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Joy Division, Tony Wilson, Factory Records
29th November 1996

“Ian's teardrop guitar? I presume we're talking Ian Curtis and a Vox?

I thought he played a Vox Phantom (he certainly does in one Joy Division video) - which was coffin-shaped. I think the teardrop guitars were called the Vox Phantom Mark III (which is confusing...)”

“Yes we are talking Curtis and now obviously my lack of knowledge on guitars. Can only go off what Wilson said. So that could possibly be anything couldn't it?”

“IC did play a VOX but think there is some confusion on the model type - Vox Mk VI?

In most articles Ians guitar gets refered to as a Vox 'teardrop' you can check out some info on JD's equipment here;

www.joydiv.org/eqpt.htm

Some great artefacts by the way JAX!”

“Right, the description on the JD equipment page mentions the coffin-shaped guitar "with built-in effects".

Unfortunately, the photo isn't Ian's guitar - it's not even a Vox, it's a copy by Brian Eastwood (I've got one of his double-necks) and doesn't have built-in effects.

In the video for "Love will tear us apart again", Ian is playing a white Vox Phantom with built-in effects. This is a coffin-shaped guitar, NOT a teardrop.

I will try and explain what I think Vox made... I might be wrong. The Wikipedia page is wrong!

Vox complicated things by called two different body shapes the same name. They were originally made in England, and then later by Eko in Italy.

The coffin-shaped guitar was called the Vox Phantom VI.

The teardrop-shaped guitar (as played by Brian Jones - though his was a non-standard prototype) was a Vox Phantom III. (I think Vox called the shape droplet rather than teardrop).

The twelve-string version was the Vox Phantom XII, and was made in both teardrop and coffin shapes.

The bass was the Vox Phantom IV, and was coffin-shaped (I think Vox referred to it as lozenge-shaped !) Mind you, I suspect they made teardrop-shaped basses too.

The coffin-shaped guitar with built-in effects was called a Vox Phantom VI Special - this is what Ian played.

Vox also made a guitar-organ based on the Phantom VI body - it looked quite like the Special but with even more buttons and divided frets (to pick up the organ notes). I played one once - "crap" is possibly a good description.”

“It seems that there are now two separate companies with license to manufacture the guitars today.

Phantom use the name 'Teardrop' and 'Phantom'

Vox use the name 'Droplet' & 'Delta'

If you check here;

www.phantomguitars.com/

you can see the type Ian used, the one Brian Jones used and one that was used by The Hollies
& the difference in shape.

Although the 12 string Phantom is called a Teardrop? and is the shape that IC used.

If you check here;
www.voxshowroom.com/us/guitar/phan6.html

you can see the Vox Phantom Mk VI which is the shape Ian used,
the standard Mark VI is the teardrop shape Brian Jones used.

I can't find any info on the original names when they were manufactured in the UK

Complicated aint it!!

I think I read a quote somewhere from Hooky saying that while New Order were recording Sirens Call that said guitar was left out in the studio, to get feeling Ian was around.

JAX it might be worth linking Joy Division to this artefact.”