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EPIPHONE | CATALOGS | 1966 | FRONT COVER

Epiphone full line 1966 catalog front cover

Guitars, amplifiers and basses

Epiphone full line 1966 catalog front cover. Canadian artist Neil Boyle was responsible for the artwork on the front and back covers of this catalog; he produced an amount of other work for Gibson/Epiphone/Kalamazoo in 1966 - see the index page for more details.

Interesting guitars illustrated here are lower end or student models, which perhaps says something about the way CMI were positioning Epiphone at this point. Shown here are the Epiphone Granada (foreground), Epiphone Coronet (mid ground) and one of Epiphone's Classic guitars in the background.

1966 Epiphone "Guitars, Basses, Amplifiers" catalog, front cover
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Vintage Epiphone guitars for sale

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1966 Epiphone Texan FT-79N Natural

1966 Epiphone Texan FT-79N Natural

Seattle, Washington, 981**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$3449

Up for sale is a 1966 Epiphone Texan FT-79N in its original natural finish. This guitar has been beat to within an inch of its life, and truly sounds fantastic! Factory heel stinger too! 1 9 / 16th nut width, Kluson double line tuners, original E pickguard. Lots of repaired / some not repaired top cracks, bridge has been re-glued and has two additional screws installed. The guitar has been refretted and areas of the fingerboard have been filled in. Lots and lots of wear, but no neck breaks. ... more
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1966 Epiphone Texan

1966 Epiphone Texan

Loveland, Ohio, 451**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$5595

1966 Epiphone Texan, Natural, Adjustable bridge with White Ceramic insert, Tortoise pickguard, Attractive instrument! Nice low action, Just like Paul??s, Very good plus condition, Newer Non original hard case, $5, 395
At Gary??s Classic Guitars we professionally clean, setup & pro pack for safe transit of your new guitar to your door! We would love to earn your business ??
... more
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1966 Epiphone FT-45N Cortez Vintage Acoustic Guitar

1966 Epiphone FT-45N Cortez Vintage Acoustic Guitar

Whitehall, Wisconsin, 547**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$2250

Excellent guitar, plays wonderfully, recently had it professionally gone through with a refret and new strings (see... more
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1966 Epiphone Riviera Cherry Sunburst - Gibson-USA Made Vintage Guitar! es-335,

1966 Epiphone Riviera Cherry Sunburst - Gibson-USA Made Vintage Guitar! es-335,

Lee's Summit, Missouri, 640**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$6999


1966 Epiphone Riviera Cherry Sunburst - Gibson-USA Made Vintage Guitar!
Great vibe on this beautiful 1966 Epiphone USA Riviera. Made in the old Gibson Kalamazoo factory right next to ES-335's, 355's etc! These Epiphone's have a slightly different flavor than their Gibson counterparts like slightly longer scale, mini-humbuckers and different branding of course, but the build quality is identical. The mini-humbuckers sound amazing as usual. This guitar is a great ... more
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1966 Epiphone Casino Olive Drab Hollowbody Refin w / Bag

1966 Epiphone Casino Olive Drab Hollowbody Refin w / Bag

San Diego, California, 921**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$6995

1966 Epiphone Casino
This Guitar Is Located At IVG Burbank
In Very Good Overall Condition (Please See Photos)
Professionally Refinished In Olive Drab Nitrocellulose Lacquer With Original Serial Number Intact
Wiring Harness Replaced With Original Included (See Photos)
All Parts Otherwise Original
Made In USA
Laminated Maple Hollowbody
ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic Bridge With Trapeze Tailpiece
Dual Dogear P-90 Pickups With Chrome Covers
Double-Line Kluson Deluxe ... more
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1966 Epiphone Sheraton E212T Vintage Semi-Hollow Guitar Royal Tan w /  Case

1966 Epiphone Sheraton E212T Vintage Semi-Hollow Guitar Royal Tan w / Case

Seattle, Washington, 981**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$9500

Up for sale, a 1966 Epiphone Sheraton E212T in excellent condition and in perfect working order, finished in Royal Tan. The Sheraton represented the highest tiered thinline semi-hollowbody model offered by Epiphone in this era, manufactured by parent company Gibson at their Kalamazoo, MI factory. Made in sparingly small quantities across its 1959-1970 run (production only crested 100 instruments in the '67 model year), the lighter shade of Sunburst seen here, christened Royal Tan by Epiphone, ... more
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Vintage 1966 Epiphone Comet EA-32 RVT 1x10 Tube Amp Reverb & Tremolo Orig. Cover

Vintage 1966 Epiphone Comet EA-32 RVT 1x10 Tube Amp Reverb & Tremolo Orig. Cover

Fowler, Ohio, 444**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$799

Pictured above is a vintage 1966 Epiphone Comet EA-32 RVT 1x10?? combo guitar tube amplifier in collector-grade condition and works fine. It is complete with the original two-button footswitch and Original grey cover with white binding. This vintage Epiphone amp is comparable to the famous Fender Princeton Reverb with many of the same features. It has a single channel with three-inputs. Comet specs shows it having 12 5 watts through a 10" ceramic magnet CTS speaker. This amp has the ... more
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Fender Coronado I 1966 Sunburst Guitar w /  Epiphone Hard Case #1137

Fender Coronado I 1966 Sunburst Guitar w / Epiphone Hard Case #1137

Robertsville, Missouri, 630**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$1650

This guitar plays incredibly well and it has very low action. It??s been kept in very good condition over the years and has the normal finish checking that most guitars have its age. The electronics sound great and it has incredibly low action making it very pleasant to play. It has the beautiful sunburst finish that really makes it stand out. It looks like the frets have been worked on and cleaned up in the past which is common for a guitar its age. There is very light wear to the frets and no ... more
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Epiphone Newport Bass 1966 Factory Custom Color California Coral Modern HC

Epiphone Newport Bass 1966 Factory Custom Color California Coral Modern HC

Manville, Rhode Island, 028**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$6750

This is a CRAZY RARE Factory Custom Color. California Coral This Newport was made by Gibson in the Kalamazoo factory. The model is basicllythe same as an EB0. The bass is 100% original. The bass plays well & soundslike an EB0. The bass has a minor repaired heel crack. Completely stable (seephoto). It has a hole in the back of the headstock (a strap button?) does notgo thru the front. It had a burn mark on the headstock that as been touched up(see photo). The bass is really clean with some ... more
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Epiphone FT45NA coustic Guitar 1966 Kalamazoo USA Restoration needed Solid

Epiphone FT45NA coustic Guitar 1966 Kalamazoo USA Restoration needed Solid

San Diego, California, 921**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$775

Welcome and thank you for taking the time to view my ad
Epiphone FT45NA coustic Guitar 1966 Kalamazoo USA Restoration needed Solid
I purchase this to restore it's in great shape for restoration, needs: fret job, remove and replace the frets, the bridge has some issues with the adjustment, the neck is very straight, the body has a few cracks on the top side that are not all the way through, the Kluson Deluxe tuner are in great working condition. I think the value after work has been ... more
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1966-1969 Epiphone E230T Single Pickup Casino Electric Guitar with Gibson Case

1966-1969 Epiphone E230T Single Pickup Casino Electric Guitar with Gibson Case

Harrisonville, Missouri, 647**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$2400

1966-1969 Epiphone E230T Single Pickup Casino Electric Guitar with Gibson Case






Description
1966-1969 Epiphone E230T Single Pickup Casino Electric Guitar with Gibson Case
This great guitar is a beautiful Epiphone E230T from the 1966-1969 time period. It carries the serial number 855553 and it weighs in at a nice and light 5 pounds, 7 83 ounces.
This guitar is very similar to the Casino model but it is a rare one pickup model. This guitar does not have a ... more
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Epiphone FT-30 Caballero 1966 broken Acoustic Guitar USA made Vintage Project

Epiphone FT-30 Caballero 1966 broken Acoustic Guitar USA made Vintage Project

Citrus Heights, California, 956**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$700

Gibson made Epiphone Ft -30 in project condition. Made in the 1960??s see serial number. I??d like to complete this project myself but am putting it up to see what offers are out there. it has a great neck and fingerboard but the top has 3 or more long cracks . and 3 braces have come completely unglued, but i have them. straight neck- trus works- very little wear on original frets- This would be perfect for an x brace or modified x brace conversion of some sort .
ask if your like more info-... more
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1966 Epiphone - Riviera - Player 335 Style - ID 3245

1966 Epiphone - Riviera - Player 335 Style - ID 3245

Emmering, 82***, GERMANY

€3065

Vintage 60' Riviera
Zustand: Gut
SerNr: 851246
Gewicht: 3, 8 kg Versandklasse: Large
Koffer / Case: ja
Parallel zur Gibson ES-335 gabs die Riviera von Epiphone, wie die 335 hat auch die Riviera einen Centerblock, was ein Aufschwingen bei grosser Lautstärke minimiert
Die Riviera wurde auf Stoptail umgestrickt und neu lackiert
Am Hals wurde ein 1972 Gibson Humbucker eingesetzt, der Bridge Mini Humbucker ist original
Der Hals war an der Kopfplatte angeknackst, das wurde ... more
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Epiphone texan ft-79 1966 Kalamazoo Michigan

Epiphone texan ft-79 1966 Kalamazoo Michigan

Swanage, BH19***, UNITED KINGDOM

£2222

Very rare and only a handful on the market, Beautiful sounding Epiphone Texan FT-79 1966, built in the legendary factory in kalamazoo, Michigan, which ended up burning down! They were made in the same factory as the Gibson's as Gibson had previously bought out Epiphone in the 50's and were still manufacturing the Epiphone's to the same standards as the Gibson's this lovely guitar could do with some tuner's but I just don't feel confident enough myself changing them and would rather it go to ... more
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Epiphone Riviera E360TD: Kalamazoo Factory Michigan 1966. £6, 000 o n.o

Epiphone Riviera E360TD: Kalamazoo Factory Michigan 1966. £6, 000 o n.o

Minehead, TA24***, UNITED KINGDOM

£6000

Epiphone Riviera E360TD: Serial Number 856040 Kalamazoo Factory Michigan 1966. The guitar was purchased from ??Vintage and Rare Guitars??in Bath in 2002 and has hardly been out of its case since then. The only sign of wear (apart from the beautiful patina of a nearly fifty year old guitar) is that the ??E?? sign on the pickguard got caught on the lid of the case and folded (see picture) about a year ago. The guitar is truly stunning and the sale is because I am reluctant to play such a pristine ... more
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1971 Selmer guitar catalogue

1971 Selmer guitar catalogueScan of 1971 Selmer guitar catalogue showing the range of electric and acoustic guitars distributed by the company: guitars by Gibson, Yamaha, Selmer, Hofner and Suzuki. 1960s Selmer had always placed Hofner at the front end of their catalogues, no doubt these were the better sellers - but into the 1970s Hofner were slipping somewhat and only appear at the tail end of this publication, pride of place going to Gibson, and to a lesser extent Yamaha. In fact this is the last Selmer catalogue to include the many Hofner hollow bodies (Committee, President, Senator etc) that had defined the companies output for so many years - to be replaced in the 1972 catalogue by generic solid body 'copies' of Gibson and Fender models. A number of new Gibson models are included for the first time: the SG-100 and SG-200 six string guitars and the SB-300 and SB-400 basses.

1968 Selmer guitar catalogue

1968 Selmer guitar catalogueScan of 1968/1969 Selmer guitar catalogue (printed July 1968), showing the entire range of electric and acoustic guitars distributed by the company: guitars by Hofner, Gibson, Selmer and Giannini. Selmer were the exclusive United Kingdom distributors of Hofner and Gibson at the time, and this catalogue contains a total of 18 electric guitars, 7 bass guitars, 37 acoustics, and 2 Hawaiian guitars - all produced outside the UK and imported by Selmer, with UK prices included in guineas. This catalogue saw the (re-)introduction of the late sixties Gibson Les Paul Custom and Les Paul Standard (see page 69) and the short-lived Hofner Club 70. Other electric models include: HOFNER ELECTRICS: Committee, Verithin 66, Ambassador, President, Senator, Galaxie, HOFNER BASSES: Violin bass, Verithin bass, Senator bass, Professional bass GIBSON ELECTRICS: Barney Kessel, ES-330TD, ES-335TD, ES-345TD, ES-175D, ES-125CD, SG Standard, SG Junior, SG Special GIBSON BASSES: EB-0, EB-2, EB-3 - plus a LOT of acoustics branded Gibson, Hofner, Selmer and Giannini

1961 Hofner Colorama I

1961 Hofner Colorama IHofner Colorama was the name UK distributor Selmer gave to a series of solid and semi-solid guitars built by Hofner for distribution in the UK. The construction and specifications of the guitars varied over the period of production, but by 1961 it was a totally solid, double cutaway instrument, with a set neck, translucent cherry finish, six-in-a-row headstock, and Hofner Diamond logo pickups. Available as a single or dual pickup guitar, this sngle pickup version would have been sold in mainland Europe as the Hofner 161.

1971 Commodore N25 (Matsumoku)

1971 Commodore N25 (Matsumoku)Commodore was a brand applied to a series of guitars produced in Japan at the well-respected Matsumoku plant from the late 1960s to the mid 1970s - and sold primarily (perhaps exclusively?) in the United Kingdom. The models bearing the Commodore name were all guitars available from different distributors with different branding. Although there may have been some minor changes in appointments (specifically headstock branding) most had the same basic bodies, hardware and construction. Equivalent models to the Commodore N25 (and this is by no means an exhaustive list) include the Aria 5102T, Conrad 5102T(?), Electra 2221, Lyle 5102T, Ventura V-1001, Univox Coily - and most famously the Epiphone 5102T / Epiphone EA-250.

1960 Hofner Colorama II

1960 Hofner Colorama IIThe Hofner Colorama was the name given by Selmer to a series of solid (and semi-solid) body Hofner guitars distributed in the United Kingdom between 1958 and 1965. The Colorama name actually applied to some quite different guitars over the period, but in 1960 it was a very light, semi-solid, set necked guitar with one (Colorama I) or two (Colorama II, as seen here) Toaster pickups. Although an entry-level guitar, it was very well-built, and a fine playing guitar; certainly a step up (at least in terms of craftsmanship) from many of the Colorama guitars that would follow, and a good deal of the guitars available in Britain circa 1960.

1971 Epiphone 1820 bass (ET-280)

1971 Epiphone 1820 (ET-280) bassBy the end of the 1960s, a decision had been made to move Epiphone guitar production from the USA (at the Kalamazoo plant where Gibson guitars were made), to Matsumoto in Japan, creating a line of guitars and basses significantly less expensive than the USA-built models (actually less than half the price). The Matsumoku factory had been producing guitars for export for some time, but the 1820 bass (alongside a number of guitar models and the 5120 electric acoustic bass) were the first Epiphone models to be made there. These new Epiphones were based on existing Matsumoku guitars, sharing body shapes, and hardware, but the Epiphone line was somewhat upgraded, with inlaid logos and a 2x2 peghead configuration. Over the course of the 70s, the Japanese output improved dramatically, and in many ways these early 70s models are a low point for the brand. Having said this, there are a lot worse guitars out there, and as well as being historically important, the 1820 bass can certainly provide the goods when required.

1981 Gibson Marauder

1981 Gibson MarauderProduction of Bill Lawrence's Gibson Marauder began in 1974, with production peaking in 1978. But by 1980 the model was officially discontinued, though very small numbers slipped out as late as spring 1981. Over 7000 examples shipped between 1974 and 1979, and although no totals are available for 1980 and 1981, it is unlikely production reached three figures in either of these years. These final Marauders were all assembled at the Gibson Nashville plant, and had some nice features not available through the later years of production, such as a rosewood fretboard, and in this case, an opaque 'Devil Red' finish. It's a great looking and fine playing guitar!

1971 'Pick Epiphone' Catalog

1971 Pick Epiphone catalogWhen Epiphone production moved from Kalamazoo to the Matsumoku plant in Japan, a whole new range of electric, flattop and classic acoustic guitars was launched. Between late 1970 and 1972 the new models were launched and refined. This 'folder' catalog contains various inserts released over these years detailing four electric six-strings (ET-270, ET-275, ET-278, and thinline EA-250), three bass guitars (ET-280, ET-285, and thinline EA-260), three folk/steel acoustics, four jumbo flattop acoustics, two 12-string jumbos, four classic acoustics, and a banjo.

1981 'Gibson Specials' Pre-Owners Manual

1981 Gibson Specials Pre-Owners Manual'Gibson Specials' was part of the June 1981 pre-owners manual series, but unlike the other folders contained a mish-mash of different guitars: limited editions, test marketing and close outs. "You will find the unusual, the brand-new, and the bargain within this folder". End of line 70s guitars like the Marauder, S-1, and L-6S Custom mixed in with brand new models the The V, The Explorer and the Flying V Bass.
It was the largest folder in the series, with 24 inserts, (19 guitars and 5 basses): Guitars: 335-S Standard, Melody Maker Double, Marauder, L-6S Custom, S-1, RD Artist, Firebird, Firebird II, Flying V, Flying V-II, The V, Explorer, Explorer II, The Explorer, The "SG" Standard, Les Paul Artist, Les Paul Artisan, ES-335 Heritage, ES-175/CC Basses: Grabber, G-3, L-9S, RD Artist Bass, Flying V Bass

1970s Shaftesbury 3263 bass

1970s Shaftesbury 3263 bassRose-Morris were selling Shaftesbury-branded Rickenbacker copy instruments from the late 1960s right through the 1970s. The 3263 bass was one of the first models, (alongside the 3261 six string and 3262 twelve string) available from late 1968 until about 1974. The earliest incarnation was a set neck bass, produced very briefly in Japan. But production quickly moved to Italy. This bolt-on neck example was built by Eko, in Recanati, using the same hardware and pickups as fitted to Eko, and Vox basses built around the same time. It's certainly a fine looking bass, and not a bad player either.

1961 Hohner Zambesi

1961 Hohner ZambesiThis very early, and pretty rare British-built guitar is branded Hohner London. Hohner were, of course, a German company, better known for their harmonicas and accordions, but they were keenly expanding into guitars at the birth of the 1960s. This model, along with the Hohner Amazon and (particularly) the Hohner Holborn, bear some similarity with Vox guitars of the same period; furniture manufacturer Stuart Darkins constructed bodies and necks for both brands, with Fenton Weill assembling them using their hardware and pickups. These guitars do have some hardware peculiarities, and they are not the most adjustable of instruments, but they actually play very nicely, being solidly built out of some very nice woods. Check out the video on this page.

1963 Vox Super Ace

1963 Vox Super AceThe Vox Super Ace was a mid-priced British solid body electric guitar, produced by JMI at their factory in Dartford, Kent. It was broadly modelled on the Fender Stratocaster, and a sibling model to the dual-pickup Vox Ace. Both the Ace, and Super Ace (along with several other models), were redesigned in 1963 with a new body shape, headstock style, and pickup layout - only increasing the resemblance to the aforementioned Fender. The Super Ace had a 1963 price tag of £47 5S. It's a pretty nice playing guitar with some lovely sounds - check out the videos on this page, and in the Vintage Guitar and Bass supporting members area

1966 Vox New Escort

1966 Vox New EscortThe Vox New Escort was Vox's version of the Fender Telecaster, at a time when American guitars were out of reach for most British musicians. It was made by JMI in England, for the British market, and unlike the majority of other models, didn't have an Italian-made equivalent. But the New Escort wasn't a slavish Fender copy, adding Vox's stylish teardrop headstock to the tele-style body, with a stop tailpiece and two Vox V2 single coil pickups. And it's a pretty substantial, and nice playing guitar, with a very comfortable neck. Check out the images, specifications, and watch a video of it in action. There is also extra content in the vintageguitarandbass supporting members area.

1969 Fender catalog, Fender Lovin' Care

1969 Fender catalog, Fender Lovin CareCatalog scan. The 1969 Fender Lovin' Care catalog consisted of 48 pages of electric guitars, basses, amplifiers, steel guitars, acoustic guitars, banjos and keyboards. Like the previous catalog, this featured the company's guitars in a variety of interesting settings around California, from the Whiskey-A-Go-Go, to the Hollywood Bowl. Several instruments were making their first appearance amongst it's pages: the Telecaster bass, Montego and LTD jazz guitars, and the Redondo acoustic. It was the final catalog appearance, however, of the Electric XII, Bass V, Duo-Sonic, Coronado I and Coronado Bass I.

1973 Eko Ranger Folk

1973 Eko Ranger FolkThe Eko Ranger series of guitars was incredibly popular in the second half of the 1960s and through the 1970s, selling in very large numbers. The Ranger Folk was 1 1/4" smaller, and 1" shallower than the Ranger VI and XII - and with a narrower waist. Not a bad guitar; a little quiet, but pretty playable. These were great value in 1973, and because they sold so many, they are easy to find and excellent value today.

1966 Vox Symphonic bass guitar

1966 Vox Symphonic bass guitarThe Symphonic bass was built in the UK, by Vox parent company JMI. It was the Vox equivalent to the Fender Precision bass, and was one of the most expensive Vox guitars produced. It was actually a great playing bass, rather similar to the Precision in feel and sound, but was probably just too expensive compared to an actual Fender and consequently sold poorly. When Vox hit financial problems in 1968, unsold guitars and basses were passed on to Dallas Arbiter, who briefly sold the excess Symphonic bass stock as model 4537. This bass, although with a neck date of February 1966, was most likely one of the unsold Vox guitars sold on by Dallas Arbiter. Check out the bass, and the two video demos through 1960s Ampeg and WEM amplifiers.

1968 Shaftesbury 'Electric Guitars' catalog

1968 Shaftesbury catalogThe 1968 Shaftesbury 'Electric Guitars' catalog was just four pages long, and contained four guitar models: the six string Barney Kessel-style 3264; and three Rickenbacker-styled semi-acoustic models: the six-string 3261, the twelve string 3262 and the 3263 bass. Shaftesbury was the house-brand of major UK distributor Rose-Morris, and seems to have been launched as a response to the company's loss of it's distribution deal with Rickenbacker. The guitars were mid-priced, and built in (initially) Japan, and later Italy, by Eko

1970 Rose-Morris 'Exciting Electrics Wonderful Westerns Celebrated Classics' catalog

1970 Rose_Morris catalog1970 Rose-Morris catalog, dated April 1970. It featured 6 electric guitars, 32 acoustic guitars, 3 basses and 1 steel guitar. It contains the following instruments, over 20 pages: Electric guitars: Shaftesbury 3261, 3262, 3264, 3265, 3400; Top Twenty 1970; Bass: Shaftesbury 3263, 3266; Top Twenty 1971; Acoustic guitars: Eko Rio Bravo, Rio Bravo 12, Ranchero, Ranchero 12, Colorado, Ranger, Ranger Folk, Ranger 12; Aria 1674, 1675, 1676, 1679, 1680, 1695, 'John Pearse' Jumbo, 'John Pearse' Folk; Rose-Morris 15-11, Kansas, Georgian, Florida; Suzuki 1663, 1664, 1665, 3054, 3055, 3060; Tatay 1713, 1714, 1715; Peerless 3052; Steel guitar: Aria 3425

1971 Rose-Morris 'Exciting Electrics Wonderful Westerns' catalog

1971 Rose_Morris catalogThe sixteen-page 1971 Rose-Morris catalog featured electric guitars by Rose-Morris' own brand, Shaftesbury, and budget brand Top Twenty; aswell as acoustics by Eko, Aria, and for the first time Ovation. The catalog contains the following instruments: Electric guitars: Shaftesbury 3261, 3264, 3265, 3400, 3402; Top Twenty 1970; Bass: Shaftesbury 3263, 3266; Top Twenty 1971; Acoustic guitars: Ovation: Balladeer, 12 String, Glen Campbell, Glen Campbell 12 string; Eko Rio Bravo, Rio Bravo 12, Ranger, Ranger Folk, Ranger 12, Colorado, Ranchero, Ranchero 12, Studio 'L'; Rose-Morris Florida; Aria 'John Pearse' Jumbo, 'John Pearse' Folk

1972 Fender Precision bass

1972 Fender PrecisionA detailed look at an early 1970s Fender Precision bass guitar in custom black finish, with rosewood fretboard. 1972 list price, $307.50. The Fender Precision had been shipping since at least very early 1952 - with just one re-design circa 1957. This example, then, shows a model already two decades old, but barely changed since the '57 revamp. Fender got it right first time around, and although there are numerous minor cosmetic differences, the essence of this bass is effectively the same as it was in '52: a simple, single pickup instrument with a GREAT sound. Check out the demo video through an old Ampeg B15. It's no wonder this is the bass that everybody wants!

1967 Vox Stroller

1967 Vox StrollerThe Vox Stroller was the brand's entry level electric solid body guitar, fitted with just one pickup and a fixed tailpiece. Although aimed at student guitarists, it wasn't a terrible instrument, but did lack somewhat in adjustability, having no accessible truss rod and only a floating rosewood bridge. But this example is actually quite an improvement on earlier versions, with a standard 1/4" jack and a solid mahogany body. 1967 price £18 2s. JMI ceased UK guitar production in late '67, and combined with decreasing demand for the Stroller, this surely must be one of the last examples shipped.

1963 Vox Clubman Bass (left handed)

1963 Vox Clubman Bass left handedA nice example of the Vox Clubman II bass, built by JMI in Dartford, Kent in 1963. This is a lightweight bass, short (30") scale and very easy to play. It is an early example, and as such has a thin black scratchplate and side mounted, coaxial output jack. JMI offered left handed examples of their solid body Vox guitars and basses at 10% premium. Production numbers are unclear, but left-handed examples rarely come up for sale

1977 Gibson ES Artist 'prototype'

1977 Gibson ES Artist prototypeNot to be confused with the Gibson ES Artist launched by Gibson in 1979; this ES Artist was an early model designed by the Gibson research and development team in Kalamazoo in 1977, the instruments themselves constructed by Gibson artist Chuck Burge. It was planned for launch as a high end semi acoustic with 335-style construction (central maple block) and innovative circuitry - but was pulled at the last minute, being deemed too expensive. Apparently, several examples were produced with varying specifications, though exactly how many actually left the Kalamazoo plant is unclear. Certainly two guitars were sold to LaVonne Music by Gibson in around 1980. Read more about the development of this guitar, with details from Chuck Burge and the story of it's sale to LaVonne music

1959 Hofner Committee

1959 Hofner CommitteeThe Hofner Committee was a truly beautiful guitar produced in Germany, primarily for the UK market. It was a large bodied (initially 17 1/2") guitar with a carved spruce top, available as an acoustic or electric guitar. By the early sixties the carved top was replaced with a laminate, and although still a very fine guitar, the earlier carved top examples, with frondose headstock (like the example shown here) are far more highly prized amongst musicians and vintage guitar collectors.

1965 Gretsch Chet Atkins Tennessean

1965 Gretsch Chet Atkins TennesseanThe Gretsch Chet Atkins Tennessean, or model 6119 was Gretsch's best selling hollow body of the 1960s. This wonderfully faded example from 1965 was originally Dark Cherry Red, but has turned a mid-orange brown. The original color, however, can be seen underneath the pickup surrounds. 1965 specs: maple body, two-piece neck, Brazilian rosewood fretboard and Hi-Lo 'Tron single coil pickups. Nickel plated Gretsch Bigsby tailpiece.

1965 Gretsch 'For the Spectacular Sound of the Times' guitar and amp catalog

1965 Gretsch catalogThe 1965 Gretsch catalog, or catalog #32, featured 10 hollow body electric guitars, including the newly launched Gretsch Viking; four solid body electrics, including the Astro Jet - making it's only catalog appearance; just one bass, the single pickup PX6070; nine acoustics and 12 tube amplifiers. Pride of place went to the Chet Atkins Country Gentleman that adorned both the front and back covers. 24 pages, six of which are in full color.

Guitar Repair: fixing fret buzz and sharp fret ends

Guitar Repair: fixing fret buzz and sharp fret endsLoose frets are especially problematic in certain old guitars, but are generally very easy to fix. You'll be amazed at the difference you can make with just a few tools, a bit of knowledge, and a little time. Fixing loose frets can eliminate fret buzz, remove sharp fret ends, and greatly improve the tone of any guitar. If your luthier bill will be greater than the value of your guitar, definitely time to have a go yourself!

1966 Hagstrom 'worlds fastest playing neck' catalog (Merson USA)

1966 Hagstrom guitar catalogHagstrom guitars were distributed in the mid-1960s United States by Merson of USA. This eight page 'worlds fastest playing neck' catalog, printed in two-colors contained six solid body electrics, three solid body basses, two electric acoustic guitars, two electric acoustic basses and five acoustics.

1965 Hofner President

1965 Hofner PresidentThe President was produced by Hofner in Bubenreuth, Germany, specifically for Selmer, who distributed the brand in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and other commonwealth nations. The President was a hollow body electric acoustic, available as a full body or thinline, and with blonde or brunette finish. It was a great playing guitar that sold fairly well in the second half of the 1950s, throughout the 1960s, and into the very early 1970s. The example shown here is a full-body depth guitar in blonde - and as a 1965 guitar, one of the last to feature the rounded Venetian cutaway. From late 1965 until 1972, the President sported a sharp Florentine cut. Naturally, such an electric acoustic suggests jazz and blues, but many of the original British Hofner President players were part of the rock 'n roll, skiffle and beat scenes of the late 50s and early 60s.

1963 1964 Fender catalog

Fender 1963 catalogue"The Choice of Professional and Student Musicians Everywhere" This eight page catalogue was included as an insert in the 1963 annual "school music" issue of Downbeat magazine (September 1963). As well as keyboards and pedal steels, this catalog contains seven guitars, three basses and ten amplifiers - from student guitars such as the Musicmaster and Duotone to professional models like the new Jaguar.