VOX Spitfire MkVI 1965

The Vox name is of course best known for the iconic amplifiers, but in the mid 1960s Vox also had a full guitar line aimed at the same Beat-era market that made the amps famous. The designs went all in on modern looks and stage presence, and Vox guitars were widely seen alongside Vox amps during the British Invasion years.

The Spitfire Mk VI is the concentrated essence of a 60’s Vox guitar – teardrop-bodied, thinline semi-acoustic with three Vox single-coils and a spring vibrato, built to give players a wide range of bright, cutting sounds with the feel of a lightweight semi-hollow. The teardrop family of guitars is most closely associated with players like Brian Jones of the Rolling Stones, and it has become one of the most recognisable “mod” guitar shapes of the era.

This 1965 example is Made in England (most were not) and includes the original and very, very cool coffin style case. It has standard wear and finish checking, nothing serious and it looks great. Some of the finish has flaked off in a large-ish flake on the upper bass-side bout and has been painted over at some point in the past. It looks fine and just adds to the guitar’s story. The hardware is slightly tarnished, again typical for a guitar this old. The original frets are very low, but it actually plays very well. Weight is 3400g.

A true 60’s icon of immense beat-tastic grooviness!

SPECIFICATIONS

• Year: 1965
• Country of manufacture: England
• Body: Teardrop-shaped thinline semi-acoustic with bass-side f-hole
• Finish: Sunburst
• Body binding: Cream/ivory binding around the body edge
• Back pad: Original style padded back pad with rivets
• Neck: Bolt-on maple neck with 4-bolt plate
• Headstock: “Spitfire Mk VI” logo on face, “Made in England” stamp on rear
• Fingerboard: Rosewood
• Inlays: Pearloid block inlays
• Frets: Original frets, very low
• Scale length: 25 in (635 mm)
• Pickups: 3 × Vox single-coil pickups with 6 pole pieces each
• Controls: Master volume, Tone I, Tone II
• Pickup selection: 3-position selector
• Bridge: Adjustable bridge with individual saddles
• Vibrato: Vox spring vibrato with trem arm
• Hardware finish: Chrome
• Case: Original Vox coffin style case
• Weight: 3400g