Demo video of my Charvel Guthrie Govan USA Carmelized Ash through a Victory Sheriff 25 amp

[HowieJams]

I finally got around to making a video of my New Charvel Guthrie Govan USA model though a Victory Sheriff 25 amp.
I used a Friedman 1x12 closed back cabinet with a Celestion G12M-65. I had a Earthquaker Devices Dispatch Master in the loop.

This guitar is rock solid, built so well. Great tones and playability.
I also did a video of this amp with my 2024 Gibson Les Paul R9 if you are interested.

I am a Les Paul guy to the core and think a Les Paul tone can't be beat, but the Charvel sounds great and has better ergonomics.

This Victory amp kicks also, I love it.

 

[crwnedblasphemy]

Howie. Coincidence, but I was watching your channel last night for the Astro/SLO30 clips. Sounded great. Also, my daughter and I watched a few of the deer vids. Haha

 

[HowieJams]

Howie. Coincidence, but I was watching your channel last night for the Astro/SLO30 clips. Sounded great. Also, my daughter and I watched a few of the deer vids. Haha

Thanks!
I need to do some new better videos of the Astro and SLO, nothing beats a Soldano in my world.
The Victory Sheriff 25 sounds great, but sounds small compared to the Soldano SLO and Friedman that I had at home to comare it to, it has a much smaller tranformer, but the tone is like a Raw Marshall tone with more gain.
I also have a Victory MKX coming this weekend, it is 50w with 2 EL34s, I will bet it will sound huge.
My one deer PJ is the coolest young buck, his antlers are getting big fast.

 

[crwnedblasphemy]

Let us know how the 50w victory is? Can’t wait for that vid. Keep rockin man!

 

[HowieJams]

Let us know how the 50w victory is? Can’t wait for that vid. Keep rockin man!

It should arrive tomorrow.
I just got done playing through the Victory Sheriff 25 and my Soldano Astro 20.
Again, the Soldano sounds huge compared to the Victory.
As I have said before, the Soldano Astro has some of my favorite tones of all of my amps and I definitely like it better than the Victory.

I would pick either of my Soldanos over my Friedman JEL-20 also.

I am hoping the 50w Victory MKX has all the tone and more of the Sheriff and also sounds huge like the Soldanos and Friedman.

I will keep you posted

 

[Solarflares]

I run a Victory Sheriff 44, fixed bias in my studio as my main reference amp.
It gets 6dB of left-switch mids from a Koko Boost at the front end - fed by a 26”-scale Performance Strat with SLV/SA/S pickups.
Full gain. Bass 4 Mid 10 Treble 1 Presence 1 Master 7.
The amp has all early 60’s Blackburn type 161 Mullard 12ax7’s with monster specs.
Power valves are early 60’s XF2 Blackburn Mullard.
This feeds either a Palmer PDI-03, or a Sequis Motherload Elemental, and I blend filtered and unfiltered signals to taste with a Rane SM26-S rack mixer.
This feeds a Joe Meek VC6Q channel strip, where I apply unity-gain, mild 2/1 compression, and probably 5dB of mid at 1Khz - with +1dB of Bass, and -1dB of Treble.
Straight into a second Rane SM26-S, where I can blend-in a complete second similar amp rig in pannable stereo - probably my Seymour Duncan 100W Convertible head.
All cables are balanced where possible,, and mains cables are shielded audiophile types.
The second Rane feeds my computer DAC for recording, and simple DAW-based monitoring with Waves effects.

I have an Alnico Cream 1x12 running off the Motherload for close controllable resonance when tracking. Ideal for feedback and essential extra liveliness.

I can wholeheartedly recommend the Sheriff 44 with the above tweaking. It runs silent, and the sound is huge - with excellent response. That is the amp’s sweet spot with those pickups though. Deviate and it won’t be as good.

I also mess with a Victory Baron single-ended 10W Combo, fully kitted with similar Mullards. Same Koko on the front, and Joe Meek on the loop this time, but did add a Strymon DiG and Blue Sky. This is my practice amp. Although the Strymons are now gone and I’m using some vintage racks instead.

I’m not a fan of Andertons, or Victory as such. But the original Sheriff 44 gets my job done, and very well.

In my view, the Sheriff 25 was a sticking plaster fix to the failed Sheriff 22. Increasing gain and making the loop usable.
I would imagine your newer Victory MKX would be an eye-opener for you, and a hard act to follow.
I definitely advise tentatively searching for above factory-spec type 161 Mullards. There are still bargains out there, and the difference is staggering compared to Victory’s stock valves.

 

[HowieJams]

I run a Victory Sheriff 44, fixed bias in my studio as my main reference amp.
It gets 6dB of left-switch mids from a Koko Boost at the front end - fed by a 26”-scale Performance Strat with SLV/SA/S pickups.
Full gain. Bass 4 Mid 10 Treble 1 Presence 1 Master 7.
The amp has all early 60’s Blackburn type 161 Mullard 12ax7’s with monster specs.
Power valves are early 60’s XF2 Blackburn Mullard.
This feeds either a Palmer PDI-03, or a Sequis Motherload Elemental, and I blend filtered and unfiltered signals to taste with a Rane SM26-S rack mixer.
This feeds a Joe Meek VC6Q channel strip, where I apply unity-gain, mild 2/1 compression, and probably 5dB of mid at 1Khz - with +1dB of Bass, and -1dB of Treble.
Straight into a second Rane SM26-S, where I can blend-in a complete second similar amp rig in pannable stereo - probably my Seymour Duncan 100W Convertible head.
All cables are balanced where possible,, and mains cables are shielded audiophile types.
The second Rane feeds my computer DAC for recording, and simple DAW-based monitoring with Waves effects.

I have an Alnico Cream 1x12 running off the Motherload for close controllable resonance when tracking. Ideal for feedback and essential extra liveliness.

I can wholeheartedly recommend the Sheriff 44 with the above tweaking. It runs silent, and the sound is huge - with excellent response. That is the amp’s sweet spot with those pickups though. Deviate and it won’t be as good.

I also mess with a Victory Baron single-ended 10W Combo, fully kitted with similar Mullards. Same Koko on the front, and Joe Meek on the loop this time, but did add a Strymon DiG and Blue Sky. This is my practice amp. Although the Strymons are now gone and I’m using some vintage racks instead.

I’m not a fan of Andertons, or Victory as such. But the original Sheriff 44 gets my job done, and very well.

In my view, the Sheriff 25 was a sticking plaster fix to the failed Sheriff 22. Increasing gain and making the loop usable.
I would imagine your newer Victory MKX would be an eye-opener for you, and a hard act to follow.
I definitely advise tentatively searching for above factory-spec type 161 Mullards. There are still bargains out there, and the difference is staggering compared to Victory’s stock valves.

View attachment 453399View attachment 453400

The only thing I didn't like was the amp was not huge sounding compared to any of my other amps, even m,y Friedman JEL-20 sounded bigger, but the Sheriff 25 tone I loved.
Now the MKX sounds very full and warm in comparison, but it doesn't get me the Sheriff 25 tone.
The MKX tone is great, but it doesn't do the Sheriff 25 raw tone.

 

[Solarflares]

The only thing I didn't like was the amp was not huge sounding compared to any of my other amps, even m,y Friedman JEL-20 sounded bigger, but the Sheriff 25 tone I loved.
Now the MKX sounds very full and warm in comparison, but it doesn't get me the Sheriff 25 tone.
The MKX tone is great, but it doesn't do the Sheriff 25 raw tone.

That’s surprising.
I think Victory are losing their way a bit.
Shame you don’t have an old Earl 50W to compare - or my Sheriff 44.
Is it worth you considering a SuperSheriff 100W? Do you need the power?

 

[HowieJams]

That’s surprising.
I think Victory are losing their way a bit.
Shame you don’t have an old Earl 50W to compare - or my Sheriff 44.
Is it worth you considering a SuperSheriff 100W? Do you need the power?

I don't need any more than 25w for playing at home.
Maybe if I turned up the Sheriff 25 it would sound bigger, but I only play in between 80-90dB.
With that said, I loved the tone of the Sheriff 25.
The MKX I run on low power mode at 9w and it sounds big, there is always the option to go 50w on the MKX, but not needed for home use.

 

[Solarflares]

I don't need any more than 25w for playing at home.
Maybe if I turned up the Sheriff 25 it would sound bigger, but I only play in between 80-90dB.
With that said, I loved the tone of the Sheriff 25.
The MKX I run on low power mode at 9w and it sounds big, there is always the option to go 50w on the MKX, but not needed for home use.

Perhaps you’d like the original Sheriff 44, in 6W mode?

 

[HowieJams]

Perhaps you’d like the original Sheriff 44, in 6W mode?

I did not know it had a 6w mode, that might be cool, but I don't really need another amp at the moment, if I did I might just grab another Sheriff 25.
I currently have 4 amps...

Soldano SLO-30
Soldano Astro 20
Victory MKX
Friedman JEL-20

I am not counting a Laney Ironheart Dualtop 60w solid state which I bought as a solid-state just because, it is more of a back-up amp for me.