Bought a Victory V40 , returned it the next day.

ICBM

Collings said:

I did read an interview with Martin Kidd where he did say there was a very specific Victory signature voicing to all his amps to ensure they perform in a band situation.

I can't see why having no top-end at all and too much bass would do that - if anything it would do the opposite. I admit I didn't try it with a band, but the sound was absolutely nothing like any amp I've ever used that works well live, or anything I've heard on a recording.

RandallFlagg

I agree that it's a dark sounding amp and found it hard work but listen to how good Mick Taylor has it sounding here, it's sounds great:

ICBM

RandallFlagg said:

I agree that it's a dark sounding amp and found it hard work but listen to how good Mick Taylor has it sounding here, it's sounds great:

Not to me it doesn't. It still has that horrible muffled top end. It sounds just about OK with the Strat, but awful with the Gretsch and the PRS.

RandallFlagg

one man's meat...

Musicman20

The Andertons and ThatPedalShow vids are just adverts though, (good or bad)....I'm glad I didn't bother with one.

richardhomer

^ Agreed - okay with the Strat - not great with the Gretsch - and awful with the DGT....

Fortheloveofguitar

His Cornford amps were fantastic but he's Victory offerings I've found to be lifeless across all of the range 

crunchman

Fortheloveofguitar said:

His Cornford amps were fantastic but he's Victory offerings I've found to be lifeless across all of the range 

I didn't like the Cornfords all that much.  I never tried the bigger ones, but I was distinctly underwhelmed by the Hurricane.  Don't know whether it was the voicing, the V30 speaker, or a combination of both.

Telejester

crunchman said:

Fortheloveofguitar said:

His Cornford amps were fantastic but he's Victory offerings I've found to be lifeless across all of the range 

I didn't like the Cornfords all that much.  I never tried the bigger ones, but I was distinctly underwhelmed by the Hurricane.  Don't know whether it was the voicing, the V30 speaker, or a combination of both.

the combination of bass light el84s and icepick in the ear v30 aint a happy marriage in my books

ICBM

Telejester said:

the combination of bass light el84s and icepick in the ear v30 aint a happy marriage in my books

Treble-killing capacitors everywhere in the circuit doesn't help either.

That said the Hurricane didn't sound as bad as the Harlequin...

TommyVercetti

Interesting how this amp splits opinins. I wonder if there are good ones and bad ones?

I swapped my v40 for a V22, really because I couldn't afford to have both! There was a chap local to me who had the little sheriff but wanted a clean amp to go with his v30. I really like the sheriff but he is absolutely delighted with the v40 and, in fact, I really miss it. So much so I'm now contemplating getting another 2nd hand one. But noe i'm worried I might get a stinker!

TommyVercetti

Also, i've played a v30 and didnt like at all. Fella who I traded with now never plays his v30 either and is looking to sell... 

Telejester

ICBM said:

Telejester said:

the combination of bass light el84s and icepick in the ear v30 aint a happy marriage in my books

Treble-killing capacitors everywhere in the circuit doesn't help either.

That said the Hurricane didn't sound as bad as the Harlequin...

ICBM you could run a guitar cable into my arse and it would still sound better than the harlequin

Modulus_Amps

@TommyVercetti said:

Interesting how this amp splits opinins. I wonder if there are good ones and bad ones?

I swapped my v40 for a V22, really because I couldn't afford to have both! There was a chap local to me who had the little sheriff but wanted a clean amp to go with his v30. I really like the sheriff but he is absolutely delighted with the v40 and, in fact, I really miss it. So much so I'm now contemplating getting another 2nd hand one. But noe i'm worried I might get a stinker!

  it is a sound that some like, not everybody likes the same thing, I often walk into guitar shops and listen to the way people have the amps set and think they sound like there is a carpet in front of the amp, maybe thats just your thing

ICBM

TommyVercetti said:

Interesting how this amp splits opinins. I wonder if there are good ones and bad ones?

I swapped my v40 for a V22, really because I couldn't afford to have both! There was a chap local to me who had the little sheriff but wanted a clean amp to go with his v30. I really like the sheriff but he is absolutely delighted with the v40 and, in fact, I really miss it. So much so I'm now contemplating getting another 2nd hand one. But noe i'm worried I might get a stinker!

I think that's unlikely. From what I saw inside it's a very neatly-made PCB amp with high-quality components which won't have much scope for layout and parts tolerance variations which are one of the main causes of inconsistency in older amps.

So I expect they all sound very similar - which if you like it, is good. The chap who owns the one I tried loves it. He also has a Blues Junior… 

Telejester

ICBM said:

TommyVercetti said:

Interesting how this amp splits opinins. I wonder if there are good ones and bad ones?

I swapped my v40 for a V22, really because I couldn't afford to have both! There was a chap local to me who had the little sheriff but wanted a clean amp to go with his v30. I really like the sheriff but he is absolutely delighted with the v40 and, in fact, I really miss it. So much so I'm now contemplating getting another 2nd hand one. But noe i'm worried I might get a stinker!

I think that's unlikely. From what I saw inside it's a very neatly-made PCB amp with high-quality components which won't have much scope for layout and parts tolerance variations which are one of the main causes of inconsistency in older amps.

So I expect they all sound very similar - which if you like it, is good. The chap who owns the one I tried loves it. He also has a Blues Junior… 

out of curiousity, does he wear a hearing aid ?

Chester

ICBM said:

Telejester said:

the combination of bass light el84s and icepick in the ear v30 aint a happy marriage in my books

Treble-killing capacitors everywhere in the circuit doesn't help either.

That said the Hurricane didn't sound as bad as the Harlequin...

Owned a Hellcat which pushed a Marshall 4X12 30 Anny cab nicely - really liked that amp. Lots of open, top end bite. But it's the only Cornford I liked enough to buy back in the day

RandallFlagg

ICBM said:

RandallFlagg said:

I agree that it's a dark sounding amp and found it hard work but listen to how good Mick Taylor has it sounding here, it's sounds great:

Not to me it doesn't. It still has that horrible muffled top end. It sounds just about OK with the Strat, but awful with the Gretsch and the PRS.

If you listen to The Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again" and the Mick Taylor V40 video side by side, Mick's V40 with the PRS DGT sounds a lot like Townshend's guitar on that track.

Modulus_Amps

RandallFlagg said:

ICBM said:

RandallFlagg said:

I agree that it's a dark sounding amp and found it hard work but listen to how good Mick Taylor has it sounding here, it's sounds great:

Not to me it doesn't. It still has that horrible muffled top end. It sounds just about OK with the Strat, but awful with the Gretsch and the PRS.

If you listen to The Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again" and the Mick Taylor V40 video side by side, Mick's V40 with the PRS DGT sounds a lot like Townshend's guitar on that track.

really hard to compare a track in vintage recording with one where Mick has likely trimmed bass and boosted high end where needed

ICBM

RandallFlagg said:

If you listen to The Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again" and the Mick Taylor V40 video side by side, Mick's V40 with the PRS DGT sounds a lot like Townshend's guitar on that track.

I don't agree at all. Comparing the sound with the Gretsch - which is the fair comparison, since that's what Townshend recorded WGFA with - the Victory is noticeably more muffled and 'stuffy' sounding, with less top-end.

The sound with the PRS is just horrible, really nasally and congested.