This the Continental built by Thomas Organ in Sepulveda, CA.  They must have been in an awful hurry to get their chunk of the exploding Combo Organ market, because they cranked this sucker out for only about 4 months (~Feb-Jun 1966), then stopped production and began marketing Italian-built organs exclusively. The V301H is a bit mysterious, what with the wooden keys and rear supports just like it's UK brethren, but with a very different oscillator board design, and straddling the fence on the drawbar tip color (White like Italians, Red like UK models).  While not as common as Italian models, they're certainly not as rare as some would have you believe.  I've seen quite a few of these on eBay and elsewhere.  In fact, I own one myself! (Thanks to Tom and to Antonio for the pictures)

Control Panel Layout.  The "Red" drawbar tips tend to be a bit more on the Burgundy side than UK models.	Rear view - braces meet at a single point	Typical ID Badge
Insides:  Metal power supply box, unusual generator boards,  wooden keys.	Two views of the Generator board

Italian: Very early V301/E2 "single-point" (mid-1966)

Yep, this one is Italian, through and through. It's a V301/E2, but look at those leg braces!  And there's no evidence that this one has been re-covered or otherwise modified.  All I can figure is that the first few models out of the Italian factory used the UK stands with the single-point leg braces, and later went to the crossed style.  I've seen a handful like this, all with very low serial numbers, so I don't believe it's a one-off or a hatchet job or anything like that. The only date I have for one is 6/27/66, the earliest date I've seen for any Italian Continental, and just after the latest date I've seen for any US Continental. (Thanks to Sandy A. for these photos)

Otherwise, it's pretty much like the other V301E/2's (below)

Italian V301E/2 (1966-1967)

The first Italian version, built by EME.  Standard Italian characteristics include White/Black drawbar tips, plastic keys, and crossed rear braces.  This model had a medium-dark grey textured vinyl covering. I've seen dates on these ranging from mid '66 to early '67.

Rear view - crossed leg braces	Control panel
Internals	ID Badge - good view of the vinyl texture, too.
	Internal paper ID tag

Italian V302E (1967)

This one is sort of an oddball.  At first, I thought perhaps it was just a typo, but it turns out it's a real model variation.  It's pretty much identical to the V301E's, with the following improvement:  " the '2' has a built in keystoke pressure adjustment. In the metal part of each key, there is a small wedge shaped piece of plastic with a screw on the top. You are able to slide the plastic part back and forth, changing the distance between the key and the contact trigger below. This lets you change how far down you have to press the key to get the full tone to sound. This is much easier than gluing different sized shims to the bottom of your English Continental's wooden keys."  (thanks to Mark J. for this tidbit)  This design change apparently continued with the V301E models that followed

I've documented several examples of this model, and they all fit in neatly, date-wise, between the V301E/2's and the later V301E's - all from late '67 to early '68.

Sharp-eyed combonaut Micke Lindgren noticed that on the internal paper ID tags, the "0" following "105" has had a number "2" hand-written over it in red ink (you can see this in the example below).  Every one I've followed up on has been like this.

Another interesting, but not terribly relevant detail:  In the 1969 price list, the Stand/Case Combo appeared as model V302 (but was not priced separately)

Looks just like any other Italian	Looks like the others, but note the "2" in red written over the second "0" in the serial.
No surprises here, either. (leftmost yellow drawbar tip is non-standard, I'm sure)	Note the "2" is part of the stamped serial number.

Italian - V301E (1968)

The second Italian version, also built by EME.  Virtually identical to the V301E/2 and V302E, it's most easily distinguished by the vinyl covering.  It's a sort of a crosshatch pattern, like little squares or diamonds (I've also heard it referred to as a "chain-mail" pattern).  It's a much lighter grey than other Continental coverings, too.  The pictures here, while very good, make the vinyl look much darker than it really is. The "Innards" and "ID Badge" pictures below are more accurate. I've seen dates on these ranging from early '68 to late '68. (Thanks to "G-Force" for these pictures)

Rear view - crossed leg braces

Innards - Note the split (4 and 2) drawbar assembly.

Control panel.  Note the diagonal ends on the legs - this is the typical Italian style.  Also a pretty good view of both the Grey and Red Vinyl textures

Typical V301E ID Badge

This badge is from the V301E pictured above.  Despite what it says, it was NOT built in the UK by JMI.

The companion paper tag from the inside of the above organ.  Note that it definitely is a V301-E.  The date is 9 SEP 1968 - well into the Italian period. (Some suspect it's actually 1965 - I can see it either way, so make up your own mind.  Given the pattern of serial#'s and dates that I've found, it makes much more sense as a '68)

Vox Sound, Ltd. (1970?)

After JMI was taken over, and the name changed to Vox Sound, Ltd, they continued to produce Continentals (and other organs, too).  The pictures here (courtesy of Ronny Wyants), are the only ones I've seen of one of these later organs.  Unfortunately, I think this one is Italian, and only sporting a Vox Sound badge <sigh>.  Ronny found the date of "9 70" stamped on the generator boards, so it was probably a 1970 model.

 

Looks a lot like the old JMI tags.  I guess they couldn't be bothered to come up with a model number.	Same "split" drawbar assembly as the V301E	These internal paper tags are typically found only on Italian organs.  This one does look a bit different from the typical Italian tags, but I'm pretty sure the name "MARCONI A." is not British.  No idea who's signature that is.
Back to the metal boxed power supply	Somewhat different rear panel.	Considerably different generator board design.

 

Continental '71

Hoo, boy!  Can you say weeeeeird!?  Man, I just about fell over when I saw this thing.  Another of Henry B's rare finds, it sits here supported by his trusty ironing board stand. Clearly a latecomer, probably 1971 (hence, the model name).  The badge indicates it's Italian, a product of EME, under license from Vox Sound, which would place it in that time period.  From the serial numbers I've collected, it appears there may have been over 900 of these suckers manufactured!

Really just a basic Continental with a small bank of five Preset switches (looking very much like those on the Italian '300 or the Baroque).  They function like Hammond presets (minus the "cancel" switch), with the first five "presetting" combinations of the four white drawbars (the drawbars themselves are deactivated), and the fifth activating the drawbars themselves.  With a preset selected, the two sliders to the left of the keyboard determine the mix of Foundation and Reed tones.  With the drawbars activated (preset #6), the black drawbars perform this function (like on a regular Continental).

Henry did a bit of experimenting, and determined that the presets are as follows:

PRESET	16'	8'	4'	IV
-----------------------------------
  1	8	0	8	0

  2	8	0	0	8

  3	0	8	8	0

  4	8	4	3	1

  5	1	3	4	8

  6	   (white drawbars)

After he found this rare bird, Henry and I were quite surprised to see not one, but TWO of them pop up on eBay within a few days of each other.  (You can find ANYTHING on eBay, if you wait long enough).  Funny thing is, all three (including Henry's) were located in the UK! (maybe they were trying to get back to their roots).  In fact, I've seen no less than 10 Continental 71s, and every one of them was in the UK.  I guess EME just shipped them all right back to Vox Sound, and never marketed any through Thomas or on their own.

Drawbars and Presets.	Sliders to control the mix of Foundation and Reed for the Preset voices
Well, looky there - a "square top"!  So we've come full-circle, I guess.	Model name doesn't appear on the badge, but rather on the owners manual
Under the hood, looking quite different indeed, but definitely with those Italian-style plastic keys.	Sharp looking organ.  Be nice if it had all it's "tips".

Here's a manual (well, more of a "quick-reference" card):  Many thanks to "Oz" for supplying me with scans:

And here, of all things, is a picture of one of these in action, with "The Brood", in January, 1993:

(Thanks to Micke for this one)

Norman's "Erith Prototype"

Ok, here's another odd bird.  I'll just let it's former owner, Norman Dickinson, tell the story: "This photo, based on other pictures in the series of negatives, would have been taken some time in 1967. This Connie was one of the prototype organs made at the Erith factory, and what you will notice is that the keys are "normal", i.e. white naturals with black sharp/flats, also there were additional controls on the side panel, one was variable vibrato, the other was a toggle switch, and for the life of me I cannot remember what that was for!. My only regret is that I do not still have it, having sold it in the mid 70's when I stopped gigging. Ah well!!!" As to it's origin, Norman says: "It came from the Erith factory. My brother worked there at the time, and they were clearing out redundant equipment and I was able to purchase it. If memory serves me I paid less that £10, which back in the mid 60's, £1 was worth about $8.00."

Serial Numbers/Dates

UK Models:  I'm told that the very first Continental MK-I's had the number "119" embedded (I don't know exactly how - perhaps something like "11900" or "01191").  This came from the address of the factory, 119 Dartford Rd.  I've not yet seen one so-numbered. I've observed three different number styles on the metal ID badges, and a fourth on a sticker found just behind the drawbar assembly.  I'm not sure of the significance of the differences, nor if any conclusions can be drawn.  I've only able to gather dates from a few UK models.  Here's what I've found so far:

• 4-digit from metal ID badge: 1089 thru 4018
      1089    Aug 1963   Version 1
      21xx     Jan 1964   Version 2.5
      1597    10/15/64    Version 3
      1807    1/19/65 
      2912    3/14/66      Version 5
      4018                       Version 5
  

• 5-digit from metal ID badge: 01970 thru 02863
  02192    8/23/65
  

• 5-digit on sticker behind drawbars: 36840 thru 39363.  
      36840 6/10/65 Version 4
  

• BD-3nnn, found on metal ID badge: BD-3007 thru BD-3335
  BD-3335  8/22/65     Version 4
  BD-3686  Oct 1965  Version 4

JMI manufacture dates were kept in a factory log book, now long since lost.

US Models: These are more consistent, all beginning with "97", but as you can see, the numerical order doesn't seem to follow the date sequence.  The dates on US models usually come from the left-most key.  This may only indicate the manufacture date of the keyboard itself, which may bear no relation to that of the entire organ. I've seen numbers range from 970043 thru 970952.  

The following are serial numbers for which I also have dates.  The list is sorted numerically by serial number:

	970043	04/12/66
	970179	06/02/66
	970214	04/01/66
	970221	05/20/66
	970310  04/25/66
	970323	06/01/66
	970382	06/14/66
	970464	05/17/66
	970650	03/09/66
	970652	02/28/66
	970920	06/15/66

Italian models: The V301E2 models all start with "104", and V301E's and V302E's start with "105", these digits being pre-printed on the metal id-badge.  Each is followed by four unique digits, stamped on.  On the V301E2's, the 4 digits start with "0" or "1", on V302E's, they start with "0", but are usually over-stamped (on the metal badge) or overwritten (on the paper tag) with a "2".  V301E's start with a "3".  The numerical order and date order seem to line up pretty consistently, as you can see below:  The same serial number appears on a paper tag stapled to the inside. 

• V301E2 (very early model with single-point leg braces): (range observed: 104-0042 thru 104-0138)
•     104-0102    6/27/66
• V301E2: (range observed: 104-0042 thru 104-1977)
•     104-0831    10/4/66
•     104-0914    10/21/66
•     104-1310    11/22/66
•     104-1537    12/1/66
•     104-1818    1/8/67
•     104-1977    2/16/67
• V302E: (range observed - 105-2045 thru 105-2695)
•     105-2080    10/30/67
•     105-2120    10/31/67
•     105-2301    11/7/67
•     105-2366    11/20/67
•     105-2371    11/20/67
•     105-2393    11/21/57
•     105-2414    11/23/67
•     105-2499    12/21/67
•     105-2695    1/31/68 (This one is likely a V302E, but I've not been able to confirm it)
• V301E: (range observed: 105-3010 thru 105-3868)
•     105-3010    3/1/68
•     105-3058    3/26/68
•     105-3117    3/28/68
•     105-3140    4/8/68
•     105-3191    4/9/68
•     105-3287    5/8/68
•     105-3868    9/9/68 (on this one there's some question about the year stamped on the paper tag.  It looks like it could be "1965" or "1968".  "1968" makes a lot more sense in the overall scheme of things, so I'm going with that for now)   
• Vox Sound These seem to be a continuation from the V301E serial numbers.  I've not seen any dates on them, but one was reported to have a 1970 date stamped on one of the boards.  1969-1970 is probably about right.
•     105-4125
•     105-4146
•     105-4234
•     105-4251

 Continental 71:  I've seen or heard about ten specimens, with the following serials (No dates to be found on any of them).

	3175023
	3175052 
	3175084
	3175095
	3175117 (not real sure about this one)
	3175128
	3175140
	3175176
	3175755
	3175952

Distinguishing characteristics

Different models can be identified by various means, some of which are presented here:

Leg Braces

Which way should the little cutouts face?  According to former Vox employee, Ron Lebar:

"The hook ends go at the top, with the open ends facing down, so they won't fall off if the screws are loose.  When taking the legs off, some people leave the cross braces attached, swung parallel to the plane of the legs and the screws tightened. That way they won't get forgotten, or the screws lost."

Are the single-point and crossed braces different? NO!  They're the same!  So you can fit Italian braces on a UK or US Contientnal and vice-versa.  In fact, the whole leg assembly is pretty much interchangeable between US, UK and Itlaian Continentals...and Jaguars!  Only the thread pitch for the wingbolts is different.

Drawbar Tip Colors

Drawbar tip colors seem to be fairly consistent, and break down as follows:

UK Models(TC, aka "V301J"):   Yellow and Red (the latest models are more of a Cream/Red)
US Models (V301H):  White and Red
Italian Models (V301E, V301E/2 and V302E):    White and Black

The shades of Yellow and Red tend to vary, with the Red often being more of a Maroon or Burgundy, but again, I'm relying on computer-based pictures so some may be illusion, some may be genuine variances.

Here's an excerpt from "Vox/Thomas Organ Service Bulletin No. 25", dated November 8, 1966 (thanks, Chris):

V301J: Has Ivory colored drawbar knobs and wooden keyboard keys (sharp keys have ivory colored plastic covering).
V301E: Has white drawbar knobs and plastic keyboard keys (sharp keys are white plastic).
V301H: Has white drawbar knobs and wooden keyboard keys (sharp keys \par are white colored plastic covering).

Very Early UK (Square Top and Version 2)	Later (more common) UK (Thanks to WarpDrive Musical)	Very late UK.  I think the "white" tips are actually more of a Cream than appears here
United States (Thanks, Tom)	Typical Italian

Rear Nameplates

I haven't yet drawn any conclusions about differences in nameplate styles.  I'll just present a few examples for now.

Most every one I've seen, regardless of origin, looks like this	A much less common version.  I've seen only a few like this, on early UK models.
A rather unusual one, from a US model (sorry, that's as big as it gets)	And still another style (quite similar to the one at left), this one from a UK model - date unknown (again, this is full-size - sorry).

Tone Generator boards

The last two English versions, the first Italian version, and the US version are all documented in a 1966 Thomas Organ service bulletin  The Italian board, while somewhat different in appearance, is fully interchangeable with the Version 4 English board.   The USA and "Vox Sound" boards are substantially different, and are incompatible with the other three (and each other).  

I've seen a few different schematics of Continentals, both UK and Italian in origin, and they're all pretty much identical  There were some very minor changes made early on, around 1963, that involved the addition of a couple of resistors to the divider circuits, but other than that, the circuitry remained largely un-changed.  I've heard a few people say they can hear the difference between a UK and an Italian model.  I've many others say that there's no difference at all.  I can't say from personal experience, because I've never heard a side-by-side comparison, but I imagine it would be a fairly subtle difference, probably due more to aging components than to any minor circuit or component differences.  

It's often presumed that the use or Germanium versus Silicon transistors will have an effect on the sound.  I've heard from several knowledgeable technical folks who are certain that this is NOT the case.  The US Continental uses Silicon transistors, while UK and Italian models use Germanium.  I'm told there is no perceptible difference between the two.  The use of transistors in organ tone generators is very different from their use in fuzzboxes (where the type of transistor DOES make a difference).  It's even possible to substitute Silicon transistors for Germanium ones, and no change in sound will be noticed.  Organ dividers (which generate all the lower octaves from the top octave oscillators) are basically just switching circuits, each creating a square wave output at half the frequency of whatever input signal is applied.  Square waves produced by Silicon transistors look and sound the same as those produced by Germanium.  The key to organ voicing is found in the filters, which typically don't use any transistors at all!

English - Version 1, 2 and 2.5	English - Version 3	English - Version 4, 5 and 6, the most common type.  Two different specimens shown.
USA	Italian	"Vox Sound" Italian model

 Coverings

The first batch of 100 or so MKI Continentals had the "square top", covered in orange Rexine.  Red was introduced later, and UK organs were made with both Red and Orange tops. Some may argue that ALL Continental tops are orange.   Having to rely largely on computer-based pictures, I could not argue this point convincingly one way or the other.

Supposedly, a small number of very early Continentals were covered in Red and Blue, to match AC30 amps of the same color.  I've heard of the existence of AC30's in those colors, but have not yet heard of a Continental so colored.

As with most other Vox organ characteristics, a number of different types, shades and textures were used over the years.  There are two terms used for the covering, "Rexine" and "Vinyde".  Here's the best I've been able to come up with:

Rexine (a.k.a. "leathercloth", rather a generic term for a textured vinyl covering) was used to cover Continental tops, and came in orange, red and grey (grey being used on UK Continental II's).  It was made by ICI in the 60's, and the brand name has since been taken over by F.J. Ratchford, Ltd., which sells it as a book covering material.  Rexine was (and still is) used to cover books, car dashboards, drink coasters and loads of other things.  Henry tells me that Ratchford supplies a very good red and grey, but not in the "classic" UK pattern, and also a very good Italian style in red and black but not burnt orange.  The original embossing rollers used by ICI were taken over by Wardle Storeys, which supply Ratchford with their coverings.  Unfortunately, the roller used to emboss the original UK-style Rexine was not taken, and has probably been lost.  Henry supplied me a few samples of different coverings:

The "Classic Orange" Rexine

"Smooth Tolex" - from a 1965 swatch book

Grey Rexine, also from the 1965 swatch book

Dark covering examples

UK: Early "smooth tolex", as found on amps from the '60-'62 period.  Orange looks original, too.  Odd that it has the later control panel.	UK: Slightly later - not quite so "smooth"	"Charcoal Basketweave".  This is from a Continental II, but I believe it was used on some later UK Continentals
Italian V301E/2  and V302E - "textured"	Italian V301E - little diamonds or squares, depending on your point of view. Has also been called "chain-mail".	US V301H.  Looks a lot like regular ol' Fender-style Tolex to me.