Vox Phantom VI Solid Body Electric Guitar (1966)
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Vox Phantom VI Model Solid Body Electric Guitar (1966), made in Recanati, Italy, serial # 264675, red polyester finish, African mahogany body, laminated maple neck with ebony fingerboard, original grey hard shell case.
One of the all-time great "posing" guitars, the vaguely trapezoidal Vox Phantom remains one of the 1960's most iconic instruments, at least in design and visual impact -- utterly distinctive then and now. Along with the equally striking teardrop-shaped Mark series, the Phantoms were born at JMI in Dartford, Kent in the early 60's, but by 1965 the vast majority were built by the Eko guitar factory in Recanti, Italy. After the Thomas Organ Company in California took over US distribution of JMI's products nearly all the Vox guitars they handled would be of Italian parentage so American teens lusting after a cooler-than-cool Vox guitar seen with English bands rarely acquired a UK-made original.
The Phantom VI guitar was originally introduced in 1962-3, running through some variations before settling into its final from. Like most Vox guitars the design is based on the Fender Stratocaster, in this case with the body reduced to the minimum, visually effective if not as ergonomic. The three 6-magnet-pole pickups and control layout are also a ringer for the Strat: a master volume and two tone knobs, but with a rotary switch for pickup selection instead of a lever. The top-mounted Vibrato is closer to the Bigsby design, mated to an adjustable roller bridge with a very clever if somewhat fidgety mute system attached.
Eko-made Vox guitars are more consistent than their English cousins, and in many cases are better-playing instruments. The Italian neck is laminated maple with an ebony fingerboard and features better fretwork than the often spotty UK models, coupled with a very efficient truss rod adjusted via a metal extension by the body. The body is essentially identical, made of African mahogany with a heavy Polyester finish and most of the face covered by the pickguard.
This Phantom VI likely dates to mid-1966 and has the body finished in one of the rarer colors, a close relative of Fender's Dakota Red. Phantoms were originally cataloged in a selection of colors but the vast majority have the body finished in black, or less often white making this original red example a considerable rarity. It has been set up with correct style replacement pickguard and pickups but the originals are included and can be re-installed if desired. The original very limited wiring scheme has been expanded making for a sonically much more versatile guitar, achieved with no visible modification. This is a better-than-average Eko-made example of the always wicked Phantom VI, a garage rock classic and one of the most visually striking of all 1960's guitars
Overall length is 41 in. (104.1 cm.), 11 in. (27.9 cm.) across at the widest point, and 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 25 in. (635 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/8 in. (41 mm.).
Overall this is a very nice and relatively clean example of this classic eccentric Vox creation. As noted there has been some (reversible) alteration; the pickguard is a well-done reproduction with a JMI-style "Vox" logo in place of the original engraved "Vox Phantom VI" legend. The original guard is included but has suffered a typical case of shrinkage (most of them are in this state 60 years along) and the guitar is much more playable the reproduction installed.
The three single-coil pickups are hotter modern reproductions, visually practically identical to the originals but livelier sounding; the original Italian made pickups are fairly weak especially in the bridge position. The original 3-way rotary switch has been replaced with a multi-position control allowing many different pickup combinations impossible with the original limited wiring scheme; the original switch is included as well. The rest of the wiring appears original including the pots and knobs. The remaining hardware is complete except the snap-on bridge cover has (as usual) gone missing and the strap buttons were replaced.
The rare original red polyester finish on the body is very well-preserved with little of the heavy checking and cracking these are often prone to, and only some dings mostly to the edges. The clear Poly neck finish shows very little wear. The fabric back pad has only light wear along some edges. The original frets and fingerboard are in very good shape and the instrument plays quite well, with a broad range of sounds available from its expanded wiring scheme.
While we generally restore guitars to original when possible, the alterations to this one make sense from a functional point of view, and the Phantom's all-important visual character is not compromised at all. This guitar is restorable to original if desired, but is priced as an altered example. If you have been looking for an Phantom to play, this gleaming red gasser is a better candidate than the average Italian-made example and a real looker to boot, complete in the original grey oblong HSC. Overall Excellent - Condition.
One of the all-time great "posing" guitars, the vaguely trapezoidal Vox Phantom remains one of the 1960's most iconic instruments, at least in design and visual impact -- utterly distinctive then and now. Along with the equally striking teardrop-shaped Mark series, the Phantoms were born at JMI in Dartford, Kent in the early 60's, but by 1965 the vast majority were built by the Eko guitar factory in Recanti, Italy. After the Thomas Organ Company in California took over US distribution of JMI's products nearly all the Vox guitars they handled would be of Italian parentage so American teens lusting after a cooler-than-cool Vox guitar seen with English bands rarely acquired a UK-made original.
The Phantom VI guitar was originally introduced in 1962-3, running through some variations before settling into its final from. Like most Vox guitars the design is based on the Fender Stratocaster, in this case with the body reduced to the minimum, visually effective if not as ergonomic. The three 6-magnet-pole pickups and control layout are also a ringer for the Strat: a master volume and two tone knobs, but with a rotary switch for pickup selection instead of a lever. The top-mounted Vibrato is closer to the Bigsby design, mated to an adjustable roller bridge with a very clever if somewhat fidgety mute system attached.
Eko-made Vox guitars are more consistent than their English cousins, and in many cases are better-playing instruments. The Italian neck is laminated maple with an ebony fingerboard and features better fretwork than the often spotty UK models, coupled with a very efficient truss rod adjusted via a metal extension by the body. The body is essentially identical, made of African mahogany with a heavy Polyester finish and most of the face covered by the pickguard.
This Phantom VI likely dates to mid-1966 and has the body finished in one of the rarer colors, a close relative of Fender's Dakota Red. Phantoms were originally cataloged in a selection of colors but the vast majority have the body finished in black, or less often white making this original red example a considerable rarity. It has been set up with correct style replacement pickguard and pickups but the originals are included and can be re-installed if desired. The original very limited wiring scheme has been expanded making for a sonically much more versatile guitar, achieved with no visible modification. This is a better-than-average Eko-made example of the always wicked Phantom VI, a garage rock classic and one of the most visually striking of all 1960's guitars
Overall length is 41 in. (104.1 cm.), 11 in. (27.9 cm.) across at the widest point, and 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 25 in. (635 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/8 in. (41 mm.).
Overall this is a very nice and relatively clean example of this classic eccentric Vox creation. As noted there has been some (reversible) alteration; the pickguard is a well-done reproduction with a JMI-style "Vox" logo in place of the original engraved "Vox Phantom VI" legend. The original guard is included but has suffered a typical case of shrinkage (most of them are in this state 60 years along) and the guitar is much more playable the reproduction installed.
The three single-coil pickups are hotter modern reproductions, visually practically identical to the originals but livelier sounding; the original Italian made pickups are fairly weak especially in the bridge position. The original 3-way rotary switch has been replaced with a multi-position control allowing many different pickup combinations impossible with the original limited wiring scheme; the original switch is included as well. The rest of the wiring appears original including the pots and knobs. The remaining hardware is complete except the snap-on bridge cover has (as usual) gone missing and the strap buttons were replaced.
The rare original red polyester finish on the body is very well-preserved with little of the heavy checking and cracking these are often prone to, and only some dings mostly to the edges. The clear Poly neck finish shows very little wear. The fabric back pad has only light wear along some edges. The original frets and fingerboard are in very good shape and the instrument plays quite well, with a broad range of sounds available from its expanded wiring scheme.
While we generally restore guitars to original when possible, the alterations to this one make sense from a functional point of view, and the Phantom's all-important visual character is not compromised at all. This guitar is restorable to original if desired, but is priced as an altered example. If you have been looking for an Phantom to play, this gleaming red gasser is a better candidate than the average Italian-made example and a real looker to boot, complete in the original grey oblong HSC. Overall Excellent - Condition.