Click for a larger image. On the left, the Traveller - "for the travelling man...". On the right, a prototype Virtuoso - note the position of the footswitch socket, and the lamps on top of the panel.

Pricelist from April 1967. The Traveller cost the princely sum of £61 and 19 shillings.

The Traveller, which has built-in top boost and tremolo, was the only production amp in the solid state range to have its own (non-modular) preamp and power amp. Output is around 10-12 watts. The controls left to right on its panel are: Top Boost switch, Volume, Treble, Bass; and Tremolo speed and depth. The footswitch for the tremolo is hardwired to the chassis (as it was in many of the small amps produced by JMI in the 1960s).

The control panel of Traveller serial number 1177.

Of the two inputs, the one on the left is the main, the one on the right (viewed from the rear of the amplifier) lower gain. The speaker adopted by Vox was initially a Celestion T7442 then T7721, superb drivers capable of handling around 10-12 watts power handling, 15 ohms impedance. The wooden case is the same size as the case of a Vox AC10.

The Traveller was advertised for the last time in the catalogue and pricelist printed to accompany JMI's presence at the Frankfurt Trade Fair ("Musikmesse") of March 1968.

Detail from the German catalogue of March 1968.

Pricelist accompanying the catalogue above.

When JMI folded in the late Spring of 1968, unsold stock was acquired by "Vox Sound Equipment Limited", which carried the Vox name through the latter part of 1968 to the end of 1969. At least two Travellers were issued by VSEL - serial numbers 1026 (old JMI stock) and 2001, the latter a gift - see towards the foot of this page. Whether others were sold remains to be seen.

Design

Surviving pre-production amplifiers - see this page - indicate that the Traveller was originally to have been a twin speaker combo with a modular preamp and power section (as in the Conqueror and so on) housed in an AC10 sized case. By late 1966, it seems that this idea had been dropped. A single speaker Traveller along the lines of standard production model was advertised in the first pre-production brochures, side-by-side with the twin speaker Virtuoso (called at the time the Supreme), which pretty much follows the pattern of the surviving pre-production Travellers, though in a larger wooden case.

Clearly part of the design process lay in getting the number of speakers and format of amplifier right in relation to the size of case. An AC10-sized case was really just a little too small for two speakers and a modular preamp and power amp.

In terms of the standard production amplifiers, various changes came in during the course of 1967 and early 1968 under JMI. It is unlikely that any Travellers were produced - that is to say, assembled from scratch - by VSEL. The model did not figure in the catalogues and pricelists issued by the company in 1969.

• Serial numbers are first given in the form xxxx; then ST--xxxx, and for the last runs of amps, xxxx.
• Logos are either "VOX" or "VOX. Solid State".
• Lettering is in silver first, then gold.
• Note that because relatively few Travellers were made, changes apparently come in more quickly - so by 1042 (below) we already have "Solid State" in the logo.

Serial number 1019 - currently in the USA

One of the earliest, if not the earliest, surviving Traveller. Thanks to Mark for the pictures.

Serial number unknown - currently in the UK

VOX only in the logo.

Serial number 1026 - currently in the UK

A low serial number, and assembled by JMI, but not given its final inspection until October 1968, when it went out for sale as a "Vox Sound Equipment Limited" amp - see the guarantee card. The tag and information sheet still say "Jennings Musical Industries" though. The amp was presumably stock taken over by VSEL from JMI, perhaps needing final finishing or adjusting in some way. Thanks to Tom for the pictures. Further pictures can now be found here.

Serial number 1041 - currently in the UK

In great condition. The original knobs replaced with chickenheads.

Serial number 1042 - currently in the USA

Thanks to Mark for the pictures.

NEW

Serial number 1057 - currently in the UK

In good electronic and external condition. In the preamp, original RCA transistors with date codes "6L" and "7F" = December 1966 and June 1967. The "Allen" logo still remains on the mains transformer. The speaker is the original Celestion T7721.

Serial number 1075 - currently in the UK

.

Serial number 1077 - currently in the UK

A great Traveller. The mains transformer has been replaced, and the speaker is now a Celestion blue rather than a 7442, but condition is superb. One of the Mullard mustard caps in the preamp has the date code "B7N" = second quarter of 1967. The RCA transistors have codes beginning "7" (1967), though unfortunately the letters designating the month are not legible. Thanks to Phil for the pictures.

Serial number 1108 - currently in the UK

Two sets of pics (two sales on ebay some time ago) - the first showing the new sockets and control for the fuzz and vibrato on the back panel in a rough and ready state; in the second set, everything nicely worked in.

Serial number 1125 - currently in the UK

Excellent condition. Thanks to Roy for the pictures.

Serial number 1126 - currently in the UK

No pictures at present.

Serial number 1141 - whereabouts unknown

Serial number 1170 - currently in the USA

Serial number 1177 - currently in the UK

A set of pictures of this amp, its original cover intact, is available here.

Serial number 1178 - currently in the USA

Thanks to Mark for the pictures

Serial number 1196 - currently in Europe

Complete with original footswitch.

Serial number 1218 - currently in the UK

Serial number 1222 - currently in the UK

The mains transformer has the part number 67928. In the preamp, Mullard mustard capacitors with date codes "C5N" and "B7N" = third quarter of 1965 and second quarter of 1967 respectively. The speaker is a Celestion T7224.

NEW

Serial number 1226 - currently in the UK

Good all-round condition. The original speaker is a Celestion 7442. Currently (Feb. 2021) on ebay.

Serial number 1230 - currently in the USA

Thanks to Steve for the pics

Serial number 1231 - currently in the UK

Sold on ebay in June 2014. Said not to be working. Good cosmetic condition nonetheless.

Serial number 1260 - currently in the UK

Again, "Amplifier" alone the title in the serial number plate.

Serial number 1282 - currently in the UK

Again, "Amplifier" alone the title in the serial number plate. The speaker is a Celestion T7721, 15 ohms.

Serial number 1297 - currently in the UK

Thanks to Steve for the pics

Sold by "Vox Sound Equipment Limited"

Late 1969 / early 1969

NEW

Serial number 2000 - currently in the USA

Feb. 2024 - pictures to come.

Serial number 2001 - currently in the UK

A great little Traveller. Chassis number 1274. Note that the logo is "VOX", not "VOX, Solid State". Probably the first of a small number sold / presented by "Vox Sound Equipment Limited" in 1968. The amp was presented to the son of the director of Holmes Plating Limited of Blackheath. Holmes Plating plated and passivated metal chassis for JMI.

The pictures above thanks to Jonathan. Note that the "Vox Sound Equipment Limited" serial number plate is hand stamped (as the first hundred or so of every model were). The Celestion T7721 has no label.

Serial number unknown - currently in the UK

Serial number unknown - currently in the UK

Pics from this page. One of the RCA transistors in picture has the date code "8B" = February 1968. The main power transistor - an RCA 40312 - has "6E" = May 1966.

Serial number unknown - currently in the UK

Sold on ebay in 2008. Note the "Amplifier" serial number plate.