Documents - Jennings Organs, 1960

11th July 2021 - Page building.

For electronic organ manufacturers, 1960 was a highly competitive year. The pages of "Musical Opinion" magazine are alive with adverts placed by the likes of Burge Electronics, Selmer, Compton, Hammond (distributed by Boosey and Hawkes), Franklin, Miller, Bird, and so on.

Jennings's ads were in the main half rather than full page, perhaps because business at the turn of the new decade came from other directions. The first floor of the Jennings shop at 100 Charing Cross Road had been given over exclusively to organs in 1959. But one should not forget that the "beat" instrument business (as Tom Jennings called it), promoted through "Jennings Musical Industries", was becoming increasingly popular - in particular the Vox AC10 and AC15 amplifiers initially, and then of course the AC30. As demand for those grew, so the console organ side of things took a back seat.

But brochures continued to be printed and organs produced alongside amplifiers and so on at Dartford Road:

The Jennings Organ Company electronic organs, 1960

The interior of the Jennings works c. 1960/1961. Far left: guitars. Centre: rows of AC10 amplifiers. Right: organs, a model D2 and two Model As facing the photographer. A flyer from Martin Kelly's superb collection of all things Vox, printed by Jim Elyea, "Vox Amplifiers: the JMI Years" (Los Angeles, 2010).

The Jennings Organ Company electronic organs, 1960

A detail from the flyer above.

The Jennings Organ Company electronic organs, 1960

Brochure, probably 1961. Thanks to Martin Kelly.

In December 1960 the "Model G", which had been 1850 guineas, a fairly long standing price, went up to 1975 guineas. See the advert in "Musical Opinion" at the foot of this page. Other prices rose too. The brochure above probably reflects a slightly later point though as the ex-Works price is the full price of December 1960.

Pages on 1954-1959 . Other years will follow soon. A sequence of pages on guitar amplifiers, beginning with 1958, .

Images for the time being have to be watermarked. If anyone needs an unmarked one, .

1960

Musical Opinion magazine, January 1960. The Jennings Organ Company electronic organs

"Musical Opinion" magazine, January 1960.

Musical Opinion magazine, January 1960. The Jennings Organ Company electronic organs

"Musical Opinion" magazine, March 1960. Double page Selmer spread.

Jennings D2 organ July 1960

Music trade journal, July 1960. A Jennings D2 (far right) in the Crane's display at the Welsh Ideal Homes Exhibition.

Music trade journal, Jennings organs, July 1960

Music trade journal, July 1960.

Musical Opinion magazine, July 1960. The Jennings Organ Company electronic organs

"Musical Opinion" magazine, July 1960. An adjusted version of the advert placed earlier in the year.

Musical Opinion magazine, July 1960. The Jennings Organ Company electronic organs

"Musical Opinion" magazine, July 1960. Five Wurlitzers in the Vatican.

Musical Opinion magazine, November 1960. The Jennings Organ Company electronic organs

"Musical Opinion" magazine, November 1960.

Musical Opinion magazine, November 1960. The Jennings Organ Company electronic organs

Music Trade magazine, November 1960. The Model G now at 1975 guineas.

Musical Opinion magazine, December 1960. The Jennings Organ Company electronic organs

"Musical Opinion" magazine, December 1960. A reduced version of the ad above - the Model G at 1975 guineas.

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