Editing Vox (company) (section)

==== GuitarOrgan ====
[[File:Vox V251 guitarOrgan-IMG 5539.jpg|thumb|upright|The Vox V251]]
[[Image:VOX V251GuitarOrgan (1).jpg|thumb|The Vox V251 GuitarOrgan]]
In 1966, Vox introduced the Guitar Organ, a Phantom VI guitar with internal organ electronics. [[John Lennon]] was given one in a bid to secure an endorsement, although he did not record with it.{{sfn|Lenhoff|Robertson|2019|p=170}}

The V251 connects to a mains power-supply unit via DIN plugs and a four-conductor cable (power, guitar output, organ output and common). The PSU in turn has individual amplifier outputs for guitar and organ.

Organ tones are sounded in one of three ways; in 'normal' mode, by pressing any string onto a fret; in 'percussion' mode, by fretting any string and touching the included brass plectrum (connected to a short wire plugged into a socket on the scratchplate) onto any metal part of the guitar; or by pressing one of the six 'open string' buttons. There is an option to silence the lowest two strings, and the organ section, as a whole, can also be switched off. There is a four-position octave selector, a six-position effect selector, a four-way selector for the percussion and a flute selector.

The guitar section is equipped with two Vox pick-ups, a three-way selector, and conventional volume and tone controls. In common with Phantom models, it has a Bigsby-style tremolo unit, a fixed-intonation bridge and individual Vox-branded tuners.

The V251 is somewhat awkward to play as the neck is wider at the nut end than at the body, and a player's natural tendency to bend a string results in it slipping off the divided fret. Additionally it is very heavy, weighing, nearly 9&nbsp;lbs.

The instrument never became popular though it was a precursor to the modern guitar synthesizer. [[Ian Curtis]] of [[Joy Division]] is sometimes believed to have used a GuitarOrgan, but he actually owned two white Phantom VI special with onboard effects.<ref>Hempsall, Alan. [http://home.wxs.nl/~frankbri/jdvextro.html "A Day Out With Joy Division"], Extro, Vol.2/No.5 1980.</ref>