🤟😁👍This is a very good and thorough review. I have an original 80s Victory MVX with 496R, 500T, and NSX pickups in metallic red. It had a H S H configuration with a switch that gives you 3 single coils and a 5 way selector just like a Strat or 2 humbuckers with a choice of 4 tones. Love that guitar. It was the predecessor to the early 90s M3 with the same electronics. I have 5 of those in different colors. The same 3 pickup configuration was also used on the Les Paul Studio Lite M3 in the 90s (I have 4 of those in different colors, my favorites). I'll have find one of these new Victorys a give it a try. Thanks👍
A friend of mine had one of the original Victory guitars. Back in the day it was the most exotic and expensive electric guitar I had ever played and I did like it but still happier with my much cheaper Ibanez Blazer which I wish I still had. Wouldn't mind a Victory now though. As Todd said "Give me just one Victory".
I'm very interested in getting a Victory. I haven't played one yet, but I'm pretty certain I would immediately replace the pots, wiring, and tuners. I hate push pull.
The very first thing that I noticed about this guitar when you showed it was the cool explorer headstock. I guess I must be an old fan but it looks pretty cool to me. Looks like a very nice guitar just out of my price range but I would definitely buy it if it was less expensive. Cheers mate great video.
Thanks for the comment! I think Explorer headstocks are just not my thing. I have a similar headstock on an old Futura from the early 80s, and it's referred to as the Limp Richard, and I cant get that thought out of my head when I see headstocks like that.
Wow i think its a really beautiful guitar, but personally i liked the original style of headstock a lot more. The finish options all looked gorgeous and i really like the one you chose 🤘😁
I like dirty fingers a lot, my opinion of course, but I thought these were a bit more articulate. But for all we know, it’s just a Dirty Fingers pickup with a different name. 🤣 Gibson’s done some shady things in the past like that.
I like it, it has simpler features than the one I got as a birthday gift back in '82 ( and still have ) but I'm not a huge fan of the Explorer headstock on it...The combination looks nice but my original '81 has a straight string pull so I was able to install a Les Trem-II system on it and tuning stability is excellent... That said, if I wanted to have a stop bar model and leave it as is I'd probably get the sunburst model... Excellent video thanks 👍👍
I have a 1982 one, which I like. This one seems a good guitar too. I would have liked a 3-piece maple neck with the original headstock design. I also prefer Schaller tuning keys over Grover. I would have liked a tremolo too, something like the Schaller 3801 vintage tremolo. The pickups sound good to me.
@@CompanyGripGuitar Yes. I bought it from zZounds music. They had a choice of them with or without the ABR-1. The avocado colored one has a Nashville bridge, but the wine red ones gives us a choice. I may have purchased the last one.
@@CompanyGripGuitar I agree. They play better than a Les Paul. Don't have to press hard on the strings to chord or pick, and the neck feels wonderful. Did I mention that it's the most beautiful axe on the market? The more one looks at it the more beautiful it becomes. It's worth every penny of that $2,500 + dollars after taxes. Done already told my kids they ain't putting they hands on this one.🙂
Good grief! When I am blasting it out onstage, I would have no time to finger dance around the push pull switches to change pickup tone! That’s why I use Kramer Barettas with single Duncan JBs from the 1980’s! Ok for bedroom players though.
It's 2024 and we're still doing coffee table brown. Guitar has pointy headstock and 24 frets, but uses a burst that belongs on something Robert Johnson would pose with. They could've taken anything from Epiphone's Muse series and integrated it.
Hey, great review, and I just subscribed to your channel. I hope you see this because I do have a question for you. I know that this fretboard is slightly wider than your typical Les Paul or SG, and that it has a slim taper neck. My question is does the neck have enough of a rounded profile to not feel too thin with that wider fretboard? I do prefer the typical Gibson 60's slim taper necks. Is the feel of this neck still similar to the typical 60's profile, but with the wider fretboard? I ask because I did once try a guitar with a fretboard that had similar width but they had made the neck feel so slim that it so weird to me. Almost no girth at all, which I did not particularly care for. Thanks
Hi! Thanks for subscribing! I appreciate it. I’m out camping at the moment, but as soon as I get home I’ll some specific measurements for you between an SG standard and the Supreme. 1st fret width, 12th fret, etc. Thanks again!
@@CompanyGripGuitar Cool. That sounds like something that I can hang with for sure. I think I will be picking one up. Sure don't like the sticker price though, but what can you do? I think I can get my sales person at either Sweetwater or Nstuff to give me 10% or 12% off. That would knock it down to a little over $2200 which is a little closer to what they should be anyways IMO. Thanks for going out of your way to help me with this!
Totally. The original actually looks a LOT like the 2018+ Firebirds with the flat headstock and side tuners. Maybe because Firebirds are only custom shop now they didn’t have an easy supply of those necks?
Wrong bridge on the new Victory. The old ones had 3 sets of saddles that adjusted on sliders from the top of the bridge. There were brass, plastic and steel saddles. I own a 100% complete, pristine and all original Victory XX. The original Victory pickups used special alloy frame & base plates.
Good eyes and good taste in music! I got that shirt over 20 years ago when Covenant was playing the Key Club here in LA. Of course, at the time I was in San Diego, so it was a loooong day driving there, seeing the show, and being too broke to get a hotel room, so we make the long drive back. Great show. I remember eating a really good Philly Cheesesteak that night.
@@CompanyGripGuitar I probably seen Covenant 6 times between 97 and 06. A lot of memories. I was a big night clubber back then. Great video on the Victory. I am drawn to this guitar even though it my not be the right purchase for me. I have an Explorer, so I know all about its headstock and tiny tuners.
Nice run through of the intriguing Victory reissue, looks good sounds great. Isn't this body a bit more offset than the OG Victory? Overall this seems more like a PRS contender than a Fender one, with S2 Vela/Custom 24.08 vibes, switching and pickup tones. Definitely needs speed knobs for push/pull grip rather than the awkward stock witch hats. Tempting but pricey at $2700CAD and $3400CAD (Canada), at that price why wouldn't a I get the Gibson SG Modern? Well I have one SG already and no Victory. Love that iguana burst but satin walnut is more affordable.
You’re 100% right about the speed knobs. It would make it a bit easier for sure! I’d like to get my hands on an Original Victory and do a proper side by side someday! And, yes, I agree, it probably it more of a PRS Competitor nowadays! Is the Victory the original PRS? That would be a better title for the video anyway. Haha!
Looks like a lot of people came here to hate on Gibson rather than give the review a fair shot. I like how they're modernizing in a market that calls for more younger appeal
@@CompanyGripGuitar I still love SGs, 335s and Les Pauls. Tried and tested designs. Past attempts at creating new designs , and even modernising existing models, have never succeeded. Traditional Gibsons, like Rolex and Bentleys, etc, are still the flagship brands! 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻
Think Gibson has been taking notes from PRS? Maybe PRS helped revive this Gibson model. Who knows? I think the Victory is a cool guitar. That green burst finish is kinda cool.
It looks a little clunky to me, but I hope they do well. Not very optimistic. You can’t compete with a strap if you don’t offer a whammy bar. Also, not a deal killer but the headstock should’ve have straight string runs the old one.
Totally agree Bob! I’m not a whammy bar guy, but I agree, how do you compete without one? Also agree about the headstock. Throwing the Explorer headstock on there was just lazy. Cheers!
Headstock is just weird and dots on the neck are just 'off'. Why didn't they take a lead from the MVX? A 3 Pick-Up HSH configuration with a Trem and Coil Splits would really be something but this seems like a shrinking violet compromise that doesn't quite know what it's actually meant to do? Can't see it setting the world on fire.
Looks good but not spectacular. I dont know, I like more how vintage Victorys look. But is far from being a classic Gibson fiasco, I think this model would appeal to many people.
I think it has a little bit of uniqueness with the offset body and the long horn. I mean, it’s not as shocking as say the SG release in 1961, that’s for sure. Thanks for checking it out!
Not impressed with this guitar. Looks cheap. Sounds like a PRS. But less. In fact, the PRS SE "Paul's Guitar" would be a much better buy. Although, the neck, being a compound radius is unusual for Gibby, it's hard to justify the $2000-$2500 price tag- period. For that much cash, look more towards LP STD or SD Custom. Give it a minute, and Epi will have one for $700. Great review.
I personally don’t like the way this one looks at all, but I can understand why some people would want it. I have to say it at least looks better than the RD, Moderne, and Theodore. Those are some of the ugliest Gibson guitars ever made. Also like others mentioned, hard to justify that price point when you could get other guitars that do the same thing (better) for a lot cheaper. With that said, good review as always. Like how detailed you get into the reviews.
I agree that it looks better than those other three. Well… except for maybe the Moderne, I really like those, but I’ve always found the feature set so lackluster I’ve never felt compelled to get one. Thanks for checking out the video!
It will probably be a fail, as you say. The headstock is horrendous! But I do actually like it quite a bit. It plays nice, for what it’s worth! Thanks for checking out the video!
2500 $ ? So many guitars in that price range that are better just fir starters PRS and why a Pic guard when at that price it should be back routed with a clean front side and no vibrato ? Gibson Fail Again !
$2,000 & $2,500? You could buy a cheap PRS for that kind of money. Or a really, really nice Fender. The body looks pretty cool, but they need to come with blinders so that you don't accidentally look at that monstrosity of a headstock while playing. And kudos to Gibson for copying Firefly and IYV with that Iguana Burst. Lifestyle companies should never be afraid to copy the industry leaders.
The problem i see is that gibson purists dont want a fender style strat. And fender purists dont want a gibson strat. Plus the cost is way up there. You can get a fender fmt with humbuckers (seymour duncans)for a third of the cost, or a shecter, ltd, ibanez, harley benton.
The headstock on the newer victory is way cooler
I personally disagree. It doesn’t match the body style well. Like sticking a Telecaster headstock on a Les Paul.
Damn Grip, you're crushing it on the content lately. Been really loving it.
Thanks! Glad you’re enjoying it! I got some more stuff in the pipeline, hope to get them up some enough.
@@CompanyGripGuitar looking forward to it Ben!
I like it a lot. I’ll probably get one of the burst finishes. Great review, thanks!
Once again, your research and playing demo makes it worth buying with all the different combinations of sounds you can get out of the guitar . 👍🏽
Okay, Gibson got me. I just ordered one of these. I'm too curious and I need to spend time with it myself.
Nice! What model/finish did you get?
@@CompanyGripGuitar figured in smokehouse. Iguana is my favorite but smokehouse fits me better.
Sounds nice! The smokehouse was tempting!
🤟😁👍This is a very good and thorough review. I have an original 80s Victory MVX with 496R, 500T, and NSX pickups in metallic red. It had a H S H configuration with a switch that gives you 3 single coils and a 5 way selector just like a Strat or 2 humbuckers with a choice of 4 tones. Love that guitar. It was the predecessor to the early 90s M3 with the same electronics. I have 5 of those in different colors. The same 3 pickup configuration was also used on the Les Paul Studio Lite M3 in the 90s (I have 4 of those in different colors, my favorites). I'll have find one of these new Victorys a give it a try. Thanks👍
That guitar sounds great.
Thanks for checking out the video!
Really nice variety in the pick ups and controls.
Indeed! cheers!
A friend of mine had one of the original Victory guitars. Back in the day it was the most exotic and expensive electric guitar I had ever played and I did like it but still happier with my much cheaper Ibanez Blazer which I wish I still had. Wouldn't mind a Victory now though. As Todd said "Give me just one Victory".
Ha! Nice quote. Cheers!
Great review. Really detailed. I appreciate that.
Thank you for checking it out!
I'm very interested in getting a Victory. I haven't played one yet, but I'm pretty certain I would immediately replace the pots, wiring, and tuners. I hate push pull.
Would you go straight humbucker pickups then, without the frills of coil splits and inner/outer coil mode?
@@CompanyGripGuitar yes.
I love it, but the price is crazy.
Need an Epiphone Prophecy model with no pickguard, figured top, and EMGs or Fishmans.
True!
The very first thing that I noticed about this guitar when you showed it was the cool explorer headstock. I guess I must be an old fan but it looks pretty cool to me. Looks like a very nice guitar just out of my price range but I would definitely buy it if it was less expensive. Cheers mate great video.
Thanks for the comment! I think Explorer headstocks are just not my thing. I have a similar headstock on an old Futura from the early 80s, and it's referred to as the Limp Richard, and I cant get that thought out of my head when I see headstocks like that.
@@CompanyGripGuitar lol. Awesome
Nice video, nice guitar. One of the few Gibson I would consider. I have vintage and new lesser names to. As to color...must get Iquana if I step up
Thanks for checking it out! Cheers!
Wow i think its a really beautiful guitar, but personally i liked the original style of headstock a lot more. The finish options all looked gorgeous and i really like the one you chose 🤘😁
Thanks for checking it out!
Cheers!
Great review 👍🏻
Thanks for checking it out! Cheers!
I'm not a Gibson guy, but I really like this guitar. The wiring and soldering is the sloppiest job I have ever seen on a $2000.00 guitar.
Shame they didn't put Dirty Fingers on it, but it still looks and sounds amazing
I like dirty fingers a lot, my opinion of course, but I thought these were a bit more articulate. But for all we know, it’s just a Dirty Fingers pickup with a different name. 🤣 Gibson’s done some shady things in the past like that.
That’s a nice Guitar! I wish Gibson would bring back the Mlll those are awesome
I wish they’d bring it back too. Who knows, maybe they will! 🤔
Maaaan, I gotta have it! However I do wish it had an ABR-1.
That would be pretty cool. Agreed!
I like it, it has simpler features than the one I got as a birthday gift back in '82 ( and still have ) but I'm not a huge fan of the Explorer headstock on it...The combination looks nice but my original '81 has a straight string pull so I was able to install a Les Trem-II system on it and tuning stability is excellent...
That said, if I wanted to have a stop bar model and leave it as is I'd probably get the sunburst model...
Excellent video thanks 👍👍
Thanks for checking it out! Cheers!
I have a 1982 one, which I like. This one seems a good guitar too. I would have liked a 3-piece maple neck with the original headstock design. I also prefer Schaller tuning keys over Grover. I would have liked a tremolo too, something like the Schaller 3801 vintage tremolo. The pickups sound good to me.
I just got the figured wine red in yesterday. It has an ABR-1 bridge. Life is sweet.
Yours has an ABR-1 Bridge? 🤔
@@CompanyGripGuitar Yes. I bought it from zZounds music. They had a choice of them with or without the ABR-1. The avocado colored one has a Nashville bridge, but the wine red ones gives us a choice. I may have purchased the last one.
That’s really cool! Thanks for sharing. Enjoy it! Mines a lot of fun!
@@CompanyGripGuitar I agree. They play better than a Les Paul. Don't have to press hard on the strings to chord or pick, and the neck feels wonderful. Did I mention that it's the most beautiful axe on the market? The more one looks at it the more beautiful it becomes. It's worth every penny of that $2,500 + dollars after taxes. Done already told my kids they ain't putting they hands on this one.🙂
That’s awesome! If I could get another one, I’d love to get the wine red. Enjoy the guitar, you deserve it. 🤘🏽
We cant forget that $100 in 1981 is something about $350 nowadays. More or less the same difference between the plain top and the figured one now.
True!
The headstock can also be used to play ice hockey.
😂
I thought it was ugly back in the 80's and still do today.
Good grief! When I am blasting it out onstage, I would have no time to finger dance around the push pull switches to change pickup tone! That’s why I use Kramer Barettas with single Duncan JBs from the 1980’s! Ok for bedroom players though.
Like it !!!!!
It's 2024 and we're still doing coffee table brown.
Guitar has pointy headstock and 24 frets, but uses a burst that belongs on something Robert Johnson would pose with.
They could've taken anything from Epiphone's Muse series and integrated it.
😆 you’re not wrong.
Hey, great review, and I just subscribed to your channel. I hope you see this because I do have a question for you. I know that this fretboard is slightly wider than your typical Les Paul or SG, and that it has a slim taper neck. My question is does the neck have enough of a rounded profile to not feel too thin with that wider fretboard? I do prefer the typical Gibson 60's slim taper necks. Is the feel of this neck still similar to the typical 60's profile, but with the wider fretboard? I ask because I did once try a guitar with a fretboard that had similar width but they had made the neck feel so slim that it so weird to me. Almost no girth at all, which I did not particularly care for. Thanks
Hi! Thanks for subscribing! I appreciate it. I’m out camping at the moment, but as soon as I get home I’ll some specific measurements for you between an SG standard and the Supreme. 1st fret width, 12th fret, etc. Thanks again!
@@CompanyGripGuitar Thanks
@@gregputman Sorry for the delay, but here's what I've got for you:
SG Standard:
1st Fret - 1.73"
12th Fret - 2.08
2024 Victory
1st Fret - 1.75"
12th Fret - 2.11"
So, it's nearly identical, but indeed a touch wider technically.
Cheers!
@@CompanyGripGuitar Cool. That sounds like something that I can hang with for sure. I think I will be picking one up. Sure don't like the sticker price though, but what can you do? I think I can get my sales person at either Sweetwater or Nstuff to give me 10% or 12% off. That would knock it down to a little over $2200 which is a little closer to what they should be anyways IMO. Thanks for going out of your way to help me with this!
At least you admit the Iguana burst would be the way to go. Makes me think of Dimebag.
Yeah. I’m gonna swap it I think.
@@CompanyGripGuitar A firebird headstock would have looked more like the original.
Totally. The original actually looks a LOT like the 2018+ Firebirds with the flat headstock and side tuners.
Maybe because Firebirds are only custom shop now they didn’t have an easy supply of those necks?
🤘
I think the Explorers have always had about 14 degree headstock pitch
Ahh. Thanks for the info! I’ve never even touched one!
Wrong bridge on the new Victory. The old ones had 3 sets of saddles that adjusted on sliders from the top of the bridge. There were brass, plastic and steel saddles. I own a 100% complete, pristine and all original Victory XX. The original Victory pickups used special alloy frame & base plates.
Nice! Great looking guitar! I wish they did the old headstock on the new one.
Nice Dreams of a Cryotank shirt.
Good eyes and good taste in music! I got that shirt over 20 years ago when Covenant was playing the Key Club here in LA. Of course, at the time I was in San Diego, so it was a loooong day driving there, seeing the show, and being too broke to get a hotel room, so we make the long drive back. Great show. I remember eating a really good Philly Cheesesteak that night.
@@CompanyGripGuitar I probably seen Covenant 6 times between 97 and 06. A lot of memories. I was a big night clubber back then.
Great video on the Victory. I am drawn to this guitar even though it my not be the right purchase for me. I have an Explorer, so I know all about its headstock and tiny tuners.
That’s awesome. I don’t meet a lot of people who even know who Covenant are. Cheers!
hello! nice t shirt!!
Thanks! Covenant 🤘🏽
Nice run through of the intriguing Victory reissue, looks good sounds great. Isn't this body a bit more offset than the OG Victory? Overall this seems more like a PRS contender than a Fender one, with S2 Vela/Custom 24.08 vibes, switching and pickup tones. Definitely needs speed knobs for push/pull grip rather than the awkward stock witch hats. Tempting but pricey at $2700CAD and $3400CAD (Canada), at that price why wouldn't a I get the Gibson SG Modern? Well I have one SG already and no Victory. Love that iguana burst but satin walnut is more affordable.
You’re 100% right about the speed knobs. It would make it a bit easier for sure!
I’d like to get my hands on an Original Victory and do a proper side by side someday!
And, yes, I agree, it probably it more of a PRS Competitor nowadays! Is the Victory the original PRS? That would be a better title for the video anyway. Haha!
Looks like a lot of people came here to hate on Gibson rather than give the review a fair shot. I like how they're modernizing in a market that calls for more younger appeal
Yeah. I agree with that statement! Cheers!
@@CompanyGripGuitar I still love SGs, 335s and Les Pauls. Tried and tested designs. Past attempts at creating new designs , and even modernising existing models, have never succeeded. Traditional Gibsons, like Rolex and Bentleys, etc, are still the flagship brands! 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻
Think Gibson has been taking notes from PRS? Maybe PRS helped revive this Gibson model. Who knows? I think the Victory is a cool guitar. That green burst finish is kinda cool.
They just might be! Thanks for checking out the review. Cheers!
@@CompanyGripGuitar you're welcome
They want some of that sweet silver sky pie for sure!
I'm an RD man.myself. but this is cool I guess.
Always wanted to play an RD… one day! Cheers!
It's a Kramer.
Marie Fall
Super cool guitars, if they were at the original price. $2000-$2500? Holy sh*t! Pass......
Ela merecia uma ponte diferente!!!
What kind would you think? Thank you for watching!
It looks a little clunky to me, but I hope they do well. Not very optimistic. You can’t compete with a strap if you don’t offer a whammy bar. Also, not a deal killer but the headstock should’ve have straight string runs the old one.
Totally agree Bob! I’m not a whammy bar guy, but I agree, how do you compete without one?
Also agree about the headstock. Throwing the Explorer headstock on there was just lazy.
Cheers!
@@CompanyGripGuitar thank you for your reply, and for forgiving my typos!
Looks like a Kramer 1980’s era.
Very much so
I wish I could afford it! The wiring looks pretty shabby……
Love everything but the pickup rings, make em look cheap. Just personal preference
Understandable!
Headstock is just weird and dots on the neck are just 'off'. Why didn't they take a lead from the MVX? A 3 Pick-Up HSH configuration with a Trem and Coil Splits would really be something but this seems like a shrinking violet compromise that doesn't quite know what it's actually meant to do? Can't see it setting the world on fire.
Agree that some of the features that should be there are missing. A Trem for sure.
Cheers!
Looks good but not spectacular. I dont know, I like more how vintage Victorys look. But is far from being a classic Gibson fiasco, I think this model would appeal to many people.
I think so too, but I wish it had a tremolo.
It really looks like any other guitar out there except it says Gibson.
I think it has a little bit of uniqueness with the offset body and the long horn. I mean, it’s not as shocking as say the SG release in 1961, that’s for sure. Thanks for checking it out!
Nah. In a year or so these'll be selling new at a massive discount, and used for a massive loss.
Not impressed with this guitar. Looks cheap. Sounds like a PRS. But less. In fact, the PRS SE "Paul's Guitar" would be a much better buy. Although, the neck, being a compound radius is unusual for Gibby, it's hard to justify the $2000-$2500 price tag- period. For that much cash, look more towards LP STD or SD Custom. Give it a minute, and Epi will have one for $700. Great review.
Thanks for checking it out!
I personally don’t like the way this one looks at all, but I can understand why some people would want it. I have to say it at least looks better than the RD, Moderne, and Theodore. Those are some of the ugliest Gibson guitars ever made. Also like others mentioned, hard to justify that price point when you could get other guitars that do the same thing (better) for a lot cheaper. With that said, good review as always. Like how detailed you get into the reviews.
I agree that it looks better than those other three. Well… except for maybe the Moderne, I really like those, but I’ve always found the feature set so lackluster I’ve never felt compelled to get one.
Thanks for checking out the video!
I love this guitar. But it can not compete with Fender; price point. So G will sell a few, then their market will dry-up again.
Yeah. I think a lot of their new releases won’t survive too long, the Theodore, the Victory, etc. Thanks for checking it out!
Hideous guitar, what gibson were thinking? Who is it for? I think it will be a fail.
It will probably be a fail, as you say. The headstock is horrendous! But I do actually like it quite a bit. It plays nice, for what it’s worth! Thanks for checking out the video!
Was no success decades ago and I think, it also will not become one today. I also dislike the Explorer headstock.
It's ugly they're trying hard to out do fender. It's a cross between Ibanez and a strat and. Strat. Shame on Gibson.
2500 $ ? So many guitars in that price range that are better just fir starters PRS and why a Pic guard when at that price it should be back routed with a clean front side and no vibrato ? Gibson Fail Again !
$2,000 & $2,500? You could buy a cheap PRS for that kind of money. Or a really, really nice Fender. The body looks pretty cool, but they need to come with blinders so that you don't accidentally look at that monstrosity of a headstock while playing. And kudos to Gibson for copying Firefly and IYV with that Iguana Burst. Lifestyle companies should never be afraid to copy the industry leaders.
Hmmm, NOPE lol
The problem i see is that gibson purists dont want a fender style strat. And fender purists dont want a gibson strat. Plus the cost is way up there. You can get a fender fmt with humbuckers (seymour duncans)for a third of the cost, or a shecter, ltd, ibanez, harley benton.