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I don't think Mark gets the credit he deserves for Victoria and what they meant in the amp world before clones started to proliferate. He was one of, if not the first builder to give vintage amp designs the level of detail they deserved in a modern recreation... at least concerning Tweeds. Replacement transformers are more accurate, hand-wired is no longer considered passe and cabinets are not an afterthought. There are other player's in this story, but Mark Baier was/is still a major part of the narrative.
Mark could have made a bunch more money if he stayed in the stock market, but he followed a passion. So, "Thank you!"
Victoria Tweeds might not be exactly 100% spot-on sonically, but they do sound really, really good! Fyi, Chicago Music Exchange has done the Pepsi challenge between the Vicky "Champ" and vintage on multiple occasions. More often than not players (including Jeff Tweedy) pick the Victoria.
The 518. I think it's the only one of his Tweed "clones" that strays from the original design? Considerably bigger iron (iirc the OT is roughly the size of a Tweed Super, but in a single-ended format) and cathode resistor, which you can swap to a 6L6/GZ34 combo.
I tried to get a spec for the iron he uses so I could try it in a DIY clone, with no luck.
I'd assume the VV has a similar power section? I've never felt the need for reverb with Tweeds (and old Marshalls) awhich is partly why I never demo'ed a VV, but I read great things about that amp.
That Silver Sonic at the top of my pictures is a 'strayed tweed'.
It is essentially a tweed bassman circuit at 20w with reverb and vibrato.
He strayed on a few others as well.
Lovely work on that Silver Sonic, the first of his I bought.
It is one of my favorites.
A VERY usable tonal pallet.
I have nothing but respect for Victoria for all the reasons above. I think they are fine amps and what’s most impressive is the built quality. Rally solid and reliable.
What I’m not so crazy about is the sound, they sound good but not like a vintage tweed.
Keep in mind I’m a tube gear freak, building and repairing guitar and audio tube gear for a couple of decades.
My own Victoria tweed deluxe? I took out the power transformer (more accurate B+), output transformer (mercury makes a dead-on sounding vintage OT), the capacitors, the pots (old Stackpoles)...the resistors he uses I like! Allen Bradleys! And I changed out the speaker for a 50s p12q.
After all that it sounds very much like a vintage deluxe...lol.
But much respect for Victoria like I said, they are incredibly made.