NGD: My Walmutt Trent Model 1

stevrossthepipe · November 2022

Ok I have had my @TrentGuitars ;;;;;;;;;;;;for about 2 months now. Couple of rehearsals and a gig and lots of hours thrashing about on on it now. And as promised to Elliott I thought I would give a review of my new TRENT. I’m the walnut stained one off that instagram!! Stolen Elliots pictures as they are way beyond what I could achieve and I use to do it for a living. However I have access to some digital medium format cameras at work so may experiment one day and post them. No word smith but here we go:

https://i.imgur.com/JHBeoWD.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/aLJlyPd.jpg

I haven’t had lots of guitars but had 6 or 7 over the years. I have owned some decent expensive guitars. A Gibson lespaul standard from 2006 when I was in college. It had a wonderful desert burst finish but the bridge was sooo sharp and broke so any strings and the nut was cut terribly. Lots of binding aesthetic mistakes even the bridge has a too big of a routed hole where it went into the body, super shoddy! Never got on with it and was a bit ‘fancy’ for my thrashing ways and I always thought I would knock off that head stock. Really disappointed and a good lesson in just because its expensive doesn’t mean it is going to be made well or be the guitar for you. Should have got that black SG I tried that day….sigh

A few other Fenders with dodgy nuts that need correcting and a few duff tuning pegs. Even my other current electric a Fender FSR USA guitar had frets that needed a good year of playing before they stopped catching and there was a sharp fret. I didn’t pay that but they were £1800 new I think. Also very buzzy in places in a slightly strange way that I later got sorted out by a tech.

Why do I tell you these things? Well that’s where Trent came in. Been eyeing them up on here for a while and took the leap.

Elliott answered a load of questions before I took the plunge. Felt good about it and it was great having the reviews from others on here that echoed the same feeling. Although there is that feeling of the unknown and that I might make the wrong spec choices on radius etc but by this point I know the kind of things I like, Although obvious it is important for having something made for you to do some thinking around that + some extra research.

I had a lot of back and forth with Elliott and had a lot of borderline wacky ideas. Having this much choice is a joy and maybe a curse but realised anything I went with would be unique to me and interesting. He was very patient. I was really trying to throw the whole kitchen sink at it. I suggested the walnut finish with some images attached. Always loved these walnut SGs with black mini humbuckers and always loved Georges tele obv. Elliott ran with it and did a superb job. Walnut stain all over.

A great weight - was worried it would be a little light as I like a heavier 70s Strat type weight but no spot on still feels like it’s there if you know what I mean . Really comfortable shape sitting or standing. Resonant, dynamic pickups and a completely unique look. Not an issue what so ever. Obviously so much care and time has gone into the frets and the nut. Setup really well with decent strings. Rings like a bell. Amazing taper on the pots and a really usable tone control which is great as I am a real fuzz head. Also those Trent hand wound pick ups are fab - I am no connoisseur but they sound clear, can rock and do clean, not too middy and have lots of dynamics. The neck is smooth with no sticky finish but also not unfinished so plays quick like nobodys business.

The 9.5 radius is great. I liked it on a jazz master I had but the frets were too tall and the width of the board too thin - this is wide ish with a bit of radius - lovely.

I had Elliott upgrade me to a mono bag, black locking tuners and strap locks and none of it was a problem.

For our first gig I went to tune it after every 3rd song of heavy handed punk rock like I would on my Strat. No need, still exactly in tune - I almost never need to tune it to a slightly spooky degree.

Would love one with a descendant bridge trem with some wide range pickups - a bit of a jazz blaster vibe and a sparkly short scale bass.

No doubt the best guitar I have personally played.

TRENT SPECS:

FINISH - Brown Walnut colour

Relic'd lightly

HEADSTOCK - Brown walnut

TRENT LOGO - Gold

BRIDGE - v2 set up bridge

NECK - Standard shape

NECK LENGTH - Fender 25.5

RADIUS - 9’5

KNOBS - Black UFO

TUNERS - black Sperzels locking tuners

STRAP LOCKs - Black S locks

PICKUPS BLACK - Trent p90s

PICKUP COLOUR - Black

PICKUP SELECTOR - black jaguar black square tip

PICK GUARD - single ply black

STRINGS - 10 gauge

If you are on the fence get off that fence and go order one. Amazing to be able to get something hand made by one person with natural processes with so much care for less than a US professional tele - is a no brainer for those who want something a little different.

All the best to Elliott and for the future of Trent !

Steve x