31st August

A page on the Univox in 1954 is now up - the introduction of the J10 "Concert Grand". Pics of a J10 from early 1956, complete with its chrome "gigster" stand, to follow.

30th August

The page on AC30 Super Twins, later 1964 to 1968, has recently been updated. More to follow. Also to signal that the page on AC30s with original speakers of known date has been augmented recently too. It is perhaps worth saying again that speaker date codes (the date of manufacture at Celestion) do NOT in themselves give the date of the amp. One has to factor in delivery, storage, final assembly of the amp, and testing. Serial numbers were assigned last, some time before despatch.

One of the slight difficulties with Super Twins is that one often has only the amplifier section. Chassis are simply chassis. They are not complete AC30s.

29th August (2)

The entry below this one has been adjusted to take account of the fact that the chassis of AC30 Twin serial number 12019 was removed from its cabinet at some point, given a reproduction copper panel, and sold on in an Expanded Frequency cabinet.

Reproduction copper panel.

The chassis in a concocted Expanded Frequency AC30.

Below, a shot of the chassis taken while it had a grey panel and was part of AC30 Twin serial number 12019:

Serial number 12019.

29th August

Chassis with integrated Top Boost controls. As is well known, the earliest panels were copper, issued to Westrex alone for the "Expanded Frequency" chassis it made for JMI in late (very late) 1963 / early 1964. Such chassis were regularly marked on their undersides with an "X" in pencil. There is at least one exception however:

Burndept, chassis no. 04565

Thanks to David for the pictures. "T/B Boost" stands for "Treble / Bass Boost" as does the flash of green paint. A page on Burndept colour codes can be found here.

28th August

Coming soon a page on the Univox in 1954. Below a shot of the Jennings stand at the "British Industries Fair" of 1954, the new Univox J10 ("Concert Grand") on view at left - two rows of white tabs on its front. Tom's promotional campaign for the J10 began soon after.

At right in the picture, a J51 "Entertainment" organ and matching "Tone Cabinet" (containing a slave amplifier and two 12" speakers).

Picture published in the trade press, April 1954.

25th August

The page on the Univox in 1953 has now been started - further material to come as ever. The year, in which a million dollar deal was announced (11 years before the more famous one), was a good one for Jennings:

November 1953.

Mantovani's "Midnight Waltz", featuring the Univox, released December 1953.

24th August

A page on the Jennings Univox in 1953 is coming soon. Also to signal the incorporation of a couple of new items on the page for the Univox in 1952 (for December).

April 1953.

23rd August

Derek Underdown's schema for the "Model G" organ's speaker system. In practice, the number of speakers and enclosures that were fitted varied (as one might expect) from church to church, installation to installation - more on this page.

Sheet dated 26th February, 1959. Thanks to Steve for the picture.

22nd August

Thanks to Glen, a new page on the Vox AC10 Amplifier No.2, early to mid 1960, is now available here. His page on the Amplifier No.2 circuit has been updated with new material.

21st August

Thanks to Kevin, some pics of AC30 Transistor Lightweight serial number 12374, early 1964, three Elac 10N/82s (in Jennings blue) wired in series for a total impedance of around 11-12 ohms. Note that the amplifier section, effectively a T60 bass chassis with an added transistorised tremolo module, has a black panel, normally found on early units (late 1962 and 1963) - so probably old stock taken up for use in 1964.

AC30 Transistor Lightweight, serial number 12374.

Later on unused Lightweight cabinets were sold off at one of the JMI liquidation sales in 1967 and 1968 and bought in by some enterprising person, who fitted them out with 10 watt Super Reverb Twin amplifier sections and a variety of speakers to make saleable combos - see this page.

20th August

A quick shot of one of the sheets drawn up by Derek in late 1958 for the three-manual Model G organ, the largest and heaviest single item produced by Jennings in its twenty-year history. At least four men were required for installations. Gargantuan speaker units - particularly for bass - normally formed part of the installations too.

The sheet pictured below (thanks again to Steve) is dated 24th September, 1958 and shows the various registers of switches used for the organ's drawstops.

The sheet measures approx. 26" x 18".

The Jennings Organ Company Model G organ, actively promoted from 1957 to 1961. Jennings scaled back its production of church organs fairly radically in the early 1960s.

19th August

Thanks to Rich, pictures of AC30 Super Reverb Twin serial number 3848, bought new in late 1965 with a Thomas Organ "Buckingham" speaker cabinet, have been added here. There is also a page of details of the preamp.

AC30 Super Reverb Twin serial number 3848.

18th August

Thanks to Steve, a shot of the frontispiece of a "Jennings Organ Company" manual - a collection of circuit diagrams - for distributors (main dealers). Distributors might either undertake repairs and servicing themselves or sub-contract. If a sub-contractor were the route chosen, the diagrams could be copied and passed on.

Drawn up in January 1959, but augmented with later material - one can see a sliver of Derek Underdown's wiring diagram dated February 1959 peeking out at top.

Jennings also from early days appointed "Service Agents", a category above a stockist / standard dealer / sales agent. Below, a notice of the appointment of Freeston and Sons Ltd as Sales and Service Agents for the new Univox, November, 1952, incorporated on the new Univox page.

Nottingham, October 1952.

17th August

Turn and turn about, Jennings borrowing from Selmer, and Selmer borrowing back - for the most part one suspects in a spirit of friendly rivalry.

Detail from a Selmer advert, August 1950, a lady apparently carrying a Clavioline with ease.

Detail from a Jennings ad, 29th March, 1952, .

In both instances the cases are likely to have been empty. Claviolines and Univoxes are not light. Below, Selmer having its fun:

Detail from a Selmer advert, May 1952, copying the Jennings artwork from March posted in yesterday's entry.

16th August

A page has now been started on the Jennings Univox in 1952. Pages for successive years will be added probably one by one. A huge amount of material survives.

The Univox had the longest span of any Jennings instrument, running from 1952 through to 1966, a pretty amazing achievement.

One of the earliest pieces of promotional artwork for the new Univox.

15th August

October 1950, one of the earliest adverts placed by Tom in a music event programme. The grand opening of the shop on Charing Cross Road - the "London Showrooms" - took place in December. Whether Jennings, or any other manufacturer for that matter, had a stand at the dance championships is not known at present.

Further material on early days coming soon, in particular on the Univox (to be added to the Jennings Organ Company section on the site).

14th August

Thanks to Glen, there is now a page on the Vox AC1/10 (Amplifier No. 1), Summer 1959 to early 1960.

13th August

Various updates are afoot in the Vox AC10 section of the website, which is most easily reached through the main AC10 index page.

The pages that have been updated so far are: Glen's page on Derek Underdown's 10 watt amps; the "overview of versions" page; and the page on serial number 3433 (an early split front AC10).

Serial number 3433 has a spread of original WIMA Tropydur capacitors, the latest date code being "100" = October 1960 (date of manufacture in Germany). Final assembly of the amp - the bringing together of chassis, cabinet, and speaker - is unlikely to have been undertaken before early 1961.

AC10 serial number 3433, detail.

Further updates to the AC10 section - new pages, new material, currently in progress - will be signalled in due course.

12th August (2)

Competition at last for the Vox (Meazzi) Echo in the UK - the Paramount Musical Instrument Co., 7th May, 1960, distributors of the Echolette. Paramount had begun advertising the imminent arrival of the units in April.

The Jennings claim, made in late 1962, that it (Jennings) had "... pioneered the introduction of echo and reverberation in the United Kingdom" still holds good though.

7th May, 1960.

12th August

Chas Foote again, 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.

11th August

Lew Davis, 16th July, 1960, an AC/30 and (shop soiled) AC/10. Where the AC/30 is concerned, 40 guineas is a considerable step down from the standard list price of 79 guineas for an amp that is unlikely to have been more than a year old.

16th July, 1960.

10th August

Thanks to Dillon, some details of AC30 Twin serial number 21971 TB have been added here. The amp was probably ready for sale in early 1967.

AC30 Twin serial number 21971 TB.

9th August (2)

Besson, 17th September, 1960, a three input Italian-made Vox Echo in stock. This is the "Model 2" Meazzi Echomatic, made for Meazzi by S.E.P. in Milan (as also the earlier "Model J").

The ad. indicates too that the Watkins Copicat was coming soon. Charlie W. always claimed that he had brought it out in 1958, but no, late 1960, pointed out by Steve Russell some time ago - on this page.

17th September, 1960.

9th August

Chas Foote Ltd, Denman Street, 10th September, 1960, a single speaker AC/30 on offer. 79 guineas was the standard Jennings list price for the amp, brand new. The latest dateable instance of the single speaker AC30 in a Jennings advert is currently May 1960.

As mentioned below however, the chassis of AC/30 serial number 4158 contains original components - WIMA capacitors - dated May 1960 (the date of their manufacture in Germany). The amp is unlikely to have been ready for sale therefore earlier than late summer, possibly even autumn 1960.

10th September, 1960, first appearance of the amp in Foote's adverts. It remained in stock through to 26th November.

8th August (2)

A general view (first picture) of a species of AC30 TV Front Twin cabinet. The cloth is standard brown diamond (the exposure makes it look plain). Although the serial number plate on the back is damaged, the number may have been 4373. The AC30/4 chassis inside the cabinet has a pot with the date code "CI" = March 1961. The proportions of the cab at front (especially the width of the surround) are unlike standard ones (third picture) from later 1960 / early 1961, or of any TV Front amp currently known in early photos.

Questions: is this a short-lived late form of TV Front cabinet? Serial number 4373 - if that is the number - is well into production of the new split-front amps. Overlaps always exist. TV Front serial number 4414 is another example.

Or is this perhaps an early style of cabinet from the beginning of the production run, the chassis now in it being a later addition? - in other words were "left-over" obsolete cabs fitted out and sold off by JMI in Spring 1961?

To mention in passing that some JMI (Music Ground) repro cabs align more with 4373 and 4414 than with standard format cabs. Is the Music Ground cab a copy of an original similar to 4373's?

How is one to decide, all in all, what the situation is? At least four TV Front AC30s that have come to the public eye in recent years have unfortunately been non-original "creations" - chassis, cabinet, and speakers all from different sources. More on black panel chassis to come.

Serial number 4373 (?) Grille cloth 6 1/2 diamonds tall. A TV Front amp that bears the serial number 4414 has grille cloth 7 diamonds tall.

A JMI (Music Ground) repro. Grille cloth 7 diamonds tall.

"Standard" proportions of a TV Front cabinet. Grille cloth 8 diamonds tall.

8th August

Thanks to David, a note on Burndept-made Top Boost chassis (controls on panel). These it turns out not only have a flash of green paint underneath the chassis number to indicate the voicing/model in view, but also a spot of green on their boards at left - presumably to assist the assemblers. Bass boards have a spot of blue at right (near the chassis number), treble boards a spot of red.

Burndept-made Top Boost chassis, number 04565.

7th August

Just to signal that a new page has been set up on the early TV Front Vox G1/10 that came to light earlier this year.

7th August

A detail from a shot of Adam Faith, 15th April, 1962, NME Pollwinners Concert. Close to his band's AC30s, a Meazzi PA306 tape echo unit. Whether this had been supplied (lent) by JMI is unknown at present.

6th August (2)

A Celestion blue with date code "29EF" = 29th May, 1961, recently sold in the UK, reconed with a Kurt Mueller cone ("444") at some point in its time.

Either from an AC30 with a serial number in the 4500s, or an AC15 with a number in the 4200s, most likely the former - more to come soon.

The page on early Celestion blues has been updated.

6th August

A little more on the black and white castors fitted to stands by JMI for promotional purposes in 1963. Below, a detail from a studio photo of the Stones with Vox equipment taken by Dezo Hoffman. The cabinets supplied to Dezo by Jennings were generally empty - no chassis or speakers within.

The second photo is a promotional shot taken not long after McCartney had received his new AC30 Super Twin amplifier section. Note the black and white castors on its stand. No concert photo has come to light so far showing his stand with castors, so they may have been removed soon after. Neither John nor George had stands with castors at this time. Now and again one sees the 2 x 15" on stage with its dolly and castors though - Fairfield Hall, Croydon, for instance, April '63.

Detail from one of Dezo Hoffman's studio pictures of the Stones, Brian Jones holding aloft an empty T60 amplifier section cabinet.

August 1963, a small detail from a promotional photo of the Beatles with their line-up of Vox amps, black and white castors on Paul's 2 x 15" cabinet dolly and AC30 stand.

Late March 1963, the first sighting of McCartney's 2 x 15" cabinet and dolly. Below a pair of black and white Shepherd castors with threaded stems, exceedingly scarce these days.

A further JMI promotional photo survives showing an AC30 Twin also on stand with parti-coloured castors. It may be possible to post this in due course.

5th August (2)

The Majestic Ballroom, Finsbury Park, April 1963 - an AC30 Super Twin on stage with plain black cloth (both sections) and no logos. It turns out that the amp belonged to the Dakotas, who had recently become Billy J. Kramer's backing band. It is also seen in a set of shots taken of the band in Abbey Road, early months of '63. Note the old-style "tray" stand.

In 1962 the Dakotas were photographed with a swanky set of three AC30 Twins, presumably brand new, so it may be that the Super Twin came to the band in 1963, specially done in stealth black (for whatever reason).

5th August

Two more shots of the preamp of single speaker AC30 serial number 4158. The Vibravox circuitry is on top of the chassis in a aluminium "dog-house", Fender style. The next AC30 known - with any certainty - after this one is serial number 4218, a TV Front Twin lacking its original chassis, speakers, and footswitch, in other words simply a cabinet and serial number plate. More to come on early AC30s shortly.

Tidying up and testing still to do.

Two of the black WIMA Tropydurs have the date code "50" = May 1960 for their manufacture.

4th August

Further to the entry on the Vox AC1/10 at Cooke's in Peterborough in late 1959 (below, 25th July), the shop label on a well-used AC30 from mid 1964 that sold recently on Reverb:

Label on an AC30 Twin from mid 1964 (serial number plate lacking).

3rd August

A pair of sheets for the AC30/6 produced photostatically from the same master probably in 1963. The "List of Changes" goes no further than 8th May, 1961. The values of certain capacitors, originally WIMA Tropydurs, have been brought into line with the newer WIMA Tropyfols, so 0.0047uf instead of the 0.005uf given on older diagrams. On the back of one of the sheets, the owner's name and serial number of his amp - 6857.

The sheets measure 16 1/4" x 13 1/4".

2nd August (2)

Just to record the addition of the detail below on the page on the Vox Meazzi/Framez Echo.

The Shadows, Copenhagen, late August 1961, with two echo units: on top a Model J (Type 1B not 2); underneath, a Model 2 Vox-branded "Framez" Echomatic.

2nd August

A couple of examples of modern one-off stampings on repro plates added to this page (section 4 at the end).

1st August

Thanks to G., pics of the small format round footswitch supplied from factory with AC30 Twin serial number 6890. A further instance can be seen on this page.

Pedal supplied with AC30 Twin serial number 6890.

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