Documents
1960
The material gathered on this page relates principally to Vox amplifiers advertised and produced in 1960 - for the time being a sort of snapshot. Also encompassed here and there are the portable Vibravox unit, various accessories, and guitars.
In early 1960, as in late 1959, Jennings often referenced its amplifiers solely in terms of price - the AC6 (25 guineas); AC10 without vibrato (35 guineas), the AC10 *with* vibrato (45 guineas); the AC15 65 guineas); the AC15 Bass (70 guineas). The single speaker AC/30, top of the early range, was 79 guineas (Treble model), and 85 guineas (Bass model).
In Spring 1960, the AC30 TWIN is introduced - TV Front, AC30/4 chassis. See the pricelist and note in "Accordion Times", May 1960, below. In late July 1960, the AC30/6 is first mentioned in any dated context.
The circuit diagrams for these amplifiers had been drawn up on 29th April, 1960, along with the new version of the AC15. The AC15 and AC30/4 were available in Normal and Bass versions. Bass versions were for accordion ("Accordion Times", May 1960).
From mid 1960 there are a run of adverts from "Musicland", run by Tom Jennings's son Paul, and called initially "Paul's Music Studio". In effect, it was another Jennings shop: 88 Broadway, Bexleyheath. Adverts were placed in "Melody Maker", and a run in "Banjo, Mandolin, and Guitar" magazine, July to December 1960. Four from this BMG run are below (July to October), the other two have not been included as they are exclusively for guitars - the Pacifica kit guitar, and the full range available in December.
The page on 1959 can be found here. A page for 1961 will be available soon.
Detail from a flyer - the single speaker AC/30 and the AC/10.
"Banjo, Mandolin, and Guitar" magazine, January 1960. An advert carried over from 1959 - see this page.
"Accordion Times", April 1960. The amplifiers are likely to be the AC6 (19 guineas); the AC10 without vibrato (29 gns); the AC10 with vibrato (39 gns); the AC15 (59 gns) and the single-speaker AC/30 (70 gns). In May, the prices went up.
Information panel of circuit diagram A/026, the AC30/6, 29th April, 1960.
Music trade press, April 1960. The new AC30 Twin (TV Front).
Information panel of circuit diagram OA/031, the AC15, 29th April, 1960. Changes for "Bass" models noted.
Information panel of circuit diagram OA/032, the AC30/4, 29th April, 1960. Changes for "Bass" models noted.
"Melody Maker", 30th April, 1960. The models referenced by prices can be identified in the pricelist below: AC6 (25 guineas); AC10 without vibrato (35 guineas); AC10 with vibrato (45 guineas); AC15 Normal (65 guineas); AC/30 Normal (79 guineas); AC15 Bass (70 gns); and AC/30 Bass (85 gns).
Music trade journal, May 1960. The prices given correspond with those in the typescript list below, though the AC6 is missing.
Detail of the above.
Pricelist from Spring 1960. The Twin at 100 guineas is one of the amps listed in "Accordion Times", May 1960, below.
"Accordion Times", May 1960.
Detail from the above, May 1960. Prices of Vox Amplifiers correspond with the pricelist above.
July 1960. Besson, on Shaftesbury Avenue, just around the corner from the Jennings shop on Charing Cross Road, has an AC15 Bass and AC30 (single speaker) Bass, along with a Vox Echo unit "on demonstration".
"Banjo, Mandolin, and Guitar" magazine, July 1960.
"Melody Maker", 9th July, 1960. Shirley Douglas and Chas McDevitt.
"Melody Maker", 30th July, 1960. Much as above, but note the mention of "new Vox Amplifiers".
"Melody Maker", 30th July, 1960 - the AC30/6 at 89 guineas. Paul is Paul Jennings, Tom's son. The "Music Studio" in Bexleyheath, a Jennings shop, came to be called "Musicland". The advert was repeated in "Melody Maker" on 6th and 13th August.
"Banjo, Mandolin, and Guitar" magazine, August 1960.
August 1960: a short roster of JMI's "name" artists. A number had been on the books since 1959 - Cliff Richard, The John Barry Seven, Chas McDevitt for example - others were longer-standing, notably Bert Weedon, Jack Emblow, Henry Krein, Martin Lukins, and Dave Goldberg. The amp pictured is likely to be an AC15 (a stock JMI promotional photo). Note that the Echo unit, advertised by Besson in July 1960 (see yesterday's entry), was first promoted by Jennings in the autumn of 1959. The units were Meazzi Echos, rebadged.
"Banjo, Mandolin, and Guitar" magazine, September 1960. "Send for illustrated list and prices of other models and VOX amplifiers". See the details from the "Musicland" brochures towards the end of this page. The only amp illustrated in those is the AC2.
An advert in the first edition of Shirley Douglas's "Easy Guide to Rhythm and Blues for Bass Guitar" (published in 1960). A number of the plates show fellow Vox endorsers, albeit in photos that were relatively old at the time of publication.
"Banjo, Mandolin, and Guitar" magazine, October 1960.
"Melody Maker", 19th November, 1960. The amplifier range has now expanded considerably. - the AC30/6 is at 89 guineas, as in the "Melody Maker" advert above, 30th July.
Early 1961. A detail from a brochure produced by JMI for "Musicland".
Early to mid 1961. A photo-composite from another version of the brochure for "Musicland". The original layout will have been as above.
On to the page for 1962 (a page for 1961 coming shortly).