VASE Amps

VASE — Victory Audiophonic Sound Equipment — was founded in Brisbane, Australia by Tony Troughton, an English emigrant who set up his amp-building operation in the Newstead district of Brisbane in the 1960s. While the company folded after Tony's death, his amps lived on and became sought-after collectibles. Most bands playing in Brisbane and other parts of Australia in the 60s and 70s either used VASE or knew about them.

VASE's most notable models were the Trendsetter guitar amp and Dynabass bass head — it is estimated that over the course of the company's existence Tony and his team produced around 5,000 amplifiers, the majority built to order. The construction was substantial: huge transformers, civil-engineering style chassis strength, and solid timber cabinetry. The Trendsetter used 6L6 output valves in a circuit with a clean, high-headroom character — described consistently by players as loud and clear rather than saturated, with a hi-fi quality that distinguished it from the British amps dominating the same era.

Some 40-odd years after the last original VASE amp was built, the brand was revived by Brisbane native Harry Lloyd-Williams, who registered the trademark to protect Troughton's legacy when he heard others were considering having the name applied to Chinese-made instruments. The reissue Trendsetters are handbuilt in Brisbane to the original specifications. VASE amps almost never appear outside Australia and represent a completely separate line of amp history from the British and American brands that dominate the collection.