Vox at the Frankfurt Trade Fair, February 1965

21st to 25th February.

Tom and team holding a press briefing at 119 Dartford Road to promote the JMI showing at the Frankfurt Fair: guitar-organ and Vox Continental organ in the foreground, background right, an AC100 SDL.

The Frankfurt Musikmesse took place annually in February or March. In the early 60s, the Musical Instruments show, which took place in Trade Hall 12, was a sort of adjunct at the back of the main exhibition ground.

Jennings had stand 2407. Close by was General Music Strings (number 2405). See the list of British exhibitors towards the foot of this page. British trade magazines generally only list stand nummbers of British manufacturers.

Halls 11 and 12 (Hall 12 in front of Hall 11 in this view), Frankfurt Messe, photo taken in the 1970s prior to the redevelopment of the exhibition ground.

Music trade magazine, March 1965. Pavilion A, which accommodated the majority of British piano manufacturers and some others. Makers and suppliers of electronic instruments were in Hall 12, though not in adjacent stands. Hohner might be next to Rose Morris, for example.

Three exhibitors' roundels.

The page on the Vox showing at the British Musical Instrument Industries Trade Fair, August 1964, is here.

Frankfurt 1965

21st - 25th February

The key Vox items shown were the AC100 SDL; the new large box AC50; a range of guitars, including the Guitar-Organ, which received perhaps the greatest amount of attention; and the new Accordion-Organ. Export orders won at the Fair were said to total £500,000.

This now well-known shot of Dick Denney at the Frankfurt Trade Fair - picture from Jim Elyea's book - was taken in February 1965, not February 1964 as is sometimes said. The large picture on the wall to the left of Denney shows the Rolling Stones in the "Ready Steady Go" studio, 26th June 1964.

AC100 SDL cabs and trolleys did not come into being until August 1964. Note that the one pictured has a Mark 1 trolley (a basket to hold the amp, rather than parallel bars).

In front of the AC100: a T60; and in front of that a large box AC50, also on a trolley with a basket top. Large box AC50s did not appear until mid 1964. At right, two AC30s, one the perspex exhibition model shown in London in August 1964 - see this page.

Below, a promotional picture of the Vox Accordion Organ published in a trade report of the Fair. Nothing was said of amplifiers. The only other item featured (and illustrated) was the Guitar-Organ.

The "Accordion Organ" is likely to have been made by Crucianelli - at any rate, very very similar ones turn up with the Crucianelli badge, the model known as the "Magic Vox" or "MagicVox". None so far seems to have come to light labelled only "Vox". It seems probable though that the companies collaborated. The Accordion-Organ featured in the Vox catalogue of 1966.

Just to note that accordions were still big business in the later 1960s for some suppliers. The Hessy's display at the Russell Hotel, August 1967, presented a veritable sea of them.

Published March 1965.

Below, some pieces from the music trade press - promotional adverts placed by Jennings in advance of the show, and a preview of the stand with typical Tom Jennings line.

Preview reports were also printed in German in the British music trade press. And in one case - see the foot of this page = the front cover was aimed at he German market too.

Mufag continued to serve as a JMI distributor in West Germany through to 1968.

February 1965, Tom and the company. The "Frankfurt secret" is likely to have been the AC100 SDL (even though two had been shown at the Russell Hotel Trade Fair in August '64). In photos of Frankfurt '65 - see above - the amp is captioned "The New Beatles Model". An advert for it followed swiftly in the trade and professional music press.

March 1965, a report of business transacted.

The list of exhibitors published in the British music trade press, February 1965.

Below, a pic. of the Burns stand at the Frankfurt Trade Fair, March 1965 - from this excellent site.

"Crescendo" magazine, March 1965.

Snippets - click as ever for a larger image

"Melody Maker" magazine, 13th March 1965.