British amplifier innovators Victory Amplification today announced the highly anticipated release of the Deputy 25W Compact Valve Amp Head, bringing the acclaimed features of their original Deputy into a portable and powerful “lunchbox” format.
Deputy 25W Lunchbox
Following the resounding success and awards garnered by the original Deputy Compact Head since its January 2024 launch – including Guitarist Magazine’s ‘Choice’ Award and Premier Guitar’s ‘Premier Gear’ Award – this new iteration, a collaboration with Peter Honore (Danish Pete), retains its celebrated “no frills, pure tone-in-a-box” ethos.
British Tones
The Victory Deputy Lunchbox is powered by 2 x EL86 valves, delivering a potent 25 watts RMS of classic British valve sound.
Its single-channel design offers remarkable versatility, effortlessly transitioning from pristine 60s British cleans to crunchy 70s classic rock tones, all controlled by a single gain knob. This straightforward approach allows players to seamlessly manipulate their guitar’s volume for a dynamic range of clean, crunch, and lead gain, with ample headroom on tap.
A key feature carried over is the innovative three-position Voice switch, designed to maximize tonal flexibility. Position 1 provides the lowest gain setting, while Position 2 adds up to +6dB of gain influenced by the amp’s Gain control.
Position 3 further enhances the sonic palette with upper-mid frequencies and a treble boost, building upon the Voice 2 setting.
The Deputy Lunchbox features a simple yet powerful three-band EQ, perfectly complementing its versatile sonic character.
A Bright switch offers additional top-end shaping, allowing players to fine-tune the amp’s response to their instrument and effects. For pedal enthusiasts, a series effects loop is included, which is completely bypassed when not in use, ensuring signal purity.
EL86 0r EL84
Maintaining Victory’s commitment to user-friendliness, the Deputy Lunchbox features external bias test points, eliminating the need for internal access when changing output valves.
While fitted with EL86 valves as standard, the amp can also be biased to accommodate EL84 valves, offering further tonal experimentation.
Reverb
Housed in Victory’s signature rugged steel chassis, this compact head is surprisingly feature-rich.
The front panel hosts the Bright switch, three-way Voice switch, comprehensive EQ controls (Bass, Middle, Treble), Gain, Master Volume, and the FX loop send and return jacks.
Adding another layer of sonic depth is the built-in shimmering Reverb, controllable via a single footswitch (sold separately), capable of delivering everything from subtle ambience to lush, immersive soundscapes.
Guitarist Magazine lauded the original Deputy, stating, “Partnered with a decent Stratocaster, it’s sonic dynamite that can cover Hendrix, SRV, John Mayer and many more.”
The Deputy 25W Compact Valve Amp Head looks set to continue this legacy, offering award-winning simplicity and exceptional tone in a highly portable package.
Key Features
- 25 Watts RMS of all-valve power
- 2 x EL86 power valves (can be biased for EL84s)
- 3 x ECC83/12AX7 preamp valves
- Single Channel Design spanning clean to classic rock
- Three-Position Voice Switch for versatile gain staging
- Simple and effective three-band EQ
- Bright Switch for top-end articulation
- Series Effects Loop (bypassable)
- External Bias Test Points
- Built-in Digital Reverb with footswitch control
- Rugged steel chassis
- Compact “Lunchbox” format
Price & Availability
The Victory Deputy 25W Compact Valve Amp Head is available now for £1,149.00.
More Information
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