The Countess MkII was developed in conjunction with Guthrie Govan.
England, UK (January 24, 2018) -- Victory Amplification from the UK proudly announces V30 The Countess MkII a 42-watt, two-channel, three-mode, all-valve guitar amplifier. V30MkII is evolved from ā and replaces ā Victoryās first ever Compact Series head that was developed with the help of Guthrie Govan in 2013. Guthrie has of course had input to this one too!
The original V30 has very distinct clean and overdrive channels. There is massive headroom and clarity in the former, with a ton of heavy rocking overdrive in the latter. With V30MKII, weāve added an extra footswitchable crunch mode to the clean channel ā developed for V130 The Super Countess ā that offers a whole new palette of pushed clean, crunch and light overdrive tones. In addition, the power section now features a footswitchable āNomodā function to tighten up the bass resonance that some V30 users found a little thick at times. However, Guthrie Govan loves the sound of the original voicing, so the āNomodā switch ā geddit, āno modificationā ā enables you to choose either option: original or tight. We made āNomodā footswitchable to further increase the V30MkIIās versatility.
V30MkII has also been updated with external bias test and adjustment points which means no more fiddling around inside the amp when changing power valves. The skeletonised metal chassis is now finished in a super cool black chrome powder coat, protected by an included padded carry bag. Like its predecessor there is a low-power mode accessible from the front-panel power switch that drops the output to around 7 watts RMS. You can choose to run either two 6L6 or two EL34 power valves for subtle differences in tone and response, and of course there is a series effects loop too.
Victory V30 The Countess MKII sets a whole new standard as a versatile and portable ā yet thoroughly professional ā lunchbox guitar amp head. Please visit our YouTube Channel youtube.com/VictoryAmps to hear it in action.
Other key spec & info
- Valves: 4 x 12AX7, 2 x 6L6 or EL34
- Size: 342(w) x 185(h) x 185mm(d)
- Weight: 8.2kg (18.1lbs)
- Footswitches (channel change/crunch and Nomod) and padded carry bag included
- Available at dealers: From February 2018
- SRP/MAP: UK: Head Ā£999 / EU: Head ā¬1,129 / USA: Head $1,239
Victory Amplification from the UK proudly announces VX100 The Super Kraken a 100-watt, dual-channel, three-mode all-valve guitar amplifier. VX100 is evolved from the award-winning Compact Series VX The Kraken (Guitarist Magazine Gear Of The Year 2016) developed with Dorje/Toska guitarist, Rabea Massaad.
Our Compact Series VX The Kraken defined a new standard in hard rock, metal, progressive and extended range tones when it launched in 2016. Half hot-rodded British drive machine and half mid-pushed American grind monster, itās diminutive stature belies the giant tones that now fill stages the world over, not least via the music of Rabea Massaad, our great friend and collaborator who helped bring it to life.
For 2018 however, The Kraken morphs into an even more powerful beast via 100 massive watts of 6L6 power. You still get the Brit-inspired Gain I channel. You still get the colossal smack of Gain IIās US grind... but now thereās a whole new footswitchable clean mode, plus a footswitchable Preamp Focus function to add a little juice and cut to any and all modes. Think of it like a TS-style boost/EQ shaper. Thereās also a preset Bass Focus option in the power section, footswitchable FX loop, assignable/ footswitchable dual masters, full MIDI switching capability (not shown in these images), plus a useful 30-watt low-power mode.
VX100 has external bias test and adjustment points which means no more fiddling around inside the amp when changing power valves. Itās swathed in grey vinyl to match the V212VG cabinet with which it forms an imposing yet portable half stack.
Legend has it that VX The Kraken is easily enough guitar amp for most mortals. Yet there are those who seek extra versatility, even more headroom and truly the power to stop all beasts, mythical or otherwise. Release VX100 The Super Kraken, say we! (And to hear it in action, please head to our YouTube Channel: youtube.com/VictoryAmps)
Other key spec & info
- Valves: 4 x 12AX7, 4 x 6L6
- Size: 480(w) x 235(h) x 235mm(d)
- Weight: 12.5kg (27.5lbs)
- Standard footswitch (Gain I/II, Clean/Crunch, Master I/II, Preamp Focus, FX Loop, Solo Master) and slip cover included
- SRP/MAP: UK: Head Ā£1,399 / EU: Head ā¬1,579 / USA: Head $1,699
For more information:
Victory Amps
PRS Guitars celebrates 40 years with the limited edition McCarty SC56. Featuring vintage-inspired design and modern innovations, this single-cutaway guitar pays tribute to Ted McCarty and his impact on the industry. With only 400 pieces available, this instrument is a must-have for collectors and performers alike.
PRS Guitars today announced the 40th Anniversary McCarty SC56 Limited Edition. With a classic PRS single-cutaway body shape and carefully chosen specifications, the McCarty SC56 is both a tribute to tradition and a reliable tool for the modern performer. Only 400 pieces will be made.
āThe SC56, signifying Singlecut and 1956, model is our most recent tribute to my late mentor Ted McCarty and his impact on the guitar industry. We started with our take on a classic late ā50s singlecut body. 1956 marks the year that Ted first had guitars made with his newly coined 'humbucker' pickups. It also happens to be the year I was born. Bringing vintage design into the modern era, we loaded this model with our McCarty III pickups, meticulously designed to deliver warm, clear, vintage tone with exceptional note separation and dynamics,ā said PRS Guitars Founder & Managing General Partner, Paul Reed Smith.
Anchored by a maple top and mahogany back, the 24.594ā scale length and 22-fret Pattern Vintage neck work with Phase III non-locking tuners and PRS two-piece bridge to promote its musical sustain. The PRS McCarty III pickups are controlled by a simple layout ā two volume controls, two tone controls, and a three-way toggle on the upper bout.
Single-cutaway guitars are known to be heavier than their double-cutaway counterparts. The McCarty SC56 Limited Edition design incorporates weight-relief, decreasing the weight of the guitar by about 2/3 of a pound, while maintaining several points of attachment between the guitar top and back to eliminate the āhollowā sound of the cavities and promote tone transfer.
With appointments like binding on the fretboard, classic bird inlays, and a vintage-inspired nitrocellulose finish, the 40th Anniversary McCarty SC56 Limited Edition blends heritage and innovation into a timeless instrument.
PRS Guitars continues its schedule of launching new products each month in 2025.
For more information, please visit prsguitars.com.
40th Anniversary McCarty SC56 Limited Edition | Demo | PRS Guitars - YouTube
His credits include Miles Davisā Jack Johnson and Herbie Mannānext to whom he performed in Questloveās 2021 documentary, Summer of Soulāand his tunes have been covered by Santana and the Messthetics. But itās as a bandleader and collaborator where Sharrock cut his wildest recordings. As groundbreaking as Sharrockās music could be, his distorted tone and melodic tunes helped bring rock listeners into the jazz tent. Our callers let us know how much Sharrock meant to them and why heās one of the ātop guys of all time.ā
Belltone Guitars has partnered Brickhouse Toneworks to create a one-of-a-kind, truly noiseless Strat/Tele-tone pickup in a standard FilterāTron size format: the Single-Bell pickup.
The Single-Bell by Brickhouse Toneworks delivers bonafide single-coil Strat and Tele tones with the power of a P-90 and no 60-cycle hum. Unlike typical stacked hum-cancelling designs, Brickhouse Toneworks uses a proprietary āsidewindā approach that cancels the 60-cycle hum without sacrificing any of the dynamics or top-end sparkle of a Fender-style single coil.
Get the best of both worlds with clear bell-like tones on the neck pickup, signature quack when combining the neck and bridge pickups, and pristine twang in the bridge position backed with the fullness and power of a P-90. Push these into overdrive and experience the hallmark blues tone with plenty of grit and harmonic sustain ā all with completely noiseless performance.
Key Features of the Single-Bell:
- Cast Alnico 5 Magnet, designed to be used with 500k pots
- Voiced to capture that signature Fender-style single coil tone without the 60-cycle hum
- Lightly potted to minimize squeal
- Made in the USA with premium quality materials
The retail price for a Bridge and Neck matching set is $340.00 and theyāre available directly and exclusively through BelltoneĀ® Guitars / Brickhouse Toneworks at belltoneguitars.com.
Designed for players who demand flexibility without sacrificing tone, the Aquanaut fuses the rich warmth of classic analog delay with the extended range and clarity of modern digital designs. Featuring up to 600 milliseconds of delay time, the Aquanaut easily covers everything from tight slapback echoes to lush, ambient textures and rhythmic soundscapes ā all with a simple, intuitive control layout.
Unlike many digital delays that can sound sterile and detached, the Aquanaut retains an organic, analog-inspired voice. Repeats are smooth and musical, gently fading into the mix to create depth and dimension without overwhelming your dry signal. Whether youāre chasing vintage tape echo, adding subtle space to your solos, or building massive atmospheric layers, the Aquanaut keeps your tone clear, present, and inspiring.
Berserker Electronics Aquanaut Delay/Echo
Key features include:
- Up to 600ms of delay time for expanded creative possibilities
- Analog-voiced digital architecture for warm, natural-sounding repeats
- Ambient-style echo that enhances, not distracts from, your core tone
- Simple, intuitive controls for delay time, feedback, and blend
The Aquanaut is available direct at www.berserkerpedals.com and Reverb at a $149 street price.