Trent

Trent Industries, GPO Box 460, Brisbane 4001

From Mark Moffatt 21/07/06 (these days producing in Nashville)

Found your site and love it. I grew up on the “Brisbane Blues”, wailing through an assortment of local amps. There were a bunch of other businesses besides Vase, none of them anywhere near as good. I noticed you had a couple of them listed.

Trent: were made by the Steck piano company, were tube amps, not that reliable and were made only in bright red tolex. The company seemed to be run by two English guys situated somewhere in the Newmarket area. Steck piano company went bankrupt in about 1969/70 and their stock was auctioned off in Brisbane.

I wish I had more info on the Trent and Overeem stuff, I'm surprised I could recall that much. I noticed the Trent pictured was originally red, and yes, one model did have flashing lights. The soot from component failure inside did not surprise me one bit. The Overeem PAs on the other hand were extremely powerful and reliable, a lot of them in use then in QLD then (200 w solid state & two columns)... the guitar amps weren't that popular.

Will watch your site with interest, and if anything else comes to light, will send it.

Best regards, Mark.

Tony Naylor writes (Sept '06)...

I also had one of these. I bought it in late 1968 from the Trent dealer in Bridge Road Richmond. I first saw them being used by The Groove at Hoadleys Battle of the Sounds 1968.

Mine was 150 watts with four Vitavox 15 inch speakers in one large and very heavy red covered cabinet. I used it in Ida May Mack and it would have been seen at Berties and Sebastions [Melbourne venues] but it didn't have the flashing lights - they were on later models (Tygon and Sonic Boom).

I have an old catalogue with a pretty impressive list of users - The Monkees (Oz tour), The Everley Brothers, Billy Thorpe, Ram Jam Big Band, Soul Jam, Vibrants, Campact, Groove, Brigade, Capitol Showband, and many others.

Cheers, Tony Naylor

Unknown model

New: 55/4/10 from Sebastian Lincoln.

From an undated Trent catalogue (all dims. in inches, comments theirs)...

All models used a similar front panel:

Invicta

[no pix]

Tremolo, black vinyl - ideal for the learner
Invicta 40 $208
Invicta 60 $317

Invicta Super

4x 12's, semi-professional or country and western artists, black vinyl

Bobcat T60

2x 12's, Treble boost, tremolo, red vinyl, recessed chromium handles, ideal for C&W artists and recording
H 20, W 28, D 12 1/2, $330

Bobcat Super T60

as above but 4x 12's
H 29, W 27, D 13, $413

New: 11/1/11

Source: (please re-contact)

Cougar

2x 15's Trent speakers, 100 watts rms, 1 channel 2 inputs, treble, middle, bass, treble boost, suit organ or bass, swivel stands
H 36, W 24.5, D 13, $512

Super Cougar

200 watts, 4x 15's, $625

Panther

4x 12's, 80 watts rms, 2 channels 4 inputs, treble, middle, bass, treble boost, tremolo, (reverb optional)
Head: H 6.75, W 22, D 12
Cab: H 29, W 22, D 13
Bass $535, Lead $540

Super Panther

as T.100 but 6x 12's, for ear shattering volume
Head: as above
Cab: H 45, W 29, D 14
Bass or organ $622, Lead $644

Panther Bass

4x 12's bass speakers, Bass and Bright channels
Head: not given
Cab: H 35, W 29, D 14, $575

Super Panther Bass

as above but with 6x 12's
Cab: H 45, W 29, D 14

Panther P.A.

2x (6x 8's), 4 inputs, master volume, treble, bass
2x Cardoid mics c/w clips.
Head: H 6.5, H 11, D 10
Cabs: 2x H 52, W 11, D 6
$575 Panther stand $27

Tygon

(a Tygon is the offspring of a male tiger and a lioness)
Electronic impulse system that converts sound into coloured lights on the facia of the control panel.

4x 15's in single cab, designed as a lead amp
Head: H 6.75, W 22, D 12
Cab: H 35, W 35, D 13

2x 15's $633 or 4x 15's $858
Cab: H 36, W 22, D 12
4x 15's in two cabs for bass or organ
$962

6x 12's 2 columns $798
Cab: H 29, W 22, D 13
8x 12's in two cabs or columns, supplied for lead, rhythm, bass or organ
$937

Tygon P.A.

2x (8x 12's), 2 channel 4 inputs, 4 volume, master, 2 treble, 2 bass
Cab: 2x H 53.5, W 16.5, D 12
$1035

Sonic Boom

Hidden castors
Used by the Monkees during their Aussie tour
A completely new concept in guitar amplification.
Fitted with coloured flashing lights.

Sonic Boom A

Lead or rhythm
2x 15's Vitavox, 2 channel 4 inputs, treble, middle, bass, tremolo
Head: H 6.75, W 22, D 12
Cab: H 42, W 23, D 14.75
$835

Sonic Boom B

Bass or organ
4x 15's Vitavox (no tremolo)
$1282

Sonic Boom C

Lead or organ (tremolo)
4x 15's Vitavox, $1308
6x 12's $1030

Sonic Boom D

Lead, rhythm, or organ (tremolo)
8x 12's in two columns or boxes
Cab: H 53.5, W 16.5, D 12
$1152

Sonic Boom P.A.

12x 12's
Head: H 6.75, W 22, D 12
Cab: H 82.5, W 16.5, D 12
$1230

Wildcat A

300 watts, 3x 15's Vitavox, 2 channel 4 inputs (tremolo optional)
Lead, rhythm, bass, or organ
Head: H 6.75, W 22, D 12
Cab: H 54, W 23, D 14.75
$1122

It's stupendous. If it is used without discretion the eardrums are in danger of permanent damage. It will overcome the screaming of teenyboppers for the popular large group, and project over a huge area.

Wildcat B

6x 15's in two cabs as A (tremolo optional)
$1686

Wildcat C

8x 15's in two cabs (tremolo standard)
Cab: H 35, W 35, D 13
$1754

Wildcat D

18x 12's in two or three cabs (tremolo standard)
Cab: three H 45, W 29, D 14
18x 12 in two cabs $1478, 16x 12 in four cabs $1766

Optional reverb all models $64

Thanks to both Tony Naylor and Peter Hutchison for the above.

B150

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Click for full size 70kb jpg Note sooting (top centre) from burned component

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Source: Shaun Helps

The only notable shortcoming is the placement of the output transformer right next to the mains power transformer. This will result in mains hum pickup and serious physical imbalance when carrying the head.

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