Vox Mark XII 12 String Solid Body Electric Guitar (1966), ser. #239151, original grey hard shell case.

Vox Mark XII Model 12 String Solid Body Electric Guitar (1966), made in Recanati, Italy, serial # 239151, sunburst polyester finish, mahogany body, maple neck with ebony fingerboard, original grey hard shell case. One of the all-time great "posing" guitars, the teardrop-shaped Vox Mark XII is an instant 1960's classic. Like most Vox-branded instruments sold in the US, this one was built at the Eko factory in Recanati, Italy. Vox's Parent company JMI (Jennings Musical Industries) in Dartford, Kent was already overstretched by 1964 supplying Vox amplifiers to the UK and world markets so instead of expanding their meagre guitar-making facilities, Jennings outsourced the great bulk of instrument production to the Italian firm. These Eko-made Vox guitars are more consistent than their English cousins, and in many cases are better playing instruments. By the time Thomas Organ in California took over American distribution of JMI's products in 1965, nearly all Vox guitars sold in the US would be of Italian parentage. The teardrop-shaped Mark series was originally a stylistic outgrowth of the trapezoidal-bodied Phantom line, indeed the earliest model was called the Phantom Mk.III. Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones got one of the first hand-built prototypes, and the exposure the model received in his hands in 1964-5 was quite enough to quickly make it the most sought after Vox guitar, especially in the US. The solidbody "Mark" series soon expanded to include a full family of 6, 12 and 9 string guitars as well as a bass. This Mark XII's dark sunburst is the standard finish offered for the "teardrop" models; anything else is very rare. The guitar features three standard single-coil Vox pickups-the bright sound of which is particularly well-suited to a 12-string with a wiring rig derived from the Stratocaster, i.e. master volume, two tone controls and a three-way switch. The vibrato was developed from JMI's "Hank B' Marvin' unit and is basically a close copy of the solidbody Bigsby. The Mark XII is one of the better sounding '60's solidbody 12 strings and one of the few to be equipped with a vibrato! This very sharp Mark XII is a '60's icon and eminently poseable and collectible guitar!Overall length is 42 in. (106.7 cm.), 12 in. (30.5 cm.) width, and 1 1/2 in. (3.8 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 25 in. (635 mm.). Width of nut is 1 13/16 in. (46 mm.). All original with some light average wear and checking; complete (including the nearly always missing vibrato arm and spring) except for the missing bridge cover and foam from the mute. No repairs or major damage; there are a couple of dings and scrapes to the top and an area of missing plating on the vibrato tailpiece. Plays and sounds very well and includes the original grey Vox case. Excellent - Condition.