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GIBSON | CATALOGS | 1958 | PAGE 2

The frets heard 'round the world

1958 Gibson electric guitars and amplifiers catalog page 2

Gibson 1958 electric guitars and amplifiers catalog. page 2. The frets heard 'round the world

The making of fine stringed instruments has been developed to the point of artistry by Gibson. Craftsmen with many years of experience create products from carefully selected, seasoned woods, and all components are fashioned with meticulous attention to exacting details.
Fine guitar building requires skill. Integrity and patience, with particular emphasis on experience. Quality control inspectors constantly guard every operation to insure a standard of uniformity for each style and model. Gibson instruments are used by leading performers in orchestras, and by leading recording artists, yet the greatest number of instruments are played by amateur enthusiasts who take pride in owning the best. Every Gibson instrument is backed by a lifetime guarantee

1958 Gibson electric guitars and amplifiers catalog page 2
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1958 Vintage Spec Gibson PAF Humbuckers 1958 Les Paul Clone (Dickey Betts Year)

1958 Vintage Spec Gibson PAF Humbuckers 1958 Les Paul Clone (Dickey Betts Year)

Ramona, California, 920**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$60

? VINTAGE SPEC 1958 HUMBUCKER ?? THE ELIZABETH REED EDITION ?
Southern Expression. Singing Sustain. ??58 Burst Tone, Reborn
? INSPIRED BY DICKEY BETTS?? 1958 LES PAUL
If you??ve heard In Memory of Elizabeth Reed from Live at Fillmore East, you already know this tone
It??s not just sound??it??s storytelling. That soaring sustain, glassy articulation, and vocal phrasing came straight from Dickey??s ??58 Burst
We cloned that exact pickup formula
Same magnet ... more
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Vintage 1959 Gibson Les Paul Burst Knob Gold Bonnet 1958 Standard Knob Single 57

Vintage 1959 Gibson Les Paul Burst Knob Gold Bonnet 1958 Standard Knob Single 57

Chicago, Illinois, 606**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$95

Vintage Correct Parts is proud to offer, for your consideration,
A completely original and fantastic

A killer 1959 Vintage Gibson Les Paul "Burst" Gold Knob (single)
One correct knob for your 50's Les Paul Standard, Junior and many others!
Or make your vintage reissue R9 or replica "pop" with some REAL DEAL vintage plastic!
Get it back to stock, get it VINTAGE CORRECT
WE SHIP WORLDWIDE
... more
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1958 Gibson Les Paul  /  ES  Bonnet Knobs

1958 Gibson Les Paul / ES Bonnet Knobs

Encinitas, California, 920**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$525

For sale:

1957-60 Gibson Gold Bonnet knobs
Perfect for your ES or LP from the golden years
These come from a smoke free home and they are in fantastic condition 

... more
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Vintage 1958 Gibson Centralab Pot 250k Les Paul Junior Special ES-125 1960

Vintage 1958 Gibson Centralab Pot 250k Les Paul Junior Special ES-125 1960

Chicago, Illinois, 606**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$125

Vintage Correct Parts is proud to offer, for your consideration,
A fantastic and original
1958 Gibson / Centralab 250k tone pot
Excellent condition and vintage tone!
Date codes of 134852 (52nd week of 1958)
These 250k tone pots were used in P-90 guitars of the late 1950's / early 1960's. This is the correct tone pot for your Les Paul Junior, Special or ES-125
Correct for a host of vintage Gibsons !
Nothing sounds like these vintage pots
Also amazing when ... more
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1958 Gibson Single-Ring, Single-Line Kluson Tuners??L@@K

1958 Gibson Single-Ring, Single-Line Kluson Tuners??L@@K

Flushing, New York, 113**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$4000

Uncle Lou here, and you are admiring a rare set of 1956-1958 Gibson single-ring, single-line Kluson nickel plated tuners for Les Paul goldtops, Bursts, and other Gibson guitars of the era. These are in excellent condition and pretty tight, so they will sound great on your guitar. These obviously have the original un-shrunken tips and proper PAT. APPLD. designation underneath, plus the proper grommets & screws are included. YES, these are expensive AF, but ball-busters won??t qualify for ... more
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Vintage 1950s Gibson Strap Button - Cream Plastic 1958 1959 1960 ES-335 ES335

Vintage 1950's Gibson Strap Button - Cream Plastic 1958 1959 1960 ES-335 ES335

Chicago, Illinois, 606**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$95

Vintage Correct Parts is proud to offer, for your consideration,
A fantastic
(1) Vintage Gibson cream plastic strap button
Very rare single original cream buttons as found on the early issue (1958 and 1959) dot neck ES-335 models. Also seen from time to time on some archtops, melody makers, etc . Nice original condition with minimal wear.
WE SHIP WORLDWIDE... more
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Vintage 1959 Gibson Les Paul Burst Knobs Gold Bonnet 1958 Standard Knob Pair 57

Vintage 1959 Gibson Les Paul Burst Knobs Gold Bonnet 1958 Standard Knob Pair 57

Chicago, Illinois, 606**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$295

Vintage Correct Parts is proud to offer, for your consideration,
A completely original and fantastic

A killer set of 1959 Vintage Gibson Les Paul "Burst" Gold Knobs
These are KILLER and are THEE set for your 50's Les Paul Standard, Junior and many others!
Or make your vintage reissue R9 or replica "pop" with some REAL DEAL vintage plastic!
These are in fantastic shape - very little wear, no cracks, no chips, no dings or dents.
Get it back to stock, get it VINTAGE ... more
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1958 Gibson Les Paul Junior Jr. Electric Guitar Sunburst

1958 Gibson Les Paul Junior Jr. Electric Guitar Sunburst

Benicia, California, 945**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$12499

Experience the legendary sound of the 1958 Gibson Les Paul Junior Jr. Electric Guitar in Sunburst. With its iconic design and powerful tone, this guitar is perfect for any musician looking to elevate their sound. Don't just play music, make a statement with the Gibson Les Paul Junior Jr. Electric Guitar
Has a professional refret from decades ago by the previous owner. The knobs are not original. The strap buttons are not original. The nut has been replaced. No breaks or cracks or repairs. ... more
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Gibson Les Paul Double Cutaway 1958 TV Yellow

Gibson Les Paul Double Cutaway 1958 TV Yellow

Benicia, California, 945**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$17000

This is a 4 digit serial number Gibson Les Paul Double Cut in TV Yellow. The heel has been professionally repaired (common among older Double Cuts). It has had a fret job. Original TV yellow finish. One marker dot has been replaced. The guitar plays great up and down the neck. Minimal fret buzz on the upper registries. Original pickups, one pot has been replaced
If you're local to the SF Bay Area, feel free to stop by the shop and check it out in person!
... more
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21 Gibson Collectors Edition 1958 Flying V Explorer Korina Murphy Lab PROTOTYPE

21 Gibson Collector's Edition 1958 Flying V Explorer Korina Murphy Lab PROTOTYPE

Carbondale, Illinois, 629**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$98000


Add Me to Your Favorite Sellers
Olivia's Vintage would like to present this 2021 Gibson Murphy Lab Collector's Series 1958 Korina Flying V and Explorer set. These were the final prototypes chosen to reference during production of the entire numbered series. This is different from the "Production Sample" guitars that preceded the numbered series. The COAs are labeled "Prototype" and the hang tags label them as the "Golden Reference" approved by Mat Koehler to be used as the examples to ... more
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1958 Gibson ABR-1, Nickel Plated, INSANELY RARE THIN VARIANT??L@@K

1958 Gibson ABR-1, Nickel Plated, INSANELY RARE THIN VARIANT??L@@K

Flushing, New York, 113**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$5000

Uncle Lou here, and you are admiring a ?Unicorn??, basically one of the rarest guitar parts known to man; in my 45 years of collecting and dealing rare guitars and parts, this is only the second one of these I??ve ever seen??the other one was bent like a banana and cracked??completely useless. This is a ?Thin Variant?? Gibson ABR-1 in nickel, as used on the very first ES-335??s with the shallow neck angle. As if those guitars weren??t rare enough, the thin bridges couldn??t support the massive ... more
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1958-1960 Gibson Les Paul ES-335 Original Switch Tip

1958-1960 Gibson Les Paul ES-335 Original Switch Tip

Linwood, New Jersey, 082**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$995

1958-1960 Gibson Les Paul, ES-335 switch tip. We??ve been holding on to this one for 35 years, beautifully ambered color, no cracks, and 100% guaranteed original! If you need one, you know what you??re looking at! This one is as good as it gets! Free shipping!
... more
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Vintage 1959 Gibson Nickel Trapeze Tailpiece ES Thinline ES-225 ES-225TD 1958

Vintage 1959 Gibson Nickel Trapeze Tailpiece ES Thinline ES-225 ES-225TD 1958

Chicago, Illinois, 606**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$225

Vintage Correct Parts is proud to offer, for your consideration,
A fantastic and original

Vintage 1959 Gibson "trapeze" tailpiece
This vintage and rare original 50' Gibson trapeze tail is a RARE variant that was only used in 1958 and 1959 - usually on the ES-225td, in place of the then phased out long wraparound trapeze. This one is in fantastic condition and includes it's original mounting screws and strap button!
Don't let this one get away!!
WE SHIP WORLDWIDE... more
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Vintage 1959 Gibson Pickguard Les Paul Special Double Cut TV Yellow 1958 1960

Vintage 1959 Gibson Pickguard Les Paul Special Double Cut TV Yellow 1958 1960

Chicago, Illinois, 606**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$395

Vintage Correct Parts is proud to offer, for your consideration,
A completely original and fantastic
Vintage 1958 - 1961 Gibson Les Paul Special "DC" Pickguard
Very fine vintage "Double Cut" LP Special Guard
This one is in great shape with no cracks, no warping and a lovely patina from 60 years of use. Correct for that stunning 1958 thru about 1961 Les Paul Special, this is example is correct for your special that has the neck pickup flush with the fingerboard. Original ... more
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1958 Gibson Les Paul Junior

1958 Gibson Les Paul Junior

Loveland, Ohio, 451**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$12900

1958 Gibson Les Paul Junior, Hard to find early double cut Slabbody, Strong Cherry Red finish, Robust sounding P-90 pickup, Great feelingchunky neck, Light Weight at just 6 lbs 15 oz, Rings out! Lively guitar, VG++, NHSC
... more
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Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1958 Korina Explorer Aged Natural Wood Guitar

Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom 1958 Korina Explorer Aged Natural Wood Guitar

Fredericksburg, Virginia, 224**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$1700

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Gibson 1958 Les Paul RI

Gibson 1958 Les Paul RI

Encinitas, California, 920**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$3800

For sale is a very nice 58 RI Les Paul
Flamed out to the max with dbl white Red Rock 59 PAF??S. This thing is a beast. Sounds really good and plays fantastic. Really great neck profile and a great weight too (8 3)
No issues ready to go!
Thx for looking
... more
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1958 Gibson Les Paul Jr. very rare last of the original Single Cut burst Jrs !

1958 Gibson Les Paul Jr. very rare last of the original Single Cut 'burst Jr's !

Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 333**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$13495

This is a very cool & ultra rare final production year of the fabulous single cut Jr. body style. This is a 1958 Gibson Les Paul Junior in the beautiful Sunburst finish. Made in Kalamazoo, Michigan and originally intended as a student guitar, the 1958 Les Paul Junior model has since become a rock and roll classic. This one is all original in a 2-tone Tobacco Sunburst finish w / a full, fat 1 piece mahogany neck that is 1 & 11 / 16?? wide at the nut. It is in excellent shape overall &... more
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1958 Gibson ES-125 Vintage Hollowbody Guitar w /  P-90, Case

1958 Gibson ES-125 Vintage Hollowbody Guitar w / P-90, Case

Seattle, Washington, 981**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$3750

Up for sale, a 1958 Gibson ES-125 in excellent condition and in perfect working order, complete with a vintage chipboard case. This well-kept ES-125 is a golden-era Gibson, featuring a fully hollow body (16?? lower bout width) with arched maple top and back, mahogany rims, and a particularly dark Brazilian rosewood fingerboard
The fully hollow construction results in a clear, broad acoustic response with great natural projection and a smooth, punchy quality accentuated by the 12-52 flatwound... more
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Gibson L7c  L4 L5 pick guard Vintage Black 1953 to 1960 1958 / 59

Gibson L7c L4 L5 pick guard Vintage Black 1953 to 1960 1958 / 59

Elmwood Park, Illinois, 607**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$349

Vintage Gibson L7c and L4 Guitar pick guard, 8" in length 1958 / 59 1950's Very nice condition, Black.... more
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Find more Gibson guitars for sale at vintageguitarsforsale.co

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1973 Hagstrom Swede Bass

1973 Hagstrom Swede Bass The Hagstrom Swede bass, or model HB 903, was only built in small numbers: just 1479 basses shipped between 1971 and 1976. Unlike the current range of Hagstrom guitars, the 1950s-1980s Hagstroms were built in Sweden. This example comes from 1973 and is pretty typical: translucent cherry finish, mahogany body, mahogany neck with an ebony fretboard. It's a really nice bass, beautifully appointed with a very wide tonal range, and a great playing feel. It is relatively heavy though for a mahogany instrument, mostly due to its thick solid body. Very cool bass, and certainly one of the very best basses produced by Hagstrom.

1973 Shaftesbury 3400

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1971 Epiphone 1802T

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1971 Shaftesbury 3400

1971 Shaftesbury 3400Shaftesbury was a brand distributed by Rose-Morris in the UK - generally imported guitars from Italy or Japan. This guitar, model 3400 was produced by Matsumoku in Japan, and was one of the earliest Les Paul copy guitars, debuting in the UK in 1969, although the same guitar was also sold as the Univox U1982 'Rhythm and Blues' by Merson in the USA as early as 1968. It was also available in different territories under different marques, most obviously the Aria 5522 (Japan), Jedson Jet 4444 (UK, Dallas Arbiter), with no doubt many more examples worldwide.

1981 Gibson Victory MVX

1981 Gibson Victory MV-XThe Gibson Victory MV-X, or Victory 'Multi-Voice' 10, was so-named because of the 10 distinct switch settings: although on first glance this guitar is very much a 'super-strat', with its three-pickup 5-way switch wiring configuration, the original advertising, sounds like... all of 'em underlines that this isn't just a Stratocaster copy, having the sounds of both Gibson humbuckers and Fender single coils available with a flick of a switch. The model was short-lived, with the first instruments shipping from Kalamazoo in Summer of 1981, and the last (excluding any stragglers) leaving Nashville by early 1982. This one was stamped on August 3rd 1981 in Kalamazoo.

1970 Rosetti Epiphone guitar catalogue

1970 Rosetti Epiphone guitar catalogScan of 1970 Epiphone guitar catalogue produced by Rosetti for the UK market. Undated but most likely from mid-late 1970, this was the first UK catalogue to show the new range of Japanese (Matsumoku) Epiphone guitars. Interestingly, these pages show the Epiphone solid bodies with a single-sided Fender-style headstock layout - a feature quickly replaced with a typical two-sided Epiphone headstock almost immediately. Epiphone electric guitars: 9520, 9525; bass guitars: 9521, 9526; acoustic guitars: 6730, 6830, 6834

A World of Guitars by Rosetti - 1971

1971 A World of Guitars by Rosetti catalogueScan of 1971 Rosetti catalogue (UK) featuring guitars from from numerous manufacturers worldwide: guitars by Epiphone, Hagstrom, Levin, Hoyer, Egmond, Eros, Moridaira, Kiso-Suzuki, Schaller, and Tatra.

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

1968 Selmer guitar catalogueScan of 1968/1969 Selmer guitar catalogue (printed July 1968), showing the entire range of electric and acoustic guitars distributed by the company: guitars by Hofner, Gibson, Selmer and Giannini. Selmer were the exclusive United Kingdom distributors of Hofner and Gibson at the time, and this catalogue contains a total of 18 electric guitars, 7 bass guitars, 37 acoustics, and 2 Hawaiian guitars - all produced outside the UK and imported by Selmer, with UK prices included in guineas. This catalogue saw the (re-)introduction of the late sixties Gibson Les Paul Custom and Les Paul Standard (see page 69) and the short-lived Hofner Club 70. Other electric models include: HOFNER ELECTRICS: Committee, Verithin 66, Ambassador, President, Senator, Galaxie, HOFNER BASSES: Violin bass, Verithin bass, Senator bass, Professional bass GIBSON ELECTRICS: Barney Kessel, ES-330TD, ES-335TD, ES-345TD, ES-175D, ES-125CD, SG Standard, SG Junior, SG Special GIBSON BASSES: EB-0, EB-2, EB-3 - plus a LOT of acoustics branded Gibson, Hofner, Selmer and Giannini

1961 Hofner Colorama I

1961 Hofner Colorama IHofner Colorama was the name UK distributor Selmer gave to a series of solid and semi-solid guitars built by Hofner for distribution in the UK. The construction and specifications of the guitars varied over the period of production, but by 1961 it was a totally solid, double cutaway instrument, with a set neck, translucent cherry finish, six-in-a-row headstock, and Hofner Diamond logo pickups. Available as a single or dual pickup guitar, this sngle pickup version would have been sold in mainland Europe as the Hofner 161.

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)

1971 Epiphone 1820 (ET-280) bassBy the end of the 1960s, a decision had been made to move Epiphone guitar production from the USA (at the Kalamazoo plant where Gibson guitars were made), to Matsumoto in Japan, creating a line of guitars and basses significantly less expensive than the USA-built models (actually less than half the price). The Matsumoku factory had been producing guitars for export for some time, but the 1820 bass (alongside a number of guitar models and the 5120 electric acoustic bass) were the first Epiphone models to be made there. These new Epiphones were based on existing Matsumoku guitars, sharing body shapes, and hardware, but the Epiphone line was somewhat upgraded, with inlaid logos and a 2x2 peghead configuration. Over the course of the 70s, the Japanese output improved dramatically, and in many ways these early 70s models are a low point for the brand. Having said this, there are a lot worse guitars out there, and as well as being historically important, the 1820 bass can certainly provide the goods when required.

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 bass Rose-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 Zambesi This 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 Ace The 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 Escort The 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

1969 Fender catalog, Fender Lovin Care Catalog scan. The 1969 Fender Lovin' Care catalog consisted of 48 pages of electric guitars, basses, amplifiers, steel guitars, acoustic guitars, banjos and keyboards. Like the previous catalog, this featured the company's guitars in a variety of interesting settings around California, from the Whiskey-A-Go-Go, to the Hollywood Bowl. Several instruments were making their first appearance amongst it's pages: the Telecaster bass, Montego and LTD jazz guitars, and the Redondo acoustic. It was the final catalog appearance, however, of the Electric XII, Bass V, Duo-Sonic, Coronado I and Coronado Bass I.

1973 Eko Ranger Folk

1973 Eko Ranger Folk The Eko Ranger series of guitars was incredibly popular in the second half of the 1960s and through the 1970s, selling in very large numbers. The Ranger Folk was 1 1/4" smaller, and 1" shallower than the Ranger VI and XII - and with a narrower waist. Not a bad guitar; a little quiet, but pretty playable. These were great value in 1973, and because they sold so many, they are easy to find and excellent value today.

1966 Vox Symphonic bass guitar

1966 Vox Symphonic bass guitar The 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