Late 1957 to later 1960

The wooden block footswitch (with jack socket end) supplied with the AC1/15, AC2/30s AC/30, then the AC10 through to later 1960. AC2s also had these switches (from late 1960 into 1962), the cable soldered in.

AC2, later 1961

Detail from a shot of the John Barry Seven, summer 1959, footswitch for one of the three AC15s and a Dearmond (not Vox) volume pedal.

The early wood block footswitches are scarce these days. So far, no single speaker AC/30 has come to light with one.

Below, an advert placed by Chas Foote in the music press, 20th August, 1960, just short of 64 years ago - unusual to find the footswitch ("control") of any Vox amp mentioned in shop adverts at this date.

20th August, 1960.

Mid 1960 to 1963

In mid 1960, a replacement footswitch from Jennings - presumably one of the new metal ones - cost 39s/6d, not a small amount: in today's money, around £35.

Detail from the pricelist of mid 1960.

Type 1 (early)

These go back to mid 1960. A number of early examples were evidently painted black / dark grey, probably from factory, though some seem to have remained bare metal. Below the switch supplied with AC10 serial number 3224, late autumn 1960.

Footswitch of AC10 serial number 3224 with 4-pin "alldry" plug.

Type 1 (unpainted) and Type 2

Below on the left, an unpainted Type 1 switch: 3 7/8" in diameter, with a two-part profile. On the right, a Type 2: 3 3/4" in diameter, a plainer domical profile. Type 2 came in around (between) AC10 serial numbers 3500-3600; AC15 serial numbers 4600-4700; and AC30 serial numbers 5500-5600 (mid 1962). Vox Echo/Reverb units for the most part have the second type of switch too.

The screened cable was normally 8 feet in length, give or take a few inches. Cables were soldered at the requisite point in the preamp.

Earlier type on the left, later at right.

Type 3

Also to mention a third type of domical footswitch, smaller than the two above. The examples pictured below accompany AC30s with serial numbers in the higher 6000s and in the 7000s. At least one other amp seems also to have this type. In some respects, the switch seems better suited to an Echo/Reverb unit. Perhaps that was its initial purpose.

Pedal supplied with AC30 Twin serial number 6890.

AC30 Twin, serial number in the higher 7000s.

Where AC30s are concerned, the new egg-shaped (ovoid) switch looks to have supplied first with certain amps (not all) in the low to mid 7000s. Crossover from old to new was relatively slow.

June 2025: there is now a new page on Vox Domino Normal and Reverb footswitches, which are of a different type again.

Post JMI

The footswitches below survive with two Vox amps - (1) an AC30 from late 1964 repaired by Alan Pyne, proprietor of ESE Music in Maidstone and former JMI employee, and (2) a solid state Foundation Bass amplifier section from 1967.

The common thread may be Pyne, though there is no sticker in the Foundation Bass's cabinet. Whether Pyne had these made up or was simply re-using old JMI stock (of some sort) is not known.

Thanks to William for the pictures.

Switch that came with a Vox Foundation Bass, the din plug strapped with tape.

Footswitches for the Italian-made AC30TBR

The page on these (a derivative of the switches for the JMI and VSEL solid state amps) can be found here.

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