VOX U.S. Thomas Organ V1141 ‘Super Beatle’ amplifiers
For the Who’s first tours of the USA in 1967, instead of their usual Marshall stacks, John Entwistle and Pete Townshend used U.S.-manufactured U.S. Thomas Organ V1141 “Super Beatle” solid-state amplifiers. The Super Beatle was the made-for-U.S. solid-state version of Vox’s AC-100, which Pete had used in 1965. Thomas Organ owned the rights to distribute Vox in the U.S., though Thomas Organ began designing and building its own “VOX” amplifiers, albeit of inferior quality. The amp line was coined the “Beatle” to take advantage of Beatlemania, though the Beatles reportedly used the Super Beatle on their last U.S. tours.
The reason for the difference in gear in the 1967 North American shows was that the group could not afford the cost of importing their full gear and, instead, rented or borrowed gear once arriving in the U.S. Because of their financial straits, Chris Stamp, the Who’s manager, signed the group to an exclusive agreement with Vox to use their gear in the States. On the first 1967 U.S. tours, including the March/April 1967 “Murray the K – Music in the Fifth Dimension” shows in New York, and the Monterey Pop festival in June, the Who used rented U.S. Thomas Organ (VOX) V1141 ‘Super Beatle’ 120w solid-state amplifiers and 4x12 (w/two horns) cabinets. The inferior quality of the gear is evident in the Monterey Pop show, where Jimi Hendrix, who had “learned” his gear setup from Pete and the Who, was able to bring his Marshall 4x12s and 100-watt amps, to great effect. So while the Who were renowed in England for the sheer power and volume of their Marshall gear, it was Hendrix (and The Cream) who would ultimately gain notoriety in the USA for “pioneering” the Marshall backline.
Following the use of the Super Beatles, Pete and John each began using Sunn equipment for North American shows, which were far better suited to the Who’s stage sound, though still not their UK Sound City gear. The first documented use of Sunn gear is late 1967.
Selected quotes
All quotes and references are copyright their original owners and are included for reference only.
From Guitar Player, October 1967
Excerpts from an interview with John Entwistle and Pete Townshend conducted June 18, 1967, in San Francisco, just prior to the Who’s appearance at the Monterey Pop Festival.
- GP: What is your amp volume setting on a ratio of ten?
Townsend [sic]: Mine’s on about five. I always have the guitar flat out; otherwise you lose top.
- GP: What about amps?
Entwhistle [sic]: Sound City, they’re an English amp. We both use sixteen twelve-inch speakers and two two-hundred watt amps. That way we get a nice even sound.
Townsend: We use Vox in the States . . . Super Beatles, four altogether.
From April 1980 issue of Sound International article, courtesy Joe G’s site.
“Then we used Vox amps for a little while. We did a deal with them but they were really rubbish. The AC30 is the only good amplifier they ever made.”
John Entwistle on Monterey Pop:
“Kit didn’t want to pay for us to bring our own equipment over. We used Vox equipment and sounded dire. Then after we’d smashed it up, Jimi Hendrix came on with big Marshall stacks, set fire to his guitar and completely upstaged us.”
Pete Townshend on the Murray the K shows:
“I discovered Fender Stratocaster guitars are very strong and cheap out in the States. Once I chopped a Vox Super Beatle amplifier in half with one. They’re made out of chipboard, little bits of wood that they glue together, and I chopped right through the whole thing. It was a 4 x 12 cabinet, and it fell into two bits. I picked up the Stratocaster and carried on playing … and it was still perfectly in tune!”
Thomas Super Beatle features
- Speakers: Four Vox Bulldog 12″ Heavy-Duty speakers and two 25w high-frequency horns
- 120 watts, solid state
- Three channels, with myriad effects, including reverb, tremolo, fuzz, mid-range boost.
- Chrome roller stand
Photo Gallery
15 Sept. 1967, on the Smothers Brothers show, miming through two short-lived U.S. Thomas Organ (Vox) Super Beatle amplifiers. Note label is taped over. Guitar is 1967 Vox Cheetah.
March/April 1967, the first U.S. dates and first use of the Super Beatles: the Murray the K shows in New York, with John and Pete each playing through two Super Beatles. Pete’s guitar is Fender Stratocaster.
Ca. July 1967, John and Pete playing through two Super Beatles each, with the tops reversed on the chrome roller rack, presumably for easier control panel access.
June 1967, Monterey Pop, showing two Super Beatles, with tops reversed on the chrome roller rack. Pedal is Marshall Supa Fuzz.
Resources and Information
Vox information
- The Vox Showroom: voxshowroom.com
- Vox U.S. Thomas Organ V1141 Super Beatle: voxshowroom.com/us/amp/beat.html