guitarz.blogspot.com:
Talk about re-cycling ... and you thought that Fender's recycled parts
Swinger and
Maverick models were quirky! I think that the above photos of this rare 1960s British-made
Vox Winchester guitar speak volumes. Do I really have to add anything? Other than perhaps to draw your attention to the really weird positioning of the volume pot in a window in the rear of the guitar! (If it IS a volume pot as the eBay seller suggests. See the Dave Lambert link below.)
Currently listed on eBay with a Buy It Now price of $2499. Thanks to
Nathan for bringing this guitar to my attention. Nathan points out that
Dave Lambert of the Strawbs owns an example.
G L Wilson
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Warren Cuccurullo also owned one of these, see Missing Persons' "Words" promo
ReplyDeleteAs I said below (which I posted before I read your comment) Warren's was a replica.
DeleteBlimey! You could have warned me before I did an image search on him!
DeleteI seem to recall Frank Zappa posing for a magazine cover with one of these bad boys. Also Warren Cucurulo (sp?) had Performance Guitars in L.A. build him a replica.
ReplyDeleteClearly a hack that someone cooked up in a limited quantity. That ain't a production guitar.
ReplyDeleteThat depends on your definition of "production".
DeleteAccording to Dave Lambert of the Strawbs:
"...Richard 'Dick' Denny, who was the original design technician for Vox ... responsible for the invention and development of the AC 30 and most of the subsequent amplifiers and gadgets that Vox produced in their major years. I mentioned to him that I had a 1962 AC 10 at home which pleased him, but when I told him about my Winchester guitar his eyes lit up. The pedals Vox were producing at that time were simply not doing very well, Dick was sitting one day with the body of a wah-wah in his hands trying to think of new ideas, his eyes were drawn to a guitar neck lying near his bench and he quite simply put the two components (wah body and guitar neck) together for the heck of it.
"The instruments were produced in 1967 only, there were three models; Repeater, Bushwhacker, and Winchester. All three had a different electronic gimmick built in, so as to make some form of gun effect. They were not particularly successful and are consequently extremely rare, in fact I think there were only twelve produced in all. Dick was delighted to know that I have one of these and has promised to send me original photo's and catalogue advertising material. (It may not have been successful but if you look at the design it may remind you of some more modern instruments). I played this guitar on Top of the Pops in late 1973 for Shine On Silver Sun."
Well that and it SAYS Dick Denny on the data plate affixed to the neck?
DeleteIsn't it incredible how nimble these early instrument companies were? By today's 'hip' and hi-tech standards, even Apple Computer would need to convene a mass meeting of their engineering staff, call the board for a formal sit down, orchestrate a PR campaign for the big product roll out, expense out an ad budget and then call every analyst covering the industry just to change an app!
These guys just DID it, and let the chips fall where they may. Could be mistaken but there may be a screw coming from the top of the fingerboard in TO the pedal itself. I'm never throwing out an old wah-pedal AGAIN. JMI, just_pure_genius!
This one brings us back to Rickenbacker's "Frying pan" in 1936, just the essence of electric guiatr,its past and probably its future considering all "modeling" stuff available today.
ReplyDelete