VOX AMPLIFIERS

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, East Sussex. 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.


UK VOX AMPLIFIERS . . .

UK VOX AMPLIFIER SCHEMATIC ARCHIVE - JMI, VSEL and VSL Eras




UK VOX AMPLIFIERS - JMI Era - 1958-1968
THE AC-2, AC-4, AC-6 and DOMINO AMPS - 1958 - 1967





THE AC-10 - 1959 - 1967








THE AC-15 - 1958 - 1968


  • The AC-15 Two-Tone 1x12 Guitar Amplifier - Early 1960 Model - Coming Soon




  • The AC-15 - 1 x 12" 1963 Model - Coming Soon



THE AC-15 TWIN - 1962 - 1968




THE JMI VOX AC-30/4 - 1959 - 1960




THE JMI VOX AC-30/6 - 1960 - 1968











THE JMI VOX LW30 - LIGHT WEIGHT 30 AMPLIFIER - 1964 - 1965




THE JMI AC-50 AMP HEAD (1964 - 1969)



THE JMI AC-50 AMP SPEAKER ENCLOSURE (1964 - 1969)





THE AC-50 SUPER TWIN AMPLIFIER (1964-1969)






    THE FOUNDATION BASS (TUBE MODEL) - 1963 - 1966



    THE AC-100 "80-100 WATT AMPLIFIER" - 1963 - 1965




    THE AC-100 "100 WATT AMPLIFIER," (1965), "AC100/2" (1965-67) and AC-100 MkII 1967 - 1969





    THE T.60 BASS - 1963 - 1965




      VOX  METAL CLAD TUBE PA AMPLIFIER/MIXERS  1964 - 1967
      • Vox Metal Clad Tube PA Amplifiers (coming soon)












    JMI VOX "UL" TUBE AND SOLID STATE/HYBRID AMP SERIES - 1966






















    JMI AND VSEL VOX UK SOLID STATE AMP SERIES - 1967 - 1972





















    VOX UK TUBE AMPLIFIERS - VSEL / Corinthian Era - 1968 - 1970





    VOX UK AMPLIFIERS - Birch -Stolec Era - 1970-1973







    VOX UK AMPLIFIERS - Dallas Musical Industries (DMI) - 1973-1978

















    VOX UK AMPLIFIERS - Rose Morris Era  - 1978-1993






      THE V125 (also known as "Climax") COMBO - 1982 - 1983
      • The V125 2x12" Combo - Coming Soon





























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