In 1972 Gibson produced a series of 'Guitar of the Month' brochures, each dedicated to one of their high end models, the Les Paul Recording guitar, L5-CES, ES-175D, Super 400-CES, ES-355TD-SV and Byrdland. Each brochure was a single sheet folded into four panels, with details of the instruments themselves, their features, musical purpose, and a little history behind the development of each guitar. Only the Les Paul Recording was a new model; the others were all well established in the Gibson line. Follow the link to see scans and further information on these leaflets and other Gibson guitar catalogues from the CMI and Norlin periods.

1961 Vox Stroller

The earliest versions of the Vox Stroller were actually copies of an early Japanese electricguitar, the Guyatone (also sold under the brand Antoria) LG50. These Strollers, although short-lived did undergo a few changes before taking on the more familiar Strat influenced style of many mid-sixties UK-built Vox guitars. The biggest difference between early and late LG50-style Strollers (and the two pickup version, the Shadow) was the larger pickup, a shade longer, but noticeably wider used in the very first Vox guitars. Compare this early Vox to a 1963 Stroller with the later V1 pickup. For more information about Vox guitar pickups in general, see the Vox guitar pickups page.

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Hofner 500/1 Beatle bass
hollow body electric bass guitar

This 1967 Vox advertisment shows George Harrison and Paul McCartney - with his Hofner violin bass

The guitar and bass catalog of the same year shows Paul Mcartney, with the quotation, "Hofner is just great".

The Hofner 500/1, also known as the Hofner violin bass, or Beatle bass, was first produced in 1956. Hofner had made violins and guitars for many years in Germany, but it wasn't until Gibson produced its EB bass in 1953 that the idea of a violin-shaped bass guitar was realized. Hofners version, the 500/1 came out in 1956, and thanks to the endorsement of Paul McCartney of the Beatles, Hofner became the manufacturer syonomous with violin basses, despite Gibsons earlier effort, and great instruments form Vox, Eko and others

The following description comes from the 1967 Hofner guitar catalogue

A crowning achievement! A lightweight acoustic instrument shaped like a violin and tuned G, D. A, E like the last four strings of a guitar but an octave lower. The small acoustic body is perfectly proportioned and has arched spruce top and maple back in shaded brown, highly polished. The narrow neck is carefully made with comfortably fast 30" scale and fitted with rosewood fingerboard, celluloid bound.

The 2 microphone pickups are built on the double pole, double coil principle for greatest effectiveness. The control plate has 2 volume controls and 3 slides for quick blending and selection. Handle the 500/1 once and you'll understand why it has become the first choice of so many performers

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