Victory Amps launched The Copper preamp pedal in November 2020 as a compact, all-valve preamp in stompbox form. It is a real tube preamp rather than a digital emulation, with four tubes in the signal path, and it is voiced after late-1950s British amps, ranging from what Guitar.com's Cillian Breathnach described as "chimey cleans to raucous rock n' roll overdrive tones"1. Gearnews describes it more specifically as based on a late '50s Vox AC30 style amp2.
The pedal is a condensed version of Victory's VC35 The Copper amplifier head, released the previous year. Guitar World summed up its character as "chiming EL84 cleans, expressive mid-gain sweetness and rich classic-rock roar"3. For a player, that puts it in the same family as a preamp pedal rather than an overdrive or distortion pedal: it replaces or feeds an amp's front end rather than stacking on top of one.
What it does to your sound
The V4 The Copper Preamp is designed to channel the sound of late-'50s British-voiced amps. Guitar World's launch coverage characterized its range as chiming EL84 cleans, expressive mid-gain sweetness and rich classic-rock roar3, while Guitar.com described the span as running from chimey cleans to raucous rock n' roll overdrive tones1. Gearnews places its inspiration squarely in Vox territory, calling it based on a late '50s Vox AC30 style amp2.
That voicing is what separates it from the other pedal in Victory's V4 preamp line covered on this site, the V4 The Kraken preamp. The Copper sits in the clean-to-classic-rock range instead, ranging from chimey cleans to raucous rock n' roll overdrive tones1.
The controls and jacks
The control set is deliberately simple. Gearnews lists the controls as two Master volume dials and single Gain and Tone knobs2, and Guitar World adds that the pedal carries a three-band EQ and an additional footswitchable treble boost3. Guitar.com notes the V4 Copper has the same three-band EQ found across all of Victory's preamp pedals1.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| Gain | Single knob setting the preamp's drive level2 |
| Tone | Single overall tone control2 |
| Three-band EQ | Bass, middle and treble, the same EQ as Victory's other preamp pedals13 |
| Master volume 1 and 2 | Two master volume dials2 |
| Treble boost | Footswitchable boost circuit32 |
The treble boost circuit is footswitchable, which Guitar.com noted makes it great for solo boosts or mid-song texture changes1.
On the connection side, the pedal has an extensively labeled set of input and output jacks for different connection configurations1. Victory's designers even printed instructions on the pedal itself to show how to integrate it into your setup2.
Where to put it in a signal chain
The pedal can be used in front of an amplifier or plugged into the return of an amp's effects loop to bypass the amp's front end1. The second approach treats The Copper as the amp's preamp section, with the amp contributing only its power stage and speaker.
Powering this pedal takes planning. It runs on 12V DC with a minimum of 800mA to power all four tubes1. That rules out battery power and most daisy-chain setups. A dedicated 12V supply rated for at least 800mA is needed.
From the Copper amp head to the V4 pedal
The V4 The Copper Preamp is a pedal version of Victory's VC35 The Copper, a guitar amplifier head released in 201923. Gearnews describes the pedal as bringing the VC35 into a pedal25, and MusicRadar's Jonathan Horsley noted that those familiar with the VC35 head will recognize much of its DNA in the V4 pedal5.
Victory Amplification is a UK amp builder2. The V4 The Copper joined the company's V4 preamp pedal series, which already included all-valve designs such as the Kraken and Countess.
Price
At launch in November 2020, The Copper preamp pedal listed for £369/€449/$519 and was available to order13. Gearnews gives the same RRP figures2.
A 2026 Guitar World review lists the Victory V4 The Copper Preamp at $329 street4, so the US street price has dropped well below the original $519 list price.
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Questions
Is Victory The Copper preamp pedal a real tube preamp?
Yes. The Copper is an all-valve preamp pedal with four tubes in its signal path, not a solid-state circuit emulating tubes. It runs on 12V DC with a minimum of 800mA to power all four tubes, which is one reason it draws far more current than a typical overdrive pedal.
Can The Copper be used in an amp's effects loop?
Yes. It can be used in front of an amplifier or plugged into the return of an amp's effects loop to bypass the amp's own front end. The pedal carries an extensively labelled set of input and output jacks for different connection configurations, and Victory printed instructions on the pedal showing how to integrate it into a setup.
What power supply does Victory The Copper pedal need?
It runs on 12V DC with a minimum of 800mA to power all four tubes. That current draw rules out most standard 9V pedal power outputs and typical daisy chains, so it needs a supply capable of delivering 12V at high current.
What does the footswitch do on Victory The Copper?
The treble boost circuit is footswitchable, which Guitar.com noted makes it useful for solo boosts or mid-song texture changes. It is an additional stage on top of the pedal's gain and tone controls rather than a second channel switch.
How much does Victory The Copper preamp pedal cost in the US?
At launch in November 2020 it listed for $519 in the US, alongside £369 in the UK and €449 in the EU. A 2026 Guitar World review gives a street price of $329, so the price has come down since launch.
Sources (5)
- Victory Amps launches The Copper Preamp Pedal, Guitar.com, 2020-11-20
- Victory V4 The Copper Preamp, brings the VC35 into a pedal, with vintage British amp tones on tap, gearnews.com, 2020-11-20
- Victory condenses its VC35 The Copper amp head into a pedal with the V4 The Copper Preamp, Guitar World, 2020-11-20
- Tone King Imperial Tri Tube Preamp review, Guitar World, 2025-07-02
- Victory puts the metal to the pedal as the Copper joins its stellar V4 preamp series, MusicRadar, 2020-11-27
