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GIBSON | CATALOGS | 1970 GIBSON ELECTRIC ACOUSTICS

1970 Gibson Electric Acoustics catalog

Twelve page catalogue of Gibsons electric acoustic range

1970 Gibson Electric Acoustic catalog cover
1970 Gibson Electric Acoustic catalog page 1 - Gibson Citation
1970 Gibson Electric Acoustic catalog page 2 - Gibson Johnny Smith
1970 Gibson Electric Acoustic catalog page 3 - Gibson Trini Lopez Deluxe
1970 Gibson Electric Acoustic catalog page 4 - Gibson Trini Lopez Standard
1970 Gibson Electric Acoustic catalog page 5 - Gibson Barney Kessel
1970 Gibson Electric Acoustic catalog page 6 - Gibson Super 400-CES
1970 Gibson Electric Acoustic catalog page 7 - Gibson L5-CES
1970 Gibson Electric Acoustic catalog page 8 - Gibson ES-175D
1970 Gibson Electric Acoustic catalog page 9 - Gibson ES-150 DC
1970 Gibson Electric Acoustic catalog page 10 - Gibson ES-125CD
1970 Gibson Electric Acoustic catalog page 11 - back cover
1970 Gibson Electric Acoustic catalog page 12

1970 Gibson Electric Acoustics catalogue

The Gibson electric acoustics catalogue of 1970 shows a number of full-bodied instruments, as well as the thin-line Trini Lopez Standard. These high end jazz guitars were the pinnacle of Gibson's guitar building efforts. But as the 60s turned into the 70s, sales dropped and a number of these guitars were discontinued. This was the final catalogue appearance of the Trini Lopez and Barney Kessel artist guitars, but the first inclusion of the very fine Gibson Citation (actually the very finest guitar Gibson ever built) and the ES-150DC.

Guitars:
Citation
Johnny Smith
Trini Lopez Deluxe
Trini Lopez Standard
Barney Kessel
Super 400-CES
L-5CES
ES-175D
ES-150DC
ES-125CD

The 1970 Gibson catalogue consisted of 12 separate brochures, all the same size, and basic design, each concentrating on a specific segment of Gibson's product range. This was the first time the Gibson catalogue had been split into so many sections.


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Gibson archtop guitars for sale

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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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1968 Gibson ES-175 D Vintage Archtop Electric Guitar Sunburst w /  Pat # Pickups

1968 Gibson ES-175 D Vintage Archtop Electric Guitar Sunburst w / Pat # Pickups

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

$7500

Up for sale, a 1968 Gibson ES-175D in exceptional condition and in perfect working order, complete with a hardshell case. A clean vintage example, this ES-175 boasts its original "patent sticker" humbuckers, delivering a detailed and dynamic range of tones. Acoustically, the fully hollow maple body delivers a big, open sound with both the immediate attack and clarity of maple, and an airy, smooth quality befitting the hollowbody construction. These patent sticker humbuckers both meter in the mid... more
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1962 Gibson ES-175 D

1962 Gibson ES-175 D

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

$12995

1962 Gibson ES-175 D, Two great sounding PAF pickups, TobaccoSunburst finish, 1 & 11 / 16 inches wide at the nut, Kluson tuners, Zig Zagtailpiece, Plays beautifully with nice low action, Excellent condition, NewerGibson hard shell case
... more
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1976 Gibson ES-175D

1976 Gibson ES-175D

Nashville, Tennessee, 372**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$4800

Here's an old es-175D from 1976. Natural color with lots of character. Structurally sound with lots of wear. This thing has been played hard. Will send videos if requested. Featuring a fully-hollow body, a sharp Florentine cutaway the ES-175D stands out as one of the all-time classic and iconic Jazz guitar. This example is no exception. It has a beautiful natural finished top, back, and sides with dual humbuckers that compliment the fully hollow build, giving it the perfect sound. This 1976... more
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Vintage 1950s Gibson Rosewood Archtop Bridge and Base - L-5ces, Super 400 ES175

Vintage 1950's Gibson Rosewood Archtop Bridge and Base - L-5ces, Super 400 ES175

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

$495

Vintage Correct Parts is proud to offer, for your consideration,
A completely original and fantastic
Vintage Gibson 1950's thru 1960's Rosewood Archtop Bridge
This original Brazilian rosewood bridge and base is in fantastic original condition
Correct for the L-5CES, Byrdland, Super 400, ES-175 and any other Gibson arch tops from this era. The tone on these is INCREDIBLE! They don't make them like this anymore.
Perfect for the restoration of your vintage Gibson OR dress up... more
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Vintage! 1974 Gibson Super 400 CES Archtop Hollowbody Guitar Wine Red + OHSC

Vintage! 1974 Gibson Super 400 CES Archtop Hollowbody Guitar Wine Red + OHSC

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

$9995



Vintage! 1974 Gibson Super 400 CES Archtop Hollowbody Guitar Wine Red + OHSC

Google us! Lovies Guitar Shop
Lovies Guitars is excited to offer up this 1974 Gibson Super 400 CES Archtop Hollowbody Electric Guitar with a Wine Red Finish! The Gibson Super 400 was launched in 1934 as the biggest and highest-end archtop of the Gibson line. The electric Super 400 CES followed in 1951 and remained Gibson's flagship archtop guitar for decades. There have been several variations and ... more
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Gibson Vintage Barney Kessel Hang Tag Card 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1960s

Gibson Vintage Barney Kessel Hang Tag Card 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1960's

Petaluma, California, 949**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$129



* Vintage Gibson Barney Kessel Hang Tag **
Very Good ConditionSee PhotosShipping Lower 48 $12 00We Ship Worldwide091524... more
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1970 Gibson Super 400 CESN

1970 Gibson Super 400 CESN

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

$12995

1970 Gibson Super 400 CESN, Blonde finish, Top of the line guitar with carved spruce top, Gold hardware, Ebony fingerboard with split block pearl inlays, No volute, Says made in USA, No dot over the I, Orange label, Attractive Maple back and sides, Carved bridge with abalone inlays, Plays and performs beautifully, EC+, Original hard case
... more
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1967 Gibson Super 400C Cutaway Blonde Vintage Archtop Guitar with case

1967 Gibson Super 400C Cutaway Blonde Vintage Archtop Guitar with case

Summit, New Jersey, 079**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$19950

1967 Gibson Super 400C Cutaway Blonde Vintage Archtop Guitar with case

Gibson 1967 Gibson Super 400 Blonde archtop Electric Guitar
This all original cutaway Super 400C features solid carved-wood construction with a carved spruce top and highly flamned carved maple back and solid maple sides, and upon its introduction was the largest guitar that Gibson had produced
18?? at the lower bout and 3 1 / 4?? in depth at the rims
Ebony fretboard with 20 frets joined to the body at ... more
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1968 Gibson ES-175 Sunburst Hollow Body Jazz Electric Guitar w /  Case #53302

1968 Gibson ES-175 Sunburst Hollow Body Jazz Electric Guitar w / Case #53302

North Hollywood, California, 916**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$7495

ebay template
eBay Template Design by OCDesignsOnline HomeAboutTestimonialsPoliciesContactSell your Gear 1968 Gibson ES-175 Sunburst Hollow Body Jazz Electric Guitar w / Case #53302 ××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××× Item DescriptionWORKING CONDITION: Excellent - Plays great. This comes directly out of the arsenal of a ... more
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1950 Gibson ES-175 Sunburst Jazz Archtop Electric Guitar with Hardshell Case

1950 Gibson ES-175 Sunburst Jazz Archtop Electric Guitar with Hardshell Case

Harrisonville, Missouri, 647**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$6995

1950 Gibson ES-175 Sunburst Jazz Archtop Electric Guitar with Hardshell Case






Description
1950 Gibson ES-175 Sunburst Jazz Archtop Electric Guitar with Hardshell Case
This great 2 owner guitar guitar came in my store today and I just had to have it. This beauty was purchased new in Ojai, Califonia by a Mr. James Hollis, who was a country musician and ealry member of the California Old Time Fiddlers Asscoaition, District 8. Jim moved to Ventura, Ca. after ... more
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1967 Gibson ES175 D Hollow Body Amazing

1967 Gibson ES175 D Hollow Body Amazing

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

$9925

This is a vintage Sunburst 1967 Gibson ES-175D in in phenomenal condition. It's a hollow body electric featuring a maple body, mahogany neck with a rosewood board and split parallelogram inlays and two humbuckers. The guitar has very little playwear around the body with no buckle rash. There is a little checking on the top with none on the back. It is prime and sounds fantastic. Looks even better. I have kept it in a temperature controlled room for the past 10 years, thinking I would get ... more
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1975 Gibson ES-175 D Vintage Archtop Electric Guitar Tobacco Sunburst w /  T Tops

1975 Gibson ES-175 D Vintage Archtop Electric Guitar Tobacco Sunburst w / T Tops

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

$5400

Up for sale, a 1975 Gibson ES-175D in exceptional, 100% original condition and in perfect working order, complete with the original hardshell case. This ES-175 boasts its patent number T Top humbucker pair, delivering a detailed and dynamic range of tones. The fully hollow maple body gives the guitar both the immediate attack and clarity of maple, with an airy quality and smoothness befitting the hollowbody construction. Authoritative and clear with a sweet-sounding bridge pickup and notable ... more
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1991 Gibson ES-175 Hollowbody Guitar Vintage Sunburst w /  490R, 490T, Case

1991 Gibson ES-175 Hollowbody Guitar Vintage Sunburst w / 490R, 490T, Case

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

$4700

Up for sale, a 1991 Gibson ES-175 in exceptional, 100% original condition and in perfect working order, complete with a hardshell case. A striking archtop model first offered by Gibson in the 1950s, the ES-175 features a dramatic florentine cutaway, a fully hollow maple body finished in Vintage Sunburst gloss nitro lacquer, and a pair of early Gibson 490 humbuckers
Produced in an increasingly celebrated period of Gibson production commonly referred to as the ??good wood?? era, the ES-175 was... more
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1981 Gibson Citation

1981 Gibson Citation

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

$32995

1981 Gibson Citation Custom, Special ordered, Vanderbilt Rose finish, Hand crafted Top of the line Archtop made in Kalamzoo Michigan, Finest hand selected woods, Gorgeous Heart of Abalone inlays, Comes with matching Flamed wood pickguard & interchangeable Flamed Charcoal Grey Maple electric pickguard with Pearl inlaid ??The Gibson??, Complete with special deluxe Green leather case with fleur-de-lis engraved hardware & special Two tiered case pocket to house second pickguard, Includes a... more
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Original 1978 Gibson ES-175D  - SECOND - Excellent Condition

Original 1978 Gibson ES-175D - SECOND - Excellent Condition

Catskill, New York, 124**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$3600

1978 Gibson ES-175D - $3600 - Excellent / Very Good Condition +

Stamped SECOND

Serial Number: 73408014

A beautiful guitar that plays like a dream!
Made in Kalamazoo, Michigan, serial # 73408014 in 1978

Gibson's perennial full-depth electric arch-top. This dark tobacco sunburst beauty is from the short-lived era when Gibson used a maple neck on these instruments instead of mahogany, resulting in a slightly brighter overall sound. The nut is ... more
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1975 Gibson ES-175 Sunburst

1975 Gibson ES-175 Sunburst

Farmingdale, New York, 117**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$4199

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Questions? We can help!
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Guarantee
... more
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GIBSON ES175D - VERY WELL MAINTAINED - ALL ORIGINAL ICONIC 1965 - GIBSON HC CASE

GIBSON ES175D - VERY WELL MAINTAINED - ALL ORIGINAL ICONIC 1965 - GIBSON HC CASE

Bedford, Texas, 760**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$5300

GIBSON ES-175D - ACOUSTIC / ELECTRIC CUTAWAY - 1965 ALL ORIGINAL - S#367240 KALAMZOO FACTORY - THE UNIQUE CHERRY SUNBURST FINISH WAS USED ON A VERY SMALL NUMBER OF THIS MODEL MOST YEARS. VERY WELL MAINTAINED ALL MAPLE BODY WHICH IS PERFECT COSMETICALLY & SHOWS VERY SLIGHT WEATHER CHECKING IN THE LAQUER. THE NECK IS PERFECTLY STRAIGHT. THE ACTION IS VERY LOW FOR EASY PLAY ACTION. A VERY SMOOTH EBONY FRETBOARD w / PEARL SPLIT DIAMOND INLAYS. THE NUT WIDTH IS 1 9 / 16" INCH. THE MEDIUM ... more
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1950 Gibson ES-175

1950 Gibson ES-175

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

$7195

1950Gibson ES-175, Tobacco Sunburst, Cutaway, P-90 pickup, Chunky neck, 1 11 / 16inches wide at the nut, Kluson Tuners, Sweet sounding, Excellent condition withoriginal hard case, $6, 995
... more
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1938 Gibson Super 400 Sunburst Vintage Archtop Guitar with case

1938 Gibson Super 400 Sunburst Vintage Archtop Guitar with case

Summit, New Jersey, 079**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$15000

1938 Gibson Super 400 Sunburst Vintage Archtop Guitar with case

Gibson 1939 Gibson Super 400 Sunburst archtop Electric Guitar
This all original non cutaway Super 400 features solid carved-wood construction with a carved spruce top and carved maple back and solid maple sides, and upon its introduction was the largest guitar that Gibson had produced. 18?? at the lower bout and 3 3 / 8?? in depth at the rims. Ebony fretboard with 20 frets joined to the body at the 14th fret and ... more
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Find more Gibson archtop guitars for sale at vintageguitarsforsale.co

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rajesh Comment left 20th July 2012 05:05:47 reply
Great guitars there, thanks for posting this catalog

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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

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 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

1969 Fender catalog, Fender Lovin CareCatalog 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 FolkThe 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 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.