Vox Phantom IV Model Solid Body Electric Bass Guitar (1965), made in Italy, white polyester finish, hardwood body, laminated maple neck with ebony fingerboard, original grey hard shell case.
The Vox Phantom remains one of the 1960's most iconic guitars, 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 majority were built by the Eko guitar factory in Recanti, Italy. The Phantom IV bass is one of Vox's most imposing instruments; unlike the short-scale, very thin-necked layout of most of the company's basses, these are built with a full 34" scale on a big wide neck closely based on the Fender Precision.
The two 4-pole pickups provide a wide range of tonal options; there are not a lot of 1960's basses that provide this combination of practical playability and wicked cool looks! This is a superb and unusually well-preserved example, with fewer of the degenerative issues many Eko-made Voxes suffer from, and comes complete with the original Vox oblong hard case. The Phantom IV is a garage rock classic as used in the 1960's by "Fang" Volk of Paul Revere and the Raiders and the 1980's Michael Jay of the Fuzztones, among others!
Overall length is 49 in. (124.5 cm.), 12 3/8 in. (31.4 cm.) width, and 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 34 in. (864 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/4 in. (44 mm.).
Overall very fine condition; all original hardware down to the last screw. The original polyester finish on the body has some longitudinal checks, but overall far less of the typical heavy checking than is often seen on Italian Vox instruments. There are a few small chipped areas of finish on the body edges, the most noticeable on the top edge behind the bridge, and a couple on the headstock.
Other than these small spots, this is a very clean-looking bass. The large face-covering pickguard is in better shape than most with far less shrinkage and no broken-off corners -- a real rarity on an Italian-made Phantom! There are no alterations or repairs, and hardly any fret or play wear. This one also has a very nice straight and solid neck. This striking white Phantom is a finer player than many of these and better preserved than most! Excellent + Condition.
