60's VOX PHANTOM VII STEREO White VERY RARE Comes in Original Hard Case. Some lines, as usual, in the Polyester finish and without rear black cushion back. Made in Recanati Italy EXC code VA120

Overall length is 42 in. (106.7 cm.), 10 7/8 in. (27.6 cm.) across at the widest point, and 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/4 in. (44 mm.).

 Early production Phantom 12-string guitar w/built in Stereo electronics, white polyester finish, mahogany body, maple neck with ebony fingerboard. Neck is straight & frets are very good. equipped with a rare early nitro pickgard made by EKO for Vox that only the very 1st batch released had on them prior to the white pickgards, tons of knobs for each side of its Stereo electronics w/three 3-way switches, she is 100% original & truly excellent condition, comes in its original teardrop shaped hard case. The Phantom XII Stereo has one of the most cluttered facades ever offered to guitarists -- it features three special double-coil Vox pickups used only on this model. These are not humbuckers but have a separate half-coil on each side for the treble and bass strings. Each half-pickup is provided with its own tone and volume control, with a standard 3-way selector offering "Stereo-Mono-Off" and a bank of 3 lever switches selecting different modes: stereo, mono, and "reverse" or out-of phase. Whether the world needed this or not, it's an impressive range of tones available. This early model did not have any indication on the pickguard of how the controls were to be operated -- later examples actually spelled it out with engraved legends, hopefully helping the likely baffled users figure out what the guitar was doing!The Vox 12-strings in general were fairly popular and successful guitars in the mid-'60s, the bright sound of Vox pickups being particularly well-suited to a 12-string application. The Phantom XII Stereo arrived a bit late and is much rarer than the standard model. Helpfully, it also dispensed with the vibrato which did not help earlier the Vox 12's staying in tune. The Phantom XII is generally one of the better-sounding '60s solid-body 12-strings; the stereo model is much more versatile, if also more baffling! Still, the Phantom XII Stereo remains a '60s icon and an eminently posable, playable, and collectible guitar!
 

 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 formalized American distribution of JMI's products in 1965, nearly all Vox guitars sold in the US would be of Italian parentage. The Phantom XII was a later addition to the Thomas line, appearing in late 1965 or 1966. By that point virtually all the Vox guitars sold in the US were made in Italy, and Thomas was actually designing their own models, or in this case a variation on an existing JMI design.The Phantom series -- designed originally in England around 1962 -- already encompassed a full family including 6-string, 12-string, and bass versions. With a wide, comfortable neck and 3 single coil pickups, the Vox 12-strings were already fairly successful in 1965. The reasoning behind a special stereo 12-string (and only the 12-string was marketed) is obscure, but it was quite likely Thomas noticing that Rickenbacker (also in southern California) was months back-ordered on the suddenly popular stereo Model 360-12 and decided to cop some of the action. The regular Phantom XII was already a good seller for the company, so perceiving a deluxe 12-string niche, Thomas jumped in with both feet with this deluxe and (originally) very expensive variation.
 

The Vox Phantom Stereo VI and XII were introduced in 1965 and were premium versions of the previously released V209 Vox Phantom VI six string and V221 Vox Phantom XII twelve string guitars.In addition to the Phantom Stereo, Vox also introduced the "Vox Phantom VI Special" and "Vox Phantom XII Special" guitars in 1965.The Phantom Special featured three "split coil" pickups. Each of the three pickups was divided into two circuits. The first circuit would provide the audio output for the three bass strings and the second circuit would offer a second and unique audio output for the three treble strings. Separate volume and tone controls were provided for each of the six pickup circuits, yielding an unprecedented twelve passive control knobs on the pick guard of the Phantom Stereo guitars.In addition, each pickup coil had a phase switch for further tonal control. A mono/stereo ouput switch was also provided.The Phantom Stereo VI and XII guitars were made for Vox by Eko in Italy. Their necks were equipped with Eko's proprietory "Double T bar" internal reinforcing channel plus an adjustable truss rod. The neck also included individual tuner keys and an aluminum nut.