Adrian Thorpe and Victory conspire to build a top-boost AC-style amp-in-a-box that thrills.
Well-built. Beautiful Vox-like revoicing capabilities with the right amp. Wide range of gain from subtle bite to raunchy overdrive.
Destined to be too bright for some amps.
$249
Victory V1 The Copper
victoryamps.com
For a young amp company, Victory has had more than its share of, well, victories among their amp releases. These days, though, the company’s overdrive pedals, which are effectively amp-in-a-box versions of the firm’s flagship products, threaten to glean as much attention as their celebrated tube-loaded siblings.
Designed in conjunction with Adrian Thorpe of ThorpyFX, the V1 Copper squeezes the essence of Victory’s archetypal AC30-inspired, EL84-driven VC35 Copper amp head into a 5-knob gain and tone-shaping device. And it has the power to transform the right amp in true transatlantic style from a murky mess into a chiming, jangling, crispy, and crunchy overdrive machine.
On His Majesty’s Overdrive Service
Like Victory’s amps, and Adrian Thorpe’s very exacting pedals, the V1 Copper is handsome and built to last. The rugged, folded-steel enclosure measures 4.75" x 2.5" x 1.5" and is slanted gently toward the player to aid control visibility. We’re not sure whether it’s named after the British slang for a penny or a policeman. Either way, the piece that forms the top, front, and back is finished in metallic copper and decorated with a heraldry-style lion and unicorn on either side of the footswitch, a purple amp-style jewel light, and a shining crown between the knobs.
The control complement offers a slight modification of the gain, volume, and 3-band EQ control configuration on the VC35 Copper amp. Instead of a mids control, there is a tone control. It’s effectively a stand-in for the cut control on the top-boost AC30s that inspired the VC35 Copper amp. On an AC30, the cut control adjusts the treble at the output stage, and the V1 Copper’s tone control assumes a similar role to very practical effect.
”The Copper has a lot of transformative, tone-twisting capabilities. But it’s important to consider the amp you want to revoice before switching the thing on.”
Both the input and output are on the crown of the enclosure, with a center-negative 9V DC input between them. The pedal draws a mere 15.3 mA. There’s no room inside for a battery, and the 1.1 pound heft of the thing suggests it’s pretty well packed with quality components. Switching is true bypass.
Spend a Penny
The Copper has a lot of transformative, tone-twisting capabilities. But it’s important to consider the amp you want to revoice before switching the thing on. It might be self-evident, but it’s worth noting that a pedal intended to perform like a top-boost AC30 works best with an amp that’s lacking life on the treble side. With a very Vox-like 65Amps London, for instance, the pedal was altogether too much, yielding trebly, brittle results without aggressive EQ adjustments at the amp, which left the London too dark to enjoy once the pedal was switched off again. With a darker, warmer tweed-Deluxe clone, however, the Copper’s transformative powers shone more brightly and usefully. It’s still predisposed to some eviscerating brightness—probably just the way a lot of top boost AC30 fans like it—but the tone knob does a great job of tailoring that treble edge to suit the amp you’re driving.
Like the top end, the gain in this pedal comes on strong, especially for a design that’s not categorically a high-gain pedal. Unity gain usually hits at about 8 o’clock on the pedal’s gain and volume controls. By the time I reached noon on each control, I was slamming my amp much harder than I normally would. That said, the Copper’s capacity for gain means you can tap into a lot of really fun, gnarly, cranked-amp-style lead and crunch sounds. And when that’s what a song calls for, the Copper delivers. It doesn’t just excel in high-gain applications, though. At subtler settings, the Copper is great for enlivening a dark amp or adding sparkle and a hint of grind to your basic signal—a lot like a good top-boost AC30 might.
The Verdict
At restrained settings, the Copper offers a fast track to the chime and trebly bite of a top-boost preamp and EL84 output tubes. It churns out loads of gnarly overdrive when pushed. But all that available gain means it needs to be used judiciously with intrinsically bright amps. In the right setting, though, and with the right amp, it’s a perfect vehicle for a quick trip to London circa 1965.
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Day 4 of Stompboxtober brings a chance to win a pedal from TWA: The Chemical-Z! Don’t miss out—enter now and return tomorrow for more!
TWA CHEMICAL-Z
Roy Z signature overdrive pedal designed by TubeScreamer creator Susumu Tamura. Inspired by Maxon OD808, OD808X, and APEX808 circuits, Chemical-Z features the "Magic" IC used in APEX808 for less compression & more even frequency response than a standard 808. Increased output level. Two footswitch-selectable clipping modes - normal & hot.
Fuchs Audio introduces the ODH Hybrid amp, featuring a True High Voltage all-tube preamp and Ice Power module for high-powered tones in a compact size. With D-Style overdrive, Spin reverb, and versatile controls, the ODH offers exceptional tone shaping and flexibility at an affordable price point.
Fuchs Audio has introduced their latest amp the ODH © Hybrid. Assembled in USA.
Featuring an ODS-style all-tube preamp, operating at True High Voltage into a fan-cooled Ice power module, the ODH brings high-powered clean and overdrive tones to an extremely compact size and a truly affordable price point.
Like the Fuchs ODS amps, the ODH clean preamp features 3-position brite switch, amid-boost switch, an EQ switch, high, mid and low controls. The clean preamp drives theoverdrive section in D-Style fashion. The OD channel has an input gain and outputmaster with an overdrive tone control. This ensures perfect tuning of both the clean andoverdrive channels. A unique tube limiter circuit controls the Ice Power module input.Any signal clipping is (intentionally) non-linear so it responds just like a real tube amp.
The ODH includes a two-way footswitch for channels and gain boost. A 30-second mute timer ensures the tubes are warmed up before the power amp goes live. The ODH features our lush and warm Spin reverb. A subsonic filter eliminates out-of-band low frequencies which would normally waste amplifier power, which assures tons of clean headroom. The amp also features Accent and Depth controls, allowing contouring of the high and low response of the power amp section, to match speakers, cabinets andenvironments. The ODH features a front panel fully buffered series effects loop and aline out jack, allowing for home recording or feeding a slave amp. A three-position muteswitch mutes the amp, the line out or mute neither.
Built on the same solid steel chassis platform as the Fuchs FB series bass amps, the amps feature a steel chassis and aluminum front and rear panels, Alpha potentiometers, ceramic tube sockets, high-grade circuit boards and Neutrik jacks. The ICE power amp is 150 watts into 8 ohms and 300 watts into 4 ohms, and nearly 500 watts into 2.65 ohms (4 and8 ohms in parallel) and operates on universal AC voltage, so it’s fully globallycompatible. The chassis is fan-cooled to ensure hours of cool operation under any circumstances. The all-tube preamp uses dual-selected 12AX7 tubes and a 6AL5 limiter tube.
MAP: $ 1,299
For more information, please visit fuchsaudiotechnology.com.
Jackson Guitars announces its first female signature artist model, the Pro Series Signature Diamond Rowe guitar.
“I‘m so excited about this new venture with the Jackson family. This is a historic collaboration - as I am the first female in the history of Jackson with a signature guitar and the first female African American signature Jackson artist. I feel so honored to have now joined such an elite group of players that are a part of this club. Many who have inspired me along this journey to get here. It’s truly humbling.” says Diamond.
Diamond Rowe is the co-founder and lead guitarist for the metal/hard rock band Tetrarch. Since co-founding the band in high school, Tetrarch has become one of the most talked about up-and-coming bands in the world - with several press outlets such as Metal Hammer, Kerrang, Revolver, Guitar World and many others boldly naming Diamond Rowe the world’s next guitar hero. Tetrarch has connected with many fans while performing on some of the world's biggest stages garnering spots alongside several of the heavy music world’s biggest names such as Guns N’ Roses, Slipknot, Lamb of God, Disturbed, Avenged Sevenfold, Sevendust, Rob Zombie, Trivium, and many many others. The Jackson Pro Series Signature Diamond Rowe DR12MG EVTN6 is based on Jackson’s single-cut Monarkh platform and is a premium guitar designed for progressive metal players seeking precision and accuracy.
Crafted in partnership with Diamond, this model boasts a 25.5 “ scale, Monarkh-styled nyatoh body draped with a gorgeous poplar burl top, three-piece nyatoh set-neck with graphite reinforcement, and 12˝ radius bound ebony fingerboard with 24 jumbo frets. The black chrome-covered active EMG® 81/85 humbucking bridge and neck pickups, three-way toggle switch, single volume control, and tone control provide a range of tonal options. The Evertune® bridge ensures excellent tuning stability, while the Dark Rose finish with a new custom 3+3 color-matched Jackson headstock and black hardware looks simply stunning.
To showcase the Pro Plus Signature Diamond Rowe DR12MG EVTN6, Diamond shares her journey as a guitarist, delving into the inspiration behind her unique design specifications and the influential artists who shaped her sound within a captivating demo video. This video prominently features powerful performances of Tetrarch’s latest release, “Live Not Fantasize,” and “I’m Not Right” showcasing the DR12MG EVTN6’s unparalleled tonal versatility and performance capabilities.
MSRP $1699.99
For more information, please visit jacksonguitars.com.
Tetrarch's Diamond Rowe Unveils Her New Signature Pro Series DR12MG EVTN6 | Jackson Guitars - YouTube
Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.Jackson Pro Series Signature Diamond Rowe Electric Guitar - Dark Rose
Signature Diamond Rowe, Dark RoseCort Guitars introduces the GB-Fusion Bass Series, featuring innovative design and affordable pricing.
Cort Guitars have long been synonymous with creating instruments that are innovative yet affordably priced. Cort has done it again with the GB-Fusion Bass series. The GB-Fusion builds upon Cort’s illustrious GB-Modern series and infuses it with its own distinctive style and sound.
It starts with the J-style bass design. The GB-Fusion features a solid alder body – the most balanced of all the tonewoods – providing a fantastic balance of low, mid, and high frequencies. The visually stunning Spalted maple top extends the dynamic range of the bass. A see-through pickguard allows for its spalted beauty to show through. The four-string version of the GB-Fusion is lacquered in a supreme Blue Burst stained finish to show off its natural wood grain. The five-string version features a classic Antique Brown Burst stained finish. A bolt-on Hard maple neck allows for a punchier mid-range. An Indian rosewood fretboard with white dot inlays adorns the 4-string Blue Burst version of the GB-Fusion with an overall width of 1 ½” (38mm) at the nut, while the GB-Fusion 5 Antique Brown Burst features a Birdseye Maple fretboard with black dot inlays and an overall width of 1 7/8” (47.6mm) at the nut. Both come with glow in the dark side dot position markers to help musicians see their fretboard in the dark. The headstock features Hipshot® Ultralite Tuners in classic 20:1 ratio. They are cast of zinc with aluminum string posts making them 30% lighter than regular tuners providing better balance and tuning accuracy.
Cort’s brand-new Voiced Tone VTB-ST pickups are the perfect J-style single coil with clear and robust bass sounds and classic warmth. The GB-Fusion comes with a 9-volt battery-powered active preamp to dial in the sound. With push/pull volume, blend knob, and 3-band active electronics, players can access a wide array of tones. The MetalCraft M Bridge is a solid, high-mass bridge. It provides better tone transfer and makes string changes easy. Strings can be loaded through the body or from the top giving players their choice of best string tension. The MetalCraft M4 for 4-string has a string spacing of 19mm (0.748”) while the MetalCraft M5 is 18mm (0.708”). Speaking of strings, D’Addario® EXL 165 strings complete the GB-Fusion 4. D’Addario EXL 170-5SL strings complete the GB-Fusion 5.
Cort Guitars prides itself on creating inventive instruments musicians love to play. The GB-Fusion Bass Series is the latest and greatest for musicians looking for a stellar bass guitar that is not only economical, but has the reliable robust sound needed to hold up the back end in any playing situation.
GB-Fusion 4 Street Price: $699.99
GB-Fusion 5 Street Price: $849.99
For more information, please visit cortguitars.com.