Did the Bell Musical Instrument catalogue mean much to you?

[Didier]

"Bell Musical Instruments - the catalogue that dreams were made of".

This catalogue was unknown on the other side of the channel, but it obviously must have been the source of many dreams for those who had it !

Didier

[Bob Withrington]

Hi Didier,

In the mid-sixties I worked close to the Bell Music store in Surbiton and spent many a happy lunch time there playing guitars and learning the chords of the latest songs from their extensive range of sheet music. I remember meeting Bill Wyman & Keith Richard of the Rolling Stones there on a couple of occasions.

I was so shocked & sad about the forced cancellation of SAMSHAD 19. Hopefully we'll be seeing you again at the Surrey Shadows Club later this year.

Kind Regards,

Bob Withrington

[cockroach]

I also recall browsing and dreaming over the Bell catalogue...

One phrase haunts me...if my memory serves after 50+ years...

The Framus archtop with one scratchplate neck pickup that the blurb said... 'gives the real rock clang that the boys want..'

Being a schoolkid, I couldn't even afford a plectrum back then...

[bazmusicman]

When I was lorry driving in the early 60's to middle of '75 I used to stop at BELL'S and gaze in the window to what I couldn't afford! A bit like a little kid looking in a sweet shop window with no money!!
I bet you couldn't park a bike outside there shop now without getting a ticket, let alone a lorry.

Baz.

[AlanMcKillop]

Thanks Paul, that's what I thought, unlike Mr Bakewell, we didn't have a phone back then.

[GoldenStreet]

I'm trying to remember how we got them. Were they advertised in music papers of the day and you wrote away for one?

Bells of Surbiton (Jack Larkin!)... I first saw it advertised in the TV Times and persuaded my dad to buy me a 14gns Consetta guitar (Czech made, I think) for my 14th birthday.

Bill

[JimN]

Jack Larkin was pictured in the catalogue and the page can be accessed at (or via) the Facebook page referenced above

JN

[Santoinetwo]

I can fondly remember as a teenager, browsing those catalogues. The 'Epiphone' Scroll guitar in a walnut finish was my first purchase from them. Sadly sold that many years ago, and now extremely hard to track one down in the UK. Anyway, my second purchase was to be a 'Marshall Stack. However ! after a one off visit to the shop itself, My mother thought otherwise. With the classic saying 'And Just Where Are You Going To Put That?' So after browsing the shop and sulking ! I spotted a very unusual colored guitar. Which in fact was called 'Antigua' all on it's own in a glass display case. Just had to have it !!!! And still play it 34 years later

[alanbakewell]

Thanks Paul, that's what I thought, unlike Mr Bakewell, we didn't have a phone back then.

My favourite was the "Hofner Verithin". ( Not the reissued "Verythin" ), the original.
I don't think they ever made them left handed. I never did get one.

I did travel down there with my mate and bought a "Watkins Rapier 44" Now they did make left handed models.
Sadly no photographs. It cost £50.00 and I paid for it over 12 months.
My mate bought an "Eko El Dorado". I can't remember the price of that but it was a couple of models up from the "Eko Ranger".

What I do remember is the overwhelming disappointment upon entering what I'd expected to be a huge place. Good job I didn't
want to swing a cat.

[Shad1]

I loved the Bell catalogue. The sweeping forms of the Hofner series always attracted my eye. The Rapier 22 and 44 looked glorious too. My brother bought a Hofner Congress and Rapier 22 and they were magical - I was around 12 years old at the time.
The Hofner he 'gave' to an old gilrfriend and the '22' he sold to my friend, (Stratmand) about a million years ago.
(For the record,M'lud, I sold my Burns London Splitsonic for £20 - I was a student!)

Malc