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SELMER | CATALOGS | 1968 GUITARS AND ACCESSORIES

1968/1969 Selmer 'Guitars and Accessories' catalog

Hofner, Gibson, Selmer and Giannini guitars

1968 Selmer "Guitars and Accessories" catalog front cover
1968 Selmer "Guitars and Accessories" catalog page 42 - Hofner Committee
1968 Selmer "Guitars and Accessories" catalog page 43 - Hofner Verithin
1968 Selmer "Guitars and Accessories" catalog page 44 - Hofner Club 70
1968 Selmer "Guitars and Accessories" catalog page 45 - Hofner Ambassador
1968 Selmer "Guitars and Accessories" catalog page 46 - Hofner President and Senator
1968 Selmer "Guitars and Accessories" catalog page 47 - Hofner 500/1 Bass and Hofner Violin guitar
1968 Selmer "Guitars and Accessories" catalog page 48 - Hofner Verithin Bass and Senator Bass
1968 Selmer "Guitars and Accessories" catalog page 49 - Hofner Galaxie and Professional bass
1968 Selmer "Guitars and Accessories" catalog page 50 - Hofner Committee and President acoustics
1968 Selmer "Guitars and Accessories" catalog page 51 - Hofner Senator and Congress acoustics
1968 Selmer "Guitars and Accessories" catalog page 52 - Hofner Acoustic and Electro-acoustic
1968 Selmer "Guitars and Accessories" catalog page 53 - Hofner Classic acoustic
1968 Selmer "Guitars and Accessories" catalog page 54 - Hofner Vienna and Flamenco acoustics
1968 Selmer "Guitars and Accessories" catalog page 55 - Hofner Matador and Alhambra acoustics
1968 Selmer "Guitars and Accessories" catalog page 56 - Hofner Arizona 6 and 12 strings
1968 Selmer "Guitars and Accessories" catalog page 57 - Hofner Hawaiian Guitars
1968 Selmer "Guitars and Accessories" catalog page 58 - Selmer Blue Grass and Rancher
1968 Selmer "Guitars and Accessories" catalog page 59 - Selmer Granados, Sevilla and Meister Schaffner
1968 Selmer "Guitars and Accessories" catalog page 60 - Selmer Triple-2 and Selmer Minstrel
1968 Selmer "Guitars and Accessories" catalog page 61 - Giannini guitars
1968 Selmer "Guitars and Accessories" catalog page 62
1968 Selmer "Guitars and Accessories" catalog page 63 - Gibson guitars
1968 Selmer "Guitars and Accessories" catalog page 64 - Gibson Barney Kessel
1968 Selmer "Guitars and Accessories" catalog page 65 - Gibson ES-335TD and ES-345TD
1968 Selmer "Guitars and Accessories" catalog page 66 - ES-330TD, ES-175D and ES-125CD
1968 Selmer "Guitars and Accessories" catalog page 67 - Gibson EB-2 bass
1968 Selmer "Guitars and Accessories" catalog page 68 - Gibson SG Standard, SG Special and SG Junior
1968 Selmer "Guitars and Accessories" catalog page 69 - Gibson Les Paul Custom and Standard
1968 Selmer "Guitars and Accessories" catalog page 70 - Gibson EB0 and EB3 bass
1968 Selmer "Guitars and Accessories" catalog page 71 - Gibson J-200 and Everly Brothers Jumbo
1968 Selmer "Guitars and Accessories" catalog page 72 - Gibson SJN, J-45 and Dove
1968 Selmer "Guitars and Accessories" catalog page 73 - Gibson Hummingbird, B-45-12 and J-160E
1968 Selmer "Guitars and Accessories" catalog page 74 - Selmer cases and guitar bags
1968 Selmer "Guitars and Accessories" catalog page 75 - Gibson and Hofner strings
1968 Selmer "Guitars and Accessories" catalog page 76 - Hofner and Selmer strings
1968 Selmer "Guitars and Accessories" catalog page 77 - Hofner pickups
1968 Selmer "Guitars and Accessories" catalog page 78 - De Armond pickups
1968 Selmer "Guitars and Accessories" catalog page 79 - straps, plectra, Bigsby vibrato
1968 Selmer "Guitars and Accessories" catalog page 80 - Hamilton Capodastra
 

1968/1969 Selmer Guitars and Accessories catalog

39 printed pages, 10" x 8". Printed July 1968. This catalog contains guitars produced in numerous countries worldwide, imported for sale in the United Kingdom: guitars branded Hofner, Selmer, Giannini and Gibson, with UK prices included; in guineas (this was still pre-decimalisation, 1 guinea = 21 shillings, or £1.05 in decimalised currency).

Selmer were the exclusive UK distributors of Hofner and Gibson guitars, and these instruments make up the majority of this catalog, although the Hofner electric range has decreased somewhat - but in turn there are more flat-top acoustic models; both by Hofner, Selmer, and Brazilian maker Giannini. There are no longer any guitars by Hagstrom or branded Futurama in this catalog.

As had always been the case, Hofner guitars produced for distribution by Selmer were given own distinct names and specifications, usually differing somewhat from the equivalents sold in mainland Europe. Many of the images (and a significant amount of the text) is reproduced from previous catalogues, but the majority of Hofner guitars are described as having the new Hofner bar pickup (or 'blade' pickup as they seem to be more widely described online). These pickups are an easy way to differentiate late-1960s and 70s Hofners from early/mid-1960s examples.

A number of new Hofner models were listed for the first time in this catalogue: the Hofner Club 70, and the Classic, Matador and Alhambra acoustics. But perhaps the most notable new inclusions are that of the newly reissued Gibson Les Paul Custom and Les Paul Standard. In total the 1968/69 Selmer catalogue contains 18 electric guitars, 7 bass guitars, 37 acoustics, and 2 Hawaiian guitars.

Hofner electric guitars:

Hofner Committee
Hofner Verithin
Hofner Club 70
Hofner Ambassador
Hofner President
Hofner Senator
Hofner Galaxie

Hofner Basses:

Hofner Violin bass
Hofner Verithin bass
Hofner Senator bass
Hofner Professional bass

Hofner Acoustic and Electro-Acoustic guitars:

Hofner Committee
Hofner President
Hofner Senator
Hofner Congress
Hofner Acoustic
Hofner Electro-Acoustic
Hofner Acoustic 12-String
Hofner Electro-Acoustic 12-String
Hofner Classic
Hofner Vienna
Hofner Flamenco
Hofner Matador
Hofner Alhambra
Hofner Arizona
Hofner Arizona 12-string

Electric Hawaiian guitars:

Hofner Hawaiian Artist
Hofner Hawaiian Standard

Acoustic guitars:

Selmer Blue Grass
Selmer Rancher
Selmer Granados
Selmer Sevilla
Selmer Meister Schaffner
Selmer Triple-2
Selmer Minstrel
Giannini model no. 535
Giannini model no. 1005
Giannini model no. 514
Giannini model no. 4
Giannini model no. 1001
Giannini model no. 104
Giannini model no. 6

Gibson guitars were distributed by Selmer in the UK, but only a small selection of Gibson's US product line was ever included in Selmer catalogues (and presumably stocked). Gibson did not produce a full-line catalogue in 1968, but check out the 1966 US Gibson catalogue for an idea of the US Gibson range at this time.

Gibson electric acoustic guitars:

Gibson Barney Kessel
Gibson ES-330TD
Gibson ES-335TD
Gibson ES-345TD
Gibson ES-175D
Gibson ES-125CD

Gibson electric solid body guitars:

Gibson SG Standard
Gibson SG Junior
Gibson SG Special
Gibson Les Paul Custom
Gibson Les Paul Standard

Gibson basses:

Gibson EB-0 bass
Gibson EB-2 bass
Gibson EB-3 bass

Gibson acoustic guitars:

Gibson J-200
Gibson Everly Brothers
Gibson SJN Country Western
Gibson J-45
Gibson Dove
Gibson J-160E
Gibson B-45-12
Gibson Hummingbird

The final pages of this catalog includes cases, pickups (by Hofner and De Armond), Bigbsy Vibrato units, straps, plectra and strings.

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Hofner and Gibson guitars for sale

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1966 Gibson ES-330 TDC Cherry Vintage Electric Guitar Excellent w / Pro setup OHSC

1966 Gibson ES-330 TDC Cherry Vintage Electric Guitar Excellent w / Pro setup OHSC

Hopewell, New Jersey, 085**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$5825

1966 Gibson ES-330 TDC Cherry Vintage Electric Guitar Excellent condition straight neck & very low playing time on this one. She sports a pro setup with low action. The Original Hard Shell Case well worth $500 on its own. Excellent Condition and new strings 10's. In this condition they are rare as this is one of 1151 Cherry ES-330 TDC's produced in 1966. The serial number is 887311. The neck joint at the 16th fret confirms she was born in 1966. Polished , neck lemon oiled, new set of ... more
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original 1962 Gibson ES-330 Sunburst

original 1962 Gibson ES-330 Sunburst

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

$8190


Add Me to Your Favorite Sellers
Olivia's Vintage would like to present this 1962 Gibson ES-330 in its original Sunburst finish. It has a great playing neck with good frets. It's all original and 100% complete. The pictured period correct Gibson hardshell case is included, but it housed a guitar with a Bigsby at one time. This ES-330 is in great condition with only some minor nicks + dings, finish checking and other cosmetic wear. The guitar itself remains structurally sound with no ... more
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Vintage 1965 Gibson Skylark lap steel with case Korina

Vintage 1965 Gibson Skylark lap steel with case Korina

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 532**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$1459

Vintage 1965 Gibson Skylark lap steel with hard case. Condition of the lap steel and case are in quite nice condition, other than marks from use and 2 holes on top from a hand rest the owner had on it at one point.
PayPal or M / 0 only. No wire / bank transfers of any sort. Questions about this item? Ask before you bid Also note, we do NOT send out 2nd chance offers after auctions end.
We have lots of new, used and vintage items on our website and facebook page

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RARE 1958 Epiphone Gibson-Made Zephyr Regent Thinline E312T Electric - New York

RARE 1958 Epiphone Gibson-Made Zephyr Regent Thinline E312T Electric - New York

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

$4400


1958 Epiphone E312T Zephyr Thinline w Original Case!
Here is a very rare and early Gibson-made Epiphone Zephyr Thinline from 1958. This is one of the first Epiphone's made by Gibson. Epiphone was acquired in mid-1957 by CMI Gibson and in the next year or so they began taking orders for the new models at the 1958 NAMM show. This guitar was made in 1958. It features mostly Epiphone parts including the New York pickups, white pointer (carousel) knobs, bikini logo The neck and body are the ... more
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1978 Gibson Marauder Made in USA Guitar w /  Original Case

1978 Gibson Marauder Made in USA Guitar w / Original Case

Kahului, Hawaii, 967**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$2500

1978 Gibson Marauder Made in USA Guitar w / Original Case. Serial Number 72638067. Made in 1978 Kalamazoo, MI... more
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1969 Gibson Johnny Smith D

1969 Gibson Johnny Smith D

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

$12900

SKU: (#GAT0339)
1969 Gibson Johnny Smith D, Cherry Sunburst, Deluxe Artistmodel, Carved Spruce top, Attractively Flamed Maple back and sides, Ebonyfingerboard with split block inlays, Two Floating Johnny Smith pickups, Goldhardware, Marvelous instrument with fantastic playability, Stunning example! EC+, Clean original hard case with case cover, $12, 900

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1969 Gibson Johnny Smith D

1969 Gibson Johnny Smith D

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

$12900

SKU: (#GAT0338)
1969 Gibson Johnny Smith, Attractive Cherry Sunburst finish, Ridiculously flamed Maple back, All solid wood construction, 1 & ¾ inches wide at the nut, Two Johnny Smith floating pickups, Gold hardware, Great low action, Superb archtop! VG++, Original hard case
??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 ??
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Gibson Melody Maker 1965 - Cherry Electric Guitar w /  Original Case

Gibson Melody Maker 1965 - Cherry Electric Guitar w / Original Case

Huntington, Indiana, 467**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$2000

For sale is a Gibson Melody Maker 1965 - Cherry Electric Guitar w / Original Case in Very Good Condition!
Weight - 5 lbs 10 5 oz
Nut Width - 1 56 "
Scale Length - Roughly 22 3 / 4 "
Includes the original hard case, but the handle is broken on one side
The guitar is currently strung just using the hardtail, but can be strung for the whammy bar as well
Sold as pictured / described
Internal Use (Bin) - P2
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Vintage 1960 Gibson Melody Maker Sunburst Electric 6-String Guitar w OG Case c-x

Vintage 1960 Gibson Melody Maker Sunburst Electric 6-String Guitar w OG Case c-x

Owensboro, Kentucky, 423**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$5000

Vintage 1960 Gibson Melody Maker Sunburst Electric 6-String Guitar w OG Case c-x
Please refer to the pictures to view item condition.
If you have any questions regarding this item, please feel free to message us.
The "c-x" in the title is for our store reference only and does not pertain to the item.
What is shown in the pictures is what is included with the item.
Shipping address can NOT be changed after purchase.
Shipping to domestic USA only, excluding ... more
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1960 Gibson Melody Maker conversion sea foam green refinished relic Roadworn

1960 Gibson Melody Maker conversion sea foam green refinished relic Roadworn

Chicago, Illinois, 606**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$4800

1960 Gibson Melody Maker.... more
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1960 gibson melody maker sunburst dual pickups dbl cutaway  w /  orig case

1960 gibson melody maker sunburst dual pickups dbl cutaway  w / orig case

Chicago, Illinois, 606**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$5500

1960 gibson melody maker sunburst dual pick ups dbl cutaway w / orig case. ..... more
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1981 Gibson Citation

1981 Gibson Citation

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

$32995

1981 Gibson Citation Custom, Special ordered, Vanderbilt Rose finish, Hand crafted Top of the line Archtop made in Kalamzoo Michigan, Finest hand selected woods, Gorgeous Heart of Abalone inlays, Comes with matching Flamed wood pickguard & interchangeable Flamed Charcoal Grey Maple electric pickguard with Pearl inlaid ??The Gibson??, Complete with special deluxe Green leather case with fleur-de-lis engraved hardware & special Two tiered case pocket to house second pickguard, Includes a... more
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Gibson Les Paul Firebrand 80s

Gibson Les Paul Firebrand 80s

Saint Petersburg, Florida, 337**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$1250

Brought this one back from the dead polishing and scrubbing. What it lacks in cosmetics it makes up for in playability and sound. Great action , killer sounding pickups, and you dont have to worry about scratching it. It has alot more mojo than a normal studio. Contact us with questions Mad Music St Pete Fl 12- 5 m- sat... more
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Haunted Gibson USA ? 76 L6-S Electric Guitar with Original Case

Haunted Gibson USA ? '76 L6-S Electric Guitar with Original Case

Toms River, New Jersey, 087**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$2400

Haunted Gibson '76 L6-S Electric Guitar with Original Case.
I am the 2nd owner of this guitar and it's beautiful. The first time I played it was strange .I own a bunch of guitars and have never experienced anything like it. It becomes part of your soul and the things you hear inbetween notes are like the guitar telling you what to play. It does this every time its played. It's a sad, beautiful soul. I feel like weird shit keeps happening so I've gotta cut ties here.
There's a small ... more
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Vintage 1950s Gibson Rosewood Archtop Bridge and Base - L-5ces, Super 400 ES175

Vintage 1950's Gibson Rosewood Archtop Bridge and Base - L-5ces, Super 400 ES175

Chicago, Illinois, 606**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$495

Vintage Correct Parts is proud to offer, for your consideration,
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Correct for the L-5CES, Byrdland, Super 400, ES-175 and any other Gibson arch tops from this era. The tone on these is INCREDIBLE! They don't make them like this anymore.
Perfect for the restoration of your vintage Gibson OR dress up... more
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1968 Gibson L-7CES a Sharp Cut Electric L-7 that was a true 1-off special order.

1968 Gibson L-7CES a Sharp Cut Electric L-7 that was a true 1-off special order.

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

$8995

This is a really cool 1-of-a-kind Arch Top that's an exceedingly unusual special order model L-7CES from 1968 in which was never available in their product catalogs. Its pretty much an L-5CES w / down graded appointments perhaps a more affordable version for its 1st owner wanting that cool body shape. Its got a gorgeous rich Dark Sunburst finish over a nice grainy ??carved?? spruce top w / a sharp "Florintine" cutaway that was never optional on any L-7, all being round Venetian cutaways, always ... more
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Vintage 1953 Gibson Kluson "No Line" Tuner Set Les Paul Standard Goldtop 1955 54

Vintage 1953 Gibson Kluson "No Line" Tuner Set Les Paul Standard Goldtop 1955 54

Chicago, Illinois, 606**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$895

Vintage Correct Parts is proud to offer, for your consideration,
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Correct for your 1952-1957 Gibson Les Paul Standard Goldtop
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All tuner casings are stamped PAT ... more
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1950 Gibson Electric Guitar

1950 Gibson Electric Guitar

Portland, Oregon, 972**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$2500

1950 Gibson Electric Guitar.

Vintage ES125, sunburst color , right-handed
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Vintage 1971 Gibson ES-355TD Stereo Electric Guitar w /  Case Lyre Vibrola Mono

Vintage 1971 Gibson ES-355TD Stereo Electric Guitar w / Case Lyre Vibrola Mono

Hicksville, New York, 118**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$9000

Vintage 1971 Gibson ES-355TD Stereo Electric Guitar w / Case Lyre Vibrola Mono
Hey now! You are drooling at one of Gibson's finest guitars This is a 1971 Gibson ES-355TD Semi-Hollow Electric Guitar It weighs 9 lbs 3 oz, 24 75" scale, 1 56" nut width Introduced in 1958, it was created to be the fanciest of the Gibson thinline semi-hollow guitars The semi-hollow maple body / mahogany neck gives you incredible natural resonance, with excellent tone transfer Grabbing up all this delicious tone ... more
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1972 Gibson ES-335 TD Iced Tea

1972 Gibson ES-335 TD Iced Tea

Farmingdale, New York, 117**, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

$6999

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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.