For 2020, Victory Amps proudly introduces the VC35 The Copper in Deluxe form (just as we did with V40 The Duchess and its much-loved Deluxe version). Instead of the skeletonised metal chassis Victory Amps has pine and ply cabinetry swathed in rich red/brown vinyl. Victory Amps also added valve-driven spring reverb and valve-driven tremolo which not only makes those effects even more lush and refined, but also has an overall tonal effect on the rest of the circuit.
“The ‘classic’ EL84 amp has a unique tone and feel with a specific kind of high-end response that differs from any of our other amps,” says Victory chief designer, Martin Kidd. “VC35 The Copper has gone over so well that it just made sense to offer the Deluxe version. Like the Compact Series amp, this one uses a mix of fixed and cathode bias in full-power mode and is cathode biased in low power. There’s also a NOS EF184 pentode valve in a cathode-follower configuration to drive the tone stack in the preamp. We have great stock of them, they have very low microphonics and have proved to be superbly well made and reliable. In addition to the head, we’re also doing a wide body 1x12 combo. We did a bunch of blind listening tests and unanimously decided that a Celestion Alnico Gold was the perfect match – hardly the least expensive speaker in the world, but it sounds incredible in this amp. I think VC35 Deluxe is going to crop up in a lot of very toneful places! ”
Victory introduced the Compact Series VC35 The Copper in 2019 to critical acclaim. It’s the first time Victory has entered four-EL84 territory which is all about the fabled ‘chime’. And the rock. And the rock’n’roll. And the roots and the blues and the pop… and anything else you want to coax from a quartet of EL84 output valves in the British tradition.
1. PLENTY OF GAIN OPTIONS
Dial in chiming cleans through to heavy gain rock sounds all from one knob. It’s very interactive with the tone controls, then balance to taste with the master volume.
2. SCULPTABLE LOW END
A rotary pot and bass cut switch give you control to dial in anything from skinny British ’60s jangle to full and fat, modern boutique tones.
3. MIDS FOR VOICING
The mid boost switch along with the mid rotary control helps deliver rich, vocal lead tones. Try it with the bass cut and plenty of gain for classic rock soloing bliss.
4. VALVE-DRIVEN SPRING REVERB
Considered to be a sonic step upfrom digital reverb for many. Dreamy ’verb here we come!
5. VALVE-DRIVEN TREMOLO
Achieve wonderfully evocative pulses from slow and throbbing to fast and staccato rhythms.
6. MASTER TONE CUT
This global tone control works as it does in the classic Vox amps… except the trebly stuff is found clockwise. It’s great for that final high-end response tone tweak to your playing environment.
7. HIGH & LOW POWER
35 watts in full power is great for punch and headroom; 12 watts low power gives less volume, more compression and a different harmonic and dynamic response, albeit still loud enough for gigs!
8. SERIES EFFECTS LOOP
If you’re running the VC35 gainy, your time-based effects – reverb and delay – will stay cleaner sounding here. Some people also like to run a stompbox boost pedal in their loops for extra lift.
9. EXTERNAL BIAS TEST POINTS & ADJUSTMENT
When it’s time to change your EL84 output valves, you can test and adjust the bias for the replacement set of valves quickly and safely.
CALIFORNIA PROPOSITION 65 WARNING
WARNING: Cancer and Reproductive Harm -
www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.