On this page, for the time being, a sort of "bird's eye" overview - chronological as far as possible - of the contracting out by Jennings and Thomas Organ to EKO of certain lines of production (guitars and organs) in late 1965 and 1966. EKO was based at Recanati, south of Ancona. During the course of 1966, the association - doubtless a series of contracts initially - became E.M.E. ("Elettronica Musicale Europea"), supported in part by the Italian government.

1) In June 1965, Oliviero Pigini and Ennio Uncini of EKO attended the NAMM show in Chicago for the first time:

June 1965, American music trade press.

Also at the show were Tom Jennings and his team and the Thomas Vox Division. Jennings had a display in the latter's rooms at the Conrad Hilton. At the fair, Tom received a huge order for new equipment. Commenting on the order a few weeks later in the British music trade press, he signalled the impending need to increase production.

July 1965, British music trade press.

2) One of EKO's objectives in attending the Fair - aside from general promotion - was evidently to signal the coming expansion of their production facility. Below, published in the American music trade press in December 1965, a shot of the architect's model for the new factory planned at Recanati.

December 1965, evidently not a drawing.

3) According to Remo Serrangeli, who published a fascinating account of the making of Vox guitars at Recanati from 1966-1968, the first runs were made in the autumn of 1965. When Serrangeli joined EKO in September "a new range of Vox guitars....was added to the normal EKO production". Although little is known in detail of the original arrangement made by JMI and Thomas with EKO, it is possible that it also encompassed - prospectively - the making of organs.

4) It seems that Thomas Organ took the lead at the outset, sending advisers to instruct the Italian workers to make three-piece guitar necks instead of the single-piece construction favoured by Jennings.

5) The first runs of guitars will have been made in the "old" factory, i.e. the one preceding the one envisaged in the model of December '65 and actually constructed (photo at the head of this page). No shot of the old works has so far come to light. It may be that parts had been destroyed in a fire (reported by Serrangeli).

6) The earliest indication that the making of Continentals had been contracted out to EKO that has emerged to date comes from a set of circuit diagrams drawn up at Recanati on the 10th December 1965:

10th December 1965, approved in April 1966 by Earle C. Wolfe, the Thomas chief of staff at Recanati.

7) 10th December 1965 was only 9 days after the fire at the Vox Works in Erith, which destroyed most of the top floor - principally the Guitar and Organ Department. The fire may have brought the production of organs at Recanati - perhaps envisaged back in the autumn of 1965 - forward by some months.

8) In many respects, Recanati was a Thomas and EKO operation however. Jennings seems to have been involved mainly at key junctures. Earle Wolfe, who approved the circuit diagram part-illustrated above, oversaw for Thomas production of both organs and guitars, sometimes inspecting (and signing off) equipment at shop floor level.

9) During the course of 1966, the Jennings-Thomas-EKO arrangement became E.M.E.

E.M.E. ("Elettronica Musicale Europea")

This was a joint manufacturing venture set in motion by Jennings, Thomas Organ, EKO, and the Italian government in 1966. In essence, it simply built upon the arrangement that the three companies had fleshed out in the autumn of 1965.

In November 1968, Billboard magazine reported the constituent stakes in E.M.E. as being: EKO (48%); the Thomas Organ Company (30%); and Jennings (22%).

Under the auspices of E.M.E., production of Vox single manual organs was set in motion in mid 1966, dual manuals in late 1966 / early 1967. In both instances it seems possible that a certain number of units were made prior to the beginning of the main production runs, some perhaps shipped as test cases / "first builds" to the USA and Europe. Such things may eventually come to light. The outline page on Vox Super Continental (dual manual) organs can be found here.

Below, a note published in the English trade press in November 1966 giving the broad outline and envisaged benefits:

November 1966.

Although EKO is not mentioned explicitly, production took place in the company's factory in Recanati - picture from this useful historical overview.

The new (E.M.E.) factory heralded in November 1966 was, in the end, set up in Montecassiano rather than Recanati and did not come into being until late 1968, by which time Jennings was out of the picture.

The front of the new Thomas Organ / Eko (E.M.E.) factory at Montecassiano, photographed in late 1968.

A detail of an E.M.E. sheet for organ footages, no date.

Back to the main Vox Continental index page.

The main Jennings / Vox organs index page.