Initially (from 1961 into early 1963) the Super Twin did not have a special floor stand of its own. JMI simply provided the one that had originally been designed for the Twin. Various examples can be seen on this page. Below, one of the earliest representations of the arrangement, the model in view being a Super Twin II (two closed back 2x12" cabinets). Paul McCartney certainly kept to the JMI way of doing things in late 1963. In practice however, most players put the speaker cabinet on the stand rather than the amplifier section.

Autumn 1961. "Versatility of operation is afforded by the floor stand, which enables the user to instantly adjust the controls during performance.

During the course of 1964 JMI began to experiment with trolleys with "wrap-around" frames. These were provided first for the AC50s given to The Beatles, Hollies, Barron Knights, and various other bands. Early versions generally had a "basket top" as in the photo below, submitted to the Old Patent Office in London by Tom in September 1964 along with designs for a number of other models.

September 1964, a developed form of the AC50 trolley with basket top.

AC30 Super Twin trolleys with "basket tops"

It seems likely that the trolleys with "basket tops" were designed initially for the AC30 Super Reverb Twin. The two examples pictured below certainly indicate that. In both instances the upper sections of the trolley are made of thinner tubing than the lower - also the case where early AC100 trolleys are concerned.

The earliest dated photo of a "standard" trolley (no basket top, frame constructed of tubing of the same diameter all round) is from April 1965 - see the section further below.

The three pictures above, AC30 SRT serial number 3017.

AC30 SRT serial number 4313.

AC30 Super Twin trolleys with standard frames

The earliest firmly dated evidence for the existence of trolleys with simpler "standard" frames comes from the USA, April 1965. It is likely that JMI set the production of such trolleys in motion in late 1964.

One of the things that slightly bedevils the analysis of photos taken in more recent decades is - or rather was - the availability of repro trolleys. Although these can often have less adept welds than the JMI originals, one can only really form a sense of originality from close-ups or first-hand examination.

Thomas Organ "Battle of the Bands", Bay Area competition, April 1965.

On to the page on Super Twins, 1964.