Victory MKX - It is a Keeper - Video Demo

[HowieJams]

I have had my Victory MKX for 2 weeks now and have had enough time to make a decision...

I have decided it is a keeper.

I run it through a Friedman 1x12 closed back cabinet with a Celestion G12M-65 creamback and it is a nice combination.

I have found it likes Gibson Les Pauls better than some of my other guitars, my thinking is that is due to the lower output humbucker PAF style pickups, Custombuckers in my R8, R9, and SG and Burstbucker 1&2s in my Standard 50s.
I think the amp has more than enough gain that it does not need Higher output humbuckers or a boost from a pedal.
I abolutely love the OD1 channel, it has this warm wooly tone I can't get enough of, then a quick switch to OD2 for smooth fluid high gain leads.
The clean channel actually has a gain knob which adds a nice texture rather than a sterile clean.

I need more time using my higher output pickup guitars, Ibanez AZ2402 Prestige and Charvel Guthrie Govan USA to make a judgement, but that is just because I prefer the sound of a Gibson over any other guitar.

It does seem to sound great with single coils, but again, I need more time and maybe I can make some more videos later.

I do find this amp to be my favorite to play, followed my my Soldano Astro 20.
In a close 3rd is my Soldano SLO-30.
Last is my Friedman JEL-20, a great amp, but I am not a fan of Channel 1 (plexi), Channel 2 is modded JCM800 and that is great, but Channel 1 is a waste for me, I guess maybe I am not a Plexi guy?
I have a feeling I will be moving the JEL-20 eventually.

My son-in-law was going to take the JEL-20, but he took my Victory Sheriff 25 instead, I miss that amp, I could see possibly picking up another one.

Oh well, here are the vids:

 

[romanianreaper]

I wanted to like the IR-J, basically the pedal version of the JEL-20 and couldn't get it to do everything I needed it to. It didn’t have the tightness, chug, low end, etc that I needed.

I think life is too short to not have the gear that fits you. That is how I fell in love with Les Pauls. Years of trying different guitars and finally locked in and now I'm fanatical about it.

I'm glad you are digging the Victory and I watched a lot of videos on that amp and seemed like it had almost everything I would want. If I didn't have the Synergy, that was going to be my next amp I think.

 

[HowieJams]

I wanted to like the IR-J, basically the pedal version of the JEL-20 and couldn't get it to do everything I needed it to. It didn’t have the tightness, chug, low end, etc that I needed.

I think life is too short to not have the gear that fits you. That is how I fell in love with Les Pauls. Years of trying different guitars and finally locked in and now I'm fanatical about it.

I'm glad you are digging the Victory and I watched a lot of videos on that amp and seemed like it had almost everything I would want. If I didn't have the Synergy, that was going to be my next amp I think.

The Synergy looks amazing, being able to change amps by just changing modules is so cool.

As for guitars....

I have the 4 Les Pauls and 1 SG, I love tham all.

As for the others:
2 Strats, 2 Ibanez Prestige, and 1 Charvel, they are great, but none sound as good as a Gibson to my ears.

 

[DanTravis62]

Sounds good - i've played this amp, the SLO30, the astro 20, and the JEL20. Out of all these lower wattage high end amps, The SLOs are probably my favorites, astro if you need a fender clean and slo30 if you dont

The victory is quite good sounding though. Honestly all of their stuff sounds great, they just have a reputation for poor customer service (as is common with UK products)

I too, am a "les paul guy" who prefers lower output pickups

 

[HowieJams]

Sounds good - i've played this amp, the SLO30, the astro 20, and the JEL20. Out of all these lower wattage high end amps, The SLOs are probably my favorites, astro if you need a fender clean and slo30 if you dont

The victory is quite good sounding though. Honestly all of their stuff sounds great, they just have a reputation for poor customer service (as is common with UK products)

I too, am a "les paul guy" who prefers lower output pickups

I am not worried about customer service, it is all about tone.
If soemthing cr-ps out, I bought it from Sweetwater, they have me covered for two years, after that it is a local tech issue.

My Victory Sheriff 25 was also a fun amp to play.
I also love the Soldanos, they are still my favorite amps.

As for Les Pauls, they are not the most ergonomic to play, but again, it is all about tone.

 

[DanTravis62]

I am not worried about customer service, it is all about tone.
If soemthing cr-ps out, I bought it from Sweetwater, they have me covered for two years, after that it is a local tech issue.

My Victory Sheriff 25 was also a fun amp to play.
I also love the Soldanos, they are still my favorite amps.

As for Les Pauls, they are not the most ergonomic to play, but again, it is all about tone.

Yep you shouldn't have anything to worry about then

Just be aware that the company wont be any help if somethin goes wrong

 

[Solarflares]

Well Howie.
The Sheriff 44 had just enough gain using humbuckers, to get those singing leads.
But it needed to be in cathode-bias mode, and have the presence and treble turned up - with good master level.
To get anything approaching my requirements, I need to be in fixed-bias. I also wanted the treble and presence around 1. So when using my EMG single-coils, the gain just wasn’t there.
Solution is an original Koko Boost. I use it to add level and mids, about halfway on both, with the mid-switch to the left.
The Sheriff setup then has more than enough gain to suit me, and lets me solo with my guitar on 7 - which is where I’m happiest.
Nothing wrong with having a setup that can only take your louder guitars on 7. No harm at all.

 

[HowieJams]

Yep you shouldn't have anything to worry about then

Just be aware that the company wont be any help if somethin goes wrong

Not an issue, until it happens, lol.

 

[HowieJams]

Well Howie.
The Sheriff 44 had just enough gain using humbuckers, to get those singing leads.
But it needed to be in cathode-bias mode, and have the presence and treble turned up - with good master level.
To get anything approaching my requirements, I need to be in fixed-bias. I also wanted the treble and presence around 1. So when using my EMG single-coils, the gain just wasn’t there.
Solution is an original Koko Boost. I use it to add level and mids, about halfway on both, with the mid-switch to the left.
The Sheriff setup then has more than enough gain to suit me, and lets me solo with my guitar on 7 - which is where I’m happiest.
Nothing wrong with having a setup that can only take your louder guitars on 7. No harm at all.

The Sheriff 44 has a low gain option I believe which would be great, but I don't know if it sounds like the Sheriff 25, I know I like the 25.

 

[Solarflares]

Yep you shouldn't have anything to worry about then

Just be aware that the company wont be any help if somethin goes wrong

My two Victory amps are well built, and I haven’t had any issues.
But, as you know already, their service dept. rep is a brick wall.
There is no customer interaction - even with someone of my experience and ‘stature’ in the business. Lol
Which is a joke, since Craig Anderton, Chappers, Rabea, and Danish Pete were breezing in, making design changes, and influencing product. All shit guitarists.

For example, the Baron combo will not take an Alnico. There isn’t space. It requires a new offset speaker baffle. No communications were answered, when I asked if they could rework my cabinet, or supply me a new one.
Is it glued in? No reply.
The only response I eventually got on the phone was that Victory had no plans to do anything with Alnicos.
Literally a month later, the MKclean comes out at Namm with Alnico golds. The Deputy deluxe combo has an Alnico. FFS.
I am banned from their Facebook forum for daring to suggest their pre-amp valves cost 5p each (5c) and are delivered in a dustbin.
Getting the schematic for the Sheriff was easy initially, but very hush hush. Next time I called them, all the staff had changed, and it’s a fucking no go area.

 

[DanTravis62]

My two Victory amps are well built, and I haven’t had any issues.
But, as you know already, their service dept. rep is a brick wall.
There is no customer interaction - even with someone of my experience and ‘stature’ in the business. Lol
Which is a joke, since Craig Anderton, Chappers, Rabea, and Danish Pete were breezing in, making design changes, and influencing product. All shit guitarists.

For example, the Baron combo will not take an Alnico. There isn’t space. It requires a new offset speaker baffle. No communications were answered, when I asked if they could rework my cabinet, or supply me a new one.
Is it glued in? No reply.
The only response I eventually got on the phone was that Victory had no plans to do anything with Alnicos.
Literally a month later, the MKclean comes out at Namm with Alnico golds. The Deputy deluxe combo has an Alnico. FFS.
I am banned from their Facebook forum for daring to suggest their pre-amp valves cost 5p each (5c) and are delivered in a dustbin.
Getting the schematic for the Sheriff was easy initially, but very hush hush. Next time I called them, all the staff had changed, and it’s a fucking no go area.

Yeah unfortunately none of that surprises me in any way

I feel like I have to say I like the way their amps sound, but they have a well earned reputation as one of the worst guitar amp customer service companies on planet earth

It's amazing, they have all the time in the world for their garbage e-celebrities, but can't spare 30 seconds on the people that actual buy and use their products in the wild

 

[Solarflares]

The Sheriff 44 has a low gain option I believe which would be great, but I don't know if it sounds like the Sheriff 25, I know I like the 25.

You can footswitch between hi and lo inputs. Ch1 is Plexi. Ch2 is mild hot-rod JCM.
The 25 is ok I guess. As is the SuperSheriff 100. But the issues they addressed are easily sorted, and surpassed, with a Koko Boost at the front of the 44, and some nice valves.
If you need an fx-loop then a 12AU7 in V3 will make the 44’s loop usable.

Just get your 25 back Howie, and give him that shitty Friedman.

You’d definitely love that Guthrie guitar through my Baron, with the Koko.

 

[romanianreaper]

I never understood bad customer service with any company. That is part of the purchase, the follow thru. That is how you keep customers.

Hey Howie, you should try a Les Paul Studio Session. I can't put mine down. I have a 2003 Classic, 2019 Standard, and have owned Studios, and numerous Les Pauls since 1993. This guitar is light, sounds amazing, and has that cut in the body that makes it easier to play up towards the higher frets. I love it!

 

[Solarflares]

Indeed.
When I was selling over-sized vegetables to the porn industry in the 80’s, I would literally bend over backwards to ensure my after-sales service had that proper personal touch. Sometimes forwards.

 

[HowieJams]

You can footswitch between hi and lo inputs. Ch1 is Plexi. Ch2 is mild hot-rod JCM.
The 25 is ok I guess. As is the SuperSheriff 100. But the issues they addressed are easily sorted, and surpassed, with a Koko Boost at the front of the 44, and some nice valves.
If you need an fx-loop then a 12AU7 in V3 will make the 44’s loop usable.

Just get your 25 back Howie, and give him that shitty Friedman.

You’d definitely love that Guthrie guitar through my Baron, with the Koko.

I can always just buy another Sheriff 25 and sell my Friedman to somebody who wants it.
I still think the JEL-20 is a great amp, but channel 1 is just not smooth enough for me, but Plexi guys don't want smooth and they will just boost it with a Boss SD-1 to get the tones they are after.

I just won't use any pedals besides a reverb/delay in the loop, I am a purist, guitar in to amp.

 

[HowieJams]

I never understood bad customer service with any company. That is part of the purchase, the follow thru. That is how you keep customers.

Hey Howie, you should try a Les Paul Studio Session. I can't put mine down. I have a 2003 Classic, 2019 Standard, and have owned Studios, and numerous Les Pauls since 1993. This guitar is light, sounds amazing, and has that cut in the body that makes it easier to play up towards the higher frets. I love it!

I have to stop buying guitars, lol.

4 Les Pauls and 1 SG (all 5 are amazing) is where i should have stopped, but then came the

2 Ibanez Prestiges
1 Charvel Guthrie Govan
2 Fender Strats

 

[romanianreaper]

I have to stop buying guitars, lol.

4 Les Pauls and 1 SG (all 5 are amazing) is where i should have stopped, but then came the

2 Ibanez Prestiges
1 Charvel Guthrie Govan
2 Fender Strats

Hey watch your mouth....lol. can never have too many guitars. I try to cut down though. Quality over quantity.

 

[HowieJams]

Hey watch your mouth....lol. can never have too many guitars. I try to cut down though. Quality over quantity.

I was up to 15 decent guitars, cut down to the 5 great Gibsons and then it happened again, lol.
Of course except for my one Mexican Strat all the others are great guitars.