![]() 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. 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. 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. ![]() 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 Gianniniīy 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). 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. 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. Scan 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. To provide for to-days critical requirements, the Phantom Base (sic) meets the exacting demands of the professional bassist One bass model, the Phantom is also shown here. There are four tone and volume controls and five switches giving every possible variation of tone from bass to sharp brilliance. ![]() The interesting electronics on this model are described as follows: This quality guitar has three pickups ensuring that full beauty of tone is captured. The early versions of the Consort had similar 'tone switches' to the early Phantoms, but was also redesigned in mid-1963 in a similar vein to the Phantom, losing the tone switches and having pickups upgraded to the V2 units. Note also that these guitars are fitted with three standard Vox V1 pickups by mid 1963 the two models had been replaced by just one, the Phantom (although later dubbed the Phantom 6 or Phantom VI to distinguish it from 12-string and bass models) with pickups upgraded to the Vox V2 units with exposed pole pieces.Īlso shown on this page is another high end Vox six string model, the Vox Consort (The Vox Escort is covered here). ![]() Firstly there were two versions, both only available in black finish, the Phantom I and Phantom II, with differing electronics the Phantom II had three tone switches which "introduce harmonic coverage hitherto unheard in the field of electric guitar music". The Vox Phantom was first available in late 1962, and the early versions shown here were subtly different from the majority of instruments shipped later in the 1960s. Just a few short years later Vox would struggle to cope with worldwide guitar demand, but at this pre-beat boom stage, these early versions of some better known instruments were only produced in very small numbers. This brochure produced by JMI in the UK features a number of entirely British-built Vox guitars, aimed at the UK guitar market. ![]()
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