1965/66 Selmer Guitars and Accessories Catalog, Page 33: Gibson SG Special and SG Junior >> Vintage Guitar and Bass
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SELMER | CATALOGS | 1965/66 | PAGE 33

Gibson SG Special and SG Junior

1965/66 Selmer 'Guitars and Accessories' catalog page 33

The SG Special and SG Junior were two less-expensive models in the SG range; they did not have the high end features (lyre tailpiece, fancy inlays) of the Standard on the previous page, nor the nickel covered humbucker pickups, but they still had the same all-mahogany construction, 22 fret 24 3/4" scale rosewood fretboard and beautiful translucent cherry finish.

Both models were equipped with Gibson's single coil soapbar P90 pickups - one for the SG Junior, two for the Special - great pickups in their own right, with a much sharper tone than the humbuckers of the Standard.

These changes effected a significant saving in price; the SG Junior, at 82 gns. was actually the least expensive Gibson in this catalog - but interestingly still more expensive than every other non-Gibson listed (with one exception, the Stereo version of the Hofner Verithin with Bigsby tailpiece came in a shade higher at 90 gns., seepage 4).

A lovely finish in a shade of cherry red... an ultra-modern sculptured shape - the solid body double cutaway design that provides easy access to all 22 frets

1965/66 Selmer "Guitars and Accessories" catalog, page 33: Gibson SG Special and SG Junior
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Vintage 1970??s Gibson SG Special Guitar Original Pick Guard

Vintage 1970??s Gibson SG Special Guitar Original Pick Guard

New Orleans, Louisiana, 701**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$200

Original gibson sg special pickguard from a special. No breaks or issues besides honest wear and tear and discoloration. Hard to find! Not warped.

No returns, sold as is for vintage guitar project
... more
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1972 Gibson SG Special In Cherry Red Finish w / HSC

1972 Gibson SG Special In Cherry Red Finish w / HSC

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

$2195

1972 Gibson SG Special In Cherry Red Finish w / HSC
This Guitar Is Located At Imperial Vintage Guitars Orange
In Fair Overall Condition (Please See Photos)
Professionally Repaired And Touched Up Headstock Crack
Enlarged Strap Button Hole
Non-Original Tuners Previously Installed, Originals Mostly Returned
B-String Replaced With Period Correct Gibson Tuner
Non-Original Bridge
Pots Dated 1976
Two Small Holes Near Bridge Indicate Previously Installed Synth ... more
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1970 Gibson SG Junior Large Guard in Vintage Cherry 906151

1970 Gibson SG Junior Large Guard in Vintage Cherry 906151

Highland Park, Illinois, 600**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$4195

This Used 1970 Gibson SG Junior Large Guard in Vintage Cherry is here on consignment. The neck is straight, the frets are still crowned, and the truss rod functions properly. The body features normal wear and tear for a guitar of this age. It's not minty fresh or heavily worn, but it's been played just by someone who treated it fairly well. Included with the guitar is the original case
This era of SG has a chunky neck in terms of depth but it's fairly slim regarding nut width. With 1st fret... more
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1965 Gibson SG Junior with original chipboard case in great condition - 1 owner!

1965 Gibson SG Junior with original chipboard case in great condition - 1 owner!

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

$4995

I was lucky enough to buy a very nice vintage Gibson SG Junior today from the original owner. This great guitar is in superb condition in the original Gibson Chipboard case and it even has a key chain tag from the company the person bought it from. This amazing SG junior has very little in the way of dings, checking, or other issues you might see on a guitar this old. The frets have almost no wear and I don??t think this guitar was ever played much, or even taken out of the case over the years.... more
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Gibson SG Junior 1965 Vintage Cherry

Gibson SG Junior 1965 Vintage Cherry

Lansdowne, Pennsylvania, 190**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$4999

Available for sale is this amazing 1965 Gibson SG Junior in original condition. Includes original chipboard case. The only real flaw in this guitar (besides very honest play wear) is a repaired heel crack. This is fairly a fairly common repair in vintage SG guitars. It sounds amazing and has a nice chunky neck and 1 11 / 16" nut (unlike several Gibson's around this time with small necks and nut widths) frets are original but the guitar still plays easily. Depending on your touch / preference a ... more
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Gibson SG Junior "Large Guard" with Vibrola Cherry 1967 w / original Chipboard

Gibson SG Junior "Large Guard" with Vibrola Cherry 1967 w / original Chipboard

Renton, Washington, 980**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$5000

Vintage Gibson SG JR with Vibrola in Cherry finish made in 1967 with original chipboard case. This guitar features a solid mahogany body, mahogany neck and rosewood fingerboard. Equipped with its original Gibson P-90 dogear Single coil in the bridge position measuring in at 7 55k DCR and controlled by 1 volume and 1 tone pot, which were replaced with vintage spec components. The 24 75" scale length neck has pearloid dot inlays and 22 vintage frets on a 12" radius with a slim taper profile. The ... more
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Vintage Gibson 1963 SG Junior Polaris White with Case USA Jr Long Vibrola

Vintage Gibson 1963 SG Junior Polaris White with Case USA Jr Long Vibrola

Saint Cloud, Minnesota, 563**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$5999

Here is a beautiful looking, playing, and sounding vintage restored 1963 Gibson Junior! Refinished in an aged Polaris White. All parts are new and aged. I decided to go with the long vibrola instead of the short which these typically have if they don??t have the lightning stop bar bridge. I love the look of the the long vibrola on the more expensive SG Standard, so since I think a single P90 pickup guitar sounds better than a double humbucker guitar, this guitar got upgraded and got the long ... more
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1966 Gibson SG Junior Cherry

1966 Gibson SG Junior Cherry

Antioch, Tennessee, 370**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$5999

Very good condition 1966 Gibson SG Junior in cherry. All original. Original pickup screams as is known with these models. Some light play wear as pictured, but nothing out of the ordinary for a guitar this age. All tuners work great, and all electronics have been tested to be working perfectly as well. Original finish is still very much in tact. No neck break, but the body did have a break very early in its life near the lower bout, but is professionally repaired and as solid as it??s ever been.... more
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1967 Gibson SG SPECIAL Cherry

1967 Gibson SG SPECIAL Cherry

Carbondale, Illinois, 629**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$6490


Add Me to Your Favorite Sellers
Olivia's Vintage would like to present this 1967 Gibson SG Special in its original Cherry finish which has really maintained it's true color. It has a great playing neck with good frets. It's all original and 100% complete with the only exception being one ferrule for one tuning peg. The original chipboard case is included. It's in very good condition with some nicks + dings and other minor cosmetic wear. Everything remains structurally sound with no ... more
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Vintage 1965 Gibson SG Special White w Original Case

Vintage 1965 Gibson SG Special White w Original Case

New York, 100**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$6995

Vintage original 1965 Gibson SG Special in killer White finish
Guitar plays fantastic. Features the early, desirable wide nut and neck plays great with a nice feel. Action is nice and low and neck is nice and straight. Frets in generally excellent condition
Original P-90 pickups are warm and strong and punchy. Screaming with distortion. Has that classic vintage '60s tone a la The Who "Live at Leeds "
No cracks, no breaks no issues. The finish appears to have had some ... more
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Gibson SG Junior with Vibrola Cherry Finish 1966 w / OHSC

Gibson SG Junior with Vibrola Cherry Finish 1966 w / OHSC

Renton, Washington, 980**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$7000

Vintage Gibson SG Junior with Vibrola in Cherry Finish made in 1966 with original Lifton hard shell case. This guitar features a solid mahogany body, mahogany neck and rosewood fingerboard. Equipped with a single original Gibson dog ear P-90 in the bridge position and Controlled by 1 volume and 1 tone pots comprised of its original CTS pots dating to the 7th week of 1966. The 24 75" scale length neck has pearloid dot inlays and 22 medium jumbo frets on a 12" radius with a slim taper profile. The... more
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1964 Gibson SG Junior ridiculous figured Mahogany w / a stop tail & 1 11 / 16" nut !

1964 Gibson SG Junior ridiculous figured Mahogany w / a stop tail & 1 11 / 16" nut !

Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 333**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$8495

This is a very cool last of the early 60??s type SG Junior in a nice all original see-thru Cherry finish over a 1 of a kind super figured Mahogany body like no other. Its dot inlaid rosewood fingerboard feels great & its 1 11 / 16?? 1 piece mahogany neck profile is very wide & comfortable. Its headstock has Gibson??s famous gold logo w / a set of 3-in-line single line Kluson tuners. It??s loaded w / a single black P-90 that frickin screams. Its Small pickgard is the last of its type ... more
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1961 Gibson Sg Special Cherry Red Vintage Electric Guitar

1961 Gibson Sg Special Cherry Red Vintage Electric Guitar

Aurora, Colorado, 800**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$8500

Very solid. Case is not original, all pots have been changed in the 80s, has no cracks or repairs (rare) also has the original hardware and pickups. Frets may be all original as well. Very beautiful solid guitar. Pots can be tracked down if you wanted it to be original. Plug and play as it. Plays and sounds amazing.
... more
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GIBSON SG SPECIAL - 1966

GIBSON SG SPECIAL - 1966

Gunnison, Colorado, 812**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$10499

This vintage Gibson SG Special from 1966 is a true gem for collectors and musicians alike. Made in the United States, this guitar features a solid body and 6 strings for a classic sound. The iconic Gibson brand and SG series are well-known for their quality and craftsmanship. The model is SG Special, with a unique history and story behind it. Its exact year of production is clearly marked, adding to its value as a vintage instrument. Whether you're a seasoned player or just starting out, this ... more
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1964 Gibson SG Junior Electronic Backcover USA

1964 Gibson SG Junior Electronic Backcover USA

COLOGNE, GERMANY

£150


* has lots of scratches
... more
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1971 GIBSON SG SPECIAL BODY - Made in USA

1971 GIBSON SG SPECIAL BODY - Made in USA

COLOGNE, GERMANY

£298

1971 GIBSON SG SPECIAL BODY - made in USA :
* body ONLY
* has a crack on back=check pic 4
* could be rebuilt by a SKILLED LUTHIER as a 1 pickup model... more
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1968 GIBSON SG SPECIAL VIBROLA USA - NON TREM

1968 GIBSON SG SPECIAL VIBROLA USA - NON TREM

COLOGNE, GERMANY

£299

1968 GIBSON SG VIBROLA :
* trem arm mount was CUT OFF=check pic 2
... more
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1967 Gibson SG Special P 90 Pickup USA

1967 Gibson SG Special P 90 Pickup USA

COLOGNE, GERMANY

£399

tall version
* 1 corner is missing
* reads 9 K
... more
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SG Standard  /  Special Custom built ,Vintage Case; Gibson Strings; GFS Kluson P90

SG Standard / Special Custom built ,Vintage Case; Gibson Strings; GFS Kluson P90

Saarbrücken, 66***, GERMANY

€450

Ich biete hier einen absoluten Eye Catcher
Es ist eine SG Standard und SG Spezial in einer Gitarre!!!
Sie hat ein "vintage rolled" Fingerboard und "Kluson-Tuner"
Beide Pickups sind "GFS Soapbar" in P90 Größe. Der Pull-Poti dient zum Umstellen von Humbucker- auf P90-Sound!!!Es sind also 8 Sounds möglich. Es ist eine sehr flexible Gitarre für alle Stile. Sie ist aber vor allem eine echte ROCK AXE. (z B. AC / DC und Black Sabath)
Es ist ebenso ein "GFS Xtreme Tremelo" ... more
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1963 GIBSON SG JUNIOR  /  FIREBIRD VIBROLA TREMOLO USA

1963 GIBSON SG JUNIOR / FIREBIRD VIBROLA TREMOLO USA

COLOGNE, GERMANY

£479

1963 GIBSON SG JUNIOR / FIREBIRD VIBROLA TREMOLO USA :
* NO tremolo arm included
... 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

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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

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1969 Fender catalog, Fender Lovin' Care

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1973 Eko Ranger Folk

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1966 Vox Symphonic bass guitar

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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.