crumble
Joined: Sep 09, 2008
Posts: 3158
Guildford England
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Posted on Feb 03 2011 06:52 PM
Reading Ivan's thread about Hank's first Stratocaster brought back a few memories like seeing the shadows on my grandma's black & white television in 425 lines!
My brother and me would pretend we were the Shadows with brooms and mops..
At about the same time (very early 60s) we used to spend hours looking at a free catalogue called the "Bell Musical Instruments Catalogue" which was packed with electric guitars and amps of the day.
I would guess mark knopfler's first Hofner would be from here. I just wondered if anyone has ever heard of this catalogue, i'd love to see some scans of it.
Last edited: Feb 04, 2011 02:33:21
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estreet
Joined: Mar 17, 2007
Posts: 839
United Kingdom
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Posted on Feb 03 2011 07:51 PM
I worked for Bell music for four years. It was a shop in Surbiton for many years but became a chain owned by Hohner much later. I used to work in the Bournemouth and Southampton branches.
— http://www.myspace.com/thepashuns
Youth and enthusiasm are no match for age and treachery.
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crumble
Joined: Sep 09, 2008
Posts: 3158
Guildford England
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Posted on Feb 04 2011 04:35 AM
Thanks estreet. I noticed that scan on the Hagstrom site, they seem to be the only people who want to remember the catalogue.
Surprising when you consider how many years it ran, i had no idea they were still producing them as late as 1979.
I'll keep a lookout for a for an early 1960s copy, i'm sure it would cause some interest & amusement on the forum.
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remora1
Joined: Jan 04, 2008
Posts: 1275
San Pedro, CA
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Posted on Nov 28 2011 10:22 AM
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crumble
Joined: Sep 09, 2008
Posts: 3158
Guildford England
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Posted on Nov 28 2011 12:37 PM
Excellent and great site link - Thank you!
The Bell catalogue is post decimal currency so it would be dated around the 1970s.
Last edited: Nov 28, 2011 12:38:18
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remora1
Joined: Jan 04, 2008
Posts: 1275
San Pedro, CA
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Posted on Nov 28 2011 12:52 PM
crumble wrote:
The Bell catalogue is post decimal currency so it would
be dated around the 1970s.
Glad to help! I should have mentioned the Retronaut site says the catalogue is from 1973.
— Bill S._______
HELLDIVER on Facebook
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Bill_K
Joined: Feb 11, 2012
Posts: 6
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Posted on Feb 11 2012 01:20 AM
Good day, good people. I've just registered here, with much difficulty, as I'm on a somewhat boozy nostalgia trip right now. No disrespect is intended, but I just felt like Googling a firm I used to work for - and - Lo and behold !!! - a thread that was no more than a few months old !!!
Blimey !! Crumble and Estreet...you remember the old firm !! And Remora - out there in CA - you not only remember, but you googled a b100dy Bell's Catalogue from MY era !!!
If it's not too late in the day, then I would love to share with you guys the fact that I worked in the Surbiton shop (ACROSS THE ROAD from the accordions and keyboards !!!) from around March 1971 to around July 1976. If I can share any memories from my side of the counter, I'd love to.
Estreet's memories seem to pre-date mine, and so I bow to such seniority. I joined after Hohner's takeover. I recall only two outposts of Arthur Bell's empire - one being 'oop North' at a trading estate I forget the name of (REMIND ME !!!) - and the other in Hove, near Brighton. I stood in for George M. at the Hove branch a couple of times while he took his holidays - and enjoyed my stay in the company of his lovely lady assistant.
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estreet
Joined: Mar 17, 2007
Posts: 839
United Kingdom
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Posted on Feb 11 2012 01:35 AM
No Bill, I worked for them in the late 80's. I couldn't remember when it was taken over by Hohner: I thought it was in my time as I remember the shop being flooded with Hohner copies of Strats, Teles etc. - but maybe they had already owned it some time.
— http://www.myspace.com/thepashuns
Youth and enthusiasm are no match for age and treachery.
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Bill_K
Joined: Feb 11, 2012
Posts: 6
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Posted on Feb 11 2012 01:18 PM
Hi Estreet. I guess The Pashuns is your outfit, then ?
I think Hohner bought Bells a year or two before I started with them in Surbiton. They probably bought a Jap factory in the 80's and flooded the shop with Hohner copies after that.
I left in '76, and went 'pro' for a couple of years, playing bass in several bands around Surrey & SW London. By 'pro,' I really meant signing on the dole, buying and selling gear in Exchange & Mart, and playing pubs, clubs and wine bars !!! I wasn't that good, so I eventually went into the audio-visual electronics industry. I'm now living in Scotland and driving a taxi !!!
I haven't played for over 20 years, now, but I sure miss it, and get the 'itch' now and then !!!
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JimboUK
Joined: Jan 28, 2012
Posts: 6
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Posted on Feb 12 2012 08:56 AM
I have several Bell Musical Instrument catalogues from about 1965 - 1968. I must get some of them scanned (prices are in £sd of course).
JN
Last edited: Feb 12, 2012 08:56:31
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remora1
Joined: Jan 04, 2008
Posts: 1275
San Pedro, CA
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Posted on Feb 12 2012 11:57 AM
Bill_K wrote:
Good day, good people. I've just registered here, with
much difficulty, as I'm on a somewhat boozy nostalgia
trip right now. No disrespect is intended, but I just
felt like Googling a firm I used to work for - and - Lo
and behold !!! - a thread that was no more than a few
months old !!!
Blimey !! Crumble and Estreet...you remember the old
firm !! And Remora - out there in CA - you not only
remember, but you googled a b100dy Bell's Catalogue
from MY era !!!
Hi Bill, actually I have no personal memories, I had just seen this post a few months earlier when I spotted the catalogue over at the Retronaut site and it clicked. I'm always on the lookout for anything vintage guitar related, I'm glad I was able to put it here for you guys.
— Bill S._______
HELLDIVER on Facebook
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Bill_K
Joined: Feb 11, 2012
Posts: 6
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Posted on Feb 12 2012 08:48 PM
JimboUK wrote:
I have several Bell Musical Instrument catalogues from
about 1965 - 1968. I must get some of them scanned
(prices are in £sd of course).
JN
Hi Jimbo. I joined Bell in 1971, so your collection pre-dates me, but I would certainly love to see those catalogues (LOL - note our typically 'English' spelling, guys. Why use 6 letters when you can do it with 8 ? !!!) I visited Bell's shop on several occasions before joining them - usual stuff - tried a bunch of axes, and then bought a couple of plectrums (Yeah, OK, purists...plectra !!!)
I did the same in Dave Simms' shop in Ealing, too (He of 'Simms-Watts' fame........anybody ?)
Bear in mind that uploading your scans may take up a lot of site bandwidth (or whatteva they call it out there !!!), so you may have to use Zip or Rar folders - or simply use PM's to swap email addresses and send direct. I don't know what I could send you in return - but try me !!!
I had a load of stuff in my garage, but some kids set fire to it a few years back. I lost a Sound City B-120 Bass amp, which I believe was one of the earlier Dave Reeves designs using SIX EL-34 valves. Also a tonewheel split Hammond organ. I could have killed those kids - but fortunately for them I don't have a gun licence...
"The Californian" wrote:
Hi Bill, actually I have no personal memories, I had just seen this post a few months earlier when I spotted the catalogue over at the Retronaut site and it clicked. I'm always on the lookout for anything vintage guitar related, I'm glad I was able to put it here for you guys.
And much appreciated it was. Now look what you've started...!!!
Last edited: Feb 12, 2012 20:49:56
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crumble
Joined: Sep 09, 2008
Posts: 3158
Guildford England
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Posted on Feb 13 2012 07:11 AM
Jimbo. A few scans of the guitar/amp/effects sections would be really nice. If you can keep down the file size there shouldn't be any problems. Thanks!
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Bill_K
Joined: Feb 11, 2012
Posts: 6
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Posted on Feb 14 2012 12:16 AM
Good on ya, crumble. Good to see your thread bearing fruit - and good to enjoy those fruits. Thank you, guys !!!
Yeah - it's intriguing as to why 'Hagstrom' seem to have 'majored' so much with Bell's - but maybe they enjoyed the opening that Bell gave them into the UK market. let's face it, Scandinavia was never a big player in the music market, was it ? Norway consistently scored 'Nil Points' in the wretched Eurovision contest.
Then Abba turned up !!! Suddenly, Swedes were no longer regarded as just vegetables !!!
Bell had local suppliers. One that seems to feature in online connections is 'Fletcher, Coppock and Newman.' Another is 'Barnes and Mullins.'
Notably, though, I think, is the Watkins connection. Sid and Charlie Watkins produced the famous 'WEM' amplification, along with the 'Rapier' guitars. They produced the 'Watkins Copycat' echo chamber - which I believe spurred Binson to develop their own 'Echorec' box.
Man - I'm in tears. I gotta go, now !!!
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nightsonbroadway
Joined: May 27, 2012
Posts: 1
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Posted on May 27 2012 11:01 AM
Just joined this discussion group to direct interested folk to my website at http://www.broadwayguitars.co.uk, where a section on Bell Musical Instruments with a few scans from their '60s catalogues can be found.
Hope it's useful to anyone stumbling across this slightly old thread (like myself!).
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Bill_K
Joined: Feb 11, 2012
Posts: 6
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Posted on May 27 2012 12:06 PM
Well, I haven't been back in here for a while, as we seemed to have come to the end of the conversation. I'm currently researching JV Squier Strats to try and get a valuation of mine, with a view to selling it. So, I suddenly thought I'll just have a peek in here to see if anyone's been in to this thread - and there today is NightsOnBroadway's post with a link to his Broadway site !!!
Thanks for that, Nights, I enjoyed the old Bell catalogue pics and the little bit of history. Great site - and it's good that you have been able to take over from Mr. Godwin !!! I've bookmarked it, and I'll be back !!!
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PhilB
Joined: Sep 02, 2012
Posts: 1
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Posted on Sep 02 2012 12:34 PM
Hi Bill K
This is Phil B from Bell’s days 1974-1983. Glad to hear you are still around the music scene!!!
I always remember your friend Ivan saying to me, when you were at band practice that he knew when you had dropped off to sleep the glow in the ash tray had gone out!! Oh boy didn’t we all smoke a lot in those days especially Saturdays!!
Still have a number of the old catalogues and trade catalogues that I took when Hohners made me redundant and closed the old Bell’s Guitar Showroom. Still look at them from time to time, for reference.
Still playing and involved - it is in the blood!! Just can’t give it up!!
All the best.
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Bill_K
Joined: Feb 11, 2012
Posts: 6
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Posted on Sep 08 2017 03:31 AM
OMG...
I've just stumbled in here on a nostalgia trip after downing way too much Sanatogen, and realised that my old workmate (and fellow skiver) Phil posted a greeting to me.
Well - if you're still alive mate, then I do apologise for not replying for 5 damn years !!! This nostalgia stuff seems to take time, doesn't it ? We enjoyed the company of 'Willie' Wilson and good old John Crosland, whom I recall used to scare the living daylights out of us at lunchtimes by suddenly jumping out from behind a display cabinet to 'test drive' a recent violin repair with a somewhat aggressive paganini piece. You affectionately described these incidents as 'Zorro' encounters, as I recall ! In quieter moments, you taught me some basic guitar picking styles, and I'm grateful for that, sir.
If you're still monitoring this thread, then do please forgive my tardiness in response - and post back here or PM me - whatever. This may sound ominous - but I have a favour to ask, if I dare...
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Rupert
Joined: Dec 24, 2023
Posts: 1
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Posted on Dec 24 2023 05:42 AM
Bill_K wrote:
OMG...
I've just stumbled in here on a nostalgia trip after downing way too much Sanatogen, and realised that my old workmate (and fellow skiver) Phil posted a greeting to me.
Well - if you're still alive mate, then I do apologise for not replying for 5 damn years !!! This nostalgia stuff seems to take time, doesn't it ? We enjoyed the company of 'Willie' Wilson and good old John Crosland, whom I recall used to scare the living daylights out of us at lunchtimes by suddenly jumping out from behind a display cabinet to 'test drive' a recent violin repair with a somewhat aggressive paganini piece. You affectionately described these incidents as 'Zorro' encounters, as I recall ! In quieter moments, you taught me some basic guitar picking styles, and I'm grateful for that, sir.
If you're still monitoring this thread, then do please forgive my tardiness in response - and post back here or PM me - whatever. This may sound ominous - but I have a favour to ask, if I dare...
@Bill_K This is an even bigger long shot than your message above, but if you are still on this forum, do reply.
John Crossland (double s but after all this time it's an easy mistake to make) was my grandfather.
I would love to hear more of your experiences of working with him. I can just picture him doing that Zorro routine. He was never happier than when he was playing the violin.
He passed away a few years after retiring from Bell's, but he did take me to the shop once when I was just a young boy. I met Philip and another chap - name escapes me.
I hope you see this and are able to reply or private message me.
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