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VOX | AMPLIFIERS | AC4

Vox AC4 guitar amplifier

4w British valve amp, manufactured by JMI, Dartford, Kent

Alongside the exceptionally well-known AC30, Jennings (JMI) produced a number of smaller Vox tube amps at their Dartford factory. The AC10 and AC15 were great guitar amps, but the smallest model in the mid-60s line was the AC4. And it was small - just 4w with an 8" speaker. Perfect for getting some great valve tones at home, but, frankly, too small for playing 'out', at least one with drums. These British built amps were widely adopted in the UK in the early and mid-1960s, with around 3000 sold in just four years of production. Like other vintage Vox guitar amps, they are still desired by collectors and players today; especially as recording amps in a blues and classic rock context.

True they are not too loud - but I have a lot of fun playing mine - check out the video clips

1964 Vox AC4
A 1964 Vox AC4 with brown lattice grill cloth - have a closer look at this amp
1965 Vox AC4
By 1965, the cloth had changed to the black lattice fabric - have a closer look at this amp

The AC4 is great sounding amp, with a nice classic tube tone; it is no wonder they are snapped up as soon as they hit the market today. The Vox AC4 shipped between late 1961 and late 1965, with numerous cosmetic changes throughout the course of production. Check out Vox Amplifiers: The JMI Years by Jim Elyea for EVERYTHING you need to know about this amplifier. The image below shows how the amp was promoted in the 1962 'Choice of the Stars' catalog.

A fine little amplifier for the soloist. Two inputs and separate tone and volume controls. Fitted with 8 inch loudspeaker and foot operated vibrato on/off control
The Vox AC4 as shown in the 1962 Choice of the Stars catalog
The Vox AC4 as illustrated in the 1963 Vox Amplification catalog

The AC4 name was first used in late 1961, evolving from the AC2 / AC6 which had been around since 1958. Early examples had the 'TV' style front, and were were shipped with fawn tolex, changing to black later in 1962. The AC4 was fitted with an 8" speaker, typically Elac or Goodmans, and had the simplest of controls: volume, tone - plus a speed control, for the tremolo.

Close up of the controls of a 1965 Vox AC4 amplifier

The tremolo was switched on/off with a footswitch, with it's rate adjustable from the amp itself. Note the fuse with 230v and 110v settings - this allowed the unit to be exported to the United States, before being replaced by the US-built (Thomas Organ Co.) Vox Pathfinder in late 1965.

Vox AC4 History

There were numerous minor changes to the AC4 across the period of production, some of the significant ones are summarised below. Compare a 1964 and 1965 AC4.

  • 1958 Vox AC2
  • Late 1961 Vox AC4 shipped with a launch price of £19 19s 0d. Fawn tolex, 'TV'-style cabinet
  • Mid 1962 Cabinet size increased slightly. Tolex changed from fawn to black
  • 1965 Grill cloth changed from brown to black lattice
  • Late 1965 AC4 discontinued


Vintage Vox AC4 soundclips

Check out some videos of vintage guitars played through vintage Vox AC4 amplifiers

1966 Vox New Escort / 1965 Vox AC4 (8m 30s)

Find out more about these instruments here: 1966 Vox New Escort, 1965 Vox AC4

This is a fabulous guitar - Vox's take on the Fender Telecaster (which was in pretty short supply in mid-1960s Britain), and actually a pretty awesome player. It sounds pretty good through this contemporaneous Vox AC4, but check it out through the 1960s WEM ER15 and early 70s WEM Dominator

Recorded here with a Heil PR-40 (left channel) and a Shure SM57 (right channel), through a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 interface - highly recommended gear!

1961 Hohner Zambesi / 1965 Vox AC4 (short version, 3m 19s)

Find out more about these instruments here: 1961 Hohner Zambesi, 1965 Vox AC4

This is a really interesting early British guitar, and nicely built, with electronics by Fenton Weill, and woodwork by furniture manufacturer Stuart Darkins. It sounds pretty dark, with a fat woody tone - in part the result of it's solid mahogany body and set mahogany neck - far more like an early Gibson than an early Fender. The neck is deep and solid - and doesn't feel like it could move much - there is no adjustable truss rod. In fact there isn't much adjustability at all - the pickup height is set, and the floating bridge requires manual placement. But despite all this, it is a very playable guitar! And it works well with this mid-sixties Vox AC4. Great guitar (despite some hardware peculiarities), great amp!

There is a much longer video of this guitar exploring more settings from this guitar / amp in the vintageguitarandbass supporting members area here.

Recorded here with a Heil PR-40 (left channel) and a Shure SM57 (right channel), through a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 interface - highly recommended gear!

1961 Hohner Zambesi / 1965 Vox AC4 (long version, 5m 20s)

Find out more about these instruments here: 1961 Hohner Zambesi, 1965 Vox AC4

This is a really interesting early British guitar, and nicely built, with electronics by Fenton Weill, and woodwork by furniture manufacturer Stuart Darkins. It sounds pretty dark, with a fat woody tone - in part the result of it's solid mahogany body and set mahogany neck - far more like an early Gibson than an early Fender. The neck is deep and solid - and doesn't feel like it could move much - there is no adjustable truss rod. In fact there isn't much adjustability at all - the pickup height is set, and the floating bridge requires manual placement. But despite all this, it is a very playable guitar! And it works well with this mid-sixties Vox AC4. Great guitar (despite some hardware peculiarities), great amp!

Recorded here with a Heil PR-40 (left channel) and a Shure SM57 (right channel), through a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 interface - highly recommended gear!

1965 Vox Ace / 1965 Vox AC4 (3m 58s)

Find out more about these instruments here: 1965 Vox Ace, 1965 Vox AC4

Two very cool UK Vox (JMI) products from 1965: a dual pickup Ace guitar, and a 4w AC4 amp. Actually a great combination with a pretty wide tonal palette.

Recorded here with an Electrovoice RE-20 (left channel) and a Shure SM57 (right channel), through a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 interface - highly recommended gear!

1966 Epiphone Granada / 1965 Vox AC4 (2m 26s)

Find out more about these instruments here: 1966 Epiphone Granada, 1965 Vox AC4

A gorgeous sunburst Epiphone Granada played through a 1965 Vox AC4 amplifier.

Recorded here with an Electrovoice RE-20 (left channel) and a Shure SM57 (right channel), through a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 interface - highly recommended gear!

1963 Vox Shadow / 1965 Vox AC4 (2m 45s)

Find out more about these instruments here: 1963 Vox Shadow, 1965 Vox AC4

A nice dual pickup 1963 Vox Shadow played through a 1965 Vox AC4 amplifier. This model changed a lot through the sixties: different body styles, differing hardware and even different pickup arrangements. This example has the strat-style body, two pickups and tremolo.

Recorded here with an Electrovoice RE-20 (left channel) and a Shure SM57 (right channel), through a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 interface - highly recommended gear!

1967 Vox Stroller / 1965 Vox AC4 (2m 38s)

Find out more about these instruments here: 1967 Vox Stroller, 1965 Vox AC4

A final year 1967 single pickup Vox Stroller played through a 1965 Vox AC4 amplifier.

Recorded here with an Electrovoice RE-20 (left channel) and a Shure SM57 (right channel), through a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 interface - highly recommended gear!

1963 Vox Super Ace / 1964 Vox AC4 (9m 24s)

Find out more about these instruments here: 1963 Vox Super Ace, 1964 Vox AC4

This is a really cool British-built vintage guitar from the early 60s. Nice sounding, with plenty of mellow with the neck pickup selected and the tone rolled down, but maybe not as much bite as you'd expect from the bridge pickup alone. (Perhaps the springs should be removed to raise the pickup further). The tremolo is pretty useable, and doesn't detune the guitar significantly with a little use - i've not really tried any dive bombs mind you! The AC4 is a cool amp, with a beautiful basic sound; it isn't really loud enough to disturb anyone else, but this does mean it doesn't get especially gainy either. I generally wish it would give a little more... Strung with Gibson bright wires (10-46).

Recorded here with a Shure SM57 (left channel) and a Heil PR-40 (right channel), through a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 interface - highly recommended gear!

Vox AC4 reissues

A vintage AC4 makes a great practise or recording amp, but they can be hard to find. There are several excellent reissues, though none is quite the same as a 1960s JMI amp, all have great Vox tone, and some upgrades from the original. There are 10" and 12" speaker versions - the Vox AC4HW1 is a handwired reissue with a 12" Celestion speaker and seems to be an incredible amp, but check out also the AC4C1 and AC4TV with early 60s 'TV'-style cabinet

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Vintage Vox guitar amps for sale

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Huge Lot 60s VOX Guitar Tube Amp Parts ENGLAND Viscount Pathfinder AC30 15 Logo!

Huge Lot 60s VOX Guitar Tube Amp Parts ENGLAND Viscount Pathfinder AC30 15 Logo!

San Jose, California, 951**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$95

This huge lot of VOX guitar tube amp parts from the 1965 era is a must-have for any collector or enthusiast of vintage musical instruments. The components are all from England and include Viscount, Pathfinder, AC30, 15 Logo, and many more. With such a wide range of parts, you're sure to find everything you need to complete your vintage guitar amplifier project
Whether you're looking to restore a classic VOX guitar amp or simply want to add some vintage charm to your modern setup, this lot of... more
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Vox JMI Domino Vintage AC4 Head

Vox JMI Domino Vintage AC4 Head

Horley, RH6***, UNITED KINGDOM

£595

Great condition, fully serviced

Essentially an AC4 in head form!

This would make a perfect recording amp. The cleans are full and warm and the drive is to die for. Do come and try it, I promise you won??t be disappointed!

All valves are the original British made Mullards it came with. They all test very strong on my AVO CT160 tester

I have a lovely little RCA cabinet that would pair with this perfectly (pictured at the end) - do message if you??re ... more
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1960s Goodmans 12"  Speaker Lennon Vox AC15

1960s Goodmans 12" Speaker Lennon Vox AC15

Bristol, BS31***, UNITED KINGDOM

£300

Very early 60s Goodmans. 16ohms
As used in very early Vox AC15 twins, as used by John Lennon in the Cavern and early Beatles sessions
Fantastic condition and in good working order. Just removed from my very early AC30 as I have now sourced the correct  Audiom speaker
Hear it in working order here .
https: / / youtu be / x1NSVOYD3Jg?si=fS70EwlDpOTeICfB
... more
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Vintage 1950s 1960s Goodmans Black Label 15ohm Alnico 12 Speaker Driver Vox AC15

Vintage 1950s 1960s Goodmans Black Label 15ohm Alnico 12 Speaker Driver Vox AC15

Heanor, DE75***, UNITED KINGDOM

£225

Vintage 1950s 1960s Goodmans Black Label 15ohm Alnico 12 Speaker Driver Vox AC15
I found this beauty in the back of a handmade cabinet that was way worse for wear and rescued the speaker out of it! It's a black label Goodmans Alnico Black Label speaker, 15ohms. This is the speaker to put inside a late 1950s Vox AC15 for example - a real rarity! There is a small repair to the original cone, which has been done well. The white marks to the cone are purely cosmetic. It's a wonderful working ... more
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VOX 2009 AC15 CC1X AC15 with Vox Celestion Alnico Blue,  Excellent

VOX 2009 AC15 CC1X AC15 with Vox Celestion Alnico Blue, Excellent

London, E8***, UNITED KINGDOM

£815


VOX AC15 Custom Classic One X. Vox Celestion Blue Alnico 8 Ohm 15W speaker factory installed. https: / / www voxshowroom com / uk / amp / ac15cc1hood html
Original footswitch. Ruby Tubes Reverb Tank 12AX7's Sovtek + Ruby Tubes balanced pair of matched JJ's EL84's. Excellent reverb tank, better than that inside the later C1. It has the same C1 diode based rectifier simulation DC heaters and a heavier speaker cable into one of two external sockets. The footswitchable Tremelo and Reverb ... more
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Set of 4x Gold Vox JMI spec Castors  /  wheels 1960s Ac30 Ac50 Ac100 superbeatle

Set of 4x Gold Vox JMI spec Castors / wheels 1960's Ac30 Ac50 Ac100 superbeatle

London, E7***, UNITED KINGDOM

£195

Set of x4 mid sixties Vox JMI spec super Beatle 4x12 frame castors
these were used on all the Vox chrome frames in the mid sixties so the ac50, ac100 trolley assemblies etc etc
Fully functional pop in castors, the sale includes the aluminium castor inserts!
gold dust if your vintage chrome trolley is missing it??s wheels!
These can of course be used / installed on other cabinets, directly into the wood so to speak - all you will need is a drill and a hammer!
Anything else just... more
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Find more vintage Vox guitar amps for sale at vintageguitarsforsale.co

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1971 Selmer guitar catalogue

1971 Selmer guitar catalogueScan of 1971 Selmer guitar catalogue showing the range of electric and acoustic guitars distributed by the company: guitars by Gibson, Yamaha, Selmer, Hofner and Suzuki. 1960s Selmer had always placed Hofner at the front end of their catalogues, no doubt these were the better sellers - but into the 1970s Hofner were slipping somewhat and only appear at the tail end of this publication, pride of place going to Gibson, and to a lesser extent Yamaha. In fact this is the last Selmer catalogue to include the many Hofner hollow bodies (Committee, President, Senator etc) that had defined the companies output for so many years - to be replaced in the 1972 catalogue by generic solid body 'copies' of Gibson and Fender models. A number of new Gibson models are included for the first time: the SG-100 and SG-200 six string guitars and the SB-300 and SB-400 basses.

1968 Selmer guitar catalogue

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1961 Hofner Colorama I

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1971 Commodore N25 (Matsumoku)

1971 Commodore N25 (Matsumoku)Commodore was a brand applied to a series of guitars produced in Japan at the well-respected Matsumoku plant from the late 1960s to the mid 1970s - and sold primarily (perhaps exclusively?) in the United Kingdom. The models bearing the Commodore name were all guitars available from different distributors with different branding. Although there may have been some minor changes in appointments (specifically headstock branding) most had the same basic bodies, hardware and construction. Equivalent models to the Commodore N25 (and this is by no means an exhaustive list) include the Aria 5102T, Conrad 5102T(?), Electra 2221, Lyle 5102T, Ventura V-1001, Univox Coily - and most famously the Epiphone 5102T / Epiphone EA-250.

1960 Hofner Colorama II

1960 Hofner Colorama IIThe Hofner Colorama was the name given by Selmer to a series of solid (and semi-solid) body Hofner guitars distributed in the United Kingdom between 1958 and 1965. The Colorama name actually applied to some quite different guitars over the period, but in 1960 it was a very light, semi-solid, set necked guitar with one (Colorama I) or two (Colorama II, as seen here) Toaster pickups. Although an entry-level guitar, it was very well-built, and a fine playing guitar; certainly a step up (at least in terms of craftsmanship) from many of the Colorama guitars that would follow, and a good deal of the guitars available in Britain circa 1960.

1971 Epiphone 1820 bass (ET-280)

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1981 Gibson Marauder

1981 Gibson MarauderProduction of Bill Lawrence's Gibson Marauder began in 1974, with production peaking in 1978. But by 1980 the model was officially discontinued, though very small numbers slipped out as late as spring 1981. Over 7000 examples shipped between 1974 and 1979, and although no totals are available for 1980 and 1981, it is unlikely production reached three figures in either of these years. These final Marauders were all assembled at the Gibson Nashville plant, and had some nice features not available through the later years of production, such as a rosewood fretboard, and in this case, an opaque 'Devil Red' finish. It's a great looking and fine playing guitar!

1971 'Pick Epiphone' Catalog

1971 Pick Epiphone catalogWhen Epiphone production moved from Kalamazoo to the Matsumoku plant in Japan, a whole new range of electric, flattop and classic acoustic guitars was launched. Between late 1970 and 1972 the new models were launched and refined. This 'folder' catalog contains various inserts released over these years detailing four electric six-strings (ET-270, ET-275, ET-278, and thinline EA-250), three bass guitars (ET-280, ET-285, and thinline EA-260), three folk/steel acoustics, four jumbo flattop acoustics, two 12-string jumbos, four classic acoustics, and a banjo.

1981 'Gibson Specials' Pre-Owners Manual

1981 Gibson Specials Pre-Owners Manual'Gibson Specials' was part of the June 1981 pre-owners manual series, but unlike the other folders contained a mish-mash of different guitars: limited editions, test marketing and close outs. "You will find the unusual, the brand-new, and the bargain within this folder". End of line 70s guitars like the Marauder, S-1, and L-6S Custom mixed in with brand new models the The V, The Explorer and the Flying V Bass.
It was the largest folder in the series, with 24 inserts, (19 guitars and 5 basses): Guitars: 335-S Standard, Melody Maker Double, Marauder, L-6S Custom, S-1, RD Artist, Firebird, Firebird II, Flying V, Flying V-II, The V, Explorer, Explorer II, The Explorer, The "SG" Standard, Les Paul Artist, Les Paul Artisan, ES-335 Heritage, ES-175/CC Basses: Grabber, G-3, L-9S, RD Artist Bass, Flying V Bass

1970s Shaftesbury 3263 bass

1970s Shaftesbury 3263 bassRose-Morris were selling Shaftesbury-branded Rickenbacker copy instruments from the late 1960s right through the 1970s. The 3263 bass was one of the first models, (alongside the 3261 six string and 3262 twelve string) available from late 1968 until about 1974. The earliest incarnation was a set neck bass, produced very briefly in Japan. But production quickly moved to Italy. This bolt-on neck example was built by Eko, in Recanati, using the same hardware and pickups as fitted to Eko, and Vox basses built around the same time. It's certainly a fine looking bass, and not a bad player either.

1961 Hohner Zambesi

1961 Hohner ZambesiThis very early, and pretty rare British-built guitar is branded Hohner London. Hohner were, of course, a German company, better known for their harmonicas and accordions, but they were keenly expanding into guitars at the birth of the 1960s. This model, along with the Hohner Amazon and (particularly) the Hohner Holborn, bear some similarity with Vox guitars of the same period; furniture manufacturer Stuart Darkins constructed bodies and necks for both brands, with Fenton Weill assembling them using their hardware and pickups. These guitars do have some hardware peculiarities, and they are not the most adjustable of instruments, but they actually play very nicely, being solidly built out of some very nice woods. Check out the video on this page.

1963 Vox Super Ace

1963 Vox Super AceThe Vox Super Ace was a mid-priced British solid body electric guitar, produced by JMI at their factory in Dartford, Kent. It was broadly modelled on the Fender Stratocaster, and a sibling model to the dual-pickup Vox Ace. Both the Ace, and Super Ace (along with several other models), were redesigned in 1963 with a new body shape, headstock style, and pickup layout - only increasing the resemblance to the aforementioned Fender. The Super Ace had a 1963 price tag of £47 5S. It's a pretty nice playing guitar with some lovely sounds - check out the videos on this page, and in the Vintage Guitar and Bass supporting members area

1966 Vox New Escort

1966 Vox New EscortThe Vox New Escort was Vox's version of the Fender Telecaster, at a time when American guitars were out of reach for most British musicians. It was made by JMI in England, for the British market, and unlike the majority of other models, didn't have an Italian-made equivalent. But the New Escort wasn't a slavish Fender copy, adding Vox's stylish teardrop headstock to the tele-style body, with a stop tailpiece and two Vox V2 single coil pickups. And it's a pretty substantial, and nice playing guitar, with a very comfortable neck. Check out the images, specifications, and watch a video of it in action. There is also extra content in the vintageguitarandbass supporting members area.

1969 Fender catalog, Fender Lovin' Care

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1973 Eko Ranger Folk

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1966 Vox Symphonic bass guitar

1966 Vox Symphonic bass guitarThe Symphonic bass was built in the UK, by Vox parent company JMI. It was the Vox equivalent to the Fender Precision bass, and was one of the most expensive Vox guitars produced. It was actually a great playing bass, rather similar to the Precision in feel and sound, but was probably just too expensive compared to an actual Fender and consequently sold poorly. When Vox hit financial problems in 1968, unsold guitars and basses were passed on to Dallas Arbiter, who briefly sold the excess Symphonic bass stock as model 4537. This bass, although with a neck date of February 1966, was most likely one of the unsold Vox guitars sold on by Dallas Arbiter. Check out the bass, and the two video demos through 1960s Ampeg and WEM amplifiers.

1968 Shaftesbury 'Electric Guitars' catalog

1968 Shaftesbury catalogThe 1968 Shaftesbury 'Electric Guitars' catalog was just four pages long, and contained four guitar models: the six string Barney Kessel-style 3264; and three Rickenbacker-styled semi-acoustic models: the six-string 3261, the twelve string 3262 and the 3263 bass. Shaftesbury was the house-brand of major UK distributor Rose-Morris, and seems to have been launched as a response to the company's loss of it's distribution deal with Rickenbacker. The guitars were mid-priced, and built in (initially) Japan, and later Italy, by Eko

1970 Rose-Morris 'Exciting Electrics Wonderful Westerns Celebrated Classics' catalog

1970 Rose_Morris catalog1970 Rose-Morris catalog, dated April 1970. It featured 6 electric guitars, 32 acoustic guitars, 3 basses and 1 steel guitar. It contains the following instruments, over 20 pages: Electric guitars: Shaftesbury 3261, 3262, 3264, 3265, 3400; Top Twenty 1970; Bass: Shaftesbury 3263, 3266; Top Twenty 1971; Acoustic guitars: Eko Rio Bravo, Rio Bravo 12, Ranchero, Ranchero 12, Colorado, Ranger, Ranger Folk, Ranger 12; Aria 1674, 1675, 1676, 1679, 1680, 1695, 'John Pearse' Jumbo, 'John Pearse' Folk; Rose-Morris 15-11, Kansas, Georgian, Florida; Suzuki 1663, 1664, 1665, 3054, 3055, 3060; Tatay 1713, 1714, 1715; Peerless 3052; Steel guitar: Aria 3425

1971 Rose-Morris 'Exciting Electrics Wonderful Westerns' catalog

1971 Rose_Morris catalogThe sixteen-page 1971 Rose-Morris catalog featured electric guitars by Rose-Morris' own brand, Shaftesbury, and budget brand Top Twenty; aswell as acoustics by Eko, Aria, and for the first time Ovation. The catalog contains the following instruments: Electric guitars: Shaftesbury 3261, 3264, 3265, 3400, 3402; Top Twenty 1970; Bass: Shaftesbury 3263, 3266; Top Twenty 1971; Acoustic guitars: Ovation: Balladeer, 12 String, Glen Campbell, Glen Campbell 12 string; Eko Rio Bravo, Rio Bravo 12, Ranger, Ranger Folk, Ranger 12, Colorado, Ranchero, Ranchero 12, Studio 'L'; Rose-Morris Florida; Aria 'John Pearse' Jumbo, 'John Pearse' Folk

1972 Fender Precision bass

1972 Fender PrecisionA detailed look at an early 1970s Fender Precision bass guitar in custom black finish, with rosewood fretboard. 1972 list price, $307.50. The Fender Precision had been shipping since at least very early 1952 - with just one re-design circa 1957. This example, then, shows a model already two decades old, but barely changed since the '57 revamp. Fender got it right first time around, and although there are numerous minor cosmetic differences, the essence of this bass is effectively the same as it was in '52: a simple, single pickup instrument with a GREAT sound. Check out the demo video through an old Ampeg B15. It's no wonder this is the bass that everybody wants!

1967 Vox Stroller

1967 Vox StrollerThe Vox Stroller was the brand's entry level electric solid body guitar, fitted with just one pickup and a fixed tailpiece. Although aimed at student guitarists, it wasn't a terrible instrument, but did lack somewhat in adjustability, having no accessible truss rod and only a floating rosewood bridge. But this example is actually quite an improvement on earlier versions, with a standard 1/4" jack and a solid mahogany body. 1967 price £18 2s. JMI ceased UK guitar production in late '67, and combined with decreasing demand for the Stroller, this surely must be one of the last examples shipped.

1963 Vox Clubman Bass (left handed)

1963 Vox Clubman Bass left handedA nice example of the Vox Clubman II bass, built by JMI in Dartford, Kent in 1963. This is a lightweight bass, short (30") scale and very easy to play. It is an early example, and as such has a thin black scratchplate and side mounted, coaxial output jack. JMI offered left handed examples of their solid body Vox guitars and basses at 10% premium. Production numbers are unclear, but left-handed examples rarely come up for sale

1977 Gibson ES Artist 'prototype'

1977 Gibson ES Artist prototypeNot to be confused with the Gibson ES Artist launched by Gibson in 1979; this ES Artist was an early model designed by the Gibson research and development team in Kalamazoo in 1977, the instruments themselves constructed by Gibson artist Chuck Burge. It was planned for launch as a high end semi acoustic with 335-style construction (central maple block) and innovative circuitry - but was pulled at the last minute, being deemed too expensive. Apparently, several examples were produced with varying specifications, though exactly how many actually left the Kalamazoo plant is unclear. Certainly two guitars were sold to LaVonne Music by Gibson in around 1980. Read more about the development of this guitar, with details from Chuck Burge and the story of it's sale to LaVonne music

1959 Hofner Committee

1959 Hofner CommitteeThe Hofner Committee was a truly beautiful guitar produced in Germany, primarily for the UK market. It was a large bodied (initially 17 1/2") guitar with a carved spruce top, available as an acoustic or electric guitar. By the early sixties the carved top was replaced with a laminate, and although still a very fine guitar, the earlier carved top examples, with frondose headstock (like the example shown here) are far more highly prized amongst musicians and vintage guitar collectors.

1965 Gretsch Chet Atkins Tennessean

1965 Gretsch Chet Atkins TennesseanThe Gretsch Chet Atkins Tennessean, or model 6119 was Gretsch's best selling hollow body of the 1960s. This wonderfully faded example from 1965 was originally Dark Cherry Red, but has turned a mid-orange brown. The original color, however, can be seen underneath the pickup surrounds. 1965 specs: maple body, two-piece neck, Brazilian rosewood fretboard and Hi-Lo 'Tron single coil pickups. Nickel plated Gretsch Bigsby tailpiece.

1965 Gretsch 'For the Spectacular Sound of the Times' guitar and amp catalog

1965 Gretsch catalogThe 1965 Gretsch catalog, or catalog #32, featured 10 hollow body electric guitars, including the newly launched Gretsch Viking; four solid body electrics, including the Astro Jet - making it's only catalog appearance; just one bass, the single pickup PX6070; nine acoustics and 12 tube amplifiers. Pride of place went to the Chet Atkins Country Gentleman that adorned both the front and back covers. 24 pages, six of which are in full color.

Guitar Repair: fixing fret buzz and sharp fret ends

Guitar Repair: fixing fret buzz and sharp fret endsLoose frets are especially problematic in certain old guitars, but are generally very easy to fix. You'll be amazed at the difference you can make with just a few tools, a bit of knowledge, and a little time. Fixing loose frets can eliminate fret buzz, remove sharp fret ends, and greatly improve the tone of any guitar. If your luthier bill will be greater than the value of your guitar, definitely time to have a go yourself!

1966 Hagstrom 'worlds fastest playing neck' catalog (Merson USA)

1966 Hagstrom guitar catalogHagstrom guitars were distributed in the mid-1960s United States by Merson of USA. This eight page 'worlds fastest playing neck' catalog, printed in two-colors contained six solid body electrics, three solid body basses, two electric acoustic guitars, two electric acoustic basses and five acoustics.

1965 Hofner President

1965 Hofner PresidentThe President was produced by Hofner in Bubenreuth, Germany, specifically for Selmer, who distributed the brand in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and other commonwealth nations. The President was a hollow body electric acoustic, available as a full body or thinline, and with blonde or brunette finish. It was a great playing guitar that sold fairly well in the second half of the 1950s, throughout the 1960s, and into the very early 1970s. The example shown here is a full-body depth guitar in blonde - and as a 1965 guitar, one of the last to feature the rounded Venetian cutaway. From late 1965 until 1972, the President sported a sharp Florentine cut. Naturally, such an electric acoustic suggests jazz and blues, but many of the original British Hofner President players were part of the rock 'n roll, skiffle and beat scenes of the late 50s and early 60s.

1963 1964 Fender catalog

Fender 1963 catalogue"The Choice of Professional and Student Musicians Everywhere" This eight page catalogue was included as an insert in the 1963 annual "school music" issue of Downbeat magazine (September 1963). As well as keyboards and pedal steels, this catalog contains seven guitars, three basses and ten amplifiers - from student guitars such as the Musicmaster and Duotone to professional models like the new Jaguar.