The history of the Vox amplifier line is inexplicably tied to the fortunes...and misfortunes...of the succession of the eight UK firms that have owned the Vox marque since 1957. A brief ownership history of Vox follows.
Founded in the early fifties as the Jennings Organ Company of Dartford Kent, UK and renamed Jennings Musical Industries in 1957, JMI developed and manufactured the original designs for the AC-4, AC-10, AC-15, AC-30, AC-50 and AC-100 amplifiers, amongst others. JMI was privately owned by founder Tom Jennings. The main amplifier engineers were Dick Denney and Derek Underdown.
Tom Jennings sold a controlling share in JMI to the British electronics conglomerate Royston Industries in 1964. Royston continued the use of the 'JMI' brand on all Vox products. Tom Jennings, Dick Denney and Derek Underdown were retained. Some of the manufacturing, especially organ production, was moved from Dartford to a Royston facility in nearby Erith, Kent (see photo at right). The UL Series (705, 715, 430, 730, 460, 760, 4120 and 7120) amplifiers and the solid state amplifiers (Traveller, Virtuoso, Conqueror, Defiant, Supreme, Dynamic Bass, Foundation Bass and Super Foundation Bass) were introduced during the Royston era. By 1967, Dick Denney had left Vox and Royston fired Tom Jennings. Through no fault of Vox, Royston filed for bankruptcy in 1968.While Royston was working through the UK bankruptcy courts, a number of former JMI executives were able to cut a deal with the bank to resume production of Vox. They named their new venture Vox Sound Equipment Ltd. or 'VSEL' for short.
West Street Vox Works, 1967, Erith Kent - Photo Courtesy Roland Bukalo
VSEL concentrated on promoting the recently introduced solid state amplifier designs. VSEL also produced some hand wired AC-30 and AC-50 amps. No new amp models were introduced in the VSEL period. VSEL was eventually shortened to VSL, for Vox Sound Limited. VSL as well filed for bankruptcy in 1969. A British banking firm named Corinthian Securities held the assets of VSL while in bankruptcy. Vox was treading water during the Corinthian era. Aside from a updated Jaguar Organ, ironically renamed 'Corinthian,' no new products were introduced in this period. Birch-Stolec Industries purchased Vox from Corinthian Securities in 1970 and moved the manufacturing facilities from Erith, Kent to Hastings, Essex. The 'VSL' name was retained. Birch Stolec owned Lemark Transformers, a major Vox creditor from the VSEL bankruptcy. The V100 head, a 100 watt, all tube, printed circuit amplifer was introduced by Birch-Stolec as were the first printed board versions of the AC-30 and AC-50. They also produced slightly revised versions of the solid state Vox amps introduced by JMI in 1967. Rick Huxley, former bassist for the Dave Clark Five, became sales manager. Dallas Musical Industries (aka Dallas Arbiter) had previously produced the 'Sound City' amplifier line before purchasing Vox from Birch-Stolec in 1973. Dallas replaced the problematic printed circuit board AC-30 and AC-50 amps introduced by Birch-Stolec with hand wired models similar to the original JMI designs. Dallas also introduced the AC-120, Battery/Mains Escort and the Escort 30 amplifiers. In 1978, Dallas sold Vox to Rose Morris (RM). Rose Morris was the distributor of Marshall Amplification throughout Europe throughout the 1970s. RM purchased Vox from Dallas in 1978 as a hedge against losing their distribution deal with Marshall. The name of the company was shortened from Vox Sound Limited to 'Vox Limited.' Rose Morris introduced the Escort 50, V125 stack, the Venue and 'Q' series amplifiers and a number of iterations of the AC-30. Paul McCartney still tours with Vox 'Vintage' Series AC-30 heads produced by Rose Morris. Korg acquired Vox from Rose Morris in early 1992 and started the most prolific period of Vox amplifier development since the JMI era.
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Second generation JMI Supremes
Later Jennings Musical Industries amps: late 1967
Above a good example of a Supreme from the second third of 1967 - serial no. 1258. Note the presence of 'Solid State' in the logo..
Production of the Supreme continued apace in later 1967, perhaps even picking up slightly on previous months - for earlier amps, see this page. The general characteristics of later JMI Supremes are:
Serial number still in the form ST.xxxx.
Back panels remain cloth covered and have chamfered corners.
Control panels are generally now deep black, not the (faded) brown of early ones. The metal of the panel is slightly thicker.
Gone are the fixings for the preamp on top of the amp.
Jack input sockets are black plastic not metal.
Logos have first 'VOX' in gold (rather than silver); then 'VOX Solid State'.
Goodmans ceramic speakers - precursors of the 'Power Range' - make their appearance in preference to Celestions. The Goodmans code was 241H 15.
Conversely, Celestion horns - T1362s - are sometimes found instead of Goodmans Midax.
The schematic for the preamp remains OS/136, and the power amp OS/135
Below, a growing register of surviving amps. If anyone knows of any Supremes that have not yet been included, do let me know.
Serial number 1150 or 1151 (?) - currently in Denmark
A nice rig. 'Solid State' only in the logo of the cab. No preamp fixings on top of the box. Black plastic input jacks.Thanks to Frank for the pictures.
Serial number 1162
Probably one of the first of the second generation amps. No preamp fixings on top of the box. Input jacks are black plastic; control panel is black. Thanks to Paul and Philip for the pictures. In the last, the amp with a VSL Supreme cab (containing later speakers).
Serial number unknown - currently in the UK
In common with the amp above, no preamp fixings on top of the box, and black plastic input jacks. But the logo is in silver.
Serial number unknown - currently in the UK
Serial number unknown - currently in Spain
Accompanied by a Conqueror cab with side stands.
Serial number unknown - currently in Spain
A nice amp in company with a Defiant cab.
'Vox Solid State' now in the logo
Serial number 1180 - currently in Sweden
Currently in Sweden, the voltage selector removed to make the amp conform to local electrical regulations. In good condition. Thanks to Kjell for the pictures.
Serial number 1195 - currently in Switzerland
A superb Supreme, 'Solid State' in the logo of both amp and cab. The drivers in the cab are Goodmans. Thanks to Gerry for the pictures.
Serial number 1230 - currently in the USA
Serial number 1239 - currently in the UK
Thanks to Andy for the pictures.
1968
So far, no JMI Supreme has come to light with 'AMPLIFIER' alone (rather than 'VOX AMPLIFIER') on the serial number plate. But the amps below, and perhaps 1239 above, will have been made, or at least finished, and sold in 1968.
Serial number 1258 - currently in the UK
Preamp chassis 2273. Power amp chassis 1434. Excellent original condition. The cab in the first pictures belongs to another amp. Three mustard caps in the preamp alongside the yellow Dubiliers with date code C7N = 3rd quarter 1967. Later on, mustards become the norm in the solid state preamps, superceding Dubiliers entirely. Apologies for the softness of some of the pictures above - they will be replaced in due course.
Serial number 1261 - currently in Germany
Serial number 1285 - currently in the Netherlands
The cab was set up by JMI for a tilt-back trolley, the upper chrome sections of which still remain. The speakers have been replaced by later Goodmans units and the horns removed. Thanks to Hans for the pictures.
Serial number in the 1200s - currently in the USA
A replaced handle, and the Belling Lee power socket now a Bulgin (probably substituted early on), otherwise good and original. The footswitch survives. Serial number plate unfortunately missing.
Serial number in the 1200s - currently in Europe
Serial number in the 1200s - currently in the UK
Preamp chassis 1939. Power amp chassis 1251. Probably slightly earlier than the amp above. The box has square back corners; but the back board has angles. Click on the button below for more pictures.
Serial number in the high 1200s - currently in the UK
Preamp chassis 2443. Power amp chassis 1494. Replaced back panel, front grille cloth, and knobs. Pictures from the ebay auction, more to follow.
Serial number 1302 (or 1303)
Wrongly reported as 1502 (or 1503)
JMI Super Foundation Basses, with which the Supreme shares a power section, only go up to around sn. 1280. No Supremes have come to light with numbers definitively in the 1300s, let alone 1400s.
Power amp chassis 1494, recorded above, is the highest so far. If we assume 300 chassis were assigned to SFBs and perhaps 300 to Supremes, then the highest serial number (on the back panel) will have been 1300 or so.
Serial Numbers Unknown
(all with 'Solid State' in the logo)
Serial number unknown - currently in Holland
A full rig, the trolley apparently lacking wheels however. The speakers are Goodmans ceramics.
Serial number unknown - currently in Denmark
A good looking rig, no trolley, but footswitch in evidence.
Vox Supreme
Serial number unknown - currently in the UK
Vox Populi Est Suprema Lex
Sold by Chandler's in Kew some time ago. 'VOX Solid State' in silver so a serial number in the high 1100s or low 1200s.
Serial number unknown - currently in the UK
Gold 'VOX Solid State' logo. Visible renovations in the preamp are the DIN plug socket and one of the indicator lamps. The original back panel has been replaced with an aluminium grille.
Serial number unknown - currently in the USA
One of the Reisz Promotions amps, shipped from Germany to Guitar Center in 2007-2008. Below, the same amp (purchased from Guitar Center in Manhattan in 2009) expertly restored.
Serial number unknown - currently in Italy
Serial number unknown - currently in the UK
Serial number unknown - currently in the UK
Probably late JMI rather than early VSEL, but difficult to tell for sure from a single photo. The cab beneath is likely to be a generic PA bin covered later in Vox cloth and given a logo to match.
On to the next page - Supremes issued and sold by Vox Sound Equipment Ltd.
