Victory Amps MK Clean & OD [With Martin Kidd & Lee Anderton]
A play through the Victory MK Clean and MK Overdrive, plus Lee Anderton and Martin Kidd share the early Victory story…
Welcome to the show! We are delighted to welcome our good friends Martin Kidd and Lee Anderton to Schwangri-La. Martin is of course here in his capacity as chief designer for Victory Amplifiers, the proud father, so to speak, of two new custom-order designs, the MK Clean and MK Overdrive. It is indeed a pleasure to play and hear them.
The Overdrive model has a little nod to his Cornford days of yore, the story of which folds into a wider discussion as we’re joined by Lee Anderton. Lee, you might recall, was the subject of some online criticism when it emerged he was involved with Victory amps a while back, so we thought it appropriate to tell that story in a little more detail, not least because the friendships that emerged in the early days of Victory had something of a hand in launching what we now know as That Pedal Show!
Thank you to Martin and Lee for their time and candour. Enjoy the show!
You can check out the Victory Custom Shop here to spec your own MK Clean or MK Overdrive: https://www.victoryamps.com/building-the-mk-amps/
Interesting bits and go to sections…
0:00 Intro playing
0:58 Hello & welcome
2:05 The new MK amps
4:30 Martin’s overdrive inspiration
7:14 Clean amp inspiration
9:40 Amp as instrument
10:33 100-watt amps in 2024?
12:50 Lee Anderton & the Cornford history
18:45 MK Overdrive background
23:16 MK Overdrive sounds
29:24 Mick’s history with Victory
33:40 The importance of Guthrie Govan
36:40 Dan’s history with Victory
39:34 MK Clean amp sounds
46:47 Everyone plays the MK Clean
51:33 Discussing the MK Clean
55:08 Conflict of interests?
1:05:30 Martin’s journey continues
1:10:10 Wet-dry sounds with two amps
Pedals & stuff used in this show
• TheGigRig Three2One
• Klon Centaur
• Free The Tone Future Factory Delay
• Jam Pedals Harmonious Monk
• Chase Bliss Audio CXM1978 Reverb
• TheGigRig G3 Atom
If you use these links to buy stuff – any stuff – we receive a (very) small cut.
UK & Europe: Andertons Music – https://bit.ly/3zaTX5Z
USA: Sweetwater – https://sweetwater.sjv.io/5g6ALN
Australia: Pedal Empire – http://bit.ly/2mWmJQf
Guitars in today’s show
• PRS Myles Kennedy
• 1965 Fender Telecaster
• 1961 Fender Stratocaster
• 1965 Gibson ES-345 TDSV
• Fender Custom Shop ’63 Telecaster
Amps used in today’s show
• Victory MK Overdrive with 212 Cabinet / 2 x 12-inch Celestion Alnico Gold
• Victory MK Clean with 112 Cabinet / 1 x 12-inch Celestion Alnico Gold
You can buy TPS merch to support our efforts https://www.thatpedalshowstore.com
We are on Patreon – crowdfunding for creatives
https://www.patreon.com/ThatPedalShow
Please visit our preferred retailers!
UK & Europe: Andertons Music https://bit.ly/3zaTX5Z
Australia: Pedal Empire http://bit.ly/2mWmJQf
#Victory #Amps #Clean #Martin #Kidd #Lee #Anderton
Originally posted by UCnUXq8mGmoHt0e6ItuTs10w at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgKHBpHKQ-g
wow, what a stunner of a video lads. I never knew the backstory of all you 4 lads. such a wonderful insight into the birth of Victory amps ???? I've been following and been a client of andertons since the very 1st videos over at Rob's channel. Following TPS since day 1 and also having a couple of Victory amps (RD1 red, Copper and Sherriff), this video filled me up with so much joy it's unreal ???????????????? Happy to be part of the people whom support your lads and your businesses ????Also really excited to get my hands on one of these new MK amps ????????????
It’s taken me a little while to pluck up the courage to comment on this. I may have got a little emotional watching it over Christmas.
I was fortunate enough to be at the Guthrie demo in Guildford all those years ago and it’s no exaggeration to say it changed my bank balance considerably.
I currently own five Victory Amps including Kraken number 12 and an RK100 and don’t play through anything else.
I hadn’t realised that night had the foundation of TPS and that show probably has had an equally an equally significant impact on what and how I play.
I am still in the band I was ten years ago and it continues to justify my gear spending.
I made the mistake of working out how much I have spent at Andertons over those years. Whoops.
So, to summarise, TPS, Victory and Andertons have been a significant part of my gear life since that fateful day and watching how much it has impacted the people that make me happy was really something.
Thank you all so much for putting this together, sharing the stories, making and selling amazing things and shaping my guitar journey.
I may have been richer, financially, without you but I would have been poorer in almost every other way.
Off to try an MK overdrive tomorrow. Wish me luck.
Watched tps and andertons channels for years, never left a comment, but I can't help but say, this is not just the best tps show I've watched, but I really think this is the best video I have watched on YouTube.. you guys rock.
I wish there was someway to repay you all for the endless hours of uplifting entertainment you give..
❤
Is Lee Anderton one of the owners of Victory Amps ?
I must say this is possibly the best episode of TPS. Fascinating the way your paths crossed and the emergence of the Victory brand. Oh and the amps sound sublime.
I Love Victory's products. Solid and sound amazing. Thank you for this interview.
Typing this comment seven minutes in, so sorry if it's addressed later in the video. Was that MK Clean deliberately covered in 'That Pedal Show' orange for this video? If not, a great piece of serendipity.
Mick and Dan are lovely guys and in my opinion have been nothing but gentlemen and transparent in the way they have evaluated equipment ….honesty comes to mind . Keep up the excellent work , you have my unwavering support
Holy fuck Martin can play LOL
Waouh, awsome amp. Thank's a lot for this great review/interview.
The first band that I was a huge fan of was Dire Straits. A lot of souvenirs and smiles, merci.
I've saw Rabea Massaad with Victory amps foor the first time. And yep, England does some amazing amps.
I'm a Mesa Road King II owner and i'd like to see a good review like this one about this amp and the all possibilities that he had. I'm sure that he don't have thoses clear and crunch great sound that Victory have, but with the Tweed or the Brit (EL34) channel, or may be with the C90 open back or the V30 closed ?
Love your accent guys ! Cheers !
Great show everyone, loved the chat and the history! Keep doing what you’re doing ????????????
Wonderful video, wonderful amps, wonderful companies and wonderful people…no surprise to me on the success any of you have justly earned as a result of your efforts and synergy ????
Better than Gavin and Stacey that!!???????? Seriously, the warmth, support and enthusiasm of these guys is unmatched in such a cut throat and over populated world of sound gear. I can honestly say my Victory Sheriff V40 has inspired me and improved my playing more so than any other amp I have owned. All the best for the future guys????????
This is just a fascinating interview. Great men here and champions of the industry.
One of the best episodes of TPS, to see that kind of friendship is beautiful, it's about the people as Mick said, wonderful to hear those stories shared. Those Mk amps are great and Martin Kidd is a brilliant amp maker and a great musician, we are lucky to have him. Love my V40 Duchess, sounds awesome at every show, for 7 years now. Happy days guys, great video !
He HAS TO do one called the MK Ultra! ????
Wow, we’re absolutely overwhelmed by the incredible response to this video – thank you so much to everyone for your kind words and support! It truly means the world to us to hear that our story and craftsmanship resonate with you all. Building our MK Series Amplifiers has been a labor of love, and seeing them appreciated by such an amazing community fills us with immense pride and gratitude.
Sharing our journey with you is a reminder of why we do what we do: creating tools that inspire musicians to bring their ideas to life. Every tone, every detail, and every piece of craftsmanship that goes into our products reflects our dedication to delivering something special for you. Hearing that this has positively impacted your playing and creativity is beyond rewarding.
We’d also like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Dan and Mick for creating such a wonderful space to showcase the gear and the stories behind them. Their passion for music and gear inspires us all, and we’re honored to be a part of it.
To everyone who has supported us, whether you’ve been with us from the start or are just discovering our work, thank you for being part of this journey. Your encouragement motivates us to keep pushing boundaries and striving for excellence. Here’s to many more stories, tones, and memories ahead! ❤
That MK Overdrive is exactly my dream tone. Unfortunately as a full-time gigging musician in South Africa that dream is way out of reach
Yes that was an epic jam at the end Dan! ???? ???????? Great sounding amps!
I have a Victory V30 MK1… love it! Bought it second hand from Andertons for £430 as there was an issue, which Andertons after sales team sorted out for me. Great amp and always good service from Andertons.
However at £4799 for the new Custom Shop amp, I can't see me getting one any time soon. I'll have to make do with my own '68 SLP. Great video too!
Love this video and love the round table format. 4 friends around the table and 4 guys who individually feel like friends we haven’t met yet for many of us! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year TPS crew!
That MK OD sounds like a very special amp. I have my suspicions that MK Clean is entry into a loved market at a lower price point (i.e., tweak a few things and you'd have a couple stones amp ????).
I regret to inform y'all that I will not be able to purchase one of Martin's amps because I have decided to give up playing the guitar after witnessing this man shred better than I ever have in the nearly two decades that I have been playing the instrument.
Wow! Those are some amazing sounding amps! Mighty cool to learn more about the history and interplay between everyone, which adds up to the sum being greater than the total and us guitarists being showered in great tone, products and great videos!
Happy holidays to the TPS crew, Victory Amp team and to Lee and Andertons!
Great episode! Interesting to get the backstory of Victory Amps ????
As a long time viewer, it was so great to hear the origin story of TPS and how these relationships created the momentum for it. Sometimes magic happens. Thanks for this episode!!
Such a great episode. ❤
I've been enjoying my Victory Sheriff 22 for some time now, it's a great amp on the clean channel with good drive peals for small clubs and rehearsal rooms. It has a sweet spot that just sings. I must say that it is very well built compared to other amps in that range, and far better than my Morgan which was loaded with cheap parts at $2k even though built in California along with other famous brands, that are no comparison to the Victory's quality. Great job Martin.
The elephant in the room, amp overdrive is king;)
A god amongst men!!! I love my new MK Overdrive!! Waited my whole life for that amp!
Martin Kidd is the GOAT end of story!
Oh man Lee's just the champion of guitar in the modern age.. So great to hear all these stories of influence and friendship.
And it was really great to hear an amp manufacturer playing guitar with his own creation.
Great video guys thank you!
Mick, I don't know if this would get a bit technical, but I would love to hear Martin (or perhaps Martin and a couple more of the best designers working right now, in a roundtable-type setting) talk about "tuning" amp circuits to get their own sounds from very common topologies. After I'd played a Victory Countess for a while, I was astonished to discover that the core of it is a hotrodded JCM800-style Marshall Master Volume preamp, with the cold clipper stage and all – on paper, it's close kin to the SLO 100, Dual Rectifier, Bogner Ecstasy, and sounds nothing at all like them. You guys have probably played hundreds of amps, and there are no doubt thousands more in the comments section, and nearly ALL of them are based on, what, maybe 6-8 core topologies? Small tweed, big tweed > Marshall thru 1975, a couple blackpanel Fenders, Vox to 1965 or so, Boogie Mark and Dumble ODS mutations of black Fenders (by now, I think those 2 count as foundational circuits on their own), 2203/JCM800. Apart from "features" as such, I would be really interested in a deep dive on the ways designers make something new from those fairly limited templates. (P.S. KLON CEN-TOWER!)
The Victory Amps sound great! Martin sounds like a great guy!
"Summink like that…" Mr Kidd you are a F*ING beast of a player. All of your amps make so much more sense when you play them. Brilliant…. And I'm only a minute in!?!
One of the best TPS videos out of the hundreds I’ve seen! I’ve gained even more respect for Lee after watching this and learning about Martin’s amp building genius was so fun.
Dan and Mick – any chance of a video dedicated to the Myles Kennedy guitar sometime soon? I’ve seen it in 2 or 3 now without any mention. As an owner of the MK signature model and a huge Myles fan, I always think he and his gear deserve more recognition.
Merry Christmas to the whole TPS community!
That’s definitely one of the best ‘straight in’ amp overdrive sounds I have ever heard. Sounds huge!
Mick kept the ES-345?!
My dream guitar. Seriously.
Loved that storytelling bit and business conversation in between the wonderful sounds.
It is all who you know in the end. To create success in business from nothing requires someone inside and interested.
Martin is a lovely man, who designs some awesome products. I have an original V30 a Sheriff and an RK50, they are all soooo good
If my Mesa Mark V wasnt perfect id probably have bought a Victory amp.
The round table discussion is an example of the “sum of the parts” equals an excellent outcome. What a great, informative discussion.
Fantastic episode guys. My favorite for a long time. That MK OD is to guitarists what a top end Ferrari is to car fans. No detail is too small not to be given the best. I hope it gets the recognition it deserves alongside the dumble's and 800's as one of the best all time amplifiers. It's certainly on my list for gear i must own one day. Again thanks to all involved in this vid. Great viewing.
I am willing to bet that 99% of the folks in America had no idea any of the behind the scenes stuff was going on. Frankly, I'm happier that it's all coming out now because it might had been unfavorable the other way around.
my main amp has been a cornford MK50 for nearly 20 years – no need for anything else! They are criminally cheap second hand but i'll hold onto mine!