Frankfurt 1968 was the last major trade fair attended by Jennings. The company had been in the hands of the official receiver since December 1967, and in late April '68, less than two months after Frankfurt, it was announced that JMI was no more and had become "Vox Sound Equipment Limited".

It is not known at present whether JMI, struggling with the dire financial situation resulting from the collapse of the Royston Group (which had had a controlling stake since late 1962 / early 1963), went to the show simply to keep up appearances, or with a view to doing real business. Probably a little of both.

Most of the items shown had already been exhibited at the Russell Hotel Fair of August 1967 - see this page - some also at Frankfurt '67. New things of note were the mini Riviera and Jaguar organs, and the 50W and 100W PA amplifiers. These were later marketed, with changes, by "Vox Sound Equipment Limited".

The advert issued by JMI to coincide with the Fair.

For Frankfurt 1968, the Board of Trade came up with a new formula - a sort of unified British section. Although British manufacturers had often had adjoining stands in previous years, displays were often intermixed with those of European companies.

Six British companies - Jennings included - decided to "go it alone", wholly or in part, however. They are listed in the second item below.

December 1967.

February 1968.

Preview of the Jennings stand published in February 1968.

Image of the wah pedal to accompany the preview report.

JMI had stands 129 and 146. To the left of stand 129 (as one faced it) was the Standel Co. (USA). To the left of stand 146 was Herrburger Brooks Ltd (which made keyboards for Vox organs); to the right Jenco Musical Products (an American company).

A ground plan of the Fair. The Musikmesse took place in Halls 11 and 12, marked in blue.

A ground plan of Hall 11. The JMI stands, both in "Gang" (row) "A", are marked in red - 146 at top, 129 across and below.

Stand 146 is pictured below: guitars were on the walls; guitar and bass amplifiers below, along with the new solid state PA amplifiers. At the front, the organs and Gyrotone I and II.

Stand 146. Picture published March 1968.

Left to right: Cyril Windiate, Colin Barratt, Eddie Haynes, and Ray Pyman. Reg Clark and Dave Roberts, presumably busy elsewhere, were also at the show.

Dave Roberts of JMI demonstrating the Vox Riviera organ at the Fair. The Riviera, in prototype form, had been displayed the year before. Mufag was the oldest and most important of the three distributors of Vox equipment in Western Germany, having been signed up by Tom in 1965.

Printed by Jim Elyea in his book on Vox Amplifiers. Ray Pyman and Eddie Haynes.

A detail of the display in stand 146 showing the two new solid state PA amplifiers (SSPA50 and SSPA100).

The published list of exhibitors, February 1968.