Victory The Deputy review – is this the new compact JTM killer?
$1,499/£1,349, victoryamps.com
It seems that barely a few months can pass without Victory launching a new amplifier. And that’s absolutely not a bad thing. Over the last year or so I’ve had the pleasure of checking out two very different but equally spectacular Victory heads that have shown this Andertons-adjacent brand is carrying the torch for British amp-making.
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Having recently collaborated with Rabea Massaad on the hugely impressive Kraken Mark II, another member from the extended Andertons clan has leant their expertise to this new Deputy head – ‘Danish Pete’ Honore.
In creating The Deputy, Honore sought to address what he felt was a gap in the Victory line-up, an amp that, “could do everything from huge cleans with wonderful reverb to chunky rock riffs. Something that would sound awesome with everything at 12 o’clock. So what does that entail exactly?
Victory logo on The Deputy. Image: Press
What’s the difference between The Deputy and Danish Pete’s signature amp?
Keen watchers of the Victory range will know that Honore has an existing signature amp – the DP40 The Duchess – but The Deputy is something altogether different, and simplicity is the key factor here.
Sitting neatly in a compact wooden cabinet it has just one channel with three modes with each offering increasing amounts of gain or frequency boosts. There’s a three-band EQ and a preamp section consisting of three 12AX7s. All of which is powered by two EL86s – an uncommon alternative to EL84s that Victory has recently deployed in the power section of the Sheriff 25. There isn’t a great deal of tonal difference between EL84s and EL86s aside from the subtle extra power they provide.
Does The Deputy have built-in reverb?
It does. Honore generally has a penchant for Marshall JTM-style amps, which commonly don’t feature reverb, but he also loves an amp with onboard reverb, so here he’s specified the best of both worlds. The Deputy features a digital reverb which Victory describes as “sitting somewhere between a plate and hall-type sound”.
Tone knobs on The Deputy. Image: Press
Does The Deputy sound good?
Through a closed-back Dr Z cabinet with a Celestion G12H Anniversary, I set everything around noon and the gain switch at its lower gain setting – instantly I’m enjoying that familiar bell-like AC30 clean with the able assistance of a Fender Strat. A quick flick of the gain switch to the middle position leads me to a strident bold tone that, on the neck pickup of our Strat, provides a great tonal foundation for some tight funk playing, albeit with a sprinkling of preamp grit.
You may have noticed that none of the sounds I’ve experienced so far could be classed as emulating the vintage JTM-vibe the amp promises, but it’s nonetheless interesting to find so many unexpected gateways into different genres; even country when switching to a Tele on the bridge pickup.
But never fear, those classic British amp rock tones are here, and are most evident on the highest gain setting, which is a lot fatter than the previous two modes. As you would expect, this provides a beefy rhythm sound and a rich smooth solo tone when stepping on a TS9.
It’s safe to say that I’m someone who has a predilection for overdrive, so I surprise myself spending most of my time on the lowest gain switch setting with the gain knob set around two o’clock. It’s here that I find plenty of grunt and power available when digging in, and, when engaging an overdrive pedal, a quick route to classic rock territory.
Despite the stated comparisons, it’s not nearly as dark-sounding as a JTM45 – in fact it’s more inclined towards Vox-y brilliance, especially with the bright switch engaged.
FX loop on The Deputy. Image: Press
Is the The Deputy worth buying?
The Deputy has a surprising variety of tones on tap for a one-channel amplifier, making it one of the better plug-in-and-play amps out there. Coupled with a few pedals you can run the gauntlet between crystal clean and 70s blues rock with ease, and a good deal in between. Vintage tone purists will take some convincing as a lot of the sonic imperfections associated with vintage gear, which are often craved by aficionados, have been eradicated here. Nonetheless, The Deputy is a welcome modern take on classic British sounds.
Victory The Deputy alternatives
Marshall’s own modernised take on the iconic JTM (Marshall ST20H Studio JTM 20W Head, $1,299/£799) was released last year to widespread acclaim, whereas the Friedman Little Sister 20W Valve Amp Head ($1,499/£1,499) is for many becoming a sonic ambassador for 60s and 70s rock sounds. If your wallet is full and only the best will do, then for the most luxurious of vintage tonal palettes the Tone King Royalist MKIII Head ($2,495/£2,499) should be on your radar.
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