BILL POSTERS Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 (edited) Just came across this old Bells Catalogue (Old fogies will remember) Not much Bass gear but some interesting vintage stuff in there, Hard to believe people used to gig with some of those old amps. [size=3][url="http://www.manchesterbeat.com/gear/bells/bells%20catalogue.pdf"][u][color=#0000ff][color=#0000ff]http://www.manchesterbeat.com/gear/bells/bells%20catalogue.pdf[/color][/color][/u][/url][/size] Edited January 22, 2012 by BRANCINI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len_derby Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Wow, Bells catalogues. I spent literally hours reading those as a teenager. I bought a couple of guitars from them. I don't think I've ever seen one since 1976 (when I left home). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paultrader Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Brilliant! What year is it? I bought a Watkins Sapphire bass from Bells once. I looked great but had such a heavy headstock, it was completely unbalanced. My mate John had a Watkins Rapier from there too. A trip to Bells Music in Surbiton was a real adventure when I was a youth! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BILL POSTERS Posted January 22, 2012 Author Share Posted January 22, 2012 (edited) [quote name='Paultrader' timestamp='1327237368' post='1508064'] Brilliant! What year is it? I bought a Watkins Sapphire bass from Bells once. I looked great but had such a heavy headstock, it was completely unbalanced. My mate John had a Watkins Rapier from there too. A trip to Bells Music in Surbiton was a real adventure when I was a youth! [/quote] 1963 I think. Way before my time anway. Just noticed Monopole strings, I do remember them, but not chrome tapewound ones. Was it still illegal to import American guitars in 1963 ?? Edited January 22, 2012 by BRANCINI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clauster Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 My first two basses came from Bells. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigAlonBass Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 My Dad ran me down to the Bells Warehouse in Newton Aycliffe, (I was only 16) and after I'd picked a Selmer Treble'n'Bass 100 watt Amp, with matching 1x15" Selmer Goliath Cab, he signed the Guarantor form. £90 for the Amp and £85 for the Cab, and with me having a gig with a "Club Band" I managed to pay it off in three months! Happy Days indeed...... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 I used to love looking through the Bells catalogues that my older brother used to get through the post. It was probably spending hours looking at the pictures in those when I was six or seven that planted the seed for me to start playing when I was fourteen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nibody Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Broadway-Plectric-1922-vintage-guitar-early-60s-/290553950785?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item43a65d7241"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Broadway-Plectric-1922-vintage-guitar-early-60s-/290553950785?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Guitars_CV&hash=item43a65d7241[/url] one of the Broadways, and it was bought originaly at bells! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 I had a Bells catalogue, the earliest form of musical instrument porn I can remember 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzneck Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 Wonderful - brought back memories of Chemistry lessons when me and my mate used to pore over it on the back bench wondering how we could get the cash to buy a guitar AND an amp! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Dave Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 That's fantastic. Somewhere over the years my memory of the Bells Cat. had been erased but it's come flooding back. I remembered the address , I can even remember the smell of the pages. There was a Telecaster in one of the cats I had - I'd never even seen one in the flesh. Wondering now which was the best feeling - this middle aged muso with all the kit he could ever want or that young kid day dreaming. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbyrne Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 I believe the embargo on US guitars was removed in 1957. G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leschirons Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 [b]Absolutely brilliant. I remember at one point they started to include Kay guitars and I would dream of one day owning a Kay "Red devil" Don't think I ever even got to see one in the flesh.[/b] [b]Thanks for posting this.[/b] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BILL POSTERS Posted January 22, 2012 Author Share Posted January 22, 2012 Seeing as the Bells catalogue has gone down so well, try this for more old gear.. [url="http://www.manchesterbeat.com/gear/guitars.php"]http://www.manchesterbeat.com/gear/guitars.php[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leschirons Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 [quote name='BRANCINI' timestamp='1327260177' post='1508529'] Seeing as the Bells catalogue has gone down so well, try this for more old gear.. [url="http://www.manchesterbeat.com/gear/guitars.php"]http://www.mancheste...ear/guitars.php[/url] [/quote] Bloody hell, you've got some gems there. Haven't seen a Grimshaw LP for about 35 years although my mate still has a Grimshaw GS33 which was an SG type with 2 P/U like a standard. Fab stuff, got any more? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big_Stu Posted January 22, 2012 Share Posted January 22, 2012 The Bells catalogue was the first place I ever saw a Park Lead & Bass tranny head; lusted after one for a while & ended up getting the Marshall version - though they were nearly identical obviously. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casapete Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 I still have a Bell's catalogue from the late 60's/early 70's. Not much bass action contained, but I spent many happy hours pouring over Marshall & Wem guitar amps, along with all the other stuff. Regarding the Grimshaw LP, saw a clip recently of Status Quo on Top of the Pops in 1968 doing 'Pictures of matchstick men' with Francis Rossi playing one! I had a similar LP copy in the early 70's, maybe same factory etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Dave Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 (edited) [quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1327267875' post='1508700'] The Bells catalogue was the first place I ever saw a Park Lead & Bass tranny head; lusted after one for a while & ended up getting the Marshall version - though they were nearly identical obviously. [/quote] Well , Bells weren't perfect!!! What a piece of crap those were - I had the Marshall for a while. It said 100w so I assumed it would be twice as loud as the Marshall 50w valve head I had. What a pillock !! Edited January 23, 2012 by Dr.Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted January 23, 2012 Share Posted January 23, 2012 Compare & contrast. [url="http://s1128.photobucket.com/albums/m496/h4ppyjack/Selmer%20Catalogue%201963/"]http://s1128.photobucket.com/albums/m496/h4ppyjack/Selmer%20Catalogue%201963/[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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