Vox AC30 website updates

May 2025

28th May

Harry Corbett with Sooty and Sweep and a slightly bashed Univox J10, early 1960s. Tom first signalled the use of a Univox on the show in March 1955. The J10 ("Concert Grand") was introduced in 1954 - .

March 1955

Below, a short clip of the Univox from an episode probably from the later 1950s, here colourised. At 6'50" the bagpipe effect is showcased:

The Univox in this clip is evidently a J6.

26th May

A page has been started on . There are some notable absentees at the moment, mentioned in early literature - The Red Price Combo and Adam Faith and The Roulettes being the two main ones. Further material will be added as it comes to light.

23rd May

A still from the promotional Scopitone film for "Robot" by the Tornados, early 1963, their first Continental in view with its legs attached back to front.

"Robot" was released by Decca in April '63. Note that there is no serial number plate on the organ's back panel.

22nd May

Roger La Verne's second Vox Continental, second half of 1963, screengrab from a segment of the lost film "Farewell Performance" (released in December 1963, no complete copy now surviving). His first Continental had no serial number plate on its back panel. A keyboard-side view .

The Tornados on stage, Continental with a serial number plate on its back panel. The T60 bass is an early one with perspex logo.

La Verne's first Continental, filmed in late 1962.

19th May

Entries for five AC30 Twins with serial numbers in the 20000s mentioned below: serial numbers 20183, 20206, 20433, 20669, and 20671. An entry has also been made for serial number 20828, an AC30 Super Twin - a companion to number 20831.

18th May (2)

The page on AC30 Twins with serial numbers in the 20000s and 21000s has now, at long last, been divided in two: , and . Both are in the course of being updated. For the time being, the page on the 18000s and 19000s, not excessively long yet, will stay as it is. [ June 2025: now divided into two.]

18th May

Entries for a further five AC4s from 1962 and 1963 : serial numbers 2334, 2706, 2957, 2969, and 2982.

17th May

Entries for three late JMI AC30 Twins (from early 1968) : serial numbers 22989, 22991, and 23028.

15th May

During the recovering of the Continental from mid 1963 (mentioned last week), it turned out that the main case originally had three "break apart" hinges at back - two in the normal positions, a third centred over the screw hole for the Z-leg struts. The lid on the other hand, still with its original vinyl, only ever had two.

Recently a Connie from late 1964 / early 1965 turned up with an apparently identical arrangement, three hinges on the main case, two on the lid. It is not clear why the 3-2 format was adopted - albeit rarely - by JMI.

Continental serial no. TC-1543, old-style serial number plate: "AC Mains Only. 200/250 Volts. 50/60 Cycles".

Also to mention that there were no screw holes for a serial number plate anywhere on the early Connie's main case. If a plate had been affixed, then it must have been Araldited on (as plates were on the JMI PA amplifiers).

13th May

Thanks to Massimiliano, pictures of Dallas AC30 Twin serial number 2232 :

Dallas AC30 serial number 2232, the 1232nd ready for sale, November 1975.

10th May

A new page on shop and small ads for the Vox Domino range .

9th May

Late 1966 and early 1967 - someone in Erith advertising "new" Vox guitars and amps at less than half price, perhaps models that had come to the end of their run?

It is not clear at present though who in Erith was doing the selling. The telephone number of the Vox Works was Erith 33080. Late 1966 / early 1967 coincides with the overhaul of the Vox range (the introduction of guitars with built-in effects and fully solid state amplifiers).

Quite what "Domino AMPS P/B" means is not clear either. Does "P/B" indicate "piggy back", i.e. the Domino Bass and Super Reverb Twin?.

8th May

A recent pic. of the Connie from mid 1963 featured on several pages in the . It has now been recovered in finely textured black rexine. When it came to light the body of the organ had been redone in a heavy white material. The outer lid retains its original black cloth.

The music stand pictured is work in progress - just a little yet to do. The original perspex panel and aluminium brackets had long disappeared. The legs are from a later Continental.

Although nothing is known of its first years, the organ belonged from c. 1966 to "Nelson's Column", a band that came together at Southampton University. Below, a shot of a poster from one of the events, c. 1968, thanks to Chris. Although the band broke up in '69, the organ was used fairly regularly for some time thereafter.

4th May

Below, a detail from a shot of Cliff and the Shadows at the London Palladium, probably November 1959, just possibly January 1960. Partially in view at left, a Jennings promotional/demonstration AC15 with larger than normal logo - .

At various points in 1960 the Shadows are seen with three standard AC15s, white/beige diamond rexine, presumably first circuit; and four two-tone second circuit AC15s, three with standard diamond grille cloth, a fourth with plain cloth. More on these amps to come.

3rd May

Some updates coming shortly to the page on AC30 Twins with serial numbers in the 18000s and 19000s. It may be necessary to give separate pages to the 18000s and the 19000s in the coming weeks. [ June 2025: separate pages have now been created.]

Just to note that one hardly ever sees Mullard mustard capacitors with 1965 and 1966 date codes in Vox amps.

PREVIOUS UPDATE PAGES BY MONTH, 2025

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UPDATES 2023

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UPDATES 2022

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UPDATES 2021

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UPDATES 2020

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