modern-sounding amp, with gallons of gain on tap - perfect for cutting-edge high-gain styles.
Co-designed with our pal Rabea Massaad, it's the ideal amp for extended range players. The VX Kraken is acclaimed for its focused distortion sound; ensuring that 7 and 8-stringed guitars sound punchy and articulate.
With two channels letting you seamlessly switch between warm cleans tones and saturated high-gain, the Kraken is surprisingly versatile and gives you plenty of room to manoeuvre when it comes to sculpting sounds. The distortion channel features two gain modes; Marshall-style crunch to beefy USA tones.
The Kraken is available is several configurations, from V4 to the 100W Super Kraken, with the Compact heads having EL34 or 6L6 power valve options. High-gain tones in whatever form factor you desire!
The Copper captures the spirit of the iconic AC-style amps from the golden era of British amplification. Like all of Victory's amps, the Copper has a modern edge to its sound - hot-rodded for the modern player.
Unique in the Victory range thanks to the choice of EL84 power tubes, the Copper amps offer glassy cleans all the way through to punchy classic rock tones. Their single-channel design may seem limited, but the idea is simple plug-and-play tone that's great every time. For a little bit of tonal flexibility, you'll get additional 'Bass Cut' and 'Mid Boost' switches.
The Victory Copper range encompasses two models: the Compact and the Deluxe. The Compact features a lightweight lunchbox chassis design, while the Deluxe is a full-blown pine enclosure head. The Deluxe also features valve-driven reverb and tremolo effects for that unmistakable vintage character.
Victory's artist roster has steadily grown since the company joined the market in 2013. In addition, they've teamed up with some of the biggest names in the guitar world to create unique signature gear that encapsulates their respective tones.
From Richie Kotzen to our very own Peter 'Danish Pete' Honore, the Victory range has some impressive names onboard. Who knows, there may even be more on the way...
Victory's V4 preamp pedals are based on the brand's most popular guitar amps, taking their core sounds and squeezing them into smaller, pedalboard-friendly units.
These fully analog valve-driven devices emulate the tones of their respective amp ranges. Powered by three CV4014 valves and a single EC900, these guitar pedals have that unmistakable tube amp feel and character. The V4 preamps are designed to be the centrepiece of your rig, with 2 channels and a range of controls for tonal tweaking.
The most distinctive element of the V4 design is the 2 modes of operation. Standalone Mode is the simplest, where you can just plug the unit directly into the front-end of your amp like a drive pedal. Amp Through mode lets you get the most out of a V4, by routing it through your existing amplifier's effects loop section. By bypassing your amp's preamp, you can connect a V4 straight to the power section via the effects loop return. When the pedal is disengaged, you’re basically using your amp as normal, but when you turn the pedal on you will bypass your amp’s preamp. This will give your amplifier an almost entirely new voice, character and feel - transforming the sound of your rig as a whole!
To match their stellar range of amp heads, Victory offer a great selection of specially-voiced cabinets. With a number of sizes to choose from, not only do they match Victory’s amps extremely well, but they’re super versatile – suitable for any rig.
With 1x12", 2x12", 4x12", open-back and closed-back cabs available from Victory, you're practically spoilt for choice! While many of Victory's cabinets are designed to be paired with specific guitar amps that they manufacture, many are universal with their own unique sonic character. The majority of Victory cabinets are fitted with Celestion speakers, which are regarded as the best in the business.
Which Victory amp should I buy?
An excellent question; we’re glad you asked. We’ve covered everything in the range so far – features, specifications, comparisons – but which one will suit your style? Here are a few highlights to put you on the path to tonal righteousness:
Victory amps FAQ
What Do Victory Amps Sound Like?
As a UK manufacturer, you'd be forgiven for thinking that Victory's amps all offer that sought-after UK sizzle. While that's the case with some of their amps, it's not for all of them. Victory's range is lauded on just about every front; vintage grit, Blackface-style cleans, punishing modern high-gain tones and everything in between. Long story short, if you're in the market for a valve amp, you'll find something to suit your needs in Victory's colourful roster.
What’s the difference between Victory’s Compact & Heritage Ranges?
Victory’s Heritage range is named as such because it’s inspired by classic amps. We say ‘inspired by’ because it’s not all old-school – there’s heaps of cutting-edge tone on offer. The Heritage selection includes full-size heads and combos ranging from 42W to 100W, offering high headroom and highly responsive tone.
The Compact range is exactly what it sounds like: portable valve amps. Rather than a wood and tolex frame, Victory’s Compact amps feature a skeletonised metal casing with a rubber handle. This makes them lightweight, well-ventilated and easy to set up.
Where are Victory amps made?
All of Victory’s amps are handmade in England. With a small team of engineers and craftspeople, they’re able to maintain a consistent level of QC and output. This allows them to strike the perfect balance between quality and value – it’s no wonder they’re so popular!
Who uses Victory amps?
Victory’s artist roster is ever-expanding. At the time of writing, their artist list includes the likes of Richie Kotzen, James Bay, Guthrie Govan, Graham Coxon, Chris Buck, Simon McBride, Joey Landreth, Deaf Havana and many more.
Can I plug a Victory preamp pedal directly into a cab?
Ever since their release, people have been asking this question. The answer is no – you still need a power amp. But, if you’d like to know more about how to use your V4 preamp pedal, Victory have made a handy video which does the trick. Check it out:
Can I record with a Victory preamp pedal?
Yes – you can plug it straight into your interface and sculpt it with an impulse response or cab simulator. This will give the preamp more of a full-blown amp-like character, as if you were recording a full rig – but with minimal hassle.
More info
By now, you may be feeling even more excited about your Victory amp purchase than you were before. Not only that – but hopefully you’re feeling more informed too. If you’d like to read more of our buying guides, you’ll find them here. Happy shopping, folks!
