1965/66 Selmer Guitars and Accessories Catalog, Page 1 >> Vintage Guitar and Bass
Vintage Guitars
I'm happy with this
This website uses cookies to personalise content and adverts, to provide social media features, and to analyse traffic. When you buy through links on our site we may earn an affiliate commission. See terms and conditions
SELMER | CATALOGS | 1965/66 | FRONT COVER

1965/66 Selmer 'Guitars and Accessories' catalog, front cover

This 1965/66 catalog included the range of guitars available from Selmer at this time, and with Hofner making the greatest proportion of this range, it is no surprise that a new model, the Hofner Ambassador is featured on the front cover. This is one of the new Florentine cutaway models first introduced in the summer of 1965.

1965/66 Selmer "Guitars and Accessories" catalog: front cover
Got an opinion on the contents of this page? Disagree with something written above? Please comment

2025 Vintage Guitar price guide 2025 Vintage Guitar price guide

Need the value of your guitar? The Official Vintage Guitar Magazine Price Guide 2025 is out now: Amazon


Hofner guitars for sale

Vintageguitarandbass.com is funded by its visitors. When you buy through links on our site we may earn an affiliate commission. For more info see terms and conditions.
1965 Gibson Melody Maker Pickups - Original Matched Set

1965 Gibson Melody Maker Pickups - Original Matched Set

Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, 838**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$449

Northwest Vintage Guitars brings you a matched set of 1965 Gibson Melody Maker Pickups in perfect working order   
Most questions are answered with a quick read of the FAQs posted in our Reverb storefront. This item is offered on our website and other online marketing platforms and subject to prior sale   Please check our website for additional photos
Reverb rules prohibit dealing around the platform through Reverb messages so please don??t use Reverb to ask us to contact you outside ... more
eBay logo
Gibson Vintage 1960s Gibson ES-175 ES-150 J-45 J-50 Case 1964 1965 1966 1967-69

Gibson Vintage 1960's Gibson ES-175 ES-150 J-45 J-50 Case 1964 1965 1966 1967-69

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

$675

** Vintage Mid-Late 1960's Gibson ES-175 150 J-45 J-50 16" Case *
Very Good Condition
Missing One Latch
See Photos
Fully Insured Shipping to the Lower 48 States $120 00
We Ship Worldwide
International Buyers ask for Quote
021225 1... more
eBay logo
Gibson Vintage 1966 ES-335 330 Control Harness Volume Tone Pots Caps 3 Way 1967

Gibson Vintage 1966 ES-335 330 Control Harness Volume Tone Pots Caps 3 Way 1967

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

$695

** Vintage Gibson Control Harness 1960's *
Very Good Condition 500KSee PhotosShipping Lower 48 $29 00042525We ship Worldwide... more
eBay logo
Gibson 1965 Cherry Dual Pickup Melody Maker Body & Neck

Gibson 1965 Cherry Dual Pickup Melody Maker Body & Neck

Glassboro, New Jersey, 080**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$790

Gibson Dependable
Home of the most First and most Dependable Gibson parts on Ebay
U S.A. and Worldwide Bidders Welcomed
How many of you guitar enthusiast out there have always wanted to build yourselves that awesome project guitar, but didn??t want to spend the money on a full guitar only to dismantle it. Well, here is your opportunity do so. We sell high end name brand parts and project guitars specifically for the purpose of building your own custom one off guitar
Description: ... more
eBay logo
1965 Kay Vanguard Vintage Rare Red Gibson Humbucker Electric Guitar Soft shell

1965 Kay Vanguard Vintage Rare Red Gibson Humbucker Electric Guitar Soft shell

Honolulu, Hawaii, 968**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$811

1965 Kay Vanguard
Electric Guitar
Made in USA
Includes: Guitar and Soft shell Case
I purchased this guitar online in 2019 and purchased all the parts separately for it. The original pancake pickup was broken so I had my luthier replace it with a Gibson Mini-Humbucker, but used the original pancake pickup cover. He also upgraded the electronics and installed a new tailpiece. He also checked out the electronics and everything works perfect. I also obtained a limited edition Kay soft ... more
eBay logo
VTG 1966 Hagstrom III F-300 Electric Guitar Sweden 148 / 1001 Original Hard Case

VTG 1966 Hagstrom III F-300 Electric Guitar Sweden 148 / 1001 Original Hard Case

Iron Mountain, Michigan, 498**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$999

For sale is an original Hagstrom electric guitar.

Serial number: 675148 (see below for decoding information
Date: 1966
Production number: 148 out of 1001 built in that year. Total 3000 units of Hagstrom III were made.
Made in Sweden

Regarding decoding serial numbers:
The first 3 digits of the serial number indicate the manufacturing Production Run number. The remainder of the number is the sequence number for that unit (guitar or bass) within the production ... more
eBay logo
Hagstrom II F-200 1966 - Red

Hagstrom II F-200 1966 - Red

Brooklyn, New York, 112**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$1199

Here we have a vintage 1966 Hagstrom II electric guitar!
It features a double cutaway body with bold-on maple neck, rosewood fretboard, and pearl dot inlays. It has a multi-ply black guard, dual single coil pickups and a complement of switching options. The bridge is a metal rail with adjustable height and this model features Hagstrom's Tremar tremolo system
The guitar is in good shape with scratches, dings and paint chips over its surface. There is an area of heavy scratching at the ... more
eBay logo
Vintage 1965 Gibson Skylark lap steel with case Korina

Vintage 1965 Gibson Skylark lap steel with case Korina

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 532**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$1459

Vintage 1965 Gibson Skylark lap steel with hard case. Condition of the lap steel and case are in quite nice condition, other than marks from use and 2 holes on top from a hand rest the owner had on it at one point.
PayPal or M / 0 only. No wire / bank transfers of any sort. Questions about this item? Ask before you bid Also note, we do NOT send out 2nd chance offers after auctions end.
We have lots of new, used and vintage items on our website and facebook page

Note: If outside ... more
eBay logo
Vintage 1966-7 or 1969 American Made Gibson Electric Guitar

Vintage 1966-7 or 1969 American Made Gibson Electric Guitar

Norwalk, California, 906**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$1499

Vintage 1966-7 or 1969 American Made Gibson Electric Guitar Used Please verify condition and view pictures for details Free Shipping(You will be shipped exact item pictured)... more
eBay logo
Gibson B-25 12 1966 - Cherry Sunburst w /  Original Case Excellent Condition

Gibson B-25 12 1966 - Cherry Sunburst w / Original Case Excellent Condition

Helper, Utah, 845**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$1600

1966 Gibson B-25 12 string in Cherry Sunburst with original case
Guitar is very clean for being nearly 60 years old. Only minor dings and no major cracks, breaks, scuffs, etc. It plays very well with a nice chimey sound that is a bit higher than larger bodied 12 strings. Really lovely. This version has the 2" nut so there is plenty of fretboard to work around as well as an adjustable bridge to set the action to your liking. Frets show no noticeable signs of wear and the case is very ... more
eBay logo
Gibson ES-120T 1965 - Sunburst

Gibson ES-120T 1965 - Sunburst

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

$1795

Gibson ES-120t
Year: 1965
Color: Sunburst
Case: Comes with non-original gig bag
Nut width: 1 9 / 16 "
Modifications / Repairs: None
Cosmetic condition: Very Good with finish checking primarily on the headstock but also on the neck and body. There are some light marks in a few spots. Overall condition will delight the player and collector alike. 8 5 out of 10 condition
Operational condition: Fully-functioning including all electronics, truss rod, tuners, etc ... more
eBay logo
1965 Gibson Melody Maker - Hotrod Guitar - Pat# Decal Mini Humbuckers

1965 Gibson Melody Maker - Hotrod Guitar - Pat# Decal Mini Humbuckers

Dayton, Ohio, 454**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$1800

Presented for your consideration is this 1965 Gibson Melody Maker in Cherry finish??a guitar that's been hot-rodded to perfection! The instrument is in excellent condition overall, showing only light to moderate signs of play. It features non-original tuners, pots, knobs, and bridge. The PAT# Decal Mini Humbucker pickups deliver powerful yet smooth sound, suitable for any music style. Playability is superb, boasting low action and no fret wear
Comes with a gigbag. (GB18)
Weight: 6lb 0oz |... more
eBay logo
1966 Hagstrom Viking II - Gold Factory Bigsby - Great Vintage Guitar

1966 Hagstrom Viking II - Gold Factory Bigsby - Great Vintage Guitar

Dayton, Ohio, 454**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$1800

For your consideration is this 1966 Hagstrom Viking II in a sunburst finish. Overall the guitar is in very good shape with only light to moderate play wear. Gold Factory Bigsby! Normal use and age is shown in parts of the body. Some checking in finish on back of headstock. The original factory pickups sounds really warm and vintage but have enough bite for even hard rock. Playability is excellent with low action & no fret wear
Comes with a nice hardshell case. (56)
Weight: 6lb 7oz | ... more
eBay logo
Gibson B-25 12 1965 - Cherry Sunburst w /  Original Case

Gibson B-25 12 1965 - Cherry Sunburst w / Original Case

Huntington, Indiana, 467**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$1900

For sale is a Gibson B-25 12 1965 - Cherry Sunburst w / Original Case in Very Good Condition!
This acoustic is in incredible shape for the age! It plays with amazingly low action and hasn't been all warped out from age or over tension
As you would expect, this guy has a very big and melodious tone that fills a room rather well!
Hard to find many of these B-25 12's in such good condition!
Case: Original Chipboard Case
Scale Length: 24 5??
Nut Width: 2??
Frets Remaining: 8 /... more
eBay logo
Gibson USA 1965 Melody Maker - Cherry Red - Vintage guitar

Gibson USA 1965 Melody Maker - Cherry Red - Vintage guitar

Fort Mill, South Carolina, 297**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$2000

Woody's Music has a used Gibson 1965 Melody Maker in stock and ready to ship!
Cherry RedExcellent ConditionPlayer Grade Vintage instrument6 0lbCase Included$100 Shipping to the Continental US
... more
eBay logo
1965 Gibson Melody Maker Cherry Red w / Alligator Case 5 2 Lbs GREAT PLAYER

1965 Gibson Melody Maker Cherry Red w / Alligator Case 5 2 Lbs GREAT PLAYER

Berkeley, California, 947**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$2200

1965 Gibson Melody Maker Serial No. 269324 This guitar is in very good vintage condition, with some small dings on the back of the neck and at the edge by the endpin, as shown
The neck is a comfortable 1 66 inch nut width. The slightly wide and flat fingerboard make for a fast neck
The action is set very low with no buzzes. It's a completely functional and great sounding guitar all around the neck. We recently set it up and set the intonation precisely
The Gibson Melody Maker Double ... more
eBay logo
1966 Gibson ES-120T Electric Guitar Repair Free Original Condition W / HSC CLEAN!

1966 Gibson ES-120T Electric Guitar Repair Free Original Condition W / HSC CLEAN!

Spring Hill, Florida, 346**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$2200

Vintage, One Owner, Amazing Condition & Repair Free
1966 Gibson ES-120T Hollow Thinbody Electric Guitar
With Hard Case Pictured
This Guitar Is Completely Original Without Change, Repair Or Refinishing
If you think you're seeing something of concern not described below, please ask
Condition Description & Flaws Noted:
This is a Vintage & Amazingly Clean 1966 Gibson USA ES-120T that's absolutely beautiful and plays even better! This guitar was professionally gone over... more
eBay logo
1965 Gibson EB-0 Cherry

1965 Gibson EB-0 Cherry

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

$2269

Up for sale is a 1965 Gibson EB-0 in its original Cherry finish. This one comes to us from the home of the previous owner in very good condition less some expected finish checking and signs of play wear. This one is 100% stock and features the chrome thumb rest. The frets are in very good condition and have lots of life left in them. Should you need some serious "Thud" in your life than this is the bass to consider
Pro Setup in house and complete with its original hardshell case. Weight: ... more
eBay logo
1965 Gibson Melody Maker D Double Cut Vintage Guitar Cherry w /  Case

1965 Gibson Melody Maker D Double Cut Vintage Guitar Cherry w / Case

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

$2300

Up for sale, a 1965 Gibson Melody Maker D in perfect working order, complete with a hardshell case. Finished in a gloss Cherry nitro lacquer, this Melody Maker D (Double) features Honduran mahogany body construction and a one-piece mahogany neck capped with a rosewood fingerboard, featherweight at 5lbs 4oz
The pair of robust-sounding single coil pickups combine a Fender-esque snap and twang with the fuller midrange and low end punch that mahogany provides, and the Melody Maker has a raw, ... more
eBay logo
Vintage 1965 Epiphone by Gibson Olympic Double DC Batwing electric guitar  VG

Vintage 1965 Epiphone by Gibson Olympic Double DC Batwing electric guitar VG

Lubbock, Texas, 794**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$2395

Vintage 1965 Epiphone USA Gibson Olympic Double 2-pickup asymetrical double-cut batwing-headstock electric guitar==Vibrant cherry finish with much less wear and checking than usually seen on these, condition is VG++ / Exc 8 5 to 9 / 10 -- it does have one replaced pickup (in the case pocket) and the Maestro has been removed but it's also in the case pocket Stright neck with very light fret wear==Weighs approx 5 lbs 10 oz on my postal scale, nice and light!==Includes original hard ... more
eBay logo

Find more Hofner guitars for sale at vintageguitarsforsale.co

There are 0 comments on this page so far. Add your comment

Comment on this article

Anti-spam question - to catch web robots

Contact
info@vintageguitarandbass.com

mailing list

Follow

Facebook  Instagram  YouTube

Other Great Sites

Recent posts on vintage guitar and bass

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