Rory Gallagher: A Vox Mark XII Special 12-String Electric Guitar, 1967,

guitar 41 1/2in (105cm) long

Footnotes

"I've got this old Vox 12-string from the days of Beatlemania..."
- Rory Gallagher

Rory would have acquired this distinctive guitar as he was a big Brian Jones fan. Brian was the first person Rory ever saw playing slide guitar and that made a serious impression on him.

Speaking about this guitar, Rory was quoted in Music Maker magazine, June 1978 issue: "I have another very singular one. It is a Vox Phantom (sic), Brian Jones used to use one a while ago. The body is shaped like an egg. The one I have has 12 strings and has supplies like mid-range adaptors, fuzz and repeat built-in. The only difficult part is the placement of the push button switches. They are placed on the rhythm plate and therefore they are very much in the way during playing. I would like to change that because otherwise, it is a very good instrument. Guitars with 12 strings are very suitable for rhythm guitar work."

"I've got this old Vox 12-string from the days of Beatlemania, which I've had for a couple of months. It's got an out-of-phase switch, you pull this up and it turns on this whole section. This I've turned into a tone control instead of a repeat tremolo thing, which isn't quite effective. The fuzz is quite good, but fuzz on a 12-string is unnecessary. Treble, you need, bass you need, top boost you might need. The mid boost is very good, flick this on and you get three positions which I haven't seen on any guitar yet, but if you had this on a Stratocaster...the only thing is, with a battery inside it and a surge of power, you're a little bit up and down on batteries. But I'll use this for recording, I've used it on stage once or twice."
- Rory Gallagher, Guitar magazine, 1978.

Literature
'Rory Gallagher', Music Maker magazine, June 1978 issue, translated by Iris Rasenberg, www.roryon.com/mm678-315.html
John Dalton,'I try to keep the balance between madness and technique', Guitar magazine, September 1978, www.roryon.com/balance384.html

Vox Mark XII:
The Vox Mark XII guitar, famously known as the 'Teardrop' guitar, gained prominence in the 1960s, particularly through its association with British rock music. The guitar was a radical departure from traditional guitar designs, created by a company who were better known for amps. The unique shape of the guitar made it lightweight and comfortable to play. It was popularised by Brian Jones of The Rolling Stones, who helped cement its place in rock history. Known for its jangly, bright tone and stylish look, the Mark XII became a symbol of the British Invasion era. Today, it remains a beloved collectable, celebrated for its role in shaping the sound and image of 1960s rock music.