Is Victory Amps’ new RK50 Richie Kotzen model the coolest-looking amp of 2017?
Victory Amps RK50 Richie Kotzen signature lunch box 50 watt amp head · Source: Victory Amps
The new Victory Amps RK50 Richie Kotzen signature head has just been announced, a compact 50-watt valve amp that looks very slick in its all-white finish. Victory has also made a matching cab to go with it, as well as a combo version.
RK50 head
This 50-watt head incorporates reverb and tremolo effects, as well as a Boost function; all are accessible via a footswitch. So there is a lot packed into this single-channel tube head. With no fancy channel switching or gimmicks, it looks – at least on paper – to be a straight-up rock amp.
There is also speaker damping in the power section. This supposedly means an increased bass response and cabinet/speaker resonance that can be added as needed, depending on your choice of speaker cabinet. You also get a Series effects loop on the rear panel for all your delays and reverbs.
The control layout is predictably simple, with Gain, Tone, Reverb, Master, Tremolo Speed and Tremolo Depth controls. It should be very easy to dial in your desired tones.
I also like that the onboard two 6L6 valves are swappable for EL34 valves with bias adjustment, the amp also uses a set of three 12AX7 preamp valves.
Victory Amps RK50 amp control panel · Source: Victory Amps
RK50C combo
Victory is also producing a combo version of this amp. It’s housed in a lovely white/cream Tolex and is loaded with a single 12-inch Celestion G12M-65 Creamback speaker. It is the same specification as the lunch-box amp head above. Both the RK50C combo and the RK50 amp head can be run at either a full 50 Watts or in low power at a more ear drum friendly 9-Watts of power.
On top of all this, there is also a matching 1×12 Victory Widebody matching cabinet rated at 65 Watts for those that need an extension cabinet for their rigs. Again, it is loaded with a single 12-inch Celestion G12M-65 Creamback speaker.
Victory Amps RK50C Richie Kotzen signature 50-watt combo · Source: Victory Amps
Signature Gear
As a player, Mr Kotzen is known to be quite minimal in his choice of equipment, in that he usually just plugs his Fender signature Telecaster (great guitar, I own one myself) straight into an amp. On occasion, he uses some basic effects provided by his signature Tech21 FlyRig pedal.
Once upon a time he had a signature amp head with the now defunct Cornford amps in the UK, a blinder of an amp head. The savvier of you may know that Victory Amps are Martin Kidd‘s baby and that he once designed amps for Cornford, so I am expecting good things from this new one.
Victory RK50C Richie Kotzen Signature 112 Combo RRP – GBP 1649
Victory RK50 Richie Kotzen Signature head RRP – GBP 999
Victory Widebody 1×12 65W Creamback RRP- GBP 459
Victory Amps Richie Kotzen RK50 product page
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