From: Nick Schepis
Date: 25 Feb 1996 06:34:59 GMT
Organization: On-Ramp; Individual Internet Connections; Dallas/Ft Worth/Houston, TX USA
I came across this today and thought I might share it with the group:
Dating your Vox amplifier
Because the Vox name has been used by such a variety of companies in
different locations, no lists of serial numbers are available. Even so,
certain characteristics can help narrow the date of manufacture to within a
year or so. These characteristics can be applied to most amplifier models
prior to 1985.
This list comes from The Vox Story book.
1958-1959
* Blonde covering, or occasional two-tone grey-cream.
* Black control panel with screened gold legend.
* Seperate letters in Vox emblem.
* Small “Jennings” embossed badge on top margin of frame.
* Round control knobs.
* Audiom 60 Speaker (AC15) or 80 (proto-AC30).
* Small “TEN” or “FIFTEEN” type badge lower left.
* Hinged plastic carrying handles on AC4 & AC10, large leather strap on
AC15.
* Brown latticed or occasional plain speaker cloth.
* Brass ventilators.
1959-1960
* Blonde covering standard.
* Black control panel, gold legend.
* One-piece emblem.
* Pointer control knobs.
* Brass ventilators.
* Brown latticed speaker cloth.
* Audiom 60 or Rola-Celestion G12 speakers, 4-input models only.
* “A J.M.I. Product” legend between input jacks.
1960-1961
* Blonde covering.
* Copper control panel, photo-anodized legend.
* Pointer control knobs.
* Brass ventilators.
* Blue “Vox” speakers.
* Leather strap handles.
* Brown latticed speaker cloth.
* Six-input models, three channels.
* “J.M.I. Product” legend lower right.
1961-1962
* Blonde covering with occasional black, red or blue samples.
* Hardware same as 1960-1961.
* Occasional “Top Boost” units fitted in rear-panel with Treble and Bass
controls operable.
1962-1963
* Blonde or dark (smooth-textured) covering in equal use.
* Hardware same as 1960-1962.
1963-1964
* Dark cover standard, texture varies between smooth dark grey or black
to basketweave texture.
* Injection-molded vents.
* Strap handles with “Vox” logo appear in mid-1964.
* Speaker cloth still brown lattice.
* Top Boost controls integral with control panel early 1964.
* “Bass” type badge lower left on normal (non-Treble or Top Boost)
models.
1964-1965
* Change of control panel color to dark grey with metallic legend.
* All hardware injection-molded.
* Corner protectors fitted.
* Changed to black latticed speaker-cloth in 1965.
1965-1966
* Chassis and case unchanged.
* Speaker color-change to silver for Lead units, remains blue for Bass
units.
* Mains selector changed to five-way rotary switch type.
* Mains switch plastic.
1966-1967
* Metallic black ventilators used late 1966.
1967-1968
* No change due to emphasis on solid-state.
1968-1969
* Control panel indent. changed to “A Vox Product.”
* Manufacture location “Erith, Kent.”
* U.S. style rectangular emblem used.
* Changed to silicon rectifier system, GZ34 valve deleted.
1969-1972
* Reverb model with cylindrical aluminum control knobs, pull-enable
switches on Volumes.
* Large PCB for control section.
* Double row of ventilators (Stolec model)
1972-1974
* Reversion to pointer knobs.
* Standard circuit, no reverb.
* “Blue”-type speakers with “V.S.L.” label on cover.
* Old style emblem.
* Metal mains switch.
* Tagstrip construction.
1974-1978
* Same chassis and case but Celestion G12M speakers fitted.
1978-1979
* Control panel process changed to spray-paint/screen print.
* Two rows of PCB’s for control section.
* G12M speakers.
1979-1985
* Same chassis and case but (pale-blue) Fane 125283 speakers.
