Victoria Amplifier Co. 518

I have only had this 1 week. Bought it new.It has one volume knob and 2 inputs . I play rock and blues with it in my home studio.

This amp sounds great with my Eric Johnson Strat plugged straight in with no effects .It starts to distort at about 9 and sounds best to me at 12. The distortion is fairly clean even turned all the way up , but the tone is very good with the strat. Its fairly loud , almost enough to get your ears ringing in a small room. I also play a custom 24 PRS but can't seem to get a good sound out of it with that guitar.I think effects would help but havn't tryed anything yet.

Just got it , but looks very well made.

Have had no reason to need customer support.

I have been playing about 25 years. I also own a Carr Mercury , a Cornell Romany , and a Mojave Coyote. If it were lost or stolen I would probably get another if i could afford it. I love this amp because it is made in USA , a great practice amp for my strat , it's very high quality , it's compact, but plenty loud for my studio. I don't really hate anything about it. I compared it to other amps and choose it because the reveiws were good, and that it was made in USA. I have no regrets with this purchase.

This amp is not about features. It is about pure tweed tone in a small, light, very portable package. The reason I bought mine is that I needed a high quality amp that I could use around the house, record with, and take to low volume jam sessions. For these puposes it is as good as it gets. Although it has no channel switching etc, I'll give this amp an 8 in this category because I can use this little thing for blues, country, rock, and traditional cajun music.

What I really like about this amp is that is sounds really good at any volume setting, with any guitar. I play a 52 RI Tele with Rio Grande TallBoys and a Les Paul Classic with Seth Lovers. Both sound great. Very quiet. Plug this little monster into a separate cab(tone tubby 112 alnico hempcone), grab a humbucker equipped guitar and crank it. WOW! I NEVER imagined a 5 watt amp could grind like that. Amazing!

I have never had any problems with the amp.

n/a

I've been playing for about 15 years and own a few other amps that I like a lot also. These include a Carr Rambler, 78 Marshall MK II, and a Clark Lil Bit LTD. I'll keep this thing forever. Looks great. Sounds great. Period.

Combination volume on off switch, two inputs. Not sure what the difference is but #1 sounds best to me. Eight inch Jenson speaker, tweed covered pine box. Simple and effective. Give it a 10 cause it does what it's meant to do. But versatile it aint, so split it with a 7.

Custom shop hardtail alder body maple neck strat with custom shop 54 pickups, active Clapton boost.I run through a Clark Gainstar to the amp. Perfect for home,studio or small get together. Tweed clean to abot four with my setup, five gets a nice breakup, and beyound that gets dirty. I jam, blues rock jazz country. I get the same sound but louder and bigger with my Clark Beaufort. Basically a real creamy type clean and overdrive. I am loving the sound I get around the house with it.

Have had it several years, the more I play it the better it sounds. Besides the originals are still putting out this same wonderful tone, so no worries.

Called him once not very helpfull, at all. But great amps, so...

Playing for years, as long as my personality and taste in music doestnt change I'll keep it forever.

Sounds just like a tweed champ should. Great!

Had to replace a power tube after a year which is no biggie

This is why I am doing the review. Mark seems to be a great guy and answers questions about the amp he makes, but DONT ever come to him w/a problem. Example: When I got the amp I dint think to pull the back cover; no reason to. But after a year or so, I decided to open the back kust to check it out. I couldnt get the bloody back cover off! I mean I tried so hard I was afraid of breaking the back cover. I emailed Mark and asked him about it, got no response. So I emailed again and again no response. I finally called and talked to Mark, he was very quite, and offered absolutley offered no help or solution.
He came off woth an attitude like "So what do you want me to do about it", although he didnt come right out and say those words.
So, needless to say the conversation was very short. The people on the different 'boards and NGs said stuff like "Why do you want to remove the cover anyway, just play it!" Which was a lot like the answer I got from mark.

Great amp, but lousy customer service AFTER the sale. I bought the amp directly from Mark and he was helpful and polite when talking about the amp, he even made me think I was gettin some thing "Special" because I bought one of the first ones made he said "I am sending you my amp, the one that I use at home", but the serial number is just under #500? . AFTER the sale when you have a problem is when you really find out whether they are customer friendly. I finally had no choice but to pry the cover off with a screwdriver, because I
brought it to two different amp places and nobody would take responsibility to try and take it off for fear of breaking it.. It was that tight of a fit! Now the cover is on and the fit is so tight it stays there with no screws in it!

This is an update of the review directly below

I've fallen for Telecasters. I sold the Pauls for a couple of teles. I fully intend on getting a '57 reissue goldtop Les Paul and either a Reissue Special or '56 reissue Goldtop for my P90s. This amp with Teles is just like God's own voice, though. It can be sweet, raunchy, funky, jazzy, you name it. It's so simple yet so versatile. Blues, rock, country, jazz, whatever. This amp likes humbuckers a lot, but LOVES P90s and Telecasters. Kinda like humbuckers are a close friend, but P90s and Teles are the lovers.

by the way, the new JJ 6V6s are as good as any of the NOS stuff.

Still hasn't broken down. I don't expect it to.

What Features??? It's a Champ! It is a 2003 model, but I ordered it with a 12" speaker, so it is mounted in a deluxe cab. This is a HIGHLY recommended upgrade!! It is a Class A point-to-point handwired amp, 3 tubes (1 5Y3, 1 6V6, and 1 12AX7/ECC83), 2 imputs and one volume knob. Sometimes I wish I had a tone knob or separate Treble and bass knobs, but screw it. It sounds great as is. Perfect for practice levels when cranked, but it is a tube amp, so when pushed it still is freaking loud. At night, I use a 15W wever Mini-MASS attenuator.

I have 2 Gibson Les Pauls; one studio with Jim Wagmer Crossroads PAF clones, and one special with Lindy Fralin P90s. I love the tweed fender voice, both clean and pushed. Clean it is so warm, but has plenty of the fender sparkle and twang. When you overdrive it, DAMN! it just grinds away when doing chording to such bands as AC/DC, Zeppelin, The Who, and ZZ Top. I can't copy those tones, but I love the way the amp sounds. It has more of a "grind" compared to a Marshall's crunchier sound. The Vicky also has a more precise attack, compared to a Marshall's chewier sound. I like it better. It just sounds edgier than Marshalls. I normally set the amp at 9 and control overdrive with the guitar's volume knob. When you turn down to milder overdrive, You get into Mick Taylor/Ronnie Woods Stones territory almost perfectly. This mode is GREAT for blues, and just turn the guitar's volume up a bit more for a sreaming solo. This amp does classic rock, country, and blues perfectly. The amp just sounds sweet!
There is one thing, though. For any potential buyers, order one from Victoria with the Jensen P12N. It handles the bass MUCH better than any 8" speaker. I can't recommend that one modification enough. Having a tone knob or Bass/Treble controls would be nice for a bit more versatility, but it sounds so freaking good, that I'll give it a 10 anyways.

Never broken down in 3 months, and I run it hard and long. Treat it like a tube amp, and It will outlast you (if you keep up with maintenance- new tubes, capacitor and resistor changes after about 30 years, etc...).

I called Mark and asked him about wether I can get a 1X12 champ and he seemed very friendly. I can't give a judgement on support, however. I've never had to really deal with him about service, etc...

I've been playing for about 5 months, but I played the piano for 11 years, so I have picky ears and I've picked up the guitar fairly well because I grew up with finger dexterity and musical training (I'm only 23 years old- born in 1980). I can already play "Crossroads" by Cream, for example (I ain't Clapton though- yet :) ), I can play it note for note, too. I only have one gripe about the amp. they advertise NOS tubes, but when I took the back panel off, I only saw one NOS tube- a JAN/Phillips rectifier. The power tube and Preamp tube were both Groove tubes!?!?!? I was ticked off, needless to say. I spent birthday money on some NOS tubes, so I have a Mazda 5Y3 rectifier (supplies the B+ voltage a bit later, prolonging the life of the tubes), a Mazda 6V6 and a blackplate RCA 6V6, and some RCA and one RFT ECC83s. The RCA preamp tubes were a waste of money as far as I'm concerned. The Mazda and RCA 6V6s both sound awesome. The RCA is a bit smoother and the Mazda a bit sleazier/grungier. The RFT had a bit less treble than the RCA preamp tubes, but had a much tighter bass when overdriven. Much smoother than the RCAs too. I alternate between the power tubes for varietys sake, but the RFT stays in.
The other amps I've had are a '66 ampeg Gemini I (GREAT amp, by the way. I don't know why I sold it), and a Gibson Goldtone GA15, with the 10" speaker. I didn't like the Gibson (that model, anyways). The Vicky, though is here to stay. Because of the Groove Tubes in there stock, I can't give it a 10. After some tube swapping, the sound is 10, but minus 1 for the Goof Tubes.

Other than tone, this amp doesn't have any features. I've really grown to dislike features. I use this amp at home, which it is perfect for. A fine example of the tweed Champ, this amp is cathode biased with 1 12Ax7, 1 6V6, and one 5Y3 rectifier tube. Eight inch Jensen speaker, one knob for volume, 5 watts. Tweed covering, of course.

Great tube sound at somewhat lower volumes. I say somewhat because this thing is still pretty loud. For playing blues and rock in, say, an apartment, this thing has few rivals that I've come across. There isn't a whole lot of variety, but it does a great job at the sounds that it does make. I really like my tele played through this amp, but my 335 really shines as well. I agree with another comment here about how you can feel the paper of the speakers as you play. Very true.
This amp is very revealing, and there is nothing to hide behind, but that's what makes it a great practice amp in my opinion. At higher volumes you start to get an incredible all-tube breakup. Before that, the cleans come through very well, and as you go up in volume you quickly increase breakup. That's another thing I like. I have other amps that are fairly low wattage, and they are loud as hell when you get them going. As stated before, this is why this amp is so great for at home use...

I wouldn't gig with it, and it should be pretty easy to fix barring any problems.

I've sent some emails to Mark at Victoria and he has answered every one. The emails were short and to the point, and all my questions were answered. That's all I ask. I purchased this amp new from Larry at SoulCactus Sound. A word on that: Generally I'm a pain in the ass customer who likes to know what is going on all the time with my order. Larry was very understanding, answered emails, got me tracking numbers, etc. Very much a pleasure to work with and would recommend him to others. This is a major reason why I like this whole boutique thing. I like being treated like a customer should be and the effort that goes into making these products. This Victoria is no exception!!!

If this amp were stolen, I would buy it again in a heartbeat. For what I bought it for, playing at home, this is a great little amp. Victoria quality and tone throughout. One minor problem, it is a little on the expensive side, but it is defintely worth the cash.

2002 Victoria 518-T
It's not about features...this amp is designed for true tone. One "chicken-head" knob

OK - let's start with a confession...I was ready to pan this amp due to limited tonal characteristics - ie: great clean tone - but limited tonal definition when driven (8-to-12 on the volume scale) - or fuzz vs. nice breakup .I own several amps...Bogner Shiva, Fender '65 dlx Reverb RI, Ampeg J-12T RI. I did replace the stock Electro Harmonix 12AX7 with a NOS GE-5751 and like the added clean headroom. I gave up on getting the "right" natural OD from this baby so I decided to improve the clean tone with the 5751 tube and use my Voodoo Lab Sparkle drive upfront. NOW I'm HAPPY! I disagree with a previous review that said that the 518 doesn't take pedals well (Class A, etc.). The 518+Voodoo Lab Sparkle Drive is an excellent match.

So far so good - Heard good things about reliability,

A+++ Great care and interaction with the head honcho in Naperville

I've been playing since the 70's. Playing several LP's, Strats,Tele's and a few Dano reissues as well as an Epiphone Wildcat w/Alinco
P-90s. Incidentally - this amp loves P-90s, as well as Gibson humbuckers and Fender SC's
This IS a pricy amp for it's capabilities. I have found a "best kept secret" in the Ampeg J-12T Jet (sells for around $400) but still love the quality,low weight , vintage "class", amazing build and TONE of the Vic 518. If you can afford this boutique amp and add others for
versatility then go for it.

Since I use it mostly for recording, it is prefect as is. I can place it in a corner with a mic and I'm not tempted to adjust eq, etc.

I recently bought a Bad Cat 2 Tone pedal that essentially gives me three footswitchable channels, gain and master volume, and eq. It provides all the flexibility I need.

Best tone I've gotten for recording. I've owned Mesa, Orange, Rivera, Fender and other amps -- they were all good, but this one's better for my needs.

Using various condensor mics, it sounds HUGE. I also enjoy just sitting around and playing through it. It's plenty loud, especially running through a cab.

Should be fine. It's built very solid. They tell me anyone can repair these type amps.

No experience, but I bet it's good.

I have owned all kinds of amps, but I sold them all when I got this. It's easy to carry. Is perfect for jams and recording. Miked, it's fine for stage. I do like the versatility the Bad Cat 2 Tone pedal adds -- channel switching, master volume, eq. But I got along fine without the 2 Tone.

It's a really nice amp. Thought I was paying a lot, but now realize it is absolutely worth it.

Would get another. My second choice would be an Orange AD30 head.

One knob, two inputs, five watts and one 8 inch speaker. While some may find this limiting I find it all you need, and I have been using a boogie for 20 years. Antoher feature is you can actually have two instruments plugged in and it dosent sound weird like most amps.

It is actually my wifes amp and she uses a 1959 fender duo-sonic with pure nickle strings and I cant even tell you how good this sounds! It is modeled after the fender champ around 1959 and I swear that these two student models were made to be togeather. Tone heaven. I use a CS Stratocaster and it can be a bit fizzy when turned above 7, but I find myself plugging into her amp when ever she isnt around becasue you can actually feel the paper of the speakers in your fingers as you play. Absolutly magic. But it certainly punishes bad technique.

I/we play anything from blues to blues/rock to neil young and led zeppelin. Dont kid yourself and think you can turn this thing up to twelve and play it in an apartment. This thing is REALLY loud. Almost enough to come over a drum kit. Unfortunatly the sound really starts happening at about 9 which is loud enough to get complaints from the neighbors in a stand alone home. (time for that studio in the basement).

Variety of tones? Well you can plug in a 20' cord into input two and it makes the tone more bassy but otherwise you get what ever your guitar really sounds like. IT is important to use picking attack and the controls on your guitar to maxamize the versitility. A stomp box in front of the amp can be a little tricky as well because the class A is so high fidelity it can make them sound extra rude. Distortion boxes sound as if your going direct to tape which can be good if you like that sound. Im off to try and find an overdrive box that will compliment the amp.

After running it through my 12" spreaker i would consider getting this amp customized with a ten inch speaker.

It has been a month and it sounds better every day. One little thing is the amp light has stopped working. Shouldnt be a problem (lifetime warrenty) but at this price something like that shouldnt be an issue.

I sent an email off to Mark (the owner) about using an external 12 in speaker and he replied the next day. He remembered the amp and was going to keep it himself (there was an attached note to the amp saying this thing is a fire breather). Im going to resolve the light issue through the dealer (or fix it myself)

It is simply an amazing amp. Super portable and has me dreaming of the Deluxe copy Victoria makes. I have been using a boogie for 20 years and it is really refreshing to use something so simple that sounds so amazing at practice levels. I am certain that i will be bringing this to the open blues jams around town.

I would literally cry if this amp were stolen or ruined in any way. Like i have said it is the perfect amp for my wife who only plays at home and its great for me to play at home too. It is obviously a practice amp so thinking youre going to gig with it (if you have a drummer) is kinda silly, but then again if you didnt need a clean tone and it was a coffee house venue you could do it.

Did i mention that this thing is just gorgous? If it is in the room you just cant help but turn it on and play. Very insperational.

Why did we get it? Well I explained to my wife about all the amp choices and having played a real tweed champ many many years ago I thought for her situation it would be a great choice. Again, I cant tell you how stunning that duo-sonic is through this amp!

Yes, the amp is really expensive. But hey, its going to last 40 years at least so I view it as a great investment.

I recently acquired my used, but immaculate, clone of a Fender Tweed Champ on ebay after reading about vintage Tweed Fender Champs being used on numerous studio recordings to capture that REAL natural overdrive you can only get from low-watt tube amplifiers, and reading up on how the Victoria Amplifier Company has perfectly recreated the Tweed era Fender amps. Although I had never played one in person, I was inspired by the praise these little babies receive and the grade of musicians who use them. For what it is, it's perfect. One channel, one knob, tone-city! There is no effects loop, but it loves every pedal I've put in front of it (which is where I prefer to place effects anyway). Even though I recently purchased a SUPERB Top Hat Club Royale, I also wanted a bluesier, non-vox design amp for playing blues and rock at low volumes in my apartment. I'm not sure if it's 5 watts or 8, but this thing sounds great at level 4-6 and burns past 12 o'clock. A 1-10 rating is misleading here -- if you want pure blues/classic rock tube driven sound, it's a 10, but if you want versatility and channel switching it's a 1. For my needs it's a 10.

I use an American Fat Tele, Reissue '57 Goldtop Les Paul, and Gibson Custom Shop all-mahogany Les Paul with P-90s. Like all calss-A tube amps, this baby really brings out the inherent qualities of each guitar and your personal strumming intensity (or lack of skill). For blues, you can't beat it with the tele -- particularly the bridge pickup. For serious chunk and aggression, either of the Les Pauls will do(the hi and lo inputs are very handy in this department). The thing to keep in mind is that this amp is really made for blues and classic rock, so if you also play radiohead and other contemporary classics (like me), you're going to need more of a modern designed amp -- in my case, the Top Hat. I haven't had any problem with noise, even at high volumes (and trust me, this amp can really scream!), so it's perfect for practicing in my apartment, playing with another guitarist, and recording (although I haven't had a chance to record with her yet). I have used distortion pedals with it (TS-9 and Rat), but they aren't really necessary -- unless you're trying to get a more artificial sound. The amp has such amazing sustain and clarity, even when pushed naturally, so pedals are almost redundant -- unless volume level is a concern. Oh, and for what it's worth, I have no plans of disconnecting my electro-harmonix holy grail reverb pedal -- they were made for one another.

So far so good. Craftmanship doesn't get ANY better than this. The Tweed is fabulous, the leather handle is quite handsome, the purple light is an eye catcher, and the wiring job is a work of art. I keep the amp prominently displayed in my living room if that's any indication. I don't know if anyone has mentioned that the amp is also relatively small, light and transportable -- an A+ in my book.

I called the company before purchasing the amp, and they were extremely friendly and helpful.

I have been collecting quality gear for several years. A quality amp or guitar will last longer, sound better, and get you fast cash if you're ever in a bind down the road. However, I don't plan on selling this baby anytime soon. I love my Top Hat dearly, but when the mood catches me, I find it easier to grab my tele and turn on the one knob Victoria -- such big sound in such a small, quick and easy package. Just plug in and adjust to taste with your guitar volume. I wish it call be this easy. Do I wish it was bigger? No. More controls? Not for my needs. If it were lost I might consider a real Vintage Tweed Fender Champ -- if I could find one that didn't smell, wasn't worn, and was in one piece with its original parts. Nah, I'd probably just buy another Victoria, and not have to worry about any of that! This amp is exacly what I was looking for in a practice amp and the perfect compliment to my current arsenal. The amps are expensive, but if you have the means and opportunity, I highly suggest picking up a Victoria 518.

The epitome of simplicty. Plug in; turn on; play your soul in, out, and back in again. No bells. No whistles. Just pure, sweet, glowing tube music. In previously incarnations of myself I lived and nearly died by my Marshalls (WHAT on earth was I thinking? HINT: I wasn't, thinking, that is. . . .). Boogie? (Sorry Randall; you claim to be the purveyor of the "brownest of tube-tones," but the neither the .22 CAliber nor the 50 watt "Boogie" that I owned even began to come close to rating a palid taupe.). Sorry. Ah . . . me most venerable Fenders? (Sigh. The tone is there, on occasion--such fickle beasties, my venerable blackfaces--but the Victoria has such a super-high ultrafabcoolish groove factor going on. Simplicty has become my narcotic.) Less is more. THAT is the best feature of all.

Heritage 575
Fender Stratocaster

The amp sounds like an instrument, not an amp. If yours is a desire to sound like someone else, then don't buy this amp. If you are in search of your musical self, your true musical heart and soul, then this amp will take you there and beyond.

Sheeeeeesh! This is a joke, right? Look, if the entity that invented, say, hmmmmmmmm. . . earth, wind, fire, and water were to build amps, then this amp would be the fifth element. There just isn't anything to break, here. The quality of the components is second, if possible, only to the amp's construction. This is a true quality product.

Why ask me? You are free to call or email Mark yourself. He'll get back with you, personally--that's P-E-R-S-O-N-A-L-L-Y--usually the same day. Hmmmmmm . . . do you suppose there just might be a correlation between quality people and quality products?

What follows is the email I sent to Mark ('Nuff said!):




Dear Mark,

Recently, by way of Winter Sound, in Gloucester, VA, I was able to "adopt" one of your creations: an absolutely gorgeous tweed tone machine that you may better know as Serial Number 001099 (a model 518). I say "adopt," as I place this amp in the same category as my wife, of whom I am equally fond: not mine "to have and to hold," neither to own nor possess; but mine to cherish, care for, and appreciate--on loan from a Higher Power.

What this little purple-jeweled gem (I oh-so dig the light!) does with the vibrations emanating from my Heritage 575 is ineffable. And my old "Oh-if-only-this-guitar-could-talk!" Stratocaster? Sheer profundity. (Is that a real word?)

The point of all this is that I absolutely love the amp. The sound is just incredible, regardless of the guitar. Tone, timbre, and CHARACTER unlike any of the other amps I've used in the studio and on stage over the decades--this from a guy who, among other "things," has a pair of original Deluxe blackfaces, and a blackface Princeton in his stable. The only thing more amazing than the sound I get in the studio is the sound of my amp miked-up on stage. Yes, I play out with my 518, dialed in at somewhere between 3-1/2 and 5, depending on the room: the only thing between my amp and my guitar is a Pro-Co cable. Bliss. Pure, unadulterated bliss.

Oh, and lest I forget, that tweed! Yes, THAT tweed! Mark? If amps wear tuxedos, then yours are hands-down the best-dressed out there. All things considered, the 518 has to be the epitome of the "purist's purist's amp." Such simplicity. Such tone.

You know, in 1921, where Parsons Street meets Edwards Street in my boyhood hometown of Kalamazoo, MI, someone's hands oh-so lovingly massaged life into the pile of woods, nickel silver, and abalone that became the Gibson F-4 Mandolin that I so cherish and, like my amp, "care for." I'll never have the chance to thank that person, at least not in this life. I just wanted to make sure that I didn't let the opportunity to thank you for the amp pass me by. So, thanks for building my amp, Mark. It's a pretty cool thing. For some--several--inexplicable reason(s), playing through this amp gives me great pleasure and seems to instill in me a sense of tranquility, both of which have become difficult if not impossible to find in anything at any price. The best things in life are the simplest. This is one such thing.

Sincerely,

Michael A. Tice
Richmond, VA

None!!!!! Well, actually yes there are but not control wise. There is just a lone volume control, high and low inputs. That's it. But, it's got NOS tubes!!!! 1 Phillips 12AX7, 1 GE 6V6GT, and a GE Rectifier tube (cant remember the model). It's a perfect reproduction of a late 50s Fender Champ. Jensen 8in Speaker as well.

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is a little 5w tone monster!!!!!! I was looking for a nice low watt tube amp and this is IT. PERIOD. Incredible cleans. Nice and sparkly like a Fender. Around 5 or six with a Single coil Strat you get a great SRV type tone. I can nail a Setzer rockabilly tone here with my Gretsch as well. About 7 is where the great overdrive kicks in. Just amazing. Pure, all tube overdrive. Simplest signal path there is. About 10 with P90s or a Les Paul you can get a nice crunchy overdriven sound. Leads sound great through this little beast. To me, it's like a little mini Bassman (I got 2 66 Blackface heads so I know). I can't believe the tones out of this thing. All that tone with 3 tubes and 5 watts??? YOU BETTCHA!!!!!! You gotta try one of these things. On some days this is my favorite of the 8 amps I own.

Had it for about 4 months now. Not one prob. I would gig for blues and rockabilly with an external cab plugged it. I tried it with a 2x12 when I bought it and it just cranked.

This is where Victoria shines. A little story how I found it. I was in the market for a Bassman head (Blackface). I'm from Chicago so when I came through town I called Victoria to see if they would mod one when I found one. Mark Baier already had a 66 Bassman head at his shop already modded that he invited me to come check out and buy if I liked (I loved and bought it!!!!!). I came out to his factory and fell in love with the Bassman and saw this little beast in the corner. I asked about it, he gave me the info and I plugged in. I talked with me for over an hour and showed me how everything was made and awnsered many Tube ???s. Amazing guy (and he smokes on guitar too!!!). Best customer service ever. He even gave me a discount since I bought direct from him. Thanks Mark!!!

I've been playing for 13 years and own 8 amps and about 20 guitars. My amp collection includes 3 Fenders, 2 Marshalls, 1 Mesa, 2 Soldano's, and now the Vicky. This is the best low watt tube amp I've ever heard....although I would like to try the Top Hat sometime. Amazing!!!! If you want pure tube tone at a low volume, check it out. I cant say enough. All Vic's reproductions are made just like the originals. You oughta hear the Bassman repro. See ya Fender 59 RI (although it's nice for the price). This company is amazing, as is this amp. Cant' say enough about it.

No features here...one knob does all(unless you count the fine workmanship and the handsomely applied tweed covering).

This is one little crankster. Plug-in and turn on. It responds equally to single coils and humbuckers. It loves pedals as well. Sometimes when when I am playing, I just have to stop and look at it. I would give-it an 11 in this category, if I could.

I've been inside...nothing much that can go wrong here. Solid construction. Hopefully, it will outlast the limited lifetime warranty.

Baier and company may entertain a few piddlely-xss questions, but I wouldn't expect much from them if there is a glitch in your transaction. Specifically, the Jensen re-issue it came with had a severe case of cone rub...this perpetual, high-end harmonic buzz that just wouldn't quit. After swapping all tubes, I politely notified Victoria of this particular little dis-pleasure. Mark Baier reponded with a curt little note stating he had spoken with his Jensen representative about quality issues at the last NAMM. His e-mail contained no hello, no apology, no thank you, just that they would send a replacement. I received and intalled the (used) Jensen re-issue...same thing. Well, I ordered and installed a Weber C8RS (best spent $30 in the world) and the amp peformed the way a new Champ is supposed to sound. I politely notified Victoria and company how I resolved the problem and would they mind trading me one Jensen that worked properly for the two that didn't. No response. I re-transmitted the message. No response. Well, shame on you Mr. Baier. And, I didn't even complain to you about the cheesy little Chinese 12ax7 that polluted the preamp slot.

Well now, lets see...one month (and an additional $30 plus )screwing around trying to get this little gemster to work properly; I'm stranded with two defective Jensen re-issues that probably need re-cones; and one crappy little preamp tube from a communist nation. But, what the hey...they did throw-in that little kazoo player at no additional cost.

I have had my "Victoria" model 518 for a few months now and it is an exact recreation of the classic late 1950s 5F1 Champ . I find it better to do either CD or product reviews only after I have spent some quality time with it to slowly absorb either the music or time to familiarize my self entirely with the amp and all of it's components .

Here is some info on the "Victoria" 518 off of their websitewww.victoriaamp.com . "Victoria" even offers a limited selection of NOS or reconed Jensen 8" speakers. The model 518 uses one 12AX7 , one NOS 6V6GT , and one 5Y3WGTA . If a early 1950s Champ is more to your taste , "Victoria Amps" can do that too . Their favorite is the 5C1 that uses a 6SJ7 octal preamp . As the website states , these little babies are LOUD ! My 518 is louder than any other 5 watt amp I have, and is even louder than two 20 watt amps in my collection .

You only have one on/off volume nob that goes to 12 , 10 is awesome cranked overdrive , and two inputs , low and high gain , the high gain is the one I like . It is just like the old bluzmen say and if are not hip to it yet you are not wise enuff yet , "Less is MORE " !

These amps amps are built even better than the old ones that they are patterned after . My 518 that I brought from "Fatsound Guitars" www.fatsoundguitars.com came with a "Phillips" Jan 5Y3WGTA , one "RCA" 6V6GT/G tube and one "RCA" 5751 Command tube . Like I said , I've had my 518 for a few months now and it is my favorite amp in my collection of 13 total new and vintage amps . At first I was a bit skeptical about it , I was so use to my other amps , two in particular , that had very velvity overdrive but they lacked penetration and attack . That is where I begain to appreciate this "Victoria" champ model , not only can it get loud , but it has tons of bass for a small cabinet and wattage , but it is sensitive to how I attack and articulate the notes on my harmonica . I know , this is what guitar players usually say , but the amp helps me to swell my notes and sound, just the slightest more aggression or volume from ME , and the amp sounds like you have switched to a lead channel with a foot pedal .

The overdrive that I start getting around 8 or 9 on the volume is different than any I have ever heard and it took me about three months to begin to appreciate this and like I said , it is now my favorite amp , sometimes after playing I just look at that little amp and shake my head , it is incredible ! My amp came with a "RCA" 5751 and has a bit less gain than a 12AX7 but I like it the way it is , but will order a 12AX7 just to experiment with. This little amp is like Superwoman on steroids , really , in all my 49 years I have never heard an amp capable of the sounds that this "Victoria 518" is capable of.

The amp is lovingly made with four layers of lacqer on the immaculantly applied tweed covering and wheatstraw grill cloth and the burgandy "Victoria Amplifier Co." metal logo matches the grill cloth perfectly . This amp even looks sexy , yes , I compare my amps to women , I love them all for the different things that they are and can do . I have a feeling that ladies may be the same way , name certain things or compare them to men , you can find something good in all of them but some are just BETTER than some .

My amp came with a "Jensen" P8R eight ohm speaker and it sounds great , perfectly matched to the amps components . Mark Bair takes his amp building seriously and both Mark and his wife have answered several questions that I had and the customer service is excellent , just read the reviews on Harmony Central.
Yes , these amps are a bit pricey , but you get what ya pay for in life , go out and test run one at your nearest dealer and you will find yourself saving your lunch money and selling off all that junk equipment to get the only amp you will ever need .

The 518 can push two 12 inch speakers with awesome authority , I restored a two/twelve Sears/Silvertone ext. cabinet with two Jensen early 60s made in Chicago speakers and the "Victoria 518" sounds as loud as any 15 watt amp that I have ever heard , I am still amazed at what this little tone beast is capable of . If tone and that sound you can only get from an overdriven small tube is what you are looking for , then your TONEQUEST has come to an end . I am excited about trying out one of their Deluxe models with 6V6 tubes , around 20 watts , I hear that they are the ultimate in small club amps .

I use a "Shaker" dynamic harmonica mic set on full volume in this review and I used "Hardwood Harmonicas" .I noticed yeras ago that I needed to be as honest and true in my CD and product reviews as I possibly could , try to be as objective as possble but still give my readers the "Big Daddy BluzHarp's" subjective edge because when I was teaching most of my students were interested in how I got my sound . As Jr. Wells/James Cotton and William Clarke all told me , sound like yourself , or you will always be second best . To the best of my abiliti

This amp will easily last several generations if cared for properly , I have had mine for several months and has seen plenty of action.No problem yet.

Have talked with Mark and his wife and they are very polite folks and very knowledgeable. They want you to be happy and take that part of their service very seriously.I was treated very nice all times I called and all questions answered to my satisfaction.

This is my favorite amp and yes, I would most defintely replace my Victoria 518 if it was lost or stolen.I compared my Victoria 518 to two early 60s GA-t and GA-T5/two Tophat low watters Portly Cadet and prince Royal/Crate VC-508 and one Sears 1484.

I sadly unloaded a 1957 champ a few years ago and have been dreaming
of the vintage tone. I knew Victoria made a "champ" of their own so I
ordered one in August 2000. I use it to practice at home with a 1960
Fender Strat and a Les Paul Elegant. This is the pure tube tone.

Wonderfully clean sounds through the strat and awesome blues tones
with my Les Paul. This sounds and reacts extremely close to my old
'57 champ but actually reminds me of what that amp must have played
like in 1957 were I alive then.

I have owned this amp for about 5 months

i've been playing guitar for 26 years but only within the last 5 have
I really been on the tone journey. This little 518 is a gem.

You know the story - Victoria amp are exact reproductions of their Tweed Fender counterparts, warts & all. This is the narrow panel tweed Champ. All tube, Class "A" 8 watts, Two inputs, Single volume control, 8" Reissue Jensen speaker, thats it! Not many features, but just like the original. You don't buy this amp if you want channel switching, effects loop, etc. Limited? I guess, but it delivers exactly what it promises -Tone!

Heritage 535, Semi-Hollowbody & AS Strat. Blues, Rock/Blues. It hums a bit, and it buzzes when cranked, but Boy does it sound good. It drips overdriven tone at bedroom levels w/o pedals, and screams when cranked (loud enough to get a not-so-friendly visit from the neighbors). Not loads of bass, bit it is only a 8" speaker. Play thru extension cab for more bass.

Vicky amps are simple, well built & look as good as they sound. There is no reason this will not last as long as an original, only more dependable b/c it is not 40 years old.

Called Mark & Maureen a few times. Questions always answered. Remember, they're busy.

This amp makes playing fun. there is nothing better than real power tube saturation, and at reasonable levels no less. I love the way this amps sounds, smells and looks. Real Tweed tone to the bone, but it comes at a price ($$$$). You get what you pay for, and with Vicky's you get the real deal.

This little tubester has 5 watts, an 8 inch speaker and a single volume control and that's it. If you are looking for a practice amp, you don't need much more. However, listing at $650, you must have too much money sitting around unused to consider it. I bought mine used for $250.

I played around with this for awhile with my Strat Ultra, a very versatile guitar. Though the amp can get loud for its' size, it distorts quickly and generally stays in the upper and upper middle tone range. You won't be vibrating the walls with this babe.

It did what it does with no problem. Being handwired and handmade, it should be solid.

I called once with some questions and they answered my questions and sent me some info.

I think there are many other, more versatile choices for a small wattage, practice amp. I am not sure why Victoria even bothers with this model at this expense, seeing the quality of their bigger models. I would say PASS on it. BTW, I sold the thing and now have a Vox Pathfinder

First, for those who don't know, Victoria is a small company with a zealous dedication to achieving the most exacting recreations of Leo Fender's crowning glory--the series of magical Tweed amps from the mid to late 1950's. This amplifier takes simplicity, in the context of today's two, three and even four channel amps, to radical extremes, with a grand total of ONE control on its elegant chrome panel (a volume knob that Nigel Tufnell would blush at---it goes to 12---which also functions as the on/off switch). This leaves room on the narrow, top oriented panel, for the fuse holder and a blissful, violet jewel-style pilot light. Other than that the only other kind of control you have over this amp is provided by the speaker-out jack, which is fairly easy to access, and allows one to escape the confines of the single 8" speaker which is stock. This amp, which is 5-watts, has only one tone---"it is what it is"---so don't go crying home to Mama when you can't footshitch in forty seven different amp simulations and you despair at finding no "Ninja-Boost" mode here. It's tube compliment is spare as well, consisting of one NOS 12AX7WA, one NOS 5Y3WGTA rectifier, and an NOS 6V6GT, all American made. Things get real interesting when you look inside the neatly wired chassis and find the custom Sprague capacitors, custom carbon composition resistors, precisely braided cloth covered solid core wire, and hand wound, paper bobbin transformer. This amp drips, oozes and generally sweats authenticity, which is what Mark Beier, Victoria's founder, has labored to achieve. The result, as far as I'm concerned, has little to do with puritanical bragging rights--save those for people who want to spend years and many hundreds if not thousands of dollars accumulating original Tweed Fenders---the glory of the Victoria is that it's demanding construction stadards pay off with the magical tone that REAL Tweeds (not the corporate clones passed off by the modern Fender company as "Tweed" reissues) have become legendary for.

I use a hollow PRS custom with a stock HFS lead humbucker and a Duncan Antiquity Telecaster neck single coil. The 518 can be pushed into moderate overdrive with the volume all the way up, but I prefer the sound either clean, or pushed to a more sutaining drive by a distortion pedal. I use a Tech 21 XXL for this, because it can successfully achieve and approximation of fully opened valve overdrive at very low volumes (I use this setup for recording). For these overdrive sounds I plug into a solid wood extension cab with one Weber VST 12" British voiced speaker. For clean sounds I now use the stock Mojo 8", which approximates a 50's Jensen, but I will soon switch to a Weber of similar design. I'll assess the sound in two parts:
Clean) Through the Mojo 8", the sound is very colorful and complex, with a sugary, snappy high end and a bubbly, round bottom; the mids being somewhat scooped. The wood in the guitar definitely shines through on this amp. There is no tone control so the tone color is consistent, and I would characterize it as balanced and well mannered with no frequencies really jumping forward. This amp gushes delicate character, with an almost acoustic richness, and seems to respond very favorably to finger picking, really alowing its tone to be shaped by the nuances of the style of plucking. Blues players use this quality of all Tweeds to great advantage.
Overdrive) With the XXL engaged and the drive up (harmonics control set all the way to even-order [class A, EL-84/Vox style drive]) the sound is brown, brown, brown---exploding with liquid sustain and dense with harmonics. Eric Johnson, holder of the coveted "violin tone", would drool puddles over this sound. My goal with this setup was to use the sustaining, overdriven sound of the gutar like a voice, and the musically rich, singing tone it creates makes this happen, resulting in lush leads brimming with personality which hold the listener's attention. Chords are well defined, punchy, and once again, browner than a loaf of Russian rye. One thing I would say about this sound, which is hard to put into words and very subjective, is that it has a "classic" sound to it that happens instantly without any fiddling. By "classic" I mean something that's hard to relate any other way, but it's a kind of rock gutar backdrop that forms a solid, warm, and somehow timeless backdrop for songs. A good example of a modern band sucessfully using this kind of sound can be heard on Fastball's "The Way" and "Fire Escape." Songs are deeper and more memorable with this kind of guitar foundation, IMHO.

I've only had this amp for a little while, but the cab feels rock solid and everything about the construction is along the same lines.

Haven't had a reason for this yet, but as far as I know, Mark stands by his product.

Tweed Fenders are called "classic" for a very good reason, and Victoria has brought that reason back to life. *Now Hear This* :if you are a gutarist who also writes and records, my advice to you is to scrape up $650 and snag one of these miniature gems. They aren't loud, but they are perfect for home studios, and no other amp can do better than match the musical giganticness of the Victoria line. Take this from me:your songs will simply sound better, and you will have more fun writing and recording them!