A version of this page can be found in the Vox Continental section on the Vox AC30 website - available here.

Also to say as a preliminary that the first time a Continental will have been seen by the general public in America was on the Ed Sullivan show in March 1964: the two appearances of the Dave Clark Five (8th and 15th). Those with a keen eye could well have made out exactly what the organ was - the camera did Jennings the huge favour of keeping the logo in view when zooming in (twice) Amplifiers were carefully hidden from view though as they always were on early Sullivan shows. Later, in November, Mike Smith's Continental could be seen again in the film "Get Yourself a College Girl", which also starred the Animals.

Detail of Mike Smith playing from the film. Further details on Mike Smith's Continentals can be found on this page.

In the sections below, a list of early securely dated sightings of *exported* Vox Continentals, 1964 and 1965. This is really just to make a start. The sequence of items will probably have to be re-jigged as further instances arise.

1964

(1) The Disc Jockey Carnival, Los Angeles County Fair, Pomona, 25th-31st December 1964, used by one of Bob Harris's demonstration bands.

Picture from "Vox Teen Beat" magazine no. 1, issued in California in April, 1965, page 4.

1965

(3) Paul Revere and the Raiders - pilot episode of "Where the Action Is", segments filmed on Leo Carillo State Beach (Malibu) in February 1965. Original pictures of the Raiders on set are held by Getty Images. The Getty captions say the scenes were taped on the 13th February.

Malibu, February 1965, from "Vox Teen Beat" magazine, no. 2.

It is perhaps worth saying, however, that in April 1965 the only American band acknowledged by Thomas Organ as featuring Vox equipment was "The Standells" - no Raiders, no Sir Douglas Quintet.

"Vox Teen Beat" magazine, no. 1, April 1965, effectively a modified JMI list, which continues after the picture, and includes bands/performers that many British teenagers would probably never have heard of. But a number were good customers, in particular "The Joystrings", the band of the Salvation Army, based in Kent.

(3) "The Standells" - Munster show, aired 18th March, 1965. The band apparently did not have any Vox equipment in January.

Vox Continental logo taped off.

(4) "Manfred Mann" with a different Continental and an AC30, at the recording of an episode of Shindig, 24th March, 1965.

Picture from "Vox Teen Beat" magazine no. 1, issued in California in April '65. The organ is not the one seen earlier in the month.

(5) A picture of the Hal Morris Music Mart, Lansing, Illinois, published in the "Hammond Times", 13th April, 1965, in the background a Vox AC50 Foundation Bass and T60 Bass. On the rear wall, a copy of the first Thomas Organ Vox catalogue - "The Million Dollar Sound" - is pinned up along with various promotional photos. A photo of Hal's shop printed in December 1964 shows only the T60, none of the other Vox items visible below are present (and nothing pinned to the wall).

13th April, 1965. Thomas distributed the newly imported Vox equipment from two centres: Chicago (service centre warehouse in Evanston) and Sepulveda, California. Hal will have received his from Chicago.

(6) Vox Battle of the Bands, San Mateo Fairgrounds and Hollywood Palladium, late March to 16th April 1965. Below, Captain Beefheart, winners of the competition on stage at the Palladium. The Thomas Organ Vox Division provided at least two Continentals.

Early April, 1965. At front of stage, two JMI standees: the Dave Clark Five and Continental organ, and the Jumping Beatles. Three examples of the former are known, one to be pictured soon.

(7) The "Sir Douglas Quintet", the other US band signed up early on by Marv Kaiser, General Sales Manager of the Vox Division of Thomas Organ - their Continental certainly by 12th June 1965. Early promotional photos showing the band with a Continental were probably taken in March '65 but are undated unfortunately - or at least not capable of being securely dated at present.

The Times, Shreveport, Louisiana, 12th June, 1965. The picture of the band is a print from a Thomas Organ promitional photo probably taken in March.