Victoria Amplifier - Section II
What's Inside A Victoria Amp?
Hand Wiring
Each amp is hand wired on vulcanized fibre eyelet board insuring durability
All wiring is solid wire like the original (as opposed to stranded wire) -- essential for
the characteristic vintage, woody tone
Cabinet
Finger jointed solid pine - Strong, durable -- no cabinet buzz
Great resonance
Lacquered Cotton Tweed
Great looking
Durable
The exact material used for the original tweeds
Chassis
16 gauge triple plated steel
Resistors
Allen Bradley carbon composition
Each resistor individually measured before wiring to insure exacting tolerances
Low noise
High temperature tolerance
Extreme reliability
Warm sound -- unlike metal or carbon film resistors
Capacitors
Sprauge Electrolytics -- preformed for stability
Sprauge and CDE coupling & decoupling caps - highest quality and durability -
manufactured to simulate the frequency response of the originals
Key ingredient to the vintage tone - modern polypropylene film caps sound too bright
Potentiometers
CTS pots -- totally noiseless
Smooth taper for ease of 'dialing-in-sound'
Power Transformers
Hand wound, paper interleaved
Period correct voltages -- no cold, harsh, high plate voltages
Center tapped filament -- no heater hum
Output Transformers
Manufactured using the actual Triad engineering data
Hand wound, paper interleaved on paper bobbins
High efficiency
Rich harmonics - astounding tone
Built to last forever
Tremendous bottom end, singing highs, mucho headroom
Speakers
Eminence Mojotone MP-10-R Speakers
Replica of original Jensen P-10-R
3KSP paper cone
Smooth breakup
Warm, woody tone
Barking, Beefy overdrive
Old stock Jensens available for some models
Tubes
NOS US made RCA, Philips and GE standard
Electronically and sonically matched
High reliability
Great tone
Superior quality
High output -- low noise
We have all the high priced designer stuff too
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Some of the amps ...
Model 518-T 5 watt 1-Jensen P8R or C8R speaker $995.00
The Victoria model 518 is an exact recreation of the classic late '50's 5F1 Champ. We even offer a
limited selection of NOS or reconed Jensen 8" speakers! This amp uses one 12AX7, one NOS 6V6GT,
and one 5Y3WGTA. If an early '50's Champ is more to your taste, we can do that too. Our fav is the
5C1 that uses a 6SJ7 octal preamp. We recently manufactured one of each for Vacuum Tube Valley
magazine for an uncoming 6V6 shootout. Look for it summer/fall of 1998! These little amps have a
big sound that belies thier small, compact size. When plugged into an efficient external speaker
cabinet, they are loud enough for small club dates. We like them with a 2X12 cab using Altec 417-B's.
Model 20112-T 20 watt
1-Jensen P12R speaker $ 1,795.00
1-Jensen P12N speaker $ 1,995.00
Another exact recreation of a classic late '50's Fender amp. This time it's the narrow panel Deluxe.
Again, nothing but NOS US and European tubes are used, and we offer a limited selection of NOS
and reconed Jensen speakers. Other popular brands (Celestion, Altec, etc) are available as well.
Uses 2 NOS 6V6 GT/GTA's 1 12AX7, 1 5751/12AY7, 1 5Y3WGTA. Like all Victoria Amplifiers, it features
a solid pine cabinet with box jointed corners (exactly like an original Fender), tuned baffle board,
and laquered burnished tweed for durability and great looks. A great small club amp that opens up
at a low volume and has sustain for days. If you want that 20112-T tone, and your drummer hits the
skins like Attila the Hun , try our Double Deluxe. It will give you the extra wattage needed to shame
the tone deaf bastard into submission.
Double Deluxe 30 watt
2-Jensen C12N or P12R speakers $ 2,395.00
2-Jensen P12N speakers $ 2,795.00
The Double Deluxe was the brain child of guitar great Jimmy Rip. Tired of hauling 2 or 3 narrow
panel Deluxes around, he asked if we could build two Deluxes in one cabinet...The Double Deluxe
was born! 4 NOS 6V6GTA's (for the time being, x-tra expensive RCA's and Mazda's--wow) one 12AX7,
one 5751/12AY7 and one rectifier tube are used. Because this amp is cathode biased(automatic
power tube biasing), we can use either a 5Y3WGTA or a 5AR4/GZ34 to acheive either 30 or 40 watts
from the 4 6V6 power tubes. 2 12" speakers are used, the same blah blah blah re: NOS/upgrade
types applies here. Stock speaker is the Mojo-Tone V-30 model. Ostensively marketed by our
friends at Mojo as a "Vintage 30" style speaker, we here at Victoria can find no apparent similarity
to the Celestion product other than the 12" size. General consensus is that they sound remarkably
like a mid '60's Oxford. That, we feel, is a good thing. For those who aren't familiar with the sound of
a mid '60's Oxford, I'll spare you the flowery sonic adjectives such as "articulate, yet diffuse; woody,
with a touch of barkiness; refined, with forward complexity..." and leave it with, "folks, this speaker
sounds like the real deal, rather than shell out 300 bux for a 30 year old speaker that's gonna blow
soon anyway, go with the Mojo speaker and use the money you saved to buy a Victoria 518 to put in
the TV room..."
Model 35210-T 35 watt 2-Jensen P10R speakers $ 2,395.00
The 35210-T is our take on the now hard to find narrow panel "Super". It is a compact 2 X 10" 35 watt
amp with that great mid powered 2 X 6L6 circuit topology. The only departure from the original
Fender design is the use of a trim pot in the bias circuitry and a pair of 1 ohm resistors on the
power tube cathodes to facilitate bias measurment. The amp produces a killer clean tone, very
harmonically rich and beautiful, and is quite aggressive and smooth when the amp is opened up.
Stock speakers are the Mojo MP10RHD. We feel that these alnico magnet speakers are the best
"vintage style" speakers available at present. We've heard them all, includuing the new boutique
speakers and we still walk away liking the Mojos the best. I know how the discussion of speaker
types and brands can turn normally amiable folks into ranting, haranguing hyenas; save that for
alt.guitar.amps! For now we like the Mojos. This amp has proven to be a real winner for blues
harmonica too. You can hear this amp prominently featured on Carey Bells' latest (W.C. Handy
award winning) album, "Good Time Man", and Billy Boy Arnolds' latest, "Eldorado Cadillac". This is a
terrific small to medium sized club amp.
Model 35310-T 35 watt 3-Jensen P10R speakers $ 2,495.00
A recreation of the fabled late '50's Fender Bandmaster, this amplifier has been proving itself with
our customers from day one of the Victoria reign. A particular favorite of the "weekend warrior"
guitarist. We know most guys don't play 2,000 seaters every night; you're out there gigging in
75-200 seat joints after working 40 hours for some guy with a MBA from a State college..You need
an amp that gives it up at a moderate volume but still has the headroom to whip off a convincing
version of "And the Wind Cries Mary". Rest assured that the 35310-T has all that and more. The
35310-T shares the same basic circuitry as its 1X15 and 2X10 cousins but has a richer, sweeter tone
that personifies a properly driven 6L6. When the amp gets on the edge of clipping, you hear a
greater percentage of TUBE distortion vs. speaker distortion. The extra speaker simply changes
the tube/speaker mix a bit; the speakers hold together longer before introducing their own driven
tone. This makes for an amp that has greater headroom than a 2x10, but still breaks up with the rich
harmonic complexity that the basic circuit topology is famous for. This characteristic break up is
found (in part) in the phase inverter. These 3 amps all share a type of inverter commonly known as
a 'cathodyne' inverter. This is different than the 'long tailed pair' inverter found in a late '50's
Bassman. Without getting technical, suffice it to say that the cathodyne inverter introduces its' own
signal distortion when it is driven into clipping. It lends an aggressive edge to the tone that your
can't get out of a higher powered amp without turning up too loud. The tone controls on all three of
these 35 watt amps also have a characteristic feel to them when compared to a '59 Bassman. The
'bass' and 'treble' controls really add an edge to the tone when turned up past 1 o'clock. We've
found that maximum treble response seems to be at that level; when turned up beyond that, the
control adds gain to the tone, almost like an overdrive pedal. It is the manipulation of this effect
that allows the amp the give it up at more moderate volumes
Model 35115-T 35 watt
1-Jensen C15N speaker $ 2,395.00
1-Jensen P15N speaker $ 2,645.00
The Victoria equivilent of a narrow panel Fender Pro. This amps circuit topology is virtually
identical to the narrow panel "Super" and "Bandmaster". The difference here is the speaker
configuration....and that's the problem with the 35115-T. Until someome steps up to the plate and
makes a good, authentic sounding 15" :guitar: speaker, we will only build this amp if we have a
good Jensen, Altec or EV(an old one) laying around to put in it. The Jensens will be reconed
before being put in an amp. I've had enough of replacing blown original cone speakers for guys
who insisted on having original paper even after I warned them and gave no guarentees..No more
Mr. Nice Guy, folks. If you want original paper on the 10", 12", and 15" :Jensens:, you can be the
chump who shells out stupid money (think in excess of $250) only to have the damn thing reconed
anyway. When we do build these amps, they are f*&^%ing amazing sounding. This could be the
ultimate West Coast swing blues amp. Ask Rusty Zinn. He used one of our 35115-T's on his great
solo album "Sitting and Waiting". If you haven't purchased this record, go get it NOW! Black Top
records has folded, and it's gonna be awhile before Bruce @ Alligator gets around to reissuing
this little chestnut. (speaker used: *reconed* C-15N) This amp opens up quicker than a multi 10"
speaker amp and has a great chimey top end. You're gonna need a mic in front of it at larger
joints. Most guys use one of these in the studio, and take a 3X10 or 4X10 on the road. We currently
have a waiting list on this model.
Model 45410-T 45 watt 4-Jensen P10R speakers $ 2,595.00
Here we have a recreation of what could be the most famous guitar amplifier ever made. Much
has been written about the late '50's narrow panel 4X10 Fender Bassman, and I doubt a critical
word is to be found. Its clean tones are 3 dimensional and liquid, its driven tones are thick,
focused and dynamic. When you find the sweet spot that allows both tones to be conjured up
simply by varying your pick attack, you'll know what 40 years of guitar players know already--this
*is* the Holy Grail of geetar amps...Our Victoria version of this great amp is as exact a replica of
this benchmark amp as possible. We haven't overlooked one detail; the resistors are *all* Allen
Bradley new stock carbon types. We contracted, at great expense, to have these resistors made
for us by A&B. (They are currently out of production- only Victoria and Matchless were committed
enough to have these little suckers made. You can be pretty sure anybody else advertising that
they use "carbon resistors" are using cheapo Asian types) The capacitors used in this and every
Victoria are a proprietary type made to replicate the sound of a 40 year old Astron. The cap
manufacturer thinks we're out of our minds!! We probably are!! That's what makes our amps so
great though...All pots are custom made by CTS for us. No Mouser/Radio Shack crap here folks!
It's part of the reason that these amps cost an arm and a leg....And the transformers? We found
the ACTUAL engineer from the '50s who designed these transformers for Triad. He coughed up
copies of the actual winding data- the electrical/mechanical data needed to knock the old trannies
off perfectly! All Victoria transformers, down to the model 518, are made by a 5 star manufacturer
who used this data when manufacturing our trannies. Then there's the wire. Made by the same
company who supplied Fender in the old days. We purchase it directly from the factory. No middle
man. The real deal. I'm here to tell ya, the old guy we worked with had to start up a machine that
hadn't been used since the '60s! No lie! This is time machine stuff here people...and it makes a
difference. (Save the flaming for aga, OK? I don't have time to hear the *wire debate* for the 10
millionth time) We here at Victoria LOVE this amp. Many popular guitar gods and goddesses now
play the Victoria 45410-T. Look closely, the next Bassman you see on TV may not have a Fender
nameplate on it...Nothing available today is as authentic and respectful of the original late '50's
Bassman as Victoria. We mean it! You'll agree!! If you want a *real* Bassman, and don't relish the
thought of lugging a 40 year old museum piece around, this is the one you want......
Model 50212-T 45 watt
2-Jensen C12N speakers $ 2,695.00
2-Jensen P12N speakers $ 3,095.00
Here we have a recreation of what may be the most sought after Fender tweed amp. This is the
Victoria version of the 5E8-A low power Twin. Circuit topology is related to the Bandmaster but
the imput amplifier is a bit different. It utilizes a groovy mixing circuit that entails the use of an
extra 12AX7; each input has a dedicated triode doing the signal amplification. When plugged into
the 'hot' input, both triodes end up being used..very hip indeed. Although rated at approx 50
watts, it has a presence and body that make it sound much more powerful. Clean tones are chewy
and fluid, with a 3 dimensional texture that can be listened to for...well, forever...(take that Terry
Buddingh). When driven into clipping this amp has the smoothest, creamiest top end of any of the
tweed family, with a tight articulate bass response that makes you wonder why anyone would
bother playing a Marshall. This is truely a ballsy mutha fer ya...While many of the tonal aspects of
the amp can be attributed to the circuit design, the most key component of tonal coloration is the
output transformer that this amp is equipped with. The OT of the 50212-T is singular in the annals
of '50's Fender design. It is an enormous peice of iron...fully 50% larger than the late fifties
Bassman tranny of the same wattage. This translates into terrific bass response. It is very tight
and percussive; no low end sagginess here folks--pop that low E string and you'll get a extra
helping of that punch and definition that many describe as the "Stevie tone". Interestingly (to me
anyway), the windings are not "interleaved" in the fashion of the late '50's Bassman. This is a
straight, pedestrian layer wound transformer. This is how 90% of audio transformers were, and
still are wound. No fancy hi-fi 7 layer or 11 layer or bifilar or paranormal winding action to be found
here. What this gives you sonically is an amp that has a top end that softens up a bit when you
drive it into clipping. This is where your smooth and creamy, thick and meaty driven tones are
generated (in part). This may be the best tweed amp for Rock and Roll; It can put a Marshall to
shame in the right hands..I feel its total tonal richness and complexity are superior to the British
stuff. We ship this amp with NOS preamp tubes and a choice of Phillips or Svetlana 6L6GCs. The
Phillips have a real old style Tung Solish flavor--think treble bite--while the SV6L6GC has a
broader more forward midrange component. The "house" Victoria 50212 has the Svetlanas in it.
One deviation from original design was the elimination of the dual 5U4 power supply. When this
amp was designed, the 5AR4 was not a tube that was widely available. The 5U4 was only game in
town for high current application. Trouble is, they pull a lot of heater current and that
nessesitates a big-ass power transformer. I feel that the stock power tranny, the Triad 7993, was
the absolute minimum that could have been used to handle them. By using the GZ-34, we get the
same attack dynamic as the dual 5U4, and keep the tranny much cooler and happier. Many like to
pull one of the 5U4's in the originals to acheive more sag; this can be done with the 50212-T by
simply swapping the GZ-34 with a 5U4. When doing so, a rebias is recommended, but not
nessessary. This is one of our favorite Victorias.
Model 80212-T 80 watt
2-Jensen C12N speakers $ 2,895.00
2-Jensen P12N speakers $ 3,295.00
MODEL 80410-T 80 watt 4-Jensen P10R speakers
$ 2,895.00
VICTORILUX 35 watts 3-Jensen P10R speakers Reverb and Tremelo
$ 2,595.00
VICTORI-ETTE 20 watts 2-Jensen P10R speakers Reverb and Tremelo
$ 2,395.00
SOVEREIGN HEAD 60 watts EL34 Master Gain, Reverb
$ 2,595.00 - for a detailed review on this amp CLICK HERE
Shipping not included in above prices
Other models built to order...call for pricing
Price includes Jensen newly remanufactured speakers?.other speakers available at additional charge
Price includes premium hand-buffed tweed cabinet?special orders available?call for pricing
Super premium, rare European and American tubes available for an additional charge?call for availability
Thoughts on 12AX7 type tubes -
this is from Mark Baier. Keep in mind that he wrote this back in 1998, and a lot has changed
since then on some fronts. Mark is generally pretty darn busy building amps, and I am generally
pretty busy testing each new factory batch of tubes that comes out. For the latest 12AX7
information you can click here ... or .... for information on preamp tubes in general and matched
phase inverteres click here.
Howdy folks, I'm back with more wisdom for the ages for ya. As I sit here in front of my keyboard
trying to conjure up somthing semi-literate to say, I must confess to having a new appreciation
for writers and daily journalists...I suppose it helps to have at least SOME idea of what to write
about...How about the vacuum tubes used in guitar amps??? Kind of a no brainer type of
subject given what this page is dedicated to...N'est pas??
I'm always a bit surprised by how little the average guitar plinker knows about the glass bottles
that power their amps. Sure, much has been written by self proclaimed gurus as to the physics
of vacuum tubes, or how to turn a BF Twin into a '51 Super, but how much discussion is ever
given to the SONIC differences between a GE and Sovtek 12AX7? I'm gonna invent new and
exciting sonic adjectives for the occasion! You'll want to rip your hair out trying to decipher
what "chewy and refined with a touch of lacy brilliance" actually means!! When I'm done writing
this, I'm gonna compose my monthly article for Wine Spectator...
At this point it's probably a good idea to note that I did not conduct an extensive, dedicated
listening test using a specific model amp and guitar. These opinions are based on years of
playing many guitars and amps of various manufacturers and vintages..The focus of this
assessment will be with a '50's Fender Tweed type amp in mind. Aside from being my favorite
kind of amp to play tone wise, they make a good platform for evaluating tubes due to their
simple circuit topologies.
Preamp Tubes:
GE 12AX7: Most commonly available as JAN type/mid '80's vintage. Has a soft top end-not edgy
or piercing. Nice solid mids and lows. Lots of depth and texture to the tone. Older orange box
versions seem to be a bit more brilliant. Can be a noisy tube, this would be a problem for high
gain amps. Can sound grainy in some amps. Moderate amount of gain. Good NOS American
tone...for years these were standard issue in your Fender amp. If you're using the recent JAN
stuff, pack some spares; these were an end run situation, QC was a bit slack. Standard Phase
inverter tube in a new Victoria.
ECG 12AX7: Like the GE mentioned above, this tube is most commonly found as JAN examples.
With the wild west capitalism that is the rule in the tube biz these days, these JAN stocks are
the most reliable source of actual NOS US and British tubes. These tubes are visually identical
to the '60's and '70's Sylvanias. Like a vintage Sylvania, they display a lot of gain and
midrange/top end brilliance. They sound great in a cathode follower stage. Real creamy when
driven. A preamp tube that can cut through the mix. Not as textured as an '60's RCA, but
possessing a more authoritative body. Can be a problem tube; prone to microphonic behavior
and fizzy static that comes and goes at will.. A nice vocal tube that will color a soundstage with
its usage. We use them as a standard tube in our 3X10 & 4X10 amps to give some bite to the
darker Mojo 10" Alnico speakers we use.
RCA 12AX7/7025: Through the years, RCA produced a few different types of 12AX7's. Typical late
50's types would have a large ribbed plate that is dark grey/black in color. Branded 12AX7 and
12AX7A. This vintage is rich and appealing sounding with a very musical midrange bloom.
Round, warm bass with a compelling, lacy top end (don't say I didn't warn you). Very similar in
construction and tone to contemporaneous Tung-Sols. Existing examples are increasingly rare
and unpredictable in performance. Can be a noisy tube. You know that 'noise' test point on your
TV-7/DU?? It was put there because of this tube. Expect to screen this tube before using;
average samples will frustrate you with uneven performance.
Early-mid '60's-70's examples of the RCA 12AX7 are my favorite in this family of tubes. They have
a shorter ribbed plate structure and the actual plate is lighter in color. Very broad, even
response. No frequency group is accentuated..everything sounds even and in perfect harmony.
Most true NOS examples exhibit goodly amounts of gain though not as forward as Sylvanias.
Particularly fine with Fender guitars. Bouncy and expressive. Perhaps the best sounding hi-fi
tube around, right up there with Telefukens, expect to pay up for real, tested, NOS examples. I
dearly love these in our 80212's. They tickle the ceramic magnet 12's we use beautifully. 7025
versions are screened, tested versions that were specified by many manufacturers because of
their low noise, audio intention. Physical characteristics of this tube are virtually identical to the
classic Mullard type. I've seen Mullard, Brimar, Amperex and GEC's that appear to be identical to
the RCA 7025. Most European examples have a seam at the top of the envelope. Performance is
interchangable as well. I suspect that the lauded Mullard "M" series of tubes are hyper tested
examples of this classic RCA structural platform.
Telefuken ECC83/12AX7: Known through 2 versions, ribbed and flat plate. Has acheived mythical
status, certainly perceived as the benchmark 12AX7 by hi fi nuts, and with good reason. Even
scope pulls can test way above minimum and still sound terrific..It's not unreasonable for this
tube to last for more than 100,000 hours!! Lots of OOOph when used in a guitar amp...rich and 3
dimensionally complex. Note decay is very musically texured and fine..Breaks up with an
encompassing, balanced presentation. Transparent sounding, giving a broad, even response.
Richly toned without sounding muggy. Lots of air and space, a delicate authority is acheived.
Very commonly found in old hi-fi sets and industrial test gear. Not as common in American guitar
amps like Fender, but seen quite often in off brands like Guild and Silvertone. Often rebranded
with the amp manufacturers name. These work great in higher gain amps like Marshall where
noise would preclude the use of a more "colorful" tube.
EI ECC83/12AX7: A new Eastern Eurpean type currently being produced in Serbia. This tube
shows lots of promise. Extremely similar to the Telefuken in construction. Can be discerned by
the seam on the top of the envelope; the Tele doesn't have this. Sonically, a bit more colorful
than the Tele. Can be edgy and harsh sounding. very forward midrange. Terrific tube in higher
gain rock amps like a Matchless. Must be carefully selected for noise and microphonics.
Aggresive sounding with a definite bite. Not a subtile, refined tube. Expect to reject 50% for
noisy operation. Not as musical as a GE or RCA, but still very good. Many are being rebranded
by fast-buck hustlers as Telefukens..watch it.
Sovtek 12AX7: Available in a number of versions. Early types are 12AX7WA and WB. Recent
examples labeled WXT and WXT+. Higher distortion and gain than RCA and Mullard types. This
characteristic endears them to users looking for a distorted, aggresive attack. Not as quiet as
the Chinese 12AX7, but posessing a lower noise floor than common US made GE and ECG types.
Very reliable long lasting tube. Lacks real voice and character when utilized in old style Fender
Tweed and BF era amps. Somewhat lifeless and flat sounding in amps where tube disposition
can be discerned. Great tube for amps that derive their tones through circuitry manipulation,
i.e. multi-stage cascading gain amps, built in effects amps, "lead" amps with buttons and knobs
that say things like 'pull thick', 'drive', 'solo' and 'thrash'.. Not microphonic or particularly noisy.
Really a plug it in and forget about it tube..Good for guys and gals who don't want to be
bothered by fiddling around endlessly with their tubes...
Shuguang 12AX7: Chinese made, current production in limbo. Last batch reputedly made in mid
1997. Very quiet, well made 12AX7. Reputedly made using Mullard or MOV equipment. Rich
toned, if a bit lacking in low end and mids. Nice sense of space and air around notes. Fairly high
gain, good for modern amps. Low noise floor good for critical high gain applications. Downside
to this tube is its longevity. These things wear out quickly, getting smudgy and flat; as if somone
threw a blanket over the tone. Easily recognizable by the shiny metal stiffeners between plate
structures. Always house branded, common guitar brands include Mesa, GT, Fender, and many
others. Designer versions can get pricy. Recent versions of this tube include a shiny plate type
dubbed a 7025. Some folks really swear by this varient. If cathode is the same as other Chinese
versions, it's gonna have the same longevity problems. More musical than the Sovtek, but not
as compelling and textured as a NOS GE or RCA. Very common as recent Fender and Mesa OEM
type.
GE 5751: Originally a 12AX7 with beefed up internal elements for operation in action man military
and industrial applications. Five star versions are highly prized for their careful parameter
control. Most examples in stock these days are the JAN stuff from the mid '80's. Very good side
to side matching. Very tubey sounding tube. If you're trying soften up a harsh modern amps, this
may be the "go to" tube. Don't over use it; too many 5751's in the tone zone will deaden things.
Less presence and air to the top end. Nice and clear sounding--kind of a soft brilliance. I like
them best as input amplifiers replacing he 12AY7 called for in '50's Fenders.
ECG 5751: I don't have a lot of experience with this one..I would expect a greater reject rate
than the GE's based on my experience with all the ECG stuff.
RCA 5751: A very nice tube--very hard to find. Be careful these days when purchasing NOS
examples. I suspect that RCA didn't make a whole lot of these, consequently, you risk buying
used stuff unless you know what you're doing. When you do find them, you'll be treated to a
rich, full sounding tube that's detailed and 3 dimensional. Very musical. The GE sounds thinner
when compared directly..the RCA has more body and depth.
This list hardly represents a complete assessment of every preamp tube available, but is
intended to address to sonic characters of the most commonly found types. The basic structural
platforms are the GE, ECG/Sylvania, RCA (two types), Telefuken, Reflector(Sovtek), and
Shuguang. The 12AX7 type tubes available today will no doubt be an example of one of these. I
hope my impressions of the differences will be of value to you and enlighten you to the tonal
manipulation possible with this benchmark tube type.
News from the Presidents desk! Sept. 2001 - Mark Baier
Summer's waning and it's time to put the boat in storage and get back to playing the guitar! I
hope all you pickers are practicing up for the busy fall/winter club season. I know that I look
forward to it. When Victoria Amplifier opens the Blues club of our dreams, we won't take the
summer off, I promise! Thankfully, we managed to keep busy sniffing solder and testing new
tubes, speakers and circuits.
Perhaps the first order of business should be to remind you that we've introduced two new
amplifiers to our line: the Victorilux and the Sovereign. The Victorilux will satisfy all of you that
long for a Victoria combo amp that has dedicated reverb and tremolo. At 35 watts, it's a terrific
clubbin' amp. Think Super Reverb meets 3 X 10 Bandmaster meets AC-30. It's a real honey. See
our notice on the site for a more detailed description of what it's all about. For the hard-core
Rockers out there, our new Sovereign head will tame the most ardent Marshall nut. It features
a unique global gain control that allows for everything from Fender clean to Plexi roar all in
one head. The lush tube driven spring reverb is a bonus that other EL-34 equipped heads can
only aspire to. It's perhaps the most versatile amp we've made. The great Les Plopa, the most
talented tube doctor I've ever met, designed both models.
I'd also like to take some time and talk about components. I've done a lot of sniffing around at
the competitors wares, and I'm still confident that Victoria Amp Co. is the only "small batch"
amp company that is using real American Made carbon composition resistors. Others may talk
about using high quality carbon comp types, but from what I've seen, that means common
Asian off-the-shelf types. Folks, it just ain't the same. The Allen Bradley resistors we use were
commissioned in every old Fender you've ever fallen in love with (pre-1965) and they're one of
the big reasons a Victoria Amplifier will be expected to perform faultlessly for decades to
come. There IS a difference.
While we continue to use our Victoria custom capacitors on every standard Victoria amplifier, it
has come to our attention that there is a demand for guitar amps that employ high-end brand
name audio signal capacitors. A few of our competitors seem to have made a name for
themselves by building the exact same amp we do, the only difference being the use of
expensive hi-fi grade signal caps (that, and the absence of real USA made resistors). For this
reason, we've decided to offer capacitor options to our product line. Many types are available
including MusiCap by Hovland, 'MultiCap' by Reliable, Jensen (as used by Audio Note), Solen,
Kimber Kap, Wima and other popular audio connoisseur types. Remember that altering the
signal caps will change the character of the amplifier; if you want true vintage tonality, we
recommend sticking with our customer tested standard types. However, if you want to tinker
with expensive cap options, we're more than glad to accommodate your request. Expect
pricing to reflect the added cost that these types necessitate.
Unfortunately, we will be discontinuing our popular Reverberato effect unit. The production
costs are simply too high to continue cranking them out. We literally feel like we're stuffing
$100 bills in each box when we ship them out. A limited final run will be produced and that's it.
We will take orders until Sept. 30th, and after that, the venerable Reverberato will rest in
peace. In its place, we will commence production on a standard reverb only outboard unit. Our
thought is to reproduce the legendary 3-knob outboard type, but we may have Les bring a new
design to the party. Time will tell. A couple of our largest dealers have placed BIG orders on
Reverberatos, and will probably have stock on them for awhile. Call for info.
Over the last 7 or so years, we have amassed quite a collection of blemished chassis. Slight
silk screeening faults, scratched faces, and other purely cosmetic imperfections. My
accountant says "get them out of inventory!!", so that's what I've decided to do. Many styles
are available, mostly Bassman type and Bandmaster types--a couple Deluxe types too..They are
available for you home-brew solder sniffers out there for the ridiculously low price of $45.00 +
shipping. Some real dogs may go for less. Again, call for details..
ALSO, I've been obsessed with buying out old TV repair shops, and have collected many old 40'
s, 50's and 60's miscellanious parts and tubes. If anyone out there has a need for old mic
connecters, capacitors, resistors, pots, hi-fi needles, etc. for restorations, we may have the
correct NOS parts sitting in a box gathering dust. Call with your request, and we may just have
it!!
Another overlooked aspect of Victoria Amplifier is our repair deptartment. We do hundreds of
restorations and repairs a year. While we're known primarily for our expert Fender
restorations, we can service any brand of old or comtemporary amplifier; in many cases we are
able to restore vintages pieces using the correct NOS parts, thereby assuring the highest
resale value when time comes to sell. Turn around is generally two to three weeks depending
on the extent of the restoration. Don't trust your vintage amp to just anyone, we've got the
parts and experience to do the job correctly, and that means more tone and value to you in the
long run.
TUBES TUBES TUBES
We have recently taken delivery of the new Tesla stuff (branded J&J), and can say with
confidence that these are the hippest EL-84, 6L6 and 12AX7's available as new manufacture
tubes. We were using the Svetlanas 6L6's, and found them to be unacceptably microphonic in
the real world life of abuse and road torture. Great sounding tubes, but not as durable as they
needed to be. The J&J 6L6 is a superb sounding power tube with real rugged construction.
Unless specified otherwise, we will be shipping all 6L6 equipped amps with them, so be sure
to check them out!! In tone tests for our new EL-84 amp, we actually found ourselves prefering
the J&J's over NOS Amperex, GE, RCA and Phillips stuff!! We were, to say the least,
dumbfounded by thier superior performance--it was completely unexpected. Whatever they're
doing over there in the new Czech Republic, we salute you!! Keep up the great work. The
12AX7 coming out of the factory over there is a real winner as well. It looks a lot like the
reclusive Telefunkin frame grid 12AX7 and I've heard some folks say that it's an exact
copy--well--it does LOOK like a real 6dj8 frame grid type, but the comparison ends there..it's
not a frame grid tube..it appears that they're using the old dies for the plates, so the confusion
is understandable. It is however, a great sounding, very responsive tube that we have had
very good luck with. Very quiet and balanced sounding with low microphonics. We are using
them in non-tone critical stages. Our front end and tone stack tubes are all still NOS American
types, but when these run out, I feel the Tesla 12AX7 will fill that niche perfectly. I've heard
great things about the new 'silver plate' EI 12AX7 too, but haven't spent any time partying with
them. I'd love to hear from all you tone junkies out there regarding this new dual triode!! I will
hopefully have an update on these soon.
So there you have it. An update for my overlooked (by me) web site. Sorry to all of you who
have been pestering me to get some new material up. I know it's been a while, but I promise to
a bit more attentive. More picture files and new wave files are sure to follow!!
Until then, I remain,
Mark Baier
Major Domo
VAC
For more of Mark's "President's Desk" writing, CLICK HERE
For more information on this
website and more great
pictures - CLICK HERE