Vox Mark VI Solid Body Electric Guitar (1965)
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Item # 6103
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Vox Mark VI Model Solid Body Electric Guitar (1965), made in Dartford, Kent, England, white polyester finish, mahogany body; maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, grey hard shell case.
One of the all-time great "posing" guitars, the Vox Mark VI is a true 1960s classic, at least in design and visual impact. Unlike nearly all production Vox guitars originally sold in the US, this is an original JMI-made example was actually assembled at the Vox factory in Dartford, Kent. That facility was overstretched even in 1964, supplying Vox product to the UK and world markets.
Instead of expanding their guitar-making facilities, JMI outsourced the bulk of instrument production to EKO's facility in Recanati, Italy. The Eko-made Vox guitars are more consistent than their English-made cousins, but are exponentially more common and lack the cachet -- and the sound -- of original JMI-built guitars. When Thomas Organ in California took over US distribution of JMI's products, nearly all the Vox guitars they handled would be of Italian parentage, so an original UK-made instrument is extremely rare here in America.
The unmistakable teardrop-shaped Mark series guitars were originally a stylistic outgrowth of the trapezoidal-bodied Phantom line, indeed the earliest model was called the Phantom Mk.III. Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones got one of the hand-built prototypes, and the exposure the model received in his hands in 1964-5 was quite enough to quickly make it the most sought after of all Vox guitars.
Oddly enough, the model is still fairly rare. This particular Mark VI dates to late 1965 and is finished in white, like Jones' personal instrument. While the connection is obvious, English examples came in a range of solid colors and the great majority of the Italian-made examples carried a 3-tone sunburst, which reduces the visual impact considerably. Due to the Rolling Stones connection, original white examples are the most sought after of all Mark VIs, especially UK originals like this one.
The "Mark" series expanded by mid-1965 to include 6, 12, and 9-string guitars as well as a bass. This original Mark VI features three JMI/Vox pickups (closely copied from Fender Stratocaster units and vastly superior to the Italian version) with a wiring rig derived from the Stratocaster, i.e. master volume, two tone controls, and a three-way selector switch.
This example features a maple neck with a rosewood fretboard made (and stamped) by UK furniture maker G-Plan, JMI's most consistent supplier, who built the bulk of the better quality components for Vox guitars. The pickguard (or "scratchplate" in UK terms) is a striking chromed metal piece, unlike the plastic used on the EKO version. The vibrato tailpiece is derived from JMI's "Hank B. Marvin" unit and is basically copied from the solid body Bigsby; this one is complete and working, unlike most today. This Mark VI seen some use but sounds good and is quite playable…as well as eminently pose-able and collectible!
Overall length is 40 3/8 in. (102.6 cm.), 12 1/4 in. (31.1 cm.) width, and 1 3/8 in. (3.5 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.). Overall a nice playable example of this extremely rare instrument. There has been some work performed over the years, but the guitar still looks and feels as it should. The original white Polyester finish has been oversprayed long ago with another coat of white (why we're not sure) but remains very original looking with a period patina, with some small chips and dings exposing the older layer. The pickups and electronics are all original components but some solder joints are newer (courtesey, no doubt, of the finish work). All hardware appears original except for a couple of screws and the switch tip. The neck finish is the original thin lacquer, the instrument has been refretted (always a good idea on UK-made Vox guitars). There does not appear to ever have been a headstock logo (it would have read "Phantom" or "Mark VI"-the company logo is impressed in the pickguard) and the "Made In England" label on the headstock rear is partially flaked off. This iconic guitar plays well (as well as JMI's products ever did, anyway) with a nice snarly '60's sound. Includes a typical Italian VOX case. Very Good + Condition.
One of the all-time great "posing" guitars, the Vox Mark VI is a true 1960s classic, at least in design and visual impact. Unlike nearly all production Vox guitars originally sold in the US, this is an original JMI-made example was actually assembled at the Vox factory in Dartford, Kent. That facility was overstretched even in 1964, supplying Vox product to the UK and world markets.
Instead of expanding their guitar-making facilities, JMI outsourced the bulk of instrument production to EKO's facility in Recanati, Italy. The Eko-made Vox guitars are more consistent than their English-made cousins, but are exponentially more common and lack the cachet -- and the sound -- of original JMI-built guitars. When Thomas Organ in California took over US distribution of JMI's products, nearly all the Vox guitars they handled would be of Italian parentage, so an original UK-made instrument is extremely rare here in America.
The unmistakable teardrop-shaped Mark series guitars were originally a stylistic outgrowth of the trapezoidal-bodied Phantom line, indeed the earliest model was called the Phantom Mk.III. Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones got one of the hand-built prototypes, and the exposure the model received in his hands in 1964-5 was quite enough to quickly make it the most sought after of all Vox guitars.
Oddly enough, the model is still fairly rare. This particular Mark VI dates to late 1965 and is finished in white, like Jones' personal instrument. While the connection is obvious, English examples came in a range of solid colors and the great majority of the Italian-made examples carried a 3-tone sunburst, which reduces the visual impact considerably. Due to the Rolling Stones connection, original white examples are the most sought after of all Mark VIs, especially UK originals like this one.
The "Mark" series expanded by mid-1965 to include 6, 12, and 9-string guitars as well as a bass. This original Mark VI features three JMI/Vox pickups (closely copied from Fender Stratocaster units and vastly superior to the Italian version) with a wiring rig derived from the Stratocaster, i.e. master volume, two tone controls, and a three-way selector switch.
This example features a maple neck with a rosewood fretboard made (and stamped) by UK furniture maker G-Plan, JMI's most consistent supplier, who built the bulk of the better quality components for Vox guitars. The pickguard (or "scratchplate" in UK terms) is a striking chromed metal piece, unlike the plastic used on the EKO version. The vibrato tailpiece is derived from JMI's "Hank B. Marvin" unit and is basically copied from the solid body Bigsby; this one is complete and working, unlike most today. This Mark VI seen some use but sounds good and is quite playable…as well as eminently pose-able and collectible!
Overall length is 40 3/8 in. (102.6 cm.), 12 1/4 in. (31.1 cm.) width, and 1 3/8 in. (3.5 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 25 1/2 in. (648 mm.). Width of nut is 1 11/16 in. (43 mm.). Overall a nice playable example of this extremely rare instrument. There has been some work performed over the years, but the guitar still looks and feels as it should. The original white Polyester finish has been oversprayed long ago with another coat of white (why we're not sure) but remains very original looking with a period patina, with some small chips and dings exposing the older layer. The pickups and electronics are all original components but some solder joints are newer (courtesey, no doubt, of the finish work). All hardware appears original except for a couple of screws and the switch tip. The neck finish is the original thin lacquer, the instrument has been refretted (always a good idea on UK-made Vox guitars). There does not appear to ever have been a headstock logo (it would have read "Phantom" or "Mark VI"-the company logo is impressed in the pickguard) and the "Made In England" label on the headstock rear is partially flaked off. This iconic guitar plays well (as well as JMI's products ever did, anyway) with a nice snarly '60's sound. Includes a typical Italian VOX case. Very Good + Condition.