Vox Mini XII Model 12 String Electric Guitar (1999), made in Minnesota, serial # 129908, sunburst lacquer finish, Maple neck, rosewood finger board, Alder body, original black gig bag case.
This Vox "Mini XII" is a very rare limited edition reissue of the original 1960's Vox Mando Guitar made 1999, but never put into full production. The 1960s version of this very small short scale 12-string model was one of the quirkier original instruments to emerge from the JMI/Vox operation in the 1960s, and that's saying something! While it never caught on in a big way, examples were produced in 1966 by JMI in England and 1966-7 by Eko in Recanati, Italy. Although admittedly a specialist instrument the design remains a very cool and actually quite functional oddity.
This is essentially a double-strung octave guitar; some describe it as an "octave 12 string guitar", but the strings were designed to be tuned in unison, not the octave arrangement of a conventional 12-string. The idea was to make an instrument that played in the mandolin range but was tuned as a guitar, as few of the Beat-era guitarists who were JMI's original customers had any clue how to play mandolin! Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones was the most notable early recipient, and reportedly the Beatles were given one as well.
The first run of Mando Guitars was produced at Jennings' Dartford, Kent factory, but most production was outsourced to Eko and these are the ones generally found today. With its small artist palette-shaped solid body and short 15" scale neck, this is a very handy instrument. The two single-coil Vox-style pickups controlled by a 3-way switch offer a fairly wide range of tones. There have been several similar instruments inspired by this design created in more recent decades, but the Vox Mando-guitar remains the original and coolest of these mini-guitar efforts. In recent decades creative players including David Lindley and Ry Cooder have found new contexts for these double-course octave guitars.
The reissue Mando Guitar carries the name Mini XII, and is part of a very small limited edition produced in Minnesota for the Vox/Korg operation in 1999. This one is especially interesting as it was the production sample sent for approval to renowned amp designer Mitch Colby, who was running the Vox operation for Korg at the time. It is virtually unused in the original Vox-branded gig bag and still in the original shipping box.
These were available in sunburst only, as were most originals. There is a serial number stamped on the back of the headstock, a Vox Custom shop sticker below the tuners and a Vox logo engraved on the bridge cover. No other re-issues of this design carry Vox markings, this was the only authorized version. A tiny portrait of JMI founder Tom Jennings is ink-stamped in the neck cavity as a very discreet tribute.
There were some modernizations to the design for playability. The tuners are Gotoh minis, and the repro pickups are superior to the Italian made units of the 1960's in every way. The fully adjustable bridge makes it easy enough to correctly intonate all 12 strings, something not possible on the originals.
The 1999 Vox catalog read: "This 19-fret gem comes fully loaded with vintage alnico pickups. Commonly used on early 1960s British invasion recordings, the Mini XII's tuning and fingering are the same as a standard 12-string guitar. It is strung using unison pairs instead of octave pairs. With fully adjustable intonation for each of the 12 strings, a maple neck and a solid 2 piece hardwood body, the Mini XII will add a unique flavor to your guitar performance." This instrument has been in Mitch Colby's possession since it was sent for approval as the production sample, and is still waiting to be really played more than 25 years on!
Overall length is 28 1/2 in. (72.4 cm.), 10 in. (25.4 cm.) width, and 1 1/2 in. (3.8 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 16 in. (406 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/4 in. (44 mm.).
This instrument shows just a bit of handling wear and does not appear to have been used since it was built. There is still some of the factory protective plastic over the pickguard. It plays and sounds very well, truly an excellent re-creation of this oddball classic. It is still in the original small Vox gig bag, housed in the shipping box it was sent out in. Near Mint Condition.
