Vintage 1960s Mark in Dartford Kent, Vox Clubman Bass for South Paws

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A guilty secret of mine is that I do actually quite desire one of these: a original 1960s Vox Clubman Bass, "Made in Dartford, Kent" (England) by Jennings Musical Industries (JMI).

Pre-dating the Italian-built Vox guitars of the later 1960s, the short-scale Clubman Bass was part of Vox's range of "student" instruments. The body was made of plywood, and whilst the neck had no adjustable trussrod it did have a steel bar embedded beneath the fingerboard. [EDIT: According to the Vox Showroom website, it had TWO non-adjustable steel rods embedded in the neck.]

So, if it's such a cheap, crudely made instrument, why should I be interested?

Well, it's just that the Vox Clubman Bass has quite a reputation for playability and versatility. It has that particular sound that typifies an era but yet still manages to sound relevant today. I also quite like the design and used to own a similar Clubman II guitar that was my 2nd electric guitar (I've lost count of how many have followed - I'm sure it's in three figures) so it's partly a nostalgia thing, I guess.

This particular example, currently being offered for sale on eBay UK with a Buy It Now price of £320, is the rarer left-handed version. Whether it sells is another matter; a right-handed example in the more common red finish failed to sell earlier today with a Buy It Now of £399.  I know these instruments are quite desirable amongst collectors and people like me, but I do wonder if perhaps they are being priced a little too highly in today's market.

Note that this example has a jack output socket which is probably a later conversion as from the factory it would have been equipped with a television-aerial type co-axial socket.

G L Wilson

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1960s Baldwin/Burns GB 65. Beautiful precursor to the Virginian

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My main electric guitar is a Burns Steer so this beauty caught my eye. This Baldwin/Burns GB 65 is from the mid 1960s and apparently predates the Virginian. I love the lines on this semi-hollow single cutaway guitar. Two Rez-O-Matic single coils and a three way switch would likely be enough for my tonal needs at least half of the time. Note the simple yet elegant tailpiece as well, a good example of less is more.

Currently listed on eBay at $919 US

R.W. Haller





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1966 Teisco Vintage Sounds In Stunning Green

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I did a search on this blog for a Teisco Vintage Sounds guitar as the one pictured above and fully expected to find a few. But my search found none. A little surprising as there are 64 posts here concerning Teisco.

I like the simple look of this 1966 Vintage Sounds Teisco. Basic controls, Jazzmaster style tremolo with arm still intact, but I mostly love the colour. I love green guitars, and this is the most awesome shade of dark green.

Currently for sale at $249.99

R.W. Haller





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Kawai S180 4 Pickup Hounddog Taylor Model from the 1960s

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Break out your sunglasses, it's going to get a little shiny around here.

Look at all the chrome on this hot rod.

Four pickups, rocker switches, and a tremolo arm that could easily be weaponized ( for some of the more unsavoury gigs ).

Does anyone else see a similarity to Ibanez Jet King guitars?

The high E being pulled so far out of alignment by the string tree is hurting my slightly OCD brain though

R.W. Haller





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Teisco 1968 Crescendo - White - Made in Japan

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We've posted many Teardrop shaped guitars over the years and they are among my favourite designs and this Teisco Crescendo is no exception. With two Teisco pickups and a hollow body, I'm sure it has a distinctive tone. I like the look of the tremolo and the little nick out of the scratchplate. Very stylish.
The seller has this to say...
This a Teisco Crescendo 'Teardrop' style guitar dating back to 1968, made in Japan. The guitar is in very good condition, given its age, with a few knocks and scratches the note. The main mark to note is a long hairline crack in the lacquer along the edge of the body. This is not structural and we have taken photographs of the crack. There is also some minor lacquer cracking near the neck socket; again, see pictures. Overall the guitar is in tidy condition and is a great collector's piece, as these are very difficult to come by.

David in Barcelona

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