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GIBSON | CATALOGS | 1962 | PAGE 3

"In the Gibson Galaxy of Stars"

1962 Gibson guitars and amplifiers catalog page 3

Gibson 1962 guitar and amplifier catalogue. Page 3. Gibson Galaxy of Stars - Tal Farlow, Kenny Burrell, Mundell Lowe, Jim Hall and Herb Ellis

Fine guitarists demand fine instruments... that's why there are so many stars in the Gibson Galaxy, why so many fine musicians everywhere choose Gibson. They appreciate Gibson tonal perfection, superb response, and ease of playing - so fast and low and light. They appreciate, too, the beauty of their instruments. Top performers in the guitar world are shown throughout this book - they're Gibson artists all!

1962 Gibson electric guitars and amplifiers catalog, page 3
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1961 Gibson Les Paul / SG Custom original WHITE with Sideways Vibrola

1961 Gibson Les Paul / SG Custom original WHITE with Sideways Vibrola

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

$31900


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Olivia's Vintage would like to present this 1961 Gibson Les Paul (SG) Custom in its original White finish with gold hardware and a factory sideways Vibrola. It has a great playing neck with very worn frets, but still playable. It's all original with the exception of one volume knob. It's also 100% complete along with its original hardshell case. This original Les Paul Custom looks great with lots of minor nicks + dings (most have been touched-up with white... more
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original 1962 Gibson ES-330 Sunburst

original 1962 Gibson ES-330 Sunburst

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

$8190


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Olivia's Vintage would like to present this 1962 Gibson ES-330 in its original Sunburst finish. It has a great playing neck with good frets. It's all original and 100% complete. The pictured period correct Gibson hardshell case is included, but it housed a guitar with a Bigsby at one time. This ES-330 is in great condition with only some minor nicks + dings, finish checking and other cosmetic wear. The guitar itself remains structurally sound with no ... more
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1963 Gibson SG Les Paul Standard vintage guitar

1963 Gibson SG Les Paul Standard vintage guitar

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

$21500

1963 Gibson SG Les Paul Standard, Cherry Red, Sideways Vibrola, Two mighty soundingearly patent sticker humbuckers which are virtually the same as PAF??s, Fastplaying neck, Resonant sounding acoustically, Super cool, VG+, Nice Original hardcase... more
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Vintage! 1963 Gibson ES-345TD Stereo Varitone Cherry Red  All Original! + OHSC

Vintage! 1963 Gibson ES-345TD Stereo Varitone Cherry Red All Original! + OHSC

Thousand Oaks, California, 913**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$25995



Vintage! 1963 Gibson ES-345TD Stereo Varitone Cherry Red All Original! + OHSC

Google us! Lovies Guitar Shop
Lovies Guitars is excited to offer up this 1963 Gibson ES-345TD Stereo Varitone with a Cherry Red Finish! The Gibson ES-345 TD was launched in 1959, and first demonstrated at the summer trade shows of that year - along with the Gibson ES-355 stereo varitone. These models came one year after the successful launch of the Gibson ES-335 and Gibson ES-355 models. All of ... more
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1961 Gibson J45

1961 Gibson J45

Lexington, South Carolina, 290**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$5559

1961 Gibson J45 ADJ Acoustic GuitarĀ 
Cherry Sunburst Excellent Condition
... more
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1961 Gibson Les Paul SG Standard with Sideways Vibrola

1961 Gibson Les Paul SG Standard with Sideways Vibrola

Llano, Texas, 786**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$15500

pspanVintage 1961 Gibson Les Paul SG in original cherry finish with Sideways Vibrola, one-piece Honduran Mahogany body / neck, Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard, trapezoid inlays, and 60s slim neck profile make this a player??s dream.
The original "Patent Applied For" humbucking pickups were replaced with the nearly identical, 60s "Patent Number" T-Top pickups which sound incredible. The pickups have ??patent number?? stickers and L-tooling marks on the feet??all characteristic features of ... more
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2023 Epiphone Inspired by Gibson 1963 Firebird V Electric Guitar w /  Hard Case

2023 Epiphone Inspired by Gibson 1963 Firebird V Electric Guitar w / Hard Case

Forked River, New Jersey, 087**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$1480

Up for Sale Today:
2023 Epiphone 1963 Firebird V Electric Guitar
Ember Red
Right-handed
Guitar is in mint cosmetic condition.
Neck is straight with low action. No bowing
Tested and working properly
OEM hard case w / key is included
Please see pictures for more detail and feel free to ask any questions as we'd be happy to help
Comes exactly as pictured
Free Shipping within the contiguous USA
This item is for sale through eBay ONLY!
Please don't ask us to ... more
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Gibson GA-18 Explorer 14-Watt 1x10" Guitar Combo 1959 - 1961 - Tweed

Gibson GA-18 Explorer 14-Watt 1x10" Guitar Combo 1959 - 1961 - Tweed

Carrollton, Texas, 750**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$1500

Recently serviced,   original Jenson Speaker. It has the cool clean tone. Cool vintage amp. Local pickup only. I will NOT ship. I can't let it get destroyed In Shipping, we are a small Vintage guitar shop In North Dallas, stop by, cold beers in the fridge
... more
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Vintage Gibson 1963 SG Junior Polaris White with Case USA Jr Long Vibrola

Vintage Gibson 1963 SG Junior Polaris White with Case USA Jr Long Vibrola

Saint Cloud, Minnesota, 563**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$5999

Here is a beautiful looking, playing, and sounding vintage restored 1963 Gibson Junior! Refinished in an aged Polaris White. All parts are new and aged. I decided to go with the long vibrola instead of the short which these typically have if they don??t have the lightning stop bar bridge. I love the look of the the long vibrola on the more expensive SG Standard, so since I think a single P90 pickup guitar sounds better than a double humbucker guitar, this guitar got upgraded and got the long ... more
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Vintage 1963 Gibson Melody Maker electric guitar Cherry Red

Vintage 1963 Gibson Melody Maker electric guitar Cherry Red

Miami, Florida, 331**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$1999

1963 Gibson Melody Maker Serial No. 105434
This guitar is in good vintage condition, with some small dings and scratches as shown. Also one of the strings is missing
Color: Cherry Red
This Gibson Melody Maker Double Cut features a thin Mahogany slab body, Mahogany neck, and Rosewood fingerboard
The tuners were upgraded to Schallers "Made in W Germany" (see pics)
a stop-bar wraparound bridge / tailpiece, and electronics mounted entirely on the pickguard. The pickguard also had ... more
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1962 Gibson Super 400 Very Clean

1962 Gibson Super 400 Very Clean

Henderson, Nevada, 890**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$15000

OH MY MR GREEBER! The finest hand made masterpiece guitar by Gibson and best current investment in the guitar market! A work of art by Gibson's finest craftsmen and on sale THis Super 400 C is all original and in near mint condition.
WE SHIP WORLDWIDE. Contact us with your full address for a shipping quote
The shipping price includes full insurance. We only ship on Tuesdays and Saturdays We have a no fee discount
We buy guitars for top dollar
Experience:
AJ's Music and ... more
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ORIGINAL  1963 GIBSON  ES 345  /   FIREBIRD  GOLD  SILVER CAPPED  KNOBS  CLEAN!!!!

ORIGINAL 1963 GIBSON ES 345 / FIREBIRD GOLD SILVER CAPPED KNOBS CLEAN!!!!

Georgia, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$349

beautiful original clean 1963 gibson es 345 / firebird gold silver capped knobs - very clean original condition - print on the caps look sharp with very light patina - they fit a few other models from that era also - THE PRICE IS RIGHT!!!! - the buyer will be extremely happy that i guarantee
... more
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Vintage! 1962 Gibson Barney Kessel Custom Archtop Guitar Cherry Sunburst + OHSC

Vintage! 1962 Gibson Barney Kessel Custom Archtop Guitar Cherry Sunburst + OHSC

Thousand Oaks, California, 913**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$9995



Vintage! 1962 Gibson Barney Kessel Custom Archtop Guitar Cherry Sunburst + OHSC

Google us! Lovies Guitar Shop
Lovies Guitars is excited to offer up this 1962 Gibson Barney Kessel Custom Archtop Hollowbody Electric Guitar with a Cherry Sunburst Finish! One of the coolest artist model guitars to come out of Gibson's Golden Era is undoubtedly the Barney Kessel model. This large hollowbody electric with twin "florentine" cutaways has a commanding stage presence and unique ... more
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1962 Gibson Barney Kessel Regular Archtop Guitar Cherry Sunburst + OHSC

1962 Gibson Barney Kessel Regular Archtop Guitar Cherry Sunburst + OHSC

Lake Stevens, Washington, 982**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$9500

1962 Gibson Barney Kessel. This one sports a set of original pickups (early patent numbers wit Pre T-top bobbins with nickel covers??same as short magnet PAFs)



Buyer beware: there are a few other early 1960s Barney Kessels for sale right now that don??t have original pickups and the buyers are not clearly disclosing this. As is so often the case, ask and verify before you buy



This is a Jazz guitar, but as you can see from the video demo it ... more
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1961 Gibson ES-355 Stereo Varitone Cherry w /  70s T-top pickups

1961 Gibson ES-355 Stereo Varitone Cherry w / '70's T-top pickups

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

$21900


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Olivia's Vintage would like to present this 1961 Gibson ES-355 Stereo Varitone in its original Cherry finish and factory Bigsby. It has a great playing neck with good frets. It's all original with the exception of the '70's Gibson "T-top" humbuckers of which one has dual leads. It's also 100% complete along with its original hardshell case. It's in great condition with nicks + dings, some finish checking and other cosmetic wear including some slight ... more
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Gibson 1962 ES-125 Hollowbody Guitar Sunburst w /  Case "Good Condition"

Gibson 1962 ES-125 Hollowbody Guitar Sunburst w / Case "Good Condition"

La Plata, Maryland, 206**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$3500

Body Material: Maple
Inlays: Dot
Number of Frets: 20
Scale Length: 24 75 inches
Nut Width: 1 688 inches
Neck Material: Mahogany
Fretboard Material: Rosewood
Finish / Color: Sunburst
Bridge Pickup: P-90
Neck Pickup: P-90
Case: Hardshell
Serial #: 536227
Weight: 6 lbs 6 oz
Each scale varies in accuracy. The weight of the guitar in questions may vary + / - 5oz from our scale to yours. This weight differential does not warrant a return of the item. Please ... more
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1963 Gibson ES-125 TDC

1963 Gibson ES-125 TDC

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

$4995

1963 Gibson ES-125 TDC, Two P-90??s, Cutaway, Sunburst Finish, Thin Body, Wide nut, Sweet guitar, Clean condition, EC, Red plush lined semihard case
... more
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1961 Gibson ES-335TDC Cherry Red w / OHSC

1961 Gibson ES-335TDC Cherry Red w / OHSC

San Diego, California, 921**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$54995

1961 Gibson ES-335TDC Cherry Red w / OHSC
This Guitars Is Located At IVG Sherman Oaks
The Instrument Is In Very Good Overall Condition (Please See Photos)
Original Cherry Red Finish Shows Slight Fading, Checking And Medium Cosmetic Playwear Throughout As Shown
Made In Kalamazoo, MI
Laminate Maple Semi-Hollow Body
Mahogany Neck With Bound Brazilian Rosewood Fingerboard And Dot Inlays
Neck Shows Some Moderate Playwear On Back (As Shown)
... more
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1961 Gibson Melody Maker Sunburst w /  Hard Case

1961 Gibson Melody Maker Sunburst w / Hard Case

New York, 100**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$1699

Vintage orignal 1961 Gibson Melody Maker. A real nice players example
This one has been refinished so it's affordable
Original pickup is warm and screaming. Nice and strong
Neck has a real wide nut and feel just amazing. Frets are in good shape. Looks like the headstock and logo were redone as well as the dots on the neck. Re-issue tuners and wraparound bridge.
Light and resonant with no cracks or breaks.
This guitar rocks!
Comes with a good hard case ... more
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1963 Gibson Johnny Smith Double pickup 1 of 7 made its 1 of a kind & Minty !

1963 Gibson Johnny Smith Double pickup 1 of 7 made its 1 of a kind & Minty !

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

$16495

This is a really cool very early production 1963 Gibson Johnny Smith Double pickup model that??s just 1 of only 7 produced. It??s got a gorgeous Red / Brown Sunburst finish over a nice carved maple top & nicely figured back. Its beautiful feeling & playing 5 piece flamey maple neck feels fabulous. It??s got a bound Ebony fingerboard w / 3-piece block inlays & its long extended headstock that is so cool ! You get a killer variety of jazz tones thru its 2 floating mini humbucking ... more
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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

1973 Shaftesbury 3400 This example of the Shaftesbury 3400 was produced by Japanese manufacturer Matsumoku who made some great quality guitars in the 1970s and 1980s. This is a slightly later example, and has some features not seen on earlier 3400s. Although nice guitars, these are not in the same league as the Gibson Les Paul it was emulating (no set neck, no carved maple top); but they are far better than many of the entry-level Les Paul copies available in the mid-1970s - for example the Shaftesbury 3400 has gold plated hardware, a solid body bound front and back, Maxon brand humbuckers and nice inlaid neck and headstock.

1971 Epiphone 1802T

1971 Epiphone 1802T The Epiphone 1802T was the early name given to the Epiphone ET-270 and derived from an existing Aria guitar, also the 1802T. This was the first of the 1970s Epiphone solid bodies made in Japan by Matsumoku.The model evolved somewhat over its short production run: the very earliest examples were very similar to the Aria, sharing the same body shape, hardware, and clear-coated neck with Fender-style headstock with decal logo. By the time it was designated the Epiphone ET-270 it had been upgraded with the classic Epiphone-style headstock, with nice inlaid logo, and Epiphone 'E' motifs on the truss rod cover and scratchplate. This example from 1971 is somewhere in between with the Epiphone-style headstock, but with silk-screened logo, and no 'E's.

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