The principal purpose of this page is to bring together photos for the most part of early Vox AC30 Super Twins. These were at first termed the new "Stereophonic" range, a name based loosely around the Top Boost controls - "split" Treble and Bass - and the ability of one amplifier section to drive two separate speaker cabinets - the "AC30 Super Twin II". See this page for further details.

In September/October 1961, JMI reported in a typescript "Announcement" that sets of new Super Twin amplifiers had been given to Adam Faith (for The Roulettes, his backing band), and to The Shadows. The relevant detail from the "Announcement" can be seen on the main page on early Super Twins.

Below, sections on Adam Faith, and The Fentones, who may have been given the amps tried out by The Shadows but returned to JMI (though that is simply speculation at present). Safe to say at any rate, The Shadows are never seen with Super Twins of any sort.

Adam Faith and The Roulettes

The Roulettes were brought together as a group in mid August 1961 to serve as Faith's backing band, the John Barry Seven, which had backed him up to this point, having become too busy to continued. The first engagement was on 17th September 1961 - the "Great Pop Prom" at the Albert Hall, followed by a two-week residency at the "Room at the Top" club in Ilford beginning on the 18th, and two two-week Arthur Howes national tours beginning on the 1st October, and the 11th November.

A picture taken at the Albert Hall on 17th September - detail below - shows the band with one TV Front AC15 belonging to Pete Thorp and at least one other TV Front Vox amp. If JMI had at this point already provided the band with the Super Twins signalled in the "Announcement" of September/October '61, then the band was clearly not using them yet. It seems more likely, however, that the Super Twins were issued after the Albert Hall concert - either for the residency at Ilford, or for the group's first national tour (1st to 15th October).

Detail from a picture of The Roulettes on stage, Albert Hall, 17th September, 1961.

At present, the photo immediately below is the earliest known positively dated instance of an AC30 Super Twin being used live on stage - Adam Faith and The Roulettes, 26th January, 1962, Wisbech Corn Exchange.

26th January, 1962. Full-cloth fronted speaker cabinet behind Adam, Faith, and the amplifier on tray stand behind that. Photo: Lilian Ream collection.

The band's amps and cabs are also seen on the 15th April at the NME Poll Winner's Concert, Empire Pool, Wembley:

NME Poll Winner's Concert, 15th April, 1962.

By July/August 1962, Faith's valance-front speaker cabs were gone, replaced by standard split-front units. The original amps and tray stands remained though.

August 1962. One of the new split-front cabinets can just be made out at right.

Shane Fenton and The Fentones

Below, a photo taken by Reg Clark, who in 1962 worked in the Jennings shop on Charing Cross Road. Further below, some screen-grabs from Michael Winner's film "Play it Cool", shot in the first half of 1962 (filming was announced in January), and starring Billy Fury and Shane and his band.

Presumably somewhere there must be photographs of The Fentones using these Super Twins on stage - but none has come to light so far.

Photo taken by Reg Clark.

A still from "Play it Cool". The three speaker cabs alone figure in the film, one stacked on the other two, no amplifiers.

Detail.

Side view.

A "J" in chalk marked on the back.

Just to note that the handle on the cab above is evidently ribbed plastic (PVC) rather than leather. At least one early Super Twin set survives with these handles still in place.

Location and date of the photo below currently unknown, but likely to have been before summer 1962.

On to the page on Early Super Twins (1962-1964) .