Vox Phantom Bass

Stamped 1967 on the neck, I have owned it since 1969. I was told it was made in Italy. This is a solid body bass, Alder I believe, with 34" scale length, 4 strings, 2 single coil pickups, passive, 1 volume, 1 tone, 3 way pickup selector, open gear tuners with clover knobs, ebony fingerboard. Individually adjustable bridge pieces with chrome cover with VOX logo, 22 frets. The non-symetrical Phantom shape was also used on Vox guitars and was copied by Teisco DelRay. I had the frets removed and played it fretless for awhile, then had it professionally refretted. I run flatwound strings on it, sometimes nylon tape wound for that upright bass sound. Came in a nice hard shell case.

The neck pickup sounds full and warm and I usually use just this pickup. I play finger style, no pick. Vintage 60's bass sound with lots of lows and mids and less highs. Definitely not a slapper, but sounds good on anything else. Bridge pickup gives some highs and sounds good with a pick. I used to use a Fuzz Face with it. I have used it with several amps - a Heathkit 100W solid state, a Peavey 120 Bass amp, a Univox Bass combo, and a Peavey Basic 15 combo. With the non-combo's, I use an Acoustic cab with 2 x Utah 15's rated at 100W each. With the 100W amps and the Acoustic cab it produces enough volume for any venue I have played at including outdoor parties and sounds great doing it.

Once adjusted, the bass plays great. I adjusted the intonation and string height when I got it. Action is low with no buzz over the entire neck. I have never needed to adjust the truss rod. About 30 years ago I had the original appliance white paint stripped off and had it refinished with amber nitrocelluose. Looks great. Both pickups have been replaced with NOS ones - the lead wires broke off during cleaning and disassembly when I had it refinished. Pickup selector and pots are original. To me it plays great and sounds very good.

This bass has been gigged ALOT over the years and has stood up great. I have never carried a backup bass. As stated above, I had it refinished many years ago, not because the finish was worn, but because I didn't like the appliance white color. I have never adjusted the truss rod. Strap buttons are solid.

Never dealt with Vox, never needed to do so.

I have been playing for 42 years. I have owned several other basses which I got after I stopped gigging, including an Epiphone Viola (Beatle) bass, a Ventura fretless violin-shaped bass, and a 5 string Cort Curbow. I have owned several guitars including various flat tops, Gibson 335 copies, a Strat, and a Teisco Del Ray Phantom 6 string. This Vox Phantom was my first bass so it also has sentimental value to me, and if it were stolen, I would have to track down the guy and pry it from his dead fingers.