UPDATES
2018
August-December
30th December
Better pics of the Lasky's catalogue from 1959-1960 illustrating a small selection of Goodmans speakers including the new Audiom 90 18" bass driver - £28 0s 0d. Info on the Audiom 90 is being collected together on this page.
16th December
The Migil 5 on the Morecambe and Wise Show, Saturday 27th June, 1964, 8.25pm, with a thick-edged small-box AC50.
15th December
Above, a detail from an issue of "Midland Beat", June 1967. The amplifier grille cloth is just under 4 diamonds tall - either an AC30 Super Twin or an AC50. AC30 Super Twin amps, however, are the same width as AC30 Super Twin speaker cabinets. The cab and trolley in the picture are considerably wider than the amp.
Note that the trolley has a single bar supporting the "basket" in which the amp sits.
It looks as though the Tubby Dunn combo had a fantastic early large-box AC50 set, much as one sees on set during the "Ready Steady Win" competition, August and September 1964:
9th December
A great shot of the Searchers at Långshyttan, Sweden, from this page (Gallery 8), 1964, said to be late summer of that year, here. An early large-box AC50 with two Foundation Bass cabs at right.
25th November
A diamond-input amp just come to light - serial number 1207. Thanks to Sofus for the pictures.
Pot codes are "BL" = February 1964. For other diamond-input AC50s, see this page.
25th November
An AC50 from 1966 currently in the States with a variant runner at front. At least one other amp is known to have this type of runner. Thanks to Cy for the pic and info.
10th November (2)
Two new amps added on this page - 5237 and 5253.
10th November
Just a quick note on the part numbers stamped on various components. From late 1965/early 1966 these are for the most part JMI's own rather than those of the manufacturer. Thomas Organ, which distributed Vox amps in the States, had its own set of codes too - see the service manual at the foot of this page. The JMI numbers are five digits probably (though not yet verified definitively) beginning with the year - "66xxx" = 1966.
Part numbers of the AC50 pots are: 66181 (500K) and 66520 (1 meg).
Choke, part number: 66524.
Black-topped mains transformer, part number: 66522.
Black-topped output transformer, part number: 66523.
The black-topped transformers used in the Vox solid state range have part numbers beginning 13xxx, and identical sets of three letters stamped in white on the laminations or in black on the copper binder.
Marked on the mains transformer of an early Super Foundation Bass amp, the code - 13759 - and three letters stamped in white, "JSB" or "J58"?
The driver transformer is - 13478A.
7th November
Two versions of the Dave Clark Vox advert, the lower one from "Beat Instrumental" magazine, March 1964, the upper (with its rounded two-tone corners) from a yet unidentified source. In both the AC50 is actually a T60 amp. The Dave Clark Five had been issued with new AC50s and cabs in February 1964 for their residency at the Tottenham Royal.
30th October
Yardley's music shop, Birmingham. Photo published in "Midland Beat" newspaper, March 1965. A small-box AC50 with AC30 cab and trolley.
25th October
The "Daily Express", 1st February, 1975. The end of Dallas, which had taken on the production of a small selection of Vox items, and another end for Vox - the final curtain for the AC50
17th October (2)
For Vox displays at various trade fairs 1964-1966 see this page on the Vox AC100 website. Further material will be added there soon.
17th October
An early advert for the Midax horn from the Earl's Court Radio Show, 1956. Image originally posted here.
7th October
The picture below must be of the Frankfurt Musikmesse, March 1965. One can see a large version of the picture above on the back wall of the Vox stand to the left of Denney. The picture above shows the Stones, Ready Steady Go, 26th June 1964.
The picture below cannot therefore be the Frankfurt Fair, 1964. The Fair always took place in February/March annually.
6th October
The now well-known picture of Dick Denney at the Frankfurt Trade Fair, said to be March 1964. There is an AC100 with a Mark 1 trolley (a basket to hold the amp, rather than parallel bars); a T60; and in front of that what appears to be a large box AC50, also on a trolley with a basket top. Is this March 1964? A large-box AC50?
Below, a pic. of the Burns stand at the Frankfurt Trade Fair, March 1965 - from this excellent site.
2nd October
A Lasky's catalogue of 1959/1960 advertising the Goodmans Audiom 90 and giving its price. The speaker does not figure, however, in the standard Goodmans catalogue of 1960.
29th September (2)
A detail from the Vox catalogue of 1964/1965, probably printed February 1964 - see the printer's runner "2.64". In 1963 the image of the Foundation Bass cab was used to advertise the amplifier section too, though the latter was not on sale at that time - still in development. See the advert below. The 1964 catalogue will be available soon in its entirety on the Vox AC100 website.
Page from "Beat Instrumental" magazine, issue 4, August 1963: "Separate amplifier cabinet provides a total output of 50 watts undistorted". The Beatles were issued with their AC50s - the first to emerge - in late December 1963.
29th September
Above, the Guarantee Card and envelope, hang tag, and price tag of AC50 no. 1101. The page on diamond input amps has now been updated to include those in thin-edged boxes.
The Goodmans speaker pricelist from January 1963 now added on the speakers index page.
26th September
The Guarantee Card of AC50 serial number 1101, presumably a diamond input amp (second third of 1964) given the format of the number "4/1101". A pity the date was not filled out. Better pics to follow soon.
21st September
Serial number 8270 - American-style logo, "AMPLIFIER" alone on the serial number plate - has been added here. Its chassis number is the highest to come to light so far. Thanks to Rich for the pictures.
3rd September
Goodmans pricelist, April 1961. Prices, among other things, for the Audiom 90 and Midax horn.
3rd September
Some pages from Goodmans speaker brochures - the Midax horn in 1958 and 1960. For more on the Midax, see this page, which will be updated again shortly. The connecting plugs, mentioned in the adverts, and used by Vox, were made by Belling Lee.
Goodmans brochure, 1958
Goodmans brochure, 1960
1st September
Material relating to AC50 speaker cabinets and the speakers used in them (Celestion, Fane, Goodmans) is being gathered together on this index page.
31st August (2)
Pages from a mid 1960s Fane brochure relevant to the AC50 - the 122 (specifically the 122/17), used in Super Twin cabs from 1965; and the 183, fitted to Foundation Bass cabs when Goodmans were not available.
31st August
Just for context, the front cover of the Goodmans pricelist - principally for the hifi market, but see the note under the Audiom speakers.
30th August
A page from the Goodmans retail pricelist, March 1964. The Audiom 91 has now superceded the Audiom 90. According to the Bank of England inflation calculator, £27 10 shillings would be around £500 in today's money. This was wrongly said to be the price of the Audiom 90 in the entry for 25th Aug. JMI presumably got its Audiom 91s at a substantial discount.
25th August (2)
AC50 serial number 1584, made by Triumph, last third of 1964, now registered here. Thanks to Larry for the pictures.
25th August
Below, a Goodmans flyer from 1962/63 (corr.), illustrating the new 18" Audiom 90, the first heavy duty bass speaker produced by a British manufacturer. The initial version was 6ohms and aimed principally at public address applications, though it was more often used for organ amplification. The 8ohm and 15ohm versions - the former used by Vox for the earliest Foundation Bass cabs (and a few in 1965) - came slightly later.
